Style: Shopping Splurge Friday ❤︎

I decided to pop to the shops on the way home from work today. I wasn't really looking for anything in particular, maybe a new top for my Cousin's Birthday Party tomorrow but I came across a few gems which I'm super-happy with!

First-up I checked out TK Maxx - I took ten items to the fitting room and fell in love with these two.

The one on the left is a lovely Midnight Blue colour and is by a Danish designer called "Philosophy Blues Original", the panel at the front is the gorgeous mesh and it looks really pretty on. You can dress it up or down. Here's the link, £20.

The other one is by an LA Designer, Dolan Left Coast (which is stocked by Anthropologie and Revolve Clothing). It's a blush pink colour and is perfect for Spring when you want lighter colours but still need the warmth of a longer sleeve. It sits really nicely on my frame and will look cute with skinny jeans and pumps. It's here, £24.99.

Last, but by no means least I spotted some perfect Black Leather Ankle Boots in Office.

I know what you're thinking - it's going to be Summer in a minute....but when you find the perfect pair of boots you just have to get them, you never know when you might stumble across them again. And I think these ones will still look lovely in the summer with a pretty dress - they're edgy so will help tone down the girly-factor. They were £75, and are made of leather. You can find them here.

So that's £120 of my £165 a month budget spent in a day. But I love all of them - it's soooo worth it.

I can't wait to wear them in Liverpool this weekend! ❤︎

Life: And So It Begins......

Usually when I kick off a new "Series" I'm full of anticipation and excitement to share the journey with you guys, and have you hold me accountable. And then I burn-out. Pretty damn quickly.

So this time I'm going to try something different, something a little more chilled.

It's true, I am starting out on a focused Healthy Eating and Exercise journey. We leave for our holiday in Mexico and LA in just over 8 weeks and I am NOT feeling good about my body or health. I had a Shoulder operation at the end of January, and although I'm only just coming up to 10 weeks post-op it feels like forever since I was able to exercise and use my body the way I want to.

The current situation is this. All of my clothes feel a bit tight. When I bend or crouch I feel a roll of fat pop over the top of my jeans or trousers. My belly feels big and bloated, and my thighs and butt are lacking the tone they used to have. I know I'm not "fat" and my BMI is perfectly healthy - I just feel gross.

It's time to get back on the bike, so to speak.

Over the last few months my nutrition hasn't been terrible. There have definitely been a few too many sweet treats and deserts. And I have been ridiculously busy with work so lunch has slipped into "grabbing a quick sandwich" and inhaling it. My body hates too much bread - apparently there are actually scientific indications why some people can eat carbs like they're going out of fashion and others can't. It's all to do with how much Amylase your body produces - the amount is genetically pre-disposed, which sucks if you have a low amount like me. Anyway, it's safe to say I need to choose not to.

And there is always a choice. There is no "can't" have this or that. Just, "I choose not to have X because I know it doesn't make me feel great". It feels so much kinder to yourself when you put it that way. As always, no food is banned or off-limits. Warning: There will be Pizza and possibly a Krispy-Kreme along the way.

So, what's in store over the next 8 weeks? A focus on exercise - the easy and fun way, and making some conscious decisions on nutrition. Nothing too cray.

Come on the journey with me? I can't promise daily blogging but I will be talking about what I've been eating and doing. And sharing my stats weekly. You know I don't believe in measuring weight but the other stuff - definitely.

In summary, I'm just going to.....

Source

Style | Debenhams New Season Sale ❤︎

You guys know I love a bargain, it's not often I buy something online without a quick google search to check I'm not missing out on some discount code or voucher.

Style | Currently Crushing ❤︎

Why is it that whenever you have the cash to splash you never see anything you love but the minute you try and be good and budget said cash for other more important life-enhancing things (aka Garden Renovation, being a grown up is so boring), you see stuff you absolutely need and love everywhere you look..... euuuuggghh.

Anyway, I'd though I would share what I'm currently crushing on, I'm living vicariously through you guys....

I went to Banana Republic in Bath yesterday and literally could have bought the shop. No kidding. They have some really lovely pieces in at the moment. I left with a pair of Jeans - I've been looking for the perfect dark blue wash for ages and spotted them, the fit was great too. So, out of the arms full of clothes and accessories I took to the fitting room, I picked my favourite and that was that.

Here's what I would be buying at the moment if I wasn't exercising some serious self-control.

1. Leather Statement Necklace
2. Oversized Pale-Pink Scarf
3. Racer-back Dress
4. Printed Day Dress
5. Jumpsuit
6. Bow Hair Tie
7. Sweater
8. Printed Evening Dress
9. Circle Necklace
10. Floppy Hat
11. Oversized Grey Scarf
12. Sunglasses
13. Huge Pale-Pink Leather Tote

What are you guys currently stalking on the fashion front? x

Food: Herbalicious

Uh huh. Herbalicious....like Bootylicious but with herbs, no?

Anyhow, I digress. On Friday, I wrote about how one of my Resolutions for 2015 was to Waste Less Food. And as a result - save £££.

How many half-used packets of Fresh Herbs do you throw away? I'll bear my shame, I chuck them out of the veg drawer more often than I like to admit. As I did my Fridge Scan yesterday I noticed that I had half a packet of Fresh Thyme and the same of Parsley that were starting to look a little sorry for themselves. Instead of turning a blind eye, I resolved to try and do something with them.

A quick Google search later and I found that one of the easiest ways to preserve your herbs is to freeze them, in an ice cube tray with either water, butter or olive oil.

Firstly you need to prep your Herbs. Wash 'em and get them off those stalks and ready to use. I thought this would take FOREVER. I was wrong, just over 5 minutes later and my herbs were ready to rock and roll.

Take an ice-cube tray, and fill each "cube" 2/3rds full with your herbs.

Top up the rest with your liquid of choice. For the Thyme I chose Olive Oil.

And for the Parsley I chose water.

I left them in the freezer over night then popped out my little flavour cubes this morning.

Such sweet satisfaction. I can't wait to add these to soups, risotto's etc. I alway use the "absorption method" when cooking rice and quinoa so these will help add a little fresh herby flavour kick to those grains.

All for the price of something I was going to throw in the bin, and 5 mins work. Boom.

Food: Spinach and Feta Pie with Sweet Potato Crust (Wheat & Gluten Free, Budget Friendly)

New Years Resolution #3 - Reduce Food Waste.....

With that in mind I had a good rummage in the Fridge and Freezer this morning to see what needed to be eaten. I came across nine Sweet Potatoes, half a bag (500g) of Frozen Spinach with an expiration date of Dec'14 (but y'know YOLO and all that jazz) and two thirds of a pack of Feta Cheese that had been open a few days.

A quick Pinterest search later and I came across the following recipe.

http://www.fourteenforty365.com/2014/04/weekend-meal-prep.html?m=1

I adapted it to suit what I had around, and shortly after the following recipe was born.

Spinach and Feta Pie with Sweet Potato Crust

2 x Sweet Potatoes 38p (19p each - so much cheaper if you buy them in a big net, and they last ages)

Coconut Oil (Or Olive Oil) 20p

1/2 Large Onion 16p

1 Garlic Clove 2p

500g Frozen Spinach 75p

4 Medium Free Range Eggs 67p (£1 for 6 in Tesco)

100g Feta 80p

Salt & Pepper

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees fan.

To make the "crust" you need to peel and finely slice those Sweet Potatoes. I used a Mandolin, but if you don't have one a steady hand and a sharp knife will work.

Melt a tbsp of Coconut Oil in a cup (10 seconds in the microwave) and use it to brush your dish and Sweet Potato slices.

Pop your crust in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.

I cooked my Frozen Spinach in a saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water and then drained it to get rid of any excess moisture.

Whilst your Spinach is cooking, slice your onions and mince your garlic. Soften together in a pan with a small blob of Coconut Oil and when the Spinach is done, add it to the onion and garlic. Cook for another couple of minutes over a medium heat. Season with Salt and Pepper.

Remove your Potatoes from the oven. They should be just beginning to colour around the edges. Don't be alarmed if they shrink or there's gaps in between, the spinach and eggs will sort that out!

Add your Spinach mixture and crumble the Feta into the pie. Whisk together your eggs and pour over.

Pop back into the over for 30 minutes and then devour!

I cut mine into 6 portions. We ate two for lunch today and the others will be great for snacking over the weekend.

We had ours with a side salad. Just some leaves, tomatoes and cucumber. Nice n simple, and a super-satisfying way to use up some food that was just lurking about. This recipe is also budget friendly coming in at around 50p a Portion.

Any leftover slices of Sweet Potato are easy to make into Sweet Potato Crisps. Heat some oil on a baking sheet in the oven (whilst you're cooking your pie) add your "crisps" after a few minutes and toss in the oil with some Salt and Pepepr. Pop back in the oven and check after about 5-7 minutes. Done. And seriously yum.

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Three, Monday

Sunshine makes everything seem brighter and happier, and a sunny Monday morning is a much more bearable way to the start the week!

07.00 am - I had some Homemade Granola, with Unsweetened Almond Milk, Blueberries and Raspberries outside in the garden.

11.00 am - Snack Time, I had an Apple Strudel Ernie Bar and a cup of Green Tea.

2.30 pm - I made a Greek Inspired Salad. I had Spinach, Yellow Pepper, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Quinoa and Feta Cheese. It was dressed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and a little sprinkle of Dried Oregano. Sooo good!

5.00 pm - I fancied a snack so had an Apple with a few slices of Mature Cheddar Cheese.

8.15 pm - My brother Rich (who totally missed his calling as a Gourmet Chef), invited us round for dinner. Which turned about to be a 3-Course affair washed down with a few glasses of crisp, cold Rosé.

We started with fresh Gazpacho.

And then moved on to this Ottolenghi Saffron and Herb Chicken Salad, which was delicious.

And then finished off with a few slices of Gorgonzola served with a drizzle of locally produced honey.

I'm not even a massive fan of Blue Cheese but this combination was perfection! I may have to steal this idea for the next dinner party (post Bridesmaid Challenge of course)!!