Category Archives: Healthy Eating

CarolCooks2…Weekly roundup…12th Jan-18th January 2020…

29 Replies

Welcome to my weekly roundup…I have been busy cooking and experimenting in my kitchen, doing lots of research for my cookbook which is back on track …Gradually catching up with posts I have missed lately ..Do you find the festive season and the aftermath just seems to throw you off course somewhat…?

That’s the last sip of my Oolong tea sipped and enjoyed so let’s get on with it, shall we…I hope you enjoy x

Monday…The bigger picture…

See the bigger picture...

I will be honest and I did have a bit of a rant…Why? Well, some of it is caused by what I am reading at the moment… If you get a chance and want a break from the fiction…I recommend you read Climate Justice by Mary Robinson…It is a great read… it opened my eyes and made me think and wish I was younger and had known all this…Why didn’t I? Lots of reasons…None of which I can really justify if I am truthful…Just didn’t think is not really a reason is it?

What I am taking from this book is how real Climate Change is for some…I am also seeing how those not affected at the moment just don’t realise how real it is for some and if they do for some reason think it won’t affect them…Sooner or later, folks, it will…Nuff said!

I promise no rants this week just good news…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/13/recycling-and-climate-change13th-january-2020the-bigger-picture/

Wednesday 15th January…

You probably noticed there was no Tuesday post…Time to cook and write… Whimsical Wednesdays are still here as is my column over at Sally’s…Where my A-Z of the cookery world is being repeated with a few new additions… I was both surprised and delighted at the response from you all..Thank you all so much xx

The Culinary Alphabet ...The Letter A

My thanks go to Sally as well as this allows me time to cook and write…xx

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/01/15/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-cook-from-scratch-carol-taylor-a-z-of-food-almond-milk-arrowroot-aubergines-dip-thai-and-avocado-guacamole/

Whimsical Wednesdays…beaver-1352439_640

Lots of music, the continuation of The Charade, A recipe and I will say I was really pleased with this soup I made it again but only had one red pepper to roast and it was better than the first one I made although I did get some really lovely ripe red tomatoes so I think that made a difference…The Beavers are coming back…It was lovely to hear from Adelethat they have been back in Scotland for a while and there are thoughts of reintroducing the wolves…All good news for the environment. Beigels/bagels I must have to have a go at baking some…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/15/whimsical-wednesdays-with-carol-5/

Thursday…

The Culinary Alphabet The Letter XYZ (1)

Saw my last post in this series over at Esme’s Salon where once a month for the past two years I have presented the Culinary Alphabet…Today it was XYZ…

My thanks go to Esme for hosting me I have enjoyed the research and writing of these posts…Thank you, Esme xxx

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/16/the-culinary-alphabet-xyz/

Friday…In my kitchen…

Where I am doing a lot of testing at the moment for my cookbook so those recipes will be revealed when I have finished testing and writing in the meantime I am cooking meals which we love and for me are quick and easy to cook…

Lime lemon meringue Pie

My recipe for Carbonara was a big hit…personally we love it made this way rather than with cream and it gives me an excuse to make meringue pie or Coconut macaroons which I love… This is my recipe for macaroons…

Coconut Macaroons.

coconut-macaroons
Ingredients:

  • 4 egg whites
  • 3 cups of desiccated coconut or fresh coconut if you have it.
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 1 tsp of vanilla essence
  • 1/4 tsp of salt

Let’s Cook!
Whisk the egg whites, sugar, vanilla essence and salt until the mix is soft and frothy.
Fold in the coconut and put spoonfuls on a lined baking tray.
Cook in a preheated oven on 350F or 175 C for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on a baking tray.
This recipe made about 12 depending on the size of your spoon.

If you wanted you could drizzle some melted chocolate over them…Just saying xx

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/17/carolcooks2this-week-in-my-kitchencarbonara-gumbo-and-lime-meringue-pie/

Saturday…

Sally’s Health Column...This week is Part Two …Weekly shopping list by ingredient…

A great little series, really helpful…Sally is a qualified nutritionist with many years of experience…Well worth a read #recommended

Smorgasbord Health Column – Weekly Grocery Shopping List by Nutrient – Part Two – Vitamin C to K2.

That’s all for this weeks roundup…Thank you for reading and thank you to everyone who supports me by commenting I  love hearing from you…You all rock…x

Tomorrow it time for another update on Climate Change and Recycling  I have lots of good news this week after my little rant last week although those devasting bush fires keep on burning there has been some welcome relief with some rain…

We love you Australia and keep you in our thoughts but you are strong and resilient and will get through this…Much love xxx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all having a great weekend and have a fabulous week  🙂 xx

Whimsical Wednesdays…

29 Replies

Good morning everyone to the first Whimsical Wednesday of 2020…I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and New Year and 2020 will be all you wish for…

Have you heard or seen one of these Suvie’s…I hadn’t until I read Scott Anderson’spost it is very interesting and I know a few people who would love one as they love all that is new in gadgets…I would love to test one if the manufacturers wanted me to…I have an open mind but suspect they are more for the busy working person rather than someone who is retired however that may not be correct they may be the best thing since sliced bread…They certainly sound interesting and innovative…

Scott also provided this link to the wonders of a Suvie…Have a look it is nothing if not quite fascinating   https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/suvie-kitchen-robot/

Did you know? On the 3rd January, 1870 construction began on the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension/cable-stay hybrid bridge in New York City that connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States (completed in 1883) and a first steel-wire suspension bridge in the world.

brooklyn-bridge-999916_640

At the time when constriction was finished, Brooklyn Bridge was the longest bridge in the world with a total length of 1825 meters. It stayed longest until 1903.

Time for a story…

This is a continuation of a short story started by author Steph Richmond with the offer to contribute …intrigued I took her up on this offer so as you will see I write the occasional chapter…Will this be finished who knows.?.. The girl as yet doesn’t have a name just an unknown past…Enjoy!

Chapter 17

by Carol Taylor

71414cb886ccacb9a175dafd2b49776c--vintage-evening-gowns-vintage-gowns

Tossing and turning the girl could not sleep if she did it was that same recurring nightmare. Finally, she arose went to the bathroom then the kitchen to make some warm milk maybe that would induce sleep she was so very tired.

Sitting in front of the dying embers of the fire she shivered and pulled her pretty blue shawl tighter around her shoulders. I need to sleep as I will have a busy few days I don’t want to let Mr James down.

The girl’s mind started to wander as she tried to put together all the pieces to complete this puzzle.

When she left the shop that night in that beautiful dress she had felt that maybe her life would take a turn for the better and all her questions would be answered by George.

“Silly girl,” she told herself life is not like that at least for you but why shouldn’t it be? Gathering her thoughts she tried to make some sense of recent events.

Mr James although very kind knew things he wasn’t telling her, she was sure of and why did he find these jobs for her it was as if he was making them up to give her a little money …Not much but enough to survive…Why? He denied all knowledge of this William was he one of her brothers?

Carl, who was he and why was he following her? She had a bad feeling about him especially after she had seen him at George’s it was obvious that George felt threatened by him. Why?

This Mr Pearson, the girl didn’t remember him at all was Mr James trying to get her out of harm’s way? Was it just a ploy to get her away without arousing suspicion?

Finally, the warm milk started to take effect the girl found her eyes closing She woke with a start; the sun was streaming through the gap in the curtains and made her squint.

I better start to pack or I will be late… The girl decided to pack her new dress in case she needed it inside the case she also found some new clothes and shoes. Someone had been shopping…

When I come back from this job I am going to ask Mr James I am not going to take no for an answer…I need to know who I am, I need to find out why I seem to be hidden…

This thought had slowly dawned on her she had never been allowed to apply for a regular job and her lodgings had been picked for her it seemed like she was being hidden in full sight if that made sense. From what or whom?

So many questions were going around in the girls head and she decided that she was also going to go to the library and look up the old newspapers see if she could find out anything about her disappearance…Were her parents not looking for her? Were they still alive…George had said she had brothers …

It seemed like she had been living in a fog or maybe her brain just didn’t want to accept what had happened but it was clearer now and many pieces dropped into place.

I will find out who I really am I am not going to be fobbed off any more. The girl then realised that it felt like a weight had been lifted she felt almost euphoric and hopeful that all would soon be revealed.

Meanwhile, Carl had also been going over the facts he needed that necklace time to get tough …

George was worried, he had been to the library that day and he knew what had happened and thought he knew why? Should he tell the girl? Would it put her in danger? He decided he was going to pay Elizabeth a visit and soon.

That girl, so sweet needed answers …Was he going to be the man to do it?

TBC next week…

Did you know? Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England. He is also one of the people that I would choose to have at my dinner table such a brilliant mind and man who overcame all the obstacles that life threw at him.

Time for some music…

Sorry, all you vegans and Vegetarians as much as I love vegetables and eat many dishes made with just veggies I hate Quorn and believe that you should eat a balanced diet…

It shows you how much we love vegetables as little Lily when asked what was her favourite part of her Christmas dinner after thinking about it she said   Broccoly…This spelling is a family joke…Don’t ask…Haha

And for the second year in a row, we’ve all gone crazy for sausage rolls. LadBaby has managed to see off competition from Stormzy to achieve the Christmas number one with his festive track, I Love Sausage Rolls – a savoury take on Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll. The YouTuber, real name Mark Hoyle, his wife Roxanne and their two sons Phoenix and Kobe scored a huge 93,000 chart sales – that 18,000 more than the 2018 Christmas number one from LadBaby, We Built This City (On Sausage Rolls). And with 85,000 of that coming from digital sales, I Love Sausage Rolls is the fastest-selling download since Artists For Grenfell’s Bridge Over Troubled Water in June 2017. While some may be a bit miffed that a song about sausage rolls has beat Stormzy to the number one crown, it’s all for a fantastic cause…The Trussell Trust…

It is fun and catchy and for a good cause…and I love a good sausage roll…

After all, those sausage rolls and I ate a few but I only make them over Christmas so they are a once a year treat…It will be time very soon to get back on the healthy eating train…No faddy diets just simple adjustments and an increase in your mode of exercise…There is no one better placed than Sally from Smorgasbord Magazine to give you all the tools and advice you need to help get rid of those Christmas pounds.

lady feet weighing scales

So after or before you step on those scales pop over to Sally’s you will be pleased you have…x

Did you know? January is National Soup month...For those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the months of January and February are typically the coldest. While I am not going to give you a recipe for soup for every day of the month I will give you a soup recipe for some of those days starting with one of my favourite soups and that is Vietnamese Egg Drop Soup…A beautiful soup made from… Tomatoes, chilli, egg, mince, spring onions and Dill…. A virtual assault on the taste buds…

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tbsp oil ( I use coconut)
  • 3 spring onions
  • 3/4 lb ripe tomatoes ( chopped and cored)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1-2 tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1/3 lb finely minced pork
  • 1-2 chillies diced diagonally
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 2 sprigs of coriander or dill
  • 5 1/2 cups water
  • Black Pepper to taste

Let’s Cook!

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add tomatoes and salt, cover and cook until soft about 4-6 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.

Add fish sauce and chillies….I would add I tbsp of fish sauce and taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

Add mince and move around to break up any big clumps.

Add water, bring to boil and skim off any scum that arises.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes add spring onions and simmer for another 10 minutes.

If you are not serving immediately then remove from heat and keep the lid on.

To Serve:

Bring soup to simmer, Taste and adjust seasoning, fish sauce or salt.

Pour beaten egg into the bowl in a wide circle; stir gently to break up into strings.

Ladle soup into a bowl, add a generous sprinkling of pepper and garnish with Coriander or Dill.

Enjoy!

Did you know? Chicken Noodle soup is top of the best selling soup list in the USA… In the UK tomato soup tops the best selling soup list followed by potato and leek soup…

Lastly, this video tickled me and made me laugh…The original is one of my favourites but I really think that every time I hear now I will remember this…Three moms perform a parody of Bohemian Rhapsody…Enjoy!

I do hope this has left you with a smile on your face…x

Thank you for joining me for Whimsical Wednesday I hope you have found something of interest or that just made you smile xxx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you again for joining me for my first Whimsical Wednesday of the New Year please leave a comment as I always enjoy hearing from you xxx

 

 

CarolCooks2…Weekly roundup…30th Dec-4th January 2020…

12 Replies

Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup…It is a sparse on posts this week as I have had a Christmas break as well as most of you… I am not back properly until tomorrow…

If you have had a hectic festive season you may be quite pleased to sit down with a drink, put your feet up and have a little read…

The drink will be of course non-alcoholic if you are observing dry January…Are You?

I am not although I am abstaining as I want to keep the lbs in check…Every little helps as they say and as I still have some Christmas cake to eat…I won’t be totally back on the healthy eating until it is gone…However, all the chocolate has gone I sent it back to the village with little Lily yesterday…

Tuesday, Dec 31st…

2020 greetings-4722672_640

Was New Years Eve…Time to see in a new decade and time to reflect on the last year and give thanks …In the blogging world, I have much to be thankful for… bloggers are wonderful so thoughtful, welcoming, helpful and just plain NICE…I am so blessed I have met…such wonderful souls…xxx

This post reflected my thanks as I go forward and laid out my plans for this year…In a nutshell fewer posts and more writing and reading…Happy New Year xxx

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/12/31/carolcooks2-2019-a-recap-and-some-thank-yous/

Friday…In my kitchen… 

Where it was a quiet week as we were still using leftovers and even the kids having eaten so much festive food were happy to have rice soup…which is a simple but tasty dish if you use a nice stock…

Of course, it is also time to enjoy a lovely old fashioned soup made from the carcasses…Everyone loves that…Bubble and squeak was missing however as my dear daughter in law put the Brussels in the freezer which we didn’t discover until Christmas morn…they were not nice as when you freeze food you blanch it before freezing putting in fresh Brussels ruined them…Boo Hoo…

But today I found that my source for Brussels was still selling them and brought some lovely fresh ones which will be for lunch today, tomorrow and the next day…Excuse my excitement but I very rarely am able to get Brussels here…Also, purple carrots were still available so double happiness…

https://carolcooks2.com/2020/01/04/carolcooks2this-week-in-my-kitchencake-and-purple-carrots-old-fashioned-carcass-soup/

That’s it only two posts…

Next week….Tomorrow it will be Climate Change and the environment ..Quite topical as there is a lot going on at the moment.

Wednesday...my favourite post of the week in many ways and Friday in my kitchen…It is also National Soup Month so this month I will be bringing you lots of soup recipes as I know for many of you it is soup weather…

I will also be doing a post this month on Bone Broth…How to make a good bone broth and also how you can incorporate it in your everyday recipes…

Thank you for reading I do hope you have enjoyed it and wish you all a productive week, stay safe whether you are experiencing extreme cold or heat…If you are in Australia then know we are all thinking of you and sending prayers for rain and lots of it…xxx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great weekend 🙂 xx

CarolCooks2…Weekly roundup the 9th- 15th December 2019…

17 Replies

Welcome to this week’s roundup and do I have some goodies for you…Lots of things going on in and around the world…Some of this you will find here so take a well-earned pew, grab a drink and enjoy the read…

snowmen-160883_640 header

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Monday…The latest news on recycling and climate change…

I love that around the world much is going on to minimize rubbish and clean up the world…But Christmas is coming…

How much extra waste do you think will be generated around the world over Christmas and the New Year?… What can we do to minimise this waste?

Remember the 3 R’s…Recycle, Reduce and Re-use…Wrapping paper is a great example…

gift wraping-4649684_640

Habits are learned...That is a proven fact…Please show your creativity especially to the young ones …Get them to help…Teach them …

Try using colorful pages torn from magazines to wrap small gifts, and old maps or the Sunday comics for larger boxes.

Use reusable decorative tins, baskets or boxes…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/12/09/recycling-and-climate-change-recycle-reduce-and-re-use/

Tuesdays...Time to pickle…Cabbage, eggplant, beets and watermelon rinds…

Let's Pickle

Someone commented that I was the pickle queen…I don’t know about that but I do make a lot of pickles…I am also saving my pickle juice to put in my Christmas Bloody Mary(s)

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/12/10/mistletoe-and-wine-time-to-pickle-cabbage-eggplant-beets-and-watermelon-rinds/

Wednesday…Whimsical Wednesday…with Carol…

Whimsical Wednesdays where I unashamedly indulge myself…I do hope you enjoy my meanderings today…Come with me and let’s begin…These posts are never planned… if I come across anything which I love or which tugs at my heartstrings then I save it for Whimsical Wednesdays… the rest just happens…It is wherever my thoughts take me at that time…Mainly they are random and unplanned…I mean they are the best thoughts…Enjoy! xxx

Christmas…gaining momentum…In our house, the tree is up…and so were the scales yesterday morning…3lb…Guess who gave themselves a big talking too…Yep…Moi…I have been cold I mean for me 9 degrees is cold aka freezing… Cardi weather…That was last week …I am happy to report the 3lbs have gone and I am now warm the temperatures are rising…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/12/11/whimsical-wednesday-with-carol-22/

Wednesday…Also saw me over @Sally’s where Cranberries were the star…Not only are they very healthy as Sally will reveal to you but they are awesome to cook with and make a wicked cocktail…A very healthy and versatile little berry…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/12/11/smorgasbord-health-christmas-cook-from-scratch-sally-cronin-and-carol-taylor-cranberries-bittersweet/

Thursday…Christmas…’ Tis the season of love and laughter…Have you chased the Green Fairy?

Chrismas is in my soul and I hope that I can share some of the magic I have always felt at Christmas time with you and of course make you remember and smile…

Christmas is about memories, isn’t it? Old and new ones they all add something…

I am still waiting for some images of Christmas jumpers or have you read what I read and how they are not very environmentally friendly???

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/12/12/christmas-tis-the-season-of-love-and-laughterand-a-glass-of-good-cheer/

Friday…Christmas…In my house…Traditions, Treats and a touch of Trivia…

christmas-cracker-3012548_640

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/12/13/christmasin-my-housetraditions-treats-and-a-touch-of-trivia-4/

Saturday…

Saturday was meant to be my homemade sweet days …my disaster put me off a bit so I made another Christmas cake instead…I had lots of fruit to use and thought I would make one for my neighbours they love mince pies so I am sure they will love cake…

Sunday…Time to think of our pets…

I always cook Saangchais food fresh and Thai dogs eat rice not dried food etc so I just cook extra for him when I cook our rice…Sally posted a lovely post about what we shouldn’t feed our pets but also some great ideas on what we can feed them…Aptly titled What about Us?

Lily will be pleased as there was also a recipe for treats so she will love to make them for Saangchai…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/12/12/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-christmas-what-about-us-christmas-treats-for-pets-and-homecooked-dinners/

Christmas is also the time to think of those for whom Christmas can be a sad time …which is why when Sally asked for festive stories I penned Snow Storm…I hope you enjoy it as I am not an experienced writer and quite unsure of myself…My blog may make me seem confident but writing a story or a novel is another ball game…

It is for me anyway …I do hope that you enjoy my not so festive story but hear the meaning behind it and think of anyone that you know who may just feel a little better for a kind word or a cuddle at this time of year when their memories are sad ones…

Thank you, Sally, for sharing Snow Storm…xxx

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-christmas-festive-stories-snow-storm-by-carol-taylor/

That’s all for now ..Enjoy your weekend xxx

Lastly, remember not everyone is fortunate and some people dread this time of year be aware and if you can add a little cheer please share your joy but also remember the other 364 days of the year pass your smile around and be kind… 

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great weekend 🙂 xx

Christmas…In my house…Traditions, Treats and a touch of Trivia…

22 Replies

Welcome to my house and the Christmas preparations...This weekend it is Stir -Up Sunday…time to make the puddings…

We have made a decision as to our Christmas meats and are having ribs of beef and one of our black chickens…

A first for me or for us I should say…

What are black Chickens? It wasn’t until we were given a pair of black chickens that we realised they were black, everything…  The meat, bones, and skin are all black. Although as our black boy doesn’t seem to mind who he gets amorous with we now have some mixed breeds. Mum here is sitting on her eggs so we will soon be having more little black chicks…

Many people find the black chicken to be an odd food and tend not to eat it. I have yet to find out we are going to sample one next week. my daughter in law has already sampled one and she liked it…She made soup with the chicken…Thais don’t roast meat like we do…

Although the chicken flesh itself is a dark bluish-gray or even black, and the bones are black as well. The meat really doesn’t taste different by nature; it’s just chicken.

Healthwise it is said to be full of antioxidants…The antioxidant that is found in black chicken is called Carnosine. High concentrations of Carnosine is good for muscles and the nervous system.

I will report back to you as to our verdict…

I promised you some sample menu’s ….this week I will give you some starters which would be lovely to start your Christmas meal…

Christmas Starters…

Ricotta, Blackberry and Walnut Toasts.

• 2 tbsp of maple syrup
• 150 gm blackberries
• 4 slices of your favorite bread I used sourdough
• 100 gm soft ricotta
• 1 tbsp toasted walnuts
• A few mint leaves

To Prepare

  1. Warm the maple syrup in a small pan and add the blackberries cook for 3-4 mins gently squashing a few blackberries with the back of your wooden spoon.
  2. Toast the bread.
  3. To serve spread some ricotta over the toast then spoon over the warm syrup and fruit, top with your toasted walnuts and a few mint leaves.

We really loved this starter which I made for the first time last year and will be making it again…It would lovely with any fruits I like blackberries but raspberries or blueberries would also be very nice.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Pate.

• 2 cups of mixed mushrooms…
• 1 cup of walnuts
• 6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1 onion chopped finely
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ cup of parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

To Prepare

  1. Toast the walnuts carefully as nuts always burn if you take your eye of them well mine do…Set to one side…
  2. Add the oil to a pan add onions and cook 2 mins and add the garlic cook until onions and garlic is soft watching the garlic doesn’t burn.
  3. Add all the other ingredients and saute for 5-8 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. If the mix gets too dry then add a little water. Allow the mixture to cool a little and then blitz; scraping down the sides I like mine a little coarse.
  4. Put the mixture into a dish and press the mix down and smooth the top.
  5. Serve with crackers of your choice or sliced cucumber and peppers.

Beetroot Tartare.

Beetroot tartare with capers

Ingredients:

• 160 gm of cooked beetroot.
• 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp of double cream

For Fried Capers:
• 10 capers
• Oil to fry about 3 tbsp.

For the crispbread:
• 2 very thin slices of stale bread
• 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Let’s Cook!

  1. Make the crispbreads by cutting the bread into squares allow 3 to 4 squares per person.
  2. Heat the grill on its highest setting and put the bread on a tray and drizzle with the oil. Grill on each side for 1-2 mins until crisp and golden being careful not to burn (like I did)
  3. To make the tartare, finely chop half the beetroot and blitz the other half with the olive oil to make a rough paste, and then combine with the chopped beetroot and cream and season to taste.
  4. Rinse the capers and pat dry then heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat add the capers and fry for 30 seconds until they have started to open up then drain on kitchen paper.

To serve: Place a 6-8cm ring on a plate and put in some beetroot mix then remove the ring.
Garnish with capers and the crispbread.

This starter is also a family favourite although I will make the mixture just a little firmer and add horseradish this time as I love horseradish with beets.

Mushrooms on toast with Brie.

• 2 slices of bread halved I use sourdough bread.
• 8 mushrooms sliced…I use chestnut mushrooms
• 170 gm brie sliced
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 6 sprigs of thyme

To Prepare

  1. Heat the butter and the oil in a small pan add the mushroom and saute on a medium to high heat until browned and a little crispy around the edges about 5 minutes.
  2. Reduce the heat and add the garlic and cook for a further minute turn of the heat. Strip two of the thyme leaves and stir into the mushroom mix.
  3. Lightly toast the bread top with the slices of brie put the toast back under the grill until the brie has melted top with the mushroom mix,  a sprig of thyme and some freshly ground black pepper.
  4. These toast starters serve two people but are easy recipes to double or triple up.

Next week I will give you some starters for fish and meat-eaters…although as much as I love chicken liver pate I do love a nice mushroom pate equally as well…taste wise both are good…

While reading comments on one of the blogs I follow a question came up as to whether when stuffing the meat what do we call it… Stuffing OR dressing…

I initially thought that was an odd question as I think of dressing as something liquid for example I would dress a salad…

On reflection…The term is also used in the preparation of meat…As in dressing the meat ready for cooking…so maybe not so much of an odd question in hindsight.

Back in medieval times, it was called stuffing or forcemeat…which was a mixture of finely chopped and seasoned foods, usually containing egg white, meat or fish, etc., used as a stuffing or served alone…both equally delicious.

Then we came to the Victorian era where they were prudish for want of a better word and the word stuffing was not thought to be the correct words used as is shown in Catharine Esther Beecher’s popular Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book, published in 1850, she described stuffing beef with dressing, defined as “the stuffing of fowl, pigs, etc.”

Then we get to the dressing which meant to prepare and season a bird ready for cooking but did the said bird have stuffing in it?…. Yes, most of the time it did…

Are you still with me… haha…Well over time things got more relaxed and the word stuffing started to be used again although in some areas and a lot is probably down to tradition as in what your mum and her mum used to call it…

We call it stuffing…What do you call it?

That’s all for now ..Enjoy your weekend xxx

Lastly, remember not everyone is fortunate and some people dread this time of year be aware and if you can add a little cheer please share your joy but also remember the other 364 days of the year pass your smile around and be kind… 

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great weekend 🙂 xx

 

Smorgasbord Health Column – Cook from Scratch to prevent nutritional deficiencies with Sally Cronin and Carol Taylor – #Minerals – Manganese

6 Replies

Next in this series is Manganese…Sally is the nutritional expert and I supply tried and tested recipes which are easy to follow and contain in this instance Manganese…

In this series, we look at cooking and your diet from a different perspective. Usually, we emphasize the health benefits of food and how they can be incorporated into your diet. But, what happens if you do NOT include them in your diet.

We wanted to share with you what happens if your body is deprived of individual nutrients over an extended period of time…..

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

In this series we look at cooking and your diet from a different perspective. Usually we emphasize the health benefits of food and how they can be incorporated into your diet. But, what happens if you do NOT include them in your diet.

We wanted to share with you what happens if your body is deprived of individual nutrients over an extended period of time.

Thankfully most of us eat reasonably well, with plenty of variety, but if you take a look at a week’s worth of meals, do you find that you are sticking to a handful of foods, all the time.

Variety is key to good health, to provide your body with as broad a spectrum of nutrients as possible that the body needs. Taking a supplement or relying on shakes and bars to provide your daily allowance of vitamins and nutrients is not in your body’s best…

View original post 1,739 more words

CarolCooks2…Weekly roundup…Chocolate, Health, Recipes …Week ending 10th Nov 2019…

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Welcome to this week’s roundup and do I have some goodies for you…Lots of things going on in the world first it was Halloween …I also have some Halloween pictures for you…Then Guy Fawkes, The election in the UK which I am following but will not be commenting on I will leave that to everyone else…Back to Haloween and let’s have a mop-up of the photos…

I don’t really know many people in the UK who are big on Halloween but Tori waves the flag for Halloween and her pumpkin pie looks very nice…This one is her very prettily decorated window and the rest you will find by clicking the link… there are photos of her fur babies and a recipe for the pie inc a vegan version of pumpkin pie…Enjoy!

Halloween window display with hanging bat, ghost, beware sign, maple leaf, frankenstein, candle, and pumpkins

I managed to find some Gingko nuts so I will be experimenting with some recipes…If anyone already has some tried and tested recipes with Gingko nuts please share…The rice was harvested last week down on the farm and it was a bumper crop this year…The taste of fresh new rice is very nice better than any that you buy…

So without any more ado let’s see what has been going on this week in my blogging world?

Monday… Recycling and environmental News…

I don’t think I will ever run out of anything to say on this topic for a long time…The chocolate industry is still having problems and using child labour now if that isn’t a reason to give chocolate I don’t know…

circular recycling the world and a green leaf

I talked about making your own recyclable and reusable Christmas decorations and also about the plastic waste of which there is lots of great news but also lots we can still do…Steve Tanham the man who is flying the flag for eco-bricks here has written a very good post with lots more information so don’t miss tomorrow’s post where all will be revealed…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/11/04/recycling-and-environmental-news-4th-nov-2019homemade-advent-calendar/

Tuesday…Christmas Crafts…

This was the first post in my Christmas run-up…gently easing you in…haha…Some more ideas for Christmas crafts and my recipe for Sweet Mincemeat just in case you missed it…I have just found a yummy looking recipe for mince pies with cinnamon swirls… it looks like I will be busy in the kitchen for the next few weeks… well until after Christmas now I would say…

lady reading recipe book with wooden spoon in hand

Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

I have had a little lull what with my laptop woes which just threw me a little and various other little hiccups but I am now back on track…I have my cooking head firmly in place again…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/11/05/christmas-crafts-d-i-y-crackers-advent-calendars-sweet-mincemeat/

Wednesday…one of my favourite posts where I can indulge myself and anything goes…

This week was no different there was stone soup…Have you heard of that? I hadn’t, pantomime, Simon & Garfunkle…I mentioned the Spice Girls and Harry Potter…The Charade…A short story…It was also National Fig week with recipes…Pop over and have a read you may find something of interest or which will make you smile and remember…

figs-2662883_1920

 

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/11/06/whimsical-wednesday-with-carol-17/

Thursday…Frozen Shoulder…

Not something thankfully I have experienced but I know many who have and it is by all accounts extremely painful…Sally from Smorgasbord Health has herself suffered from a frozen shoulder…In this post, she explains …

Why do so many people in their 50s suffer from a frozen shoulder?

 

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2019/10/31/smorgasbord-health-column-why-do-so-many-people-in-their-50s-suffer-from-a-frozen-shoulder-by-sally-cronin/

Friday…The final part of Store Cupboard Basics…Dried herbs and stock ( Bouillon) cubes…

Although I use mainly fresh herbs and make my own stock…There is always a time when dried is best especially in baking and sometimes we need some stock quickly and maybe we haven’t time to defrost some or have run out hence it is always a good idea to have a small stock.

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/11/08/this-week-in-my-kitchen-store-cupboard-basics-dried-herbs-and-stock-bouilloncubes/

Saturday…Loy( Loi) Krathong…

A Thai Festival which dates back 6,000 years…It is a beautiful festival I mean water, candles, flowers and beautiful girls however as ancient as it is I am pleased that certain things as in the making of the Krathong are being changed.

This is our little grandaughter with her Krathong made from banana leaves and fresh flowers…Isn’t it pretty?

 

I am certain all those years ago natural products were used and then with the invention of styrofoam things changed and now it is changing again as styrofoam does not decompose and neither do the steel nails used. The bases are being made now from either bread or banana tree stems and if wooden nails or little stakes were used to fix them together that would be a real step in the right direction but the signs are positive…

https://carolcooks2.com/2019/11/09/thailand-loyloi-krathong/

Thank you for reading have a great weekend xx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and well being.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there are now regular columns on my blog this year. It is important that we are mindful of the world we live in…

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all having a relaxing weekend xx