Is It Just Me, or Do Onions Make Everything Better?
End of August always feels like a funny in-between. I can already hear that first whisper of autumn. Summer’s still hanging on, but routines are creeping back in. If you're already dreading packed lunches or meal planning, you're not alone.
This week’s been a mix of recipe planning and decluttering my home office ahead of the new season (I am not even going to name it until September 😁), actively relaxing (think lots of walks and a spa and swimming afternoon with Dave) and ended with a little London sparkle.
5 Foods Your Gut Bugs Love 🌱 If you missed it, I shared a post on the everyday foods that fuel your microbiome: beans, peas, yogurt, onions and berries. They’re simple, colorful, and delicious ways to sneak in fibre & antioxidants (and help you tick off those 30 plants a week without overthinking it). Aren't you surprised it's so easy?
🧅🍅 Purple Onions & Preserving Tomatoes Big news in the garden! A few of my purple onions have finally popped up! They’re tiny, but I’ll take the win 😃. Meanwhile, my parents are in full preserving swing with their mountain of tomatoes (their farmhouse garden is huge). They bottle juice and passata for soups, freeze bags of chopped tomatoes, and make zacusca - a Romanian spread with roasted peppers, aubergines (eggplants), and tomatoes. It’s spicy, silky, full of umami and mostly spread on toast or sandwiches. I can almost taste autumn (oops, not supposed to say the word yet ☺️) when I think about it.
The World’s Yummiest Lunch Wrap 🌯 Speaking of spreads, I made Dave’s favourite bean spread this week, and I used it as the base for the best wrap: wholemeal tortilla, leftover crispy smashed potatoes (yes, if you haven't seen the video, what are you even doing with your life), and a pile of quick-pickled purple onion. Vegan, filling, and ridiculously good. Honestly, it might be my new go-to lunch.
London Nights ✨ And because we had to mark the end of summer with a Big Bang, Iggi and I had the most delightful girls’ night out: tapas, theatre, then a stroll across the Golden Jubilee Bridge. We stopped to take in the night view of the London Eye and Big Ben all lit up and breath in that evening breeze that's still warm. I never tire of London, it's still my favorite city in the world so far 💓.
View of London Eye & Big Ben from Golden Jubilee Bridge
Sneak Peek 🎥 I’m planning a little YouTube series on meal planning for a week of gut-loving meals - to make back-to-school/back-to-routine life a bit easier. What would you like me to cover? Breakfasts, quick dinners, packed lunches? Let me know - and yes, here’s the channel if you want to subscribe.
Quick question What’s the one thing you’d love more meal-planning inspiration for as we roll into September? Breakfast, lunches, or dinners? Hit reply and tell me. Or just reply with anything you'd like to see me making!
