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Jen's avatar

Wondering if we're by any chance related?!? 🤣 This all sounds eerily familiar - only difference is I haven't even been able to post on Substack I feel that frozen, never mind start a book 🙄

Regarding food - I have an epic courgette chutney recipe if you're interested - and just realised I never sent you the bread & butter pickle recipe. Will get onto that!!

Big kudos for starting your book, I'd love to hear about it. Give yourself a big aul pat on the shoulder for starting ❤️

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

🤣 possibly! I found it hard to get started here & then I finally found my rhythm after about 18months! These updates weren’t the original plan but that’s where my head takes me & I think Substack is a really nice, safe place to explore like that. I see you’ve written a few posts ☺️

Yes please to chutney recipe, I’m not sure if I’ll make any this year but next year is the year of preserving! Well beyond binging it all in the freezer!

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Hannah Ashe's avatar

I’m very lucky that my husband is an amazing cook and does most of the cooking here. He loves trying new recipes and is essentially my personal chef. It’s not so good for my waistline, but food could never be fuel to me - it’s one of life’s great joys

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

That is good! My husband does most of the cooking and is pretty good but I think he finds it a bit of a chore sadly. It is such a joy

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Julia Wolfendale's avatar

Soo exciting to hear you have started the book!! Brilliant 👏 ! Getting started is sometimes the hardest thing! ✨️

Look forward to hearing more about it

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

Thanks so much Julia, I agree and hopefully it’ll keep flowing!

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Eva Lydon 🌺's avatar

Yum! Cheesy roasted tomatoes! Yes please! 😋 😁

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

Doing it again tonight!! Perfect for a Friday

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Kate Harvey's avatar

That recipe sounds delicious! I write a book by showing up for an hour a day and getting down what I could, usually 1000 words but if it was 200, or even one sentence I gave myself a pat on the back!😄

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

It’s a saviour because it’s so quick and easy - sometimes I’ll add chopped chorizo for the meaty umaminess.

That’s a great habit to get into Kate, I’d really like to set some dedicated time aside, even if it’s not every day. I could probably schedule it in my diary!

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Kate Harvey's avatar

Having a routine/commitment takes the emotional Labour out of it. It is already hard to do (but good!) - so you just show up, get on with it and it’s done. 👊🏻

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

That’s such a good point, I spend a lot of time on the emotional labour and end up doing nothing

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Kate Harvey's avatar

Exactly 😵‍💫

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Mika's avatar

Help me! I don’t have yummy snacks!

It all comes from feeding a family of 6 with one income. It was all necessities!

Now, it’s just a habit. We are a basic ingredients household. But I started adding yoghurt back in! (The first luxury that went when we got married and we had one entry/level income, while the other studied at university 😆)

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

Ah that sounds very tricky - a family of 6 on one income! Well done, especially as yoghurt is a luxury item, I eat so much of it.

Yummy snack wise, I’m pretty basic, apples, nuts, dark chocolate, biscuits and crisps. Basically anything I can grab before heading out on a dog walk. And then there’s cake when I make it, which I love a bit too much!

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Sara Carbone's avatar

I loved reading about your relationship to food and to your stats. Your points on community and disappointing yourself were so beautifully put. Thank you for your share and your work!

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

Thank you so much Sara, I swear food is what I live for & community. We’ve a lovely one here too don’t we? 🧡

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Sara Carbone's avatar

So very much agree with you. 💗

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Rafael Concepcion's avatar

Hello! I posted a note with a few suggestions to help you get started. I’m new here and I don’t know if I sent it the right way. Good luck and keep your subscribers updated on how it’s coming along.

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Rafael Concepcion's avatar

Sorry if I’m being a pain in the neck, but I restacked this post with a note. I can’t find it but maybe you can. It was a pretty long note with some tips for getting started on your book.

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Hannah Swierstra's avatar

Not at all Rafael, it takes some getting used to. Thank you for sharing your suggestions with me, I’ll go and check out the post now 🧡

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Liza Debevec's avatar

I love this, and I love food. I live to eat, really.

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Bella Blasi (BLAZE-EE)'s avatar

Congrats on the 825 words 🥳🎉!!! Getting started and making the book exist is the first big leap! Keep going!!!

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