Sunday, 15 June 2014

Mini Haul

Mini Haul
Mini Haul

Hi guys

Liam and I had a busy wee day today but that didn’t stop me from working my way through the shops to see all the goodies on offer. I kinda went a little mad though and bought a few items more than I needed but they just looked so fresh & pretty. Obviously I don't really need any of this but I loved the bright colours and that's all I need to make me want to buy something ha!

Herbal Essences (2 for £4) - My hair always feels quite dry and limp and as these were on offer I decided to buy them. I mean who doesnt love HE. From the raunchy adverts to the adventurous scents, whats not to love!

Good Things Deep Cleaning Blackhead Exfoliator (£4.99) -  I wanted to try some more of the Good Things range as I loved the Manuka Honey Face Mask so much. This was an easy buy as the smell blew me away and I really needed an exfoliator. This has papaya & liquorice extracts. 

Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder (£36) - Since I finished my last tub I decided I needed a new one. Even though there are thousands of loose powders on the market I feel this one suits my skin best. It is light, doesn’t cake up your face and lasts for a long time as I don't use it every day so I feel it is really good value for money. 


Original Source Shower Gels - The last place I visited was Asda as I needed some household items and food but these shower gels caught my eye and I was surprised that they were only 96p!! Absolute bargain! They smell gorgeous and I am already excited for my morning shower tomorrow :) 

Batiste Dry Shampoo - This is an essential for me. It’s become as normal as showering and popping deodorant on as I hate my head feeling dirty but I hate washing my hair every time I shower as I cannot be bothered drying it.

Chanel

Herbal Essences


Batiste Dry Shampoo

Original Source



Leave me a comment if you have found some new goodies recently, I am always looking out for new things that I haven’t tried before.

 Have you checked out my latest post featuring the tastiest Dairy Free Banana Loaf?
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Saturday, 14 June 2014

Dairy Free Banana Loaf

Dairy Free Banana Loaf
Dairy Free Banana Loaf 

Hey guys

I thought I would put together a little banana bread recipe for you to try out as I made this one and thought it tasted ah-maz-ing! I love banana bread just as much as the next person but I have never attempted to make one before so when I checked my cupboards I was pleasantly surprised that I had a whole bunch of ingredients that would make a delicious one.

Like the bad blogger that I am I didn't manage to get any pictures of the process as it was quite dark in my kitchen due to the typical Scottish weather but I managed to get a picture of the finished result (I know it’s not the prettiest picture but it sure was tasty)

Here is the recipe if you want to give it a go:-

Ingredients
- 285g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 110g dairy free margarine 
- 113g caster sugar
- 112g brown sugar
- 2 handfuls of dates
- 4 ripe bananas mashed
- 85ml of dairy free milk e.g. hazelnut, almond, coconut, soya etc.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Handful of crushed hazelnuts
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Sift the flour & bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the dairy free margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add the mashed bananas, milk of your choice and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture. Add in dates & hazelnuts and give another stir.
5. Grease a loaf tin and pour the cake mixture into the tin.
6. Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour, or until well-risen and golden-brown. Please check with a knife to make sure the middle is cooked properly. I had to put mine back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes for it to be perfect.
7. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving. 

To say this bread was the most delicious moist thing I have ever had the pleasure of eating is an understatement!! This was soooooooo good I almost cried when I ate it. Liam and I had a lovely little chunk which was layered with dairy free spread and a nice cup of tea and we felt as though we were in cake heaven ha-ha. After I made the bread I was surprised to find that I didn’t use any dairy products so this is a beautiful thing to make if you have friends who have an intolerance to dairy, plus it’s eggless too.

I got 4 days out of this loaf by covering it and leaving it on the worktop rather than in the fridge and only had to throw out a tiny bit as it was turning stale so you can definitely make this in advance for a little afternoon tea treat for you and friends!

Give it a try & leave me a comment letting me know how you got on :)

 Have you checked out my latest post discussing the Books I am Currently Reading?
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Sunday, 8 June 2014

Books I Am Currently Reading

Books
What Books Am I Reading?

Hi guys,

I thought I would fill you in on what I am reading at the moment. While studying, I don’t often get the chance to sit down and read a book (unless it’s a tax book!) but as soon as the final exam hits and I get over the copious amounts of alcohol I have consumed on the final day then I love nothing better than looking out some good books and then chilling out either in the bath, lying on the couch or in my bed with some snacks and plenty of water....there's nothing better, well maybe some Reese’s peanut butter cups & some Vampire Diaries, Criminal Minds or Grey’s Anatomy.

My favourite books are crime based and page turning thrillers. Remember I did do a forensic science course at uni before going into accountancy so I love things like this. I`m not one for sweet beach reads or people overcoming a terrible life, it just doesn’t excite me but everyone is different. Saying that, I did cry my eyes out at PS I Love You when I read that so maybe I just have to give them a chance eh?

One series I have been loving is the Darby McCormick Series by Chris Mooney which is about a crime scene investigator for the Boston Police Department who helps solve crimes. This has everything I look for in a book, a great setting, a menace to society, a strong lead and an overall good story. I first heard of Chris Mooney when my Great Aunt Jean recommended I read his book Deviant Ways which was about a killer called The Sandman who kills families and then sets up surveillance to spy on the police who are trying to find him before he kills them! So i was really excited when i heard of this new series and ordered all 4 books straight away (I think they were about £3 or £4 each on the kindle)


The Missing
The Missing
"Darby McCormick was in high school when she first encountered the killer: someone murdered a woman in the woods where Darby and her two best friends were partying. His race to silence the witnesses was sure-footed and violent—but somehow Darby survived. 
Twenty-five years later, Darby is a crime-scene investigator for the Boston Police Department, and a chilling case—a woman's late-night abduction—has her uncovering strange leads to missing women, past and present. As forensic clues lead her closer to a psychopath called the Traveller, Darby must finally resolve the nightmare of her past and come face-to-face with a killer who is determined to keep the missing—and the horrors they endured at his hands—from ever coming to light"

I really loved this book, I found myself staying up later to get closer to the end. I loved the characters in this book and felt as though the author really understood what it would feel like to lose a child in the case of Darby’s best friends mum. This book was so full of suspense and I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves crime books. A must read for me :)


The Secret Friend
The Secret Friend
"When Harvard student Emma Hale disappears, her father—one of Boston's most powerful men—believes she has been kidnapped. Months pass and the trail goes cold but then her body is found floating in the Charles River . . . A year later, Judith Chen, another student, disappears. Like Emma, she is soon found in the river. Dead. 
CSI Darby McCormick is assigned to the case and uncovers a key piece of overlooked evidence, one that brings her into contact with Malcolm Fletcher . . . a former profiler with strange black eyes who is now on the FBI's Most Wanted list. 
Is Fletcher working for Emma's father? And what connects the two dead girls? Fletcher, it seems, not only knows the answers but also the identity of the killer. When a third student goes missing, Darby is led into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the former profiler and stumbles across deadly secrets that need to stay buried . . . forever"

I wasn't that keen on this book if I am honest. I didn't really connect with any characters, and I felt kinda sorry for the killer in it due to reasons (you will find out if you read it). It kinda dragged on a little bit and it was definitely not as good as the first one! A bit of a bland read.

The Dead Room
The Dead Room
"A mother and her son have been executed in their home and fingerprint matches show their attacker died twenty years ago. But how can dead serial killers return to haunt the present? The answers lie in the darkest shadows of The Dead Room.
When CSI Darby McCormick is called to the crime scene, it's one of the most gruesome she's ever seen. But the forensic evidence is even more disturbing: someone watched the murder unfold from woodland behind the house—and the killer died in a shoot-out two decades earlier.
The deeper Darby digs, the more horrors come to light. Her prime suspect is revealed as a serial killer on an enormous scale, with a past that's even more shocking than his crimes, thanks to a long-held secret that could rock Boston's law enforcement to its core.

Is it possible to steal an identity? Or are dead men walking in Darby's footsteps? The line between the living and the dead has never been finer"

I loved this, I was on the edge of my bed for so long that I gave myself a sore back! I felt this book was on par with The Missing as it was much more involved, the characters were fantastic and the overall story was superb. A must read!

The Soul Collectors
The Soul Collectors
 "By the time you read this, chances are I'll be either missing or dead. Whatever you do, don't come looking for me. Making people disappear is what they do best. They're experts at hiding things: the living and the dead. The truth.
This is what I know for sure. They’re known to strike in daylight but more often they wait for darkness, like vampires. They work in pairs. If they come for me—no, not if, it's a matter of when—when they come for me, I'm sure they'll bring a small army. They won't kill me. They want to bring me back to that place they call home. It's where I belong, they say, to atone for my sins.

You need to know everything that happened. I want you to know the truth about what I saw"

Well! This was by far the best of the series so far. Jack Casey from Deviant Ways came back to help Darby and the overall story was bizarre and amazing. If you don’t read any other book in the series I would recommend just reading this as it is an absolute blinder (excellent read, sorry) 

Overall I really enjoyed the Darby McCormick series and would recommend it to anyone who loves any police based, crime books as much as I do. If you do read them let me know what you think of them, especially book 2! There will be a 5th book in the series but it’s not finished yet, fingers crossed it’s soon so I can get my hands on it!!

I get all of my books from Amazon for my kindle as it’s an Amazon device but if you don't have a kindle you can always buy them from other sellers on Amazon, they usually start of at 1p and include a delivery charge which is normally £2-£3 so you will find a bargain. If you would rather go to a book shop or the library then that is another alternative. 

I am now moving onto Guillermo del Toro`s series starting off with The Strain! I will give you all a run-down when I finish the 3 books in the series :)

Leave me a comment letting me know what you are reading at the moment, I could always use some good recommendations. I am open to anything, apart from romance, well ok maybe if my arm was twisted and it was a really great book then I would have to try it out.

 Have you checked out my latest post featuring Vegan Tahini and Coffee Slices?
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Saturday, 7 June 2014

Raw Tahini & Coffee Slices

Raw Tahini & Coffee Slices
Raw Tahini & Coffee Slices with hazelnuts & apple slices.

Hi guys, 

As I said in my last post about Spirulina I have been trying to eat healthier and get a better quality of food going through my system so I have started to make some delicious healthy snacks which are also raw and vegan.

Yesterday I made raw tahini & coffee slices which were fantastic. I would suggest getting yourself into your kitchen and giving them a bash, even my vegan friend Sarah wanted the recipe. 

Truth is I just threw together whatever I had in the cupboard and wanted something coffee flavoured as I was craving some caffeine. 

Ingredients
Shell
80g Tahini
1/3 melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
Handful of pitted dates
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 cup of strong brewed coffee (I didn’t use all of mine)
Handful of hazelnuts

Method:
  1. Mix all shell ingredients together and spread half of the mix out into the bottom of a small dish to give a base for the filling to sit on.
  2. Set aside in the fridge until hardened.
  3. Whilst this is chilling, mix the filling ingredients together in a food processor and add coffee slowly until you have a thick consistency.
  4. Spread this over your tahini base and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  5. Take out of the fridge and add the remaining tahini mix as a topping and refrigerate overnight until hardened.
  6. Cut into 6 slices and have as a delicious snack.
Hope you all enjoy them :)

 Have you checked out my latest post featuring Spirulina?
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Thursday, 5 June 2014

Healthy Foods | Spirulina

Spirulina
Spirulina - Is it for me?
Hi Guys

Since January I have tried to better my diet and get as many nutrients, vitamins & minerals in my system as possible so I spoke to my friend Sarah who is a massive Raw Food & Vegan enthusiast. She seems to know so much about food and all of the goodness they have tucked inside them so obviously I ran right round to her house and had a chat (I didn't run, that was a lie, I casually strolled my way through the 10 minute walk).

I told her some of the things which were concerning me, obviously my weight first of all, heartburn from everything that was passing my lips even water and a few more break outs on my face than I was used to. She recommended some goodies for me to incorporate into my diet which would help and clear up some of my concerns so I thought I would give them a go and see how I got on.

The first foody item she spoke about to combat my heartburn problem and just give me some nutrients & vitamins was Spirulina, for anyone who has never heard of this it’s a green algae which is a complete protein containing about 60% protein so it’s a great source of amino acids (our body needs these). It also contains a lot of vitamins and minerals such as; vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E & K, Riboflavin, Calcium, iron, magnesium amongst others so this would also clear up my skin and just infuse my body with so much goodness. Now I’m not gonna pretend I know what all of these things do for the body exactly but I know they will be good. I’m also anaemic so this is perfect for me as it contains iron.

A snippet of information from Rainforest Foods:

"Product Information - What is Spirulina?
Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is a strain of spiral blue-green algae that contains a wide range of nutrients and flourishes in subtropical and tropical waters. Spirulina occurs naturally in South America, where it was harvested from high-altitude lakes by the Aztecs. There is a tradition of harvesting Spirulina in central Africa, and it remains a staple food in several Asian cuisines.
Two notable components of Spirulina are the green pigment Chlorophyll and Phycocyanin. Spirulina contains Vitamins A, B3, B12, and E and minerals which include Chromium, Iodine, Iron, Manganese and Phosphorous.

Production - How it's made
Rainforest Foods Spirulina is produced organically on an island in the South China Sea using photosynthesis, the natural process by which plants absorb energy from sunlight. Batches of algae grow, multiplying naturally and rapidly in pools of pure water. They are harvested when they reach the required density. Once harvested, the Spirulina is dried and milled to powder.

The tablets are made by compressing pure organic Spirulina powder into tablets. Rainforest Foods Spirulina tablets do not contain bulking agents such as magnesium stearate or any other ingredients. They are 100% pure Spirulina, with nothing added and nothing taken away.”

Rainforest Foods
Soya Free, Yeast Free, Gluten Free, GMO Free, Dairy Free & Vegan Friendly



I'm not gonna lie, this tastes DISGUSTING! I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy BUT mixing 1tsp into some fresh orange juice in the morning and gulping it down it’s not so bad. I have been adding 3/4tsp to orange juice in the morning and gulping back and then adding the other 1/4tsp into a smoothie so I get the intended dose.

I have noticed considerable difference in my skin although this could be down to good skincare products but I think if you put goodness into your body then it reflects this and I feel Spirulina has a lot to do with that in my instance. I would definitely recommend this as it gives a major boost to your system and it’s so easy to find online or in health food shops such as Holland & Barrett. Shop around though as some places are a little cheaper than others. The link above is for Amazon which seems to be ok price wise.

I have now moved onto the tablet form as my packet of powder is now finished. These dont taste anywhere near as bad as the powder. You are supposed to take 6 of these bad boys every morning and off you go... no more heartburn and a lot of green goodness! All in all, this is great. I have used it since January and I don’t think I would stop taking this on a daily basis. My heartburn hasn't flared up once and I’m now able to enjoy a glass of water without wanting to die (dramatic I know).


For anyone who is interested in great vegan/raw food recipes then head over to Sarah's Instagram page as she is so talented at creating great tasting food.

Have you checked out my latest post featuring my May Skincare Favourites?
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