Live for the (long weekend)

The best thing about the impending Royal Nuptials? The two day work week! Wahey...Tuesdays are my day off, so I only have to be in Wednesday and Thursday. Unfortunately we have a new system launch on Thursday, which is also my birthday and we're going to be working flat out to provide our usual standard of service, so there won't be much celebrating going on (8am start, 6/7pm finish, no thanks!)...however, the next day being "that" day means I have have belated celebrations with the people that matter most; and maybe crash a few street parties!

Anyhow, I'm getting ahead of myself. First we need to finish this long weekend, and it will be done in chilled out lazy style.
Yesterday I barely moved off my ass, which was hugely satisfying. Today I predict more of the same, perhaps interjected with a trip to Tesco for essentials; girl cannot live on Easter goods alone (as much as she'd like to try)

Easter Haul!



Sadly that bag did not hold the Prestat egg of my dreams, but it did contain sweets and eggs of the miniature variety!



For the first time in years I was willing and able to take part in some Easter eating



(little steps Laura, little steps)

And cover my blisters in truly epic plasters



I'll be 24 going on 4.

Today I've ditched the floral dresses for my "jazzy trousers"







For all you Haviana fangirls out there, I'm A CONVERT. My feet are so grateful



((I hate feet))

I leave you with cuteness



And wishes for an awesome extra day off

xxx

P.S. vote vote vote.

Dear Easter Bunny

Dear Easter Bunny,

I haven't had a proper Easter Egg in years,
this year I intend to partake fully, so if you could drop off this Prestat beauty, I would be delighted.

Laura x

£25 from Prestat

after the overload

To balance out this mornings sugar overload of a post, I thought it timely to pop up my review of some sugar-free goodies that the lovely folks at Sweet Junkie sent me to review...

Now you know, I'm a BIG sugar addict and have nothing against eating sugar filled goodness on a regular basis,
but sometimes I want something to munch on that isn't going to give me a massive sugar rush, or I feel like being a bit kinder to my teeth, and at those times I reach for sugar free sweets.

I normally pick up whatever is available in my town (er, about two varieties then) or stock up on visits to places further away,
but now...Sweet Junkie has my heart (and soul) for their extensive range, awesome-ly designed website and fabulous service.
What I really love about Sweet Junkie is the care they put in to sourcing their sweets, I follow them on twitter and know they do extensive tasting before decided what to stock. This is very much appreciated, especially when it comes to sugar-free as some of the sweets can taste very artificial. These don't! The orange and lemon slices (at the front) were my favourite...I did have to check a few times that I hadn't picked up normal sweets instead!

For those who are sugar purists, Sweet Junkie also sell regular sweets including retro favourites
but if you can't tolerate sugar, are health conscious or want a gift for someone who can't eat sugar then you are well advised to check out their range (and slip in some more for me, please!)

xxx

P.S. you can follow them on twitter, here

so close now

FINALLY, we've had a couple of decently sunny-ish days and it feels like the end of Winter could be approaching,
don't you just love those first signs of Spring? They fill me with hope!

Got some colour going on for Yesterday's outfit in honour of the burning yellow ball in the sky.





Do I look tired and haggard?



Necklace says yes!

Fairly chilled out day, amongst the invasions of four 20 something males taking over the house. They are a nice, if somewhat...quirky bunch of guys and super talented.

Today is going to be all about chilling out, I think. I've a fairly busy week ahead, so I shall just potter about and go and see my Grandparents.

((the money spending continues..I bought *gasp* trousers!))

(((this is the best stuff EVER)))



trust me.

Anddddd, last but most certainly not least

WINNERS!

Thanks to everyone who took part in my giveaway, I love holding them so look out for more soon!

The winners are
*drumroll*

MARIA for the main UK prize

and Blue Eyed Night Owl will receive some edible goodies as my overseas winner.

Happy Sunday All xxx

Sunday Randoms

Here we go, my "I'm wearing nothing of interest so have some random photos" post! I hope everyone is having a great weekend,
those of you at LFW...I hope your not too exhausted! I'll confess, I've barely looked at the collections online, fashion week seems to pass me by in a haze, it's too soon to think about A/W when I barely know what I want to be wearing tomorrow, but Paul Costelloe has captured my heart!



Photo from The Telegraph



This is my latest recipe book purchase, I've seen it mentioned on several foodie blogs I follow and although I'm not vegan, or even vegetarian I have an interest in elements of the vegan lifestyle, especially baking and I can't wait to give it a go! Next purchase will be the cupcake version.



Popped in to see my grandparents yesterday and was greeted with "We're glad your here, we have a present for you" and they proceeded to present me with this cushion. Good taste for older folk don't you think?





Snack of the week! I purchased this on Monday after meeting B and pursuing M&S for something for dinner. I bought a multipack but wish I had thought to get more. I'm going back...there were other flavours too. I LOVE popcorn. Randomly we found a popcorn maker in one of our kitchen cupboards, so I will experiments with creating my own combinations.





And finally, a couple of postsecrets that caught my eye this week. I might try the first one!

xxx

(and because I'm an idiot and forget things, my giveaway is actually open for another week! We won't talk about the state of my memory!)

Snack Attack

Thank you for the well wishes for yesterday guys, sadly the meeting got cancelled at the last minute due to one of the team being ill, but I'll be re-scheduling Monday and hopefully won't have to wait too long!

Yesterday I reverted back to my comfort zone, and to one of my favourite dresses. I added a black jacket until I realised just how cold it was...it was hastily swapped for a chunky cardigan!

Jewellery (hideously out of focus)









Actually, all the photos are a bit out of focus...apologies!

This week I was challenged to branch out of my comfort zone (a.k.a. rut) with snacks and add in something I haven't had before/for a while, I chose a fruit and nut mix because it is easily portable and perfect for keeping on my desk at work. I was quite un-inspired looking in the shops, everything was dull and samey (not to mention full of peanuts, which I don't especially love).
Waitrose came up trumps with these babies...



I'd seen Nature Snacks appear on Twitter a few times but wasn't consciously seeking them out as I didn't know where to get them. Originally it was the special offer sign that drew me over to them as well as the eye catching packaging.
There are four varieties from the brand:

Fruit, nut and dark chocolate mix

Berries Mix

Fruit, nut and yoghurt mix

Fruit and nut mix

And none of them contain peanuts, score! Give me Almonds any day. More details + stockists here

As you can see from the photo above, I went for the fruit and nut mix, which contains pistachios, golden sultanas, almonds, Chilean raisins and dragon fruit. I've never had dried dragon fruit before, or knew it existed for that matter. OMG it is amazing. I'm on a hunt for a whole bag of the stuff!



No dragon fruit pictured here, I'd snagged the last couple of pieces!
This mix is SO good. Sweet, tropical and the nuts are super fresh. I'm going back to Waitrose today to stock up on some other varieties whilst it is still on offer!

Have you tried Nature Snacks before?

What are you favourite snacks? I need new ideas, especially for work...

Would you like to see more food adventure related posts?

Have a great weekend xxx

P.S. Tabio and Shopbop giveaways are now closed. You can still enter the Girls With Attitude one until tomorrow,
all winners will be announced tomorrow!

Finally got my Bake on

Thursday morning saw me at a loss,
and generally with me that means I want to BAKE. For once I had adequate ingredients in the house
and so bake I did!

First up came Flapjacks from my favourite recipe book (which is probably older than I am!)



Fast Flapjacks

225g (8oz) Butter
225g (8oz) Demerara Sugar (I used soft brown sugar)
75g (3oz) Golden Syrup
275g (10oz) Porridge Oats

I also added a liberal dose of cocoa powder and cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 160*c/140* for fan oven, or Gas Mark 3
Grease a 12 x 9 inch baking tin.

Melt the butter in a large pan along with the sugar and syrup, then stir in the oats (and whatever else you are adding!) Mix well and spread in to the prepared tin and press flat.

Bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown (mine were done after 30 and still over-done so check on them a lot!) Leave to cool for 10 minutes before marking in to 24 bars and leaving to finish cooling in the tin.





Like I mentioned above, mine came out really, really crispy and the majority stayed in the tin! But what I did salvage were delicious! You can experiment with pretty much any add ins you want...if using chocolate chips leave the mix to cool before adding those.

I was desperate to take something in to work for a much needed sugar boost but the flapjacks simply didn't make enough...
I had just enough time to make, but not decorate a simple vanilla sponge, so I added about half a tub of sprinkles to the mix before baking!




I don't need a recipe book to make a sponge, I just use the 2:2:2:1 method

2oz butter
2oz caster sugar
2oz flour
1 egg

(plus a dash of vanilla essence and sprinkles!)

To make a cake the size I did (8 inch tin) I simply doubled all the quantitys, mixed it all together, poured in to a greased/lined tin and baked at 180* for about 18 minutes
(you can tell it is done when the cake is golden brown and a knife/skewer poked inside comes out clean)

For a chocolate cake you'd replace 1oz flour with 1oz cocoa (give or take!)

What have you baked lately?

Care to link me to recipes?

xxx

Double Velvet and Christmas Baking

My lust for velvet is insatiable. Last week I picked up this red bodycon dress in New Look for £5, although it's far too short to wear as a dress, so I teamed it with my Primark velvet skirt





I'm ignorning the fact that wearing double velvet makes me sound like a toilet roll.

I also discovered a vintage velvet dress in my wardrobe that I had forgotten about, so that'll probably be showcased some time soon, and Mum is meant to be making me a velvet skirt when she has time! We bought the fabric back around Easter!

Re-coloured the hair yesterday, it came out darker, and less red than expected but I like it. It's warm and perfect for this time of year.



And finally today I had a chance to bake. I'm learning to do it for fun now, instead of as an obsession and my only regret is that I haven't enough time to do as much as I'd like...I'm going to make it a new years resolution to get back in to it!
However, today I made spiced and coco shortbread. It may not look pretty (despite edible glitter) but it tastes, and smells AMAZING.







I used this recipe, from one of my favourite foodie magazines...

I'm not sure I'll get a chance to make anything else this side of Christmas but watch out for new recipes in the new year!

Have you done any festive baking? I'd love recipes!

xxx

Mighty Muesli! (a review)

Without a doubt Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For me, it fuels me for the day ahead and means I don't have to worry quite so much about getting enough food later.
I'm a bit of a cereal hoarder, currently in possession of around 10 boxes. I like variety! From the chocolate flavoured kids stuff through to super healthy oats and mueslis, I have something to cater to whatever the morning has thrown at me.

((I don't just have cereal, I also have toast or a bagel)).

Juliette Cattell is the founder of Otter Valley Food Company and the creator of Mighty Muesli. She offered to send me some samples of her range to review, and being the breakfast fiend I am I jumped at the chance.

Before I get in to the review, what IS Mighty Muesli? From Julie herself...

"Back in 1990 my husband was rowing intensively in preparation for a world rowing championship. After his early morning training he was always hungry and trying not to fall asleep during the day. I did a lot of research on super foods and I developed a unique recipe for a breakfast cereal that would provide my husband with the energy and nutrients he needed for his grueling training schedule. The results were that I created MIGHTY MUESLI and my husband won a world championship!

Since that time MIGHTY MUESLI has become the key breakfast fuel for a number of elite sportspeople such as Rebecca Romero, the 2 gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics in cycling and the British Women's rowing team. But MIGHTY MUESLI is not just for champions. Breakfast has long been considered the crucial meal of the day for everyone and it is important to eat the right foods to start you off."

Might Muesli is a blend of whole grains and seeds with a dash of fruit. It contains most of the vitamins and minerals you need on a daily basis, protein to keep you full, fibre, low GI levels, Omegas 3, 6 and 9 as well as containing barely any salt or cholesterol.

None of the products contain wheat or nuts. Also No Hydrogenated fats, no GM ingredients, No Additives; No Chemicals; No Artificial Flavourings; No Dairy; No Trans Fats; No Added Salt.

Here are some of the benefits:

"Higher Energy Levels - MIGHTY MUESLI’S slow releasing carbohydrates will keep you feeling more energetic and more alive.

Look & Feel Healthier- MIGHTY MUESLI is like a big vitamin pill making you look and feel healthier.

Lower Stress Levels and Increased Concentration Levels- MIGHTY MUESLI will help you manage your blood sugar levels, (great for Diabetics too) ironing out the highs and lows, giving you more energy balance, making you less agitated and keeping you focused for longer. It will considerably improve your powers of concentration.

Lose weight – MIGHTY MUESLI leaves you feeling fuller and satisfied for longer; no hunger pangs means you won’t snack between meals. MIGHTY MUESLI contains NO Hydrogenated fats and NO Salt.

Stronger Bones- Everyone needs Vitamin D which is essential for the absorption of calcium in the body. Sunlight assists in the production of Vitamin D and it is also found in a few foods like some oily fish and eggs, but most people don’t get enough so we decided to give you a little extra to start you off - 20% of your RDA*- crucial for women, older people and growing children in particular. (See blog for further information.)

Faster Recovery after Exercise and Maintaining Muscle Condition- If you exercise on a regular basis and you don’t eat properly you will not be able to maintain the quality of your training. You need to eat after exercise to replenish your energy levels and rebuild and maintain muscle condition. Both MIGHTY MUESLI and POWER PORRIDGE can provide you with the right balance of quality complex carbohydrates, protein and fats before and after exercise. If you eat MIGHTY MUESLI after exercise you will not feel as tired during the day, you will have more energy and train better the next time."

Aimed towards Athletes with a view to 2012 and the Olymipcs, Might Muesli has a lot to live up to, so how was it?

First up, the original Mighty Muesli





Attractively packaged, the box shows all the nutritional claims as well as what the mix does and doesn't contain. Although seeming flimsy the cereal had remained fully intact. The back of the box indicates serving size and how much milk to add. The newly revamped recipe contains 20% of you RDA of Vitamin D and has dried cranberries and cherries added for anti-oxidant benefits.

Taste wise, this was great. Despite containing no nuts, this had a nutty taste (which I like in a cereal) from the seeds and grains blend. The dried fruit added a slight sweetness. A good 60g serving contains 212 calories (plus additional from milk) and kept me satisfyingly full all morning.

I was also sent a box of the Gluten Free variety, of which I was more sceptical about. My previous experiences of Gluten Free foods have been dense and somewhat compromised with taste.





This time I ate the muesli with Greek Yoghurt. Texture wise this was more interesting than the original variety with puffs as well as flakes in the mix. Although the recipe states dried apple and apricot were present, I didn't notice it and felt the cereal could benefit from a little more sweetness. This could however be because I didn't shake the box in my haste for breakfast.

The Gluten Free version is Vegan friendly, as well as suitable for those with Gluten Intolerance, Diabetes and IRS.
Despite my hesitations this wasn't at all dense, it seemed to be lighter than the original Might Muesli and lack of sweetness aside, this was my favourite of the two.

A 60g serving of Gluten Free Mighty Muesli contains 235 calories, plus whatever milk or yoghurt you choose to add.

For full nutritional information you can see the website where you can also buy the whole range. It's not the cheapest of cereal at £4.99 for 800g of Might Muesli and £6.99 for the same of the Gluten Free variety,
but if you are an athlete, or simply interested in eating well then I see it as a worthy investment and I shall be placing an order for a larger bag of the Gluten Free variety when my cereal supplies run low.

Juliette also sent POWER PORRIDGE for review...but I am an epic disaster with porridge making so I have passed that along for my grandparents to test. I'll do that review separately.

Also available are "Hunga Busta" Bars, for the perfect on-the-go snack. I'm curious to try these and if I do, I'll report back!

Are you tempted to try this?

Do you always eat breakfast?

What is YOUR favourite cereal?

xxx

In.Out.Questions.

Happy Sunday! Who has had fireworks this weekend? I guess I kind of did; my bedroom window provides the perfect view of everyone else's displays!

Here is what's rocking (and sinking) in my world right now.

IN
- Teapigs liquorice and peppermint tea. So good.
- Cuddles with Flash
- Xfactor...how good was Matt last night?! Amazing.
- Socks. I've started to re-build my sock collection after working out how well they team up with tights to provide the ultimate in comfort.
- Crisp, sunny days. Perfect for walking in the park.
- Jelly beans, chocolate buttons and gingerbread men. Childhood comfort food.
- Marmite. So perfect with oh so many winter comfort foods.
- Masterchef final. Mind blowing.
- Reading. I've spent many an hour curled up warm with a book this week.

OUT
- Soaps. They just get more and more overly dramatic and bizarre. I'm looking at you Eastenders.
- Rain. Combined with cold weather. Hair hell and miserable me.
- Lack of tofu...what's going on shops? This girl has a craving.
- Christmas. Yes, I love it, but I'm getting a little tired of songs and decorations already.
- Shorter days. It's dark when I wake up and dark again before late afternoon. More sunlight please.

I think that just about covers it! What are you loving and loathing this week?

Also,
it's been a while since I last did a Q&A
so consider this post your chance to ask me any burning questions. I'll answer them later in the week.
xxx