Okay, I’m not sure where to start this week because I’m in a bit of mess blog-wise. Yesterday, you see, I lost the last 2 weeks worth of posts and I can’t remember what those were – I write my posts directly into the blog and generally publish the first draft.
I think I’ve probably lost a couple of these wrap-ups, my June wrap-up and maybe a recipe or two. Oh, and a Melbourne foodie wrap-up.
It all started because about three weeks ago I changed my WordPress plan to a business one. In theory, it came with lots more functionality, but in practice, it was a pain in the proverbial. I had regular readers telling me they were unable to post comments, my site was running more slowly, I had to sign in and out all the time and the pictures were more cumbersome.
So yesterday, after faffing about for too long trying to fix it all I got onto the help chat and asked them to revert the plan to what it previously was. I did take a back-up of the site before they did that, so could replicate it all if I really want to, but to be honest I can’t really be faffed so am taking a “whatever” approach to it all.
I’ve also lost some of the bits and pieces on the theme I was on so took the opportunity to change that – and I actually think this one is an improvement.
Okay, the week. Let’s go with the photos first.
This sunrise
In a week with (again) a reasonable amount of rain, this sunrise on Monday morning was glorious.
This hallelujah cloud moment
It’s a tad almost biblical don’t you think?
This dark shelf cloud moment
Yes, it bucketed down very soon after I took this on Friday morning.
Lunchtime walks
I’d gotten into the habit of working through lunch, so I’m trying to get out of that habit – as well as some other bad habits that I’ve managed to accumulate… In any case @adventurespaniel has no quarrel with the idea.
Foodim
If you’re a foodie and you’re not using this app yet, you’re seriously missing out. It’s like Instagram for foodies and the inbuilt camera app is set to blur the edges and make the most of low level light and food photography.
The app is free and it’s pretty much social media for food lovers.
I’m trying to do some more with this and have set myself up a business hub. Now, of course, I’m tying myself up in a few knots, but thanks to Canva I’m creating some pretty good Pinterest graphics – if I do say so myself. (As an aside, if you haven’t yet tried Canva, why not?). The pic below is the one I created for my Melbourne post, so now, I guess, it points exactly nowhere. Sigh.
Purple Cauliflower
Just how gorgeous is this? As an aside, cauliflower starred quite a bit on our table last week.
On Monday I made a cauliflower soup that I then ate for lunch every day. It was super simple – some onion and a clove of garlic sweated down a tad in a little oil, the cauliflower and water. Cook it, blend it, healthy lunch done.
More Cauliflower and some Labneh
The cuisine theme for last week’s Saturday dinner was Middle Eastern.
Because I’d been healthy all week I was tad reluctant to undo all the good, but still wanted to make something delicious. A mezze plate was on the menu to start, but how to make that healthier than it otherwise would be? Make your own labneh.
This yoghurt cheese is super easy – I used about 500g Greek yoghurt and “hung” it in a piece of cloth over a bowl overnight. All the whey dripped out and you’re left with labneh. To this I added a little sea salt, a minced garlic clove, some lemon rind and a little lemon juice and topped it with a drizzle of olive oil.
Also on the mezze plate was a cauliflower and tahini sauce. This was an Ottolenghi recipe (you can find it here) but instead of frying the cauliflower I roasted it in some spices and then tossed through the yoghurt/tahini sauce.
I also made a lamb tagine – if you want the recipe I loosely followed this one. Ignore the state of my kitchen that you can see in the reflection off the window splashback.
Rosemary Flatbreads
I’ve always wanted to have a go at making flatbread and these were super easy.
I’m getting back in the habit of posting my baking recipes to my dedicated recipe site, although some I’ll be doubling up here from time to time. I’ve even created a cool new graphic for it (again, thanks, Canva). In any case, the link to the recipe for these is here.
Mandarins
These are super cheap at the moment so I whipped up a batch of Sammie’s mandarin mini muffins to stash in the freezer. Although Grant and Sarah declared that they don’t like mandies, the muffins disappeared before they could get to the freezer! You can find the recipe here.
Okay, that was my week…how was yours?
And Anyways... 
Yum re your cooking (well, not the cauliflower…). And as usual I love all of your photographs but bah, re your posts. Did you change from WP.com to WP.org – was that the difference?
I love your approach to the posts you lost. I think it says something about our connectedness to that stuff when we don’t really care. When I changed over from my desktop (iMac) computer to just a laptop 2yrs ago I pondered on transferring everything over. But I didn’t as I liked the idea of not having that baggage. I realised I wasn’t wedded to it!) In reality I’ve only wanted that stuff a few times since then and I’ve certainly survived without it.
Lol re the cauli… & re the plan, I was on a premium plan & upgraded to business which lets you have access to premium themes, enhanced stats, monetising blah blah. Talk about a pain! One thing I realised that I’ve never finished doing was streamlining my author site – I still have to copy some France posts across… I really should get onto that.
OMG I would be freaking out about the lost posts – I admire your cool, calm and collected approach! I hate anything techy, my brain is just not made for it. I have been using Canva for a while but I really have no idea what I’m doing and it’s definitely more luck than judgement.
I really shouldn’t have read about your Middle Eastern feast on a fast day now because now my tummy is seriously rumbling. Everything looks soooo good! I need to invite myself to your house one weekend for one of your epic cuisine nights! And thanks for the reminder about Foodim – I downloaded it a while ago and then never looked at it again!
And the muffins look so good! They are so moreish, aren’t they?! Hope you have a fabulous week with blue skies all the way! Side note: If I had a dollar for every exclamation mark I used in this post, I’d be getting quite rich 🙂
You’d be very welcome! (Did you see what I did there?)! I got a comment from Nigella on foodim the other week & yu would have thought I’d won the lottery!
I would love to come to dinner at your house Jo! So many tempting dishes that you create. Your sunrises are glorious but the weather has been challenging over the last few days hasn’t it? Sorry to hear about your website problems it can certainly be frustrating. I’ve tried with the Pinterest but just can’t seem to get the creativity to flow when I want to design a pin image. Anyway will give it another try. Hope you WordPress woes are behind you and have a great week. #lifethisweek
I’m getting tied up on Pinterest in terms of personal and business accounts – and it’s doing my head in.
Yay! I can now post the comment directly on the website and not receive an error message ‘Invalid Security Token’.
Good to know! Thanks…
Love all your cooking but loathe the blog dramas. I’ve lost a few posts on blogger and it is so annoying. I now write them as Word docs and save them there before posting.
SSG xxx
I should draft mine on word and save them, but have tended not to. I suspect that behaviour will be changing!
Well that was a reminder and kick in the pants for me – I stopped reading after your first couple of paragraphs and went and backed up my blog and my laptop. I have no idea how I’d reload the backup stuff if ever needed for the blog, but I feel better when I have it saved somewhere! I noticed your new profile pic and I’m glad you have it all sorted out again. I think if I lost everything (not just a month or so) I’d pack blogging away and start macrame or crochet!
Loved your hallelujah cloud pic – I call them “and God spake unto the nations” clouds 🙂
I’m all backed up now and off to do other things x
Glad to hear you’ve backed everything up. Sometimes I think these things are sent as little reminders – not just for me, but for anyone else too. Have a great week.
Hi, Jo – I’d love to be Sue’s +1 for her dinner invitation to your place. ‘Just sayin’!!
Lots of great information in this post. I love the mandarin muffins and the Canva graphics. I previously used Canva and loved it but believe it is now all a paid plan. If you still have a free plan – please let me know how to do this.
Oh yes, and the third photo definitely looks Biblical.
Sorry to hear about your WordPress Woes. Been there — hated that! 🙂
And you’d be very welcome too…just sayin’. Re Canva I have just upgraded (as in the last couple of months) from a free account to a paid business one – I use it in my day job as well – but I could have continued on with my free one had I wanted.
Great reminder to us all Jo, I as tempted to move to business plan with their special offer, but decided to stay where I was for the moment. I don’t really need any more hassles!! Hopefully it’s all sorted for you now. Your recipes always looks great and if I cooked I’m sure I’d use them but I do enjoy your photos of your creativity!! I enjoy Canva too but don’t really know what I’m doing on Pinterest at times. Love the sunrise shots at the beach – superb!! #lifethisweek
Yep, it was the special offer that got me! Have a great week…
JO – Love your new theme… which one did you use? And I looked for the Foodim app but couldn’t find it… I’m on an iPhone, so maybe that’s the issue. I’m not a big picture taker, and not sure I ever will be. I am playing more with Canva though, so maybe will need to start taking photos to use there!
I used the Arcane theme – I really like it. Here’s the link to foodim – I use the iphone version too…For someone like me – who photographs everything that moves – I love anything Instagrammy… https://www.foodim.com
Oh the loss of blog stories and posts is an awful thought. I have not done word document posts first in forever. I admit I write lots of drafts and then use some of them in the future. I am being VERY cautious however with the contributions from Women of Courage and they are saved elsewhere as well as in draft form on ze blog!
Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek. Next week’s optional prompt is Self-Care Sharing Your Story. I hope you will consider linking up again. Denyse.
I’m going to start saving my drafts for later. This could have been a lot worse & the damage could easily have been more than a couple of weeks worth so I’m considering myself warned.
You’re quite the masterchef with your cooking!!! I’m in awe! That sucks about losing posts! Hopefully, you can somehow find it somewhere. Really sucks when technological glitches occur. The sunrise photos are amazing! And I love your keep cup. Hope you have a great week ahead!
Thanks Sanch. Sadly I think those posts have gone for good. Sigh. That just means I need to write different ones lol.