I can like randomness, I can like music,  I can like talent and improvisation. Join these things together and its pretty much guaranteed to make me lose the plot….as I did the first time I saw Beardyman. And every subsequent time I saw Beardyman. Once you watch one video, generally you’ll watch another, and another, and then wonder why you’ve been watching stupid cat videos on YouTube for this long. (For the record I don’t…)

He’s a nutter. A beatboxing, old school mash up, effects pad, singer, musician, raving chaotic loon. AND I LOVE IT!  Check out the man in action below live recording from the Reading Festival 2010, it’s a long video, but WELL worth it…behold BEARDYMAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

Not only are these photos really cute, and based around Star Wars characters which I love, but they’re composed and photographed in a really realistic way. Photographer and IT programmer Mike Stimpson (aka Balakov) has nailed the combination of real and surreal perfectly with his cooky photography! His action shots are hilarious, and I couldn’t wait to share them with you…I hope you’ll agree, they’re totally unique and adorable…

Here are a few of my favourite shots. You can check out his website here. Visit his DeviantArt profile here to buy prints, and to see more of his great work, LIKE his Facebook page here.

Totally off the cuff and made up on the spot. I love that, when there’s hardly anything in the fridge, it manages to always be a much better dish than if you had lots of choice of ingredients!? Enough banter, he goes into the GOOD STUFFF! (Serves two fat piglets, or three nibbly rabbits)…

For the FISH marinade:

• 3 fillets of any white fish
• 2 tablespoons jerk dry seasoning (I’m sure curry powder would be just as good, add a little cinnamon and allspice maybe)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 oranges (zest and juice)
• Salt / Pepper
• Teaspoon dried chilli flakes or fresh chilli (pref. scotch bonnet  or habanero – FIRE!

For cooking the FISH:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (to fry later, otherwise use olive oil or whatever oil you have…no stress)
• 1 white onion
• 1 green bell or frying pepper

For the SALAD:

• Mixed baby leaves
• 1 avocado
• 1 spring onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 radish
• Handful of peanuts (I prefer the fried salted kind, but any will do)
• Handful of dates (pitted and chopped)
• Handful of coriander

For the DRESSING:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 orange zest and juice
• 1 small garlic clove
• salt n pepper

There’s nothing more comforting and delicious, but also weirdly healthy about this soup…I like to make a variation on tha basic theme and crank up the volume with fresh Ginger, Chilli and Orange zest. ITS FABULOUS!!!!!!! And beyond easy…read on…

If you don’t have carrots, pumpkin or butter nut squash is just as good if not better…

Super simple, can’t really go wrong recipe…serves about 5 people? Don’t worry about amounts really or measurements…just chuck it in and enjoy:

• Approx 500g carrots (peeled and cut into half inch chunks more or less)
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• Grated zest and juice of one large orange or satsuma
• 1 litre chicken stock or veg stock
• 1 strong Thai chilli or just enough for your own taste…(scotch bonnet if you dare…seeds included BOOM!)
• 1 spring onion
• Handful of fresh coriander
• Tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
• Teaspoon fennel seeds or cumin seeds (preferably both, but leave this out if you don’t have any)
• A glug of heavy cream or Greek yoghurt or Coconut milk/cream
• Chilli oil (leave out if you haven’t got any, and if you haven’t, make some *olive oil with chillies in…simple as that*)

Fry the carrots with the potatoes and seeds for 2-3 minutes in a large cooking pot in the oil on high heat, (if you chop the potato and carrots quite small its much easier to incorporate with everything else and cooks quicker too), add all the other elements (except the coriander chilli oil and yoghurt) next , and stir well to get everything going and nice and hot (about another 2  mins or so)…then add the stock and reduce the heat to a fast simmer.

Once everything is nice and soft, blend with a hand whizzer or a food processor or whatever you have, until thick yet silky smooth, or if you prefer leave in it’s rustic state…I find the flavours properly combine better when it’s liquidised. Stir in the cream and leave to sort itself out for a minute or two.

Important to let it sit for about 15 mins if you can hold off…the flavours properly marry together and you don’t burn your mouth to shizz.

Decorate with freshly chopped coriander and a drizzle of chilli oil….serve with either cripsy pitta chips, nachos or simple brown bread n butter……

LORDY LORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDD I CAN REALLY LIKE THIS – ENJOY LOVELIES XXXX If you can like it, share it, love it, try it, make it, take photos of it…obsess over it…mmmmmmm