Foodie Friday: Ten Minute Minestrone

This is exactly the type of recipe that I love: one-pot, no effort but looks much more complicated that it is and really impresses your guests ;) It's perfect for a dinner party too as it's one of those recipes that you can serve straight away but actually tastes better if you leave it for a couple of hours so you can make it well in advance and just reheat later.

Preparation: None                                                                    Cooking: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves six)
400g chopped tomatoes
1L vegetable stock (made using 2 stock cubes)
2tbsp tomato puree
75g spaghetti, broken up into small pieces
400g mixed frozen veg

Method
1. Add the vegetable stock and tomatoes to a pot and bring to the boil.
2. Add the spaghetti and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the frozen veg and tomato puree. Cover and allow to simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

And that's it! As I say, it tastes loads better if you turn the heat off and just let it sit for a while so that the flavours infuse (check the chef-y language ;) ). You can also make a big pot of this to portion up for the freezer too :)

Takeaway on Tour

Last night my boyfriend and I took our first trip to the Hydro to see Ant and Dec's Takeaway on Tour. We went with fairly high enjoyment expectations (lets face it, who doesn't enjoy Ant and Dec?!) but I think we were both surprised by how much fun we had. It was the perfect kind of night to give us a break in the middle of a long and boring week.

We parked at the Glasgow Science Centre and walked over the bridge as I didn't fancy the hassle of getting out of the Hydro carpark after the show. I recommend this if you're ever going to something over at the Hydro or SECC- it saves so much stress after a show and is cheaper too. Plus you get to enjoy the scenery on the walk over, although I know from experience that if it's a horrible day it is a miserable (and very cold!) walk. Even so, it only takes five minutes so I think it's worth it. As you can see from the pictures, last night was gorgeous and we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful views over the River Clyde :)

From the outside you can tell the Hydro is pretty big, but it isn't until you get to your seat and look up that you realise just how big! I don't have a fear of heights, but I think even the bravest person would feel a bit wobbly at the top seating section looking down. They even have escalators taking you up to that  section because there would be a ridiculous number of stairs involved!

Vertigo sufferers beware!

I don't want to give too much of the show away as the tour is only half-way through at the moment, but just think of it as an extra long version of the TV show, with all the best bits- Win the Ads (a member of the audience is randomly selected for this!), Ant vs Dec, I'm a Celebrity Get Out of Me Ear as well as performances from special guests, Joey Essex in the DJ booth, and lots of audience participation! Ant and Dec were on top form; you can really tell that they are up there having the time of their lives, and I think that's why they are so loved. 

 Let's get ready to rrrrrumble!

Ant vs Dec

Told you there was audience participation!

 If you're going to the tour, you'll love it! And if there is anyone that wanted to buy tickets, but was hesitant about spending the money for something you can get from TV, I'd say put those doubts aside if there are any future tours. It was so much better than watching a screen because you're actually there in the moment, contibuting and seeing it all unfold, and there's nothing quite like that.

Are you going to the tour? Have you been? What did you think ? 

August Favourites

So here we are, almost at the end of another month. And with the end of August comes the beginning of Autumn! I'm so excited for Autumn this year, I think it's because the past few months have actually been quite summery in Glasgow, whereas our spring, summer and autumn seasons normally all blend into one and seem to last forever. I can't wait to get the winter boots and coats out! :)

Anyway, also with the end of August comes another lowdown of my favourite products of the month:



Clockwise from bottom left: Essie nail paint in 'peach daiquiri;' Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray;
Clean&Clear dual action moisturiser; Soap&Glory Girligo;
Covergirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast; Rimmel Apocalips in Stellar








Essie Nail Paint: Essie are my favourite brand when it comes to nail polish. Amazing formula, great staying power, a gazillion colours and a reasonable price tag. Peach Daiquiri has been my go-to colour this summer, and this month I've been reapplying it each time I've done my nails. I usually get bored after a few days and switch-up the colour but I haven't wanted to. High praise indeed! This is a perfect summery coral- more on the orange side than the red- and will be perfect throughout autumn and winter to break up dark outfits.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray: With the hot weather we've been enjoying, make-up has just been sliding off my face. Instead of adding another layer to my face with a primer, I've been using this instead both before and after applying my foundation and it works a treat, saving me from having to reapply my foundation at some point throughout the day. The mist is so fine that it doesn't even wet the skin, so it doesn't add any extra time to your routine.



Clean&Clear Dual Action Moisturiser: I have very dry skin, and like to use quite a thick daytime moisturiser (No7 Protect and Perfect- never too early to start with the anti-aging!) but with the heat lately I just haven't wanted to suffocate my skin under thick products. The Clean&Clear Dual Action Moisturiser is an old favourite that I used to use when I was a teenager. It's nice and light, but still does a great job quenching thirsty skin and is a great price (approx £3.50). It has antimicrobial properties too in order to prevent spots from actually reaching the surface, although I haven't used it religiously enough to really comment on that. I do remember never suffering too badly with breakouts when I was a teen though, which might be partly to do with this!

Soap&Glory Girligo: Similarly to my facial moisturiser, I haven't wanted to use my usual thick creams and butters on my body so picked this spray moisturiser up on a recent shopping spree. It has the classic S&G scent, very similar to Hand Food and The Righteous Butter and is a great lighter alternative. A word of warning though: stand on a towel to apply this as it does disperse into the air and land on the floor a bit and if you have tiles or laminate flooring you WILL slip!

Covergirl Clump Crusher: I picked this up while I was on holiday in America early this year and have been using it religiously this month. It has a curved, plastic applicator to really get into the lashes and give them some curl. The formula is great too- no clumps, and hasn't irritated my ridiculously sensitive eyes. The UK equivalent is the Maxfactor Clump Defy, which I'll probably replace this with, although it does tick me off that the UK price is at about three times more than the US for the same product (£10.99 vs $4.99).



Rimmel Apocalips in Stellar: I got this in America too, where they're branded as 'Show Off Lips.' This shade is 'Stellar', which equates to 'Stella' over here. It's a bit strange as all the others have the same name on both sides of the pond but hey ho. This is a gorgeous BRIGHT pinky-coral, perfect for those days with big sunglasses and minimal make-up, instantly making you look like you've made an effort. The formula is a bit drying, so I always apply a lipbalm underneath, but lasts for absolutely ages. As long as you give it a minute to set it'll last a good six hours. Check for lipstick-on-teeth regularly though!

I hope you've all had a wonderful August :)

Foodie Friday: Lemon Drizzle Cake

An oldie but definitely a goodie ;)

Preparation time:  15 minutes                                                   Cooking time: 40-50 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

Cake

225g self-raising flour

225g butter

225g caster sugar

4 eggs

Zest of two lemons (could use one to tone down the lemony-ness)

Juice of half a lemon

 

Drizzle

Juice of one and a half lemons

100g caster sugar

 

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade/ gas mark 4. Grease loaf-tin if not using a silicone one.

2. Beat together butter and sugar, then add eggs and combine. Sift in flour and fold in gently.

3. Add lemon zest and juice (amount dependant on preference) and mix through.

4. Transfer to loaf-tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

5. Make the drizzle by combining caster sugar with lemon juice.

6. After baking, allow the cake to cool slightly before pricking with a fork and pouring over the drizzle. The drizzle will sink through the holes throughout the cake and make it extra lemony and delicious.

7. Allow to cool completely before slicing, otherwise it will just fall apart.

8. Make a cuppa and enjoy!

50 Random Questions Tag

Hello!

Hopefully other people share my enthusiasm for these types of posts and enjoy reading them as much as I do!

1. Would you rather be twice as smart or twice as happy?

Definitely twice as happy. This is something I'm working hard on at the moment actually.

2. What's your worst habit?

Worrying apparently (I've just asked my boyfriend). I'll also throw in second guessing myself and spilling my dinner- seriously it happens every single night. I even got a bib last Christmas :p

3. Are you dating?

We live together, so I'd say a bit further than dating. But essentially, yes. And he's amazing :)

4. Do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels?

 If its decent :p

5. What is the one thing you'll never do again?

Be railroaded into decisions I don't want to make (working on this one too)

 
6. Do you collect anything?

Do Christmas decorations count? I buy a couple of new ones each year with the eventual goal of our tree being decorated with unique ornaments which all hold a story and a memory :)

7. Worst injury you ever had?

My mum chopped my finger off when I was twelve. Yep this is true. Yes it was an accident.

8. What is your favourite pet/ animal?

My favourite animal is a tiger, but pet-wise I'd have to say dog although I don't have one

9. What's your dream vacation?

Bora Bora

Drool!
Source: www.8thingstodo.com

 

10. Honestly, are things going the way you planned?

No but I'm beginning to think that might be a very good thing :)

 

11. Do you have any tattoos?

Yes I have two: 'no rain, no rainbow...' on my foot and my boyfriend's initial on my wrist. The third is planned but I always wait six months after deciding on a tattoo in order to make sure I really want it.

 

12. What's your secret to lure in the opposite sex?

Well I have been told that my legs are rather nice ;)

13. Any phobias?

Death and birds.

14.  Do you bite your nails?

Nope

15. Do you ever count your steps when you walk?
Don't think so 

 

16. Heels or flats?

Flats. Heels only when necessary or the anaesthetic effect of vodka will numb the pain ;)

17.Have you ever stolen a street sign before?

No

18. Do you always smile for pictures?

 I think so

19. Do you ever dance even if there's no music playing?

Haha always. It's my 'thing' apparently :p

20.  Do you miss anyone right now?
Not really. Eek does that sound bad?

 

21. What's your favourite colour?

Yellow

22. Do you want kids?

Yes yes yes! I truly believe that having kids is my purpose in life.

Story of my life :p
Source: www.cartoonstock.com

 

23. Are you patient?

I'd say so.

24. Can you swim?

Yes and love it :)

25. Tea or coffee

Both

26. What do you wear to bed?

Nothing. Ooh err!

27. Ever used a gun? 

No

28. Do you sing in the shower?

No. I can't bear to listen to my own singing. That's how bad I am!

29. Are you stubborn?

Very!

30. Are you lazy?

We all have our days.

31. Can you change the oil in a car

Yep- I'm very pleased with myself for this :p

32. W hen was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?

A year ago

33. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?
Nope

34.What is your favourite food?

Chilli/pasta/pizza

35. Do you still watch cartoons?

Just The Simpsons and Disney movies mostly

36. What movie(s) can you watch over and over again and not get bored?
Any of my favourite Christmas or Disney movies, Dirty Dancing, The Notebook andHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. TV-wise, I never get sick of Desperate Housewives, Sex and the City and Friends.

 

37. What superpower would you have for one day?

Invisibility so I could snoop on people.

38. Whats been your favourite age so far? 

21

It was slim-pickings to find a decent photo of me at 21
on my boyfriend's computer

 39. How old are you?

22

40. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?

Don't worry about what people think

41. If you knew you would die in one week, what would you do?
Panic!

 

42. What celebrity would you trade lives with?

I don't think I like any celebrity enough to trade lives with. Maybe one of the Kardashians if it was only for a day- just to see what its like

 

43. Do people ever take you seriously?

Yep. People know when I'm being serious and when I'm not

 

44. What happened the last time you cried?

Hormones got the better of me, grr!

 

45. Who knows you best?

My boyfriend

46.  Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?

Closed (strange question)

47. What is your song of the week?
Magic!-Rude. 'Why you gotta be so ruuuude...'

 

48. Last person you kissed?

Hmm let me think.... :p

49. Best thing to eat for breakfast?

Pancakes!

 

50. Does anyone know the password to your email?

Yes. Too many actually. I really must change it

And that wraps it up! Hope you enjoyed!
 

Review: Orly Rubberised Basecoat

I'm the first to admit that I'm lazy when it comes to nail polish application. Basecoat...colour layer 1...colour layer 2...topcoat...yawn!

 

I've always either skipped a basecoat altogether, or just used a clear varnish thinking that basecoats were a money-wasting invention and if a clear polish prevented staining then that would do just fine.  Well, I put my hands up and take it all back. This little baby has changed my nail painting routine forever! It makes my varnish (whether drugstore or high-end) last so much longer. I'm talking from 2-3 days without chipping to well over a week. As the name suggests, it adds a rubbery coating to the nail, making the coloured varnish appear gel-like.

 

 

 

For the purposes of this review, I used the basecoat on my right hand (my writing hand) only in order to give it a proper test. I applied two coats of Essie 'Peach Daiquiri' and my Rimmel topcoat to both hands as normal and I think the results in the photo speak for themselves!

Comparison on Day 4 (basecoat on right hand)

 

 At £5 for 5ml, it's reasonably priced, and considering I've been using this around 75% of the time I paint my nails (usually once or twice a week) since January and it looked barely used it's definitely worth it. A keeper in my book!

Foodie Friday: Mediterranean Sausage Casserole

I do love a recipe that it is super tasty but doesn't destroy the kitchen, and this one is right up there with my favourites! One-pot, bung it in the oven and ta dah!

I took this recipe from a BBC recipe book years ago, swapped the chicken for sausages (I think that was all we had at the time!), added a sauce and a few different spices and came up with what is now one of our staple dinners. It can easily be modified to suit you if needed- it works really well with sweet potato, but I just prefer white and the pork sausages could be substituted with quorn, veggie or beef varieties (although the beef might overpower the sauce a bit- just a thought).

 

Hope you enjoy!

Preparation time: 15 minutes                                             Cooking: 30 minutes

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

8 pork sausages

1 large onion

2 peppers (any colour)

2-3 potatoes per person (judgement call)

400g chopped tomatoes

Olive oil

Chilli, paprika, thyme to personal taste

Method

1. Cut potatoes into chunks- doesn't matter what size, but try to keep them fairly even so they cook at the same rate. Do the same with the onion and peppers. Transfer these to a large casserole dish.

2. Pierce sausages to avoid them exploding (yes I have had this happen before) and arrange in dish.

3. Drizzle over olive oil and get your hands in there to make sure everything has a coating. Be careful not to add to much oil as the sausages will also release some- I'd say use roughly two tablespoons.

4. Sprinkle over thyme (or oregano or mixed herbs) chilli powder and/or paprika to own personal spice-liking.

 

5. Bake at 200 degrees centigrade/ gas mark 6 for thirty minutes, checking it half-way to give it a mix.

6. Stir in chopped tomatoes and add extra spices/ salt and pepper.

Eat it!

PS. I only remembered about the 'after' picture when we were halfway through eating dinner....fail! In the interests of a 'balanced diet' I didn't want to do another cake recipe this week so I promise to add in the picture the next time I make this. For the moment though, you'll just have to imagine the picture above cooked and with a tomato sauce added ;)

PPS. For the record, it was delicious ;)

Operation Lazybum

 

For various reasons- some more trivial than others- I've been feeling a bit 'meh' recently. One of these reasons is my body. Just over a year ago I was walking to and from uni every day (six miles in total) and partaking in Zumba and swimming on a weekly basis. I could eat whatever I fancied and was in the best shape of my life. Fast forward twelve months of working full-time, driving three hours a day instead of walking, moving in with the boyfriend and eating matching portions, swapping nights out for cosy nights in and exercise classes for my duvet and I'm in the worst shape of my life. When you can't even get up the stairs without being out of breath and people ask you when the little one is due then you know its time to act. As you can probably guess, there is no little one due. Although I may have just gone along with it to spare the mortification of an explanation to a complete stranger...

And so Operation Get off Your Jiggly Bum and Do Something About It, You Can Get Your Body Back, Improve Your Anxiety and Become Happier was born. I know what you're thinking, and I agree it's a bit of a mouthful, so it will henceforth be known as Operation Lazybum ;)

 

 

I eat fairly healthily, so won't be changing my diet very much; this is mainly about exercise and incorporating new lifestyle changes with the hope of toning myself up and feeling healthier (and being able to get put the stairs without huffing and puffing :P ). Since the beginning of 2013, I have gained a stone, but weight-loss isn't really the goal here (although it would be nice ;) ). I write this for the world to see in the hope that it will give me the determination to stick to it, so we'll see. I do have some 'before' pictures, but I'm much too chicken to post these online at the moment but perhaps this will change in the future.

I won't be updating weekly as I have other lifestyle posts planned on Wednesdays and I wouldn't want to bore everyone with the same topic, but I'll check in every so often. I'm sure I'll be rambling about this more often on Twitter, so feel free to follow me there if you're interested or doing something similar yourself :)

Let Operation Lazybum commence! 

 

 

The Product I've Used For Over A Decade...

... that's got to mean it's good right?

Well the TRESemmé Heat Defence Styling Spray certainly does the job for me. Detangles, protects my hair from heat and humidity (seriously this stuff was a lifesaver when I was in Florida!), smooths my frizz and doesn't weigh my hair down. Oh and it smells AMAZING! You know a product smells good when your boyfriend pays enough attention to comment on it ;)

At £5.25 for 300ml, it's quite reasonably priced, especially as other brands tend to offer 150-200ml for  around £4.50. It tends to be on offer a lot, and I've bought mine in B&M before for £2.99 (they don't always stock it though which is a bummer). I use mine every second day, and a bottle lasts me about six months.

I have tried a couple of other heat protection sprays in the past but I've never liked another enough to make the switch. I just have to hope this one is never discontinued!

Which product have you stuck with the longest?

Foodie Friday: Banana Nut Loaf

Welcome to my first post in my Foodie Friday series, where I'll be sharing an easy and fail-safe recipe every week. I absolutely love to cook, but the easier and less stressful I can make it the better, so hopefully this can help out some of you!

This weeks recipe is for banana nut bread. You can use whichever nuts you prefer, and as much as you like (or even miss them out if you're not a fan) so it's really versatile. This recipe is super easy to follow- a case of throwing everything together and voila!

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
225g Self raising flour
200g Soft brown sugar
200g Butter (softened)
4 Bananas (mashed)
1tbsp Vanilla Extract
1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 Egg
30g Almonds (or other nut)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees/ approx gas mark 5.
2. Combine bananas, butter, egg, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Fold in flour, almonds and bicarbonate of soda until well incorporated and mixture has a doughy consistency.

4. Transfer to a greased or silicone loaf tin and bake for approximately 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
5. Remove from loaf tin, allow to cool before slicing (this is important- it will just fall apart otherwise) and enjoy!

Budget Buy: Argan Conditioner

Just a quick little post today to share a product that I've been really pleasantly surprised with over the last couple of weeks. I picked this Argan Oil conditioner up for 99p from B&M purely because I was in a rush and thought 'well how bad can it be?' Turns out that it is not bad at all, and something that I'll definitely be re-purchasing.

As with all Argan Oil products, this promises to rejuvenate and rehydrate hair to leave it strong, smooth and shiny. I can't say it makes my hair any shinier (although I've never found a product that delivers well on this) but it certainly does make it extra soft and easy to manage without weighing it down or making it greasy- I can still go two or three days in between washing with this. The consistency isn't overly thick, so I use this as an everyday conditioner rather than a treatment, although if you were to leave it on for an extended period then I'm sure it would do the job. In fact, I shall do this and report back! Coconut, olive and avocado oil are listed in the ingredients, but I wouldn't say the scent reminds me of either, I just liken it to a fresh fruity scent. It does linger in your hair after drying and even through to the next day though which is amazing!

As I said, I bought mine from B&M, and I've also seen this before in the likes of Home Bargains, Poundland and Wilko so it's easily accessible, and for 99p you really can't go wrong!

Do you have any budget buys you've been pleasantly surprised by?