March 2021

Simply Woman & Home

Feel fabulous every day

Simply Woman & Home1 min read
Woman & Home Feel Good You
GROUP SPECIALS DIRECTOR Charlotte Richards ASSOCIATE EDITOR Melanie Leyshon ART EDITOR Katie Simas GROUP PICTURE DIRECTOR Karen Whitehead PICTURE EDITOR Emma Smith SUB EDITORS Sophie Goodall, Heather Ransome CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Angela O’Farrell MAN
Simply Woman & Home4 min readPsychology
Spring clean YOUR MIND!
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important factors for peak performance, memory, productivity and mood regulation. A good night’s sleep more than doubles the likelihood that you’ll be able to solve a problem requiring insight. Adults need betw
Simply Woman & Home2 min readMedical
Embrace The POWER Of PLANTS
Love a trip to the garden centre? The good news is there’s more to plants than just decoration. ‘Plants can transform environments, and have a positive benefit on our health and wellbeing,’ says medical herbalist Hannah Charman (physichealth.uk). ‘Th
Simply Woman & Home3 min read
In Full Bloom
With their vibrant colours and striking shape, just a handful of cut blooms from the garden are all that you need for a stunning display. Arrange stems in a simple vase or pitcher, though spectacular on their own, adding a few sprigs of zingy greener
Simply Woman & Home3 min read
Make it SPECIAL
Make an Easter table centrepiece full of rustic charm. Turn the dome of a large glass bell jar upside down and fill it with strands of raffia and speckled eggs in pastel hues. Place the base on top and turn the right way up. Similar glass dome bell j
Simply Woman & Home1 min readCooking, Food & Wine
BAKES & DESSERTS
Whether you want to bake a seasonal showstopper or indulge in one of our rich chocolate desserts, we’ve got it covered! There’s even some lighter options for guilt-free treats… ■
Simply Woman & Home3 min read
THE BEST SPRING wildlife walks
Please follow the current guidelines, check local travel restrictions and opening hours in advance. THE ROUTE: Walk through the woods and parkland of Tring Park, with its history dating back to the 11th century. It boasts open areas dotted with large
Simply Woman & Home3 min read
Easter WINE EDIT
Silandeiro Albariño, Spain, Aldi, £6.99, 12.5% ABV If you like the light lemon flavour of pinot grigio, try this albariño made from grapes grown from Northwest Spain. It’s got zingy lemon, grapefruit, peach and a light floral aroma. Good with seafood
Simply Woman & Home5 min readArchitecture
Get your GARDEN READY!
Spring has arrived! It’s time to start planning ways to get the most out of your garden. With the promise of warmer weather, if you tackle jobs now, your outdoor space will soon be ready for al fresco entertaining with your friends and family. After
Simply Woman & Home1 min read
FOOD FOR FAMILY& FRIENDS
From a full-blown feast to treats for loved ones you may not get to see, we’ve got all you need to make Easter special – no matter how you celebrate… ■
Simply Woman & Home6 min readRegional & Ethnic
EGGS For Brunch!
Kedgeree is a great way to start the day, especially alongside these nutty eggs. Serves 6 • Ready in 45 mins 250g basmati rice4 large eggs2 fresh bay leaves2 lemons, plus extra wedges to serve500g natural/undyed smoked haddock fillets, skin and bones
Simply Woman & Home4 min readRegional & Ethnic
4 More Fabulous ROASTS
This great veggie dish stands on its own, but also makes a great side dish to serve with roast chicken. Serves 4 •Ready in 1 hr 2tbsp oil2 onions, thickly sliced2 garlic cloves250g pouch-cooked puy lentils (from Merchant Gourmet)400g can chopped toma
Simply Woman & Home1 min read
Welcome in SPRING
Hang an Easter garland on the door and decorate the porch with tubs of spring blooms for a pretty facade. ■
Simply Woman & Home2 min readRegional & Ethnic
No-fuss Good Friday FISH
Using a packet of quick-cook risotto means this dish is fast to prepare. Serves 4 • Ready in 20 mins 1 pack 350g Gallo Risotto Perfetto, Four Cheese200g raw king prawn tails200g frozen peas50g Parmesan, grated50g rocket (optional) 1 Put 900ml boiling
Simply Woman & Home1 min read
Decorate Your Home For Easter
Cover polystyrene eggs with washi tape, then pop each egg onto a stick. Fill a wire basket with mini pots containing daffodils, and add the coloured eggs. Go all out and decorate shelves and surfaces with pretty ornaments and spring greenery, whether
Simply Woman & Home1 min read
Spring Is In THE AIR!
Welcome to the first-ever issue of Simply Woman & Home. Brought to you by the Woman & Home experts you trust, each issue will be packed with seasonal advice and inspiration. This month, our food and home experts are bringing a little spring into your
Simply Woman & Home2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Easter EGGS EDIT
Doisy & Dam Dark Chocolate Good Eggs, 75g, £1.99 hollandandbarrett.com Made from a lovely 70% Colombian chocolate that gives them a rich cocoa flavour, these chocolate eggs are perfect as a sweet treat or to pop on top of your Easter bakes. They’re d
Simply Woman & Home7 min readRegional & Ethnic
The Taste Of Spring!
This intensely favoured ham hock is offset by zingy English asparagus, giving a new twist to quiche. Serves 4 • Ready in 35 mins 300g shortcrust pastry500ml Elmlea Double Light Cream5 egg yolks75g Parmesan cheese, finely grated freshly grated nutmeg3
Simply Woman & Home3 min read
SPRING CLEANING Made Easy
• Don’t faff about with a cloth, removing crumbs and debris from the toaster tray, food cupboards and fridge. Just suck them up with the vacuum! Then, a quick going over with an antibacterial wipe and the job’s done. • For a sparkling oven, vacuum ou
Simply Woman & Home2 min readRegional & Ethnic
Easter BUYS
Sultana & Rosemary Hot Cross Buns, 4-pack, £1.50, Booths These plump buns are bigger than the others. The rosemary is just a delightful, subtle hint, which lifts the flavour of the raisins and gives these buns a little something special. The Best Ext
Simply Woman & Home6 min readCooking, Food & Wine
6 fabulous FRUIT TART
You can cheat this one by buying a ready-made sweet pastry case if making pastry isn’t your thing. Serves 10 • Ready in 1 hr, plus chilling 300g shortcrust pastry or a shop-bought 20cm pastry case500g mascarpone75ml double cream vanilla bean paste or
Simply Woman & Home1 min read
Cheers! EASY SPRING COCKTAILS
This pretty-looking, fruity cocktail makes a refreshing and less lethal version of the original. Serves 6 • Ready in 15 mins 350ml cranberry juice60ml fino sherry225ml vodka225ml Cointreau juice of 2 limes, plus 1 lime cut into 6 wedges6-7 ice cubes,
Simply Woman & Home6 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Calling all CHOCOLATE LOVERS!
Perfect as a dessert, eaten with big scoops of ice cream or classic whipped cream and berries for a teatime treat. Serves 8-10 • Ready in 1 hr, plus cooling 200g dark chocolate175g butter4 eggs, separated200g golden caster sugar100g ground almonds ze
Simply Woman & Home7 min readRegional & Ethnic
Freezer-friendly ENTERTAINING
This makes a comforting family meal and is good served with salad or veg. Serves 6 • Ready in 1 hr 20 mins, plus cooling 300g ready-rolled puff pastry for the filling: 2tbsp light olive oil4 chicken breasts, skinned and cubed6 rashers smoked streakyb
Simply Woman & Home4 min readCooking, Food & Wine
It Wouldn’t Be EASTER Without…
We’ve added dark chocolate to this fruity classic to make it even more indulgent. Make it for the chocoholic in your life. Serves 12 • Ready in 2 hrs 30 mins, plus soaking 125g dried figs, in 1cm chunks75ml brandy or port150g dark chocolate, in chunk
Simply Woman & Home2 min read
Which Plant For Where
‘Different plants remove different pollutants from the air, and some, such as the areca palm, produce higher amounts of moisture than others,’ says Hannah. Try these… ? ALOE VERA It releases oxygen from its leaves at night (most plants just do this d
Simply Woman & Home5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
LOAVES You’ll Love
Sourdough one-upmanship became abit of an obsession during lockdown. It’s a true labour of love, but worth the effort. Using a large casserole dish will help it to rise and gives the bread a crunchier crust. We had many a failed attempt before using
Simply Woman & Home1 min read
Celebrate In Style
Go big with balloons and create an eye-catching balloon arch. Easier to put together than it looks, the arches are sold in kit form – simply inflate the balloons and assemble into an arch shape using the tape provided. The kit contains 50 balloons, b
Simply Woman & Home4 min readCooking, Food & Wine
The easy GROW YOUR OWN GUIDE
The benefits of growing your own food are numerous – higher vitamin levels, fresher taste, and minimal air miles, not to mention cheaper shopping bills and fewer trips to the supermarket – plus you’ll know exactly what has gone into the soil. You don
Simply Woman & Home5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Sweet & LIGHT!
HEALTHIER TREATS You could also make this mixture into carrot muffins and pipe the filling on top You can freeze these cookies in an airtight box for up to a month. They’ll soften as they defrost, so cook for a few mins before serving. Makes 30 • Rea
Simply Woman & Home4 min read
7 great reasons TO GET OUTDOORS
Woodland walks, pottering in the garden, and being kissed by the sun’s rays all have the potential to improve our mood. Have you noticed that you tend to feel worse when cooped up inside? So, it’s no wonder that women head outdoors to heal everything
Simply Woman & Home3 min readRegional & Ethnic
Meat-free FAKEAWAYS
Try to track down different-coloured, in-season heritage tomatoes, to make this look and taste even better! Serves 4 • Ready in 20 mins, plus rising ½ x 500g pack ciabatta bread mix (we used Wright’s)3tbsp extra virgin olive oil strong bread flour, t
Simply Woman & Home7 min readCooking, Food & Wine
A Slice Of Something SPECIAL
This looks sophisticated, but is really easy to make. A slice is just nice after lunch or supper. Serves 12 • Ready 22 mins, plus freezing 360g Maltesers500ml tub salted caramel ice cream for the chocolate sauce: 200g milk chocolate, broken into squa
Simply Woman & Home6 min readRegional & Ethnic
Take It Easy MIDWEEK MEALS
A filling bowl full of umami flavours. Serves 2 • Ready in 20 mins 3 spring onions, sliced1 lemongrass stalk, outer layer removed and finely sliced75g mangetout, sliced100g spring greens, shredded175g frozen peas, thawed2 sheets of sushi nori, finely
Simply Woman & Home7 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Celebrate With An EASTER FEAST
We’ve harvested Persian flavours to create a tangy twist on the traditional Easter roast. The crown of lamb makes a comeback: all hail the king! Our rice is packed full of seeds and crispy onions, which not only make it a great side dish, but also a
Simply Woman & Home4 min readRegional & Ethnic
3 Terrific TRIFLES
This-fuss option for four can be ready in an hour or made in advance. It can be easily doubled to feed a crowd. Serves 4 • Ready in 30 mins, plus chilling 6 gelatine leaves100ml red fruit cordial8 amaretti biscuits, plus extra to serve200g raspberrie

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