Trip to The Lickey Hills

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 itsangieLeave a comment

Hello Everyone, I hope your day has been well. We did have a mini summer in the UK but the weather is currently gloomy and its been a little rainy but the rest of the week looks promising.

I recently went for a walk in the Lickey Hills and had such a lovely day there, following the signs and sticking to the walking trail. It was a nice, warm day as we walked around for a couple of hours, the terrain wasn’t too rough however, there were a few mud puddles to watch out for as we were only wearing trainers. Once we’d finished the trail, we got some sandwiches from the cafe and ate them on a bench whilst we had a little rest.

As we’ve all been spending so much time at home, it’s always such a great idea to get out and spend some time in nature. You are definitely lucky if you have a garden or live near a park, because you don’t have to travel too far for fresh air. Also, spending time outside can be so relaxing for the mind as long as you are safe and comfortable. Many studies have reported that living near green spaces has been linked to a range of health benefits from mental well-being to general fitness.

The pictures don’t really do the Lickey Hills justice, but you get an idea of how beautiful nature can be. Walking outside in nature can be a great chance to clear your mind and be present in the moment. Being outside in a local park allows you to explore new surroundings, meet new people and take a break from every day worries.

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Quinoa with Corn, Kale and Walnuts

May 20, 2021July 12, 2021 itsangieLeave a comment

Hello everyone, Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

This recipe provides a beautiful array of healthy ingredients that will really nourish the body. Not only that but it also tastes good too! The recipe does require a little effort, so probably something you’ll want to make on the weekend for a hearty lunch. I enjoyed making this dish and it kept me feeling full long after eating. Quinoa is a great source of many minerals compared with other grains. It is also a complete protein source which means it contains all of the 9 essential amino acids, this is necessary for the body because protein is the building blocks of tissue in the body.

Another thing to add is that this recipe is gluten free.

Recipe: Quinoa with corn, kale and walnuts (serves 1)

Ingredients

30g quinoa

20g walnuts, roasted and crushed

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 small onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Sprinkle of salt and chilli flakes

1 lemon, zested

30g kale, roughly chopped

20g sweetcorn

Method

Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and set aside. In the meantime, roast the walnuts for 5 minutes in the oven on gas mark 5 and leave to cool down before crushing.
Whilst the quinoa is cooking, start preparing the onion, garlic, lemon, kale and corn.
Heat the oil in a pan and once hot add the onion, garlic, salt, chilli and zest. Cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
Add the kale and corn, cooking until the kale has wilted slightly. No more than 5 minutes.
Stir in the roasted walnuts and cooked quinoa. Cook for a further 3 minutes and serve.

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World Baking Day!

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021 itsangie2 Comments

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog and happy World Baking Day to all of my fellow bakers.

I’ve been trying to stick to a strict posting schedule but I think it’s time to switch things up a little and get back to how I used to post, which was a little more spontaneous but still with structure!

Baking is one of my favourite hobbies, and has been for so many years. It’s one of those activities I do that is so relaxing and therapeutic regardless of what it is that I am baking. Years back, I used to love baking sweet things because I had a bit of a sweet tooth (which I probably still do) but as I’m getting older I’m trying to bake things that are slightly healthier and I’m also trying to experiment with a range of different ingredients. I think the food world has become quite innovative depending on what your interests are but it’s great because there’s something for everyone, regardless of your health, diet or lifestyle.

I don’t plan to bake anything today so I thought I’d share a few of my favourite bakes over the years. Enjoy!

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Seasoned Sweet Potato

May 13, 2021 itsangieLeave a comment

Hello everyone, I hope your day has been well.

Today is all about sweet potatoes, a favorite carbohydrate of mine. Although there are many different varieties, 9/10 is will taste sweet, hence the name. The subtle, sweet flavour makes them the perfect ingredient for vegetable curries, pies, soups and so much more. Sweet potatoes are a great source of fibre along with a range of other vitamins, such as iron, selenium and calcium but the fibre specifically is known to be beneficial to the immune system. Also, the vitamin C content is apparently raised from cooking. For this recipe, I decided to lightly fry the sweet potato to reduce any moisture on the outer surface and then bake in the oven for a little while so that the seasonings could be infused into the smooth center.

This is a super quick, tasty dish to cook and is a great accompaniment to most meals.

Recipe: Seasoned sweet potato (serves 1)

Ingredients

1 sweet potato, cut into pieces

Paprika

Salt

Sugar

Chilli flakes

Cumin

Oil, for frying

Method

Heat some oil in a deep pan.
Start preparing the potato by peeling, chopping and set aside in water.
Once the oil is hot enough, add all of the sweet potato and fry for 5-7 minutes stirring regularly.
After the 7 minutes, transfer the potato to a tray with tissue paper on top to soak up the excess oil.
Remove the tissue paper and sprinkle the potatoes with a little paprika, salt, chilli flakes, cumin and sugar.
Bake in the oven for up to 10 minutes and serve.

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Lentil and Potato Balls

April 20, 2021July 12, 2021 itsangie2 Comments

Hello everyone, I hope you’ve all had a great day.

I love searching through WordPress and finding wonderful recipes to try for myself, that is how I came to make these vegetarian lentil and potato balls. Lentils are a great source of protein and are known to provide a similar quality of protein to meat. They are really easy to cook and can be added to most meals keeping you feeling fuller for longer. Lentils have quite an earthy taste and can take some getting used to but when mixed with the right ingredients and flavours you can really enjoy and appreciate the taste.

I ate these lentil and potato balls inside a homemade flatbread with a basic side salad and a little sauce. As they were fried, the outside was slightly golden and crispy with a soft center. They are a great meat free alternative to meatballs and can be eaten with many foods. The recipe is pretty basic and only requires a little bit of effort to make.

Recipe: Lentil and potato balls (makes 9)

Ingredients

128g cooked lentils (roughly 50g uncooked)

1 small potato, grated

Salt

Pepper

Paprika

Tumeric

Garlic powder

1 tsp tomato puree

1 tbsp plain flour

Oil, for frying

Method

Cook the lentils according to the packets instructions and set aside. Grate the potato and squeeze out most of the excess liquid. Heat the oil in a pan.
Once everything is prepared, mix all of the ingredients together with a sprinkle of the seasonings.
Use your hands to shape them into balls and once the oil is hot place in as many balls that will fit and cook for 3-5 minutes on one side before turning over to cook for a further 3 minutes. They should look brown and crispy!
Once cooked, take out and place in a bowl covered with kitchen paper to drain of excess oil.