A Creative Spirit
Try as I may, I just can't get excited about vegetarian meals. I've tried and am still trying. Tried to put a positive spin on them. Spent hours studying recipes. And please don't suggest Torfu, I tried it once and gagged. Probably because I knew it was artificial meat. I know we should try to... Continue Reading →
Always desperate to improve my gut health and lose weight, I am often sucked in by so-called experts on YouTube. You must have seen these guys pulling faces and probably making spurious claims. But they're the experts, RIGHT? Until this week, I have taken their advice at face value. Who am I to dispute that... Continue Reading →
Our freezers and store cupboards are stuffed to bursting, so this year I've decided to make a concerted effort and utilise what we have before buying more food. My tendency to stockpile probably started with the COVID pandemic when we avoided supermarkets like the plague and ordered all our food online. Tripling the quantities seemed... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd ask if you had a good Christmas or holiday. I'd tell you the morning after we returned from the UK, we hit the ground running on a mammoth food shopping expedition. Successful? Yes, sort of, except despite visiting four, yes...FOUR supermarkets, there was not a Brussels sprout in sight.... Continue Reading →
I love discovering new recipes and more often than not adding a twist or two of my own. Thistles and Kiwis recently shared a recipe: salsiccia con patate e pomodori al forno, or sausages baked in the oven with potatoes and capsicum, which tagged my taste buds radar. I had some sausages in the freezer,... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about eating out ... I am not referring to basic eating establishments such as 'McDonald's', 'Pizza Hut', and other fast-food chains; I mean restaurants that create their own menus and food. Okay, so “Ambience” is just a fancy word for the feel or atmosphere of a place. If I walk into a restaurant... Continue Reading →
For this week's Food on Friday topic, I want to experiment using alternatives to refined sugar so I can bake diabetic friendly cakes and cookies. I have a vague idea in theory, but am clueless in practice. I needed to find a sugar replacement. In one cookbook of diabetic recipes, Agave syrup was recommended, but... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee or sharing a bottle of wine, I'd tell you it's been one of THOSE weeks. CHARITY SHOP: This week, I once again worked in the animal charity shop. The heat in the shop was unbearable, so between unpacking and sorting clothes donations, tidying shelves, sorting hanging rails and serving customers,... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee or a glass or two of wine, I would tell you about my feel-good moments. There were a few moments of frustration, but overall it was a positive week. FEEL GOOD FILM of the WEEK: NONNAS Based on a true story, I thoroughly recommend this feel-good film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDJxJd3FzDY IT proves... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about food! Today's post is inspired by a visit to The Trout Inn, a traditional old English pub located on the bank of the River Thames in Lechlade. It is the perfect location to enjoy a traditional English 'Ploughman's' lunch. As I was basking in the sunshine, enjoying lunch, I pondered on the... Continue Reading →
This week, we were recommended a traditional Portuguese restaurant in Lagos, Restaurante o Lamberto. The restaurant is located well away from the tourist trail. I think we were probably the only English people there. I ordered a Bifes à Portuguesa to see how it was presented and compared to the one served at restaurant Cais... Continue Reading →
Today, as I walked around my vegetable garden during the lull between heavy showers and gale-force winds to inspect the damage inflicted by Storm Martinho, I wondered how many of us--if push came to shove--could grow our own fruit and vegetables. A random question. Maybe not. With the world teetering on the brink of war... Continue Reading →
Every year, we Brits celebrate Shrove Tuesday with pancakes. We call it 'Pancake Day'. This brilliant YouTube video explains why. https://youtu.be/pw6oRE7NKVM?si=_wpNybpoK8A9NFCO This traditional batter recipe dates back to 1439, as per Historic UK Quote: "The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year: Eggs ~ CreationFlour... Continue Reading →
I never thought I'd admit it, but I'm 'fooded' out. Stuffed to <<bursting>>. Move over the laughing Buddha and enter the laughing pig. Except I'm not laughing. I feel fat. February has been a month of celebration, experimenting with new and healthier recipes--which I've shared on my blog--and eating out. Eating out three/four times a... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd tell you I've had another busy week. There were many highs, and then came a jaw-dropping low. Monday, I returned from my first pain hypnotherapy session on a high. With the right mindset, we can overcome certain pain and situations. Fortunately, I have found a doctor who thinks outside... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about food. I love that oats are so versatile and offer an enjoyable substitute for flour. The more I trawl the internet for healthy recipes, the more I enjoy experimenting and researching new ideas to avoid ultra-processed foods. However, whilst researching, I have discovered there is a lot of conflicting advice. Who do... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about food. This week, I focus on oranges. Mr Piglet picked a bowl and a shopping bag full of oranges from our tree—about 12kg. Unfortunately, they are waaaay too sour this year to juice, so I decided to get creative and make ... Iced Oranges I've made them before, and they were seriously... Continue Reading →
As part of my drive to step outside my foodie comfort zone, I searched Pinterest for some Christmassy 'aperitivo' ideas and found this Christmas Tree cheese and spinach breadsticks. Great. I had fresh spinach in the garden, begging to be eaten before the slugs and snails ate it all. I adapted the original recipe to... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about food! This morning, I was waiting to be served at the butcher's counter when I spotted half a pig's head awaiting a new home. I admit I am squeamish, and the thought of putting it in the oven to roast or in a large pot to boil, let alone eat it, turned... Continue Reading →
The days have flown by so quickly that I've barely had time to catch my breath. This week, I had planned to prepare a meal using the homegrown kale I planted at the end of August. At the mention of Kale, I can already see many of you running for the hills. Trust me, kale... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 