Well this week has been a pretty good one for me as far as weeks go. There was a little incident at work that knocked me a kilter a little, but other than that it has been pretty good full of good food and my mum’s first visit to our new home. She loves our little cottage and is already started talking about staying for the weekend.
After all of that rain it is now just grey, dry but freezing cold! I can’t believe how far the temperatures have dropped. Copious amounts of hot tea has been drunk, my hot water bottle has been working overtime and we have had lots of cosy nights in front of our open fire.
In the morning’s I have been making the most of warm breakfasts to help me battle the cold before heading out:
Chocolate and pear oats//sweet mince pie oats with coconut//simple oats with half a banana, cinnamon and PB.
Other food highlights from this week have included:
1. Roasted chicken with red onion and lemon with stir fried greens and jollof rice
2. Chick pea salad with balsamic dressing
3. Baked sweet potato with a fried egg, stir fried veggies and ketchup
4. Socca pizza topped with veggies and organic cheddar
5. Pureed pumpkin mixed with vanilla and honey Greek yoghurt and Lindt dark chocolate.
This week I made a start on the Christmas shopping-finally! I have left it a lot later than this year than I normally do. Whilst out hunting for gifts I picked up some goodies from Holland and Barratt too.
![IMG_4502[1]](https://drjemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/IMG_45021.jpg "IMG_4502[1]")
Chopped dates//walnut halves//coconut water//almond butter//organic sweet mince pie filling//Nakd ginger bread bar//nutty 9bar.
I’m so happy to have found the new unsweetened version of Alpro’s almond milk. I have tried the sweetened version as a treat before and as lovely as it is the amount of sugar in it took me by surprise. This one is currently on a 3 for £3 offer in Sainsbury’s…I love a good bargain!
In other news…
During the week Christmas came early as our wedding gifts arrived! It was so much fun opening them all. The kitchen looked like a bomb site after we had finishes- it looked like we had moved in all over again! We are both so overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity and kindness.
My auntie knows that I have a love of candles and she gifted me this huge basket packed full of them. It’s full of seasonal scents and I have been burning a cinnamon candle all week, our home smells delicious. I cannot wait to start burning the Christmas candles. There is even one called Cherries on Snow!
With the fire going, Christmas shopping, burning cinnamon candles we are definitely in the Christmas spirit here. All we need is to get our Christmas tree up and then we will be all set! =)
Are you all in the Christmas spirit yet? How early do you start your Christmas shopping?
What did you get up to this weekend?
I started my Xmas shopping in October so I am almost finished. Just a few bits to buy online. It’s wrapping them that is the chore I think! Love all your candles 🙂
I love wrapping and making the gifts look pretty. Although I do moan if the gift is a weird shape with awkward corners 🙂
I’ve definitely got into the Christmas spirit! I’ve been burning winter essential oils for the last few weeks and we have our little tree up so it smells all Christmassy! I love that Alpro have brought out an unsweetened almond milk, we don’t have Almond Breeze in Ireland as of yet, so hopefully this Alpro one will make an appearance soon!
Hopefully it gets to you soon. It’s great that they have bought out the unsweetened variety.
I’m starting to feel super festive 🙂 must keep an eye out for that milk, I do enjoy the sweetened one but fancy a change!
It’s lovely and you can’t taste the difference.
I’m feeling very Christmassy after putting our tree up and looking around the Christmas market yesterday 🙂
We put our tree up today. It sure does put you in the Christmas spirit.
I’ve been decorating all weekend, so I’m definitely in the Christmas spirit, but I haven’t started on the shopping yet… that usually gets put off until the second week of December or so 😀
I made a small dent in my shopping yesterday. I feel so relieved that I have some of it done now.
Your fire looks so cozy 🙂 I love the look of that roast chicken and rice! Your aunt is so generous, I love candles too.
I’m definitely getting into the Christmas spirit, I made this year’s first batch of mince pies today! 🙂 I started my Christmas shopping pretty early but I’ve still got a fair bit to do…
I’m really in the Christmas spirit right now, love this time of year.
Love your fire, I bet it makes the room so lovely and cozy! I feel really organised this year. Our tree was up today, I’ve got most of the presents bought and wrapped…just need to get the cake made and food bought!
We put our tree up today. It looks fab next to the fire.
It’s been SO cold! -3C as I was doing the horses this evening, not good – but there’s nothing like an open fire, it makes such a lovely atmosphere and makes the house feel so cosy 🙂
It must have been lovely opening the presents, good practice for a few weeks’ time… and speaking of which, I’m so not organised yet!
Having an open fire is definitely a treat on this cold weather!
I am SO excited for Christmas!!! 🙂 And I’ve actually done most of my christmas shopping already!
You are so lucky. We made a dent in ours this week.
I love having the fire place on during the holidays. It’s nice and cozy! Ohh, unsweetened almond milk in Europe? I’ve only seen the sweetened one so far. I don’t buy it because it’s like drinking sugar, to me at least.
I think it is brand new in the shops, hopefully it makes it your way soon.
Wow all that food looks amazing, and all those pressies – wow!!
Yes we are very lucky, people are so kind.
you picked up some great H&B staples! and a candle hamper – how cool is that?!