After having a few weeks of carbs over Christmas, it is back to the low carb lifestyle. One thing I realised over Christmas, is that carbs really do make me feel sluggish. I don't really miss them (except for chips) but I do hate that I have to cook so many different meals. I generally try to adapt meals so that the whole family can eat them, but it always involves cooking carbs for the rest of them.

These swede hash browns taste great and can be used instead potatoes. They can be cooked in a few minutes too which is great if you are in a rush. This recipe should make enough for 4 as a side to a meal.

I used swoodles to make these as they were at their use by date. However, they would also work with grated sweede.

Swede Hash Browns

Swede Hash Browns

• 1 packet of Swoodles (or 250g of grated swede.)
• 1 onion finely diced or grated
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper

1. Take the packet of swoodles and cut the "noodles" into smaller pieces.
2. Mix with the grated onion, egg and season with salt and pepper
3. Add oil to a pan and spoon the mixture in to fry.
4. Flip over and cook until golden brown.

Looking for some more low carb recipes?

These low carb crackers taste great with cheese.

Low carb cajun chicken cups. These are packed with flavour.

Keto sausage rolls using fat head dough from Diet Doctor.

Sugar free lemon posset

Celaric chips

Goodbye 2020 - The Year Like No Other

It seems like yesterday that I phoned my husband to ask him if we needed to worry about COVID 19. My sister had called and asked me if she needed to stock up on things. She said everyone in London was panicking and worrying her. My husbands answer was no.

Fast forward a week and I went into Morrison’s. It looked as though it had been looted. Empty shelves everywhere.

A few days later. Lockdown.

I had already panic bought the bearded dragon home from school. Along with purchasing a house for the locusts I had got him. 

And still I was naive, thinking it would just last until the Easter holidays. How wrong could I be?

So, it turns out when it comes to pandemics, I know about as much as the government. The first lockdown wasn’t too bad. Being told we were moving into tier 4: stay at home, this Christmas, was a different matter. 

But I won’t dwell on everything that has gone wrong this year or hasn’t happened. Let’s look back at what was good.

I got to take my biggest boy on Stealth for the first time. His face after was a picture. We had a fun trip to Alton Towers. It is my favourite of the theme parks. I just need the younger two to grow a bit more.

I got to punt. Now that’s much harder than it looks. Clearly I am not an ex Cambridge student. 

I got to have a fleeting visit to see my parents. Now, I can’t wait to be able to visit again and hug them.

I found out we have a hedgehog. I mean It sounded like a man in the garden when I was camping out, but thankfully not.

I became an Auntie to a gorgeous baby girl....puppy. Now I hope 2021 lets me see her for cuddles.

I got to go back to work. Who knew that would make the list!?! It turns out that I really like teaching kids face to face. Remote learning is ok when you have to do it, but it is just not the same.

My quiz knowledge has improved. Well slightly.

So my hopes for next year are that my nearest and dearest stay safe. That’s pretty much it. No resolutions. No list of things we will do. Lets face it, I can just use last years! Goodbye 2020 and please treat us better 2021.

Festive Treats Fit For Santa #CookBlogShare Week 48

It is the 1st of December! Time to get the advent calenders out and officially time for eating lots of delicious festive treats. This weeks round up includes some treats and tipples that Santa would love on his plate  Christmas Eve, but don't forget the carrots for the reindeers!

Welcome to cookblogshare week 48. Last weeks linky was hosted by Recipes Made Easy. There were some great recipes ranging from aloo gobi to beef bourguignon. However, as it is now officially the month of Christmas, then these festive treats for for Santa have made it into this weeks round up.

Vegan Chocolate Snowman Truffles

These vegan chocolate snowman truffles from The Baking Explorer can't help but bring a smile to my face. Made with almonds, coconut and dates, they are a healthier treat for the children and I am sure that Santa would appreciate one of these on his plate on Christmas eve.

Easy Peasy Mini Mince Pies

Mince pies are a firm favourite as a treat for Christmas and we all know how much Santa appreciates them on his plate. These bite size mini mince pies from Easy Peasy Foodie are easy enough for the children to help make and taste delicious

Christmas Vodka

We all love a little tipple at Christmas and this festive Christmas Vodka from Recipes Made Easy, is perfect paired up with Christmas pudding. Infused with figs, mixed fruit and dried peel it makes a great homemade gift for adults and you could pop a small amount in a glass for the big man to enjoy himself.
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Peanut Butter and Chocolate Biscuits (Gluten Free)

We all know Santa loves a cookie, I mean who doesn't? These gluten free peanut butter and chocolate biscuits from YUM eating look delicious. I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter and these would be perfect with a warm mug of hot chocolate.

#Cookblogshare 2020 Week 48

Want to join in with Cook Blog Share this week? Here is how:Link up your recipe, sweet or savoury, or any foodie post to the #CookBlogShare link party.  Just click the blue ‘Add your link‘ button below and follow the instructions.
Include this party’s link in your post (so everyone else can find it).
Add the #CookBlogShare badge to your post (see the code below).

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Please comment on at least two other recipes. You can also post your recipes on the Cook Blog Share Facebook Page. I’ll visit all the blogs participating in the link party and share your recipes across all the major social media channels. If you tweet a link to your recipe to @astrongcoffee1 @recipescrumbs and @lostinf00d using #CookBlogShare for retweets. 

Please use #cookblogshare when sharing your recipes on Instagram.

Next week's Cookblogshare will be over at Lost in Food. For GDPR purposes, please make note that by joining in you are giving the #CookBlogShare hosts permission to use your pictures in a round up and on social media, if your recipe is selected to be featured! Thank you for sharing your recipes with #CookBlogShare!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Meal Planning Monday

Another week has flown by. I caved in this weekend and got some of the Christmas decorations out. The tree is ordered for next week. If you are looking for some festive treats, come back on Tuesday when I am hosting Cook Blog Share and have some great recipes to share with you.

Roast beef and yorkshire puddings (keto style) Luckily all but one of the boys can't taste the difference so I just make the ones that I can eat too.

Salmon. I am not sure what will go with it, but it was slightly cheaper in Tesco this week so I bought some for now and some for the freezer.

Spaghetti bolognese

Thai green curry I like this as it is mild enough that the boys can enjoy it too.

Chicken Kiev and chips. 

What have you got planned?

Meal Planning Monday

Apologies for the radio silence recently, but life has been hectic to say the least. Last week saw my youngest turn 9 and this week my eldest becomes a teenager. (He has been acting like one for the last 6 months so won’t come as a great shock.)

My youngest has been bust this weekend making a birthday cake for his big brother. Chocolate cake, with oreo buttercream. Perfect for our chocoholic.

I have spent the weekend eating way too many carbs for someone on a low carb diet and with a takeaway for tomorrow’s birthday celebrations being pizza it will continue. Come Tuesday I need to get back on it before I undo all the good work. I know it’s unlikely I will put on 13kg in a week, but it feels like I will. I also have to say it has made me realise how much better I feel when I eat low carb. I feel rather sluggish and bloated this weekend.

So what will we be eating this week, other than Dominoes?

Sausage and mash. Real comfort food and I can substitute potato for swede.

Tacos - or taco salad for me. I love the red onions soaked in lime and orange.

Chicken drumsticks with a Maggi BBQ coating. I haven’t tried this before but it looked nice.

Salmon with chili and avocado

Steak with pesto and rocket from Jamie Oliver’s 5 ingredients recipe book.

What will you be having this week?

[Ad] How To Make A Vodka Garden Cocktail

 This vodka garden cocktail is refreshing and a must for any of you cocktail lovers out there.

Last week I was lucky enough to attend my first virtual blogging event with Moonpig. I have been a customer of theirs for many years, but this opened my eyes to all the things their app has to offer, the gifts available and the fact that a vodka garden is a delicious cocktail.

With Christmas looking decidedly different this year, moonpig are trying to makes things that little bit easier and personalised for everyone. With many great cards and some great features on their app that I would love to share with you (as well as a Moonpig discount code for downloading the app!)

5 Reasons to download the Moonpig app

1. If you haven't already downloaded the Moonpig app to your phone, then do. Don't worry you can choose how you set the notifications, but trust me, from experience it's reminders are a godsend. Also, if you download the app you can use the code APP20CA to get 20% off cards.

2. They have a great range of gifts. I am going to be truthful here, but before the event I would never have thought of buying flowers from Moonpig. However, the festive themed bunch they sent me were absolutely beautiful and came packaged well. They showed me how to make a table decoration with them and now 2 weeks later they are still going strong. I will let you know when the Christmas flowers are out for you to buy!

They also have chocolates, personalised gifts and even alcohol. The Belvedere Vodka is what they sent me to make the vodka garden cocktail. 

3. If you have an iphone you can upload your own handwriting. I loved this. I know that you can already chose a handwritten style, but this is just more personal. You can write/draw your message on a piece of paper and then upload it. I am definitely going to do this on the next card I send.

4.You can send orders to different addresses direct. I guess this is great with Christmas coming up. You may have designed the same card for a number of people and this way you can send them all directly, along with gifts if you choose. You just group them together.

5. There is a live chat to help you if you have a problem. I always love a company that has good customer service.

I had a great evening and for me, the best part was the virtual cocktail making session. I wouldn't usually go for a vodka based cocktail, but the vodka garden is like a lighter mojito. The cucumber and elderflower make it a lovely refreshing drink.

Vodka Garden Cocktail

• 45ml Belvedere vodka
• 25ml lime juice
• 25ml sugar syrup
• a couple of slices of cucumber cut into quarters
• 25ml elderflower soda
• 6-8 mint leaves
• ice

1. Start my cutting the cucumber and placing it your glass. Using a muddler, squash it to release some of the flavour.
2. Measure out the vodka, lime juice and sugar syrup.
3. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
4. Add 6-8 mint leaves and mix the ice and cocktail around.
5. Fill to the top with elderflower soda.
6. Add a sprig of mint for decoration.

Meal Planning Monday

Another week has flown past and I am trying to organise myself for the week ahead.

I took part in my first virtual event with Moonpig and I have some lovely cocktail recipes to share with you soon.

I think for ease, there will be a couple of meals out of the freezer and I have some more quick and easy meals to make from scratch too.

Salmon: I have a great cookbook called Keto Kitchen which is written by Monnie at Fats of life. She has a lovely recipe with where the salmon is baked in cream. I can hardly wait to make it again.

Sausage and mash

Scrambled egg and chorizo.  A favourite that we have often.

Ham, egg and chips. I like making this as any leftovers can be used in sandwiches.

Cauliflower cheese and bacon or chorizo. For this I steam the cauliflower so that it doesn't go soggy and then make a simple cream and cheddar sauce.

What have you got planned for the week ahead?