Vegetable Cous Cous

This is the recipe for the vegetable  cous cous I made last Saturday to go with our delicious Thai fish from Booths.  It is so easy, takes 10 minutes to make and can be eaten with basically anything you fancy (chicken, fish, grilled or roasted vegetables, feta cheese, grilled halloumi... I could go on and on!!).  It is also delicious served cold as a salad.

Serves 2 

1 small red onion

1 clove garlic

1/2 red pepper

1/2 courgette

6 or 7 sun dried tomatoes

175ml vegetable stock, I use Marigold bullion 

100g cous cous

1. Finely chop all your vegetables and fry your onion in a little olive oil until transparent.  Add the garlic, pepper and courgette and fry for a few minutes until soft.

2.  Take off the heat and stir in your chopped sun dried tomatoes and cous cous.

3.  Stir in your stock(the stock should just cover your cous cous).  Cover and leave until the liquid has been absorbed (5 minutes or so).

4.  Once the liquid is absorbed get a fork, fluff is up and add a small knob of butter or a splash of olive oil and stir through.

5.  Eat and enjoy with what ever you fancy!

You can find more delicious recipes here.

A work free weekend!?!

My plan this weekend was not to work (I have been ridiculously busy of late), but instead have a relax, spend some time with the family and make some yummy food (wearing one of my lovely pinnies, of course)!!!

Friday night I went out for a meal!!!!  This does not happen too often.  My husband often works evenings during the weekend so it was lovely getting my glad rags on and heading off out to meet some people I do some work with.  Unfortunately the restaurant we went to was disappointing, although the food was okay I certainly won't be heading back there again.  The worst part was driving past my favourite restaurant to get there!

This spurred me on though.  I was determined that I was going to have a delicious meal on Saturday with my husband.  We had decided earlier in the week that we would eat after the children had gone to bed and have a relaxing meal without them.  I didn't really want to spend too much time prepping food so I nipped into town and bought some Thai marinated cod from the fish counter in Booths.  All I needed to do then was to pop the fish in the oven and make some vegetable cous cous to go with it.  Mmmmmmm.  It really was delicious (I will share the cous cous recipe at a later date).  

To top it off, for a treat, I had bought some GU mascarpone and chocolate tiramisu.  Heaven in a pot... a good job there were only two in the packet!!!

Today I had a lie in.  I got up at 9am instead of the usual 6.30am.  Luxury getting up so late and to such a beautiful day... so after an early lunch we set off for a stomp in the countryside.

It was a fantastic walk.  The children loved being out, were very impressed with this gnarled old tree...

... and scoffed the spaghetti bolognese I made them for tea (another one of my recipes that I will share with you at a later date!)

Oh almost forgot I also had a stroll and lunch at the cafe in the park on Saturday with the little Tinker, my sister and her two rascals and my mum.  I love seeing the children together and the pleasure on their little faces when they see each other, we are lucky to have such a close knit family.

So... maybe not a restful weekend, but a lovely one with the family, some delicious food and only a little work!!!!!

Hope that you have had a good one too!

My baby is a big boy!

(This seems like such a long time ago!)

Today was The Tinkers first day (well, half day actually) at nursery.  He had a few visits before half-term with his daddy, but today he was being left!!!  I can't believe what a different experience it was to when my daughter started.  I remember leaving her crying her little heart out, waving to her from the window, and then having to pull over along the lane because I couldn't see due to the tears (er....this continued for some time!!!).  Today I left him, he didn't flinch, and was very grumpy when I arrived and said it was time to go home!!!  All afternoon he has informed me that it's "nursery Thursday"!  He loved it.  Hoorah.  I was hoping that he would be so tired that he would be happy to go for a sleep this afternoon so that I could do some work.  I should be so lucky...time to slog on!!!

Introducing... Loula Belle!

 It is funny how my 100th post has turned out to be the one in which I announce the change of my name.  Not so long ago it was my 1 year blog anniversary (which I didn't celebrate, I will however be doing some celebrating so keep your eyes peeled) and I find it a little strange how these things have occurred around a similar time.  It is time for change though, and the last 12 months of my work have been an important process that have enabled me to see things more clearly.

So, introducing... Loula Belle!

Loula Belle At Home is a new concept that I have been working on for the past twelve months, and is a home ware label aiming to bring a little glamour to those mundane chores we face in the home each day.  The name has come from my mum, she used to call me Loula Belle as a child and it makes me smile when I hear it so I had to reclaim it. 

The next few months are going to see lots of changes, and I have lots of hard work to do!!!  I will keep you posted, I am excited, and hope you will like what you see.

Here is a sneak preview of what is to come.

 Many thanks to all those lovely girlies that are helping me along my way.

x