Category Archives: CarolCooks2

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…May 9th-15th May 2021…#Recipes, Whimsy, Music and Lifestyle Changes

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Recipes, Whimsy, Music and Lifestyle Changes…

Welcome to this week’s edition of my weekly roundup of posts…Especially for you just in case you missed a few posts during this last week…we are now into May…Time is marching on…It is now officially rainy season here so there will definitely be some dancing in the rain…lol

Just in case you missed any or love to catch up like I do… snuggle down in your favourite place… be kind to yourselves …I think we all need to do that… get comfy in your favourite corner with your favourite drink tea/coffee or hot chocolate although depending on where in the world you live it could be a glass of wine or two…Cheers!

Let’s get the party started then…

Meatless Monday’s…Cashew Nut Curry with Halloumi and Brocolli…

The first time I have made a cashew nut curry sauce and trying Halloumi…I obviously haven’t lived…sigh…I much preferred it to tofu and the sauce was tasty..a little bit thick but next time I will thin it down a little and maybe add some cauliflower as well…

Meatless Mondays…Cashew Nut Curry with Halloumi and Brocolli…

Tuesday Twittering…The journey to be a doctor...

I must say since starting this series...it has made me realise even more how much prejudice exists in the world…I am a firm believer that given the opportunity everyone has a worth and a place in this world regardless of any disabilities…we must educate our children from an early age and integrate them with children who are ” different”…teach them how they can play and communicate with each other …give them the tools to do so albeit learning sign language, braille… another language..learning about traditions and food by teaching the children make it fun and kids like different if its fun to learn…we must not only learn to be kind but learn inclusion which is so very important…

Tuesday Twitterings…A journey to be a Doctor…

The environmental A-Z…a week of firsts for me…tell me I am naive..tell me I live in my own little bubble and not a covid induced one…the last few months have continued to shock me…maybe I should have opened my eyes and ears before..years before now…it has made me sad…sadder and wiser…and made me ask myself more questions…nothing new there but so much I wasn’t aware of and I should have been…

The Environmental A-Z…the letter F…

Today I am over at Smorgasbord Magazine kindly hosted by Sally for my Green Kitchen…Please pop over …I do hope you enjoy…x

Smorgasbord Food Column – Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen – May 2021 – Dinner Rolls, Chillies, Recycled Face Masks, Grow Spring onions, make Apple Cider Vinegar – Waste Not, Want Not…

 

A nice condiment or sauce which complements a dish elevates it into a great dish…my mother’s recipes handed down from her mother are all I need and have been well tried and tested over the years…I hope you enjoy x

CarolCooks2…Week 13…in my Kitchen…made from scratch…Sauces and condiments…

I had tasted passionfruit before I came here but since living here I have discovered how they compliment so many dishes and what a wonderfully versatile and healthy food it is…one of my favourites…

Tropical Fridays…The Passionfruit.

Allergies and food intolerances can be dangerous at worst and inconvenient at best especially when it restricts what you can eat…Sally explains the differences and how you can improve your health by following some guidelines…#rcommended read

Smorgasbord Health Column – Family Health A-Z – Allergies and Intolerances – Part Two – – #Dairy #Leaky Gut

The day where I indulge my whimsy and where this week my inner rock chick came out…There is a 500-year-old Maple Tree under threat and Bees still need protection and so much more …Enjoy!

Saturday Snippets…15th May 2021

Well, that’s it for today…Thank you so much for dropping by…see you tomorrow for Meatless Mondays  …Love Carol xx

 

Saturday Snippets…15th May 2021

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Welcome back to Saturday Snippets where I indulge my whimsy and my passions… maybe a tune or two…something which has caught my eye this last week…just anything out of the ordinary or extraordinary…

I love trees…trees are important not only to our survival but our history…I think the UK is doing lots of good work for the environment…I also know that we need housing for those in need…I don’t agree we need more private and costly housing and most certainly not building and knocking down and uprooting anything which gets in the way of these developments…I do not understand why this 500 yr old tree can not be incorporated into the design…

Fight to save the ‘East End’s oldest tree’: Dame Judi Dench joins a legal bid to protect a 500-year-old Mulberry tree that survived the Blitz after the council gave permission for it to be moved to make way for 300 flats.

Bees…are important to us and at the top of our food chain, we need them to multiply and survive in safety…FOR our continued survival…Please head over to Norah’s and have a read …Support World Bee Day…

https://norahcolvin.com/2021/05/14/lets-get-buzzing-for-world-bee-day-readilearn/

Let’s have a tune… a favourite Knebworth moment…

Did you know that way back in 1928…That famous mouse…Mickey Mouse made his debut in a silent film called “Plane Crazy” and that was the start of a legend…

I had a lovely day yesterday…Lily and I went out first stop to the hairdressers…suitably coiffered we then went to Mr Diy…a shop which sells everything….a child’s delight where she purchased a teeny tiny shopping trolley…it was then onto a bookshop where she purchased a rubrics cube…where to now Nannie?…the next one of the 2 and only shopping centres here…by tuk-tuk as it was too hot to walk…

It was then a pit stop at the Mr DIY shop here…just in case they had something different and of course, they did…The next stop was squidgy balls…a nice gold one was Lil’s choice..very pretty it is…time to eat…Macydoos was Lily’s choice…Cheeseburger no less…for two …where she announced about the size…it wasn’t big enough… to which I answered that maybe it was so we would opt for the double cheeseburger too which the reply was that a double was too big for her but the single should be bigger somewhere betwixt the two which I am sure they were at conception…many moons ago…

Chocolate time…well it had to happen…we bought drinking chocolate, 4 bars of chocolate so we(Lily) could get the FREE drinking cup..chocolate biscuits….Nannie is soft touch and we are talking chocolate …chocolate chips so we could make cookies today as it is Chocolate Chip Day...Today 15th May…

Lily said ” is that even a thing…seriously”…out of the mouth of babes they say don’t they?

The final tune of the day...my inner rocker coming out…as you know I love The Eagles…

Did you know?

Blue jeans were officially invented in May of 1873 after Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis obtained a patent for the pants on May 20th 1873.

Today is also the official start of the rainy season here in Thailand...we are praying for rain as we have just planted rice down on the farm and rice needs lots of water…

This was last years crop … In June of last year where you can see the water…although we didn’t overall get as much rain as we hoped last year so far the signs are good for this year.

We are also hoping that we get out of the red zone today when the zones are changed as covid is on the run here and our figures are much improved so fingers crossed…

Good news on the conservation and sustainability fronts the UK government…not one bill has passed but 3…To read all the positive news in full please click the highlighted link...it includes trophy hunting imports and a ban on the trade of shark fins…

Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, announced this week that it would no longer sell cans of beer or cider if they are held together by plastic rings or shrink wrap. It follows a similar move by Heineken.  

Good news all around however you still need to stop uprooting trees for a blocks of flats though…

This is so beautiful, I will look at a Dandelion in such a different way from now on! 💛🧡❤️💜💚💙🤎
May be an image of flower
Sanjay Gurung
🌼💛 Hello, I’m a dandelion.
A lot of people call me a weed but I’m a friend and come to help you!
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When you see me, remember that I’m the ONLY one who wants and can grow in that particular spot. Because:
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Either the soil is too compact / hard / stomped and I want to loosen it for you with my roots.
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Or there is too little calcium in the soil – don’t worry, I will replenish that for you with the dying of my leaves.
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Or the soil is too acidic. But I will also improve that for you if you give me the chance.
Or a mixture of the above reasons, of course. 😊
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I’m here because your soil needs my help so best you let me grow without disturbing me! When everything is fixed, I will disappear again, I promise!
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Are you trying to remove me prematurely with my root? However meticulous you are, I will return 2x as strong! Just until your soil is improved.
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You can even tell by my growth at which stage my help is at. If my leaves are flat on the ground then I’m far from ready but if they all reach up then I’m already a long way on my way.
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Something completely different is that I am 1 of the first bloomers in spring so I will announce spring/summer for you.
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During the day when it’s hot, I open my flowers but in the evening when it cools off I close them again quickly. In fact, if it’s not hot enough during the day I won’t open them at all!
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My flowers are the first food for insects after hibernation and unlike most other plants, I have pollen AND nectar, not merely one OR the other! And I am generous with them! 🤪😉
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My flowers are even delicious for you people by the way, did you know? I used to be called ′′honey (or gold) of the poor′′ because my flowers are so sweet in e.g. jam, sauce or salad! The internet is full of recipes – check them out.
But wait until the end of May or later before you start picking and even then, don’t pick everything yet! The biodiversity and bees will be very grateful!
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And lastly: do you see me standing but instead of yellow petals I have a dandelion clock of fluff? Then make a wish….. and blow hard….. I’ll try to make your wish come true! 😉🤫😁
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Your friend, the dandelion! 🌼🌼🌼
.
Adapted from Paula Kok – De Boer
(Writer of the original version, apparently. )

That’s all for today thank you for dropping in I hope you enjoyed my whimsy… see you tomorrow for my weekly roundup…Love Carol xx

Smorgasbord Food Column – Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen – May 2021 – Dinner Rolls, Chillies, Recycled Face Masks, Grow Spring onions, make Apple Cider Vinegar – Waste Not, Want Not..

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Good morning and welcome to the May edition of my Green Kitchen… I cannot begin to tell you how delighted I am to be back with a brand- new column at Smorgasbord Magazine… and how welcome you are making me feel.

I am passionate about cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients, the environment and ensuring that the food I make for my family is clean and as chemical-free as it can possibly be…I would also love to know that instead of counting calories and cost that more people counted chemicals as it is the chemicals in processed foods which affect our health and wellbeing.

Just to recap for those who are new here…This monthly post will cover sustainability, news on food production…changes for the better and maybe a villain or three…haha, a recipe or two including some plant-based recipes, hints and tips on making my household a little greener…aka recycling and composting.

It isn’t easy …in theory, we know what we should do …THEREFORE I have looked at what I can do gradually…every small change is a bonus.

This Month’s Recipe…Dinner rolls.

For anyone who shops in M & S and buys their dinner rolls the texture of these is the closest to them a softish crust and centre you can pull apart…They definitely received the thumbs up from my lot and they can be very hard on me and are my harshest critics…

Please click here to read the original post…

 

 

 

 

 

The Environmental A-Z…the letter F…

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Welcome to my new series…still an A-Z but with a difference …

The idea for this series came about because yes as my regular followers and commenters know I am passionate about the health of the world I am living in… however often when I am researching and reading articles I come across terms and have to look them up which spawned the idea for this…two-fold… it increases my knowledge and I hope yours…

The A-Z of the environment and Climate Change… letter F.

The best way to predict your future is to create it...Abraham Lincoln.

Flora and Fauna…You may have heard the terms flora and fauna before, but what do they actually mean? Flora and fauna refer to plants and animals in the broadest sense of the words, encompassing pretty much all life on Earth. As you might imagine, these are very broad categories and in general scientists break down the different types of flora and fauna into different classifications, ranging from a specific type of life down to an individual species.

To remember them, fauna sounds similar to fawn, indicating it refers to animals, whereas flora sounds like flowers, indicating it refers to plants.

An umbrella term that refers to many different types of life. What is counted as flora and fauna is dependant upon the specific region, climate, or time period.

Fossil Fuels…Coal, crude oil, and natural gas are all considered fossil fuels because they were formed from the fossilized, buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Because of their origins, fossil fuels have a high carbon content.

Burning fossil fuels generates most of the energy required to propel our cars, power our businesses, and keep the lights on in our homes. Even today, oil, coal, and gas provide for about 80 per cent of our energy needs.

But at what cost?

Air and water pollution…Global Warming we cannot continue to burn the world’s resources and not pay the cost…

Renewable energy is the way forward and we ignore that at our peril…it cannot continue as the world we know will not exist for our children and grandchildren should they pay the cost for our negligence?

Fuel Poverty…A household is said to be in fuel poverty when its members cannot afford to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost, given their income.

The key factors that can contribute to fuel poverty are:

  • The energy efficiency of the property (and therefore, the energy required to heat and power the home)
  • The cost of energy
  • Household income.

 

According to the World Health Organization, over three billion people worldwide are at these lower rungs, depending on biomass fuels—crop waste, dung, wood, leaves, etc.—and coal to meet their energy needs.

Stop Press:…I’m joining dots..I can’t help it…BUT the above leads to the other …

Fuel poverty and starvation generally go hand in hand…the more I research the more I realise I am fortunate BUT so many people around the world are NOT…That scares me because if you look at past figures it is getting worse, not better and maybe now you realise why FOOD WASTE exasperates me…

I am guessing that if I did a comparison between food waste and the percentage of the world who are starving it would be mind-blowing… Ahhh…It is 

Rant over…

Although I understand some of the changes HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD and to an extent know what we can do to slow it down, however, I also know that the earth has gone through changes over the centuries so how much can we manipulate and stop what is happening and how much is just a fact of life ???

That’s all for today…I hope I have explained it in layman terms and made some things clearer as I believe we should all have a clearer picture in our minds as to what we can change and how…And also what affects our health and how…

See you in two weeks for the letter G…next Wednesday it will be Part 5 of the new A-Z on food and terms with the middle letter being F as in Cauliflower.

Thank you for reading it is a pleasure to see you here I hope you come again… Love Carol x x

Tuesday Twitterings…A journey to be a Doctor…

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Good Morning and welcome to Tuesday Twitterings…

Recently I posted about a chefs journey to become a doctor…This piqued my interest as you know I am a firm believer that we can through our diet determines our health to a point…

I started off by being fascinated by this chefs journey to combine the two …but that quickly grew into concern as the momentum surrounding colour and prejudice has increased I have been increasingly saddened about all the other injustices in the world and to be fully inclusive they all must be addressed and rectified… People are STILL judged either by their religion, colour, creed or disability…

Today’s story …Can you become a doctor if you are blind?

Dr Jacob Bolotin -January 3 1888-April 1 1924.

The worlds first totally blind physician fully licensed to practice medicine. Wikipedia

Some were amazed at what he achieved with little technology …others feel that it was a bonus and gave him an advantage…I find that very demeaning and shows a lack of respect for his tenacity and will to achieve his dreams…

Anyone who is blind, deaf or bodily disabled still has a brain and frankly a better brain than many of us…I want to live in a world (and) yes I can hear the naysayers…There is nothing wrong with wanting the best education for EVERYONE regardless of the barriers …

There is also nothing wrong in expecting everyone to be kind and mindful of someone who is different and of knowing how they are different and accepting that they can learn and grow by learning and accepting differences…

In memory of Dr Jacob Bolotin, there are the Jacob Bolotin Awards...

The organiser of the awards wanted someone who has benefitted from his trailblazing ways to speak…This is a good read but even in these supposedly enlightened times what stood out for me was that another student uttered these words…“Why are you here?”

Please meet Dr Tim  Cordes a practicing physician completing his last year of residency. Dr Cordes was a recipient of a National Federation of the Blind scholarship in 1995.

There are numerous other types of work in medicine, and blind persons have been discouraged, if not barred, from entering most of them…

It’s true that vision loss leads to some limitations — blind people can’t drive cars or pilot aeroplanes, for instance. But that doesn’t mean they can’t live full, independent lives on par with their sighted peers.

Hearing is the basic sense for blind people, while for the sighted is their vision.

However, rather than focusing on what people can’t do, we should be focusing on what they can do and empower them… Whether they choose to become athletes, artists, or professionals, individuals who are blind can and do lead rich, fulfilling lives, like anyone else. It’s time to accept that blind workers can thrive in whatever career they desire — when employers, schools, colleges, university’s give them the chance.

If you are dumb you have sign language…Blind you have Braille…

Braille…

The tenacity of inventors leaves me in awe sometimes…and advances to braille are being made all the time now…

Surely the world would be a happier place, we would all be healthier in mind and maybe body…if we accepted and embraced everyone for who they are…xx

Thank you for reading and remember… Don’t judge a book by its cover”  Quote by George Eliot…be kind and not judgemental we are all the same underneath our skin…and all our blood runs RED…

See you tomorrow for the next A-Z with a twist…Have a lovely day, make a change and smile …be happy as laughter is the best medicine…Love Carol x

CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…May 2nd-8th May 2021…#Recipes, Whimsy, Music and Lifestyle Changes

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Recipes, Whimsy, Music and Lifestyle Changes…

Welcome to this week’s edition of my weekly roundup of posts…Especially for you just in case you missed a few posts during this last week…we are now into May…Time is marching on…thus far we had some humdingers of storms and the rains are still continuing mainly overnight although the temperature is still warm the rain keeps it down a little no sunshine yet this morning so time to do a little weeding…the weeds love the mixture of sunshine and rain…sigh

Just in case you missed any or love to catch up like I do… snuggle down in your favourite place… be kind to yourselves …I think we all need to do that… get comfy in your favourite corner with your favourite drink tea/coffee or hot chocolate although depending on where in the world you live it could be a glass of wine or two…Cheers!

Let’s get the party started then…

All this talk and action about racism is getting to me…I care about injustices deeply they all sadden me but it’s throughout all society and applies in many areas of our lives… prejudice comes in many forms and for many reasons and for us to live in a society that is just and fair it has to apply to all…

Tuesday Twitterings…A journey to be a Doctor…

I love A-Z’s and this one is more challenging than some…I do hope you are enjoying it x This week I explored the alphabet for words where the middle letter was E it always means there has to be an odd number of letters and I try not to add an S unless I really can not think of anything…Enjoy!

The Culinary Alphabet …..Series 3… the letter E

In my kitchen this week I looked at making chicken stock and it really is a waste to throw away carcasses and bones as homemade stock is absolutely delicious as long as we buy good quality, organic or sustainably reared meat you will be rewarded by a beautiful stock and of course you can use up your peelings and onions skins and odds and ends of veg or aromatics which means less waste…you also control your salt, sugar and chemical intake so a win-win all round.

CarolCooks2…Week 12…in my Kitchen…made from scratch…Chicken Stock…

Allergies or food intolerances can be a mild inconvenience or life-threatening with stages in between we need to know the difference and we must know what steps to take in an emergency…Sally explains all of this in-depth and in easy to understand layman’s terms…#recommended read

Smorgasbord Health Column – Family Health A-Z – Allergies and Intolerances – Part One – The difference between them by Sally Cronin

This beautiful vibrant flower makes a very healthy caffeine-free drink…hot or cold it provides numerous health benefits and makes vibrant coloured ice cubes for your cocktail or play with it and colour your glass noodles…they look so pretty on the plate…

Tropical Fridays…Butterfly Pea Flower Tea…

Saturday Snippets…

Saturday Snippets featured two of my favourite artists…Paolo Nutini and Ricky Nelson not a bit alike but both very listenable…we also have National Burger Month, l Doughnut week and who can eat a whole jam doughnut WITHOUT licking your lips and National Vegetarian week…Plus other little snippets…I do hope you enjoy xx

Saturday Snippets…8th May 2021…

Well, that’s it for today…Thank you so much for dropping by…see you next week …Love Carol xx