Wishing you lots of laughter and coffee for 2015!

"For I will exult in the gift of coffee, it wakens each human sense with joy. Its aroma is deep, with palpable comfort, its percolation speaks promise. It warms the hands of even those unloved. Without the state of heightened awareness it provides, I might forget to be thankful of a morning."

Here's wishing you lots of laughter and coffee in 2015 and may your new year be filled with LOVE, JOY and INSPIRATION!

Happy New Year!

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The BEST Spaghetti Bolognaise!

One of my favourite dishes is Spaghetti Bolognaise because of the ease with which it is prepared and also the fact that one can have many variations and come up with something different every time!

Ingredients

• 500g Fresh Beef Mince.
• 400g Dried Spaghetti.
• 4 Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon, finely diced.
• 2 Tins of Plum/Chopped Tomatoes.
• 6 Fresh Cherry Tomatoes.
• 2 Medium Onions, peeled and finely diced.
• 2 Sticks of Celery, trimmed and finely diced.
• 2 Carrots, trimmed and finely diced.
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely diced.
• 1 Medium Chilli (optional), seeded and finely sliced
• 75g Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for grating over.
• 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 1 Beef Stock Cube.
• Glass of red wine (optional)
• Herbs:
• 2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary.
• Handful of Fresh Basil, plus extra for Garnish.
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano.
• 1-2 Fresh Bay Leaves.
• Olive oil.
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper.
• Crusty bread, to serve.

Method

1. Get yourself a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, and place it on a medium heat. Add a good lug of olive oil and gently fry your bacon until golden and crisp, then reduce the heat slightly and add your onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Next remove the leaves from the Rosemary sprigs and add them to the pot, discarding the sprigs. Move everything around and fry for around 8-10 minutes until the veg has softened.
2. Next, increase the heat slightly, add the mince and stir until the meat is browned all over.
3. Stir in your tins of plum/chopped tomatoes, (plum tomatoes are best as they contain less water, but either will turn out great!). Add your remaining herbs, tomato puree, stock cube, chilli and if using, the wine. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and throw them in aswell.
4. Give everything a stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes as you go and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low-medium, put the lid on and leave it blipping away for about an hour and 15 minutes until the flavours develop into a wonderfully rich tomatoey sauce. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't catch.
5. Just as the sauce is nearly ready, Add the parmesan and season to taste. Meanwhile add salt to a pan of boiling water and cook the spaghetti according the the packet instructions. Once the spaghetti is ready, drain it in a colander and add it to the pan with the sauce. Give it all a good stir, coating the pasta in the lovely tomato sauce. Serve with a little grated parmesan and use the extra basil leaves to make a great little garnish. Beautiful!

This recipe is from Good Food 

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Green Tip #8 - Protect your hands

Look at anyone’s hands and you can usually gauge their true age. So why is it that while you can have some success in holding back the years on your face when it comes to hands it is a much harder task?
‘The skin ages faster on the hands because they are exposed daily to chemicals, smoke and, most importantly, UV radiation,’ explains Nina Goad from the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD).

For women, the changes are exacerbated by the fact that levels of oestrogen, the hormone that stimulates collagen production, so helping to keep skin on hands plump and fleshy, start to drop around the time of the menopause.

 

Develop a good routine and give your hands a helping hand. Good moisturisers can help prevent or treat dry skin on your hands. They hold that needed water in the outer layer of skin, making your hands smoother and softer. They also help your outer skin act as a temporary protective shield.

Always wear garden gloves to protect your nails and hands. I know nothing quite beats the feel of freshly turned earth between your fingers, but wearing gloves out in the garden really makes a lot of sense. Not only can they protect your lovingly-tended nails, but can also prevent unsightly scratches, sore blisters and, as an added bonus, protect your hands from the rays of the sun.

 

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