plum almond torte and eating nakd

today the air smelt so fresh and dewy, and i swear i could smell a smidgen of daffodils and barbecues floating on the breeze. spring is springing, yippee!

i've been enjoying cooking budget friendly, healthy and delicious meals for a while now, but lately i've really been trying to kick it up a notch. really experiment with flavours and ingredients that both excite and terrify me - my english reservation does often result in bland safe combinations, and it's hard to break that barrier. but, be on the lookout for some really scrumdidlyumptious recipes that will tickle your tastebuds in future posts...

so, onto my latest eats:

♥ plum and almond torte - a plum version of my pear and almond torte - yummy!

♥ beetroot and mozzarella salad - there's all my usual salad ingredients in there too!

♥ last week i was sent some nakd bars to review - and although i'd eaten them a few times before it was lovely to try out these new flavours. nakd bars are fantastically natural and simple in their ingredients list - which is why i love them so much! and if you are a real snacker, like me, then this is a safe and satisfying addition to your storecupboard and handbag. i highly recommend the pecan pie flavour too, it's my favourite! 

♥ our smorgasbord christmas eve dinner table - yes, it's a little belated, but on having realised that i hadn't yet posted photos, i thought i ought to promptly upload this for you all to see. isn't it beautiful? my grandmother did an amazing job! 

what you see is: boiled egg, creamed beetroot, venison pate, meatballs and frankfurters, rice salad, coronation chicken, ham, sild, prawns, potato salad, green salad, olives, cheeses and janssons temptation!

swedish christmas eve is always a phenomenally fun time, with much wine, laughter and good conversation. the food is a highlight, but the drinking games often take centre stage - mostly involving singing to meatballs (there's a whole special song we all sing!), men downing raw fish with swedish schnapps, and plenty of red wine toasts - it's a jolly occasion ♥

currently listening to: heartbreak warfare by john mayer