HEALTHY EATING: VEGETABLE TOMATO SOUP

One of my favourite meals to cook when I've been eating badly for a day or two is this simple, flavourful vegetable soup. It's versatile, requires minimal effort and preparation, and will last you a couple of lunches if you make a big pot - very handy for taking in to work or when you're too tired (lazy) to whip something up.

Base ingredients:

Canned chopped tomatoes (I try to find organic brands without citric acid)
Chopped onion/garlic/both
Lentils
Courgettes
Whatever other vegetables you have lying around! I often use celery, carrots, cauliflower and sometimes, for a more filling but ever so slightly carb-y rendition, potatoes.

Don't bother with measurements - do it all to taste. Add a small amount of water to the soup and season with black pepper, salt, herbs, garlic powder and a dash of ginger. Bring to boil, then simmer for an hour.

Sprinkle some chopped spring onions on top, add a dollop of fat free greek yoghurt and you're done. Yum.

NEW IN: GREY CARDIGAN

Cardigan (c/o Indressme, similar here and here), top (H&M, similar here), jeans (H&M, similar here and here).

So pleased with my new cardigan from Instyleme - ideal for lounging around or wearing casually to keep warm on a chilly spring morning. It's just nonchalantly slouchy enough for me.

HOME DECOR INSPIRATION

Serious home decor inspiration. These photos sit in a folder on my hard drive, which I sometimes enjoy just browsing through for decorating inspiration. They've been collected from all over, so if one of these is yours & you want it credited, please let me know!

How stunning are these flowers? Such a simple solution to add some colour and life into any room. A fantastic organisational idea - right now all our Nespresso capsules lay in a drawer or scattered in our fruit basket. I like the idea of being able to see what's in the little drawers, too. Of course, you'd have to pick the more attractive, neat items to keep on display...
I love Oriental style bathrooms, particularly Thai. We put a gorgeous Buddha statue, bamboo laundry basket & towel basket and bamboo & lemongrass candle in ours to try and make the most of what little decorating we're allowed to do in our apartment. It does make the room feel a little warmer!
Mirrors in a small room really open it up and bring in a little more light. Being that our apartment isn't particularly huge, I'm trying to find ways to integrate a few more reflective surfaces.
I love this "floating" bedside table. Simple, elegant and pretty damn cool.

CHECKERED SPRING TRENCH

This trench is my favourite spring/autumn jacket. It's thin enough that you don't feel like you're drowning in your own sweat when it gets warm, and over a thin jumper/top with a scarf it's perfectly adept at keeping you warm. Plus the grey/white check pattern is versatile enough to go with most anything in my wardrobe.




Trench coat (bought in a boutique in Shanghai, similar here and here), trousers (Zara - previous collection, similar here and here), heels (Zara Mid-Heel Sandals, or variations here and here), bag (Chloe), sunglasses (Marc Jacobs, similar here, here and here).

Just a small note: my updates will come only twice or three times a week now, as I've started part-time work at Christian Dior Couture. Exciting times!

BURNT ORANGE DRESS

On Friday I met Jarv after work for a spot of dinner around Holborn. I've had this dress sitting in my closet for a while now, a Victoria Beckham inspired number - probably the brightest piece I own. The sleeves aren't as long and the zip is a different colour to VB's design, but otherwise I was immediately drawn to the zigzag front. It's a demure enough length, which I think balances out the bold shade. I'm not sure if I simply hadn't had the right occasion to wear it yet or if I just wasn't brave enough. I ended up zipping myself up in a mad rush to get ready and rushing out the door before realising just how much I stood out like a sore thumb in the street. Still, I like the fit and simplicity of it.


Dress (unbranded, Victoria Beckham's no longer available - similar here, and similar here), belt (vintage, similar here), heels (Zara, similar here and here).