This recipe came about because we fancied a spot of fresh pesto for my beans. But our basil just forgot to grow and we had loads of mint. And rummaging at the back of the larder… we found a bag of pumpkin seeds. We love it when a plan comes together! 

The pesto keeps in the fridge for ages, and we’ve found ourselves adding it to everything! Try adding to leftover rice for a tasty rice salad, or as straight pesto on pasta, or even to dress new potatoes. 

How it all began… Sarah Raven’s “blue lake climbing” french beans were ready for cropping.

We love growing beans they taste so fresh and you really don’t have to do a thing!! they just grow and give! We washed our fantastic crop before..

Boiling the beans in lightly salted water until tender.

We popped the pumpkin seeds in the oven for 5 mins. Watch them closely - you don’t want them to burn… They smell amazing like honey.

Get yourself a good handful of mint.

Put the pumpkin seeds in a blender with 5 cloves of garlic (we know it’s a lot but we like it punchy…). Pulse the blender, then add the mint and loads of olive oil…

Until it looks like this. 

Ta da! Take a good dollop of the pesto and coat the beans with its loveliness.

As you know we have bit of a thing for maps and while the fashion folk are getting themselves in a total tiz over gorgeous clothes, endless parties of fashion week, it was these beautiful illustrations by Martin Haake which did it for us.

Check out this gorgeous illustrated map for the London Fashion Week Exhibition Space at Somerset House and browse the Berlin-based artist’s collection online, and, like Weekender you’ll soon fall in love with his world of Monty-Python quirk and hand-drawn splendour. 

Could a new Rob Ryan be upon us? Yep, we think so.

Check out his website here.

 Anyone else spot this rainbow on Sunday night over London? It seems to have landed in our friend’s back garden (or down his chimney - we’re still trying to decide). And he, unfortunately, is still trying to find the pot of gold. But as signs go….it has to be a good one…

For those who want to stay and prep up your lovely homes, here’s a bit of inspirational reading for you. This week, it’s all about interiors… 

Modern Country Style

A lovely window into Cotswold living. This blog is about Sarah and her search for ways to live her Cotswold life in a rural yet modern way. This is pared back, bright and light. A lovely blog. 

Dreamy Whites

The name of the blog says it all. Penned from a horse ranch you might think this would be over the top, but it’s a fresh blog from California, inspired by French Farmhouses. Intriguing, elegant and beautifully shot.

Freckled Laundry

Jami, the mother of three kids, bought a home in upstate New York for renovation in 2005, and it’s been a labour of love ever since. In her quest, she scales flea markets, vintage shops, she upcycles and has her own Etsy shop. We love dropping by this blog for clean living and bright ideas.

Tweet us if you’d like to nominate any blogs you love! @weekenderlife

The Bank Holiday is here - the ultimate weekend where that one extra day just makes all the difference.

We’re loving “Edible Experiences” - culinary classes round London. Here are three of our favourites for the upcoming weekend!

FRIDAY

Photo: Wallpaper*

One of our favourite tea-houses Beas of Bloomsbury in London is putting on a cakey class this Friday. Learn how to make Lemon Semolina Cookies and the iconic Red-Velvet Cake.

£55 - Tea with Bea

SATURDAY

For the early morning risers - why not sharpen up your knife skills and learn how to fillet a fish? It may sound tricky, but if you’re taught by the best at Billingsgate, you’ll be mastering a mackerel in no time. 

£170 - Mastering the art of fish prep

SUNDAY

Photo: Uyen Luu Copyright 2009-2011 

Vietnamese cookery class with supperclub host Uyen Luu from Fernandez & Leluu.

Saigon-born Luu will take you to the Vietnamese shops in Hackney in the afternoon to gather the ingredients you need before teaching you the essentials for a great meal in the evening. 

£75 - Leluu Vietnamese Cookery Class

The joy of a summer barbecue is the over-eating and the over-catering. Our post-barbecue slumber on Saturday evening was followed by the pleasing knowledge that there were two bags of Lincolnshire sausages leftover. 

We fancied something fresh and quick to lift us out from the meat-fest from the day before so we whipped up a quick salad with the bangers and caramelised some onions. 

You can use any of your favourite salad veg for this recipe. We had tomatoes and cucumbers in our fridge, so that was what we threw in, but it is also lovely with lettuce. We love it when the heat of the sausages wilts the salad vegetables a little, and the crunchy croutons start to soak up all the tomatoey flavours. 

This should ease you back into the realm of healthy eating!

Serves 2

4 ripe tomatoes - roughly chopped into bitesize pieces

1/4 cucumber - roughly chopped as above, or any lettuce leaves you fancy

1/2 onion - sliced

4 Lincolnshire sausages - chopped up into small chunks

1 bun/slice of bread - ripped into small bitesize pieces

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Heat the oil in a frying pan. When hot, throw in the sausage chunks and fry on a medium-high heat. After about 5 minutes, and the pieces have browned on one side, add the slices of onion, and fry until the sausage is cooked and the onions start to smell incredible. Season, and add to the cucumber and tomatoes. If using a dressing, pour over now, but we like it with a lick of cold-pressed olive oil. Mix in a big salad bowl. 

Add a bit more oil to the same frying pan, and when hot, add the bread and fry into deliciously golden-brown croutons. Scatter on top, and serve!

Sent in by Lara W. 

We couldn’t resist the shameless puppy post. When we saw these gorgeous pups we thought they were part of an Andrex loo-roll convention. In fact, Lara’s cousin had gone to pic their puppy up, and though Hector and his family are so adorable, his brother Foxy is still looking for a new home. We’ll have him! 

Hello there Foxy!

Hector-in-training.

Another pup looking for a home. 

Irresistable! 

Master of the house. Keen to welcome the new puppy.

Sent in by Claire B. 

It was birthday-time for Claire last weekend, and she spent an idyllic time on the Isle of Wight to celebrate. It might have been blustery, but it didn’t stop the celebrations and bubbly. Here are some gorgeous snaps she sent in of her stylist-sister’s white house - we’ve a serious case of house-envy: 

Beach huts on Ventnor beach.

Shoes in a bell-jar? Why not?

The view from Claire’s bed.

Those Cowes people rushing about on boats.

Why does the dog always get the best seat in the house?

Claire’s family throughout the ages on the wall. 

Lou Lou - the morning walk pal.