Sunday, 26 May 2013

My flapjack recipe

It is the last few loooong unpaid  days of my maternity so now i am going through the cupboards trying to find good healthy food. I am not going to do crisps and rubbish just because i am not very rich at the moment.

My diet is not particularly out there. I am not a vegetarian though i usually eat veggie food at functions, i am certainly no vegan and (even though i tried) I don't do diets anymore. My diet is a good Mediterranean diet with English and travel influences.

Since my family is from Crete i have learned to cook following the main Cretan principles ie using loads of olive oil that my dad makes, small quantities of meat, fish and dairy (i have milk intolerance anyway), loads of veggies and fruit (including horta ie wild greens) and loads of carbs and bread and sugar but only the wholemeal and brown version or honey. The English diet has a lot of nice recipes but loads of saturated fat so where possible we replace these with olive oil. 

Anyway, today's venture was making flapjack so here is the recipe i follow: 

100 gr of butter
100 gr of olive oil
350 to 400 gr of oats (depending how soft you want it)
200 gr of golden syrup or honey
200 gr of brown sugar
vanilla

Poppy's flapjack

Enjoy!! 

Thursday, 23 May 2013

May Day

In Greece it is traditional to make a wreath on May Day. Remnant of the pagan days tradition but we still do it and it is still fun! This is our own in Leeds!

May Day wreath
We keep the wreath until St John's day and then the wreath is thrown into a bonfire. Boys used to leap over the fire and stayed out until late. This name day is around the summer solstice period so one can see how Christianity has adapted in Greece.

Does anybody know where else this tradition is being practiced?

Thursday, 6 September 2012

My mother called me silver

hi everybody!

the reason why i disappeared from the world of blogging was that in May i gave birth to my baby boy! We have been trying for years  so after 3 IVFs, a few operations and one ectopic pregnancy, Alexander Nicholas came!

My mother came promptly from Greece to help and of course she brought the traditional silver presents. For those that don't know in Greece when a mother gives birth, the closest friends and relatives give her as gifts jewellery. So yes, lucky Greek mums!

So mum  brought lots of nice stuff but i here i decided to show you the best silver presents that come from my friend who is a very talented jewellery designer.

Silver flower earrings


Silver butterfly pendant
Her name is Katerina Efentaki and you can see some recent work at her Facebook page.
I can't wait to go back home and see her and her new stuff.
The title of this post is the opening line in a book by Jeanette Winterson i am reading at the moment. Have a look at the book here.

See you soon!

Sunday, 29 April 2012

A day at Kirkstall Abbey!

Today was not the best day in the world but i had cabin fever and i really wanted to leave the house and go out and about! One of the best things to do whilst in Leeds is spend a day at Kirkstall Abbey!

We got there about lunch time so we started by having lunch at the cafe next to the museum. The cafe is part of the old building and it is very church-like and the food is really yummy!
Kirkstall Abbey
Painting in the  cafe opposite Kirkstall Abbey

Kirkstall Abbey Cafe
Kirkstall Abbey Cafe


After lunch it stopped raining as much so we went for a little walk around the Abbey only to discover a yummy deli fair! The best part of the fair was the Yummy Yank, an american lady that makes divine puddings and is responsible for the extra kilo i put on  last Saturday! 
Kirkstall Abbey
Kirkstall Abbey


Then we went back to the museum. It is surprisingly big and very interesting!Abbey House Museum shows life in Victorian Leeds in 1880. Check out opening hours and more info on the Abbey House Museum here.
Abbey House Museum
Abbey House Museum opposite Kirkstall Abbey

Thursday, 26 April 2012

Pink Tree

There are so many blossoms in the UK at the moment it is absolutely the best time of the year!

Today we went walking and we saw this really wonderful tree with beautiful pink flowers! For me this tree is the best time in spring. Well it'd be nicer if it did not rain today, but you cannot have it all!
This beautiful tree is a weeping Japanese cherry tree whose main use is ornamental.

This is really good inspiration for my cherry tree stencil for my wardrobe!
Prunus Kiku shidare Zakura or Japanese Cherry
Japanese Cherry blossom




Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Roses from Greece

My mum came over and she brought some really nice roses from our garden in Greece. How i miss home sometimes! Enjoy the Greek roses.
Greek roses
Greek Roses

Monday, 23 April 2012

Bluebells


Late April, early May is the best part of the year in the North of England as this is the time the bluebells come out. A bluebell or Hyacinthoides non-scripta is particularly associated with ancient woodland where it may dominate the understorey to produce carpets of violet–blue flowers in "bluebell woods". We went for a walk the other day hoping to get a glimpse of this wonderful plant and here's some nice photos!

bluebell woods
Bluebell woods

cluster of bluebells
Amazing clusters of blue magic
Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Bluebells)

bluebells
A close up of bluebells

I hope you enjoy them until next year!