FOOD: VEGGIE COTTAGE PIE

I ask you this: is there anything more comforting than a pie? No is the answer you're looking for, especially when it's -2 outside and you're so cold that your fingers are about to fall off.
However comforting pies may be, I'll admit it took me a little while to actually come around to the idea. I've never been a meat & two veg type of girl & I'm not overly crazy about roast dinners or anything really that involves gravy. Team that with the fact that I ditched all meat (except poultry) over a year ago and the fact that I'm not really very keen on pastry and you'll see why pies were never on my go-to list.
But then Bill Granger's chickpea, tomato & spinach cottage pie caught my eye & my mind was changed forever. This dish blew my socks off & even if i did think the idea of chickpeas in a pie was a bit odd, I listened to the voice of reason (that would be Bill) & I just got on with it - thank god for that!
So from now on I'm shouting HURRAH for chickpeas in a pie, HURRAH for the richest tomato sauce ever & HURRAH for the most amazing cheese & herb crust.

Well, what are you waiting for?

GEEKY MEAL PLANNING

So, meal panning. 

Boring right? Um, maybe... just a little...

Essential for saving time, money, your sanity & your belly? You betcha!

I always meal plan, it's how I keep a check on not dishing up the same old meals week in, week out. It's also how I make sure I have every ingredient for when I'm trying out a new recipe, or new version of an old one. This past week I made a veggie cottage pie & needed some ras el hanout (eh? what's that?) & there was no way on earth that i would have remembered that funky little name if hadn't noted it down. It still took for forever to find it mind...

Anyway, I'm digressing (me? never...). The bottom line is I meal plan, and this is how i do it...

(Before I begin, I'd like to dedicate this post to my friend Kelly. This is the girl who scoffed at my meal planning ventures with my fancy-pant print outs & my special colour co-ordinated pens. I found this a little strange as she knows I'm a stationary geek (i heart pens & paper so much that aged 15 I did her entire Home Economics project for her) and she also knows how I like a certain air of organisation (I would regularly tidy HER room as a teenager. Well, she was too busy applying clean & clear to her chin to notice the 5ft piles of random crap building up around her...). 

So Kelly, this post is, like, SO for you and it is totes amaze. Dang!)

Here we go!

First up: get your template. You can scribble your own if you can be bothered, but i always use this one because I'm lazy. There are literally loads out there if you google them. I also keep a notebook handy to scribble ideas down too. 

Look, I've labelled up a picture there of stage one for you. I'm nice like that. I mean, did you know what a pen was before I labelled it up?

Next: get inspired! One of the benefits of meal planning is that you rarely find yourself in a food rut which means everyone gets to try new things regularly. If you're more organised than me, you'd keep previous meal planners so you get even more variation.

I grab the recipe books I'm loving that week & i find the Internet recipes I've bookmarked. Then i mix it up with a few staples too, like our (pretty much) weekly Taco night! Mmmmm, tacos.....

Then I sort my categories. Because the older kiddos are at school for 5 out of 7 lunch times, and India  & I generally have a sandwich or left overs at lunch, I plan our evening meals & weekend meals only. For example my categories are:

Kids dinners: mon, tue, wed, thur, fri

Adults dinners: mon, tue, wed, thur, fri 

Saturday lunch & dinner

Sunday lunch & dinner

Three nights out of the week the kiddos eat separate to us so I plan theirs first, then ours. Then I plan the nights and weekends where we all eat together. I make notes on top of the planner such as which books the recipes are in (with page numbers) or what website i found it on.

Remember to schedule things like parties / play dates / meals out etc too and don't forget to include all the other essentials such as fruit bowl items/kids snacks/any cleaning products you're running low on etc etc...

Once you're all planned up, write out the list you want to take shopping with you. You don't have to do this obviously, but I do because I know the layout of the supermarkets I use most often & I can plan the list that way too so I don't spend forever in there! I need to not spend my whole afternoon in a supermarket...

So, that's it! My quick-fire meal planning is in the bag.

Enjoy! x

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE: 30.11.12

1. This teapot from Little Green Shed has rocketed to the numero uno spot on my Christmas list.
2. If there was ever a bag for me this from Modcloth is the one.
3. I picked up The Kitchen Diaries 2 this week. Perfect for snuggling on the sofa drinking vanilla coffee. Mmmmm
4. This week, i fell in love with this blog from Nicole. Such a treasure chest!
5. OMG, i LOVE the craziness of this project!
6. We had this white bean crostini with salsa verdi for supper last night. I'm still thinking about it...
7. This from Devon made me think.
8. Check out this workspace. I heart the yellow!
9. This is how i'm planning to wrap Christmas.
10. We have to be.

Happy Weekending! Mwah xx

LETS SHARE // ETHICAL FASHION

With Christmas only a month away (cue heart attack inducing mad panic) i'd thought share with you some of my favourite pieces from the world of ethical fashion. I was browsing the splash website last night whilst trying to get some inspiration for some eco-friendly Christmas gifts, when I stumbled across a few ethical fashion labels that were new to me, and boy did i hit the jackpot! 

Eco-fashion has certainly come a long way from it's early image of patchwork quilted rainbow dungarees & floaty tie-dye patchouli oil dresses hasn't it? (I made both of those things up, but you get the picture don't you? No? Well think Glastonbury Festival when tickets were about 28 quid). Ethical fashion as we know it today is not only something that people are genuinely proud to be a part of, it is also pretty damn gorgeous and it's majorly high up there in the fashion stakes. It's fashion with a conscience and it's awesome. And lets face it, when you get the likes of young fashionistas such as Emma Watson facing campaigns for companies like People Tree, you can guess the designs are going to be pretty special. 

Take a look!

1. Star Bobble Hat Chinti & Parker // 2. Star Scarf Chinti & Parker // 3. Heart Elbow Patch Sweater Chinti & Parker // 4. Jill Red Stripe Tunic People Tree // 5. Purse Elvis & Kresse // 6. Key Ring Elvis & Kresse

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE 23.11.12

1. Oooooh, How did I miss this home tour of one of my favourite illustrators ever, Nan Lawson?! (I do however think it's weird how I took the above picture at home literally minutes before I found that link...)

2. I'm sorry but James Arthur on Saturday?! Melt. My. Heart. 

3. I neeeeeed these on my feet. Are you listening Santa?

4. I am following Lottie on her journey! Good luck love - you're a braver woman than I !

5. Thank you Topshop for this.  Beaut!

6. I found this DIY this week.... I am chomping at the bit to do something similar.

7. We will 100% be sampling some of this at Christmas :) Thanks for the tip Shannon!

8. Hahahahahahahahaha. I love Monica, but c'mon - enough with the faces!

9. Oh lordy, this is too funny and way too true round these parts!

10. This should lead to this.

FOOD: CLASSIC PASTA PUTTANESCA

This has to be (possibly) my favourite pasta dish that I make regularly at home. Having two girls who go mad for the likes of olives & capers, it's a no brainer for me to whip up a pasta puttanesca when I want them to have something healthy and filling. From about 30 minutes from start to finish (with at least 10 minutes down time in the middle) it's a handy week night meal for when you have spellings, reading books, and toddler tantrums coming out of your ears. Well, not literally coming out of your ears, that would be weird.

It wasn't until about a year ago that I made it at home after I had it at our local italian one lunchtime because up until then i was a little bit scared of anchovies - well  I still am a bit, but like most food fears I get over it when it tastes this good.

Pasta puttanesca is really great for crappy rainy days like today and because it's perfect for a cosy grown up supper, it's totally ideal to pour yourself a nice glass of red, stoke the fire and chow this down like there's no tomorrow. Hell, you could even go retro & serve it with a baguette - just like the good old days ;) 

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE 16.11.12

1. I know i'm living in the drama free English Countryside (kinda) but i still think this is worthy.
2. There is very little i hate more than crumbs. Luckily Anthro have this covered for the next time i win the lottery.
3. I really do quite like this Tee from Topshop!
4. Have you heard of The Bellefleurs? They are awesome & that's my mate Kate there in the middle!
5. I'm doing my Christmas sprouts this way this year for sure. Yup, 100%. Nom.
6. Move over Glühwein, there's a new boy in town. Well, I am from Devon...
7. 68 recipe books is simply not enough in my opinion, so can i have just one more?
8. If we celebrated thanksgiving in the UK, my table would look like this.
9. !!!New blog crush alert!!! Check out the super gorgeous house of habit! Beautiful.
10. Words of wisdom? Well, it made me laugh.

Happy Weekending x

CHRISTMAS WISHING PART ONE

It's official! I am now allowed to chat about Christmas like it's going out of fashion. The reason I know this is that yesterday, on the very 14th of NOVEMBER i heard 'All I want for Christmas is you' by.... well you know who it's by and i can't be bothered to google how to spell her name so please fill in the blank yourselves.

Yes! Christmas is soon to be upon us & being a mum of three beautiful kiddos, i obviously start planning my own christmas list waaaay before i worry about theirs. 

I'm only joking (ish). 

I have actually started organising Christmas already and as part of a new series I'd like to share with you some of our Christmas wish list...

On the top of my list this year is the bell tent we never got around to purchasing this summer. 

I was so desperate to go camping this year. I had big dreams of travelling around the country at the drop of a hat to take the kiddos camping, but we waited and waited for a few days of sun back to back, and as you know it NEVER came. Urgh. I hated this summer and looking back I wish we'd just got on with it, and went camping regardless. 

So, i've started planning next summer already, whilst i was browsing tents online last night and I'm 100% sure that the first destination on our list will of course be a North Devon Holiday in Woolacombe not just because it's home to me but because it is one of the prettiest corners in the whole world and we are very lucky to have it so close.

There really are some excellent campsites in Woolacombe which helps make camping in Devon such a good experience. I haven't been camping since my 30th birthday, but i am chomping at the bit to take the kiddos. I know we will make very happy campers, come rain or come shine & I can't wait!

FOOD: CARNIVAL SLAW

Here's a question: am i about to treat you to a 'new-to-me' recipe for a good old slaw? Oh yoooou betcha!

If you don't love marinated cabbage dressed up with flavours that will make your taste buds sing, then it may be your cue to leave (but do stay anyway because you're nice and I like you).

Now, where do i start with this one? Yes it is another slaw recipe in the middle of Autumn, but stay with me on this one because this slaw is very different to this one and this one.
Carnival Slaw is the perfect combination of sweet/sour/crunchy and because it is not at all spicy i think it's pretty much perfect with any dish that feels the need for a good old helping of slaw.

It is perfect as a side to grilled meats, it's perfect for veggie burgers, it's perfect for your kiddos and it is perfectly perfect for standing alone in the kitchen, in the dark, with the fridge door open scoffing crazy amounts straight out of the bowl. Ahem, moving on....

I first saw the recipe on Shutterbean ages & ages ago but me being me, i didn't bookmark it. So, when i came to look it up again i could not find it for love nor money. I simply could not remember the name of it, but what i could remember was that Tracy described it as 'the slaw all the parents went apeshit for' - so I googled 'Shutterbean Apeshit Slaw' - et viola I FOUND IT! Yay! I know I can't call this apeshit slaw forever, even though I really want to.....

You really should make it, because we all really did go apeshit for it...

LATELY // 7

Freezing cold but fun for some!

We visited Worthing beach on the windiest day in history (not an actual fact but i'd put money on it.)

Flo was on a winning streak at the penny arcade. I'd like to say she's still working her way through them...

Dexter had a birthday party. He loved it, I needed a gin.

I'm re-naming our home crazy town. If you could hear the racket we make, you'd do the same.

I'm slowly accepting i have a birds nest on my head. Peroxide is not really my friend these days.

Is this Autumn at it's best? Yup!

From my sick bed i'm popping on to say that i'm going be away from the blog for a few days. Nothing serious, i've just got a really bad cold that is zapping all my energy. Indi is in the midst of a sickness bug too, as well as the other two on pox-watch!! Let's hope that next week, we will all be back to normal.... 

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE 02.11.12

1. As cold as I am? This post will warm you up!
2. I can not stop drinking this amazing elderflower white tea from the London tea company. It's soooo good.
3. If you can eat this mocha meringue pie then you really, really should!
4. I've been meaning to do this F.O.R.E.V.E.R. Note to self - get on with it!
5. This Empty America series is amazing. Check them all out, i just love the SF one.
6. Follow my mate Bev as she snaps her way through November...
7. Coatigan? Did they just make that up? I don't care, i love it!
8. This ribollita was on my 'to make' list this week & I didn't have the time (sad face). Sunday it is then...
9. We ate at The Fish Factory last night. Of course i had the mussels.... again!
10. Amen to that!