Addicted to Gardening: The Detling Garden Show...

This weekend was the first time I visited the Detling Garden Show. It was also the first time I realized I have a serious addiction to gardening. Although my outdoor space is limited I couldn’t resist buying a few more plants for my Magical Fairy Garden. Over the next few weeks I’ll be learning about them and sharing my findings here with all of you.

For those of you that have never been to the Detling Garden Show it is a must! There are over 300 exhibitors selling a wide variety of plants, stalls from various wild life trusts and all sorts of wonderful garden ornaments including chimes, fantastic children’s play houses and gigantic wooden Gorillas (just what every garden needs!) I have also discovered there is a 2nd garden show in the Autumn! Hurrah!

My new plants are all settling happily in my garden. Here is a quick peek at some of them:

Heart Ease or Wild Pansy

Lupins

Cat Mint (A Treat for Nutmeg)

A Japanese Maple Tree (I LOVE these trees!)

Best Sherry Cake….Ever!...

There really is nothing like a glass of sherry especially after a hard days work. I know it isn’t to everyone’s taste but I do have a real fondness for it. Usually when I am cooking I’ll have a spatula or wooden spoon in one hand and a large glass of sherry in the other.

Not only is sherry a lovely tipple but its also great for cooking! Harveys Bristol Cream is an essential ingredient and star of the show in my mom’s famous trifle. A generous splash of Amontillado to sautéing onions and garlic will add a lovely flavour to sauces and soups.

NOTE: I have never ever used cooking sherry and wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole. Generally cooking sherry has a lot of salt added to it and it is definitely not something you would want a glass of. For most of my cooking I use a leading UK supermarket brand of Amontillado sherry which is slightly drier and less sweet. It’s lovely to drink and cook with and not that expensive. If you are going to cook with sherry then it is worth it to get the real deal.

I thought I had experienced all that sherry had to offer when my cousin surprised me with her Grandmother’s recipe for sherry cake.

My original plan was to make this cake to celebrate the Royal Wedding but my husband and I ended up using most of the bottle to toast the happy couple (which wasn’t such a bad thing after all). Anyway the drinks cabinet has now been replenished and I was finally was able to make this amazing cake. Trust me this is a winner!

Here is the recipe courtesy of my lovely cousin (and her Grandmother!)

Grandma Reid’s Sherry Cake

Ingredients

4 room temperature eggs (you can put them in a bowl of warm water to warm them up if you don’t have time to let them sit out)

3/4 cup salad oil (my cousin uses canola while I used olive oil)

3/4 cup sherry (my cousin uses Harveys Bristol Cream while I used my favourite Amontillado)

1 package yellow cake mix (I used a Madeira cake mix)

1 package instant vanilla pudding (my sister brought me some Jell-O Instant Pudding from Canada. In the UK I think Angel Delight would work although I don’t think they have vanilla but banana or butterscotch would work well. Size wise the Jell-O is 102g which is what you would need for the recipe) Don’t mix up the pudding. Just add it straight to the bowl!

1 Tbs ground nutmeg

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup sherry

1 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl with a wire whisk beat together the eggs, oil and sherry

Gradually mix in the cake mix, pudding mix and 1 Tbs ground nutmeg

NOTE: I was told electric mixers are a no no – good old fashioned muscle is what’s needed. Also as there may be lumps in the cake mix it’s a good idea to use a sifter

Place the batter in a well greased tube or Bundt pan (a pan that is round, deep with hole in the middle)

Bake for 45 minutes

Remove from pan immediately

Mix together the glaze ingredients with a whisk

Allow the cake to cool cake for 10 minutes and place on large plate or large chopping board covered with aluminium / tin foil

Spread glaze on top of cake. It will melt and run down sides in a lovely gooey mess

Cool completely, cut and eat cold

Enjoy!

Indian Pudding: Childhood Memories And Autumnal Tr...

Thinking back on my childhood, one of the things I remember from this time of year was my Mum making a dessert known as Indian Pudding. There was nothing quite like playing outside in the crisp Autumn air – jumping in piles of leaves and playing make believe in the back yard – and then coming inside to this wonderful dish. The spicy aroma and deep smoky flavour of molasses take me right back to those happy childhood memories.

The origins of Indian Pudding come from Colonial America where the settlers attempted to recreate dishes from their homelands. It is very similar to porridge and also to what is known in the U.K as hasty pudding. Cereal grains (usually wheat or oats) would be boiled down over a long period of time in scalded milk, resulting in a thick creamy consistency (no lumps please!).

Not having access to large stores of wheat or oats the colonists used cornmeal instead which was more readily available. Often butter or beaten eggs would be added to give the dish extra richness. Spices such as Cinnamon, Ginger and Nutmeg would be used to enhance the flavour and it would be sweetened with molasses. Dried fruits were also occasionally added.

For me this creamy dessert conjures up happy childhood memories (and Autumn) just as much as a big slice of pumpkin pie.

Here is the recipe for my Mum’s Indian Pudding

Ingredients

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup water

4 cups whole milk

1 large egg

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup dark molasses

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup combination of raisins and dried cranberries

Good quality vanilla ice cream to serve. (I love Mackie’s)

Directions

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees F).

Heavily grease a 1-1/2 quart oven proof baking dish with unsalted butter.

Place 3/4 cup water in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the cornmeal until it is completely mixed and smooth.

Scald 3 cups of the milk in a heavy saucepan (heat until tiny bubbles appear around the edge). Make sure you don’t bring the milk to a full boil.
Stir the cornmeal mixture into the hot milk. Reduce heat to low and stir frequently, for approximately 15 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened.

Remove from heat.

Beat the egg in a small bowl. Gradually stir some of the hot cornmeal mixture into the beaten egg, one spoonful at a time, until you have added about 1/2 cup of the mixture. (This will gently warm up the egg so the hot cornmeal mixture doesn’t cook it too quickly.)

Return the egg and cornmeal mixture to the saucepan and stir in the sugar, molasses, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. You can add dried fruit at this stage if you want.

Pour the mixture into the prepared greased dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and gently pour the remaining 1 cup of milk over the top of the pudding. Do not stir in.

Continue to bake for approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the pudding begins to set.

Remove from oven and set aside for 30 minutes to one hour. It will continue to thicken further as it cools.

Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Note: This recipe serves 5-6 but I love to have the leftovers for breakfast the next day – slightly warmed and served with milk. YUMMY!

Indian Pudding

Courgette Carbonara: Magical Meal In Minutes...

Usually I am not in a rush to escape the kitchen. For me it’s a peaceful and comforting place to be. There is something so deliciously wonderful about losing yourself in cooking. Whether you’re baking bread, tending to soups or stews, chopping, sautéing or creating an indulgent pudding, it’s a magical state of mind!

Now I have recently become quite a fan of Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals. This may seem strange considering I enjoy spending large amounts of time pottering around the kitchen – but his recipes are good and inspiring. Jamie has a great way of creating recipes that are simple but really pack a punch. I have started writing a list of all his recipes that I am eager to try.

As my fridge is still happily stocked with a ton of zucchini (courgette) I decided to try Jamie’s Beautiful Courgette Carbonara. This is a really lovely twist on a traditional spaghetti alla carbonara – one of my favourite pasta dishes of all time. For this I used beautiful smoked streaky bacon from our local butchers which made it a real treat. I also opted for Rigatoni instead of Penne or Spaghetti.

It was sooooo good. I went back for seconds (ok I confess, thirds!) While it didn’t take long to prepare OR cook, I am ok with not having spent ages in the kitchen today. It has given me more time to cuddle up with Nutmeg!

Go on and give this recipe a try. It is delicious!

Click here to see Jamie Oliver’s Beautiful Courgette Carbonara recipe.

Courgette Carbonara

Waiting for a cuddle

My Grandmother’s Spinach Soup Served with Hard B...

My Grandmother is an excellent cook and I absolutely adore her food! Every meal she prepares is done so with love and care and is always full of the most beautiful flavours. A few years back when my husband and I were visiting Canada, she made this spinach soup and it has been on our minds ever since. I finally got a hold of the recipe and thought this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. It was just as good as I remembered although I did go a tad heavy on the salt. Never mind, next time I will be much more careful!

This soup makes a great lunch or light supper and it can even be used as an elegant starter – although I haven’t quite mastered the art of making a pretty flower out of hard boiled eggs yet (but I will keep working it!)

So here it is Raija’s Spinach Soup.

Ingredients

1 large Spanish onion finely chopped.

350 – 400 grams of fresh spinach well washed.

1 ½ – 2 tsp butter or a drizzle of olive oil (for sweating the onion).

2 Tbsp butter for making a roux.

2 Tbsp flour.

Chicken stock (approx 2 ½ – 3 cups) – I used Vegetable stock for mine.

Double cream.

Pinch of nutmeg.

1 clove minced garlic (optional).

Pinch of white sugar which helps give the soup some smoothness.

4 hard boiled eggs.

Directions

Melt the 1 ½ – 2 tsp or drizzle of olive oil in a pan. Be careful not to let the pan get too hot if you’re using butter as it may burn.

Add the finely chopped onion and mix well. Put a lid on the pot and allow the onion to sweat for a few minutes. Don’t let the onion get any colour. (I read somewhere that adding salt will prevent the onion from colouring and this is where I went wrong with my seasoning – I added too much salt at this stage! – so be careful).

In a second pot heat the spinach carefully – don’t add any water, butter or oil to the pot. The moisture in the spinach will be enough. The spinach should just go very slightly limp.

Once the spinach is just limp remove it from the pot and squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can.

Chop the spinach into small pieces and set aside.

Now it’s time to begin the roux. In another pot melt the 2 Tbsp of butter and then add the flour.

Do not let this mixture turn brown. Keep it on a moderate heat and gradually add the stock.

Mix it well and allow it to cook for approximately 3-5 minutes as you stir continuously.

Add the chopped spinach and onion to this mixture. Allow it to cook gently for another 5 minutes or so.

You can grate some nutmeg into it, or add some minced garlic at this stage. Also a pinch of white sugar will help give the soup some smoothness.

While the soup is cooking you can prepare the hard boiled eggs. Peel them and cut into halves or quarters.

When you just about ready to serve the soup stir in a good drizzle of double cream and mix well.

Serve with some freshly ground black pepper and the hard boiled eggs pieces arranged in the form of a flower.

Enjoy!

Or as my Grandmother would say in Finnish

Nautiskella!

Spinach ready – now it’s time to make the roux!

Mum’s Marvellous Muffins: A healthy snack and a ...

Well I have been back from Australia for just over 5 weeks now and I am still trying to get myself settled back into a daily routine. Fortunately Nutmeg hasn’t been having the same problems. Once we picked her up from the cattery and brought her home she hopped straight up onto the sofa wanting nose rubs and cuddles. All seems to be forgiven – which when dealing with cats is a good thing, however I am still sleeping with one eye open – just in case!

The time spent with my parents was very special. My husband and I spent time in Sydney, Brisbane and Airlie beach. There were some wonderful trips to nature reserves where we saw some amazing (if not slightly terrifying) wildlife. We also helped my parents move house which was an adventure in and of itself. There were restaurant visits of course but what we really enjoyed was cooking together and sharing our meals at the dining room table.

While my Dad and husband were in charge of making cocktails and occasionally throwing something on the barbeque, it was my Mum and I that did the majority of the cooking. She shared many wonderful recipes with me – some were old favourites that I hadn’t had since I was a child. Others like this muffin recipe were new to me.

I have to say this muffin recipe is one of my favourites and I have made them several times since arriving back in the UK. They are so simple to make and are perfect for breakfast or as a healthy snack during the day. They are nothing like the ’cake’ style muffins we get here in the UK and I am delighted. If I wanted cake I would eat it – but muffins should taste like muffins!

So here it is, my Mum’s Marvellous Muffin Recipe.

Ingredients:

2 ½ Cup of Raisin Bran Cereal

¼ Cup All Bran Cereal

5 dried apricots chopped in large chunks (one apricot chopped into 3 pieces works well)

5 dates chopped (same as the apricots I like to chop each date into 3 large pieces)

¼ Cup walnuts

¼ Cup dried blueberries OR cranberries

1 ½ Cup of low fat milk (I actually use 2%)

2 ½ tbsp of Oil (you can use vegetable oil or canola)

1 egg

1 ¼ Cup self raising flour

¼ Cup brown sugar

3 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp dried ginger

¼ tsp nutmeg (the magic ingredient!)

(You can also add wheat germ or any other nuts or dried fruits you like. I did use fresh blueberries which also worked well. It made the muffins really moist)

Directions

Heat the oven to 180 degrees.

Grease the bottom of 12 medium sized muffin tins (or see my Mum’s Top Tip below)

Mix the Raisin Bran and All Bran in a large bowl and slowly add the milk.

Let this stand until the cereal has softened (about 5 minutes)

Muffin Mixture After Adding Milk

Gradually beat in the oil and egg.

Mix the remaining ingredients (including the flour) in a separate bowl and gently stir into the cereal and milk mixture.

Mix until everything is just moistened.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove muffins and place on cooling rack.

Enjoy for breakfast with some fruit yoghurt on the side or in the afternoon with a cup of tea!

Top Tip

Greasing muffin tins is not only messy but it adds unnecessary calories to your cooking.

I have never felt comfortable cooking with parchment paper but my Mum showed me a really easy way to use it.

Cut some squares of parchment paper (I use 4 inches by 4 inches)

Fold the paper over the end of an upturned glass (my Mum used a can of olive oil spray)

Top Tip For Lining A Muffin Tin

You get a nice little ‘cup’ of paper that neatly slots into your muffin tin.

Getting The Muffin Tins Ready

Carefully spoon the batter into each cup.

Mum's Marvellous Muffins About To Go In The Oven

Once the muffins are cooked the parchment paper peels off really easily.

There was no mess and no fuss!

Mum's Marvellous Muffins

Focaccia Bread With Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Moz...

The other day the urge to bake struck again. This time I wanted to make some focaccia bread to have alongside a Jamie Oliver recipe for Chicken with Basil and Sweet Tomatoes. I thought it would be just the thing to mop up any flavourful juices (it was!).

I have baked focaccia bread before and it is relatively simple to make. The recipe I have used in the past calls for a bit more seasoning in the mixture and I have always enjoyed adding some extra toppings to it; olives, sundried tomatoes and caramelized onions being among my favourites. Here is the recipe courtesy of Terri McCarrell and All Recipes that I have used many times before.

Since the Jamie Oliver recipe had so many wonderful flavours going on, I decided to make a simpler focaccia (Focaccia alla Ligure) and garnish it with some sea salt. I sourced a different recipe for this bread from the brilliant site Rustico Cooking and although it turned out very well there was cause for concern. I activated the yeast according to the packet instructions but it called for slightly more water than the recipe needed. The result was very sticky dough. I kept adding a bit more flour but honestly I think I could have added the whole bag. So I left it to rise and waited to see what would happen.

What happened was that it rose successfully and I had twice as much of the sticky dough as before! I somehow managed to get it in the pan where it was left to rise for a further 45 minutes. (cat lovers may appreciate this – but at the precise moment my hands were completely and hopelessly covered in goo, Nutmeg decided she ‘wanted’ things. Water, food, cuddles, specially designed tents made from my collection of sarongs that I drape over cushions for her– you name it she wanted it. Patience is not her strong point and I got in trouble for making her wait! By the way ALL her food and water bowls had been cleaned and replenished before I started making the bread – she just enjoys being cheeky!)

Anyway I wasn’t able to ‘dimple’ the top of the bread because it was just too sticky. It actually didn’t look that bad and when it came out of the oven it looked, smelled and tasted fantastic! Although I had made it in anticipation of my chicken dish I couldn’t resist having a slice or two for lunch. I was in a Mediterranean frame of mind and so I decided on a simple open faced sandwich with tomato, basil, avocado and mozzarella.

It was simple, delicious and healthy. It was raining outside (finally some much needed rain!) so I sat indoors by the window and ate my lunch – it was like I had my very own plate of sunshine. These simple beautiful flavours just can’t help but put you in a good mood. It was just what I needed on a rainy Wednesday afternoon!

Luna Raye’s Recipe for Focaccia with Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Mozzarella

Ingredients

Focaccia bread, large piece sliced lengthways. (You can use store bought but if you decide to make your own even better! Try either recipe I have mentioned above – they are both delicious!)

Drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

1large vine tomato sliced

½ avocado sliced

5-6 good sized slices of buffalo mozzarella

Handful of basil leaves, roughly torn.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

If you’ve made your own bread, allow it to cool slightly on a wire rack, about 20 – 30 minutes.
Once cooled cut a generous sized piece and then slice that in half lengthways.

Brush lightly with some extra virgin olive oil and place under a medium grill.

As the bread starts to brown slightly (about 5 minutes) add the slices of mozzarella and place back under the grill.

While the mozzarella begins to melt slice the tomato and avocado.

Once the cheese has melted (about 3-5 minutes, but keep an eye on it) take the focaccia bread out and put it on a plate.

Add the sliced tomato and avocado and season with salt and pepper.

Tear the basil leaves and scatter them over top.

You can finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil if you choose.

It’s best to use a knife and fork as it’s a messy one to eat – but often the messiest food is the tastiest.

Enjoy!

Focaccia with Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Mozzarella

Brewing With Love And Nose Rubs: Cat Cuddle Tea....

When I was younger I pestered my parents on a daily basis for a pet. At that time it didn’t matter to me what kind of pet, I just wanted an animal companion to cuddle up to and share my secrets with. Then one summer day when I came back from a solo visit to see my grandparents, I was greeted at the door by my mom, who told me there was a special surprise waiting for me. I will never forget the first time I saw Cinders. She was a tiny ball of gray and white fluff and to be honest I was terrified of her! She was so tiny that I was frightened I would hurt her if I went near her. I soon got over my worry and would often scoop her up for a cuddle. She was a remarkable cat who gave our family lots of love, joy and laughter for over 22 years.

As a teenager I did my share of babysitting but I was actually more popular as a cat sitter. I would look after people’s cats while they went on holiday and would shower them with as much love and affection as I could – so they didn’t miss their families too much while they were away. It was the best job I ever had! I looked after cats in Canada and the UK and made many wonderful friends (human and feline) along the way.

Now I do love all animals BUT there is something completely wonderful about cats. They hold a very special place in my heart and I know the world would be a miserable (and far less interesting place) without them. I am purrfectly happy in admitting that I am a total slave to my cat Nutmeg!

When I say I would do anything for her– I mean it! When she squawks I come running. Of course this has now resulted in me bringing her large glasses of water throughout the day (and night! – can we say ‘sleep deprivation’ everyone). In fact all she has to do is look at me in a certain way and I drop everything. Nutmeg does love a good cuddle and she often calls me over to have a wee snuggle and a mad cleaning session (I don’t do any cleaning – I am just expected to watch and admire).

Working from home means my day is wonderfully broken up with bouts of cat cuddling. This has created something which I call ‘Cat Cuddle Tea’.

Luna Raye’s Recipe For Cat Cuddle Tea.

Ingredients

1 tea bag (I love Clipper Organic Everyday Tea)

Water, just off the boil.

Milk and Sugar (or Honey) if desired.

Directions

Boil some water (being mindful not to overfill your kettle).

Add tea bag to your favourite mug.(My favourite is my Star Trek mug)

Fill the mug with the boiled water and gently poke at tea bag with a tea spoon.

While the tea continues to steep go and cuddle your cat.

Give ample nose rubs, chin scritches and haunch pats.

If your feline friend asks for a drink, pour them some water and bring it to them in a crystal glass. Make sure to hold the glass steady.

After they have had their water, bury your face in their fur and make smooch-y noises and praise them.

More nose rubs may be needed at this point.

Ignore cramp in your left side because you aren’t sitting correctly on the sofa (most likely because kitty is stretched out).

When 30 minutes has passed gently remove yourself from the sofa to check on your tea.

It should now be cold and unpleasant to drink.

Place unused milk back in the fridge and unused sugar or honey back on the shelf.

Get back to the sofa immediately to resume cat cuddles.

Enjoy!

Luna’s Cat Cuddle Tea Tips:

• As long as you haven’t added milk or sugar you can reserve the cold tea to give your house plants a nice boost. My great grandmother always used the cold tea left over in her tea pot for her African Violets – and they were always stunning and in full bloom.

• Place tea bags in a small dish and put in the fridge. They are wonderfully refreshing to use on tired, puffy eyes.

Some of Luna’s Favourite Cat Websites:

The Cats Protection League

Feline Cat Rescue

I Can Has Cheezburger

Catio Showcase

WhollyCat

Way of Cats

Come on and give me a cuddle - you know you want to!

Luna Raye's Cat Cuddle Tea

Nutmeg Unamused At Dragon's Inability To Give Nose Rubs

A Very Trying Week But We’re Finally Feline Fine...

The past 10 days has been a very trying time for my husband and I. We noticed our beloved moggy Nutmeg was drinking much more water then usual. We also thought she was sleeping more then normal and wasn’t her usual busy body self.

I took her to the Vets where they did some tests and after a few days it was confirmed that she has diabetes. Over the next few days I brought her back for more tests and to be shown how to inject her with insulin. At this point I want to give a big shout out to the wonderful veterinarian who has made time for all my many questions, who has helped ease my worries and anxieties and who patiently showed me how to handle the medication. The vet visits are only just beginning as we need to get her stabilized but after 2 days on insulin she is already showing huge improvements.

Diabetes has affected many members of my family so although I wasn’t overly thrilled with the news about Nutmeg, I did take some comfort in the fact that it is something I know a bit about. I won’t lie and say that I didn’t cry or have moments of complete despair and fear, but once I calmed down and spoke to my mom and sister (who by the way has been successfully managing her diabetes for over 30 years), I felt much more positive. There are many great websites with lots of information on the subject of feline diabetes as well as supportive forums where you can go when it all gets a bit too overwhelming. At this point I would also like to thank the lovely Jules who has been working with me on this site, as soon as she heard about Nutmeg she sent me the following link to this very helpful website. Another site I found has a great forum and I have been getting some good pointers there.

It is still early days with Nutmeg but I am feeling much more hopeful about things. She is such a special little girl and we immediately fell in love with her the moment our local Cats Protection League brought her into our lives. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank the Universe for sending her our way. If you notice your animal companion acting strangely then please don’t wait – go the vets immediately.

Things to look out for are:

• Excessive thirst.
• Excessive urination. They may urinate outside of their litter box.
• Weight loss. Going off their food.
• Extreme lethargy.
• Eating more than normal.
• Any behaviour that seems out of character.

Well during this time I must confess that cooking and eating were not really top of my list of priorities. This was a mistake as by not eating properly I wasn’t able to handle stress effectively. I know that in order to properly care for Nutmeg I need to properly look after myself. Tonight was the first night we actually felt like eating a meal. We hadn’t been shopping for ages so the cupboards and fridge were pretty barren.

Fortunately we had some turkey mince in the freezer which I defrosted. I then put it in a pot with a few other ingredients I found and made a very warming and comforting chilli. In honour of everything we have been through these past few days I have called this recipe Luna’s Finally Feline Fine Chilli. So here it is:

Luna’s Finally Feline Fine Chilli

Ingredients

1 package of turkey mince (500 grams)
½ Spanish onion chopped finely
1 drizzle of maple syrup.
2 Tablespoons of olive oil.
4 cloves of garlic.
1 pinch of salt.
½ teaspoon of oregano.
½ teaspoon of thyme.
½ teaspoon of chilli flakes.
1 pinch of Nutmeg (the spice not the moggy!)
1 ½ cups of vegetable stock.
1 can organic plum tomatoes.
1 can organic cannellini beans, rinsed.
Parmesan cheese.

Directions

Sautee the chopped up onion in olive oil and maple syrup, until soft and translucent.

Add the turkey mince and mix in with the onions until the mince is completely cooked.

Add the garlic. You can mince the cloves but I like to chop them in chunkier pieces. You also don’t have to use as many cloves but as we were feeling run down we thought we would give ourselves a boost of garlic power!

Once garlic is mixed in add the herbs, salt and pinch of nutmeg. Mix well.

Add the vegetable stock and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.

Then add the can of tomatoes and mix in well, adding the beans at the end.

Allow everything to simmer and stir occasionally. I let mine bubble away for 45 minutes.

Grate some parmesan cheese over top.

Serve with steamed rice or crusty bread and enjoy!

Luna's Finally Feline Fine Chilli

A little pinch of Nutmeg.

I also just wanted to say that if you are considering welcoming an animal companion into your home please do think about adopting from a local shelter.

Imbolc: The Maiden Returns....

The beginning of February, in the Northern Hemisphere, is a time to celebrate the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc. We are just beginning to feel the first stirrings of Spring. The days are lengthening, there are signs of growth in the earth and the birds seem to sing more loudly and cheerfully. Brigid the Goddess of Spring has returned and has brought with her the sun, whose rays are warming the earth, bringing it back to life after the cold dark days of winter.

Food wise Imbolc is linked with milk, specifically ewes milk as it’s around this time of year that they begin lactating. For a special Imbolc supper you could have a cheese plate with a hearty salad and some crusty bread on the side. Any type of cheese will do, it doesn’t have to be sheep’s cheese if that isn’t to your liking. Just make sure that it’s natural cheese, nothing coloured or artificial.

As this time of year is about celebrating the return of fertility to the Earth, make time to connect with nature. Go for walks and get out in your garden. It may be too early to start sowing seeds outdoors but you can certainly plant bulbs; crocus, daffodils and tulips are a beautiful addition to any garden. If you don’t have access to a garden, consider buying a house plant. Just make sure that if you share your home with an animal companion the plants aren’t harmful or toxic to them.

Another way to celebrate is to create an altar for your home or garden. I love altars because they give me a special place where I can focus and meditate on my intentions for the upcoming days, weeks or months. They also keep me mindful about the earth, help strengthen my connection to her seasons and remind me of my own unique place in the world.

There really are no hard and fast rules when creating an altar. Have fun and be creative. For Imbolc I tend to use colours that remind me of the lengthening days. I also like to include food which I leave out for the Fairies and birds afterwards. Apples are always a favourite and I make sure I only buy organic ones. I also buy something for my garden and this year I bought some grape hyacinths which I can’t wait to plant.

Over the coming weeks, find ways to honour the earth and reconnect with nature. Whatever you choose to do enjoy yourself, have fun and remember that Spring is on her way!

For my Indoor Imbolc Altar I used;

• A bright yellow scarf that belonged to my grandmother (she always made me happy).
• A Goddess figurine my sister made for me many years ago (thanks sis!).
• A white candle.
• 3 lemon and rose Turkish delights (my grandmother loved them but they also seem to be a particular favourite of the Fairies)
• A glass of organic milk with honey, cinnamon and nutmeg (once again for the Fairies)
• My newly purchased Grape Hyacinths.

Imbolc Altar

Garden Offerings