Spring Onion, Feta and Chorizo Couscous

This couscous salad is very simple to put together and is great as a lunch or light meal. The different flavours and textures work well together and I love how the oils from the chorizo give the couscous so much flavour.

Serves 1

You will need:

50g couscous

Equal volume of hot chicken stock

5cm of chorizo sausage, cut into small chunks

2 spring onions, sliced

2 slices of feta cheese, broken into small pieces


Method:

Put the couscous and the chicken stock into a bowl (can be the one used to serve). Stir once to make sure all the couscous is emersed in the stock and leave completely for 5 minutes.
Add the chorizo to a medium/hot frying pan while the couscous is soaking to release the oils.
Stir the couscous with a fork to fluff it up. Add the chorizo with all the oils from the frying pan, stir to combine. Finally add the spring onions and feta cheese to the mixture and stir once again to combine.
Serve immediately while warm.

Brown Rice and Chorizo Stuffed Pepper

Serves 1

You will need:

1 red pepper

35g brown rice, cooked according to the packet instructions

1/2 a small onion, diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

5cm of chorizo sausage, cut into small chunks

small amount of grated cheese, cheddar or parmesan

olive oil 


Method:

Start by preparing the pepper. Trim the very bottom of the pepper, just enough so that it will stand upright. Cut around the sides of the pepper near the top and pull out the center removing all the seeds. (Chop up any pepper leftover from what was cut of the top and bottom of the pepper and add to the filling.) Remove any of the white membrane from the inside of the pepper. Put the pepper on a non-stick baking sheet ready to be filled.
 Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add the chorizo, chopped red pepper and cook for a further 3-5 minutes before adding the rice. 
Make sure to mix all the ingredients in the filling well and then stuff the pepper until it is mounded slightly on the top (it will shrink down a little while cooking). 
Place in a preheated oven at 180 C for 30 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy while hot.

Strawberry Smoothie

During the summer months I've been really enjoying all the fresh fruit that's now in season. We were given a lot of homegrown strawberries by our neighbor and a smoothie was the perfect way of using up the not so good or overly ripe looking ones. I find that a smoothie is the perfect refreshing drink on a hot summer day, and they're so easy to make.

Serves 1

You will need:

1/2 a banana

handful of strawberries

1/2 cup of almond milk


Method:

Blend all the ingredients in a smoothie maker or using a hand blender. Serve in a glass and enjoy. It's that simple!

I like to put the smoothie into the freezer for a short while to making sure it's nice and cold before drinking.

July Favourites

We've had a heatwave over the past month here in England. It's been super hot but I've not been out much. I'd never tried any kind of fake tan product before but thought I'd give this Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion a try to add a bit of colour to my skin. I really like the colour it gives to my skin as it looks completely natural and slightly tanned.
On my face I've been using the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream everyday as a base. It blends in seamlessly to my skin, and although this is the lightest colour it adds a slight warmth to my skin. To give my face a sun-kissed look I've been using the Rimmel Natural Bronzer in the shade '022 Sun Bronze' on the high points of my face where I would naturally tan.
Sticking with the bronzed theme I've often been reaching for my Maybelline Color Tattoo in 'On and On Bronze' to sweep all over the lid and blended out at the edges. Also, almost everyday of the month, I've been using the Rimmel Scandel Eyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal to line the upper and lower waterlines.

Songs of the Month: