"I had to convince myself it was my birthday, the magical feeling from previous years had disapated."
Good Evening Everyone,
Today I turned 19.
Although originally not looking forward to the day, I have to say today has been nice so far. I won't be able to comment on the whole day, as this post has to be up for 7pm, but I'll update this tomorrow.
Everyone over the age of 15 knows that the build up to a birthday is much more exciting than the actual day. Or that's at least the way it's been for me. It doesn't mean the day is any less special, but it can come as a bit of an anti-climax unless you're doing anything super special.
I "prepared" for the big day beforehand, by spending my last day as an eighteen-year-old doing what I love best. Shopping, cooking, and trying out new things. So I attempted clothes shopping in the town centre, went to LUSH, and had a barbeque - and spent a couple hours watching the F.A. Cup Final. (For my British readers, I've always supported Arsenal ;) )
Dad topping up the chips..
Cupcake Fresh Facial Mask, "The Comforter" Bath Bar
After spending a while with the family, I went upstairs to run a bath to unwind from the day, and hopefully relieve some symptoms from my weeklong flu episode... It helped a bit. The pink water made me smile? Aha.
After my first peaceful night's sleep in Lord knows how long (I have Insomnia), I woke up to the smell of buttered toast and bacon.
I snuck downstairs into the front room to then be greeted by hugs, happy birthdays, and my parent's joint effort at poached eggs (my favourite), bacon and toast. It was exceptional for a first attempt.
And, of course, my parents are a lot more talented than this, and would usually do a big fry up, but they know I'm not a huge fan of big breakfasts - this was amazing just the way it was.
They then gave me my presents. I was ecstatic.
I am so so grateful for the above. I have wanted a record player for the longest time. This birthday was already special, but the above made it that much better.
It seems like a random gift unless you really, really know me. I love music - in a serious way. I like most, if not all genres and appreciate the raw, old sound a vinyl record provides. I mean, aren't they stunning too? If I never listen to another record, I could spend the rest of my days just looking at them (I'm not even ashamed, I don't care).
The two record's I was gifted carry a sentimental value. Marvin Gaye, of course, is a brilliant artist... but Ronny Jordan? One of my all-time favourite artists, and my uncle -late Uncle. I miss him, so receiving one of his albums on vinyl? For my birthday? I can't describe the feeling. His cover of So What is my favourite song by him, if you like Acid Jazz - I'd go have a listen.
The day isn't over yet, but I will continue to update as the day goes on... We're about to leave for dinner, so I'll update this as I go or make sure you check back tomorrow for the final finished post..
I hope you enjoyed the post nonetheless, and I hope you all had a good day,
Yesterday I was reading Nourishing Jessica's blog and was immensely inspired by the amazing photography and the guilt-free meals - Jessica is a hugely successful vegan food blogger. She is very much into health, fitness (yoga is her everything) and still being able to enjoy good food despite the (small) limitations of a vegan diet. Although feeling very empowered after reading her BLUEBERRY AND VANILLA PROTEIN PANCAKES post, I still craved a bit of a cheeky breakfast. My pancakes included peanut butter, instead of the melted butter I would usually add; banana as a sweetener instead of sugar, and a ground oat mix instead of self-raising flour. Slightly better than my usual mix, but not quite Jessica level yet. YET - I will get better (the healthiness of my lifestyle, and the photography - it will improve my friends).
Anyway, let's get into it:
For the Pancakes:
Four Tablespoons of Oats (Any), Ground
One Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
Half A Banana
One Egg
A Splash Of Milk (Any)
Vanilla Extract (Optional)
Pinch of Salt (Optional)
Any Additions:
Three Strawberries, Halved
Half a Banana, Sliced
A Handful Of Blueberries
As Much Honey as You Please
The above will make about, 4 - 5 small pancakes. The first pancake always turns out horrendous, so that's why only four was on the plate, haha.
To start, you firstly want to grind up your oats in a blender. I was using a Nutri-Bullet, which has an attachment you can use to do so. If you don't have a blender to hand, you could use a pestle and mortar to grind up the oats. But, of course, you can leave them whole and I'm sure the mix will be fine. Once said oats are ground, I then added the rest of the ingredients to the blender and blended everything until it was smooth. The resulting mix will be quite thick - that's the way you want it. Warm up a heavy-based, non-stick pan on a low heat. Add your oil of choice, coconut oil works well because of its high smoking point, but I used a cheeky bit of butter - I'm sorry, I love the flavour.
Spoon the mix into the pan in small to medium sized circles. Cook them for a few minutes on each side. And repeat until you've used all of your batter. While the pancakes are cooking, you have the chance to prep your fruit. Halve your strawberries down the middle, so they appear heart-shaped when you open them. Slice your banana at an angle so you get slightly longer slices, rather than the usual circular shape. Wash and dry your blueberries.
When your pancakes are cooked and are ready to eat, assemble them on a warm plate alongside your fruit and drizzle them with honey. Serve.
Thanks for reading, and I really do hope you try these, they were pretty good - if I do say so myself. And please do check out Jessica's blog if you haven't. She has also just finished her fourth and final year on our course at university - I've only just finished my first year :( - so please go over to her blog and send her well wishes, I'm sure she did great on her exams!! And Jess, if you're reading, do you have any pearls of wisdom on how to complete CAM and get out alive?? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated, aha.
I'm back with another recipe! The last one seemed to have gone down pretty well, so I thought I'd make recipes a regular thing on here! I love food, so it only seems right :) This one, (like all other meals I make) is an easy one. Tuna Pasta Salad is such a no effort, healthy dish; I challenge you to find fault with the recipe's simplicity! Anyway, let's get right into it..
You firstly want to gather all your ingredients. I made enough for two to three people, so divide or multiply the recipe as you please:
I used:
150g of Pasta
Half a Red Onion, diced
Half a Red Pepper, diced,
One Small Carrot, diced
Salt, to taste
Mixed Herbs, to taste
Garlic Pepper, about a teaspoon
Mayonnaise, two heaped tablespoons
One or Two Small Tins of Tuna, drained
I started by putting the pasta on to boil. It doesn't matter what pasta shape you use although I would suggest something along the lines of Penne or Fusilli. I chose to use Rigatoni because the long tube shape allows it to pick up the tuna flakes and the other vegetables with ease, and also means it won't be weighed down by the mayonnaise. I poured the pasta into salted boiling water for 8-9 minutes on a high fire. Checking the state of the pasta shapes as you go along is essential to achieving the texture you desire. I like my pasta to not be fully cooked. When it has a slight bite, I find the whole meal feels a lot more filling.
While the pasta was boiling, I washed and diced my vegetables - the red onion, carrot, and red pepper. I used red onion instead of white, or green, because of its distinct, almost 'spicy' flavour. I believe it complements the tinned tuna well, so is a must whenever I make this salad. Though if you find the taste of red onion too potent, feel free to use a different kind of onion or omit the use of onion altogether. I sliced my carrot lengthwise, then sliced it thinly. I did leave the skin on but made sure I scrubbed it before use. A lot of a fruit or vegetable's nutrients are just below the skin, so removing the skin might rid you of a lot of its goodness. I'd play it safe if I were you, you want to get as much, nutritionally, from this salad as possible. I lastly sliced and diced my red pepper then added all the vegetables to the bowl.
I drained then flaked in my tinned tuna then added my seasonings. I initially used about half a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of herbs, and half a teaspoon of pepper.
As I finished this step, I checked my pasta by cutting a tube in half to see how well and easily it cuts. It was very slightly under in the middle - perfect. I drained the hot water off the pasta then covered it with cold water to stop all cooking.
After I had drained the pasta for the second time, I stirred it into the vegetables, tuna and seasoning.
Once well combined, I added the two heaped tablespoons of mayonnaise then stirred it through.
Taste it, is it okay?
Adjust the seasoning if necessary, add more mayonnaise if need be, then leave it to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but the longer, the better.
Extra things you can add to the salad, but aren't essential - only to enhance the flavour, are the following..
Honey - Just a drizzle of honey can make all the difference in a summer salad. Vegetables that aren't as sweet, because they aren't in season, really benefit from a squeeze of honey, and pair well with the salt you added.
Garlic Powder - I'm a garlic lover, so I try and add it to everything, but I must say, it isn't entirely essential in this recipe. The big flavours from the onion leave little space for another big character like Garlic. However, if you want to add it, please do!
Sriracha - Because no meal's complete without a bit of sriracha. Come on now.
After an hour, the flavours had married together, and the salad was ready to be eaten. I sliced a few slivers of avocado and placed them on top.
Click on the album art to listen to the song. Enjoy.
SINGLES
Parents' House by Colleagues - I already mentioned this in a previous post, but if I was ever going to do a post on my music favourites, this had to be included. I spoke specifically about the song in a post if you want to read a longer review. Anyway, it's beautiful. Pure brilliance. And something I haven't stopped listening to ever since I found it. Colleagues are definitely an underrated band, and honestly deserve a lot more reception than what they are currently getting (maybe because they're Swedish I hadn't heard about them until a few weeks ago?). If I had a very substantial audience, I would be promoting them all the time, and not because I've been paid to, but because they're really that good. Hopefully, you fall in love with them as much as I have.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People - Again, amazing. It feels like such a classic. It's only been around since 2011, but I can definitely imagine myself listening to it in 10 years time. I can even imagine my hypothetical children listening to it too. Foster The People are a band I found a few months ago while browsing Spotify, and I love their other tracks, such as: "Best Friend", "Call It What You Want" and "Don't Stop (Color On The Walls)" but Pumped Up Kicks always comes out on top. I've spoken about this song in more detail in the same blog post mentioned above. You know what to do if you want to read the review.
Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae - This song was the epitome of summer back in 06/7, and I found myself listening to it every day. The song embodies good vibes, a free spirit and is reminiscent of a happy youthful time. Corinne's music genre is a mixture of Soul, R&B and Jazz. The song is very nostalgic for me, having listened to it so much. Whenever played it easily brings me back to my 10/11-year-old self, playing in the garden with my brother, riding my bike to and around the park with friends and summer parties with close ones. I think this song will always be a favourite of mine because of the memories associated with it. Although the album as a whole seems slightly rushed (this was back in the days when Rae wasn't signed), I still appreciate the hard work you can hear in each track. Although the song quickly became background music e v e r y w h e r e, I still enjoy the music all the same, and after listening to Put Your Records On and the likes of "Enchantment", "Till It Happens To You", "I'd Like To" and her newer sounds, I hope you fall in love with her - even if it's for a brief period - as much as I did.
Let It Go by James Bay - Bay is one of those few artists I'm glad has finally appeared on the music scene. I hadn't heard of him until a few weeks ago, I stumbled across him by my own fault on Spotify, and instantly fell in love with Let It Go. I only wish I'd found him sooner. His kind of music makes music you want to belt out each of his songs on long car journeys on the open road, at the top of your lungs. From 'Chaos and The Calm', Let It Go, in particular, has a good message behind it, which makes it a very comforting listen. Unfortunately, being a white male in your mid-20's isn't so great if you want to stand out in the music industry right now, but hopefully Bay's talent will put him a leg above the rest as time goes on. Anyway, would I recommend the song? Yes. Can I see myself listening to it in ten years? Maybe. Cudos to James on his bright start.
Pools To Bathe In by The Japanese House - Following Matthew Healy on twitter certainly does have it's benefits. Except for the odd inspirational quote, and a few words of wisdom from the man himself, he every now and again recommends a good new artist to listen to. Recently he recommended "The Japanese House" - and I've been hooked to their EP ever since. They definitely have an eclectic style, one I definitely haven't heard before. And I'm also very sure The 1975 have drawn inspiration from them because a few of their songs have a similar feel. Even after some extensive research, I still don't actually know whether this is a group or a single person. I wish I knew because knowing more and more about the artist would naturally get me more and more interested in their music. Isn't it the same for you? Anyway, the EP - Pools To Bathe In - is very recent, it was released on iTunes and Spotify on the 27th of April, so has only been out for a few weeks now. But it's a very good listen nonetheless. As long as The Japanese House put themselves/him/her out there a bit more, they could become something big. I look forward to their future albums.
Loft Music by The Weeknd - This song, has been my favourite song, for four years. The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) is a Canadian-born singer/songwriter and producer. He released his first mixtape for public download in March of 2011 and I discovered the lyrical genius two short months later, just in time for my 15th birthday, when I confirmed Loft Music was my favourite song, ever. I came across The Weeknd on Tumblr (LOL) around April/May 2011 and was hooked to him for a good two years. I also need to mention that for those two years, I was going through my "dark teenage phase" - as I'm sure all middle-aged-teenagers deal with at some point. I think I like this song because when I first heard it, it sounded like the most creative, eclectic and original music I had ever heard. And I was right. For that time, it was very original. This will sound stupid, but the song sounds, almost, colourful? It's like nothing I've ever heard before. Anyway, The Weeknd was so different, once he started to get recognized by mainstream artists, he was snapped up by fellow Canadian - Drake, and they made some sweeeet music together (Crew Love, The Zone, The Ride etc). Trilogy was Tesfaye's first studio album, it consisted of his previously released three mixtapes (House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence) which I don't believe was the best business choice for him, I would have bought each mixtape separately, and would have been very happy to do so. Anyway, much love Abel, but I confess, I do have one small problem. If I ever was to meet you, what do I call you? "Hello, The Weeknd" just sounds very awkward.
Woman by The 1975 - Let me just start by saying, I love the whole album, and I found it really hard to choose a favourite song to feature. Never have I had a 'favourite band' until I discovered the boys while browsing YouTube one day for new artists. They've been around for a while, claiming loads of pseudonyms over the years they've been active (Drive Like I Do, Talkhouse, Big Sleep and The Slowdown) but as of 2011/12 settled on The 1975 as a name, and this final change, definitely worked in their favour. They released their first album, self-titled, in early September 2013 - and it was an incredible listen. Chocolate - their most popular song to date - had been released as part of an EP earlier on in the year, so was an instant hit when the whole album dropped - if only people knew what they actually meant by "Chocolate", haha. I chose to feature Woman on this post because it's the most beautiful song on the album. It tells of an experience Matty (Matthew Healy - the main vocalist) had with a prostitute, at a young age. Although vague, there's a clear love amongst the fans of this song, I'm guessing because it seems so raw, and so true. There's no chorus', telling the audience it's a story, one to be really listened to in order to understand. A chorus makes a song catchy - I'm sure this track wasn't written to be catchy. And the ending isn't very clear, another thing I love about it. Did they? Didn't they? The melody also makes this mystery woman sound like a goddess, angelic even. Which is another thing that, yet again, has made this song so clever - a prostitute would usually be described as the complete opposite. All in all, it's a lovely listen. And I can't wait for their next record.
P.S. If I hadn't chosen Woman to feature, I would have definitely chosen "Girls", "Menswear" or "Robbers" - you neeeeed to check them out, they're amazing.
Mr Medicine by Eliza Doolittle - Eliza Doolittle (Eliza Caird) is a British pop singer/songwriter and activist. She released her first album in 2010 which was self-titled. I hadn't heard of her before then, but after recommendations from a few friends at high school, I started listening to her music and became completely captivated by her creative, feel good music. Unfortunately, I must say, her lyrics lack depth. I often thought that if someone wrote for her, would she be more successful than she currently is? She's halfway there, I just want her to make it, because she's a beautiful girl, with an even more beautiful voice. Mr Medicine is my favourite of her songs, alongside "Back to Front" and "Skinny Genes 2.0" and from her second album 'In Your Hands' (released 2013) there's "Rubbish Cans" and "Back Packing". Why is it my favourite? I think because she wrote the lyrics when she was twelve, decided later on that she still wanted to make it a song and pursued it. I hope she continues to grow and create better music with time. But having grown up with her music, she'll always be a favourite.
Thanks for reading, I'll see you all on Sunday,
Christina x
P.S. Please don't forget to like this post if you liked it, subscribe if you haven't, and comment below what you would like to see next! More food posts?
"You don't need to experience poverty to be compassionate."
My life has been pretty easy so far.
In May of 1996, I was born into a loving, financially secure home, in what used to be a great place to live. My brother was born two years and forty days later, and we have had an amazing childhood together. My parents did and will continue to stay together. I have a big and beautiful family. We sold our house and moved into a bigger house in a better town. I now go to university on what has been described to me as a prestigious culinary degree, one of the first in its kind. Apart from "the incident" in 2006, (click here for the blog post on what happened) we've been somewhat fine.
I have never had to go without a meal. Or go without clothes. Or sleep in a cold house. We have never been evicted, and to my knowledge, we have never been behind on the mortgage either. But if there were times when things were hard, our parents didn't let my brother and I know.
So we've just always been happy.
But that's sadly not the case for a few of our neighbours. And friends. Where we used to live (East London) and where we live now (Essex), there is and will continue to be a growing percentage of people that live below the poverty line.
When my parents started their charity back in the winter of 2010, the following summer left a 15-year-old Christina (and her 13-year-old brother) with nothing to do with their summer holiday. So instead of staying at home all six weeks and watching television, we became fully immersed in charity work for Tower Hamlets Foodbank.
The skyline of Canary Wharf at night. Source: Google Images
***DISCLAIMER - For those of you that may not know, Canary Wharf is a place in East London which is a major, major business district. It's where a lot of the top banks are located in Britain, and naturally, a lot of money would pass through this area every day. Canary Wharf is in the borough of Tower Hamlets.***
Tower Hamlets is the third most deprived borough in the UK. With 70% of its residents living below the poverty line. 52% of its children live below the poverty line.
I saw kids come into food collection centers - who were my age and younger - that hadn't eaten for days, because their parent/s didn't have any available income, in order to feed them. There were ladies maybe, ten years older than me, that had been married young, and abused to the point where they have no choice but to run away with their children. There were people there who had become depressed and, therefore, unable to work. There were people that had been fired from their jobs or had lost a loved one or maybe had a different traumatic experience. And one particular story - something that touched me and will likely stay with me forever - a person had to result to sleeping on friend's floors, because she was disowned by her family - for NO reason. No reason, everyone. Her family decided they didn't like her anymore, and so cut all ties with her. And guess how old she was? Sixteen - Just a year older than me, if that. And there was no reason behind it.
And please bear in mind that despite, what can only be described as unfortunate (avoidable) circumstances, Canary Wharf still sits tall and proud across the road from this instability.
The juxtaposition of the circumstances left me heartbroken. I finally got it. I was so blessed to be where I was, and born into the family I'm in. These defining instances convinced me that with whatever I do, whatever I become, with all I am, I must find a way to give back. Because in these times, where the poor become poorer and the rich become richer, there's a much bigger need for those who can, to support our community. Unfortunately, under a Conservative government, the lives of the poor won't become any easier.
There's no reason a single soul should live in poverty.
Just a thought,
Christina x
Read about Tower Hamlets Foodbank HERE ^They are launching a new website soon, please stay updated via their social media.
This one isn't exactly a hack, but I feel it's helpful to know about it. However, it won't exactly be helpful to you if you live in a place that doesn't have an Aldi. So if you don't live in a country that has one, you can skip this post and I'll see you on Sunday. If not, then carry on reading!
Aldi had never really been a favourite shop of mine. It's got this terrible stigma attached to it of being a place where "poor people shop" (- to be perfectly blunt). It wasn't until we started going there, that I realized this place was a thing of beauty. EVERYTHING there is ridiculously cheap to buy. It's like going to the market, but everything is neatly and conveniently packaged for your benefit. I'm not going to go too far into it, but if I was in your shoes, I would do two or three of my weekly food shops at Aldi. I have saved so much money on everyday products.When I first moved to Birmingham for university, I only ever went food shopping at Tesco, because it wasn't too far away from where I live. It was then later pointed out to me that there was an Aldi about a ten to fifteen minute walk away. Which isn't too far at all. But if I didn't feel like walking, there's a two-minute bus ride. So from then on, there was no excuse - so I've been going to Aldi. A lot. Here's what my most recent food shop looked like:
This is a picture of what I bought the last time I went there. It includes: A Box of White Grapes A Bag of Mixed Salad Leaves Cherry Tomatoes A Pack of Two Avocados Two Packs of Croissants (Don't Judge Me) A Pack of Four Bread Rolls Homestyle Fries A Box of Four Chicken Burgers A Pack of Eight Cumberland Pork Sausages A Pepperoni and Chorizo Pizza A Prosciutto Pizza Green Pesto (Basil) Sundried Tomato Pesto Tomato and Mushroom Pasta Bake Sauce A Block of Mature Cheddar Cheese A Bag of Penne Pasta A Bottle of Ketchup A Bottle of Mayonnaise and some Toilet Roll I looked on the Tesco Website (as a reference, I'm not bashing Tesco), and this would have cost me north of £30. Which is an okay amount to spend on weekly food shopping once.. But spending that much every week would definitely add up over the course of a year. On all those things at Aldi, I was left kind of in disbelief as to what I paid for them. I always leave the store feeling like I robbed them, haha.
Here's part of my receipt.
Notice everything is about £1, just over, or just under.
So I bought 22 items when I went...
"22 ITEMS"
Including Tax, it all came to £22.76. And that includes usual pricey items, such as fresh meat (Cumberland Sausages), Pesto, Croissants (I bought two packs of eight by the way), and Avocados!!
Needless to say, I'll be going back.
And I wanted to share this with you because after going to Aldi a few times, I can confirm the items are of a good quality. And being so cheap, you can stock up on food without breaking the bank.
And you know that expensive looking white wine I featured in another blog post? That was from Aldi too. Cost me £5.
Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you on Sunday,
Very, very impromptu (-literally about to go to sleep), but I needed to post.
I want to say 'Thank you'. Today I hit 1000 views on this blog, which seems absolutely crazy to me. I know it doesn't seem like a lot, in the slightest, but I imagined if this day ever came, it would be way off in the future. I didn't think two months and a couple weeks into starting this journey, this would happen.
I haven't actively told anyone about my blog. My friends don't know, my family don't either, I've posted here and there on communal Google+ pages, but nothing major. I didn't really expect anything to happen so fast. But here we are.
I also gained my first "Blogger - Recognised" follower today, haha. I have a few Google+ followers, but no one specifically blogger subscribed. Thank you to the lady that did, you've made me so, so happy. And from the last time I mentioned where I had readership in the world - I think I mentioned six or seven countries - that number has now changed to nineteen. NINETEEN COUNTRIES! I have no words!!
Thank you to whoever out there that decided they would read my blog. I haven't been so genuinely grateful for something for a while. I appreciate each and every one of you who decides to sit down and read my content whenever I post - thank you, thank you, thank you.
They'll be more exciting and hopefully intriguing posts in the future, I already have some scheduled to go up, so I promise I won't be late! :)
Hoping you have an awesome day, from my home to yours...
This is just the beginning,
Christina x
P.S. If you haven't subscribed yet, what are you waiting for! Click the Google Friend Connect button to your right and let's get friendly! :)
8:40AM 07/04/15
Bacon, Fried Cherry Tomato and Mushroom Sandwich with a Black Pepper Bechamel Sauce,
Made by Me
Chelmsford, Essex
1:40PM 09/04/15
Pad Thai
Busaba Eathai, Westfield
Shepherd's Bush, London
9:10PM 12/04/15
Mighty Meaty Pizza
By Dominos
Birmingham, West Midlands
12:00PM 04/04/15
Sweet Potato Hash with Blanched Slivers of Courgette and Roasted Whole Cherry Tomatoes and Slices Of Italian Parma Ham
Made by Me
Chelmsford, Essex
8:20PM 09/04/15
Nasi Goreng
Made by Mum
Chelmsford, Essex
1:24PM 22/04/15
Chicken "Fajita" Wrap
Made By Me
Birmingham, West Midlands
9:38AM 23/04/15
Poached Eggs with Cherry Tomatoes and Blanched Spinach on Toast
Made By Me
Birmingham, West Midlands
10:16AM 03/05/15
Peach Slices in Grape Juice
Birmingham, West Midlands
7:29PM 30/04/15
Sausage Green Pesto Pasta with White Wine
By Me
Birmingham, West Midlands
6:37PM 06/05/15
Tuna Pasta Bake
By Me
Birmingham, West Midlands
6:43AM 01/05/15
Boiled Eggs on Toast
Made by Me
Birmingham, West Midlands
7:23PM 29/04/15
Pepperoni Pizza topped with Micro Herbs, Salad Leaves, Avocado Slices and Green Pesto
I was sitting here watching Louis Cole's (Fun For Louis on YouTube) most recent vlog - as of 7th of May titled BROTHERS BREAKING APART. It was a great vlog as always, but towards the end, Louis highlighted a very important issue in our world today - the tragedy of the Nepal earthquake, and the devastation that it left behind.
I am always left in shock when a natural disaster happens. Or when any kind of disaster happens, to be fair. I find myself asking the unanswerable. "Why did this happen?","Why did it have to happen to them?", "What caused it?".
But one of the most important questions - that can actually be answered - is:
"How can I help?"
Luckily, you can all do something to help, right from the comfort of your home. Or wherever you're reading this blog post. Louis suggested, and I agree, that it would be amazing if you could donate some money. Now if you're anything like me - you're broke, haha. But literally any amount could go such a long way. I will be donating, and I'll leave a link below showing where I am donating to, but I want to stress that any amount of money would be appreciated - you don't know how far it could go. One Pound, One Dollar, One Euro - it could have such a large impact on someone's life. Please at least consider it. This is just one of the many ways you could change your world for the better.
The last thing I want to leave you with is a video Louis recommended we all watch, a touching video from last year of the people of Nepal, vlogging. It's truly, truly beautiful, but brought home the fact that these people, unfortunately, might not be around anymore.
P.S. I know my blog has only been up for a few months, and the likely-hood is I don't have a lot of influence (yet), but if anyone out there feels moved to donate because of this, or because of Louis' awesome vlog, then this would have been all worth it.
I'm back today with the simplest, but one of the tastiest recipes you can do in under four minutes. I came up with this method (I can hardly call this a recipe) the other day when I was about to assemble a burger for dinner. I went into the fridge for some salad leaves and saw that my avocados were nearly overripe and needed to be used! I freaked out and grabbed both of them, peeled and scooped the flesh of the avocado into a bowl and suddenly had no idea what to do with them (I was just hungry and wanted to eat my burger). They were a bit too soft to slice and put in my burger, so thought I'd mash them instead - it then occurred to me that this could get a lot more interesting. Here's what happened:
I briefly mashed the Avocados, so they would have a lot of texture.
Then I added about a tablespoon of Green Pesto to the mix (you can leave this out if you want, but boy did this taste good - and I also happen to be a pesto addict, so that's why I trusted that the flavours would work).
I then added about 5g or a level teaspoon of Garlic Granules and the same amount of Smoked Paprika.
Also, I added a few dashes of White Pepper and folded everything in.
No, I did not add salt. Salt draws out moisture from vegetables, which would have left my guac watery. Ew.
I was in too much of a rush to chop up any vegetables (onions/tomatoes/chilli) to go in this, but, chopped up small, any addition would be great.
I spread this mixture on the bottom of my burger bun, then topped it with a lamb burger, red onion, cherry tomato slices, a mixture of leaves and some mayonnaise. I then topped this all with the top of my burger bun and served this alongside some sweeeeeeeet potato fries.
This impromptu recipe ended up being a great addition to my burger - to be honest it made it. But I did make a mistake with this guacamole. Avocados unfortunately oxidise and, therefore, go brown within a day. Meaning my beautiful, vibrant green guac was only beautiful, vibrant and green for one day - and frankly, it didn't taste as good the next day. To stop this happening when you make it, add some lemon or lime juice to the mix. It will not only enhance the flavour, but it will keep your guacamole looking and tasting fresh for up to three days. And please remember this is a simple recipe, that kind of happened by accident, haha - but it means you can adapt it any way you want to - please don't be afraid to experiment in the kitchen.
I wrote this post on the 5th of May - so Happy Cinco De Mayo! Haha
I hope you've been enjoying the frequent uploads! I've kinda had a blogging kick over the past week and a bit, and I genuinely feel bad when I don't post, I feel as if I've let someone out there down! So the inspiration I have had over the last week has led me to write quite a few posts (with much better photography) that should be coming your way very soon. I think my main day for posting will be Sundays around 7PM (GMT), but I am very likely to post random ones throughout the week, so make sure you come back for those!
Anyway, let's get right into this - it's my April Favourites! Here's a rather large selection of what I have loved this month. Get yourself a coffee or tea and read on!
SKINCARE
Simple Kind To Skin Protecting Light Moisturizer - Now the name is slightly misleading, because I find the product to be a thick and quite a heavy cream, BUT - it's a m a z i n g when it comes to moisturizing the skin. And with the SPF at 15, you don't get a white or blue cast, it just dries (slightly shiny, but) clear.
Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Cleaning Water - I reckon you've heard of it by now, but if you haven't, let me enlighten you. It's a makeup remover, but also a cleanser. It's best used with cotton pads, lightly swept all over the face. It's literally just like water - it doesn't sting your eyes, it doesn't have a noticeable scent, it doesn't leave your skin feeling weird - you'd actually not be far off it you thought it was just water, but it cleans like a dreaaaaaam. For example,it takes off waterproof mascara really well for what it is.Overall, money well spent.
Vaseline Queen Bee - Throughout the winter months our skin tends to get very dry. So I have been rinsingggg my Vaseline. It's not so great for chapped lips, but for under the eyes, around the mouth, on the eyebrows and even on the eyelashes - YES! Before bed every now and again, I apply Vaseline in these areas, go to bed, wake up in the morning and my skin (and eyebrows) feel soft and plump. And why do I apply it to my eyelashes? It removes the last remnants of mascara from my lashes, leaving them ready for another application the next day!
(A Rather Dirty Looking) Toothbrush - Now this here, has been a lifesaver for my unruly edges, I put a bit of hair gel on my hairline, brush it back using this toothbrush (this is usually after I've applied my makeup, which is why the top is looking brown) and my edges stay in place all day. P.S. I only use this toothbrush for my hair! Not for my teeth!!! Haha
St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub - Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. If you haven't heard of this by now then I'm glad you're here. Because you need to hear this - it's incredible. Removes dirt and dead skin like a dream and leaves you skin feeling smooth and soft. It visibly reduces the size of blackheads and contains salicylic acid so helps your skin avoid breakouts. I've been using this for a few years, and I'm glad I have, it's made such a difference in my skin's texture and complexion. It's your best friend in the bathroom, believe me.
MAKEUP
Real Techniques Multitask Brush - LOL, as the name suggests, it's the most versatile brush I have ever used. I have used it to apply and blend in liquid foundation, set foundation with powder, use it to blend in a contour cream and powder and have used it to blend away concealer around the eyebrow area - absolutely amazing, please go get it now. It's just so much easier to use a couple brushes when doing your makeup, isn't it? Also , watch the creators of the brushes on YouTube - pixiwoo
Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner - This is the cheapest and the best liquid liner I have ever used. Being real. It has a very thin tip, picks up a good amount of product, and dries fast, so your makeup doesn't get smudged during the process of you applying the rest of your makeup.
Lo'real True Match Foundation in Cappucino - MY FAVOURITE FOUNDATION EVERRR, haha. But no seriously, being real? It's the highest on my list. I have oily/combination skin which means halfway through the day, I look like I have brushed coconut oil all over my face - I'm not joking. But while wearing this foundation, that rarely happens. Of course I still powder once or twice, but it keeps up for a good twelve hours, which makes it perfect for wearing to university. About to go purchase my third bottle.
Revlon Lipstick in Mink - A perfect nude for me. Worn over a good brown lip pencil it looks incredible. The only fault with this product for me, is that it has a pinky undertone, which isn't my favourite. But it's a good lipstick nonetheless.
APPAREL
TOPSHOP Leather Tote Bag - Beautiful. Elegant. Classy. Sporty. Sexy. Everything I want in a bag and everything this bag is. This definitely is my favourite bag at the moment, but it's a very big change for me because it's a small bag! Well, smaller than what I'm used to. The bag's structure and style keep it cute and classy, yet the leather and the perforated sides toughen it up and give it a sporty feel. Perfect for the Sport Luxe trend I'm very much into at the moment.
Dune Black Tassel Shoes - These shoes my Mum gifted me after I was complaining my feet were tired after long days or services at university. These stylish shoes have honestly made everything better. Sometimes these services can last up to eight hours, with me being on my feet the whole time. These shoes have just made them bearable. Thank you.
Nike Training Trainers - Unfortunately I don't know the proper name for these (and I'm quite annoyed with myself as I'm very into the Nike brand) but they are an amazing trainer nonetheless. They are sooooo comfortable, and actually motivate me to work out. I love the almost neon yellow pop of colour on them, and the completely bendy bottom! Which makes them perfect for things like yoga where you feet will need to bend weird ways (i.e. Downward Dog). They have a great amount of grip so would also be really good for running. Just a well made, well thought out trainer.
FOOD AND DRINK
Nutella - Need I say more?
Nescafe Instant Coffee Pouches - On days when I have to get up early in the morning, I crave a cappuccino from Starbucks or Costa. But then I remember I have to walk all the way into town for it. #Failing so early in the morning leads me to drown my sorrows in a good Nescafe. They're a decent cup of coffee for what it is. You have the frothy coffee shop stuff on top - which makes me feel like a barista whenever I make it - but requires very minimal effort on your part, all you have to do is stir the contents of the sachet into hot water. TIP: If you're feeling naughty, stir a spoon (or five) of Nutella into your morning coffee. You're welcome.
White Wine - If you know me, you know I love a good glass of white. This was, is and will still continue to be a favourite. The one pictured above I'm yet to try, but I got it from ALDI for a fiver. Yes. (And it's the first bottle of wine I've ever bought by myself. And the first time I used I.D. to get it.)
MUSIC
Parent's House by Colleagues - Oh how do I do this song justice? I really don't think I can but I'll give it a try. The song's upbeat, engaging melodies and beat not only capture your attention and emotions, but holds on for dear life and won't let go. ***I think I have listened to this song more than 100 times since I found it.*** Parents' House is reminiscent of the high points of summer spent with your friends in your early teenage years, and is a reminder of the realness of young love you likely now laugh off at the thought at. Colleagues quietly released this track on their YouTube channel in early 2014 (around this time last year) and just like the video, the song tells parts of a love story between two teens, from the boy's point of view. This Swedish five-piece have my attention and hopefully now have yours.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People - I know this song has been out for quite a while, and I have heard it before but I never knew what it was called until my brother revealed it to me. At my time home over Easter, my brother and I were washing up dinner plates together (I know, how cute are we) and we usually do so while listening to music. I put 'Best Friend by Foster the People (Alex Brandt) Remix' on and Andre went insane and had to know what that song was and who it was by. When I told him, his initial shock disappeared. I asked him why, and he played Pumped Up Kicks and said "Foster The People have always made good music Christina, I just can't believe I didn't know about Best Friend before.". Andre is so cool.
Wet Dreamz by J.Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive is J.Cole's newest release and I must say it's greatly appreciated. I was waiting for the longest time since he released his very first album - The Sideline Story - because it contained a lot of truths. So when this album came out I was all over it. And my favourite song at the moment is Wet Dreamz, because of how relevant it is. The song basically tells the story of the lead up to and the event of his and a girl's first time, but leaves the end on a cliffhanger - which I am grateful for - and I'm also glad we don't know really what happened. Did they or didn't they? I must say though, the song makes me really sad. It's something to think about...
Thank you for reading this one. There'll be more next week..
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