Feeling proud to be Scottish? With the possibility of leaving Edinburgh forever at the forefront of my mind, I'm rediscovering my love of all things Scottish. Did you see my post about falling in love with your city again (check it out here)? I'm rediscovering Edinburgh but at the same time, finding new places to love as well.

I've mentioned it countless times already this month, but baking it one of the best Christmas activities out there. It's taken over my Tuesdays of December, and it's now taking over my Foodie Friday.

Did I mention that it was my birthday? I think I've milked it almost enough now, but before it's completely forgotten to he chaos of Christmas prep, I thought I'd share some of the tasty dishes that I served up as part of my birthday meal. The whole Johnston team pulled together to make my 21st birthday a really special day, and each of us contributed little bits to the meal, while my brother pulled the reigns over all of us. Trying to echo the meals that I've tasted over the summers I've spent in Italy, the day took on an italian theme. While Italian flags were strung across the hall, and balloons stuck to the roof, I sat under fairy lights with my family and tucked into lots of goodies.

This week marks my last week of being able to deny the fact that I am truly an adult. That's right, as of Monday - I'll be 21, but will still be avoiding any responsibilities that come with that age and the fact that this year of my life will be full of change. To celebrate my entry into adulthood (or to drown the sorrows) I went out in Edinburgh with a few of my friends to eat and drink the night away. Except from the fact it was a Tuesday night and being a group of mostly 'responsible' fourth years, we couldn't forget the the library would be waiting for us in the morning and the deadlines still loomed. So instead, it was a night of enjoying good food, in good company.

I chose this restaurant called 'Vietnam House' located in Edinburgh's West End, a short walk off of Lothian Road. After a quick google and zomato search, I knew this was the restaurant for me - I've only had vietnamese food once before (when I was in London and made this food diary), but I instantly fell in love with the food. Chinese is a family favourite, however Vietnamese is full of stronger flavours, making it that bit richer.





Vietnam House is a tiny little spot, with a couple of rooms of tables and a kitchen at the back, and was filled quickly when I descended with my group of friends on the friendly staff. One room has a thatched roof, while our ceiling had colourful lanterns casting an array of colours overhead.

The menu, although small, has enough options to cater for vegetarians as well, and gave everyone a difficult decision of which dish to choose. I opted for a house special noodle dish - my all time favourite when it comes to this style of cuisine. But to change things up a little, I chose the seafood option, and I'm so glad I did. Prawns and squid were mixed through the noodles and veg, making a very filling and very satisfying dish. Everyone's dishes looked amazing - from rice, to spring rolls and wraps - the whole restaurant was filled with amazing smells and very happy students.



The restaurant is great value for money - the portions were good sizes, filling everyone up. What makes this a great restaurant for students or those on a budget is that its BYOB - bring your own. So you can bring along a bottle of wine or some beer and be set for a very merry night.



I really enjoyed my night here, and can't thank my friends enough for celebrating with me, and starting off my week long celebrations (its not as bad as it sounds). And this was a perfect place to relax in a chilled atmosphere, with some great food.

Check out some of my other restaurant reviews or some of my recipes, part of my Foodie Friday posts!

Love,
Emily
xxx

Who says being a student means you don't eat well? It's not all cereal out of a pan, microwavable meals and endless bars of chocolate. Once you reach fourth year, you start to realise the student lifestyle isn't all its hyped up to be, and spending a little extra time in the kitchen is totally worth it. That's not to say it has to be a 5 star chef meal. or take hours of your time. It can be really easy to make a meal that tastes just like your mum makes and is comforting enough to help you forget that long day in the library or the next deadline that's due.

I may be cheating a little bit when I say that this is a 'home cooked meal'. The majority of the ingredients are out of jars, and just need to be thrown together in a pot. Of course you can be a little more adventurous than what I am, but I went back to basics and made the easiest lasagna possible. And here's how you can too.




Ingredients:
Jar of lasagna red sauce
Jar of lasagna white sauce
500g Mince meat
Pasta sheets
Mozzarella

Instructions:

1. Brown the mince on a pan, and add seasoning as you wish
2. Once browned, add the whole jar of red lasagna sauce and leave to simmer for 20 mins
3. Separate the meat into either 2 or 3 sections ( I went for 2 as my dish was big and shallow, but if you have a deeper dish then you may want three layers)
4. Pour one section of meat in the dish and cover with a layer of pasta sheets
5. Pour half (or a third) of the white sauce over the pasta sheets
6. Add a layer of mozzarella over the white sauce
7. Repeat the process until you've used all your mince & sauce
8. Put the dish into the oven at 180 degrees (fan) for 30-35 minutes
9. Take out and serve with a side salad or bread!

A coffee shop is the perfect haven for when life becomes a little too stressful, and a new environment is what is needed. A break from the library is every students wish, and the cafes surrounding new town are quick to grant it. Offering mouth watering treats and drinks, it's easy to give into the lull of coffee shops. It's easy to call these places home, when you get to know the staff, have a favourite seat and when they're actually warmer than your own flat.

Whether on a busy day and in desperate need of a break, or on a slower relaxing weekend, when a brunch helps to wake you up, these cafes are perfect. So I've compiled a little list of a few of my favourites for you to hit up too, whether its to escape the cold, have a good chin wag or as wee pick me up.

Ever hard week of deadlines, readings (and halloween celebrations) deserves a wind down at a nice cafe right? And especially now that its November - you wouldn't believe how happy this fact makes me! - a flavoured hot chocolate was top of my to do list.

So I used the zomato app to find a cafe that I haven't been to, perused the menus and settled on Love Crumbs, where a selection of home made cakes were begging to be tasted...



Love Crumbs is situated just outside of the Grassmarket, on West Port Street. So only a short walk from my flat, and the perfect detour from the vintage shops of the Grassmarket. The decor is super sweet, with window seats and tables packed into a small room, giving it a bit of hustle and bustle, while maintaining a cool relaxed scene. With plant pots, pianos and shelves full of cake - this is the quirky little cafe that is worth a visit.



Drinks are served in mix matched crockery, masonry jars and coffee is even served in a flask to keep it nice and warm. The drink of choice for this time of year was, of course, hot chocolate. Stepping outside of my usual comfort zone of classic - I went wild and ordered an orange and chilli hot chocolate. It seemed a bit daring, considering my taste buds are a little sensitive to any type of spice, but the mix was perfect. Sweet enough to balance out the spice of the chilli, but still with a little kick to it. And the orange came through perfectly, making it taste like a Terry's Chocolate Orange - only spicier. The other flavoured hot chocolate was Rose and Cardamon, which was deliciously creamy with the subtle taste of the cardamon and rose.



As it was late afternoon - and come on, I had just finished my essay - I had a taste of the Mint Chocolate Cake. It was a difficult choice - the shelves were brimming full of beautiful cakes, with gorgeous colours and designs, and the counter top displayed donuts and party rings. It was heaven for someone with a sweet tooth. The mint chocolate cake was delightful - not too chocolatey, and the perfect amount of mint icing.



This was the perfect place for a quiet catch up in the city centre, with a chilled out of atmosphere.

Check out my last foodie friday post: Coro - The Chocolate Cafe

Love,
Emily
xxx

Emily
xxx

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While I was in London, I had a lot of good food - and I mean a lot. Whether it was home made meals or eating out, I was never left hungry. I thought I'd show a snap or two that I took and share some restaurant recommendations for any of you who are in London town.

Brixton Village Market

Brixton Village is an amazing place to visit, filled with street food places and cafes, and lots of people. There are too many choices here to even keep track of with any type of cuisine you could ask for, and while lost in awe at the hustle & bustle of the place I forgot to jot down the name of this place that we found for Saturday brunch. But we found this gem and loved every second of our experience. The service was amazing, run by one man and a cook - it had such a homey feel to it, like we were in someone's house while they cooked for us. We tried out the range of freshly squeezed juices, and I decided to go for Eggs Benedict, which was absolutely amazing.








Mein Tay - Shoreditch

Mein Tay is such a small, intimate restaurant, where you can hear your food being prepared. The decor is really cool, with tables that have little scenes underneath glass. The food was incredible. We each ordered a dish but all had tastes of one another's. I opted for the Chargrilled pork and egg fried rice, which had lots of lemon grass and spices making it a taste sensation. On the table was also sweet and sour chicken, Goat (which I want to get next time I go as it was like nothing I'd tasted before) curry and beef. It all tasted brilliantly and very authentic, and I can't recommend heading here if you're ever in Shoreditch area.






Camden Street Food

Camden is an amazing place to visit if you're in London. The market is fun and edgy, and you'll easily find something that tickles your fancy - food, drink, home made jewellery & soaps to vintage clothes. So after spending hours exploring some of the market, we decided to hit up the food stalls. All of which will send your taste buds into a frenzy. After much decision making we decided to have a chinese mix up box, which had noodles and three different types of chicken in it to try. There are so many places to eat in Camden that you will find it difficult choosing where to actually eat! From kebabs & pizza to fish and beef there's literally something for everyone. As well as those with a sweet tooth, stalls selling pancakes, churros, muffins and crepes will taunt you till you buy one.



As well as these places, there were many more that I tried and tested in London, many of which were street food stalls that smelt too good to pass by. Even though I only ate in a couple of the nights that I was there, I didn't end up spending a fortune. Each meal didn't come to more than £10 - a bargain in my eyes and so worth it to try different things that you don't get up here in Scotland.

Its become somewhat a tradition or a routine that when I finish my Friday morning class, myself and a friend take a short walk to Peter's Yard. Its fast become one of my favourite places to go, and I find myself there at least once a week.



Usually I treat myself to hot chocolate, and sometimes one of their fancy pieces. I love to try out different pieces from their table full of goodness - but find myself always coming back to the vanilla and blueberry buns!





Peter's Yard has such a cool atmosphere to it. Whenever I'm there I always feel sophisticated and grown up - even bumping into some of my lectures in the queue. Their display of bakery goods and sandwiches will make your eyes water and mouth drool - its always so tempting! The staff here are delightful. They always greet us with a smile as we arrive, and always stop to chat as they deliver our drinks and food. Its this reason that I find myself returning again and again.



Today, as it was my last lecture of the semester, and we've finished all our course work, we decided to treat ourselves to one of the breakfast options. The sweet breakfast tray - the Frukostbricka (don't ask me to pronounce that!) - instantly caught my eye and I bit the bullet, ordering it straight away.
It was to die for, each component was tasty, and altogether was very filling. It also beckoned to be photographed, so I really couldn't resist adding it to today's blog post.




I can't recommend this place enough. And what's better is that if you're in a rush you can pop to their take away shop just round the corner and miss the queues, as this place is quite popular!

Love ,
Emily
xxx

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This week is the start of a new post - every Friday I'm going to be posting a food related post. Whether it be a 'What I Ate', a restaurant review or a new recipe - you'll be getting some food on you screen every Friday.

So this week, I thought I'd keep things basic with a classic 'What I Ate Post'. This is typically what I eat most days, of course my dinners vary, but I usually stick to some quick and easy meals that suit my student budget.

Breakfast

I like to have a healthy breakfast that will keep me going throughout the morning, and save me from snacking. I've started to really love having porridge, its quick and is warm for these cold mornings. To add a little bit of flavour, I sprinkle some cinnamon over it - just to give it a Christmassy taste!





Lunch 

As one of my attempts to get healthy, I've been filling my whole seed wrap with a bit of mayo, some spinach, ham, peppers and tomatoes. Full of flavour and goodness. I follow up my sandwich with tangerine.



Dinner

For my dinner, I was a little bit more adventurous. I oven cooked a chicken breast in garlic butter, and 5 minutes before it was done, I sprinkled bread crumbs over it.  Alongside it, I made a cous cous, some carrots, peppers and cooked spinach and had a blob of green pesto too. I must say that this has been one of my better meals I've made while at uni!



Of course, like anyone else I do snack  - and as my grandma sent me back to Edinburgh with a tub of roses chocolates, I did have a few of those while watching a film that night.

Have a look at my other recipes I've posted on my blog too!

Lentil Soup Recipe
Banana Bread Recipe
Pasta Bake Recipe
Seafood Risotto Recipe
Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
Chocolate Cake Recipe

Love,
Emily
xxx

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