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| Recipe of the week... ... Veggie Portobello Burger |
Time taken: Half an hour.
Serves: One healthy tea.
Hi readers,
How are you today? Are you kick-starting the week
karate-style with a hell to the no
attitude?? I hope you are! I hope you’re blasting off to a good start this week.
And that you have some fun things to look forward to, coming up. Give it a
think! What do you have coming up that will be fun fun fun? A trip somewhere or
plans with friends maybe?
I write to you on a pretty poor day in the history book of ChefBeHere. Literally poor, as I have
just attended court and been fined hundreds of pounds. No, really. I kid you
not. Criminal Me travelled on a train and – unbeknown to me as I boarded – I
held in my possession… an expired railcard.
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| Don't be fooled - CRIMINAL ME. |
Really. Not a weapon or an explosive device – but an expired
railcard. There was no corpse in my suitcase. At no point on the journey did I
assault a fellow passenger. Or set off the emergency alarm. I didn’t flush the
toilet while we were in a station. Or start a fire. I just travelled with a
ticket and a railcard, and the railcard was an expired one.
Cue summons for a hearing. A panicked trip to Citizen’s
Advice (advice: stick up for yourself.. what do you have to lose??). My court
case at the magistrates. Three middle aged men on the panel who do not lower
themselves to travel on trains. Seemingly confused by details of the rail ticket
booking process. Unsure as to how one uses a railcard. Displeased by my spunky,
empowered response on the mitigation section of my plea form.
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| Why did I fill that out |
And that’s that, readers. I come away with a hefty fine and
a low opinion of legal proceedings. Criminal Me. But, if there’s one positive
of today, it’s that I am proud of how I handled all of this. I sought advice
before the big day and went in prepared. I wasn’t running late for my hearing!
Which always helps. I spoke in court and – somehow – did not cry in court. We
came out and my dad said, “it’s only money”, and I thought… yes. It’s only
money.
It’s happened and that’s that. Sucks but there we go. And
walked out of court a FREE WOMAN. Out the front door, where the air is rare, to
enjoy a warm summer afternoon. And it’s all in the attitude, readers. I’m midway
through an inspiring book, at the moment, about changing your life by changing
your attitude. A book called ‘Year of Yes’, readers, by Shonda Rhimes (writer
of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and so on).
‘Year of Yes’ is a book about “how to dance it out, stand in
the sun and be your own person”, based on Shonda’s mission to turn her life
around and begin doing things that scare her, accepting invites and attending
big events. She discovers her confidence and becomes more outgoing, learns to
take a compliment with a smile and a thank you. It’s really inspirational.
Events like today are the kind that you can let get you
down. Like – I can’t go on holiday this year, which is sad, and now I’m paying
a fine that is basically the equivalent of a holiday! Sucks. But – just think,
readers – imagine if I’d booked a holiday and then been hit by this fine. I’d
be in so much trouble!! I’d probably have to cancel it. So, when you look at it
that way, I feel lucky that at least this hasn’t happened right before a summer
holiday or in December before Christmas. That would be even worse.
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| Literally, a tram smash |
And, on that note, I’m going to present you with a wonderful
healthy recipe idea to help you on
your way to being a healthy human. This recipe, readers, really isn’t rocket
science. But I got the idea from a blog called Anne Travel Foodie (read the
original here) and just thought WHAT a good idea.
Basically, readers, you cook a veggie burger as normal but instead of putting it in a bread bun.. you use Portobello mushrooms instead. How simple! And inventive, right? And just something I would never independently have thought to do. But – yeah – a really simple idea for how you can take a regular meal, ditch the carb and turn it into a super healthy one. You want the low down? Here’s how I did this in just ten simple steps…
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| Revelatory |
Basically, readers, you cook a veggie burger as normal but instead of putting it in a bread bun.. you use Portobello mushrooms instead. How simple! And inventive, right? And just something I would never independently have thought to do. But – yeah – a really simple idea for how you can take a regular meal, ditch the carb and turn it into a super healthy one. You want the low down? Here’s how I did this in just ten simple steps…
1.
Open the window for fresh air and set some
groovy music playing, pour yourself a cool drink and leave your problems at the
kitchen door.
ChefBeHere Top
Tip: My fave song this week, readers, is ‘Streetlight’ by Dutch Uncles. Give it
a listen maybe!
2.
Heat your oven and dig a veggie burger out of
the freezer. I went for a Linda McCartney quarter pounder (with mozzarella!)
but you can use ANY burger you like. Be it a bean burger, one of those
fake-pulled-pork burgers… anything goes.
3.
Set your George Foreman heating or – if I still haven’t
convinced you to get one – set your regular grill heating. Pop your burger in the oven to cook.
4.
Slice a tomato and chop up a courgette.
ChefBeHere Top
Tip: It doesn’t have to be a courgette! Any grillable veg will do fine here.
Feel free to sub the courgette for a veg of your choice.
5.
Set your courgette and 2 portobello mushrooms
grilling for ten minutes.
6.
In the meanwhile, adorn a dinner plate with a
little side salad and think back on your day. What’s been good about today? If
you have a partner or a housemate around, maybe ask them about their day. What
have they been up to?
7.
Once your veg are grilled, and your burger has
cooked in the oven, you can turn both the oven and the grill off and begin
assembly.
8.
First you want to wrap your mushrooms in some
kitchen roll and pat out any moisture. Then, place one mushroom (upside down)
on your plate.
9.
Arrange your tomato slices on the mushroom and
then add your burger. Squeeze a little mayo (or your preferred sauce) on the
burger and then arrange your courgette on top. Finish with the second mushroom
(the right way up).
10. Ta-da!
One Veggie Portobello Burger ready for you to enjoy. Refresh your drink and tuck
in.
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| Feeeeeeast! |
Such a simple recipe, readers. Would you agree? I think,
with less than half an hour required and absolutely no technical skill, with 4
of your 5-a-day all on one plate.. what’s not to love about this?? Unless you
don’t like mushroom. Then you defs aren’t going to like this recipe. It’s not
for you. But everyone else – DO IT!
And, if you strike lucky like me, and Portobello mushrooms
are reduced price and going for a bargain at the supermarket, then this will
taste even better. I guarantee. Let
me know, readers, would this recipe tempt you or not?? Do you think you’ll give
it a go? And – if you do – how did you get on in the kitchen? Success??
Please let me know, readers, and PLEASE listen to Shonda.
Don’t let anything stop you from being a whole, healthy, happy person. You can
do it.
Travel safely,
Hayley
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| In other news... I turned 23! Here's me and the gals celebrating. |
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