Kitchens: Au Naturale ....

Earthy Kitchen

Warm light

Creaping house plants

Rachel's Stunning Kitchen

Al these kitchens are different in style, but the one thing they have in common is they all look remarkably natural and loved. Mismatched cabinets, free standing ovens, homemade shelves, house plants and the perfect amount of natural light...... all things you will never find in a kitchen show room.

Happy Sunday xxx

Chillin in the kitchen....

Source

Anthology Magazine

Sarah B, My New Roots

Chilling in the kitchen

Kitchn

Laila cooking up a feast

source

Return to The Earth: Botanical Tea Towel

Return to The Earth: Clary sage Botanical Tea Towel

How cute is this Clary sage tea towel from Return to The Earth?

Not happy with just making awesome lotions and potions, Return to The Earth have teamed up with Sara Gossett to make these beautiful tea towels, with more on the way....

To grab yours visit Return to The Earth here on Etsy...

Earthy Bohemian Kitchens....

An Earthy Bohemian Kitchen

Earthy Kitchen

Earthy Kitchen

Branch

Bamboo Blinds

An Earthy Kitchen: Wooden spoons and Bread boards

Earths Kitchen

 I am having a slow weekend. I have been feeling really run down lately from lack of sleep.... looking after a toddler is really hard work!!!

However, along with the whirlwind, now Alex is a little bit older there are also periods where he can entertain himself for longer than before and I am enjoying more of those important moments where I am able to reflect and daydream.... and spend time in the kitchen cooking yummy healthy food from scratch...

... with this extra time in the kitchen I am also re-rembering and noticing all the repairs and alterations I had wanted to make before Alex came along. The cupboards are tired and the floor is in need of a desperate re-do, but with our post baby budget and lack of time, all these things are not going to get done for ages....

...My daydream of a beautiful hand built kitchen with hand painted tiles may happen one day, but for now I am learning to accept the kitchen as it is for it contains all the things that actually matter..... fresh herbs and vegetables, wooden spoons, jars for my spices, and a growing collection of handmade crockery... these are the things that really matter ..... These are the items that help me prepare the food to nourish my growing family...

The Kitchen of.... Justina Blakeney

When I read on The Jungalow the news that my blogging buddy Justina Blakeney was buying her first house and re-modeling the whole place how could i not get excited? Her book The New Bohemians has been inspiring me for months now.....

.... so I was eagerly anticipating The Big Kitchen Reveal..... and I was not disappointed.

I love the emerald tiles, the raw wood shelves and the bronze accessories. It is clean and modern but anything but strerile...

To see more of Justinas house reveal catch up with her over at The Jungalow

Current Obsession: Japenese 'Washi' Tea Canisters...

Japanese tea Canister covered with Washi paper

Washi Paper literally translates as Wa - 'Japanese' and 'shi' paper, and refers to paper made in the traditional way. Washi is one of the UNESCO’s Intangible cultural heritage objects. Washi is used for many purposes in Japan, one of which is to decorate tea caddys.

Although these beautiful tea caddys may have a delicate paper exterior they do have a metal air tight skeleton to keep your tea fresh. The good news is these tins are also relatively cheap too!

Japanese Washi tea tin

I found some really beautiful tins on etsy and over at Rishi

Recipe: Butternut Squash Base Pizza.....

Last weekend I visited VegeFest, the largest Vegan event in the Uk that just so happens to be held in my city, Bristol. Whether you are Vegan or not Vegfest is a great place for any foodie up for trying new and exciting foods . This year my favourite find was a Vegan Butternut squash Pizza from Paradise Unbakery, a London based Raw and Vegan 'bakery' based in London and run by Lithuanian native Egle.

Inspired by her beautiful Pizza i trawled the internet and found a great recipe to try from  Wholehearted Eats, and was so pleased with the results I thought I would share the recipe with you guys. Not only is it a vegan Pizza but it is also Gluten free!

Base Recipe: 
3 Cups Mashed Butternut Squash (1 large squash) 
1 Cup Ground Almonds (Almond Flour) 
3/4 Cup Gram Flour (Garbanzo Flour) 
1/4 tsp Sea Salt 
1/8 tsp Black Pepper 
2 Tbsp. plus 1 Tbsp. Ground Linseeds (flax) 
1 tsp Dried Oregano  

Toppings:  Green Pizza Sauce (recipe below)  
A handful of pitted Kalamata olives 
1 Cup cherry tomatoes (chopped) 
A couple of handfuls salad leaves
Avocado
Yellow or Orange Pepper

Procedure:  Begin by preparing the squash for roasting. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Lay cut side down in a roasting pan and fill halfway with water. Cook in a 200 C (400 F) oven for 40minutes to 1 hour (adding more water as needed to top up), or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh of the squash. Let cool, then scoop out the flesh.  

In a small bowl combine the 2 Tbsp of ground Linseed with 4 Tbsp water. Let sit for 5 minutes.  

In a larger bowl combine 3 cups of squash with the soaked Linseed meal, gram flour, ground almonds, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and extra ground linseed. Stir to combine.  Spread the mixture onto a parchment lined (and greased) tray and create a 30 cm (12 inch) circle, making sure that the edges are a little bit thicker. Bake in a 220 C (425 F) for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are crisp and golden and the centre is set (and can peel away from the paper). Top with pizza sauce, tomatoes, and olives, and bake for another 10 minutes. Let sit a few minutes before garnishing with greens.     

Green Pizza Sauce

Recipe:

1/4 Cup Cashews
1/2 Cup packed basil
1 Cup packed spinach
1/2 Lemon, juiced
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
8 Tbsp. Olive oil
(I also added a Clove of Raw garlic)

Procedure:

In a food processor puree the cashews, basil, and spinach until smooth. Add the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and oil, mix to combine.

Incredible Squash Pizza from Wholehearted Eats

I urge you to give this awesome recipe a try and check out Wholehearted Eats other recipes, and if you are lucky enought to live in London check out Paradise Unbakery and Egles beautiful cakes!!

Kitchen: DIY Branch Pot Hanger

Photography : Carolyn and Jaden of Woodnote Photography and featured in Kinfolk magazine

If you are looking for a beautiful yet cheap update to your kitchen why not try making this branch pot hanger. It couldn't be cheaper to make...... some thick rope and a branch is really all you need..... The trickiest bit will be trying to find the perfect branch!

It is the perfect place to show off your pots and pans and dry some herbs.

Current Obsession: Martina Thornhill Ceramics

 Martina Thornhill is a self taught ceramic artist based in Portland, Oregon and her beautiful work is my current obsession! Her beautiful hand built mugs are not only beautiful but actually large enough for a proper cup of tea or coffee (why do so many people make small mugs?)!

I personally am a bit obsessed with the sleepy eye pour over and the eye mug...

Martina Thornhill : Striped Mug

"I create slab built functional vessels from my home studio, using inspiration from nature, flea market treasures, primitive folk crafts, abstract art and cross country travels. Drawing on my background in fiber arts, I approach ceramics from a different perspective. Treating my clay like fabric I develop patterns, fuse seams, and use my hands to create drape and flow.

Clay bodies are chosen for the texture they bring to the piece and for their raw color contrast against glossy glaze patterns. These methods allow me to create production pieces that still maintain a sense of individuality and personality. It is important to me that each piece is unique in the way it sits on the table, or fits in the hand regardless of how many I've made. For me, my craft is about more than my methods and the objects I create. It is about curating a vision that takes into account my experiences and inspirations, and finds a connection in the homes and hearts of others. It is about slowing down and making every day objects special instead of disposable."

Current Obsession: Kaico Kettle by Makoto Koizumi

Keico Kettle in the home of Claire Cottrell

I have been looking for a beautiful stove top kettle for a while and have seen this beautiful Kaico Kettle by Makoto Koizumi. The design is simple and classic and it reminds me of the beautiful vintage enamel kettles that pop up every now and then on Etsy and eBay. Not only are Enamel stove top kettles beautiful and durable but with a gas stove these are actually more efficient than an electric kettle!

Multidisciplinary designer Makoto Koizumi’s portfolio ranges from the very small (chopstick rests and tea kettles) to the very large (residential architecture projects and interior design). And ever since he established his own studio in 1990 he’s approached each project with the same emphasis on tradition and craft. In 2003 he opened his first shop in Kunitachi – a western suburb of Tokyo.

This kettle is available from Amazon or twenty twenty one

Kaico Kettle

Recipe: Hearty Minestrone Soup

Hearty Minestrone Soup

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Although Spring is around the corner I am still craving big bowls of hearty nutritious soup. Minestrone is one of my all time favourites and given the chance I could eat the whole pan! I posted the above image on instagram and got a couple of requests for the recipe so thought I would share

This hearty Minestrone recipe is Vegan but can be easily adapted to suit meat eaters, or gluten free diets. I have included details of where to add the pancetta, and obviously just replace Pasta with Gluten free pasta.. simple

It really is a very simple recipe.

Ingredients

• 200 g cannellini or borlotti beans, fresh or dried and soaked overnight (or a tin of beans)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
• Optional..... 60g Pancetta , finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery, cut into 1cm slices
• 1 carrot, cut into 1 cm slices
• 1 potato diced
• 2 teaspoons of tomato puree
• 400g tin of tomatoes
• 6 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 2 liters of stock
• 2 courgette cut into 1.5 cm slices
• ¾ cup pasta shells
• ¾ cup fresh sweet corn (or frozen)
• 60g green beans, cut into short lengths
• 150g Kale , Spinach or Chard
• 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• Tobasco
• Optional...... Pesto

1) Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water overnight. Drain and rinse (A tin of beans would work just as well)

2) Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic and onion (if adding pancetta add now as well) and cook for 8 -10 minutes until softened

3)Add the celery, carrot and potato to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, tomato, basil and drained beans. Season with pepper. Add the stock and bring slowly to the boil. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 1.5 hours

4) Add the remaining vegetables, parsley and pasta. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust to taste.

5) Serve with a shake or two of Tobasco and crusty bread..... or a dollop of Homemade Pesto

Artisan: Facture Goods...

Facture Goods: Handcrafted Wooden Spoons

Walnut measuring Spoons

Cherry Bow Tie Chopping board

Artisan...... Until I began the series for eBay I had never really featured many 'products'... don't ask why... its not like i don't spend a lot of time looking at them!...... The eBay Guides are proving really popular and I have received some really positive feedback so I thought I would counteract working with 'the big boys', with some posts on Artisans and shops that sell only Handmade or on a smaller scale.

So in the first , of probably many, posts in this new series, I would like to introduce Facture Goods. I spotted Facture Goods on Instagram a little while ago and was really impressed by Aron's beautiful handcrafted pieces and the passion that goes into every piece. I for one am particularly in love with his Walnut Measuring Spoons!

To see more of Aron's beautiful work visit his online store here

Creating a Beautiful Bohemian Kitchen on a Budget

Tamsin Carvan's Kitchen

Emily Katz' Kitchen

Anne Parkers kitchen

These beautiful kitchens prove that you do not need a huge budget to spend on a shiny new kitchen to create an inspiring space to create your favorite recipes....... What I love about the three kitchens above is that the work surfaces and kitchen storage are actually secondary to the beautiful pieces of well loved and carefully selected crockery and utensils.

Handcrafted wooden spoons, earthenware and shiny copper pans steal the show in these rooms and I would personally love to make a good batch of hearty soup in any of these rooms :)

In the third in a series of guides I have written for eBay, I have used these beautiful images as inspiration for my ' Creating a bohemian kitchen on a Budget Guide '.. so if you need a bit of inspiration please check it out.... and let me know what you think :)

Book Review: Kitchenalia by Vinny Lee

Kitchenalia: Furnishing and equipping your kitchen with flea market finds and period pieces By Vinny Lee | Out now in Hardback | £30.00 | Published by Jacqui Small

 Almost everything I prepare or cook in my kitchen involves a little bit of history and 

often a memory. Kitchenalia is all the things you acquire and accumulate to make

 your kitchen a useful and enjoyable place to be 

Written by Vinny Lee, author and interiors editor of The Times Magazine, Kitchenalia is a kitchen Interiors book for people who love cooking and for whom the kitchen is the heart of the home. If like me you can't resist another wooden spoon, copper jellymold, or a vintage Homepride Fred flour shaker this is the book for you.
It is not a book of fancy shiny modern inventions to make cooking easier and quicker it is a book of manual scales, of hand whisking and aprons... What I really like that about this book, is it makes me feel nostalgic about making gingerbread men with my Mum it also makes me look forward to cooking with my son.

Kitchenalia is really inspiring in many ways and full to the brim with beautiful images that leave you dreaming about your perfect kitchen. However unlike a lot of books Kitchenalia also offers small snippets of simple advice for every budget. Advice like: replacing handles and knobs of cupboards, mixing different styles of kitchen chairs, and storing cutlery in jam jars... finally a kitchen book that leaves you feeling inspired rather than depressed....

.....In fact I was so inspired by the section 'Small Storage' that last week I went out and brought myself a second hand Spice Rack. Finally my beautiful spice jars will make it out of the cupboard to a more prouder spot in my kitchen :)

The book is well laid out with a wide variety of images and styles of kitchens, from country eclectic to brushed steel sleek, including a great section entitled 'The Collectors Kitchen. There are beautiful colouful kitchens from the 1950's, serene white kitchens, and faboulous farmhouse kitchens, each with their own whimsical charm.

As you may have guessed I really like this book, it also passed the coffee table test and was cooed at by numerous visitors, including my Mum, who will be getting a copy for Christmas :)