Rhubarb and Berry Compote and a Veggie Plot Update - Plus 2 Easy Recipes!

I love rhubarb season!

Keep reading for this scrumptious recipe!

When we bought our house 6 years ago we were delighted to find an established bed of rhubarb. Since we moved in, year after year, it has provided us with plenty of fruit. I have to admit that last year we neglected the veggie patch. This was due to time, there simply wasn't enough of it! But over the last couple of weekends the hubby and I have enjoyed taking time out in the garden. It has been hard work getting rid of all of the weeds but the end in sight. We only have one more raised bed to weed then it will all be about planning what to grow. Last weekend I spent some time focusing on the rhubarb bed. It had started to shoot and was flowering so I cut them off, had a good harvest and am hoping that this will encourage even more fresh growth. A couple of years ago the hubby built a fruit frame for our soft fruit, which at first did a fantastic job. But due to the neglect of the past year the raspberry canes in particular really took over. They had grown so tall they had broken through the mesh that we put up to stop the birds getting the berries and it really did look a mess. So, while I was weeding and sorting the rhubarb out, the hubby ripped all of the mesh off, trimmed the raspberry canes, blackcurrants and red currants, which had also become huge. We now have an accessible path through the fruit frame and are planning to create a path around the back so that we can harvest the currants easier. Looking at the amount of green berries that are on both plants I can see that there will be plenty to harvest and use in recipes! Next weekend we are planning a shopping trip to buy some vegetable plants. We are too late for seeds but we are still have time to sow plants. At the moment we are planning on getting some courgette plants, peas, edamame beans and maybe even a pumpkin for autumn. I will be keeping you up to date with how it all goes as I have loved being back in the garden. Not only do I enjoy time outside and getting back to nature but it also works wonders for my mental health. I feel so much better after a day in the garden! Too much time in can get my anxiety and depression creeping back in.

#CookBlogShare 2018 Week 22 Plus 4 Sweet Treat

Yay it's half term which means it is my turn to host CookBlogShare!

The last two weeks have been exhausting, but I have loved them! Our house has undergone a complete role reversal. Before I got my second job, it was the Hubby who was up and out first thing in the morning leaving me a cup of coffee in bed and at home with the children. Now it is me taking the cup of coffee to the Hubby in bed and leaving at 07:30am! The kids are loving the extra daddy time and knowing that I will be at home for them during the holidays means that they always have one of us around! I am still getting used to the long days and I am planning on doing a lot of research for healthy lunch ideas that can be made the night before, so if you have any ideas please do share them!

Last week the lovely Monika at Everyday Healthy Recipes hosted the CookBlogShare linky. I have loved looking through the scrumptious recipes that you all shared and it was definitely the cakes that won me over.

Here are my four favourite recipes from week 21 of #CookBlogShare...

#CookBlogShare 2018 Week 19 - Plus 4 Delicious Dishes

What a lovely long weekend it has been. Got to love an extra day at home. I don't now about you but as soon as the sun comes out our barbecue comes out and this bank holiday did not disappoint! We had lots of food al fresco, went to a foodie festival and spent time in the garden. 

Over the weekend Doncaster hosted not only the finish line for the first stage of the Tour de Yorkshire but also had their own food festival called Delicious Doncaster. The hubby and I love a good foodie festival, yes I am not the only foodie in the house! The market area was full of delicious street food stalls, local produce, locally made alcohol and even The Hairy Bikers! Yes the bikers were there doing demonstrations and taking in the atmosphere. Needless to say we came home with lots of foodie treats!

To Blog or Not to Blog? That is the Question!

On 2nd July 2013 I introduced myself to the blogging world. Little did I know that I would still be sat here nearly 5 years later. The title to this post may have you wondering what I am going to write. To blog or not to blog? That is the question on my mind.

Over the last few weeks the amount of times that I have sat and written has reduced dramatically. This is due to a number of factors the main one being my return to the world of the employed. I love being back at work, socialising with adults and have human contact. Staying at home with the laptop can be extremely isolating. But on the other hand the blogging community is one of the strongest, most loyal online communities that there is. I have some wonderful friends that I would not have if it were not for blogging. But, for my mental health and stability, I need to have actual people around me, not virtual people. Since I returned to work I have noticed an improvement in my mental health. Having a routine in my life and the feeling of need has brought the 'old' me back. I thrive at work and even want more hours (yes I am that crazy!). 

I have also found that juggling everything together is even harder than I expected. I was putting too much pressure on myself. I wanted to work full time, be the ideal housewife, the perfect mum and blogger all in one. But as we all know there are only so many hours in the day.

I need to sleep, I cannot do everything.

So, something has to give!

Weekly Meal Plan - #MealPlanningMonday 2018 Week 16

Hello and welcome to week 16 of #MealPlanningMonday!

This week is a week to go back to normality. The children have returned to school today, I am back to work and we have got our routine back. Following the Easter holidays I have gone back to part time hours at work, which I have to admit is kind of nice. I have got the house to myself this morning, I have been able to walk the children to school and have got some 'me' time back!

Last week we enjoyed a lovely, but busy, week away in Northumberland. We went out every single day, we spent quality time together as a family and time out from social media did me the world of good! I have even found that since coming home I have kept away from checking Facebook every few minutes. While we were away we visited lots of National Trust and English Heritage sites and found that having membership for both saved us a lot of money. Now that the twins are older we found that they were curious and keen to learn about the places that we visited and it was lovely. The weather may not have been great, we got wet in the rain, we got cold in the wind and splashed in the cold sea with the sun on our back and it was perfect!

How Omega Fats Are Good For Your Diet - Guest Post

Picture courtesy of Pixabay

Omega-3 fatty acids have an incredible reputation when it comes to basic nutrition. But for sure there will be a lot of questions on your mind regarding them. Like what are Omega-3s? Is it important for my health? Will a deficiency cause problems? We will answer these question in time. But before that let us get down to the basics.

What are Omega-3 fatty acids?

We could get into the chemistry of it, but that is a whole other diverse topic. Here is what you need to know. Omega-3 fat is the good kind of fat. The kind that will benefit your health in an effective way. The polyunsaturated fatty acids are the holy grail of nutrients.

What you need to know

Most health organizations recommend 250 - 500 mg of these healthy fats per day. Those suffering from heart ailments and cancer must go up to 4000 mg per day. These essential fatty acids cannot be made by the human body and must be consumed through diet. There are three types of Omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA and DHA. They each play a significant role in nutrition. Apart from these vital facts, read on to find its benefits on your health.