Wednesday 30 April 2014

The Madeleine Shaw Post #1: Cauliflower Pizza

I've always been a fan of Madeleine Shaw and her inspiring recipes, but it's not until recently that I have decided to try some out for myself! 

I was intrigued by the 'cauliflower pizza' which she continually swears by, but always thought they'd be quite tricky to make so was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy these babies are to make from scratch! This was my finished masterpiece: 


To make 2 pizza bases you will need: 

1 cauliflower
2 eggs
1 tbsp oregano
3 tbsp's ground almonds (you can also use buckwheat or quinoa flour) 
Salt & pepper
Coconut oil to brush over the bases before baking 




...As you can see we ran out of baking paper so I oiled up some foil...I do not recommend this as it proved rather tricky to separate the base and foil once cooked! They definitely connected during their quick 20 minute bonding sesh in the oven #bezzies. 

Simply take the bases out of the oven after 20 minutes, add your toppings, and place them back in the oven for a further 5-10 mins, depending on how well done you like your toppings to be.

Toppings I used: 

Pancetta
Mushrooms
Onion
Cherry Tomatoes
Rosemary
Basil
...and of course grated parmesan to top it off!


My sister opted for melted mozzarella, onions, peppers and a biiiig old pile of rocket. 




So there we have it. Dairy and gluten free pizza! 

And for those trying to be a little healthier, or just simply to beat the bloat...it's a great way of still being able to enjoy everybody's favourite! Oh, and I know what you're thinking. Cauliflower base= ew? But it tastes really good! You wouldn't even know it was cauliflower really...

For Madeleine's recipe, click here. (she also very recently made another one with the same cauliflower base but instead topped with prawns and sweet potaaaato here- I will be trying this next!) 

XOXO

Tuesday 29 April 2014

New Video: My Spring Makeup Essentials!

Hi guys!

Recently I've been really inspired by beauty bloggers and YouTubers, and after trying and testing some recommended products, as well as ones I've found myself, I decided to film a video to talk through my Spring beauty favourites/ essentials!

So here it is:



Sorry if I offended anyone who wears matte foundations - I've been wearing them pretty much all my life so I didn't mean to say you look like a corpse in them! Just that after discovering lighter, dewyer foundations, I much prefer these to the mattes! 

Also, the lighting is a bit too bright in some parts so you can't see the products properly, but here are some close-up photos!






Products featured
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation 
Real Technique's Miracle Complexion Sponge 
Naked 3 Palette
Maybelline Falsies Mascara
Benefit Blush - Rockateur 
Bourjois Blush - Rose De Jaspe 
Benefit Highlighter - Sun Beam 
Mac Lipstick - Ravishing 
Maybelline Colour Sensational High Shine Gloss - Cashmere Rose
Tanya Burr LipGloss - Chic
Topshop Nail Varnish - Ethereal 
Topshop Nail Varnish - Buff 
Model's Own Nail Varnish - Bikini

Enjoy!

XOXO

Friday 25 April 2014

'Courgetti': The Healthy Pasta Alternative

Hey party people! 

This evening for dins I decided to cook myself some 'courgetti', in other words, shredded courgette that resembles spaghetti. I've read a lot of food blogs which have hyped about this wannabe pasta dish for a while now, so thought I'd see what all the fuss is about! 

I didn't have a Julienne peeler (which magically turn vegetables into thin, delicate strips), so had to settle for a potato peeler...meaning the main part of my dish was less 'courgetti' and more 'peeled courgette' or 'courgette ribbons'. 


...but they tasted just as good!

I potato-peeled one courgette and added it to a wok with some coconut oil, salt and pepper, like so: 


This is what a close-up picture of my half-cooked peeled courgette looks like:


Very interesting, I know. 


Oooooh, there goes the lemon! ... Just call me Jamie Oliver.

For the sauce, I (and by I, I mean my mother for our dins last night) stir fried some chicken, chopped some veg (onions, celery, peppers, tomato, aubergine) and added this to some tinned tomatoes. Seasoned of course, with some salt, pepper, garlic and chilli.

Tonight I was feeling lazy so simply reheated this wonderful sauce in a pan (thoroughly...don't wanna be getting any food poisoning!). Here is me doing this:


Then I added the sauce to the courgette ribbons, grated some fresh parmesan on top and was ready to rock 'n' rollll baby (by rock 'n' roll, I mean enjoy some dinner with the fam in front of the television). 

This is the finished product: 




FYI, I added lavishings of pepper on top as well because pepper is my favourite seasoning ever. 

And honestly, it was pretty god damn tasty. As of this week (and after the sickening amount of food/alcohol/chocolate I consumed over the Easter period) I've been really trying to be healthy again, and this is def something I'll be whipping up in the future! Next time, I think I'll try them with my favourite pasta dish toppings: pesto, pancetta and pine nuts. Deeellliiisshhh. 

Things got serious, as you can see:



Not so superior now, are ya Mr. Courgetti?

For all you health and fitness fanatics out there, go grab yourself a courgette and make yourself some super easy, super quick courgette ribbons!

XOXO

Monday 21 April 2014

My Birthday: Outfit Of The Day & Partaaay!

Yesterday, I turned the very scary age of 23...aaaahhhhh! I feel like I'm nearing a mid-life crisis already, until my brother pointed out that they happen at around 40, and unless I'm planning an early grave then I should stop being so dramatic. I quietly agreed.

I do feel old though. 

There were both good and bad points to my birthday coinciding with Easter Sunday this year; Good because it meant I could consume triple the amount of chocolate I usually would on a hangover, and had two reasons not to feel guilty about it! Bad because Jesus stole a lot of my limelight...I mean, you can't really compete with Jesus, can you? 

My birthday also coincides with one very horrible man's day of birth, yes, none other than Hitler. Luckily, he died 69 years ago. So that's something else to celebrate! 

I celebrated on the Saturday night with some friends in the lovely Jam Tree pub on the Kings Road. You know it's Spring when you're able to sit outside until 11pm without a jacket on and not freeze yo arse off (okay there were heaters, but still). Summer vibes y'all. 

Outfit of the Day:


















I Am Wearing
Top - Topshop 
Skirt - Topshop 
Platform Shoes - River Island 
Bag - Asos 
Rings - H&M 
Earrings - H&M
Watch - Michael Kors 
Necklace - Primark 
Nail Varnish - Topshop in 'Buff'


After the Jam Tree we stumbled to Mare Moto 30 seconds down the road, and ended the night in style, with Laura, Ellie, Shannon & I demolishing two pizza's at Damilola's, passing out and going home. 

We clearly know how to party after hours! 

Some of my favourite piccies and people!

Laura love


 Dot And Foo Foo


 Rosie aka Ron Weasley


Rosie, Nicolas & Michael 


My girlies - Zo, Ags & Laura


 Nicolas my rice cake & Chris


 Finally got to meet Nic's other half, the lovely Laura!


Zoe's got the moves like jagger. 


Elisa aka Emma Watson, Ellie, Rosie & Shannon


Drunk?



On my actual birthday, I spent the day with all of my family in a great pub called The Roebuck in Chiswick, eating roasts and drinking wine (my attempts at hair of the dog all got too much and I was home and in bed watching YouTube channels - standard- by 6pm!)  

It's safe to say I ate enough chocolate to build a giant chocolate Nish (kinda like the cardboard cut-outs, but with chocolate. That reminds me, I've always wanted a cardboard cut-out of Niall Horan. May have to splash out with my birthday money). Luckily it's still the bank holiday so I have time to recover from this chocolate-induced coma I am still in. 

Hope everyone's bank holiday weekend has been as boozy, relaxing and indulgent as mine! 

XOXO