Food #8

Japanese Beef

Every so often someone sends me a recipe that literally changes my life. Too dramatic? I don't think so. Ever since a lovely lass on Twitter sent me this link I have been making this NON STOP. It is so damn good. And so damn healthy. In fact I might have even included this recipe on a previous food post. If so sorry. But it's really that good. And I'm way too lazy to check.

Jamie O's Southern Sausage Stew

I love a good sausage stew. But.I.Am.Picky. BBC Good Food came up with nothing dazzling and the Hairy Biker's one just didn't cut it with me. However Jamie came up trumps with this recipe a while back and I literally make it all the time. I like it with some quinoa and veg if I am feeling virtuous or some creamy mash or a big ol hunk of bread if I am feeling naughty.  Just don't scrimp on the sausages. The higher pork percentage the better.

I  have this friend right? His name is Iain and he shares my love for EVERYTHING FOODIE. So every few weeks we get together and we concentrate on two things. Good food and talking about life. I love our little meet ups so much and they are even better when his gorgeous wife Michelle can make it too. Last time we hit up Glasgow's Westend (more below) for some yummy eats and then all sorts of supermarkets. We trawled South American, Turkish and Chinese all while talking about life, relationships and oh my god just dealing with all the shit that life throws at you. So. Much. Fun. The above haul is from Seewoo in Glasgow. That place. I loved it. I could have just trawled those aisles all afternoon (I did).

The other night us girls got together for some chat, some wine and some home-made sushi. This was the results. There's a bit of smoke and mirrors going on  up there cause it didn't look quite as pretty in real life as it does in the picture but believe me it tasted good Although I was pretty damn poor at rolling and cutting up that sushi and mine looked like a weeeeee bit of a mess. It's been suggested to me that I was overfilling my sushi rolls. Must stop being so damn greedy.....

Know when you are just so hungry but a standard bacon sandwich won't cut it? That's how I felt last Sunday morning. I wanted something YUM but quick and I managed to create this juicy little sarnie in about 5 minutes. Toasted bread (gluten free for me), some griddled halloumi, crispy bacon, whatever green stuff you got lying around the fridge and then a dollop of something sweet to counteract all that salt (god I love salt). I went with a chilli jam. You can do whatever you damn well please as long as you make this sandwich at some point in your life.

If you've been reading the blog you will know that my normally healthy diet (well 80% of the time healthy diet) has been put to the test massively these past few weeks. My cooking mojo has gone on holiday and I'm all about the 'too tired and stressed to cook' whining right now. As a result I've been eating a lot more crappy food than I usually do. It can take its toll after a while and when my body is craving health from somewhere (that isn't the grapes in a wine bottle) then I just make one of my kick ass salads. I promise you. Even THE blokiest of blokes will like my salads. Just stick in all the fats you can get your grubby little hands on and you're off.  Start with basic leaf (rocket, spinach and watercress is a personal fave) and then throw in everything you can think of to make this FATTENING. I'm thinking boiled eggs, avocado, some protein like chicken or bacon (even better - both), sprinkle on some seeds.... You will need cheese cause you always need cheese. Some halloumi? Or maybe some feta. Oh and don't forget sun-dried tomatoes. Because I just don't get anyone who would rather eat a normal old boring tomato to one that has been drenched in olive oil........Who said salads have to be boring?

Hanoi Bike Shop

I'd been wanting to try this authentic Vietnamese little cafe for a while but I was a wee bitty disappointed if I am all over honest. My Pho was pretty bland (like I needed tons of chilli and fish sauce just to give it a kick) and the rice paper rolls I had were good but I could have made them myself at home (I did just a few weeks ago). It just didn't wow me like I had hoped. I've heard the Banh Mi is a bit special and not to be missed and if my poor wheat sensitive tum can take the pain in the future then I am definitely gonna be all over one of those bad boys.

The '3 steps to heaven' ice-cream shop is a one of it's kind in Glasgow cause it uses the old cold stone style where you pick your flavours (coconut and toffee for moi), pick your extras (smarties and praline obvs) and then pick  your topping (hot chocolate fudge forever). Then you watch em chop it all up for you on a cold stone before stinging you for a ridiculous (but worthy) amount of money. So good. Can't wait to take the kid.

Slut's Spaghetti

Otherwise known as a Puttanesca, this is my go to pasta dish of choice. If you love ALL THE SALT just like I do then this is for you. Anchovies, capers, salty olives, tomatoes and everything else come together to create something awesome. Definitely beats a spag bol. Always.