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Beetroot and Feta salad
My biggest battle with food at the moment is finding a dish that’s simple to prepare and light to eat. The life of a freelancer can be a bit unusual in that I have to roll with the work when it comes in. The past couple of weeks has been particularly jam-packed in terms of jobs-on-the-go, and while I always have a slow cooker meal underway for the kids, eating a full meal after 8pm at night is always going to be a challenge for me. In the past 7 days I’ve worked with 2 separate TV crews, and there’s more to film this evening with TG4. Tune into Nationwide…
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Blog & Allotment Update 28 April 2017
The month of April has been a sprint from start to finish for me, and I want to explain. It’s not that I haven’t had the time to update the blog. I’ve actually sat down and started typing most days. It’s just that there is something major going on in the background that I can’t talk about quite yet. This time next month it will all be in the open and you will probably understand why I’ve been sitting on my hands. Normally I hate when people put up vague updates about ‘exciting things’ but I promise that it will be public within the next month so feel comfortable explaining…
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Allotment Update 2 April 2017 #Ad
We’re not long back from the allotment after another gloriously sunny Sunday spent in my happy place. I took the big camera down today and had great craic documenting all the new life that’s popping up all over the place. If you follow me on Facebook you’ll know that I’ve been sharing regular updates from the plot using Facebook Live video and I hope you’re enjoying the news. Have you spotted this week’s Lidl brochure yet? I’m delighted to say that my homegrowing tips and advice are free for you to pick up this week to go along with the seedlings and produce that will go on special tomorrow morning…
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The Best Rhubarb Crumble
This is the best recipe for rhubarb crumble that I’ve ever made. I was brought up to make crumble the classic way using white flour, with the addition of wholemeal flour sometimes, then every now and again adding in oats. This is radically different because this rhubarb crumble recipe ditches the classic flour altogether and uses a different type of flour altogether. Yes, it is very simple and uses the bare minimum of ingredients. You can add more flavours/ingredients if you like, but rather than overloading your palate with so much, why not dial it back a bit and enjoy the simplicity? Also, there is sugar in the recipe; if…
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Slow-Cooked Pork Cheeks In Apple Sauce
I’m under-selling this recipe by describing it simply by its ingredients and method of cooking, but I can’t really call it “eat with a spoon pork dish that will warm you from the inside out”, can I? It is however the perfect antidote to Storm Rachel. I first made a variation of meat cooked in an apple sauce when I was 14. We had a French Appreciation Day in school and I volunteered to cook a dish to serve to students and staff. After doing some research, I decided to cook Poulet A La Normande which meant I got to raid the drinks cabinet for calvados and use cider in…
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Allotment Tour
I’ve not been out running this week. Since I smashed my record time at the Park Run last weekend, my left knee hasn’t been right so I have had to rest it. I figured for the vlog this week instead I’d give you a bit of a tour of the allotment. I’ve trimmed the video a bit because I didn’t realise how windy it was on Sunday morning! Also the 6-year-old displayed some pretty spectacular comic timing with the water hose about halfway through. Messer! Some background information for you:
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Temptation Everywhere!
I dropped the 6-year-old to school and I walked home with the small boy; like we always do. Yesterday I had to nip into the Supermarket for some messages on the way and my heart sank. Right at the front door there was floor to ceiling displays of sweets and chocolate based on a Hallowe’en theme. It was a couple of metres long and I have to walk past it to get to the fresh fruit and vegetables. Couple that with the massive aisle ends of chocolate (most popular brand in Ireland), also of fizzy drinks, and the cash register gauntlet of sweets and chocolate it’s difficult to say no.…
