Jack's Jamie Burgers

Jack rustled up his take on a Jamie Oliver burger recipe a couple of weekends ago and it was delicious. We served it with some healthy sweet potato fries and a homemade coleslaw. 

A perfect weekend feast, I think you'll agree. So I thought I'd share the recipe with you so you can rustle it up yourself this weekend. 

For the burger:

600g minced beef

14 crackers 

Handful of flat leaf parsley

1 large egg

1 heaped tablespoon of Dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

Either bash the crackers with a rolling pin or blitz them in a food processor until they make a fine crumb.

Finely chop the parsley.

Put the crumbs and parsley in a large bowl along with the mince, egg, mustard and salt and pepper.

With clean hands mix everything together until it is all well combined.

Form the mix into 5-6 round burgers and place them on a baking tray.

Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for as long as possible.

Tip. The longer you leave the burgers in the fridge the better they will hold together when you come to cook them. 

Once they have been firming up for a while and your fries are more or less cooked and you've made the slaw drizzle some oil into a frying pan and let it get really hot. 

Tip. To test if the plan is hot run your hand under cold water and flick the water residue into the pan from your hand. If it sizzles the pan is hot if it does nothing leave it longer. 

Once your pan is nice and hot put the burgers into the pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until they're cooked to your liking.

Serve in a toasted bun with cheese, salad leaves, tomato and gherkin and a sauce of your choice. 

For the sweet potato fries:

3 large sweet potatoes 

Oil

Salt and Pepper

Skin the sweet potatoes before chopping them up into the shape of fries.

Put the fries into a sandwich bag.

Add the oil and salt and pepper and shake it all up until the fries are well covered.

Put the fries onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes on 200C/392F/Gas Mark 6.

For the coleslaw:

Coleslaw mix (ready bagged)

If you can't find this at your supermarket or aren't as lazy as me good options for a coleslaw are red cabbage, white cabbage, carrot, onion, celery, and if you fancy a fruity twist some apple is good too)

6 tbsp natural yoghurt (or mayonnaise if you prefer) 

1tsp lemon juice

2tsp dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

If you haven't got the pre bagged mix just finely chop all the vegetables and put them in a big bowl.

Add all the dressing ingredients and mix until well combined. 

And there we have it. Super easy, super yummy, supper for Saturday night TV. 

Until next time,

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Oh so many excuses

We're here again, It's a blog post with an excuse attached as to why I've been away for a while. This time it's a valid excuse however I still hate not getting the posts up regularly. It really reminds me of the importance to schedule things to go up ahead of time so if you're caught up in something else it doesn't matter.

I had to have an eye operation last week. Yep an eye operation - told you it was a good excuse. My retina, at some point in the not so distant past, decided it didn't fancy being attached to my eye. I mean I get it 21 years attached to the same thing probably gets a little boring but when someones sight is dependent on you remaining attached you'd think you'd stick around. 

I don't know how it happened or when although I've got a few guesses. Scuba diving, jumping of a rock and face planting the water are my main ones. But it got discovered at a general run of the mill opticians appointment. I knew something was wrong because she was spending far too long looking at my right eye. Anyway, after being seen by every optician in my local Specsavers I was referred to the hospital to be seen by a specialist. 

A parking fine, two lots of eye drops and five hours later and it was confirmed. I was going to have to have an operation to reattach my retina to ensure I didn't go blind anytime soon. 

And that was that. I had the operation and everything went fine despite my obvious worrying. The anesthetic scared me, the sewing my eye back together thing scared me, it all scared me. But it was all fine and I'm back at work with slightly blurry vision in one eye and a good black eye, but other than that all good. 

I seem to be a bit of a medical mystery though. Normally a detached retina cause you to get spots in your vision, flashing lights or something like that. But I had nothing. No symptoms whatsoever and apparently it had been there a while.

It just goes to show kids, make sure you see the optician regularly. Seriously. Massive thanks to Specsavers for being so vigilant. 

Just because having a wonky eye wouldn't be enough drama to start the year I've also got tonsillitis at the moment, which as you can imagine is just what the doctor didn't order. Apparently I got it caught before it's really kicked in so hopefully will be nothing more than a niggly throat for a couple of days. 

Anyway, blog posts back to the regular this week starting with a great recipe for the weekend ahead tomorrow.

Until next time, 

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Thought of the week #3

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I can't. How often do you say to yourself I can't? I do it all the time, I can't go for a run I'm too tired, I can't do this job it's too hard, I can't say no people will think bad of me. Whatever it is trust me you can. If you tell yourself you can then you will and you'll be so much more positive. Telling yourself you can't only makes you feel down and negative about yourself and your ability. This week, and this year, tell yourself you can do it, whatever it is you want to do and then you will do it.

Until next time,

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Herb crusted chicken with quinoa and pomegranate salad and sweet potato wedges

This recipe of mine is great for those days where you just need something super yummy and super healthy. Quinoa is one of the most protein rich foods we can eat as well as being full of almost twice as much fibre as other grains. Paired with a good protein like chicken and some good fruit and veggies this is a great meal to help keep to that New Years resolution that I know you've all made.

For the chicken:

500g chicken breast

1 egg

2 tbsp chilli flakes

2tbsp of garlic flakes

2tbsp rosemary

Salt & pepper to season

Cut the chicken breasts into strips.

Beat the egg in a bowl and coat all the chicken strips in the egg.

Next mix all the herbs and spices, including the salt and pepper, in another bowl.

Dip the chicken strips into the herbs and spice mix so it is roughly coated.

Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes at 200C/392F/Gas Mark 6

For the potato wedges:

2-3 sweet potatoes

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Chop the sweet potatoes into wedges

Place on a baking tray and drizzle over some oil and salt and pepper to season

Bake in the oven at 200C/392F/Gas Mark 6 for 45 minutes

For the salad:

300g of quinoa

2 tubs of pomegranate seeds or 1 pomegranate

150g feta cheese

2 sprigs of mint

Baby spinach leaves

10 cherry tomatoes

6 spring onions

Rinse the quinoa in cold water.

Bring 900ml of water to the boil before adding the quinoa and cooking for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile put the spinach leaves into a salad bowl.

Chop the tomatoes, mint leaves, and spring onions and add to the bowl.

Add the pomegranate seeds and crumble the feta cheese over the top, 

Once the quinoa is cooked drain if needed before fluffing with a fork and adding to the salad.

And there you have it. Dish it all up onto a lovely plate of yummy healthiness and enjoy.

I hope you like this recipe, let me know if you decide to make it I'm sure you'll love it.

Until next time,

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Tips for creating a bathroom fit for five stars

The cold winter nights are finally here, a month late but here nonetheless. On these dreary, wintry nights you cannot beat a hot bath. A proper pamper is just what the doctor ordered after a day in the rain and the wind and creating that five star feeling isn't as hard as you might think. Here's a few tips on creating that spa-esque feeling in the comfort of your own home. 

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A bathroom is a room in the house that should be designed purely with relaxation and bliss in mind. When decorating your bathroom keep the pallete natural and paired back. White and grey are great colours to use for walls and ceilings. Add some warmth with wooden features such as cabinets, great patterned splash backs and floor tiles and plants. 

Aim to keep the space as uncluttered as possible. When you're trying to relax the last thing you want is a jumble of bath products surrounding you. Some small storage space in the bathroom can help with this such as under or over sink cupboards but otherwise consider keeping some in a basket in your bedroom or a small basked of special bath goodies in the corner of the bathroom.

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Bath oils, soaps and beautiful bath bombs add a touch of luxury with very little effort. Display them in a basket or rack or on the corner of the bath. Organise them in a way that's not going to stress you out when you're trying to relax. When choosing scents for bath oils keep them natural but relaxing, lavender is traditional but do you really want to smell like a lavender field for the rest of the day? The Blanc Bath Oil from The White Company is a lovely scent to relax into of an evening. 

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For a more stylish look you could even consider decanting your bath oils and salts into apothecary style jars. 

For some texture in your bathroom make sure to invest in some good quality thick towels and plush bath mat to make everything feel soft and luxurious. Also thinking about using towels as an opportunity to add a dash of colour to your neutral pallete. 

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The final touch has to be some good reading. A nice magazine or a classic book make a nice homely touch to the bathroom and look classy on a side table.
I hope this post gives you some ideas for how to make your bathroom feel more luxurious and some tips for how to make it feel like a five star hotel.
What's your favourite luxurious item to have in your bathroom?
Until next time,

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Thought of the week #2

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Worrying is natural. I worry like it's going of fashion it's ridiculous. It consumes my time, my thought and my ability to just get on. But it's pointless - for me and you. It does nothing but to fill you with doubt and negativity. If you're worried about something talk to someone about ti and try and get some advice and get it off your chest. This year I'm really trying to make an effort not let worry overtake and be as positive as I can and one way of doing that is talking when I'm worried. This year lets let our heads be filled with lovely, positive, bright thoughts.

Have a good day everyone.

Until next time,

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My kind of Sunday

Sundays are one of, if not, my favourite day of the week. They're so relaxing and chilled that, despite the following day being Monday, I just feel completely care free and, well, relaxed. If you don't feel refreshed and ready for the following week by Sunday evening, you've done Sunday wrong. 

Sunday's are a day to indulge for me. That normally means a really good breakfast that I wouldn't normally have time to make in the week. Eggs on toast, a proper full English, pancakes - something like that. Also pudding has to be on the menu. This week Jack and I went full on yummy indulgence and whipped up Jamie Oliver's sticky toffee pudding, which is so delicious you don't even care about the naughty. Definitely one for a wintry Sunday evening though. 

As you will well know if you've been reading the blog for a little while, Sunday's are the day I like to try and pick up a new book to enjoy throughout the next week. This week I picked up 'Our Endless Numbered Days' by Claire Fuller. It's something I've heard a little bit about and a few of my favourite booktubers have spoken about so when I saw it for £3.99 in Sainsburys I couldn't really leave it there. 

Sunday is also a day when, after having a lazy morning and a scrumptious breakfast, I like to enjoy a lovely long walk. I'm really lucky to live in a beautiful part of England where there's a lot's of countryside and beautiful landscapes to enjoy. Jack and I love being outside so we like to take the time, when we have it, to enjoy it as much as we can. Three dogs to take for walks also helps. And of course the only way to end a Sunday is with a hot bubble bath and no distractions. 

So that's my idea of a perfect Sunday. I hope you had a lovely weekend and very relaxing Sunday, what's your favourite way to spend your Sunday? I hope you have a great week.

Until next time,

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Working 9 to 5

Well the first week of January is drawing to an end, and as always isn't it going so quickly? I hope you've had a good start to the month and the new year and your first week back at school/college/uni/work - whatever it might be has been a good and happy one. 

I'm just coming to the end of my first week and my new job and wow what a week it's been. I'll be honest I was ridiculously anxious when Jack dropped me in the car park on Monday morning. We're talking the sweats, the shakes, feeling nauseous. Everything. It's normal to feel like that when you're about to start a new job though I suppose.

Since Monday though I've calmed down and settled into it a lot. I feel like I'm picking the stuff up quite well now, although it was completely daunting when I was first going through it all with my colleague. I've mastered invoices, purchase orders and I'm practically a black belt in Sage now. Not sage the herb to clarify.

I applied for the job online when at the beginning of December Australia and within a week I had an interview and I got offered the job that afternoon so I was very chuffed. However, before I got offered my job I applied for heaps of others and either heard nothing or got declined. It was depressing and I felt like I was getting nowhere and I was never going to get a job. 

The lesson here is definitely perseverance and determination. I've been there, we all have, where we're looking for a job and you stop applying because you think it will come to you or because you don't feel you're getting there. Keep going, keep applying and something will come. 

I applied for literally anything relatively local that seemed relevant to what I wanted to do or interested me. Also I took the mind set that it was all experience - being turned down, going for unsuccessful interviews it's always a chance to learn and improve. If you get turned down for a job either at application or interview stage don't be afraid to ask why you've been turned down what you get told might help you to change a few things about your application or interview style that could help you be successful next time. 

If any of you are looking for jobs at the moment I wish you all the luck and if like me you've just started a new one, congratulations and good luck in your job.

Until next time,

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Thought of the week #1

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Everyone has something in life they'd like to but think of as a big dream but unlikely to actually happen. Travel the world, get the dream job, find the dream house. But those things are possible. Instead of thinking of your big dream as, just that, a dream, try thinking of it as a life goal or plan. And why not make this year the year to set it in motion. With the new year just starting this is the time to start the big plan.

Until next time

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Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

Happy New Year everyone!

I can't believe 2015 has gone already. I feel like it was just a bat of the eyelids ago that I was in Sydney celebrating New Years Eve. But here we are starting a whole new year all over again.

I hope the beginning of your 2016 has been lovely and relaxing and you managed to find some time to chill out, reflect on the past 365 days and think about goals and aspirations for the next.

For me 2015 was an incredible year filled with laughter, experiences and so much happiness. It was one of the greatest years I've had and it was the year I feel like I really realised how I want to spend my life and some of the big things I want to achieve which is important to me. I gained a lot if life lessons and skills in 2015 and had some once in a lifetime experiences that I'll never forget.

I really want 2016 to be as amazing for me but in, obviously, a different way. I'm hoping it will be the year I make the first steps on the way to my dream job, get somewhere to a first house and carry on trying new things. 

In terms of the blog I want to bring some new things into it. More recipes of my own, more lifestyle and home things and also more projects. Jack is a great carpenter and I'm hoping I can use some of his skills to introduce some big home and lifestyle projects to the blog. 

One blog I really love is VDM and in particular her 'Fitness Files' entries, which are a monthly occurrence where she details her month in fitness. This year is the year where I'm determined to really get fit and get into fitness again. I'll have the time and the daily routine to really make fitness a part of my daily life so hopefully that along with healthy eating will be something I can include here.

Obviously I have goals, as I always do because I am a massive believer in and lover of goal setting and you'll see them here soon as well as a lot more Australian esque posts of things I still haven't detailed from our trip. 

So yeah, there's a lot of plans that I have in mind for this little corner of the internet so make sure you follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date. And on Instagram for the in between stuff.

I hope you have a wonderful start to the New Year and good luck if you're going back to work or school or starting something new today. 

Let me know what your plans for the year are,

Until next time

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