What I have loved this week! Week 40. #FridayFavourites

 Hello there and happy Friday! This week has felt like it's flown over but dragged at the same time. I am here today sharing some of the things that I have loved over the last week and of course linking up with Erika and Andrea.

Conspiracy theories on TikTok!

It is horrific the news that is coming out about the rapper P Diddy or whatever he is calling himself now but some of the gossip about the situation on TikTok is wild! I have heard that if people don't worship Beyonce they get killed, he had something to do with Michael Jackson's, Aaliyah's, Tupac's and Lisa Left Eye Lopez's deaths. Apparently Kanye West is dead and the guy we see now is an actor and 50 Cent has already sold a documentary to Netflix about P Diddy. It's all rumours and gossip and I bet only a tiny amount of it is true but I can see it all being big news over the next year.

Sunshine!

We have had a lot of rain over the last week, obviously not a lot compared to the US, it really isn't anything to complain about but it was relentless for a couple of days. There was no flooding or crazy winds, it was just rain but it felt like it was never going to end, until it did and then the sun came out on Wednesday and it was lovely and it was even brighter on Thursday! 

Harry Potter!

My youngest and I have been watching the Harry Potter movies over the last week, we have 3 more left to watch. I always seem to watch them at this time of year, they're cosy movies, perfect for a rainy day. I always forget how young the actors were in the first movie. They were just babies compared to the last movie. hehehe

Hearty food!

We have had some lovely meals over the past week. My favourite was the pork belly & winter veg pot roast! I cooked it in the slow cooker and it was basically just pork belly, carrots, parsnips and beef stock and we had it with roast potatoes.

Another meal we really enjoyed was the hearty chicken & spelt soup. I have never made anything with spelt in before so it was totally new to me. It was simple to make with some onions, carrots and parsley softened in a pan then I added the chicken stock with some other ingredients, added the spelt and boiled it for about half an hour. When it was almost done I added the chicken that I had cooked in the air fryer. Just before I served it I warmed it up and added the spinach. There was more than 4 servings and I ended up putting some in the freezer for another day.

Not spending!

I am having a no spend month and so far it is going well. I have bought nothing that isn't essential like groceries and even then I was really mindful about what I bought. I walked past Starbucks a few times and was tempted but didn't go in, there has been no meals out and I have in fact saved us over £300 this month already by not paying the council tax bill as we were 3 months ahead with it and I didn't pay anything towards the gas and electric bill as we are so much in credit with them.

The Great British Bake Off!

Oh wow! I loved this weeks episode, there was so much drama. I won't spoil it for anyone but usually it's a calming show with just baking but there was much more this week. My girls and I found ourselves laughing out loud at the technical challenge, it was to make 12 mint cream biscuits and my girls said they could have done a better job when they were little. hehehe Some of the offerings were very sloppy.

Pyjamas!

I have loved coming home and putting my pj's straight on when I know that I am in for the day. My fleecy, winter one's. They are great for sitting about the house but not for sleeping in, I end up getting too hot and sweating. I am sure that I have more sets of pyjamas than actual outside clothes. lol 

What have you loved this week?

365 Days Of Gratitude. In September I was grateful for..

 I have seen many people on social media list something every day that they are grateful for and thought I would join in. I did this for the whole of last couple of years and it has really made me realise that even on the bad day's I have something to be grateful for. 

September was a good month. It was the month where we found a bit of normal after a crazy summer, the weather has really cooled down and it feel likes Autumn and we redecorated the kitchen which has seemed to take weeks when I think of the planning, all the painting and finishing touches.

Day 246 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for lunch out at the pub!

Day 247 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the nurses could finally get some blood from Ellie. It was just a blood test to check up on her. It took two nurses and 4 tries. Ellie was a star, shame about her veins which kept hiding.

Day 248 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice quiet day at home. We had a very lazy end to the summer holidays.

Day 249 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie had a great first day back at college. She made a new friend, a 60 year old man who's doing her course. lol

Day 250 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful for Starbucks. Had to be somewhere but I was early so I popped in for a nice drink.

Day 251 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for some sunshine after a few rainy days!

Day 252 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the last of the things that Stu has ordered to decorate the kitchen has arrived! There have been parcels every day over the last week!

Day 253 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu made a start on decorating the kitchen. Walls are painted, most of the glossing is done and the new lights are fitted.

Day 254 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Becky had a great birthday! Her birthday doesn't stop here though, her and her girlfriend are off on their travels tomorrow for a few days!

Day 255 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful that Stu picked Ellie up from college! He got caught in the hailstones and thunder and lightning! By the time they got home it was dry and sunny again.

Day 256 of #365DaysOfGratitude 

Today I am grateful that the kitchen is well on the way to being finished. I am so over not being able to use it properly!

Day 257 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice meal out with family.

Day 258 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that my dad helped clear our garage of all the cardboard boxes that we had collected.

Day 259 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a day at home after a busy week! It was nice to do nothing!

Day 260 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful I could read the spoilers for Hollyoaks before Becky got out of bed after her night shift. I promised that I would watch it with her, there was no rules about reading what happened. hehehe

Day 261 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that the girls have started giving me ideas for what they want for Christmas but I have been buying things for Halloween. hehehe!

Day 262 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a hot water bottle on my achy back.

Day 263 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I got a food shop delivered. I didn't get around to doing the online food shop yesterday so did it this morning. I thought I would have to wait until tomorrow to get it delivered but there were slots for later on today! Hooray!

Day 264 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for homemade jam! My dad was given some jars and had some going spare.

Day 265 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a nice day with my girls, we had lots of laughs!

Day 266 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a day of doing nothing. It's been lovely being lazy!

Day 267 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Stu did the cooking tonight.

Day 268 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that I finally got to watch Hollyoaks before Becky! I may have given her a few spoilers. hehehe

Day 269 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful that Ellie did the right thing at college, speaking up and backing her friends up when something wasn't right. 

Day 270 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a sneaky meal deal for lunch. Ellie was not impressed that I had one without her. hehehe

Day 271 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a fun day at my dad's.

Day 272 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for a long lie in this morning! I needed it!

Day 273 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for an afternoon of watching Harry Potter!

Day 274 of #365DaysOfGratitude

Today I am grateful for the central heating! It was nice to put it on and get all cosy!

What were you grateful for in September?

Celebrate National Vegetarian Week: Delicious Recipes to Try!

Did you know that it is National Vegetarian Week? It is the perfect opportunity to explore the world of meat free dishes, explore new flavours, improve your health and make a positive impact on the planet. My family and I are not vegetarians but we do like to try and have one veggie meal a week. Over the last few years when we have been getting Gousto boxes we have actually found some of their veggie meals to be some of our favourites.

Whether you're a committed vegetarian or simply looking to reduce your meat consumption these vegetarian recipes are easy to make, suitable for the whole family and are packed with flavour. This week offers you the perfect excuse to embrace the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, even if it's just for a few days.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
A classic British dish with a twist, made with lentils and topped with creamy mashed potatoes. Perfect for a cosy dinner.

Cauliflower Cheese

This cheesy, creamy cauliflower bake is a perfect side or main dish. It’s comfort food at its finest, ideal for any meal.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry

Packed with flavor, this curry is an easy one-pot wonder that’s filling and nutritious. Serve with naan or rice.

Carrot and Coriander Soup

A fresh and zesty soup that's light yet packed with flavour. Perfect for a healthy lunch or a light starter. We love the one from Gousto! 

Stuffed Peppers

Bell peppers stuffed with a mix of rice, veggies and herbs and then baked until tender are a colourful and healthy main dish.

Vegetable Lasagna

Layers of rich tomato sauce, roasted vegetables, and creamy béchamel, all baked to perfection. A crowd-pleaser for family dinners.

Veggie Burgers

Packed with flavor, these veggie burgers made from kidney beans are great for a BBQ or quick dinner.

Meat-Free Mince Sloppy Joes

Another one of our favourite Gousto meals! Ready to get messy? For this American classic you'll sizzle meat-free mince with a smoky BBQ sauce and serve on plant-based brioche buns!

Slow-cooker Vegetarian Stew

If you're looking for a fuss free, easy vegetarian recipe, then this slow cooker chickpea and butternut squash stew is ideal.

Vegetable Pasta Bake

Packed full of your 5 a day and easy to make this is a great veggie dish for a family dinner! 

What is your favourite vegetarian meal to make and eat?

Having a no spend month!

August and the beginning of September is always the most expensive time of the year for us. It's Stu's and the girls birthdays in the space of 3 and a half weeks and years ago we used to have to buy all the back to school stuff. I could easily spend about £200 on uniform. I thought things would get better now both of my girls have finished school but we always seem to find other things to spend money on. This year it was redecorating the kitchen. Then of course there is the little splurges, I have been buying a drink from Starbucks most days when take and pick Ellie up from college and sometimes I want a snack too. It has to stop so for the whole of October I am going to be really strict with the spending.

We need to save some money, Christmas is coming so I have decided to have a no spend month, it might even be 6 weeks. I know I will be spending money in November, that's when my birthday is. hehehe

I will be making no unnecessary purchases! This includes clothes, makeup, home decor, takeaway coffee, takeaway food and meals out.

Instead of buying drinks when I am out, like from Starbucks or little bottles of pop I have going to use a reusable bottle and I will just fill it with juice before I leave the house. I think the biggest challenge is going to come when my family decide that they want to eat out! It is so tempting but I must resist! 

Groceries are of course allowed but I am going to be mindful about what I am buying. I am going to really try to stick to the meal planning as we have had quite a few weeks over the last couple of months where it hasn't gone to plan. I also have a freezer full of food and thinking about Christmas it needs to be used up before then! There's leftovers, random packets of meat and plenty of ingredients to make meals. I am thinking about not getting our meals every week from Gousto, I know it helps me stick to the meal planning but the food in the freezer needs using up.

I already know I can save so much money on food shop! My family won't be happy when I don't buy the snacks but we don't need them, we have plenty of other crisps in the house, cakes and biscuits. We don't need fresh doughnuts every week or bought sandwiches that come with the grocery order, we can easily make them at home. When we decorated the kitchen I sorted the cupboards out and realised we have more things than I thought we did, I found Super noodles in the back of the cupboards which are still in date, a ton of cleaning products that I didn't know about and baking supplies. I can make my own cakes!

Of course we will pay the bills and any necessary expenses. They always come first but I do need to check where we are at with paying the Council Tax bill, I think we're a couple of months ahead and with the gas and electric I might skip that as we are more than few hundred pounds in credit and the next bill isn't due until December.

When it comes to the bathroom I have already told my family that I am not buying anymore shampoo, conditioner or body wash until everything in there is used. When a bottle gets to less than half full the girls will open a new one just to make it easier to get it out. I have said no more! They will empty the bottles before I buy new!

Have you ever done a no spend month? How did you get on?