by Glotime | Feb 7, 2017 | Featured, GloKitchen
Gone are the days when home grown was considered a pursuit of the more mature gardener and I am being polite! Especially with the alleged shortage of fresh veg since the Brexit referendum the Good Life is back in abundance.
There can be no-one cooler than iconic DJ Goldie, and even he has his own home grown garden of sumptuous veg, as well as more traditional celebrities like Savannah Miller and Jilly Cooper.
If you are just starting out on the ‘grow your own’ path, you may want to start with some simple DIY seeds of veg provided by your local gardening centre.
Even Tesco are doing a fab range of pre planted produce in ‘buckets’, so you don’t even have to brave the great outdoors if you prefer to gently dip your toe into the planting arena.
We started with our own tomatoes and beans to see how fast they yielded and it is really exciting to behold as little buds turn into delicious fruit and veg.
A great website for you to check out is www.veg.gg and you will be given a step by step guide to getting going with a very good plan of planting a fledgling fruit, vegetable and herb garden.
It is also a great way of introducing children to freshly grown healthy food as many kids still don’t know where fruit and veg come from, let alone how healthy it is to eat freshly grown produce.
It goes without saying that growing your own is also a great way to keep fit and healthy, with fresh calorie free produce guaranteed to boost your immune system and help you lose or sustain weight loss.
There is also a lot to be said for the pure flavour of home grown, and will take you back to childhood with the strong aroma of a fresh tomato or twig of fresh mint.
I guarantee that once you do savour the aroma of your own back yard, you will be hooked on investing in either a greenhouse or a planting area for your produce.
If your garden space is limited, then Allotments are available through your local council, and although the waiting list may be several months, it is extremely inexpensive and well worth the wait.
So what are you waiting for – get out there and plant your seeds.
by Glotime | Feb 2, 2017 | Featured, GloKitchen
Two recipes that are really easy to prepare but filled with goodness and flavour – you really will feel you have died and gone to heaven after tasting these.
So come on – get stuffing!
Mince Stuffed Peppers
INGREDIENTS
250g Minced Beef or Minced Pork 1 Medium Onion 1 Glove Garlic, Peeled and Chopped Finely 50g Button Mushrooms, Chopped 2 Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped finely Salt & Pepper 2 Red Peppers, Halved and deseeded 50g Strong Cheddar Cheese, Grated
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 200c, Gas Mark 6 In large pan, heat onion and garlic then add mince cook for 5 mins until brown drain off any oil add mushrooms and Thyme and cook for further 3 mins season with salt & pepper and set aside
Place peppers open side up onto baking tray season with little salt & pepper spoon Mixture into each pepper Bake for 20-25 mins until peppers are almost soft Add grated cheese onto peppers and place back in oven for 5-10 mins
Serve
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Stuffed Mushrooms
INGREDIENTS
3 Large Portobello Flat Mushrooms, remove stems 1 Medium Onion 3 tbsp Oil 1 tsp fresh Thyme, chopped finely zest & juice from 1 lemon salt & pepper 1 glove garlic, peeled and crushed 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped finely 6 tbsp breadcrumbs
100g strong cheddar cheese 3 rashers smoked bacon, chopped
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180c/Gas mark 4 Finely chop the stems and one mushroom Fry onion in ½ tablespoon oil, add chopped mushrooms, Thyme & bacon and cook for 5 mins, add juice of lemon, remove from heat and set aside
Add remaining oil to pan, season Mushrooms with salt & pepper and fry on low heat for 5 mins, turn over and cook for another 5 mins, remove from pan and set aside on kitchen paper
In bowl mix parsley, garlic & breadcrumbs with teaspoon of oil, add lemon zest and add pepper
On baking sheet place mushrooms (open side up) fill with cooked filling along with the cheese, top with breadcrumbs and cook for 8-10 minutes
Serve
by Glotime | Jan 26, 2017 | Featured
If you are thinking about a bit of a revamp this Spring, why don’t you investigate doing a bit of DIY on your most loved pieces of furniture.
If you like the Shabby Chic look for instance you can restore any of your favourite items for as little as a pot of paint and a brush and a bit of elbow juice.
You could even treat yourself to a day’s course in this specialist craft, with a One day Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ Beginners Workshops – https://www.anniesloan.com/workshops – held one Saturday each month, 10am-2pm at Volcano Coffee House, 40 Martell Rd, London SE21 8EN. Learn Chalk Paint™ decorative paint basic techniques from paint distressing to gilding and everything in between in small groups in an informal and relaxed environment under the supervision of an instructor trained by Annie Sloan herself. The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshop is on 17 February. How exciting is that!
If you would like to buy off the shelf, we stumbled on a brilliant organisation called Restored who have outlets all over the UK but are essentially a Charity. http://www.restoredfurniture.co.uk/ The Restored shops and online business are part of Betel UK, an independent charity dedicated to bringing restoration to the lives of men, women and families who have been affected by drug and alcohol addiction.
Restored specialises in antique, vintage, shabby-chic and retro furniture expertly refinished in Betel’s workshops. Their non-profit stores can be found on high streets across the country and stock a wide range of classic British, Dutch and French furniture as well as new mango wood pieces crafted by residents in their centres in India.
Their furniture and their prices reflect their genuine commitment to their work, both in their workshops and on the streets.
If your taste is less ‘shabby’ and more ‘chic’ then check out some brilliant offers at www.cotswoldco.com who have a free delivery and return policy or www.livingspace.com and www.camerich.co.uk who have seasonal sales. But all are worth visiting all the year round for stylish furniture at excellent prices.
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