#Zombieprompts Week 14

Share your best soup recipe.

We’ve just seen the end of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere (good riddance!) so no more soup for us. Although chicken soup is always welcome, even in 40°C weather.

chicken-doctor-people-soup-prescription

This winter I made a few ‘throw everything in the pot’ soups and they all actually turned out really well.

In my opinion there are a few basic steps that MUST happen in order for any soup to be good, regardless of the ingredients.

  • Onion. Diced finely and fried until golden. Every soup should start with this as a base.
  • Herbs. Dried or fresh or frozen. You can use whatever you have on hand and don’t be shy, the more the merrier.
  • Time. You cant rush a good soup. Cook your veggies on a lower heat for longer. If you can, make your soup the day before you need it. Soup always tastes better the next day.

So, here is a basic recipe. You can adapt it depending what veggies you have in your fridge.

'Throw Everything In The Pot' Soup
A thick, smooth soup, perfect with fresh bread. The recipe below includes veggies I happen to have in my fridge at the time of writing this.
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons olive oil (I use 2 'ice cubes' with chopped herbs from my freezer, very Pinterersty of me)
  2. 1 large onion, diced
  3. Herbs such as rosemary, thyme, cilantro, mixed Italian herbs, basically whatever you have on hand
  4. Garlic, either fresh, chopped or garlic powder
  5. Salt & pepper to taste
The following veggies are not set, use all or some or add what you have
  1. Potatoes, peeled and cubed
  2. Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  3. Carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
  4. Turnips, peeled and cubed
  5. Leeks, leaves chopped off, cut into 1 cm thick slices
  6. Celery, leaves chopped off, cut into 1 cm thick slices
  7. Water to cover chopped veggies
Instructions
  1. Once you have washed, peeled, diced and chopped all the veggies, add your olive oil and onion to a large pot and saute until golden.
  2. Add remaining veggies to the pot and sprinkle with the herbs, salt and pepper.
  3. Stir the veggies until they are all coated in the oil and spices.
  4. Keep stirring the veggies every 5 minutes or so until they are all heated through and starting to soften.
  5. Add enough water to the pot so that all the veggies are covered. I usually add about 1 cm above the veggie line.
  6. Turn down your heat to a simmer, cover the pot, leaving a small gap to allow steam to escape and simmer for an hour or longer until veggies are soft and falling apart when poked with a fork.
  7. Remove soup from heat and allow to cool slightly.
  8. You can leave the soup at this point and have a chunky broth or you can blend the veggies with a stick blender which is what I do.
  9. Reheat the soup when you are ready to eat.
Notes
  1. You can really add any veggies you want to this soup, peppers, squash, pumpkin, you name it you can add it.
A Bit of This A Bit of That https://gnatj.com/

#Zombieprompts Week 13

What are you ready to let go of this year?

I’m ready to accept that I am in my late 30’s and my body will never be what it was in my early 20’s again.

My butt is jiggly, my boobs are no longer perky, my belly is round, no matter what exercise I do, I am never getting rid of that little c-section roll over my scar.

I’m okay with this. It doesn’t mean I’m going to let myself go. I’m doing Pilates and I want to start walking/jogging/running/gasping for breath again. 

I’m eating healthier and trying to drink more water.

My aim is to be healthy not skinny. I’m not 20 anymore and that’s okay! 

 

image1
Picture of the park across the road from our apartment, taken by Paul

#Zombieprompts Week 12

What is one new thing you want to learn this year?

Knitting!

Its not a new thing, I’ve known how to knit for years. But only basic knitting and purling.

Now I am teaching myself how to add stitches and decrease stitches and how to make shapes and how to make little stuffed toys.

I don’t think I’m too keen on making jerseys and other wearable things. I want to make fun things.

I’ve made over a dozen small variegated grey hearts that I want to turn into baby mobiles. I will use about five or six grey hearts and then add an accent coloured heart depending on if its a boy or a girl baby and possibly embroider their name on it. I want to hang them using a thing silver ribbon and an embroidery hoop. Hold thumbs it turns out the way I want it to.

heart

This last weekend I came across a pattern for little mice. They each take about 45 minutes from start to finish. The pattern calls for embroidered eyes but I wasn’t happy with the way they came out. I was contemplating what to do when I remembered that in my late granny’s sewing box was a little packet that said ‘owl eyes (2)’. I dug it out and they were perfect. That particular little mouse is going to live with my Sister in Law, Yana. I also made three more mice and since they don’t have eyes yet, they will be The 3 Blind Mice. At least until I can get to the craft store and buy some more eyes.

mice

Next up, I found a pattern for little bunnies that looks relatively easy to do.  Maybe after that I will try something a bit bigger. 

bunny

*Updated: They are sooooooo easy to do! And now I am making a bigger one that I will turn into a bear.

#Zombieprompts Week 11

Share your goals and resolutions for 2016 and discuss what you want your life to look like one year from now.

Well, since I don’t do resolutions (I just feel like crap when they inevitably get broken), I guess I will concentrate on what I want my life to look like this time next year.

I want us to be happy.

I want the kids to have advanced a grade in school and to be happy and have good friends.

I want to be able to hold at least a basic conversation in Hebrew.

flower
Pic taken by Paul

I want us to possibly have a small (weekend) car so we can travel a bit and explore more of our amazing country.

I want to be able to go to South Africa for a visit and to see all my friends.

I want to have a dog (or a cat, or a ferret, or something else small and fluffy) to love.

 

#ZombiePrompts Week 10

What are you looking forward to right now?

Pretty spring prettiness!
Pretty spring prettiness!
  • My mom in law is coming to visit us for Pesach. It’s her first visit to Israel and the first time we will have seen her in person since we moved. The kids are super excited and already planning all the things they want to do when she is here.
  • Pesach. Last year our lift had not arrived yet, so we had no furniture and all my lovely Pesach things (most of which came from my late granny) couldn’t be used. This year I am hosting the seder and my mom in law, my brother, sister in law and nephew, my sister in law’s sister and kids and her mom and my sister from another mister, Rolene, are all coming to me. Its the first time I am hosting Pesach and to do it in Israel, surrounded by family is the best feeling!
  • Spring/Summer (and summer vacation). I’m tired of being cold. I’m tired of wearing layers. I want to wear my slops and sun dresses and go to the pool.
  • Purim. I have THE BEST costume this year. Cannot wait to put it together.
  • Lunch. I’m really hungry and I can’t wait for my shwarma to arrive 😉

 

#ZombiePrompts Week 9

What do you love about your current life?

Wow, so many things.

I love that we are a cohesive family unit. 

I love that my kids have good friends.

And that our kids are speaking fluent Hebrew (especially when I need a translator).

My job is good. Its a fantastic working environment and I have great friends and the #BestBossEver.

Summer is on its way. I LOVE summer. Winter can suck it!

My mom in law is coming to visit. She has never been to Israel and I cant wait to show her our beautiful country and our home.

I love that I am content and happy. Truly, deeply happy. There is nothing better.

happiness

#ZombiePrompts Week 8

Create a series of date night guides for your city.

Oooh boy. I hate to say this but we haven’t really been on any date nights since coming to live in Israel.

The main reason being we would have to get a babysitter for the kids and I’m not too sure if we or the kids or the babysitter are ready for that.

But, if I were to plan an ideal date night, it would definitely involve dinner and a movie followed by a night at a hotel with breakfast the next morning.

paulme

Honestly, one night, just the two of us, no matter what we did, would be amazing. 

#ZombiePrompts Week 7

List the best movies and TV shows for binge-watching on a rainy weekend.

So many to choose from…

We are currently watching the shows below and they make for great weekend (or anytime) binge watching:

The Expanse – Fantastic sci-fi space action drama.

Continuum – Fun sci-fi with lots of twists and turns.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – We’ve just about finished season 1, its so awesomely cheesy, good thing we know it gets so much better.

Movies we recently watched and are a great way to spend a few hours with the family on the weekend:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – My kids LOVED it.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – I couldn’t let the kids watch the new movie without watching the original. They loved it just as much as the new one.

Green Lantern – Aliens, action, comedy for the kids and the husband, Ryan Reynolds for me.

The Wizard of Oz – The kids loved it. They also couldn’t believe that when this movie was made, Lego hadn’t been invented yet!

These 3 were entranced by Johnny Depp's  Willy Wonka
These 3 were entranced by Johnny Depp’s Willy Wonka

#ZombiePrompts Week 6

Share a DIY Tutorial for handmade Valentines

Yeah….. no.

No Valentines stuff.

I’ve never really celebrated Valentines Day when I was younger and Paul and I got married 2 days before Valentines so we rather celebrate our anniversary instead.

No DIY crafty stuff. 

I suck as crafty stuff. 

But in the spirit of #ZombiePrompts and for those of you who are crafty and do celebrate, here is a duct tape (I adore duct tape, no judgies!), DIY from the Instructables website.

rose1
Image from the Instructable

Duct Tape Roses

 

#ZombiePrompts Week 5

What are your top 5 pieces of clothing?

My jeans! I wear my jeans nearly every day, winter, summer, rain or shine. I have 2 pairs of Levis Curves ID.  I’ve mentioned before that I’m a pear, meaning I have a small waist and large butt/hips. Levis Curves are the answer to my prayers. I actually need to get a few new pairs, I need to figure out if they have them here in Israel or if I need to get someone to bring them back from SA for me.

Pick n Pay bandeau bras. They are so comfortable. Soft, stretchy, no under wire, no clasps, thin straps. I have a dozen of them in black, tan, regular straps and sports straps.

Boots/Havaianas. I usually wear the same pair of shoes until they literally fall apart. last summer I wore the same pair of beige Havaianas every day. So comfy and light. I will definitely need to buy a new pair this summer though. This winter I went to ToGo and got two pairs of boots from them (they had a buy 1 get 1 free offer). So far I have lived in the black pair although on occasion I have worn the brown pair. But ja, those are my go to shoes for winter or summer.

My pony tail holder elastic thingy. Yes, I know, not technically clothing but I cannot live without one. I like having my hair long. I hate having my hair in my face. I either put my hair in a pony, a messy bun or lately a plait. I keep a card with a dozen elastics on it in my handbag, just in case.

Only 4. I really cant think of a 5th item that I have to have or need or wear all the time. My main concern with clothing is if its comfortable. 

IMG_4166