Recipe: leftover turkey Vietnamese-style broth with Brita

Brita got in touch and asked me to put together a soup recipe using their snazzy Russell Hobbs Purity Glass Kettle. During the winter months soup is my go-to. It's healthy, filling and really doesn't take too long to rustle in the kitchen. I love a spicy Vietnamese inspired broth. This won't win any awards for authenticity but it's great way to use up the leftover turkey hogging your fridge.

Feeds 2

Ingredients:
1 litre of vegetable stock
2 crushed garlic cloves
1/2 bag of beansprouts
1 chilli, deseeded
1 tbsp Fish sauce
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp of Chinese 5 spice
Leftover cooked turkey
150g dried wholewheat noodles
A handful of fresh coriander
1/2 pack of baby sweetcorn
1 lime, cut into wedges for decoration
4 spring onions and one chopped chilli for decoration

Method:

1. Pour the stock into a large saucepan, stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce and garlic before popping in the finely chopped chilli. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Pop the baby sweetcorn, Chinese five spice and pepper in the stock. Leave to cook for around 15 minutes - keep stirring. I prefer the vegetables to still have a crunch to them.

3. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.

4. Pop the turkey into the broth to warm through. Add the beansprouts too.

5. Divide the noodles equally and poor over the ready made broth.

6. Garnish with the chopped spring onions, a sprinkling of coriander, chopped chilli and a wedge of lime.

As with all my recipes, I'd love to know if you attempt them so please drop me a tweet!

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OOTD: Ombre coat

Outfit:
Burgundy and grey ombre coat: ASOS (similar)
Black skinny jeans: New Look
Black vest tunic: ASOS (similar)
Burgundy heeled leather ankle boots: Next (similar)
Blue plastic glasses: Julian MacDonald via Vision Express*

So the last week of 2015 eh? I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I certainly did! It will full of lots of family bonding, incredible food, too many bubbles and lots of films. I feel utterly exhausted and not quite sure how I'm going to get back into a decent routine. Does anyone struggle with knowing what day it is between Christmas and New Year? It just feels like a fun-filled blur!

I was very kindly gifted this gorgeous coat and these boots from my parents for Christmas. I think the coat was actually bought around October time so I was patiently binding my time until I could finally wear it. Talk about a slow torture! It was well worth the long wait. I have such a soft spot for statement coats. Spending the last 26 years living in the UK - also known as the Arctic during the winter - had given me a deep appreciation for a decent coat so they're always worth the investment. After all, you wear them for nine months of the year!

I also just wanted to say thank you so much for your kind comments on the last post. You guys are pretty darn cool!

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Looking back at 2015

So 2015 is done and dusted eh? It's been a funny old year. The first half was full steam ahead but then the second half? It's been trying. Bad news seems to be a reoccurring theme. But you know what's life without a few bumps in the road?

Friendships have fallen apart at the seams this year, leaving me still scratching my head at what happened in that department. I suppose some relationships are just not for the long haul. It has however made me so thankful for the people who have stuck around. Who are just as rubbish as me at keeping in touch and don't take offence when I disappear of the radar for a while. Which has been more times than I care to remember this year. Those who are always there when I do finally get my head in gear. Those who get in touch with me just as I'm feeling low and say the right words without even realising it.

I am currently unemployed and desperately trying to carve out a career in freelancing. Freelancing has been more difficult that I ever thought it would be. I ended this year on a high in my work life, having spent just under 6 weeks at a publication I've really enjoyed. Learning new skills and working in a great environment. I lost my job in July and it's been a whirlwind of emotions since. I've worked at a few publications but it's not been a steady flow and I've been down the job centre a few times with my tail between my legs signing on. I don't have anything set in stone for the new year which is slightly worrying but what will be, will be. I'll just be holding on as tight as I can to see where the job roller coaster takes me next year. The unknown can be exciting right?!

I've struggled a lot with self-confidence this year. Confidence in the career I've chosen, confidence in my looks and confidence at not sucking in life. It's so easy to compare ourselves to others and once you start, it can be a downhill spiral to a one-woman pity party. I hardly ever think I'm good enough and usually I can brush it off with a wise crack or a self-deprecating joke. But this year I've found myself wallowing more than usual. I've taken more than a few hits and struggled to get back on the horse.

But this year I have felt I've grown. I'm slowly getting better in believing in myself. I've grown in confidence in my ability to things done, grown in confidence in making the right decision for me and grown in learning to brush things off with my head held high. I'm going into 2016 knowing that I'm just plodding along, not really having any direction in life but feeling pretty content that the life I'm currently leading really isn't too bad at all. I've got a family who adore me, a boyfriend who always has my back and friends who accept me for being me. Those good moments? They've been the bloody best!

Show me what you've got 2016. I'm ready.

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