Make it: Chick Pea and Leek Soup

Comfort food is one of the great things of colder weather and this chick pea soup is the perfect lunch for a weekend indoors. Easy to make, cheap and very filling. This is a very Greek recipe, Greek cuisine has many pulses soups recipes and this is a classic for you to try. I actually thought it was a proper Greek as I found it on a Greek recipe website, alas it's by Jamie Oliver, funny! 

Printable recipe here

Ingredients

250-300 grams dried chick peas 

1 litre chicken stock (I made it with 2 chicken stock cubes)

2 large leeks

1 medium white onion

1 medium potato

2 garlic cloves

4 tsbs olive oil

50 gr butter

Grated parmesan 

How to Make it

Soak your dried chick peas in a bowl with salted water from the night before. 

Slice your leeks and onion, chop your garlic and grate your potato. 

Make your chicken stock.

In a large pot with 800 litres of water boil the rinsed chick peas until soft. Drain them and disregard all the water. 

In the same pot add the olive oil over medium heat and cook slightly the leeks, onion, garlic and potato until tender. Throw in your chick peas and butter and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt and pepper at taste. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes. If you want your soup to be a bit creamy (I know you do) blend some of the chick peas and put them back in (you can also blend it all if you want it really creamy).

Let it cool for about 5 minutes and serve warm with shaved parmesan and olive oil. 

Printable recipe here

Recipe comes from here (original by Jamie Oliver's which I had no idea when making it!)

Eva for THE EDIT

My girl crush has always been one. When the conversation comes I always say how much I like Eva Mendes. I find her extremely beautiful and I love how she is a real woman with a beautiful delicate face and a gorgeous body. When I saw her feature  and interview on Net-a-Porter's digital magazine THE EDIT I really wanted to share the photos. She reminds me a bit (a lot actually) of a 1950's-1960's Hollywood beauty and I love how down to earth always seems to be. I find it fascinating that at a younger age she considered becoming a nun, I'm sure many are glad she didn't!

NET-A-PORTER do incredibly curated photo shoots and the specific clothing suits her image perfectly. I can't wait for the print magazine!

Shop Eva's style

Images via: NET-A-PORTER for THE EDIT photographed by  David Bellemere

Fruit Wall

Pretty design catches my eye, like yours probably. When it's pretty and functional I love it even more. Yesterday on my friend's Christina's facebook wall I saw a link to a concept/company called Fruit-Wall, the idea is to replace the fruit bowl in our kitchens and fridges and use this ingenious storage solution that technically is a small collection of shelves, just the right size for our fruits. It adds a great design piece in any kitchen, a punch of colour and tons of functionality. Perfect for any kitchen, small or big, counter space tends to be limited in big cities but there are always walls that can be used, when it doubt go high!

Antique Sinks

I never thought much about bath sinks. To me they were simply basins to wash hands and face, nothing more, yes I got it that some were prettier than others, better materials etc etc but never thought much. That's until I visited my friend's parents home and saw their gorgeous salvaged antique sinks. Oh how it made me think about gorgeous old pieces that have a history and are now serving a new purpose. Prices, materials, condition can vary but if you are looking to re do your bathroom why don't you take a look around, you might find your dream antique sink!

Via: 1|2|3|4|5|6

Make it: Giant Couscous with Mint and Lemon

This is another no brainer from the one and only Martha Stewart and obviously it did not disappoint. I had it for lunch on Saturday as a main course but could also be a great starter or a salad. I changed a bit the recipe in that I didn't put the cooked couscous in the fridge and I ate it straight away warmish. Delicious! I even made it again yesterday so I could bring it to work for lunch today!

Printable recipe here

Ingredients

For 2 as a main course

300gr Israeli wholegrain couscous (10.5 ounces)

5 tbsps of olive oil, plus more to drizzle

1/4 cup of fresh chopped mint

6 scallions thinly sliced

1/3 golden raisins (I used sultana)

3 tbsps very thinly sliced lemon zest

1/4 cup pine nuts (recipe says toasted I think mine were normal and it worked ok)

2 tbsps of fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes

salt and pepper

Instructions

 Bring a pot with salted water to a boil and cook the couscous until al dente, about 5-6 minutes but I recommend you taste it so you are happy with its texture. Drain and drizzle with olive oil and stir. Let it rest while you prepare your other ingredients. 

Cut the scallions and mint and juice your lemon. 

Combine couscous with the rest of ingredients in a large bowl and stir all together. You can either refrigerate and eat as a cold salad or eat as it is. 

Printable recipe here

It's trench season

On my way to work (I walk for about 25-30 minutes in Central London) I see many people and in this cold, rainy and windy weather there is one thing I keep seeing over and over. Yes, you got it, it's the trench. I'm also wearing one actually. I would love a classic Burberry (who wouldn't right?) but until my budget allows I went for a Zara one, that has a lovely detachable lining that make it incredibly cosy and warm. 

There are many women (and men of course, especially men!) who wear it and wore the trench impeccably but one especially rocked it like nobody's business. Audrey Hepburn was the Trench Queen. Class, elegance and femininity all warped in this lovely coat. 

While I have found my one for this winter at least here are some other great choices for all budgets!

Via:1|2|3|4|5|6|7

Ideal Closet

Another pink coat! This one ticks all the boxes of this season's coat musts. Pink and oversized. I love the shade of this pink too, bright, punchy and all around happy but very very elegant. With the black touches this outfit becomes an incredibly smart work outfit, a bit more fashion-y but still very business like. Any of us would look a fabulous talking business woman in this! Now I wish my job was so smart and that I also could walk my 25 minutes commute in these heels! Taxi shoes, unfortunately not fit for London.

Get it here

Autumn!

While in Barcelona I lived in the summer bubble, that's the all sun and hot weather. Well that's well over now that I'm back in London for a while. It has been raining non stop and it's grey, however this means Autumn is here and is here to stay with all its benefits. 

That means coat and trenches are coming out, booties and scarves and big chunky sweaters. 

I'm crazy for this leopard coat. A statement coat is a must this season. The pink trend has been discussed all over all over blogland and there is a good reason. It's just perfect!

In my closet I want comfy but stylish items, that can see me through the colder months that are coming. 

But Autumn is also the time for the come back of yummy comfort food and lovely warm apple pies. I will be making an apple crumble soon with a friend's recipe but this plum and apple one also looks delish. 

Another thing that excites me this season is TV, yes yes, it's that time of the year when our all time favorite shows are back. I can't wait for Downton Abbey, Homeland and Revenge. What are you excited about? Do share, I love knowing what others are watching!

Via: 1|2|3|

Make it: Greek Souvlaki

Another recipe for this cold Monday in London!

Souvlaki is one thing all Greeks know and many many many who have visited Greece have tried and loved. It's usually eaten inside a pita bread as a wrap. But I like to eat it plain in a skewer too. It's incredibly easy to make, of course and can be made with any meat, this time at home we made them with beef and pork (chicken is also a very common version).

Not sure if you have noticed it on my other recipes but I have started creating printable recipes, you can find them on each of the past and future recipes posts. I hope it makes it easier for you to quickly print them if you decide to make any of them. Please do let me know, it makes me incredibly happy knowing that you have tried one of the recipes I share. 

The printable recipe for this week's recipe can be found and printed here

Ingredients

For 6 souvlakia

Diced beef (150gr)

Diced pork (150gr)

1/2 green pepper 

1/2 red pepper

For the marinade

1 lemon

olive oil

oregano

salt, pepper

Instructions

Build your skewers. Use 5 to 6 pieces in each and 2 to 3 pieces of peppers in between. Make sure you prepare them a couple of hours at least before you are planning to eat them so the marinade can soak up. Lay them in a large shallow bowl and squeeze 1 lemon on them, 1 cup of olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano to taste. Make sure they are well coated. Set aside in the fridge for a couple of hours. 

At home we served them with homemade french fries, you can also serve it with a nice salad. These cook very quickly. Heat up your grill pan on medium-high, once hot add some olive oil and place each of your souvlaki with room between them to cook nicely. Allow them to cook for 8-10 minutes turning occasionally. 

Once cook, garnish with some more oregano and coat them with lemon juice, have some toasted bread close by as the juice are to die for! 

Printable recipe here

Ursula Mascaro's home in Menorca

A month or two ago I pinned this home in my secret "blog" Pinterest board and today I came across it again. It's the Menorca home of shoe designer Úrsula Mascaró. While Summer is over and the weather is also turning around (even here in Barcelona) it is always nice seeing a gorgeous light filled house, surrounded by lush greens and the Mediterranean sea. The white walls allow this home to be pure and simple and the interior is welcoming and makes for an incredibly homely feeling. The sea is only 100m away, what a dream. 

Via: Elle.es