A Goal For Every Month

Be Better with Money

In January, I want to focus on getting my finances in order. Sadly, due to the failure of my business (goddammit) I am having to seek further financial advice and have an appointment to start the process of a DRO. A fresh start is what I'm after, a chance for a clean slate and to live within my means. Having to deal with the crap from last year has really taught me the importance of healthy finances!

I certainly want it to be the start of a mature response to money, getting out of the habit of spending to make myself feel better or just because I have it! It's probably even more important now that Calvin and I are planning for our wedding and our future together, I certainly don't want that to be associated with any kind of bad debts.

Spend Quality Time Together

In February, I want it to be about spending quality time as a couple. Whether that be days out, planning our future, cooking together, doing some DIY or simply a walk in the park. I want to see if we can focus on doing things cheaply, and not translating time spent together into a mediocre, unnecessary meal (which is what we usually do!)

Blog (almost) Every Day
Hopefully by this point I'll have been blogging almost every day, and I'd like to keep it up throughout the year. I really love to tell you guys what I'm up to, share a little about what I've learnt from my experiences, some yummy food I've made or even just what I've been thinking about lately. I also find that it really helps to get things down on paper, as it were. I do a lot of writing in my day to day life and I find writing something that is a bit more free helps to clear my mind a little!

Get in the Garden
I love to garden, or at least I'm learning to love it! Two Summers ago I told you about all the veg that I grew. I was so proud to see my little seedlings grow into big, fruitful plants and I want to do the same this summer. I must admit, the garden we have now isn't even a patch on my parents. We have a mere 2m² but I will make it pretty! I know I want a peony bush and foxgloves, but that's as far as I've got and I don't even know if they're suitable!

Work Hard at University

May will be my last month for my first year at University, including exams! I'm going to make sure I spend the whole month revising, eating properly, sleeping well. It goes without saying that I should be doing the latter two now (but clearly I don't, as I'm typing this at 2am after just eating some Caramel and Cinnamon Waffle ice-cream!). I'm going to ensure all my class assignments, exams, extra curricular responsibilities, etc are tied up nicely so I feel relaxed for the summer and not guilty for feeling like I should've put more effort in. 

Get on my Bike

I want to make this the month of exploring! I got my gorgeous Gazelle bike last summer and rode it almost every day! This horrid Yorkshire weather doesn't help. So I want to get out there and see the countryside. Maybe even join the Ladies Vintage Cycle Club? Summer, I can't wait!

Sweet Potatoes, White Beans and Kale! Droooool!

Be A Better Vegetarian

July will be the month of veggies! I am a vegetarian (technically a pescetarian) and have been all my life. Yet, I've only just tried cooking lentils! I love to cook and this summer I'm going to eat/cook all the typical vegetarian things that I haven't really tried before, or at least for a while. I'm thinking lots of quinoa, palenta, lentils, exciting salads, unusual fruits and pulses! I'll also probably throw in some different fish that I haven't tried before, just cause I really should eat more than tuna/cod/salmon/prawns! 

Regular OOTDs!
I follow a lot of fashion bloggers, primarily sweet individual women who post OOTDs (not the more serious kind!) and I love seeing what they wear! I have thought about doing these now and again, but saw it as too trivial and mundane, but I really enjoying seeing others! In August I want to post an OOTD at least once every 3 days. It's summer, not my best time with clothing as style usually goes out the window in favour of being cool/comfortable! I have a few ideas of what I'd like to wear this summer...I know, already! So hopefully it'll be the start of a regular feature!

Do More Cultural Things

I love museums, art galleries and the like. I want to make sure that in September I go to a couple. Maybe have a day out in Leeds? The Art Gallery there is awesome! Would love to visit the National Media Museum again, see some movies in the IMAX cinema ('cause thats totally cultural!) maybe?

Read More!

I love books, I'm just not quite so good with reading...ha! I buy books cause I do want to read them, I just really suck about getting round to actually reading them. Last September, before I started my degree, I read Freakonomics cover to cover and then read it again! Absolutely brilliant book! I have Caitlin Moran's Moranthology on my bookshelf waiting for me, and I'd like to read a few modern classics, etc. I also really want to read Beth Ditto's Biography, Coal To Diamonds! If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them!

Christmas Shopping

In November, I think I'd like to make a real effort to start/finish my christmas shopping! Ha! I always leave buy presents to the last week before Christmas, leaving me utterly skint and pressed for finding good gifts! Sales will be my friend, and I will get all my shopping finished by the end of the month!

FAT Positive
I'd like to make sure that in December I have done something Fat/Body Positive during the year. I follow a lot of lovely girls in the Yorkshire area and beyond who are very inspirational women and have helped me "come to terms" with who I am. I made an important revelation this month in that being "overweight" does not make me worthless. No matter what size or weight I am, I have the right to feel comfortable, sexy, awesome, empowered and beautiful. With this new found confidence, I'd like to carry it on for the next year and reach out in someway or another. 

Peace and Love!
xx

Nigella's Own: Cheese and Onion Potato Pie

Hey lovelies!

I'm back today to share one of my favourite Nigella recipes with you. As a vegetarian, I often have to adjust many beloved "celeb chef" recipes to make them suitable, a great example of this is the variation on the Jamie Oliver Chicken Pie I blogged about here. But with this one, I can stick to it, word for word (apart from buying shop pastry!) and have something utterly delicious! I know, I know, it's summer, and hot cheesy pie isn't really very apt to the kind of weather we should be having. But thats exactly it, the weather in ol' Blighty has been utterly dire, constant rain, cold and windy. What happened to June! It used to be sunny, right?

So, I can go back to my autumn clothes, and my autumn food and indulge, knowing that I'm not being much of a weirdo by eating pie when it's 20C+ outside! Come to think of it, I may even have a log fire tonight!

Cheese and Onion Potato Pie by Nigella Lawson

This recipe can be found in her fantastic book, "How to be a Domestic Goddess"

500g Potatoes (waxy not floury) peeled and diced

100g Spring onions (about 6) chopped finely

125g Mature cheddar: 75g grated, 50g diced

2tbsp grated parmesan (I omitted this)

50g Red leicester; grated (I left this out too!)

2tbsp chopped parsely

4tbsp creme fraiche to bind (around 1 small pot of Asda's own)

First get all your ingredients together, all you need is potatoes, creme fraiche, parsley, 

spring onions and cheese (don't worry, not a whole block!). Oh and pastry, I used a shop bought puff pastry, but you could also use shortcrust, and homemade of course.

Peel and dice your tatties!

Put them in a pan of water and bring to the boil for 5 - 10 minutes 

until tender but keeping their shape. 

Once cooked, drain and leave to cool.

Prep your spring onions, topping and tailing and dice, 

leave 'em chunky if you like a bit of bite, 

they'll mellow out during the cooking anyway.

Mix in with your creme fraiche.

Add the cheese, grate some and cube some. 

Add in your slightly cooled potatoes, mixing all ingredients together.

Add in some salt, pepper, even some mustard powder if you wish.

Put into your oven dish, you could make separate pies 

if you wish (like the recipe suggests).

Top with your pastry, give it a milk (or egg) wash and chuck in a preheated oven (at gm6/200c) for 20 minutes or until golden.

And there you go!

Peace and Love!

xx