All posts filed under: blog

Smyles’ 5 Ingredient Tomato Soup

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“I’m the first to admit I’m not much of a cook. But since soup mainly involves tossing everything in a pot and waiting, it’s one of my better dishes.” ~ Suzanne Collins ~ There is something about cold, wintery, blustery days that just calls for soup. We have had plenty of them in the last few weeks and soup is indeed my comfort food of choice at the moment. This soup is one of my sister’s. I don’t really deviate in any way from her recipe, until it comes to the toppings. When I did my vegan month, back in November, she suggested this as something that could work quite well during it. And, boy, was she right! In fact, I’d get up early once a week, and make the soup (minus the blending) before I went on my morning walk. At that time, like now, we were in the middle of a national lockdown (and just in case you are reading this in 100 years, it was Covid-19 times!), and I was working from …

New Year’s Eve Sausage Rolls

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“I do adore food. If I have any vice it’s eating. If I was told I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, I could put up with sausage and mash forever.“ ~ Colin Baker, The 6th Doctor New Year’s Eve. Either you love it or you hate it. I think I fall into the camp of “hate it”. I’m not sure why but I don’t particularly like it and I’ve never really gotten the whole “party” atmosphere of the holiday. That being said, I do have some treasured memories related to the holiday as a child – going outside with the neighbours and banging pots and pans, hearing the fog horns, being beeped by all the taxis and the excitement of movie nights and that illicit feeling you have as a child staying up way past your bedtime and eating lots of fun food. In my family, we have some weird traditions. One is having an egg flip – my dad would line up the glasses with whisked egg and …

In My Kitchen – April 2017

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Well, I didn’t quite make last month but I am excited to share my kitchen with you this month, although it isn’t hugely exciting. Can you believe Easter is only a week away? How did that happen? This time, I know the answer – I’ve had solid work since the end of January. Which is great! Even better, I’ve been cooking and experimenting a little more, thanks to doing Michael Moseley’s 8 week Blood Sugar Diet. Admittedly, not everything is Instagram worthy, nevermind actually sharing the recipe! Anyhoo on to what’s in my kitchen: In my kitchen is this Microplane Spiral Cutter. My sister has a Microplane grater which I love to use at her house so this really caught my eye. I’ve experimented a little but haven’t made anything at all interesting so far. I just love making spirals. I got a gift voucher at Christmas for one of the big departments stores in Dublin and so far this is what I’ve both. I’ve a bit left on the voucher and I hope to …

In My Kitchen – February 2017

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Happy New Year, everyone! 2017 crept up incredibly fast and the 10th February even faster! The last few weeks of 2016 I spent with my sister’s family helping out as she’s been a wee bit under the weather. I’m getting lots of nieces and nephew time. So, how was everyone’s Christmas? Unlike last Christmas I didn’t get many food related items. In fact, besides chocolate, the only food related item I got was a gift of lunch at the prestigious Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. Which, in fairness, is a pretty epic present. I haven’t decided who to bring with me and when to go. Hopefully in the spring, though! My actually Christmas presents included Harry Potter themed pyjamas (these along with the Shelbourne may have won Christmas for me). My squeals of delight were all that my sister who gave it to me desired. For my birthday she also gave me HP related Christmas decorations, a paper craft, a reading lamp for bed that you wear around your neck. This is so handy for me as …