2 Ingredient Banana Pancakes

Yes, mesdames et monsieurs, you heard me correctly. You only need two ingredients to make this light and nutritious breakfast . I discovered  this recipe whilst lazing in bed fantasizing and about food and googling pretty breakfasts for inspiration (that’s normal, right?). When this recipe cropped up and with only two ingredients which I knew were in the kitchen, it was a must try.

Ingredients: 2x Eggs & 1x Mashed fresh banana
Method: Briskly stir the eggs together and mix with the banana. Fry in a little oil/butter as you would  a normal american sized pancake.

Additions: You could add anything really, cocoa powder, peanut butter, berries, oats, spices. I added cinnamon for some autumnal spice and because I really wanted to sample this in all its naked glory. For a show stopper some caramelised bananas in a salted toffee sauce with a little splodge of creme fraiche would be delish!
I think it needs a bit of crunch so I put some chopped apples, drizzled a small glug of maple syrup and added a light dusting of icing sugar for a really light, filling breakie.

Bon Appétit!

 

I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award!

What a treat, thank you to the lovely Curls and Couture (http://curlsandcouture.wordpress.com/) for the nomination. This seems like a really good way to promote the blogs you love, below you will find some of my faves.

The rules….

• Each nominee must link back the person who nominated them.
• Answer the 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator.
• Nominate 10 other bloggers for this award who have less than 200 followers.
• Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
• Let the nominees know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them

And here are the 10 questions as asked by Curls and Couture:

1. Why did you start your blog and what’s the inspiration behind it?
I started my blog as a digital journal for my fashion design degree but it has grown to be a written and visual record of beautiful things and fashion news.

2. Most cherished item?
My wedding ring!

3. If you could live in any decade, which one would it be?
I always think I could have made more of the 90s if I was a tiny bit older so maybe the  80s?

4. Favourite subject at school?
French

5. What item could you not live without?
My iPad, failing that a filofax!!

6. Do you prefer sweet or savoury dishes?
I love all food, so a combo of both would be perfect.

7. Best holiday you’ve ever had?
To my Grandpa’s old house in the Pyrénées. We used to go every chance we could, it was like a second home with better weather.

8. Favourite colour and why?
Sparkly – does that count?

9. Would you rather live without eyeliner or nail varnish?
Nail Varnish, but I don’t mind being without either.

10. Your biggest achievement so far?
Home: Marrying my gorgeous man
Work: Probably getting an internship at Zoe Jordan – such a great experience!

Here are my questions for the bloggers I nominate:

1. How would you sum up your blog in a single sentence?
2. What is your real name/nickname and where in the world are you?
3. Do you have a saying or a personal motto?
4. If you had a spare £500 to do with as you please, what would you do with it?
5. Who is your favourite fashion designer?
6. What is your favourite high street shop?
7. What one item will you be purchasing for this Autumn/Fall?
8. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?
9. Has anyone ever given you any great advice? If so what is it?
10. What’s your favourite item in your wardrobe?

My nominees:
http://aspoonfulofstyle.co.uk/ – Easy to read and wittily written.
http://jessnash.tumblr.com/ – An incredible Illustrator and photographer WITH an online shop – Perfect-o!
http://cupcakinglydeliciouscakediaries.wordpress.com// – For anyone who loves cake!
http://cottonbeauty.wordpress.com/ – Beautiful illustrations
http://amysfoodadventures.com/ – Warning, this blog will make you hungry!
http://alillesssugar.com/ – Yummy and healthy food. I’ve tried some of the recipes – delish.
http://cityclecticdesign.wordpress.com/ – Gorgeous and aspirational interiors.
http://ireneperelli.wordpress.com/ – A cute all-rounder with some great recipes
http://ohlidia.com/ – Proper cooking that real people can do!
http://afullspoonof.wordpress.com/ – My latest discovery, food porn at it’s finest.

SundaySunday

It’s that time again. My fave day of the week is drawing to a close and I’m starting to mentally prepare for Monday. For me, today has been predominantly about food; did some grocery shopping with a relaxing latte in hand and then went out for lunch with my hub. Later, I baked a summer berry tart (pictured below). Easy peasy and deliciously rewarding!Ingredients: Ready to roll puff-pastry, Vanilla pod custard (cooled), Berries/ Fruit of your choice, Butter, a sprinkle of demerara sugar

Pre-heat the oven to about 190 degrees
Butter a baking tray
Roll out your puff pastry and raise the edges slightly
Slap on some custard
Arrange the berries
Top with butter and sugar – et voila!

Lentil Stew

My favourite part of a lazy weekend and now the Easter break is having time to cook in the evenings (and I mean properly cook not smash something in the oven and demolish it in a rush 30 minutes later). The best part about this meal is the price, you can make it from whatever you have in your cupboard and freezer and as long as you have lentils you could adapt it to suit your taste. I chose this dish both for that reason and because in the UK at the moment it’s freezing and this is a true cozy warmer to curl up in front of Saturday night TV with. Added bonus is that this dish is really healthy and filling, you can make it without bacon for the more calorie concious cook! It takes about an hour (including veg chopping time) and is so easy it’s therapeutic.

Ingredients (serves 2)
500ml Chicken stock
250ml water
40g green lentils
1 onion
Some carrots
A generous swirl of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
A pinch of salt and pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
A generous swirl of olive oil
A handful of bacon lardons
A bouquet garni (or some tied together herbs)
A good squirt of tomato purée

Method
1. Swirl a good sized pan with olive oil and sweat the onions, garlic and carrots in a pan for about 7 minutes.
2. Add a squirt of tomato purée and the tea-spoon of smoked paprika and stir so all is combined.
3. Prepare your bouquet garni if you are making your own (mine is a combination of thyme, two bay leaves and a sprig of rosemary from my balcony).
4. Add your chicken stock and water with the bouquet garni and….
5. Bring to the boil for about 5 minutes.
6. Put the lid on the pan and simmer for 45 minutes.
7. Take your stew off the heat and fry up the bacon lardons. Don’t add oil as the fat from the bacon will melt and cook the bacon.
8. Combine and enjoy!

Super easy healthy eating

As January begins we are all slapped in the face with ‘new start, new you’ diets promising us perfect bodies and glowing skin. Unless you have a serious amount of time and money to invest in this I would say that for the most part, starting every morning with a fresh pineapple and kale smoothie is slightly unrealistic and who can afford a whole food lunch every day? I don’t dispute that eating like this would be fantastic – I would if I could but it’s normally a cup of tea in my travel mug and some form of sarnie for lunch. For me healthy eating comes in waves, sometimes I enjoy it and sometimes I just want a big cake either way I know that what I put into my body will affect how I feel – when I eat junk I feel slobbish and when I start the day with a fruit smoothie I am more energized. I’ve been putting some thought into easy ways to inject some healthy eating into your routine which wont break the bank and will fit into an existing routine.

Super food drinks

All above drinks available from Holland and Barrett
(From left: together multi vit and detox, The berry company pomegranate and blueberry juice boxed, vita coco coconut water, alo alovera and honey drink)

It’s not difficult to add a healthy drink into your daily routine, especially if like the ones above they will easily fit into your bag. At the moment I’m trying a variety to see which ones I like. I’m already a big fan of the Together drinks (far left) which taste fresh and nourishing and are a feel-good boost on a long day. They’re not super cheap ranging from, £1.39 – £2.45 but if you eliminate a coffee from the day it works out at about the same. Also if you drink a lot of water they add a flavoursome addition to the day. Another idea is substituting dairy milk for some more nutritious alternatives like coconut or almond. Now, I’m a blue top dairy drinker – full fat and I don’t think I want to change this but what I like to do is have a separate red top (1%) 1 pint cows milk that I use in tea (because I’m British I drink a lot of it!).

When I can I like to start the day with a smoothie, here’s a delicious looking one I will try this week from a fantastic food blogger bakedbree (she owns this image – click on the smoothie below to be taken to the original source on her website).

LFWeekend 2012

London Fashion Weekend proved to be a huge treat. Filled with anticipation and buzzing with fashionistas, Somerset house saw a final flourish of style following the success of London fashion week. The day started with a Mulberry designed tote bag filled with indulgent goodies. Followed by a Daks catwalk showcasing their Autumn/Winter 2012 collection for which I will dedicate another blog post!

From top right:

1. Daks Autumn/Winter 2012 write up
2.Lavazzo coffee sample
3.Compeed plaster
4. Velvet tissues
5.Colgate tooth whitener
6. Elizabeth Arden moisturising face cream
7. Limited edition John Paul Gaultier coke
8. London fashion weekend guide for the day
9. Triumph underwear

My lovely friend Saskia Hadley (read her blog here) and I enjoyed a gorgeous lunch. I chose of mushroom risotto (below) and a glass of chilled champagne at Tom’s dining room.

Following the show, we explored the pop up boutiques at gorgeous stalls selling designer wear from, John Galliano, Maison Martin Margiela and Twenty 8 Twelve and millions more! I indulged in a gorgeous thick leather t-shirt dress which I plan on living in as the winter rolls in. Later, we sat in on two talks. The first focussed on London as a fashion hub with CEO of the British fashion council, Caroline Rush and Senior Elle UK editor,  Natalie Wansborough- Jones with crucial tips on how to make it in fashion.

In between talks we relaxed in the kinder bueno room with a free massage and endless supply of chocolate. After having a further browse at the ever-appearing rooms filled with designer bargains (and purchasing a super-soft Elizabeth Lau jumper pictured below in grey with black bead wording) we returned to of a beauty focussed talk with fashion week stylists Richard Mannus from Toni and Guy, Lisa Potter-Dixon from Benefit and Rachel Singer-Clark from Elizabeth Arden which looked at the looks for the season, and the products to never go without.

A fantastic day was topped off with a delicious cocktail overlooking the river Thames and I’m already looking forward to next year’s London fashion weekend.