What can I say, it was exhausting!! In a good way of course but it was lots of fun. We started off with some sad weather which I'll admit got totally dire for a bit there and even the kids were beginning to think we were going to drown! So on that thought it was obviously time for an early lunch. For myself and the Mr it was also breakfast and so with that the Pizza place was found and we dried off and ate. Well, no it wasn't great and no I didn't take a photo of my food. It wasn't bad either don't get me wrong the pizza was as good as a good take out but it really wasn't my place to be sat in the middle of hundreds of hot wet families from all over the country, to suddenly be photographing my pizza. I've got to mention that the drinks along with the pizza was NOT GOOD!!! Don't go there. The great thing about Lego Land is actually that although there is food and snacks everywhere, its to that bad on the really naughty stuff. There is one big sweet shop near the beginning of the park but after that there seems to be loads of good food, drinks and of course ice cream although I doubt many people had some last weekend. But they are scattered around the park and the kids didn't really go mad for the junk, it really was all about the lego! Maybe that is just mine but all in all we did well with the food and my kids are annoyingly picky! I didn't see much that was healthy though anywhere except water! They obviously don't think that that is important which is a shame but I guess that's the nature of the day? My kids did get hungry later in the day so some easy accessible snacks would have been nice that weren't full of crap! There is only so much of that, that anyone can eat really. All in all it was a great day and totally worth it. We stayed all day and the kids were in HEAVEN!! If your kids and you of course love Lego then at some point you should go. Maybe bring some snacks though.
www.legoland.co.uk
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The simple meal of a really good lump of cheese and a fresh loaf of bread. My favourite!
I've got to add that the cheese for me needs to be either a really good crumbly brie, (not that squishy stuff that you find at the bottom of the supermarket but the fresh straight from the farmer stuff!) or really strong cheddar. The bread needs to be sourdough (strictly a personal preference) and again as fresh as you can get your hands on so that its soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside. Don't forget that you will need un doughtily 'lashings' of nice butter! I love a slightly salted butter not too much as it works wonderfully with the cheese, but I could happily eat butter like cheese when given the chance. Don't tell anyone! But the point I'm making of posting this blog, is that it can take the simplest of food, eaten as is to make you happy. Simple doesn't mean bad or boring when it tastes as good as this, it means enjoying amazing produce for what it is. PS that cheese is gone so please send me more!! Godmister and Flour Power City we salute you. You will need:
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What does happiness look like? To me it pretty much looks like this. Salmon Tartar. Pure joy! As you may have realised I do like my food but when we are given that special time off without the kids it means having a great meal without anyone making noises or moaning. I don't get to eat sushi very often as to be perfectly honest I can eat a ton of it so that gets quite expensive (eek!). I would rather not eat it at all if I can't keep eating till I'm happily full. But I digress. |
Date night was a couple of movies and a sneaky sushi in the middle, which is just my perfect sandwich. We had to go to a well-known conveyer belt style place but that was ok. It's not the best sushi but it’s certainly good enough to make my movie night complete. Thankfully husband got his good enough bottle of Sake, which means he is happy. He is a total Sake snob (as he should be), but it makes his night when where you eat has the appropriate beverage to go with the food, even if its by the cinema.
We had a lovely selection or food and there were actually a number of things on the menu that I hadn’t had before at that restaurant which was really nice. I was glad that they kept it changing up, as you can be stagnant when in a chain so it was a pleasant addition to my evening. So of course I happily and promptly stuffed my face! I will openly admit that having watched Tom Cruise throwing himself off buildings and saving the day with an equally kick ass woman, did make my night and of course sushi was a great meal to dissect the movie over too. As long as you fancy a bit of fun and a lot of action go and see Mission Impossible. Without the kids! Although if your kids are more adventurous, then do take them for conveyer belt sushi fun. |
There is nothing quite like taking your time at the weekend and having a really nice breakfast.
Sometimes its all about eggs. French toast, fried or scrambled with smoked salmon or with of course that all time fave avocado, maybe even with some chilli in there too. Sometimes for me its all about making some kind of batter!
We discuss.... pancakes? NO WAFFLES!!!
From when I was a child, I have memories of my parents putting on this massive ordeal to make us waffles. My dad wanted them and mum had to make them, but for some reason he always ended up helping too which he never did! It was the best breakfasts that we had as children and I just remember how amazing they always tasted.
Sometimes its all about eggs. French toast, fried or scrambled with smoked salmon or with of course that all time fave avocado, maybe even with some chilli in there too. Sometimes for me its all about making some kind of batter!
We discuss.... pancakes? NO WAFFLES!!!
From when I was a child, I have memories of my parents putting on this massive ordeal to make us waffles. My dad wanted them and mum had to make them, but for some reason he always ended up helping too which he never did! It was the best breakfasts that we had as children and I just remember how amazing they always tasted.
Last Christmas I was talking to my mum about this and apparently she says that she probably only did it twice in my life as it was an utter nightmare for her! The cleaning of that dam machine took forever and she hated it! But I have such vivid memories of it tasting just amazing and how happy we all were when she made them. After so many years I could still taste them and whenever I stay in a fancy hotel, (almost never!) I would always order them. So what did I get for Christmas? Of course a very nice waffle iron with detachable plates so that I never went through what my mum did! COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!!! |
Since then though I have gone through countless recipes to find a great one to stick with and I can't find one! I will keep trying, but now I ask you! Do you have a recipe that I can enjoy for the rest of my life? I would love to try anyone out please! Aid my happiness!!! Also before I forget, almost as importantly. What do you put on yours? I'm loving anything creamy to be honest, but a traditional maple syrup? Fruit? Or do you go savoury? What do you fancy? I look forward to hearing back from you. Have a great week!. |
This time of year gets me thinking about when I first met my husband and the very first meal he cooked me. Contrary to my friends concerns that he was a ‘one-trick-pony’ with his meal repertoire, he is a fantastic chef and actually does a large amount of the cooking at home.
His signature dish though, is fantastic, and is one of the few fancier meals that he cooks; as a family we tend to eat more rustic dishes and this one does have a rustic, wholesome feel but with a few more expensive ingredients it does transform it to a whole other level.
As we prepare this dinner together tonight, the colours and smells of the food transforms me back to his balmy sunny flat is Islington.
We sit sipping a lovely crisp chardonnay whilst we begin...
Ingredients
1 medium white chopped onion
1 clove crushed garlic
1 medium butternut squash, diced
250g Arborio risotto rice
2 fillets of lightly smoked salmon, skinned and diced
125ml White wine
500ml fish or vegetable stock
Spinach
Goats cheese
Knob of butter
Basil
Thyme
1. Firstly, sweat off the onions, garlic and butternut squash in a pan with butter for about 5 minutes with salt and pepper
2. Add the risotto rice and fry until translucent. Keep it moving so that it doesn’t stick to the pan
3. Add 125ml of white wine and allow rice to soak it up
4. Start to add stock gradually, allowing the rice to absorb the moisture. Don’t let the rice boil dry. Throw in the basil, thyme and smoked salmon along with the first ladle of stock.
5. Continue to add the stock one ladle at a time, stir to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick but don’t do it continuously or you’ll end up with pudding!
6. The butternut, salmon and rice should be cooked after about twenty minutes. Add the spinach and stir. Once wilted, crumble over the goats cheese and serve
7. Eat and enjoy!
Written by Jo Farren Herbalist for Cibare magazine.
For more Risotto recipes see our third issue on our front page!
His signature dish though, is fantastic, and is one of the few fancier meals that he cooks; as a family we tend to eat more rustic dishes and this one does have a rustic, wholesome feel but with a few more expensive ingredients it does transform it to a whole other level.
As we prepare this dinner together tonight, the colours and smells of the food transforms me back to his balmy sunny flat is Islington.
We sit sipping a lovely crisp chardonnay whilst we begin...
Ingredients
1 medium white chopped onion
1 clove crushed garlic
1 medium butternut squash, diced
250g Arborio risotto rice
2 fillets of lightly smoked salmon, skinned and diced
125ml White wine
500ml fish or vegetable stock
Spinach
Goats cheese
Knob of butter
Basil
Thyme
1. Firstly, sweat off the onions, garlic and butternut squash in a pan with butter for about 5 minutes with salt and pepper
2. Add the risotto rice and fry until translucent. Keep it moving so that it doesn’t stick to the pan
3. Add 125ml of white wine and allow rice to soak it up
4. Start to add stock gradually, allowing the rice to absorb the moisture. Don’t let the rice boil dry. Throw in the basil, thyme and smoked salmon along with the first ladle of stock.
5. Continue to add the stock one ladle at a time, stir to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick but don’t do it continuously or you’ll end up with pudding!
6. The butternut, salmon and rice should be cooked after about twenty minutes. Add the spinach and stir. Once wilted, crumble over the goats cheese and serve
7. Eat and enjoy!
Written by Jo Farren Herbalist for Cibare magazine.
For more Risotto recipes see our third issue on our front page!
A wonderful new way to eat your fruit, turn it into a lolly. You could cut it then freeze it too which would be an amazing in the summer heat!
Gotta love social media.
Gotta love social media.
I'm not sure what makes me happier than food in movies. Enjoy! Thank you Wes Anderson and Fox for this!
I see pancake mixes in shops and it breaks my heart. Pancakes are sooooooo easy to make, and they really are one of those things that are a million times tastier when home made, and worth the little effort they take.
I thought I would share my two favourite foolproof recipes.
You need a non-stick pan. You can buy special crepe pans, but I just use a tefal non-stick 28cm Pan which I use only for pancakes (Tefal also make a non-stick crepe pan) Heat it up, add a splash of oil and away you go.
Pancakes
1 Large Egg
300ml Milk
100g Self Raising Flour (for gluten free use SR gluten free flour with a pinch of xanthum gum)
Pinch of Salt
Mix well, and rest for 30 minutes before using
Vegan Pancakes
1/2 Cup Non-Dairy Milk
1/2 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Cup Plain Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Mix well, and rest for two hours
The first pancake is traditionally a bit rubbish, so I always eat this quickly myself before anyone notices.
Just remember practice makes perfect - make double the mixture if you're worried that you might need to bin a few
Enjoy- and please share! X
By Rebecca Stratton
Rebecca's Cakes
I thought I would share my two favourite foolproof recipes.
You need a non-stick pan. You can buy special crepe pans, but I just use a tefal non-stick 28cm Pan which I use only for pancakes (Tefal also make a non-stick crepe pan) Heat it up, add a splash of oil and away you go.
Pancakes
1 Large Egg
300ml Milk
100g Self Raising Flour (for gluten free use SR gluten free flour with a pinch of xanthum gum)
Pinch of Salt
Mix well, and rest for 30 minutes before using
Vegan Pancakes
1/2 Cup Non-Dairy Milk
1/2 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Cup Plain Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Mix well, and rest for two hours
The first pancake is traditionally a bit rubbish, so I always eat this quickly myself before anyone notices.
Just remember practice makes perfect - make double the mixture if you're worried that you might need to bin a few
Enjoy- and please share! X
By Rebecca Stratton
Rebecca's Cakes
WOW!!!
A day of being completely HANGING after an amazing New Years Eve in Brighton I am back on the annoying health kick again.
I've not been for a run for nearly two months and it was time to get my ass back out there and get fit and healthy again. After not only the kids being ill but my catching every bug they had, I gave up for Christmas trying to exercise and decided to relax instead.
I promise I only had a couple of day's of naughty eating but it was more about seeing family around food rather than trying to consume as much as I could. Although I will be honest, we begged our mum not to cook on New Years Day in return for toasted sarnies, as we usually go all out AGAIN to celebrate the New Year. We did though have our Vasilobita (a special Cypriot orange sponge cake) that we do every year to see who of us will get the special good luck coin in our slice. A delight for the whole family to take part in as well as enjoy.
I digress. So today I went for a run and although it was my first for a while, I did quite well and I'm pleased with how far I could run before I needed to slow down. (Even though I thought at one point I was going to have a heart attach!) All in all a good 2nd day of the year.
A day of being completely HANGING after an amazing New Years Eve in Brighton I am back on the annoying health kick again.
I've not been for a run for nearly two months and it was time to get my ass back out there and get fit and healthy again. After not only the kids being ill but my catching every bug they had, I gave up for Christmas trying to exercise and decided to relax instead.
I promise I only had a couple of day's of naughty eating but it was more about seeing family around food rather than trying to consume as much as I could. Although I will be honest, we begged our mum not to cook on New Years Day in return for toasted sarnies, as we usually go all out AGAIN to celebrate the New Year. We did though have our Vasilobita (a special Cypriot orange sponge cake) that we do every year to see who of us will get the special good luck coin in our slice. A delight for the whole family to take part in as well as enjoy.
I digress. So today I went for a run and although it was my first for a while, I did quite well and I'm pleased with how far I could run before I needed to slow down. (Even though I thought at one point I was going to have a heart attach!) All in all a good 2nd day of the year.
Author
Editor writing food events and thoughts for your real life food enjoyment.
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