August 31, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE: this weeks findings...

So, i'm 12 hours late this week due to spending SIX HOURS in a car driving back from Devonia... but here is this weeks Friday i'm in love...
1. This place in North Devon makes me want to get married again! Perfect.
2. This week I got an email from Emily introducing me to her amazing & I mean AMAZING shop Ship Shape Studio! I don't think there is a single thing I don't love in there - go go go check it out!
3.  This post from Sarah about Stanley made me giggle! I read it the day after I found a car in my freezer...
4. I plan on winning the lottery at some stage. When I do, my plates will all look like this. Go anthro!
5. I'm a massive fan of cooking for the kiddos with coconut oil. Super good for you!
6. Being pretty much dairy free - this recipe from joy will be my treat! Mmmm mm mmm mmmm.
7. We gorged on this spaghetti with chilli & prawns this week. Oh my goodness - go make!
8. My mates sister Lisbeth makes the most awesome cupcakes! Go have a look at Hiccupcakes.
9. It's September tomorrow! I can now wear this and these! Yay!
10. I've spent time reading the happy campers this week & i'm missing the summer we never had! Boo hiss!

August 27, 2012

THIS SUMMER


This summer  - urgh!
This summer - rain!
This summer - yawn!
On the days we have had sun this summer, we have made sure we soaked it up. I'm not going to lie - it's been a pretty miserable summer here in the South West, and as i didn't quite get round to getting new passports in time we decided to not go abroad this summer, we have been taking day trips & mini-breaks. We spent a couple of days last week again down in West Sussex, and we're soon off to North Devon for a while, so with these pics I bid you farewell until next week.
Enjoy x










August 24, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE: this weeks findings...


1. I love this cocobella. Font LOVE.
2. Can I please eat this entire pizza - just hold the bacon! No-knead? Score!
3. I'm really enjoying all the adventures going on over at ohdeardrea at the moment. Aloha!
4. I have no idea what's going on here but OMG this kitchen...
5. Isn't this such a cute idea for a birthday card? Note to self: MAKE!
6. This salad will be happening this week at some point. It looks SO good.
7. I want this braid to be in my hair. Pretty!
8. I need some of this motivation. Sometimes, i think Tracy is superhuman!
9. Do you know Charlotte? She's a funny, witty, honest & gorgeous mama! Do yourself a favour & check out I'm only saying what you're thinking!
10. Yes! I will be making vegan corn fritters to go with this bbq sauce. Summer trrr-eats!

August 22, 2012

SEARED TOFU W/ DATE BBQ SAUCE


Last week, when we drove ourselves down to the south coast i had to somehow drown out the soundtrack to "Alvin & The Chipmunks - Chipwrecked" (i know, just don't...)
So, I zoned out & i got recipe searching on my iphone (obviously i am not the driver in this situation - i'm not that idiot) and somewhere between Katy Perry & Destiny's Child I stumbled across this recipe for seared tofu with home made date BBQ sauce... Good God! AMAZING!
I knew i had to make it as soon as the sun decided to make an appearance (are we still not over the rain?) but, well you know how i'm mega impatient? I decided to make it as soon as we got home.
But thank goodness I did, as i am STILL waiting for some bloody sunshine (seriously, are we still not over the rain?)...
Anyhoo, here we go. If you're not a veggie or a vegan, don't let the tofu freak you out, it's good stuff! BBQ (inside on your cooker hob!) serve with a fresh green salad and some toasted pitta's et viola... pretty much a summer vegan heaven. Enjoy x


August 17, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE: this weeks findings...


1. I ordered this Food Trucks book this week. I've got my fingers crossed it arrives today as i want to get cracking!
2. I can see this print somewhere in my home. 
3. I made this vegan yumminess last night. Recipe soon...
4. I know a 6 year old who would LOVE this bedroom! 
5. These words? Very true.
6. Fancy a brew? How cool is The Teashed? Stick the kettle on love...
7. I'm loving the new stuff Ellen is making over at Pink Melon Drops. Beautiful!
8. I really want to go to The Big Feastival! Hmm, maybe next year...
9. Lavender shortbread cookies!! this.is.perfect
10. It will soon be my 33rd birthday (eeep!) and we will be having brunch at the primrose cafe. Fact.

Enjoy & happy weekend y'all x

August 15, 2012

SUMMER, SOUTH COAST STYLE


Yesterday morning we jumped in our bus & headed down to the South Coast for a night.
The weather was gorgeous and warm and even the sky was a California blue - bliss!
I love the south coast, I find the colours so pretty & interesting as it's very different to the North Devon coast where I grew up.
In Devon you are treated to golden sands stretching for miles & miles with pale blue ocean dotted with surfers. On the south coast you have quiet lapping seas, which change colour constantly and pebble beaches made up of all different colours and textures.
Even though it was a flying visit, everyone had a chilled and relaxing time. We beached and we spent the afternoon at Brooklands play area, which is amazing for kids. I took Dexy, Flo & Indi on the Diddyland train ride around the site which they loved & found especially exciting when it broke down...ha! Indi spent the whole time waving at everyone she clapped her eyes on, and Dexy took it upon himself to tell a family off for not having their dog on a lead... er, embarrassing much?!
After the kiddos India fell asleep, the mister and I left the grandparents in charge and we grabbed some wine & supper and headed to the beach to watch the sun go down. So simple and so lovely. What a beautiful part of the world...


 i love this building...
but not quite as much as i love this house on the beach edge...
Even the light the next morning was beautiful...
I feel very lucky to have both the North Devon and the South coastlines at our fingertips. Good times.

August 13, 2012

WHAT'S GOING ON?



In the words of Dylan, 'times they are a changing'...

I'm working on a new look for the blog. The current banner was just kind of a holding one until i figured something out, and now i'm figuring something out...
So if you stumble across here the next couple of days/weeks and it looks strange, it's probably just me messing about & i've accidentally gone & hit 'update' or 'publish' way before I was meant to!

I've also had a few people ask me about sponsorship, and it's possibly something i'm looking into for October onwards, but i'm really just putting the feelers out there at the moment.
Would it be something you'd be interested in?
If I did it would be mega cheap to start off with & we'd kinda see how we go. I'm really interested to hear your feedback.
Email me at dizzylovesicy@gmail.com if you think it's something you would be interested in.

I've also agreed to start  reviewing products if it is something that I would naturally chose to use myself, or would purchase for myself or my family anyway.
If it fits in with the blog i'm happy to do it.
Email me at dizzylovesicy@gmail.com if you're interested.

Exciting times!

August 12, 2012

PASSION FRUIT MARGARITAS


A couple of nights ago I had some friends visit & what do you do when friends visit?
You make cocktails!
It always seems that whenever cocktails are on the menu, the most popular one is always the classic margarita. Maybe it's the sourness? Maybe it's the freshness? Or maybe the song was right & tequila really does make you happy? Who knows.
Years ago, before I'd tasted a proper margarita, i was always baffled by how something containing tequila was always so popular.
You see, tequila and I have not always been friends. Or even on speaking terms. In fact, I still wholly blame tequila - in it's slammer form -  for my barring from the Bunch of Grapes circa 1998, but that's probably as far as I should go with that story (hi mum!)...
Anyway, i digress... Yes! The other night, we made cocktails. Lots of cocktails! And because i'm now over our original issues, we started off with margaritas!
With the help of some of the awesome Truvia, which is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia leaf (& it's calorie free - score!), i was able to make up a batch of 'sugar' syrup to add to some of them which was especially perfect for one of my friends who as a diabetic, needs to be aware of her sugar intake.
I was asked by the people of Truvia to give it a try in some of our recipes, and as their website had many cocktail recipes (amongst others) i thought we could give it a go. I fancied making a passion fruit margarita for myself the first time as i'd heard they were gorgeous &  i love passion fruit. Here's what i did...


August 10, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE: this weeks findings...

1. Having annoyingly had my own name changed over time to Aliea, Ale, Ali, A-liar (true story) Aleeylaa, Alayla, A-Leah - this made me laugh my head off!
2. A couple of nights ago, i stayed up until stupid o'clock making this hot sauce. Hot? Yep! Amazing? OMG!
3. Who doesn't want a home made tipi for their little one? Peach Pear Plum is where you need to be headed!
4. I found this cute print on Etsy. Doris = adorable!
5. You know i love any type of makeover, right? So imagine my utter joy at these by Red Velvet!
6. Thanks to this post from Tracy at Shutterbean, i am now DESPERATE for Dinner, a love story!
7. Fifty shades of whatever.... Ellen has it in the bag! I'm still laughing...
8. I dug out my photo albums this week and now my heart cries even harder for a return visit to my favourite place on earth Big Sur. It felt like home...
9. This is how we do it in the UK - and it's beautiful!
10. If we are ever in Florida again, then Christopher's Kitchen is where we will dine like kings! I'm having the CK Tacos! Mmmm.

Happy Weekending!

August 09, 2012

LATELY // 6






1. Beach Baby
2. Treat!
3. Smoky black beans
4&5. Day out with Daddy
5. Garden Potterer

August 05, 2012

CHICKEN BANH MI

I do not even know where to start with this recipe.
Amazing? That's a total understatment.
Totes Amaze? Not even close.
Amazeballs? Possibly.
Best thing I have ever eaten in my whole life? FOR SURE!

Here's a little history...
Way back in Feb, the mister went on a little jolly holiday to Hawaii. Yes, you did read that right, i did say Hawaii.
Yes, yes, whilst I was here freezing my ass off juggling 3 kiddos for 12 days, he was drinking cocktails in a grass skirt, hula dancing under coconut trees slurring the word Aloha occasionally...
It's ok, i'm over it. No, I really am. *ahem*
So, whilst he was in the obligatory 3-day-each-way L.A limbo, staying with his bro at Venice Beach (Hi Dave! Hi Shan!) he was introduced to a little Vietnamese sandwich called a Banh Mi and he fell in love - BIG time!
To be fair, this thing did sound too good to be true; marinated & perfectly cooked pork, crunchy carrots & radishes, coriander, spicy mayonnaise, soft french baguette, sweet, hot - I could go on...
So, obviously when he got home & showed me the pic he'd taken (yes i do make him take photos of food for me if i'm not there, don't judge) I just had to make it for myself.
After what felt like 400 years of trying to find some sriracha hot sauce and some daikon (that's mooli for us UK peeps) i finally made (& slightly adapted) this chicken version last night and WOW WOW WOW it completley blew my mind. I've never been hit by a food buzz like this before - this sandwich is a legal high!
You simply must make this. Even if the recipe first looks a bit faffy at first, it really isn't & the end result is totally worth it. Go on, pour yourself a glass of something nice & go have some fun in your kitchen.
You can thank me later...


August 03, 2012

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE: this weeks findings...


1. This courgette & garlic lovliness will be happening in my kitchen this week.
2. I want this print somewhere in my home.
3. I would love Dexy & Flo to do one of these cookery classes. Yay Jamie!
4. WoW! not without salt is just beautiful.
5. This jumper? LOVE.
6. We're kind of desperate to eat food from Banhmii11.
7. I recently stumbled across Decade - an illustrated diary from Bernadette Pascua. Her illustrations are beautiful.... have a look at her sketchbook
8. I'm making this for our supper tonight. Finally!
9. Sriracha hot sauce is my new kitchen staple! More about those soon...
10. Did i tell you before about this blog something i made? Probably, but it's my new favourite place, so it deserves another cheer. Hooray!