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Back in 6th class when you were considering your options for secondary school, the idea of whipping up cupcakes as part of your school day seemed an absolute dream, right?

Sure, you were only mad into cupcakes, and if making them helped you acquire points in the Leaving Cert, then who were you to turn down the chance?

Then you began Home Ec classes and got the rudest awakening of your life.

Yes, you made cakes every now and then, but you were also forced to memorise the components of a fridge, commit various biological functions to memory, and watch your friend's glasses steam up every time she went anywhere near the oven.

And here are just six things you know if Home Ec was the bane of your life.

1. You ALWAYS forgot to pre-heat the oven

No matter how fresh your ingredients or clean your workspace, something would always go wrong during your Home Ec practicals.

And invariably it came down to your inability to remember the oven needed to be turned on in order to actually go home with anything edible. 

"Oh my God, I did TURN it on. I'm SURE I did."

2. You never had the right containers

The night before a cookery class, you would trawl through your mother's impressive collection of Tupperware in order to find a container which would facilitate your finished product the following day.

And invariably, the container would be too small and you'd be forced to bung your cupcakes into a dirty cotton bag and bail before your teacher caught sight of you.

"Jaysus, just fling them in there and bounce."

3. You struggled with various smells

Cutting onions first thing in the morning, and then spending the rest of the day with the smell lingering on your hands was an absolute melter.

Even when you forced your partner to take the reins with the onion, the smell would still find its way onto your hands, and ruin your day.

"That smell isn't coming from me. Stop looking at me."

4. Your hair couldn't take the pressure

A school kitchen with 20 students slaving over hot stoves wreaked havoc on your barnet.

You may have arrived to school with poker-straight hair, but you could guarantee a steamy kitchen meant you'd be leaving with a 'do that resembled nothing like it did an hour earlier.

"I look like Monica when the humidity got to her."

5. Your finished product NEVER looked like the picture

You might have used all the right ingredients, but the item you gingerly removed from the oven rarely looked like the photo in your textbook.

And even if it tasted good, your presentation generally left a lot to be desired, right?

"What's a piping bag? And can I use this plastic bag instead?"

6. You were forever 'wasting' food apparently

While you assumed you were simply peeling fruit and veg, your teacher would insist you were leaving half the good stuff in the kitchen bin.

And you weren't beneath arranging the contents of your bin so as to conceal the amount of potato you had actually discarded either.

"What? Those peels aren't mine! They were there when the class started!"

Thankfully, the good folk at Siúcra have helped us to draw a line under our hellish experience of homebaking with the help of new brand ambassador Catherine Fulvio.

Reminding the public that home cooking doesn't have to dredge up memories of Home Ec classes, they said: "Food has an incredible ability to bring people together, so whether it’s a sharing plate or a mini dessert, Siúcra has the perfect recipes for both seasoned cooks and young enthusiasts to savour mini moments."

"With Catherine's infectious enthusiasm for food and no-fuss approach to cooking and baking, she was a natural choice for our brand," they added.

"I’m really excited about working with the range to develop easy-to-make recipes which will hopefully inspire people to experiment in the kitchen and enjoy the sense of achievement from creating something delicious for friends and family," Catherine enthused.

These guys might just rewrite history for us!

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Healthy foods are trendier than ever, and we love the fact that being healthy doesn’t mean restricting our food intake or embarking on a crash diet as our less-informed teenage selves may have once believed.

On the downside, however, a food which is labelled as “healthy” can often make you think you can go all out and enjoy it unlimitedly.

Unfortunately, that isn't the case.

To be clear, we are not saying you should stop eating the following foods, but instead reminding you to enjoy them mindfully.

Almond butter

Lord, do we love it. Almond butter – and nut butters in general – are considered a healthy food and they are an ideal snack when teamed with an apple or a banana.

But let’s not forget that one single tablespoon contains 100kcal. So spread it sparingly. 

Avocado

Full of vitamins, minerals and good fatty acids, avocados have countless benefits and we adore them.

But with 160 calories for 100 grams, it is a good idea to control your intake and stick to no more than ½ avocado a day.  

Smoothies and juices

Fruit juices and smoothies are a delicious nutrient-packed beverage, but don’t drink them like water.

They are usually full of sugars and if you add nut butter, avocado or Greek yoghurt, they become real calorie bombs. 

Energy balls

Made mostly of dried fruits and nuts, energy balls are a good source of natural sugars and good fats, but then again, all these benefits don’t come calorie-free.

First, try and make them yourself so you know exactly what is in them (it is SO MUCH cheaper) and don't nibble them all at once. 

Gluten-free food

Or more precisely, gluten-free processed food. It might not contain gluten, but it doesn’t mean it is healthy.

A gluten-free muffin is still a muffin, and isn’t any better for you than a normal muffin (unless you are coeliac, of course). 

 

Sushi

Fish, and especially oily fish, should be a part of your diet, and sushi is a tasty way to enjoy their benefits.

However, sushi rolls can turn into real calorie bombs if you go for cream-cheese or mayo-filled versions. Stick to something simple – one salmon-avocado roll – and order a side salad.  

Rice cakes

And more specifically, those covered in chocolate.

Those seemingly light treats are about 90kcal for one, so if you have the whole pack (which is quite easy in fairness) you can end up eating the equivalent of a burger without even feeling full. 

Hummus
Again, we know hummus is delicious, full of healthy proteins and fats, but with about 170kcal per 100 grams, it’s not a reason to down a whole tub in one go. 

Granola

Made mostly of oats, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, granola is a nutritious topping to add to yoghurt or porridge for a tasty breakfast, but it can be VERY high in calories.

So before you go crazy on it, check the sugar content and keep the portion small.

Healthy baking

It is not because it is dairy-free, butter-free or added-sugar-free that it is calorie free! Coconut oil, dates, maple syrup, peanut butter and almond flour might be a healthier alternative to butter, sugar and flour, they are still heavy in calories.

Also, a small slice of a real cake once in a while doesn’t make you unhealthy or weak, but just human. #noguilt

 

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As the week goes by, it seems to get much more difficult to eat healthily and stick to your balanced life goals.

By Wednesday, your motivation is seriously challenged by the second birthday cake of the week in the office., right?

To help you avoid falling into the processed food trap, we have rounded up some healthy options available on Deliveroo, so you can get a tasty fix (almost) without lifting the little finger. 

Cracked Nut

Their rustic decor and lovely food range is worth a trip to Camden Street alone, in fairness.

Cracked Nut’s tasty salads and feel-good wraps as a healthy takeaway for when you forgot to bring your lunch to work. 

Póg

When all calories are indicated on the menu, it makes it easy to go for the lighter option.

Known for its delicious fro-yo, the eatery also offers a scrumptious Spicy Chicken salad (with spinach, spicy chicken, red onion, white cabbage, avocado, sundried tomatoes and asian dressing) for only 330kcal.

Add the salted caramel smoothie (made with dates, Himalayan sea salt, oats, banana, and almond milk) for an extra tasty 205kcal. 

Chopped

With 20 locations around the city, Chopped is now pretty much everywhere when you need a wholesome and tasty meal.

But the Irish healthy food chain also delivers delicious salads, smoothies and wraps to the comfort of your own home. Our favourite, the Dubliner Caesar, comes at around 500kcal and as cheap as 5 euros. 

The Lo-Cal Kitchen

This café based in the Phoenix Park Racecourse produces food that tastes great, but without the bad ingredients.

What is on the menu? Dishes low in calories and filled with nutrients, such as a Supergreen salad or the Nutty quinoa salad (328kcal), made with broccoli, almond, quinoa, peanut, carrot, pistachio, green peas, black eyed beans with a zingy Asian dressing. 

 

Get in outta the wind… ''tis #Brunchoclock

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Cocu

Cocu is famous among Dubliners who like to eat healthy on the go. With several locations in town, the fast (but good) food has become a favourite for a quick and tasty lunch.

While you can’t get their new poke bowl delivered, you can order a delicious Falafel with pickled carrot, cherry tomato, cucumber and hummus for less than a tenner.

Freshii

A healthy lunch destination inside the CHQ Building, Freshii is also a good delivery option to enjoy a delicious Buddha's satay bowl, with rice noodles, crispy lentils, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, green onions and peanut sauce among other wholesome dishes and treats.

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If you love pizza, pasta, ciabatta and focaccia, then this pop-up market is perfect for you.

Coming to Meeting House Square in Temple Bar at the end of the month is The House Of Peroni Presents: La Primavera. 

On Thursday March 30 and Friday March 31, La Primavera will bring the taste of Italy to Dublin, with some of the city's finest restaurants taking part.

Image result for italian food market

As well as food from fab eateries, there will also be stalls with fresh food and vegetables, baked goods and plenty of booze.

There will be a special cocktail to try over the two days which wil be made from "Peroni Nastro Azzurro, gin, dry Martini, elderflower cordial, chamomile and thyme syrup, orange blossom and lemon juice," and our mouths are literally drooling right now.

Image result for The House Of Peroni Presents: La Primavera dublin

The market will be open from 7pm-10pm Thursday and 12pm-10pm Friday. 

Oh, and did we mention it's free in?

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If you're a fan of Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, you'll know that in addition to promoting a healthy way of life, the fitness and nutrition guru advocates hearty meals and treating yourself on the regular.

And while it seemed Joe's 'eat more, exercise less and lose weight' approach sounded a little too good to be true, there's no denying the results.

 

A post shared by Joe Wicks #Leanin15 (@thebodycoach) on

Indeed, his best-selling Lean in 15 books are chock-full of recipes which you're unlikely to find in standard 'diet' book, and yet his clients have undergone some of the most incredible 90-day transformations even seen online.

And with carbonara, curry and cakes up for grabs, what exactly would the Body Coach refuse to eat?

 

Chocolate and avocado protein mousse#MousseMe

A post shared by Joe Wicks #Leanin15 (@thebodycoach) on

According to a recent interview he did with The Business Insider, Joe will not eat frozen ready meals or anything deep fried.

When asked what is officially 'off' the list, he responded: "Frozen ready meals and any deep fried stuff."

"It's the oils they use that aren't food for you, rather than [whatever is in them, like] the chicken. They're cheap, so they use all sorts of crap," he added.
 

 

Hold tight for my Aussie Bum Burger with sweet potato wedges #leanin15 #foodie #recipes #food #thebodycoach

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But as any Body Coach fan will know, Joe never deprives himself, telling the publication that he simply opts for homemade versions.

"I like to make healthy versions of popcorn chicken, healthy burgers, and healthy homemade pizzas, so I never feel deprived," he insisted.

Joe will be heading to Dublin this summer, so you can find out more from him then!

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So, we have reached that stage of the month when we start to cancel on our friends because, you know, we just can’t afford it.

But sharing a nice dinner with your friends and family doesn’t mean you have to break the bank – if you pick one these affordable restaurants in Dublin.

Featherblade

A great steak usually comes at a (pretty heavy) price. But in Featherblade, you can get a delicious juicy steak for as little as 13 euros (you should also add one or two or their fab sides, just sayin’…).

Brownes of Sandymount

This cosy restaurant is like Love Actually: a classic that never disappoints. With the evening French bistro menu, you can enjoy two courses for 20 euros.

Their duck leg confit, Seafood risotto, Beef cheek Bourguignon and Crème brûlée will make you feel like a million bucks!

 

Light, colourful and delicious! #BrownesofSandymount #Dinner #Bistro

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The Fumbally

With a price as low as 6 euro, the Fumbally eggs give pricey brunch places a run for their money. And they taste DIVINE.
 

 

It was just so good last week I had to come back for more. It's birth week after all!

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Bunsen

While Cork can now rejoice to have their own joint, Dubliners have been loving Bunsen’s tasty burgers – all under 10 euros – for quite a while. Rightfully so. 

 

Lean 2017! Start as you mean to continue!@isthatedibles

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The Big Blue Bus

Hidden inside the Bernard Shaw, this place delivers some seriously tasty pizza that you can enjoy sitting on the boot of a really cool 1979 double decker bus. From Monday to Friday 5 to 7pm, a pizza and a pint will only cost you 12 euros.

 

More food. Surprise Surprise

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Octopussy

In the Howth harbour, Octopussy looks like a cute fisherman’s shed and offers the freshest and most delicious seafood. With their early bird menu, you can enjoy two “tapas” dishes and a glass or wine for 17 euros per person. An absolute bargain!

 

A post shared by Jekaterina S. (@kunai_kat) on

Bow Lane

This late night cocktail bar on Aungier Street offers an early bird menu with amazing value. With 2 courses for 19.50 euros and 3 courses for 24.50 euros, enjoy a Pork Belly, a Pan-fried fillet of hake  and a Dark chocolate pavé zero-guilt involved!

 

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Chez Max

This traditional French brasserie on Baggot Street serves homemade French dishes with a Parisian flair. For 19 euros per person, the early bird menu includes the likes of a Soupe à l’oignon, delicious Escargots and a Bœuf bourguignon. That's really a cheap trip to the City of light. 

 

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 Credit feature image: rawdublin

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We'd take any excuse to munch a whole bag of crisps, and now with Saint Patrick's Day around the corner, our sense of patriotism is coming in handy. 

Combining two esteemed Irish brands, O’Donnells have created a Ballymaloe Relish and Cheddar Cheese flavour of their hand-cooked crisps, and we've never needed less of an excuse to scoff the lot. 

Image result for crisps

“For many years our customers have asked for Ballymaloe Relish flavoured crisps so we are thrilled to see this happen and with such a fantastic company O’Donnells!" said Maxine Hyde, Head of Sales and Marketing for Ballymaloe Foods. 

"It was great fun developing the flavour with Ed and Kate O’Donnell. “

The crisps are made using home grown Tipperary potatoes, and O'Donnells have sourced the best local artisan food producers in Ballymaloe to provide unique individual flavours.

The gluten free crisps will be appearing on the supermarket shelves in mid-March, and we honestly cannot wait. 

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It looks like our foodie pics might be a bit more helpful than just making our Instagram feeds look good.

It turns out that taking pictures of your food can actually make you healthier.

Research carried out at Oregon State University claims that snapping your food can improve your health and can even help people with diabetes.

The study was carried out on 114 nutrition students in the US and Australia. They had to identify the foods that were in the pictures, as well as figure out their serving sizes and weight.

barbecue, embers, food

The students were able to identify different foods, with an 80 per cent success rate. However, when it came to serving sizes, only 38 per cent of the students were able to give an estimate that was within 10 per cent of the actual weight.

"Dietary intake information is important both to individuals using nutrition-based therapy for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, and to entire populations for identifying nutrition and disease risk," the study said.

The research further claims that by using photography as a means of understanding food, it could help people in the first stages of diabetes come to terms with their dietary changes.

Mary Clusky, one of the authors of the study said: "If you're providing me with your dietary intake information, you may not be trying to falsify the information, because you're sincerely interested in improving your diet.

Lunch table / salad

"But I'm depending on your ability to recall what you ate and your ability to correctly tell me what portions and specific ingredients you had; there are all kinds of things that can make it go wrong.

"Images can facilitate your recall, and they also prompt important questions from a dietitian: 'Was that low-fat dressing or high-fat?' Plus, images make dietary assessments more entertaining because people do like to take pictures of food."

So, there you go. Time to start snappin'.

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Gin is really having a moment in Ireland, but let's never forget our nation's love of a good, old-fashioned Irish coffee.

If you think that Irish coffee is kind of an old person drink, you might want to reconsider.

This Irish coffee slushy is so delicious it could be your go-to drink for Paddy's Day!

And here, ladies, is what you'll need to make it.

Irish coffee slushy

Ingredients

  • 30ml whiskey
  • 30ml Baileys
  • 60ml milk
  • 30g brown sugar (optional)
  • 180ml coffee
  • 300g ice cubes

Method

Place all ingredients into a blender.

Blend until it gets to a slushy consistency.

Pour over 2 chilled glasses, top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce if desired.

Serve immediately.
 

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Now don’t get us wrong: we don’t necessarily watch cooking channels on YouTube to learn how to make fancy dinners or crazy cakes – we just love the entertainment.

And we won't apologise for it, either.

If cooking shows float your boat, but complicated recipes aren't your thing, why not check out our favourite inspiration for whenever you just feel like drooling in front of your screen.

Donal Skehan

It would be impossible to not mention our beloved Donal Skehan.

Even though he recently moved to LA, the Irish food sensation remains our pride and joy. 

Sorted Food

These British guys are not only fun to watch, they are also really relatable and we feel like if they can do it, we can too! 

Cupcake Gemma

The creme of the buttercream!

When this British pastry extraordinaire teaches us how to make a breathtaking ombre cake, we almost believe we can do it. 

Hervé Cuisine

If you think French cooking is all fancy and nervewracking, have a look at Hervé Cuisine. From his Parisian kitchen, this cool guy cooks all sorts of sweet and savoury recipes, and makes it all look really easy-peasy.

And with English subtitles available, you don’t even have to pretend you remember anything from your Leaving Cert oral.

Everyday Food

Everyday Food editor, Sarah Carey, always comes up with easy-to-follow recipes that make us go “Defo could do this!”.

We particularly love the series called Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph, which breaks down all the crazy science behind cooking and baking. 

JessBeautician

As the name of her channel suggests it, Jess was primarily a beauty therapist but her food videos are so brilliant we are seriously considering going vegan. 

Well, you know, kinda…

MyCupcakeAddiction

If you have never heard of Elise Strachan, the genius mind behind MyCupcakeAddiction, prepare yourself to be seriously mind-blown.

This Aussie lady makes the most creative and colourful cakes that literally defy gravity. 

Bigger Bolder Baking
 
Gemma Stafford is an Irish professionally trained chef who now lives under the Santa Monica sun, in California.

Her recipes are mouth-watering and always have this wow factor that makes us seriously drool…

Peaceful Cuisine

Ryoya Takashima makes cooking videos that don’t use music and gives us true ASMR feel.

If you ever have a stress rush during the day, tune into his channel and enjoy the quietness of this Japanese kitchen…

Food Tube

Jamie Oliver doesn't need an introduction and his channel, featuring some brilliant guests, needs to be in our faves. 

 

 

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One quick blitz of Instagram will tell you that when it comes to food, the dinners of our youth just don’t cut it anymore.

While we more than happy to hoof into a meat and two veg dish courtesy of our hardworking mothers back in the day, we tend to get a little more creative in our own kitchens.

And then we share it on social media, natch.

But if you want to do more than just hashtag your culinary creations, why not bring your meals to a wider audience by applying to star in RTÉ’s Tastes Like Home show?

As the deadline for final entries looms, Catherine Fulvio, together with sponsor Londis, has issued a final call for applicants who wish to star on the second season of the show later this year.

Whether you’re only starting out or have years of cooking experience under your belt, the only thing needed to apply is a passion for homemade cooking!

Applications close on Sunday March 19, so if you want in on the action, simply submit an application form along with three family favourite recipes for consideration.

See ya on the box, ladies!

 

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Healthy, cheap, filling, office-friendly: soups are your best friend if you want to avoid the dreaded Sad Desk Lunch.

And even if there are plenty of nice options in the shop, they will never be as good as the one you make yourself. You can trust us on this, there is nothing as easy to make as a big batch of soup that will last you a whole week!

The great thing about soup is that it is quite hard to mess up. If you just buy what is in season – and usually, on offer – peel it, cover it with water and let it cook gently, you will definitely end up with a delicious soup.

But for those afraid to try, don't worry, we have you covered with these 3 foolproof recipes.

Creamy courgette soup

  • 1kg courgette, roughly chopped
  • 500g potato, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch spring onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 stock cube
  • 100g grated parmesan, to serve
  • 10g butter
  • Pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and cook the spring onions for 2 minutes.

Add the courgettes, potatoes and stock cube and cover with water.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

Cook for about 20 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

Blend and serve topped with freshly ground pepper and grated parmesan. 

 

Spicy butternut squash soup

  • 1 butternut squash, cut into chunks
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 3cm fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 stock cube
  • Sour cream to serve

In a large saucepan, melt the coconut and fry the onion, garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes.

Add the butternut squash, carrots, stock cube, turmeric and cayenne pepper and cover with water.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Blend and serve, topped with a dollop of sour cream if desired.  

 

Green pea soup

  • 1kg frozen peas
  • 3 shallots, roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 25g butter
  • 1 stock cube
  • Pepper
  • Greek yoghurt and finely chopped mint to serve

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the shallots and garlic.

Cook for 2 minutes

Add the peas and the stock cube and cover with water.

Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Blend and serve topped with a tablespoon of greek yoghurt and some fresh finely chopped mint.

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