The Perfect Autumn Soup...

I recently entered a competition as part of the Holland and Barrett Good Life Insiders group that I am involved with. We had to guess some co-ordinates for a fun Halloween trick or treat prize. I am so pleased that I guessed correctly and won some great things.

Among the items I was sent, I received this jar of Biona Organic Spiced Pumpkin Soup which costs £2.69 in store, and some Freed Gluten Free Crispbread with Cheddar and Pumpkin Seed which is only £2.89 for 160g.
 

With it being near Halloween when I received these, I couldn’t wait to get in the spooky spirit and try these delicious treats out! The jar of soup was easily enough servings for 2, so I poured half of it into a microwave proof bowl and heated through. The jar didn't actually have any instructions on how to cook this, but it turned out just fine. Although this soup is supposed to be spicy, it wasn't overpowering and had just the right amount of kick to it. It was really flavoursome and when I took my second batch to work I was complimented on how nice it smelled.

The crispbread went perfectly with the soup, and was a great treat and made a change from having bread on the side. The cheddar wasn't overpowering, and the pumpkin seeds made a nice difference and gave the crispbread an added crunch.

I am interested to see if there are other flavours in the soup and the crispbread range, as these go perfectly together! Have you tried these?

September 2015 Glossybox

Another month has passed and it’s Glossybox time, just what I was looking forward to receiving to brighten my month now that the nights are drawing in and Autumn is in full swing. Once again Glossybox have spoiled us with five full-sized products! I could get used to this treatment. Another great box, really glad I am subscribed right now. Onto the products…

So Susan – Highlighting Pencil – Full Size £15

This pencil has a light peach hue and can be used in a number of ways. You can use this as a highlighting pencil along your brow bone, down your nose, in the waterline of your eyes and even on your cheek bones. When I first swatched this it felt a bit waxy for my liking and didn’t have the greatest of smells. If you can get past that, it’s a really lovely product. My favourite place to use it is in the waterline of my eyes, it really makes them pop and they look bigger and brighter. I can’t wait to experiment further with this.

Talika – Photo Hydra-Day – Full Size £24.85

I didn’t realise how expensive this product was until I was typing this up! This is definitely a luxury item, I don’t think I have ever spent that much on a moisturiser before. I love that this product has very little scent, I hate scented moisturisers. This applies really smooth on the skin and sinks in without making your face feel sticky. The cream is soothing, and also acts as a great primer. I’ve been applying this in the mornings where I need a little skin boost and I have really noticed a difference in how my skin feels to touch.

Lanolips – 101 Ointment – Full Size £7.99

I haven’t heard of this brand before, despite being available in Boots which I visit frequently. This multi-use ointment is made from 100% pure lanolin and guarantees to keep your skin nourished. I’m not a fan of how this feels on my lips, but after using this on dry areas of my skin I have grown to love how fast it hydrates dry areas. I’m interested to see how others have been using this product so if you have any ideas, please let me know.

Jelly Pong Pong – Play Paint – Full Size £8.95

I love this multi-use product. I received the colour damson which looked really bright but this product is so buildable and if you only use a tiny amount then it’s really subtle. I first tried this product on my lips, you literally need the smallest amount so this really is going to last. It tastes really nice, so nice that I was afraid to use it anywhere else in case it gave off a scent. I then popped some on my cheeks and blended it out with the Nicka K blending sponge and this gave me a really nice glow, so nice that when I didn’t wear it, I got told I looked pale! Really enjoy this, would love to try some other colours if they are available.

Nicka K – Airbrush Blending Sponge – Full Size £6.50

I have always wanted to try a blending sponge but it’s just one of those things that I never seem to pick up. The shape is really good, the smaller end is great for getting around the eye and in nooks and crannies, and the larger end is great for buffing foundation over the larger areas of your face. You have to wet the sponge and then squeeze the excess water out before use. I found that I needed to use a little bit more foundation than usual with this, but I got a much nicer coverage compared to using a brush. I feel like this gave me a flawless finish and it was also great for buffing in the Jelly Pong Pong Play Paint!

Next month we have a Glossybox first, we get to choose which colour item we receive, and it’s a Revlon lipstick! I can’t wait for November!

Suffolk Blogger Meet

On Saturday I attended my second blogger meet in Suffolk hosted and organised by the lovely Daisy. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Daisy for putting on such an amazing event, I had a great time and was really made to feel welcome the whole time I was there. I took most of these photos on my iPhone so I apologise for the quality or lack thereof!

I arrived in Bury St. Edmunds at around 12:15, with the event due to start at 1. I was surprised at how quick I drove there, less than an hour from Norwich I wondered why I hadn’t been here before, the shopping centre looked awesome, I'll have to come back for a shopping trip. I had a quick look on twitter under the hashtag #SuffolkBloggerMeet and found out that Hannah from The Life of Pye had also arrived already and was waiting in Costa. I went and met up with her and was so thankful I didn’t have to walk in alone. We arrived at the venue just after 1 and headed upstairs where I met Lucy from Lucy Loves and the three of us drifted around the stalls together.

The first stall I spotted was the gorgeously laid out stall from Ivy-Joan home. I wanted everything, it was so up my street. If it wasn’t so far away from payday I would have splurged! They sell the most amazing unique cards, beautiful framed pictures and great little gifts. If you're looking for Christmas presents that are different from the norm, definitely check them out.

We then went to The Charity Candle Company stall which had some lovely candles. I picked up a little sample in the Spiced Orange scent which was GORGEOUS. I wish I would have bought a full sized candle, this scent is perfect for Christmas and £1 from each sale goes to charity.

The third stall I visited was the Odylique stall, a brand I haven’t heard about before but uses all natural ingredients. I loved sampling the little tester pots and when I was told that the ingredients in the coconut scrub were edible, I couldn’t resist a little taste! I also received a Rose Hydrating Cream in my goody bag which I can’t wait to try.

I then headed to the Yoohoo Mail stall which was hosted and created by Daisy’s mum. There was some really gorgeous and unique pieces here, and I’m really tempted to get myself a subscription box being an absolute stationery fiend! We were all given a lovely postcard at the end which is going to take pride of place on my desk when I eventually get one!

The final stall was the Lipivir stall, and I was given a sample of their cold sore prevention cream which will come in handy this time of year. It was really interesting hearing about the product and how well it can work.

There were also little tables set up with things that we could take which was really nice. I got a lovely owl shaped cookie cutter from Sass & Belle and a Twig & Dot candle in the scent Deep Calm, which smells gorgeous and makes me feel instantly relaxed. I'm going to be collaborating with Twig & Dot very soon so I will do an in depth review of their scents then. I also got a bottle of Orange Life Tonic drink a marshmallow ghost and a Suffolk Blogger Meet cookie which all tasted awesome. I ate my weight in Hotel Chocolat truffles too.. oops!

I then headed to the selfie station, a great place to relax and take silly photos. Here I met Hannah and Emily who were both absolutely lovely. We were then joined by Gemma and her friend Kirsty who I didn't get to speak to properly but were really friendly, as was everyone I met, sorry if I haven't included you in this post.

We were then given our amazing goodie bags by Daisy's little helpers Emma and Karen, filled to the absolute brim with some amazing samples and products. I will have to do blog posts on individual brands or else I’ll be here all day, but you can see the sheer volume of the items in this photo. I can’t believe how lucky we were to get all of these amazing goodies. The bag in itself was a great gift!

Daisy had sourced some amazing raffle prizes ranging from a Magnitone to chocolate to perfume, there was something for everyone. I managed to win some little bars of IQ Chocolate, I’ve already eaten a couple of them and they’re really good. Thanks again Daisy for organising such a fantastic day, I loved every minute and it was so nice to meet even more lovely bloggers!

Did you attend the Suffolk Blogger Meet? I’d love to follow your blogs, please leave me a comment below so I can find you!

Two Ingredient Pizza Recipe

When a colleague of mine told me you could make pizza bases with just two ingredients, I couldn't quite believe what I was hearing. All you need is natural fat free yoghurt and self raising flour. Simple, but surely this isn't going to taste very nice?...

 

It really was as simple as it sounds to make. Simply mix a large tub of yoghurt in with the same quantity of flour. I used 500ml of yoghurt and 500g flour.

This will eventually form a dough that you will be able to roll out. Research suggests gluten free flour can also be used, but your cooking times may vary. When you've rolled it out, knead it for a few minutes until it is soft.

Spread with tomato puree, and whatever other ingredients take your fancy. No need to even pre-cook the base. I rolled mine out quite thick because this was the only baking tray I could find at the time, but in the future I would roll this out thinner so it was a bit crispier.

Cook for around 20 minutes on 180 degrees, or until it looks like the edges are golden and the cheese has nicely melted. Cut and serve.

This pizza genuinely tasted really good, and not just because I put a whole packet of grated mozzarella on top of it. I really can't believe how quick and easy this was to cook, and how great it tasted. I will definitely be stocking these ingredients for when I next have friends round so we can home-bake our very own pizzas.

Is this something you're going to try?

Blend Bros Savoury Protein Powder*

I’m not one for protein shakes, I can’t seem to find a flavour that I like and they always seem powdery for me so I am forever trying to find other ways to up my protein sources, especially on days that I have had a good work out at the gym. When I heard about Blend Bro’s Savoury Blend high protein sauce range, I couldn’t wait to try these. 

Blend Bros kindly sent me a couple of samples and a large tub of their Mexican Pibil Stew mix which costs just £19.99. Such a cost effective way of getting that extra protein in your diet without breaking the bank on tubs of bland whey powder. The flavours are varied and also come in Thai Jungle Curry and Spanish Tomato and Chorizo.

Firstly can I just mention the packaging? I love the design of the tins and they come complete with a scoop inside so you can easily measure your portions.

My boyfriend is trying to up his intake at the moment and these protein rich sauces are the perfect addition to each meal packing in a whopping 20g of protein per serving. They are so easy to prepare, you simply mix the powder with water and stir and heat – really straight forward! 

 

 

The range of sauces go with meat fish and vegetables to create that perfect meal. I tried the Thai Jungle Curry with some chicken to create a delicious curry meal. Serve with brown rice and vegetables for a healthy balanced meal, and perfect for that post gym protein hit. 

I mixed the powder with water and then poured it over cooked chicken on the hob. I let this simmer to thicken the sauce and it came out perfect. At first I thought it was going to be too watery but it turned out fine in the end.

No corners have been cut with the flavouring, this meal really was delicious. You wouldn't have any idea that this was high in protein, to me it tasted really flavoursome.

I can't wait to experiment with the other flavours I received and think these savoury blends are a fantastic idea.

What flavour would you like to try?

*I was provided with these Blend Bros Savoury Protein Powders free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Zaks - Norwich Waterside Review

Before I start this post, I have to apologise about the photo quality. I took these on my phone, I'm not quite brave enough to take my DSLR into a restaurant, but maybe some day. something is better than nothing though right?

I recently went to Zaks with my Dad, Step Mum, Step Brother and my Boyfriend for my birthday meal. I love Zaks, they do the BEST burgers and it's somewhere I absolutely love going. We visited the Zaks at Waterside. fun fact: It used to be a mortuary!

The interior is decorated in an American diner style, and the menu options reflect this. The menu portions are also reminiscent of American portions. In short, they are massive.

I've never had a starter at Zaks, so I thought I would chose something relatively small as I wanted dessert as well. Needless to say, I left the restaurant absolutely stuffed. I chose onion rings for starters which came with a little pot of mayo. This was delicious, the batter was really crispy and the onion rings were piping hot.

For main course I really fancied fries, but didn't want a big burger so I decided to go for traditional spiced vegetable fajitas. they came with 6 small wraps and a range of condiments and cheese. The guacamole was delicious.

Like I said, the portions don't come small. I ordered fries on the side which I don't think I needed but they were delicious.

I really didn't need dessert but decided to go for an ice cream sundae. This one had vanilla ice cream and chunks of honeycomb and chocolate and chocolate sauce. Delicious.

My boyfriend had the ice cream cake which was sorbet and ice cream. Refreshing!

Have you been to Zaks?