I'll tell you one of the struggles of having moved out - I miss my kitchen. The lighting somehow was perfect, my counter boards were a lighter colour so everything meshed well together to aid in making my food photographs look good.  Just a heads up that until I find my own place which I dream will have a great kitchen (which might/can take a few months) in the mean time: both you and I will have to make do with the photo presentation and I will try my best to make them visually appealing despite of the lack of lighting in my current kitchen. As long, as you can still get the gist of the recipe I hope you enjoy what I present to you nonetheless.

It's been super duper hot here in Malta - I'm starting to recollect why I left this country in the first place. Every time I used to mention I'm from Malta I got so many different faces from foreigners saying I was crazy to have moved to grey, cold and rainy London,  which even I sometimes found it hard to answer at times as with time I got to gain an appreciation for my Mediterranean rock but somehow, it suddenly all came back why I decided to leave. THIS HEAT IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE. Sorry I had to get it out. The only plus side to summer and heat waves; is fresh and delicious food that you can make and that becomes so refreshing and revitalising after a long day.

I have been onto zoodles lately, if you follow me on Instagram and check out my stories you'd see that I have made them on multiple occasions exploring with various sauces this past week. This particular dish I made is naturally vegetarian and could easily become vegan if you just opt out of the Parmesan which I added just for an extra touch. This dish gave me the right kind of energy and is surprising how for no carbs they are equally as filling as a normal plate of pasta, minus the bloat and that feeling of being lethargic right after which turns into a big plus!  

I kind of made my own tomato sauce -  the thought of fresh tomatoes, I couldn't miss out on that opportunity. If you prefer you could add a bit of marinara sauce, which originally was going to be my plan but if you can opt for fresh - fresh always wins. 

Zoodles are honestly amazing, it's only now that I suddenly joined the hype - what can I say I never follow a crowd. I was literally craving some good pasta sauce but at the same time didn't feel like a heavy plate as it's so hot outside yet, I didn't want to just pour my sauce all over my salad which is what I sometimes do. This time I wanted to feel like I was tucking into something 'heartier'. I got out my spiraliser which was still in one of my many boxes that came down from the UK and which was still in its original packaging as I had barely used it, (perhaps once or twice prior to this week) and this is where the magic started. I sharpened my  zucchini  and saw it turn to spaghetti like shapes which I can tell you works well not only as a stress reliever but also giving your arms a small workout. 

TIP: Something I've learnt as you get towards the end with a sharpener spiralizer its a bit hard to keep twisting the bottom - poke a fork through your marrow and keep twisting the fork whilst having a better grip to sharpen - it makes the whole process so much easier and makes you waste less! 

Alternatively, most supermarkets provide zoodles, cauli rice etc ready made for you - so it makes the process even quicker than the original recipe. However, keep in mind its probably much more costly and will have to be consumed fast so somehow the fact it takes no effort to prepare it cost you more to make them fresh and make sure all the micro nutrients stay intact. However, I have bought store bought in the past and when you have zero energy I can vow for myself that even preparing a sauce seems like work (don't worry we all get those days) lets just say this beats binging on a takeout and is still looking after your waistline by eating low carb so either way works. 

INGREDIENTS

Serves two or one heaped plate

- x2 zucchini

- x4 medium tomatoes

- x1 bunch of parsley

- x3 cloves of garlic

-x1 tbsp of olive oil

-x5 mushrooms

-x20g of Shredded Parmesan
(Do NOT add if keeping it vegan)

- x1 tsp of soy sauce
(or Tamari  sauce for a gluten free option)

-x1 tsp of tomato paste 

HOW TO:

Start off by adding some garlic with olive oil and bringing it to a heat before adding your mushrooms. Let the mushrooms brown slightly and then start by adding the tomatoes. 

Once the mushrooms have softened, add the parsley and season with salt and pepper for taste. 

Add a tsp of tomato paste to help bring out the tomato sauce, and also to add a little bit more texture. let it all simmer together for the ingredients to come together. 

Add an extra clove of fresh garlic on the top. I am loving fresh garlic lately and it's good for the immune system and giving that extra boost.  

The final touch for your tomato sauce and which would be more of an unexpected one is adding a dash of soy sauce, this helps the sauce come together, this somehow brings out more the taste of the tomatoes. If you couldn't tolerate too much of the tomato acidity you could add also a dash of sugar to sweeten it slightly but quite frankly I don't always. 

If you plan to keep this dish vegan then skip out this step altogether. I added some parmesan to add a little more flavour but you can add some yeast flakes OR some vegan cheese to give off that extra bit of a taste. You could also leave it as is, you can't go wrong with a fresh marinara sauce, garlic and parsley with a drizzle of olive oil. YUM.

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You can add extra parsley on top to varnish, as well as salt and pepper. At this point, meat eaters can add an extra portion of protein with or on the side. If not, you can just eat as is like I did in the below picture. Dig in and Enjoy I guarantee you'll feel full, satisfied and light considering the plate you would have just devoured. 

HOW TO : 

Start by cooking your garlic to let infuse with the butter - I usually use olive oil for this step but I completely ran dry; so butter had to do... But usually olive oil is my preferred choice. 

Don't let the garlic burn - once the butter has melted (or the oil started to heat) add the mushrooms and let them cook slightly. 

When your mushrooms are well on their way, at this stage you can add the rice and let the rice soak in the mushroom liquid!

At the same time, you can add your glass of wine, for the rice to absorb it all, this step is optional - as some of you might choose to not use alcohol in their cooking, although the wine helps give it a nicer taste  - I recommend this step ; but it can still work without.

Once the rice has drank up all the liquid, you can go ahead and add in your water and stock of your choice. 

Now this is my way of doing risotto; I am aware that it's not the traditional way of just adding small handfuls of water every two minutes whilst constantly stirring. I just add as much water necessary, usually for x1 cup of rice, it's x2 cups of water.

I usually cook on medium to high heat and cooking time usually varies from 7-10 minutes. You might need to add slightly more water at some point to get your rice cooked at the perfect consistency of your liking.

Once your rice, is at a consistency that you like. It's normal to still have your risotto slightly wet in the pan - as long as the rice grain is tender. You can go ahead & add the butter into the mixture.

And add your parmesan cheese to taste, I used about x2tbsp worth - this allows the rice to get super creamy and compliment the butter that no cream is needed in this recipe. (You can however, add a little cream if you wish - at this stage you would add it into your rice)

 Hope you guys enjoy this recipe from my heart to yours - have a fab V.day.

My two weeks leave has officially begun. I decided to start my day with an energising breakfast and I have to say that it was berry-tasty. I tried an acai bowl for the first time, not surprised that it was super good. Quite frankly, you can't really go wrong when it comes to smoothie bowls, the toppings are endless and pretty much delicious as a single ingredient, let alone when you combine them together. I decided to top mine with granola and a berry medley, mixed with 100gr acai sachet, x1 frozen banana plus mango and apple juice. Note to self: next time you make a smoothie bowl make sure to have a decent sized bowl, it might not show on the picture but this was actually smaller in size to the normal standard cereal bowls and well despite it looking cuter, it surely was messier. (Yep, you guessed right I spilled quite a bit on my lace table cloth.)

I'm on stop leave in the coming month and that results in me having to celebrate Christmas with my family early, next Friday kinda early. As on Monday I fly to Malta - I only have the weekend to get some 'typical last minute' Christmas Shopping done and to just kick back and relax slightly before I'm on island time. I decided to meet Tom on his work lunch before I stroll the shops. This is what I decided to wear to sport an effortless look yet still look remotely chic.

I told you this wouldn't be the last of my beanie hat, due to its seasonal patterns I am excused to wear it all throughout the Christmas festivities. If I'm honest this is my boyfriend's, I have a tendency to nick his clothes. Also, working at ZARA I own a lot of ZARA clothing so I'm not sponsoring them, I just genuinely give them back quarter of my salary each month. I will link the items that are still available below. (Excuse my tired face I am ready for an afternoon nap so it seems!)

(Beanie - Topman, Shirt Dress,Skinny Jeans & Long Coat  - ZARA , Shoes - Adidas )

We decided to try the Cheeky Pea Hummus Bar for lunch, and my was it good, I took their falafel wrap & it was so lovely and crispy, I'm drooling at the thought of it. I included some lemon & coriander hummus to mine and this just made the dish even more delicious, it costs £5.50 which comparing to other market places there is not much difference, this is very filling and keeps you going, so in a way the £5 can contribute towards a satisfying meal! I'm not vegan - I just seem to eat like one most days.  I just like to eat healthy and enjoy what's on my plate & I genuinely just enjoy most vegetarian dishes, if you do too then I highly recommend you try this place based in Kingston. I followed lunch with a warm soya cappuccino from Pret a Manger, I don't even know why they ask me if I want chocolate sprinkles on top .. of course I do - who doesn't?

The rest of my day is going to be pretty basic - I need to clear up a few things whilst I start packing slowly. I don't know about you but I prefer to pack than unpack a suitcase!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and see you in Malta!

As you might start to gather, the recipes I post lately are hassle free, so easy & requires minimal preparation time! With my work schedule it's almost impossible to spend much time in the kitchen which I miss. I find cooking to be a sense of therapy, I love the feeling it gives me where I slowly start to relax and fall in my element allowing me to forget about my day and just de-stress. A lot of people get tense when they cook which in turn makes it a not so enjoyable process -  but if you just go along and follow your instincts its more enjoyable than you think -- don't get me wrong, I've had stressful occasions when I'm cooking breakfast for instance, preparing lunch ahead of time, kettle has just boiled and coffee needs to be made, oil in the pan is cooking fast and not all my ingredients are prepped & chopped. We've all had those days and by the time the food is done we're not hungry anymore. Who am I kidding? There's never a time where I won't be hungry to eat what I've prepared, especially if it's these taco babies. 

This is a meat-friendly dish which is surprisingly light and the consistency of the mushrooms makes this quite a meaty alternative. I don't wait for Tuesday to come around, I enjoy tacos far too much. I just love the taste of cilantro (aka: coriander) and I think that is where my love for mexican lies. I've naturally been brought up eating Italian & French food so it will always have a close place to my heart, but Mexican food is a love that I came to find for myself - give me guacamole with cilantro anytime! Nothing beats the homemade kind.  Right less jibber jabber lets get this taco party started. 

*You could heat your taco shells slightly to have them warm but this step is not necessary.

Time to fill the tortillas. Start by adding some avocado as your base, followed by the mushroom and spinach mixture, and x1tsp of sour cream per tortilla then garnish with crumbles of  goat cheese as well, as a nice handful of cilantro. 

Et voila, simple yet delicious. 

Note! You are going to want more than one so prepare a few extra in advance. Not hungry? Have leftovers? Great! Lunch for tomorrow is sorted, better safe than sorry wouldn't you say?

Bon Appetit!

x

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CILANTRO

A natural home remedy to help aid digestion, this herb is good for various cases such as nausea , stomach pains and upset stomachs. Just brew yourself a tea made fresh from the leaves and should have a prompt relief. Cilantro also helps with inflammation.

Today is basically a post about what I ate today. I always love seeing these on Instagram and youtube as they always inspire me with new ideas and recipes and decided to share my own daily food intake. Been working a little rough hours as of late, so diet wise hasn't been the best having today as a day off has really helped to get back on track with starting to go buy groceries and fill up my fridge with yummy ingredients!

For breakfast it was my personal favourite you can find the recipe here, I don't always get the chance to make smoothie bowls but when I do they make my day! I decided to make a banana rich bowl for breakfast it's so fast and so good it's the perfect start.

I love when I get a chance just to enjoy my food outside in the fresh air, I am the first to admit that most of the time I eat whilst with technology on be it the TV or going through social media on my phone which I have to realise for myself that it is so bad because we don't fully acknowledge the food that we intake, but also distracts us from knowing when our brain is giving us the signal of being full which in turn will make us eat more than we need too and put on more unnecessary weight which I quite frankly don't want.

This is such a comfort dish and suprisingly good for the health despite being good for the soul. Tom came home early today so we had the pleasure of cooking together. We decided to make a sweet jacket potato with cauliflower rice which hit the spot quite nicely -- you can find the recipe here

I usually would have snacked throughout the afternoon but lunch kept us going  - which was amazing! for dinner I was thinking of making something quite low key. Scrambled eggs in a tortilla w/ Spinach & Avocado! Simple yet still delicious -- Add some Cholula ontop and it's a date!