Are you a creature of habit or is variety the spice of your life?

The Vegetarian Society are encouraging people to "mix it up" for National Vegetarian Week this year (1 to 7 October) and although I am not a vegetarian, it got me thinking about how I feel about mixing things up in general.

After much thought, I have decided that I like a little bit of routine delicately spiced with some planned spontaneity.

Planned spontaneity may be an oxymoron, but it works for me. For example, surprise trips are definitely not my thing, but if family or friends want to plan something "spontaneous" for next weekend, I can definitely go for that!

How do you feel about it? I would love to know!

Regardless of how you feel, it can be nice to try something different from time to time. Here are some suggestions that might help add a bit of spice to your life this fall.

Add a few meat-free dishes to your repertoire

I like to think of myself as an Occasional Vegetarian. So while I still eat meat, I enjoy vegetarian and vegan dishes regularly. If you are interested in giving this a try too, here's a free collection of some of my favourite vegetarian recipes to inspire you!

Want to go a bit deeper into experimenting with vegetarian meals? Check out my Flexible 3 Day Vegetarian Meal Planning Idea with Recipes.

Really not feeling the meat-free vibe? I have a delicious Beef and Ale Stew or an Old Fashioned Beef and Barley Stew that will hit the spot. Or try this Easy Curried Mango Chicken, one of the most popular poultry recipes on the website at the moment!

Read a book in another genre

Always read historical fiction? Try a more contemporary novel or a mystery, or give a non-fiction book a try. Biography can be fascinating too.

Check out my take on three of this year's new fiction releases here.

I published a list of my 10 Favourite Books in 2014 - and while this list has definitely evolved since then (update coming soon!) there are some fabulous books on this list. Or if you would like to hear me talk about 3 books that changed my life, check out this Instagram post. You might enjoy them too!

And if it's not too early for you, get a head start on Christmas cooking and baking with some of my favourite Christmas Cookbooks.

Change how you look at things

September is a great time for new beginnings, a time to consider treating yourself more kindly. Perhaps you too need to ditch the scales? Or maybe you want to finally stop the battle with your inner critic?

Consider looking at your day in quarters as opposed to as one long stretch to improve your mood and your productivity.

Perhaps you fancy adding some colour to your wardrobe or getting some ideas to help you with taking some time out?

There's plenty of lifestyle inspiration on the website to help.

Are you ready for Autumn spice?

I know some people try to hang on to summer as long as possible - I only wish we had had one to hang on to in the UK this year - but now the autumn equinox has come and gone, are you ready for fall treats? If so, I've got some delicious suggestions.

Auntie's Spice Cake

Gorgeously fragrant and richly flavoured with warming spices, this vintage recipe has been in my family for four generations. I have developed a gluten-free version too!

Get the recipe

Orange Gingerbread Cookies

Soft, chewy, gingery cookies with a hint of orange, these are THE most requested cookie in our family. There's a dairy-free version, and a gluten-free version coming soon.

Get the recipe

Spicy Pumpkin Bundt Cake

This long-lasting, warmly spiced cake is the perfect cut and come again cake, great for any occasion. There's a gluten-free version too.

Get the recipe

This week I have been...

doing a lot of writing, getting some good work done on my cookbook and on my novel too. Participating in daily online Writer's Hours with the London Writer's Salon has made a huge difference to my productivity!

Links marked with an asterix (*) are affiliate links - If you purchase using these links I make a small commission. Your purchase price is unaffected.

Reading - Constanza by Rachel Blackmore, available on Amazon* and Bookshop.org*

Watching - the last episode of Emily in Paris...or is it Emily in Rome?! What a cliffhanger!! Thank goodness there is going to be a Season 5!

Trying - Nigella Lawson's recipe for Chicken with Red Grapes and Marsala from At My Table (available on Amazon* and Bookshop.org*). The recipe was so delicious I have already made it for a second time!

Listening to - the London Writer's Salon Podcast episode 117 with author Kate Young, author of the Little Library Cookbooks.

That's all for now. I'm off to start packing for our upcoming trip to Canada. I'm so excited to catch up with family and friends and enjoy my favourite season in Ontario.

Thank you so much again for being a subscriber. Remember you can reply to this email with any questions, comments, suggestions or just to say hi. I love to hear from you.

Warmly,

April x