Reprobate Mum

13/01/2026

So I needed to cook dinner, wash the child and work this evening. 🤯

One of the overriding stresses of parenting is the need to be in 3 places at once.
Suffice it to say I am NOT looking forward to returning to the juggle of corporate life, but we can’t afford for me not to work, so I have to just get on with it 😤

In the spirit of multitasking, I whipped up this risotto-stir veg and chorizo rice from last night’s Badmati leftovers alongside baked chicken thighs marinaded in buttermilk and garlic and herbs, while I got smallish girl into the shower and preceded to try to teach her how to wash her own hair.

At seven she still needs quite a bit of help (and there’s a fair amount of moaning!) but I’m working to get her more independent so that on the days when I’m working from home, I can do these three things simultaneously and not fail at all of them!

Tom, bless him, put the broccoli on when he got home.

*mediterranean inspired chorizo rice and garlic and herb baked chicken* 🍗

Cover chicken thighs in buttermilk (or yoghurt) with garlic and herb seasoning (I used Cape Herb and Spice Uk Limited’ Greek seasoning but you can make your own with garlic powder, lemongrass and oregano )

Onion, celery, red pepper and chilli in the wok with a touch of groundnut oil, garlic powder, paprika, oregano and turmeric. Add a small amount of chorizo, cut into tiny chunks.

Fry till veg is soft, then add last night’s leftover rice (you’d never know it’s not risotto rice when cooked!)
I topped up the buttermilk bottle with water (about 500ml) shook it, and added the liquid to the rice with an Knorr chicken stock pot. Simmer until the liquid evaporates and turn off to cool

Meanwhile, dumped the marinaded thighs into a Pyrex dish and into the oven at 160 for 45 mins

Simmer rice until the liquid evaporates and turn off to cool.

Tom (while cooking the broccoli) siphoned off the marinade (it split!) and popped it back into the oven for 15 mins.

I was able to whizz through my work and almost achieve quantum productivity. Teenage daughter, who had voiced her concern at the level of veg in the rice even congratulated me on how tasty it was. So a triple win!

Serve with ’s Kitchen heavenly jalepeno houmous.

13/01/2026

Some more snaps of the upper galleries

13/01/2026

On the tube today going to the &A- a treat to myself as I’ve never been!

I will revert with pictures, but I couldn’t resist this bit of deep irony I saw in the this morning from our dear mayor 🫩 Especially in the wake of the anti burka protests in Iraq….

12/01/2026

Goan Lamb curry- totally delish btw.

Used The Spice Tailor Goan curry sachet, lamb, veg, coconut milk and a stock cube. In the oven at 150 for a day and a half.

Doesn’t get simpler than that.

12/01/2026

Apparently 40% of autistic individuals have deficiencies in folate uptake- links to MTHFR gene perhaps?

This is what the new treatment Leucovorin to be investigated for autistic individuals aims to solve.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8622150/?fbclid=IwRlRTSAPSCNtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEejRby26bJiCZTafoJ0QnBYOf5A52GdmqQabcarA5PPitgWV0QOLikf3PLG4U_aem_MA-dbJpol5IjMJrvlHlVKg

The cerebral folate receptor alpha (FRα) transports 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) into the brain; low 5-MTHF in the brain causes cerebral folate deficiency (CFD). CFD has been associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and is treated with ...

12/01/2026

Interesting. Thoughts? I can struggle to get my kids off their screens but we do try to set limits. What limits do you set with your kids and what are your best tips and tricks for limiting screen time?

The first-ever state guidance will be published in April

11/01/2026

A filling tummy warmer between meals- chicken bone broth and a tsp of fermented chilli is ideal to fill you up till dinner time (and heal your gut at the same time!)

11/01/2026

A voice of reason on a debate that’s spiralled out of control

11/01/2026

Sunday lunch 🙂

I was lucky enough to meet Ramona of Ramona's Kitchen at the Waitrose & Partners food and drink festival this winter. Her heavenly jalapeño houmous is divine and it lovely to meet her in person and shake her hand. It’s a great way to get to know the faces behind the food we eat- I can’t recommend it enough!

I *know* processed pork like chorizo isn’t good for you but in small amounts, it’s a nice treat!

11/01/2026

I’m going to admit to a little help this Sunday. While I toddled off to Victoria Park Market to get fresh raw milk from F.R. HOOK AND SONS LIMITED, Reprobate Tom was busy in the kitchen salting and seasoning pumpkin seeds to roast (man are they good!) AND making a goan lamb stew for tomorrow.

In his own words, it’s like living with Nigella Lawson in this house 🥰

Simply toss the seeds in groundnut with salt paprika and Cajun spices and b**g in the oven at 175 fan for about half an hour

The goan lamb stew was easy because we used The Spice Tailor’s Goan paste and just added veg, coconut milk and an oxo cube.
👌