środa, 29 lipca 2015

Easy delicious dinners

To have an idea what to cook every night as a busy working mother is sometimes a bit of a chalange for me. Therefore I came up with idea to build up a list of fail safe favourites which tick all those three most important criteria when eating well:
They need to be:
- delicious
- don't require special ingredients
- quick to make
So far my favourites are: 
Ratatouille 
Gratin 
Veggie pasta
Veggie tortilla

All the above are well tested except recent discovery which is gratin.
So easy to make and you can throw in any veggies you have left over from the week.
Ratatouille is the one that takes a bit longer to cook, but huge advantage here is that it cooks itself - meaning after the hard work of chopping all your ingredients you just throw it in the pot and leave it on a small heat and let the magic happen. That's my favourite summer/ autumn dish! But we are loving them all!



wtorek, 14 lipca 2015

Mini holidays

Holidays it's something that I am to busy to even think about at the moment but every so often I get that message displayed in my brain: You need holidays! Half of the year is already gone and I'm staring to feel it. Also I'm being reminded about the fact that it's holiday season by all co workers and friends who are just about to go to some exotic places or just back. My body starts to scream for a break!
Luckily I got a fabulous birthday present from my husband - a weekend away in a hotel, spa hotel it is. Couple of years ago I would consider it as the most boring thing to do but when you a parent your views change dramatically. The idea of a spa weekend equals vision of heaven for me now. 
Set in the beautifully green part of Irish countryside the hotel proved to do the job. The tranquil setting helped enormously to recharge my batteries. The spa treatment was superb. The mini holidays were a big success and that quiet time will be remembered for long. Yes to more mini holidays!




Desserts

To serve a desert or not to serve. To your child it is. My answer is definitely yes. The true secret is in balance and moderation and I wish I was a pro at this. But hey what life would be without trying to improve every day!
I've read an article about children food education that is part of their everyday upbringing in France and it made a lot of sense to me. Also I saw it in practice when and I spent time living with French families as an au pair. One of the things that stands out is the fact that children get cheese for dessert from a very early age. And they treat it as a desert. Such a great idea! There is a huge variety of cheese in France and they are truly delicious.
I've decided to try similar approach and serve cheese after dinner to our little girl- so far she tried soft ones like Camembert and harder types like cheddar. Begining wasn't to promising but now the little piece is dissapearing in no time!
Also natural yoghurt is a part of our dessert routine and a piece of fruit. No need to explain how delicious these are!

poniedziałek, 6 lipca 2015

Birthdays Season

End of June is a very busy season for us - 5 family members have birthday around that time including myself. 
I love celebrating and entertaining and don't think I'll ever grow out of this. 
Firstly the search for perfect presents begins, secondly - card making. As I am very determined to make my own cards, this takes time. I love crafting but don't have as much time to do it as I wished. The only way, as a full time working mother, is to become more organised and focused. But this is a completely different subject.
My newly discovered passion for cooking was fully indulged while preparing birthday lunch for my husband. We had a small family gathering and were lucky to enjoy rare summer weather and eat alfresco. Here is what we served:
- courgette, mint and feta salad ( delicious)
- green salad with tomatoes and herbs
- vegetable quiche
- prosecco for aperitif 
- mojito cheesecake ( sugar free)
Children ate the same as adults except for the drink and desert. 
The biggest excitement came with the cheesecake - it was frozen and super healthy. Luckily super delicious too!