Monday, August 29, 2016

Scenery and a recipe for salsa...


This morning fog rolled in and blanketed the seafront with a cool damp mist.
The scenery took on an ethereal look...
pretty fuchsia flowers growing along the rugged cliffs stood out in the haze.

There was a distinct chill in the air 
until the sunshine came out and burnt off the fog.
It feels like Summer might be fading and Fall is on the way...


The roses in The Humble Bungalow Garden are very happy.
They thrive in the heat and sunshine, provided they get plenty of water.


This vintage chair planted up with flowers at the garden centre stopped me in my tracks. 
I love how it was repurposed as a planter.
A very clever way of recycling an old piece of furniture.

We purchased some drought tolerant grasses for some of our planters in the front garden on the weekend.
Many new and interesting grasses are on the market.
They are often reasonably priced and they are an easy way to add texture, interest, and colour.
Usually the deer do not eat them...
time will tell.


If you are counting your calories or WW points you will like the low calorie and point count of this delicious salsa.


It is quick to make and adds a punch of flavour.

Chef John's recipe is found online at All Recipe's.com

I like to pair this with white fish for dinner.
I have also used it in a fish taco...
I opt for the small corn tortillas as they have higher fibre than the flour tortillas.

If you are following along with me on my journey to shed a few pounds...
I wonder how are you doing.

The brisker walking is really making a big difference in how I feel.
I must admit that my muscles are a wee bit sore but my feet are fine.
Decent walking shoes make a huge difference to my comfort.
I also put moisturizer on my feet before popping on bamboo sox.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

28 comments:

Petal49 said...

It is interesting hearing about the end of summer on your side of the world. Its getting warmer here in Aus and the days are slowly getting longer. The re-purposed chair looks wonderful.

Patricia said...

Love the salsa recipe, as I love a nectarine! Somehow I managed to lose 1kg over the past fortnight - hope I can keep it off on our trip. Your pink roses are so pretty, as is the wonderful old chair/garden.

Amie Rikke said...

When I first went to corn tortillas from flour, well I didn't think I could! But I converted, and now I can't think of eating a flour one.
Salsa looks good.
I love that garden chair! My neighborhood home owners association would most likely say it's "junk" in the yard and send a nasty letter demanding it be removed if I tried that in my front yard. I would need to put it in the back where they can't see.

Dana said...

Love the garden chair- so clever and charming. I also felt a chill in the air this morning and definitely looking forward to fall, particularly my evening cup of tea. Thanks for the salsa recipe. It looks delicious and I will try it this weekend with a simple fish dinner. Love all your recipes- please keep them coming. Your blog is like a breath of fresh air.

the gardener's cottage said...

oh i'm excited to hear about the new grasses you put in the garden as i'm considering that for a troublesome spot in my garden. our old home had a grass garden section that was so gorgeous and really stylish. xo

Anonymous said...

Lovely chair!
No fog here. Evenings and nights are mild,days still hot. Oh,I would like to stay here a week or two more...
Shoes are very important,happy to hear that you are feeling great during, and after, your walks
Dottoressa

materfamilias said...

I love that chair -- wonderful! And the salsa recipe looks great as a way to fill out a plate with colour and flavour. I've been so annoyed lately, ordering fish tacos as a healthy (diet) option, to have several restaurants bring a taco with fish either breaded or deep-fried -- and then to compound the offense, at least one place loaded theirs with coleslaw, heavy on the mayo!! Defeats the whole purpose and I might has well have ordered the fish 'n' chips. Have you noticed this trend where you are as well?

christy said...

That's such a beautiful rose and what a neat idea with the chair. I love grasses as they are easy, don't need a lot of water and as you say the deer generally don't eat them. The deer just eat everything else in my garden! Grasses give such texture and look lovely swaying in the breeze. I like this naturalistic approach to gardening pioneered by Piet Outdorf (not sure of the spelling here). Thanks for the salsa recipe.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

When we are into fall and the rainy days I will be living vicariously through many of the blogs I read from warmer climates! Australia and New Zealand bloggers post so many sunny snapshots to sustain us in the gloomy season.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Well done Patricia!
I have a chair in a similar style in my hobby room but it has a lovely linen slipcover on it and I often sit there with a cup of tea and a good book so there is no danger that I would plant it outside...just yet!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The salsa is good...hope you like it.
My husband would not be amused if I planted a chair in our garden at all!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I will try and post more recipes...I love it when bloggers share their favourites with their audience.
I used fresh cod in the fish tacos and baked them in the oven before popping the cabbage, and carrot slaw (undressed) on top. Drizzled a wee bit of low fat yogurt and herb dressing on top and added a healthy dollop pf salsa.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I took some pictures this morning of the two planters and will post them soon...
the grasses that we planted in the beds were called blue fescue grass...very common here and super cheap to buy.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I have ordered fish tacos quite a bit as appies when I am out and they are usually filled with fried fish and heavy on the creamy dressing...I bake the fish when I make them at home use the bag of shredded coleslaw (undressed) add a dollop of low fat yogurt and herb dressing and a healthy amount of salsa...in a small corn tortilla...much lower in WW points.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Oh I have seen a lot of that gardener's work in magazines and there is a book on his gardens in the local library...grasses are so sculptural and I love how they move in the breeze.
The deer eat a lot of greenery, roses, flowers here too...especially our hostas!

Splenderosa said...

You live in heaven, don't you?
xx's

Sydney Shop Girl said...

The garden chair is gorgeous!

SSG xxx

Anonymous said...

Love your pink roses! Grasses add architecture to a garden. I've had many (full size, not dwarf) over the last 10 years. Most have grown to about 5 ft. in diameter and then the middle starts to die off. When this happens the tall fountain shape is not as well structured.
The combination landscape of a cliff and ocean is spectacular and dramatic. Your photo is outstanding. Beautiful vista.
Salsa is great and a good way to use abundant fresh veggies and herbs. Delicious! Susan

La Contessa said...

Come visit me over on the BLOG and check out MY SON's TACO's!!!!!!

Pondside said...

The salsa looks delicious!
I am still hanging in there with the weight loss with only a few tumbles off the wagon. It's harder than I thought it would be!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

We do live in a lovely place...the scenery along the ocean is beautiful.
Our city is not without its problems though as we have quite a few homeless people living on the streets and in shelters. Our real estate prices have soared and many families are being forced to move away as there are so few rentals on the market. We have an enthusiastic mayor who is trying hard to make some positive changes and I hope that she and her council can collectively address these issues and make a difference.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I wonder if other creative gardeners plant furniture in their gardens...have you seen anything like this where you live?

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I think grasses need to be divided regularly so they do not take over...hopefully we can stay on top of their growing habits!
I have never been to the UK but think that the cliffs could be similar to those in England and Scotland...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I saw your blog and IG pictures and that food truck...love that you have had so much fun together!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

It will get easier when we get back into the cooler weather...not so many BBQ's and garden parties to tempt us!
Keep trying though...it is harder to shed weight as we get older so we need to ne patient.

Anna of Mutton Style and Years said...

I seem to have lost a huge half a pound, yes pound, in 3 weeks. I'm at that stubborn stage.

Jennifer said...

That chair is simply fabulous! You do live in the most amazing place. It's so, so beautiful.

Rosie said...

Thank you for the nectarine salsa recipe. I'm really looking forward to trying it ...sounds delicious. Like you, I'm doing lots of brisk walking and can certainly feel the benefit. L'Occitane 100% Shea Butter is an excellent moisturiser. Ive used it on my lips for years and only recently on my feet,which in a week became baby soft, but I noticed the greatest difference in my nails which became really bright and shiny, almost as though they been polished.
Rosie