Anna Jones is an award winning cook and her recipe book shows how we can cook quickly, sustainably and stylishly. There are 200 simple recipes featuring vegetables that keep things fast and easy. Knock-out flavours but without taking time and energy. Sunday Times bestseller.
Stainless steel, German design nail clippers. Easier to use due to non-slip handle. Strong and sharp but safe. £8.98
Why do some people swear by regularly taking apple cider vinegar? You may have come across praise for it on social media, so is it hype or actually something you should consider taking?
Apart from making a great salad dressing, limited studies show it may help lower blood sugar levels, reduce bloating, aid weight loss, soothe skin blemishes, help digestion and even boost your immune system.
Apple cider vinegar comes in two types – it’s recommended that you choose one with the ‘mother’ (where the good bacteria has not been filtered out).
Apple cider vinegar is quite acidic and should not be consumed undiluted on a regular basis. Obviously if you have allergies to either pectin or apples, avoid apple cider vinegar. However, for most of us, it’s perfectly safe to drink apple cider vinegar on a daily basis. Speak to your GP if you have specific dietary requirements, are taking medication, have allergies, or any other concerns before taking ACV regularly.
For an invigorating tonic, mix 1-2 tablespoons of cider vinegar with honey in a glass of water and enjoy.
You never know, it may also be good for your waistline…
More about apple cider vinegar can be read here
Eborian CC cream is a lightweight skin perfector, tinted moisturiser and brightening face cream. Korean products seem to work wonders, am not quite sure why, but they have an excellent reputation. Treat yourself and prepare for the compliments to come rolling in.
This little tube of heaven also gives you SPF25 protection. You only need a couple of drops – I use a kabuki brush (which makes the product go further) – and although this lightweight tinted moisturiser is white, it almost instantly blends to your particular skin colour and hydrates your complexion. It may be a small tube but it lasts a long, long time…
Available on Amazon for £17.58 at the time of writing.
Why not have a quick look at some of the other products Annabel and I have tried and tested.
So much to rejoice in this book – The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot – which features two people of very different ages. An emotional rollercoaster from debut author Marianne Cronin. It’s the new and unforgettable Richard & Judy Book Club pick and highly recommended by Annabel too!
Quick heads up on a brilliant make up brush kit from Marks & Spencer. Four great little brushes which are excellent value and quality (as we have come to expect from this brand).
More products that we’ve tried, liked and are happy to recommend to you.
M&S
Ariane Poole and Annabel did a fun, chatty Instagram Live today – all about make up for older women and how to look at any age. There were so many really useful tips so do try and watch the video which is on our Instagram feed.
Annabel swears by Ariane’s ‘looking great at any age’ make up products. Why not have a look at her website and, if you are impressed as much as we are with her range of products, you can obtain 20% off using our exclusive code: FRIENDS20
You can also join Ariane on her regular Instagram Lives every Wednesday at 7pm (UK time).
Products used in the Live video:
Annabel used from @arianepoole.cosmetics
Ariane wore:
To receive 20% Off at Ariane’s website use code FRIENDS20
“There are a lot of ways you can kill someone. I know because I’ve seen most of them at close quarters”
The recently retired High Court Judge, Wendy Joseph, describes in her bestselling book Unlawful Killings, what it is really like adjudicating on life-changing murder cases at the Old Bailey.
Wendy recently stepped down as one of the handful of judges qualified to preside over murder trials at the Old Bailey. And one of the few female ones at that.
For the first time, she can now talk about what it’s really like presiding over and ruling on life-changing cases. Through six extraordinary stories, she explores why we kill, what happens in court and what this teaches us about the society we live in. It’s a page-turner of a book – get your copy here.
If you live in or near London, you may be interested in attending a literary event on Wednesday 21 February when Wendy will be discussing her book, Unlawful Killings at Kent House in London’s Knightsbridge. For more information or to secure your ticket, please visit the website or use the QR code below. Doors will open at 7pm and there will be a chance to meet the author at the book signing after the talk. Tickets are £25 (or £20 when you use our exclusive promo code GRACE2024) and include a complimentary glass of Roebuck Estates vintage fizz.
This is a QR code. Simply hover your mobile phone’s camera in front of it and click on the yellow link that pops up. It will take you to the Kent House Series website where you can read more about the upcoming interview with Wendy Joseph which will be held in Knightsbridge, London on Wednesday 21 February.
Have you checked out our delicious new recipes yet?
Love a nibble before the main course but wanted something other than crisps, peanuts or pretzels. Spotted some ripe figs in the supermarket and decided to use those paired with goat’s cheese (or it is “goat cheese”, I never know!).
30
minutesRipe figs
Goat’s cheese
Runny honey
Toasted hazelnuts
Chervil (or a.n.other herb to decorate – optional)
More tried and tasted recipes can be found here
Was tidying out my kitchen cupboards yesterday and found my slow cooker gathering dust. Whipped it out, gave it a wipe and made this sausage casserole because it was grey and cold outside and I had a busy day ahead. Proved to be as comforting to eat as it looks. Inexpensive and filling – why not give it a try?
6
servingsJust chuck everything in your slow cooker and let the magic happen. Freezable. No slow-cooker? Follow the method to brown the sausages and veg, then put in a 2ltr casserole dish, cover and bake at gas 6, 200 ̊C, fan
180 ̊C for 2 hrs.
2 tbsp olive oil
454g pack 50% less fat Cumberland sausages
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 celery sticks, trimmed and sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
150g mushrooms, quartered
150g pack Tendersweet carrots
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
½ tsp crushed chillies
2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml red wine
1 chicken stock cube, made up to 800ml
10g fresh rosemary, leaves only
4 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 5 tbsp water
green beans and crusty bread, to serve (optional)
More tried and tasted recipes can be found here
I love cooking food from scratch – not only healthier (with less salt and sugar than pre-prepared dishes) but also tastier. Plus, you can add any ingredients that you like to personalise the recipe to you and your family’s particular tastes. This Cheat’s Lobster Spaghetti recipe uses tinned soup – yes, tinned soup. The only tinned soup I would wholeheartedly recommend mind you. No-one is more surprised than me that it tastes as good as it does. I know I’m blowing my own trumpet here but this quick and easy recipe is one I think you’ll want to make again and again.
Annabel gave me some peanut rayu – a relish that I’d never seen before. Definitely once seen never forgotten – am now ladling spoonfuls onto anything remotely Asian inspired because I love it’s crunchy spiciness.
A super quick lunch or supper that may not take much time but is packed full of the taste of the sea. If you can’t get samphire, which I couldn’t (shame, I really love the stuff!) use rocket instead. I am definitely not a fan of tinned soup but Baxters Lobster Bisque is exceptional and certainly saves a huge amount of faffing around making your own.
150g spaghetti
8 shell on raw prawns (as large as you can find)
Half finely chopped red chilli.
Grated zest of an unwaxed lemon
Tin of Baxters Lobster soup
Quarter of cucumber
2 spring onions
Peanut rayu
More tried and tasted recipes can be found here
The Great British Bucket List: Utterly Unmissable Britain may be useful if you do. There are 60 mini adventures (from comically easy to mildly challenging) so whatever your age and abilities, you can do them. Which means we can all start ticking off the lists right here in the UK while we are saving up to book our flights to the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu and the Grand Canyon!
