Simple Halloumi Salad

Do you ever freak out when "the vegetarian" comes for lunch or dinner? My family do all the time. They are traditionalists in the kitchen and can't understand how I don't eat red meat. "You'll eat lasagne won't you Kelly?", "No Mum it's got red meat in it". I used to adore my Mum's beef lasagne as a child, but I can't go there now. I think she's a little taken aback by that.
I must admit, I know I confuse them as I have changed my diet a few times over the years from being a complete vegetarian, to eating chicken, to pescatarian, to no dairy, then dairy.
My husband and I have now mastered the art of coming up with quick fresh and tasty vegetarian meals that don't contain pasta. Some amazing ones do, but not this one. A simple fresh and delicious vegetarian halloumi salad. It takes just minutes to make and vegetarians and non vegetarians will love it. Try it next time 'the vegetarian' visits you. They'll be impressed.

GRILLED HALLOUMI SALAD

Ingredients
A couple of handfuls of rocket
A handful of flat leaf parsley
A handful of mint
1/2 cup of frozen (or fresh) peas, steamed
Halloumi
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
About a 1 tspn brown sugar


Place all greens in a bowl. Feel free to tear the mint and chop the parsley a little if preferred. Cut halloumi into fours. I usually cut it in half down the centre to make it a little thinner. Baste with olive oil and grill or fry in pan for a few minutes either side until brown. Add to salad and then dress with olive oil, vinegar and brown sugar.  We had this just the other night, but it'd be great in summer too, cooked on the BBQ. Yuuum!

Before and After... TV Unit

A long while ago I told you about how I was going to paint our television unit. I did it then and there, but it has taken me all this time to put up the before and after shots... mainly because our lounge room is always untidy with toys everywhere and it was never the right time to take them. Well today I have made the time, not that there is actually much of the lounge room in these photos... I zoomed in. I am so happy with the result. The timber before was too yellow and didn't match the other timber pieces in the room. Now it just blends in. We've had friends even compliment us on our 'new' cabinet, and I've then proudly confessed, it's not new, just a paint job. With pretty handles.

BEFORE

AFTER

I bought the door knobs from a gorgeous little French inspired shop in town. I think I am about the only person I know who doesn't have a plasma... still got the trusty Toshiba... I can't justify buying a new television when this one works just fine (man I sound like my mum!). Plus it gets covered in little finger prints at the moment anyway.
Hope you have a great weekend. We are off collecting wood on Sunday. Should be fun. I get to catch up with my Auntie, Uncle and cousins that I haven't seen in a while, so looking forward to it. x

Warm Rocket, Roast Vegetable and Fetta Salad

I felt like something warm and yummy today for lunch, and healthy too. My daughter and I made this Warm Rocket, Roast Vegetable and Fetta Salad and it is absolutely delicious.  I could quite happily eat this for every meal I think. If you enjoy meat you could also add some chicken tenderloins or grilled lamb and serve it as a side dish. I love it on it's own.

Warm Rocket, Roast Vegetable and Fetta Salad

Ingredients
Assortment of root vegetables (or any veggies you love - I also add zucchini and eggplant if I have it)
Rocket
Fetta
Olive Oil
Sticky or aged balsamic

Peel and cut your veggies into medium sized pieces. Place on baking paper in a roasting dish or a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 40 minutes in the oven on 180 degrees. Get a large handful of rocket leaves and place in a large salad bowl (I picked mine from the garden). Crumble fetta into the bowl and then add your roast veggies. I had potato, parsnip, carrots, sweet potato and zucchini (courgette) in the house so that's what I went with. Beetroot is also yummy. Drizzle a little balsamic over the top and give it a gentle mix then serve. OMG!

Sweet Daphne

I am loving waking up to the smell of sweet daphnes at the moment. I have a gorgeous little posy sitting next to my bed from a dear friend. Their fragrance reminds me of eating fruit loops as a child. Sweet and floral. Little memories and a great start to the day.  

J'adore... Emily Green Necklace

Amazing what you find on Pinterest. I am in love I have to say. How stunning is this Emily Green necklace! On the wish list. Have a wonderful weekend.

Image from Emily Green

The School of Real Living

Thursday night this week my friend KD and I attended The School of Real Living Colour Masterclass. It was held at the Hotel Richmond and was such a fun night. A bunch of like minded women all with a passion for interiors. 

I have a lot of pops of red in our house, but that night by flicking through my inspiration folders of magazine cut-outs I had collected and looking at colour, I realised my real colour passions lie with duck egg blues/greens and raspberry tones. Very similar to how I decorated my daughter's bedroom, but less saturated colour and more white. I tend to buy red because raspberry is so difficult to find. I think I need to become slightly more disciplined with my purchasing and stick to my guns. Being disciplined is tricky though I have to say when I like so many different styles. Modern eclectic, Scandinavian and vintage French with fresh crisp linens. If only I had a holiday house.... 

Interior Stylist Jacinta Preston from Real Living Magazine was there on the night and I managed to get a few minutes with her to pick her brain on what to do in our lounge room and bedroom to pull some ideas together. I spoke earlier in the week about my bedroom dilemma, and she mentioned not to make the print the focus of the room, which helped my thought process; and in our lounge room we have a lot of competing heroes in the room... Grandelier, Cloth Fabric lampshade, mirrors, fireplace... and I just need to simplify it. There's that discipline word again. Replace the mirror with a large print, or add lots of mirrors and make them the obvious feature. A great piece of advice is to work with what you already have to reduce the cost of the project. So, lots to think about. I seem to always have projects on the go at home, like most of us, and I can't wait to get stuck into our bedroom. Fresh and modern, here we come. 

My bedroom inspiration

Real Living Master Class Inspiration

This week I'll be heading off to The School of Real Living Colour Master Class in the city which I am looking forward to. It is being put on by Real Living Magazine with guests from the International School of Colour + Design. We have been told to bring some inspiration and I have decided that my focus of the night will be our bedroom. We currently have a lot of timber furniture in the room and it's feeling a little dark for my liking so I am wanting to freshen things up a bit. We eventually want to get built-ins and a new bed so I thought I'd start with a few key pieces that I want to keep in the room to draw my inspiration from, add some fresh paint and go from there.

Ok, so for my inspiration I am going with a painting and a dresser. My husband commissioned this painting for me by one of my favourite artists, Georgina Hart, as a surprise for my birthday a few years ago, and the antique dresser below we bought while on our honeymoon in Tasmania. As the common theme in both pieces is the green, I am thinking lots of white with pops of green. I am keen to steer clear of browns and beige. Hmmm lots to think about. Hoping to learn a lot on Thursday night, so watch this space.