Week 30 – some much needed rest

IMG_3342.JPGWhen I look back over my recent meal planning blog posts, I realise why I am feeling a touch knackered. Since the end of May we’ve had so much on; and whilst it has all been wonderful (concerts, nights out, posh meals, birthday celebrations, weekends away etc) I definitely feel like it has caught up with me a bit and tired me out.

After two days in Paris at the start of last week for work I was feeling tired, grumpy, unhealthy and generally out of sorts, but it’s amazing how quickly a few days of early nights, time off from the gym, healthy food and a bit of retail therapy can improve your mindset. As well as buying a new rug and coffee table, I also treated myself to a Withings Activite Pop activity tracker to replace my broken Jawbone Up. I love my new tracker almost as much as the cats love our new rug!

IMG_3347.JPGThis weekend especially has been productive but still restful, and now I feel much more like my old self … to the extent that I have been back in the kitchen this weekend working on some lovely new recipes. I also baked some biscuits: digestives for the base of the cheesecake I am making this week, and some chocolate chip oat shortbreads.

I can’t give you a big recap of last week, as I didn’t really do anything except work, eat and sleep. Sunday’s brunch at the Cookbook Cafe was a rather epic feast, from which I am still recovering (and was probably the reason why I felt so unhealthy for the rest of the week). I made a delicious butter chicken curry on Wednesday thanks to a spice mix from my foodie penpal, and I made cacio e pepe yesterday, inspired by my weekend in Rome, which turned out even better than I had expected. I can’t wait to share the recipe with you.

For the coming days, I have a nice few menu options planned, including ham and egg salad for lunches as I boiled a ham today. We’ll be enjoying:

  • Monday – leftovers from today (my Cookbook Challenge)
  • Tuesday – lasagne, homemade coleslaw and salad, with a strawberry cheesecake for pudding as we have friends over
  • Wednesday – sausage risotto and leftover cheesecake with my mum
  • Thursday –
  • Friday – homemade scampi
  • Saturday – we’re planning to do the London freecycle (last time we went we managed 30-odd miles of cycling so I want something easy for dinner) so when we get home it will be a quick and easy meal of chicken kievs, jacket potatoes and mushy peas
  • Sunday – hopefully another Cookbook Challenge, when Andrew chooses my book.

Do you have anything nice planned for this week?

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