August | favourite products

Hello everyone! How are you all? I've realised I haven't done one of these posts for a while so I am sorry about that. I am excited to tell you about my favourite products from this month though!

Humzingers - Fruit Sticks

I picked these up at the pound shop which I thought was really good - I am always looking for healthier snacks and these are really affordable and tasty. I must admit they are quite small but they make the perfect little nibble to have with your afternoon cup of tea...and they are one of your 5 a day!

Nature's Store - Coconut Bars

My mum brought these down for me when my family came to visit and they are so good, I had to try really hard to save this one to get a photo of it for this post. I absolutely love coconut and these snack bars are really filling.

GroovyFood Company - Agave Nectar

I love baking but always find that a lot of recipes contain A LOT of sugar, I go through bags of sugar like crazy which really makes me feel quite bad. Although there is some controversy around the health benefits of using agave nectar, it is a great alternative to use in baking and I find you don't actually need that much for a matching level of sweetness. 

Kallo - Rice Cakes

I have been such a big fan of these this past month - they are my favourite snack to have after the gym (yes...I now go to the gym!). They are the perfect quick snack as they are or you could add a little spread of peanut butter or chocolate spread for a more indulgent snack. All for 29 calories a rice cake!

What are your favourite products at the moment?

Thanks for reading!

Favourite Blogs: Tilly's Crafts

Hello everyone! How are you all today? As you may have noticed (hopefully) I am really big into making homemade items at the moment - you can find them over on my etsy shop. It is the perfect hobby for relaxing and I like trying to be more creative. So, I thought I would do just a little post to thank my inspiration for my crafty ventures, my beautiful Mum. I also thought this might be a nice start to a series of posts where I will let you into my favourite blogs. She is also the reason I started a blog while I was off ill having seen her blog for a good few years now and how much she enjoys it.

She runs her blog over at Tilly's Crafts (which is named after our gorgeous dog who sadly passed away last year) where she makes a range of gorgeous cards, blankets and other handmade items. Tilly's Crafts also has an etsy shop which you can find >>HERE<< and is well worth a visit if you are looking for affordable, lovingly made, handmade items.

I hope you will agree that they are absolutely adorable and I'm hoping my crochet gets as good as this one day!

Thanks for reading!

Planning a trip to New York

Hello everyone! How are you all today? It isn't long until we head off to New York now (exciting!). I'm not sure if it is just because I am off at the moment and have slightly too much time on my hands...but I feel like I need to be super organised for our trip away. I want to make the most of our time in New York and see as many of the amazing sights as possible. I thought I would make a little list of what I am doing to get organised and how you can too:

WRITE DOWN IMPORTANT INFORMATION

I definitely depend too much on technology nowadays and often think 'oh I can just check on my phone/laptop' if I need information. However, I think it is quite handy to have important information written down. This could be flight numbers, hotel address, contact numbers etc. Simply scribble them down on a piece of paper before you go and zip it in a safe place in your bag!

FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH WHAT YOU CAN SEE

When we booked New York I knew there would be plenty to see, but I wasn't sure exactly what aside from the key famous landmarks. I started to look into it, browsing other blogger's posts (thank you!) and jotting some down. This was when I came across the CityPass. This is a ticket for New York which gives you access to the top attractions in the city for a discounted price, including the Empire State Building and Ground Zero. It also allows you to skip queues so I am glad I came across this and will be sure to let you know how I get on with it.

CHECK WHAT YOUR HOTEL PROVIDES

I am really guilty of over-packing and/or packing for every possible scenario but checking what your hotel will provide you with can help here. Items like hairdryers, toiletries and bathrobes are frequently available in your room anyway so check this out beforehand. 

DOCUMENTS

I like to make sure that, a few days before I go away, I put all the documents I need together in a little plastic wallet. Passport. Flight information/Online check in documents. EHIC. Travel insurance details. Don't forget your travel money either. I like to have all of these to hand in my handbag. 

Doing all of these has made me feel a lot more relaxed so hopefully if you're heading away soon and are a little worried this might have helped.

I've just realised this post is veeeery serious - don't forget to HAVE FUN AND RELAX! I know I am going to!

Thanks for reading!

Lemon Brownies

Hello everyone! How are you all today? I am getting a little fed up at the moment; I love blogging, reading, baking etc but I do miss the routine of being at school teaching so I am looking forward to getting back to it in September. It's made me realise I think I do actually enjoy having lots to do. Although before all of that, I do have a very exciting trip to New York coming up which I can't wait to tell you all about.

Anyway, today's recipe is for Lemon Brownies. These were a little concoction I came up with one evening. I had a bar of Green and Black's Lemon Dark Chocolate to use up so I gave these a go. If you love lemon then these are definately for you - if not, why not try using a different flavoured chocolate? I'm going to try chocolate orange next.

To make, you will need:

• 100g Dark Chocolate with Lemon (I used Green and Blacks but only because it was on offer so feel free to choose which ever you like)
• 4oz Spelt Flour
• 3 tbsp of Agave Nectar
• 3 tbsp of butter
• 1 tsp of Almond Butter

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a pan on a medium heat.
2. Gently stir in the other ingredients.
3. Remove from the heat and add to a lined baking tray.
4. Bake at 180c for approx 20 minutes.
   
    

Thanks for reading!

6 months blogging & a giveaway!

Hello everyone! How are you all? I hope you are all well. I can't quite believe it but I have had my blog for 6 months now - it has gone so fast and I feel like so much has changed since then. I set up my blog while I was signed off sick and looking back I wasn't in the best of health really. Now, six months on I am so much healthier and happier! I am back doing my PGCE and am slowly but surely learning to approach everything with a lot more positive and confident mindset. And one of the main things that keeps me focused and excited is my blog!

However, this wouldn't exist without all my lovely followers and blogging friends so I have decided to host a little giveaway to say thank you! I hope you will enter for the chance to win a £10 Amazon Gift Card and I look forward to drawing the winner on the 3rd September 2015.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for reading!

Baked Basa

Hello everyone and HAPPY FRIDAY! Hope you are all well - I have been so busy focusing on my Etsy shop etc that I feel I haven't done a foodie post in ages. Don't worry though as today's post is a recipe for baked Basa with a tomato sauce. I didn't actually plan to make this with Basa but it came as a substitute for Cod with the online shopping and I was so pleased with the taste that I ordered it in my next shop. It is a lot more affordable than Cod too at £2.50 for 2 good sized fillets.