No guilt here

So if you're like me, you get home from work and want something quick and easy that excites the tastebuds.

Something that's filling and satisfying but not heavy on the calories.

Well, I think we may have found a winner, lovely readers!

(Actually, credits to my Mum who whipped this up after our Zumba class last night!)

Enter the Weight Watchers No Guilt Pizza.

I've experimented with a few of their suggested toppings before, but this one was a bit left of centre and really fresh and light.

And soooooo easy. Were there enough 'Os' in that sooooo?

Here we go . . .

Take one wholemeal pita

Spread with a tablespoon of pesto (we just used the stock standard basil)

Scatter a shake or two of chilli flakes over the pesto

Thinly slice zucchini and layer over the pizza base

Top with halved grape tomatoes (not too many otherwise it goes soggy)

Dollop low fat ricotta cheese on top

Bake in a pizza oven (or normal oven) until crispy

Serve with a scattering of torn flat leaf parsley and fresh mint on top

(We added chicken and grated cheese to Big John's - being a retired meat wholesaler, he's not really down pat with the whole vegetarian thing)

TDF readers. It's amazing.

Enjoy x

It's a cheesey kind of world

I've got cheese on the brain.

Soft, hard, blue, gooey, melted . . . however it comes.

Camille Styles featured some brilliant cheese boards the other day, and I love how lots of brides are using cheesecakes for their ceremonial cutting. Yum!

I saw Jamie Oliver sprinkle some cheese with honey and instant coffee the other day and it got me thinking. How do you like your cheese?

I'm in love with a particular French cheese that I can get from the gourmet deli (hello Lucia's!) at my local shopping centre. It's a d'affinois and it's TDF.

Love the suggestion of honeycomb and blueberries in the last pic above. And pears seem to be a staple.

Any other mindblowing discoveries that you've experimented with?

Pics from Martha Stewart, Camille Styles and Polkadot Bride

Roost

I love finding a new foodie blog. Especially one that masters the art of the written word as well as the beauty of great styling and photography.

Roost is my new favey.

Check out Coco's beautiful use of the English language . . .

"So now as I write these words in the dark of the night, the crickets coo their mellifluous lullabies while the cold, bitter air lures me back under the billowy down. I close my eyes, allowing my thoughts to slowly slip away leaving my mind void and still.  I drift into a dreamless night anticipating the tranquil dawn that will come all too soon."

It's poetry! Reminds me of how Nigella expresses her love of food and cooking.

Think I'm going to have to try those crispy thyme zucchini fries. . .

And make sure you check out Coco's pinterest - it's a beautifully curated collection full of so much inspiration.

Food for thought

Congrats to Katie Quinn Davies who has had her fabulous foodie blog 'What Katie Ate' listed in the The Independent's 50 Best Food Websites (if only we lived in the UK!).

It's def one of my favourite reads - the most drool worthy food pics ever.

Check out the entire list for yourself here.

All I want for Christmas . . .

I've had my eye on the most gorgeous book for weeks now, and just stumbled across the behind the scenes video for it . . .



Fleur Wood's Food, Fashion, Friends is SO me.

A definite stocking filler thank you Father Christmas (Mum, I hope you're reading this!).

I heart it

I'm still new to this whole blog thing so excuse me if I'm way behind the eight ball and it's a case of 'Hello Sandra Sully, with the late news', but I have just stumbled across THE BEST image site ever.

Absolutely stunning!

weheartit (how DO you do hearts in bloggy world?) is the bread on my butter, the cream cheese on my carrot cake. I'm in love!

The above pics were just from a 'pink' search and how ah-mazing are they? A little bit more searching took me to the 'food' labels and just check out below what I found.

Enjoy xo

Caught on camera

All photos from Con Poulos

So I'm sick . . . again. And completely lacking in inspiration and joy. And the ability to taste. I decided I needed to surround myself in pretty things to help get me out of this cold-related frump . . . and distracted from the bag of Cadbury chocolate drops Gem brought over on Friday.

So instead, I immersed myself in the world of food photography. It's not as dull as it sounds! If I can't taste anything, then I need to be entertained by food visually. I'm one of those terribly boring kids in the kitchen who will only attempt a recipe if I can see what it looks like. I have to love the photo to even bother reading through the list of ingredients - it's safe to say I also judge a book by its cover. Guilty.

After my dismal efforts to capture the beauty of Michelle's ah-mazing veal birthday dinner, I decided it was time I did some research and check out how the pros do it. Now, Donna Hay has always been a style icon in terms of food design and I was very excited to track down the name of one of her photographers - Con Poulos.

Wow, what I'd do to have that special photographer's eye and knack of finding the beauty in even the most simple of culinary treats. A cupcake is not just flour and butter when you're looking through Con's lens - it's a work of art.

Now, where was that bag of chocolate drops . . .