This is 40

19-3-2026 What's Cooking This Week

Tomorrow I turn 40 and I don’t mind one bit. I’m healthier, fitter and happier than I’ve ever been. What comes with being 40 is, sure, a few more wrinkles, but also a kind of calm in knowing that I can and have survived hard things. The confidence in knowing that the best case scenario can happen. And seeing my hard work gradually beginning to pay off. I am in this great stage of life where my kids are growing more and more independent and my parents are still fit and healthy. This is my time to focus on my dreams and aspirations and I couldn’t be more excited.

Some of the lessons I’ve learnt over the past 40 years are:

1. If you lose your way, you can always find your way back.

2. Comparison truly is the thief of joy.

3. You will make mistakes because you are human, but that doesn’t make you a bad person. Own your mistakes, learn from them and move on.

4. You are allowed to protect your energy and your peace. Protect your boundaries, even if it makes you look like the bad guy.

5. If someone is giving you advice and they aren’t where you want to be in life or business, take it with a grain of salt.

6. Your definition of success can change over time depending on what season of life you’re in.

Just a reminder that I am now posting all new recipes ad-free here on Substack. My recipes will always live for free, with ads, on my website, but if you prefer to view my recipes ad-free then you can sign up as a paid subscriber.

I’m Loving

Currently reading - I am about half way through Theo of Golden by Allen Levi and my gosh, it is so lovely. It truly is such a beautiful novel, I can’t wait to pick it up each night to start reading and I know I will be sad once I’ve finished it. The protagonist is an elderly gentleman, which is a refreshing change from my usual female protagonist novels.

Kitchen bits - I will always recommend cast iron pans for their durability and even cooking. My shallow casserole pan lives on my stovetop and gets used a lot. It’s perfect for dishes like my Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake, which starts on the stovetop and is finished in the oven, all in one pan.

Table - I’ve just discovered a new store for homewares (dangerous!) and found this beautiful enamel platter. I can’t wait to include it in some new reels.

Latest Recipes

I had three very delicious recipes that came out of the Our Nourishing Table kitchen last week.

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

When my pickiest taste tester (my youngest daughter) tells me that these are the best muffins I’ve ever made, I take that as a big win. The zucchini helps to make these muffins extra moist but disappears into the crumb so that you don’t even notice it’s there.

Savoury French Toast with Miso Butter Mushrooms

This would be a perfect brunch to make for Easter or Mother’s Day, while being easy enough to make during the week. The miso butter mushrooms are out of this world delicious!

Roasted Zucchini & Quinoa Salad

If you’ve been following for a while then you know that I love a quinoa salad. This one is a great way of using up leftover zucchini that you might have laying around.

Prep It

After feeling so smug with myself for being back into the swing of meal prepping every Sunday, I lapsed last weekend and didn’t get anything prepped. Missing last weeks Sunday prep session has reinforced to me how important it is to do because it makes packing lunches during the week so much easier. Back on the wagon this week!

1. Coconut Bircher Muesli - Bircher muesli is like the OG overnight oats. They are super simple to prep and last about 3-4 days in the fridge. With gut loving pectin from the apples, plant based omega 3 from the linseeds and loads of other nutrients, this breakfast will leave you feeling amazing.

2. Perfect Pumpkin Quinoa Salad - this is one of those salads that I will make time and time again. Lots of flavour and very hearty.

3. Beef rissoles - these are great to make a big batch of and freeze for easy dinners or pop into lunchboxes as a great protein source.

Wellness & Nutrition

On the theme of turning 40, I wanted to remind you that if you feel like something is wrong or if something in your body is out of the ordinary, get it checked. As someone who has generalised anxiety disorder and health anxiety, I will often worst case scenario any niggle I have. But sometimes those niggles are something and what’s worse then feeling a bit silly for getting something checked out by the doctor and it being nothing, is not getting it checked out by the doctor and it ending up being something.

Get. It. Checked.

And with that, we wrap another week of What’s Cooking. I hope you have a healthy and delicious week!

Sarah