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Fast and filling recipes for an easier January

No time/energy to cook (let alone make it healthy)? Don't worry, we've got you. Here are two low-effort, speedy suppers under 500 calories to feel good about.
The Simple Life: pared-back properties in nature

Looking to get away from it all? Try one of these dreamy pared-back properties for a taste of pastoral living. From projects crying out for TLC to sprawling listed mansions, we've got it all.
In with the new (build)

Thinking about moving house in the new year but not sure what sort of house should be your home? Muddy weighs in on the old versus new-build debate
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s winter warmers

Spent all of December scoffing crisps and mince pies? Whip up a veg-packed soup or hot pot from Hugh's new cookbook, 'Eat Better Forever: 7 Ways to Transform Your Diet'
Comforting classics from The Pie Room

Ooh, is there anything more satisfying than good flaky pastry? These two warming recipes from Calum Franklin's new cookbook The Pie Room are just the ticket.
Ultimate dream properties for 2021

Let's face it. We’ve been staring at our walls, like, forever and we’ve completed every last bit of DIY imaginable. So you know what that means? That’s right: time to move. See if any of these incredible properties take your fancy.
Cure your hangover with this red-hot recipe!

We like it hot! Kick-start the year (and cure your sore head) with this fiery take on the classic tomato and vodka-based Bloody Mary from Tipsy Wight.
Turkey and mushroom leftover Christmas pie

Bored of the yearly turkey sandwiches? Transform your Christmas Day leftovers with this delicious, super simple pie to serve four.
Gotta have it! Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2021

Pantone, the ultimate colour authority has spoken, and 2021's official shades are Ultimate Gray and Illuminating (aka, sunshine yellow). Here's how to get the look.
Fir real! The best places in Essex to get your tree this year…

Spruce or fir? Whatever tree tickles your fancy, you’ll find the finest selection at these fab farms. With a side of social distancing, shopping and (erm) circus tents…
8 coastal properties on the market now

With the prospect of a winter spent in lockdown looming, we're dreaming of summers to come spent by the sea. Care to indulge in a little fantasy property shopping?
Think your town is the best place to live?

Prove it! Take a photo of your local area for Instagram to win a family portrait shoot with award-winning Lifestyle & Location Portrait Photographer of the Year Paul Wilkinson.
The Big Breakfast house is for sale!!

Talk about a piece of iconic pop culture! The chaotic, flirty, naughty Nineties home of breakfast telly can be yours for a cool £5.75m. Shall we have a nose around?
Light it up! 42 cool indie candle brands

The arrival of autumn means darker evenings snuggled indoors by candlelight. Looking for a new scent? Try one of these gorgeous indie candle brands from across the Muddy counties.
J’adore/J’abhor: Dulux’s ‘Brave Ground’

Dulux's colour of 2021 is hot off the press and majorly dividing opinions at Muddy HQ - but will you be plastering your walls in 'Brave Ground'? Let us know in the comments!
Bottoms up! The best new indie drinks

Got a large glass to hand? We’ve rounded up 43 of the best new independent drinks from across the Muddy counties from wine and gin to rum and beer.
A (garden) room of one’s own? Cue the rise of the ‘she shed’

Once the preserve of men, now sheds are doubling up as yoga studios and offices across the county. Here, we reveal how to style yours using local indie brands – and speak to the women reclaiming their gardens
Weekend recipe inspo, courtesy of Jessie Ware

Marmalade chicken and miso chocolate chip cookies, anyone? Foodie singer Jessie Ware shares her #PerfectPairing recipes to celebrate M&S launching at Ocado. Dig in!
AW20 homeware spins

From texture and world traveller to ‘grandmillenial’, here’s our edit of new-season accessories to reboot your interiors
Property flirt: the modern Mistley cottage to crush on

Want to live stylishly by the sea? This corker of a cottage might just be The One. Overlooking the River Stour, this Grade II-listed Georgian gem blends contemporary design with character. So, how much does it cost? First, let's take the tour...
House swap! What does £1m get you?

Upping sticks to pastures new? Let's see what a cool million will get you on the property market across the Muddy counties - quite a lot, as it happens!
Lockdown Gardens in Bloom: the results!

The results are in! See who's nabbed the top spots in our first ever Lockdown Gardens in Bloom competition with gorgeous gardens and homewares boutique Olive & Sage.
6 of the best boxed wines to drink now

Boxed wine has a bad rep, but forget everything you know - it stays fresh for longer, contains litres of tipple and can actually be really tasty. Here's what we're sipping.
This year’s hottest garden trends

We've never appreciated our gardens more than during lockdown - here's how to transform them following trends from our Lockdown Gardens in Bloom competition.
House swap – modern properties we love

If period properties give you the heebie jeebies, and you'd rather have a glass extension than a thatched roof, then walk this way - we've rounded up some of the best architect-led modernist properties in the Muddy counties.
8 unusual herbs to spice up your life

Or your cooking and cocktails at the very least! Get your chops around these unusual herbs, perfect for everything from pepping up your barbecue to sweetening your mojito. Arriba!
Scented candles that bring the holiday vibe

Who needs foreign shores when you can bring the Med to your living room? Here are the best destination-inspired candles money can buy.
Reclaim the BBQ! Best outdoor cooking accessories

Move over Mr M, I'll take it from here. Make the barbecue your own this summer with these super-handy gadgets and accessories.
Hot homeware wins from across the county

Coveting a Zoom backdrop refresh but want to shop local? Raise your interiors game with our edit of the best boutique buys in Essex right now, from a stylish diffuser and want-it-now vase to the new-season monkey sculpture your shelfie can't live without (yes, really)…
Lockdown garden stunners

Entered Muddy's Lockdown Gardens in Bloom yet? Stake out your competition here and snap your space to win part of our £1000 prize pot to spend at Olive & Sage.
Meet the maker: Dantes Ceramics

From potters and painters to stylists and chefs, Essex is awash with creative talent and in this new culture series, we meet the skilled artisans who deserve championing. First up: Isabelle Taylor-Jones of Dantes Ceramics in Wivenhoe
Pimp your patio with these summer-ready accessories

Whether you're hosting an outdoor soirée or pulling together a leisurely lunch, these alfresco add-ons will give your garden a breath of fresh flair. What's more, you can check them all out locally, so no more home-delivery disasters just before the guests arrive. You're welcome…
How much does this Billericay beauty cost?

Linear lines, oceans of natural light and wraparound woodland vistas combine to make this architect's home a modern must-have. But what's it valued at? Time to place your bets...
Muddy ‘Lockdown Gardens in Bloom’ is GO!

Calling all green fingered goddesses! We want to see your lockdown gardening handiwork. Snap your space and post it on Instagram for the chance to win vouchers (there's £1000 up for grabs) to spend online at gorgeous garden and homewares boutique Olive & Sage.
Smokin’! The perfect summer burger recipe

The weather's pulling a blinder this week, so fire up the BBQ and rustle up this bad boy with homemade ketchup (fancy!) from Muddy favourite The Pig group.
The best bedroom buys for summer

It's the summer solstice on Saturday - great for hippies, less so for insomniacs. If you're struggling to sleep during these short nights, help is here.
Best interiors buys for extroverts

Love the interiors at Aynhoe Park and The Crazy Bear? Maximalism is back, baby - here's our wish list to help you nail the trend.
Quarantini time! Heston’s Gold Rush

Looking to up your cocktail creds during lockdown? We've rifled through Heston Blumenthal’s cocktail bible, so perk yourself up with a Gold Rush.
Provençal fougasse with green and black olives

Lockdown is the perfect time to get to grips with our favourite chewy loaf: sourdough. Ready, set, bake with this savoury share-and-tear number (you can skip the sharing bit if you like).
House swap: what does £250k get you?

£250k for a house? You betcha! If that mortgage is feeling like a millstone, take a peek at these properties across the Muddy counties and start mentally moving in ASAP.
Pimp your patio with these 18 outdoor buys

We’re swapping holidays abroad for le jardín this summer, so best make it the ultimate destination. Cue the Muddy shopping edit of the coolest accessories to deck out your outdoor space.
Speedy supper, anyone? Make THIS tonight

Looking for healthy dinner ideas - take inspiration from Olympic gymnast Max Whitlock for a meal that's quick, tasty and packed with protein.
10 of the best gardening books

Fancy getting all green fingered in the garden but don't really know where to start? Here's a helping hand with 10 terrific tomes to add to your reading list.
Recipe: gourmet spaghetti bolognese

There's Spaghetti Bolognese and then there's Tristan Welch, from The University Arms's Spaghetti Bolognese. We share the recipe to take this classic dish up a notch...
All cooped up! Check out these cool hen houses

Attention, would-be chicken farmers! We've rounded up nine of the most stylish chicken coops for your feathered friends. Has it been worth the oeuf-ort? (I'll get my coat)
10 idiot-proof veg to grow now

(Or how not to get scurvy during lockdown). Here's how to go self-sufficient, thanks to TV gardener Toby Buckland's top veg patch tips. Ready the trowels!
On the market: 13 coastal do-er uppers

Looking for a seaside bolthole, or a more significant lifestyle move? Snap up these stunning coastal properties for a post-lockdown project.
House Swap

There's nothing like a long lockdown to make you appreciate your home - or make you want to move the second it gets lifted. So what will £500,000 buy you across the Muddy counties?
Desk delights

Working from home? Sounds like the perfect excuse to pimp up your workstation with the loveliest stationery and desk accessories.
House swap – what will £500,000 get you?

Nothing like a lockdown to make you appreciate your home - or make you want to move when it gets lifted. But what will your money get you across the Muddy counties?
8 flowers to choose for a cutting garden

Dibbers at the ready! Garden broadcaster Toby Buckland picks a pocketful of posies that anyone - yes, even you with the dead house plants - can grow.
Cook THIS for dinner tonight

Running out of ideas for midweek meals? Yup, us too. Take inspiration from the hottest new cookbook on the block by pop star Jessie Ware. Yum!
Asparagus tart with quails egg and prosciutto ham

This super-simple tart recipe, from Cotswolds based Gluts & Gluttony, makes the most of seasonal ingredients and takes a mere 30 minutes. Count us in!
Recipe: A salad for sunny days

This peach and lentil salad with warm pork tenderloin by renowned chefs Kate & Giancarlo Caldesi, is easy peasy, looks amazing and tastes delicious.
The 35 best local artisan gins

Was there ever a time of greater national need? The 33 best artisan gins across the Muddy counties - rack them up, throw in some Juniper berries and rosemary, and let's get drinking!