cheese – Amy Savage

Aloha all you beautiful people!

I am sitting here happy as a clam all toasty and wrapped up in an extra layer of fat that I put on over Christmas and just thinking about the coming year and everything that it’s going to have in store. With 2018 just around the corner it got me thinking about all of those New Year Resolutions that we make and then worry ourselves over to inevitably not stick to and feel horrible about ourselves which is why

my new years resolution this year is to not make a resolution

I am positively giddy about the fact that I am not going to starve myself for a week in order to attempt losing weight. I am over the moon that I am not going to beat myself up that I haven’t learned a new skill or taken up a hobby. I am on cloud nine that I am going to continue to drink just a little too much at the weekends therefore ruining my Sundays. I am ecstatic that I am going to have the first take out of 2018 and not feel a pick of guilt because I said I would cut down.

For years now I have busted my balls trying to become a ‘better person’ in trying to stick to these ridiculous goals and then spending the following 10 months hating myself that I never completed or stuck to them. Well, enough is enough! No longer will I waste my time on these stupid resolutions in order for me to feel down on myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I plan on accomplishing some things this coming year but none that I will write down and beat myself up about if I don’t change. For example, I really ought to start driving, clear out the pile of clothes I am in denial about, eat a little healthier and maybe put away some money in a savings account. To me those are like – life changes for a better state of mind, not a resolution that I need to force myself to change. I find resolutions very unhealthy and a lot of emphasis gets placed on them, especially at this time of year. It’s basically like saying to yourself ‘you weren’t good enough this year, let’s try again for next year.’ Of course there are some bad habits that we all would like to shake but again, I am not going to get myself down in the dumps about it.

If you are someone that loves making resolutions as a way of trying to ‘improve’ yourself then go for it – Godspeed – however, I am not one of those people. I can’t wait to wake up on New Year’s Day hungover, crawl out of bed and straight for the Diet Coke and take away menu because I am not placing myself on some strange diet that requires I eat a cube of cheese three times a day.

I am looking forward to maturing slightly next year. I feel like the year I turn 27 I really need to get my ducks in a row. That being said, 2017 I moved in with Joel in our cute little rented house in Belfast (my stuff takes up 95% of it, his 5%) and I have accomplished a lot this year. Can’t wait to see what 2018 has to offer and I can’t wait to not have to force it with New Years Resolutions.

Happy New Year!

Amy xo

Before I even say hello I just have to say that never have I been hungrier in my life than I was when writing this post. So thanks to this post I think I gained a stone.

Hello Fellow Hungry Hippos,

You have in fact read this title correctly. This is not about delicately delicious morsels that I cooked up in my Nigella style kitchen with methods for you to follow. No brownies, no homemade, no nothing. This is about those so-tasty-should-be-illegal things that you can bulk buy from the likes of B&M or Home Bargains for about £1. If you are reading this and you don’t have B&M or Home Bargains, I pray that one day either opens near you and you can experience the wonders they have to offer. Or go online.

Anyway, I am a snacky person. My locker in work is full of snacks. Hence why I am pushing into a new dress size and believe me I am going up not down. My mouth is already watering thinking about the snacks I am going to write about. I have compiled a list of my go to snacks but please understand I do not eat all of them every day. Just… some of them.

WARNING! Seriously unhealthy food to follow, if you are a health freak or on a diet please know, I am sorry. Click away.

Popnotch Popcorn. Something you must know about me… I love popcorn. I go to the cinema just so I can have popcorn. Is that bad? Anyway, my favourite popcorn to have actually comes from near my fabulous home in Northern Ireland. They have so many flavours and they even have little packets for kids. They have cute little popcorns with sayings on their packaging and to be honest, that’s what sold it to me firstly. Now, I make it my aim to collect all the flavours! My favourite is the Sweet & Salty Popnotch Popcorn. If you are from Northern Ireland, do yourself a favour and pick up a pack! Nom nom nom… (PS. check out their website it is so cute http://popnotch.co.uk/ )
Houmous. Oh my GOD, hello? I will dip anything, anything into houmous. Be it carrot sticks, celery or a bloody chocolate bar. I am being serious. A Mediteranean spread which works great with pitta breads, bread sticks, carbs, etc and my favourite comes from M&S. The Deli Reduced Fat Extra Virgin Olive Oil Houmous is unreal. It’s handy when you are wanting a snack that will actually fill you and not leave you full of guilt instead. Be warned though, the garlic can be a little overpowering so maybe pop a mint after if you are on a work break.
Chocolate. Ah duh. All chocolate, all colours. Say no more. The perfect little boost to get you through the ~~day~~ hour. I can’t pick one chocolate brand or bar as my favourite because… that’s crazy. However, malteasers are a fantastic snack. The little boxes you can get make me happy inside – that’s the kind of shit I get in B&M… they are always £1.
Apple & Peanut Butter. So this CAN be a healthy snack so long as you choose a natural peanut butter. I don’t normally pay much attention to the peanut butter I am picking and whether it’s healthy or not I just pick the one I know tastes good.
Chip n Dip. Be it Doritos and Salsa, Plain Crisps and Sour Cream Dip or Pringles and Nutella (trust me) chip and dip is seriously under rated as one of the best snacks out there. In fact, why not go the whole 9 yards and just make nachos… oh, maybe that’s a meal and not a snack. No matter whether it’s movie night with the gals, a hangry lunch break or a sneaky pig out sesh chip n dip is always the answer.
Tayto Cheese & Onion Sandwich. Firstly, if you aren’t Irish you can probably just skip this point as there is no other crisp that will suit, so don’t try. The Tayto Factory produces one of the greatest crisps I have ever tasted, and I have tasted my fair share of crisps. Not only is the bag of crisps itself an amazing snack, but put a bag of crisps in between two slices of bread and butter and you have got something that will make your insides warm and fuzzy. In fact… brb making a sandwich.
Cuppa and biscuits. Okay, so while this isn’t your average snack it’s one of the best. There is nothing that a cup of tea can’t fix and pair it with your favourite biscuit and you are onto a winner. I am a ginger nut, chocolate digestive lover with an occasional cookie rather than your fancy biscuit. I like to keep it old school. The question is do you dunk your biscuit? If the answer is no, I can’t associate with you. There is simply nothing better than a biscuit that has been dunked into the perfectly made cup of tea.
Cheese & Crackers. My favourite end to any dinner party. I mean, yeah sure the company and the entertainment is okay – but cheese and crackers is just the ticket. Any cheese, any cracker and a glass of port wine (or Schloer… always Schloer) will always win. M&S always do a cracking cheese board, especially for this time of year as as I write this, it is less than a week to Christmas. M&S have a wide variety of cheese boards that suit every taste and price. That being said, I prefer to create my own cheese board picking my favourite cheese and crackers. My favourite crackers to have with cheese are oldies but goodies, Jacobs crackers. They may seem boring to some, but I love them and they suit every cheese. William Jacob made a damn good cracker way back in 1850!