January Book Update

http://www.hellofebruary2016.com/goodbye-january-hello-february-pictures.html

I thought it would be interesting to log in the books I read each month and give mini-reviews. I'm aiming to read more than ever this year as 2015 was so hectic that I didn't make enough time to just relax and enjoy a good book. I know lots of people challenge themselves to read a certain amount each year but I think that takes away some of the magic, as you are almost forcing yourself to finish books.

So this month I've read 5 books, not including academic texts which I've flicked through in the library! Some were read on my kindle but majority were paperback, if you were wondering.

The first was Birdbox by Josh Malerman, lent to me by a friend. It's a post-apocalyptic novel in which society has broken down, leading to people being too frightened to leave their houses unless blindfolded. Alone with two young children, protagonist Malorie must venture out into the lost world. It's eerie thriller which I regret reading so late at night... Though this gets top marks for creepiness, I found the ending to be a little anticlimactic.

I then read How to Think More about Sex by Alain de Botton. This covered topics of adultery, lust and pornography and I discovered it through Hannah Witton (Youtuber and 'Sexpert'). It has some very interesting perspectives which I'd never considered and didn't have any unnecessary long words so it was digestible.

My mum sent a package in January which contained Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter. It's a story about a father of two boys, and surrounds them dealing with the death of their mother. It was formed mainly by snippets of conversation, thoughts and memories, offering a fragment of the struggles the father faces. Coming to terms with not only love and loss, but with the hardship in writing. If you love poetry and strong metaphor, this - I don't know whether to even call it a book- is for you.

Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller was also in the package. The book which I'd say was my favourite from this month. Eight year old Peggy is taken by her father to a hut in the middle of the woods, who tells her that the rest of the world has ended- that her mother and all of humanity is gone. She returns to civilization after nine years in the wilderness, discovering that not everything she believed was true after all. That's not a spoiler by the way, the first page describes her arrival home! It is told as a flashback as Peggy tries to understand the difference between their fantasy life and the real world.

The final book I read in January was The State We're In by Adele Parks, which was what I'd call a grown up chick flick. It was light hearted for the first half, with protagonist Jo trying to find true love in, well, every male. She wasn't all that likable, so when the depressing ending 'shocked' many readers, I couldn't help but sigh. Her naivety was quite uncomfortable to read, and though I did like other characters, it wasn't all that exciting, simply predictable.

I hope you've all had a lovely month, let me know what you've been reading and here's to a great February!

Cauliflower- The (Attempted) Revival

The humble Cauliflower, known mainly for it's blandness, acidic smell and needing two whole packs of Cheddar to make it taste any good. At least, that's what I thought. But upon finding this recipe for cauliflower buffalo wings I was prepared to be converted. With the promise of crunchy, spicy florets similar in texture to tangy BBQ chicken wings, I was intrigued.

At 79p (Lidl), Cauliflower is an absolute bargain as Chicken wings in comparison- cost £2.40 for a basic pack. Packed full of vitamin C and potassium, i'd say it's worth experimenting with.

So with these 'wings' you do a first bake in batter and then a second bake in hot sauce. The result should be crisp and sticky but mine ended up quite soggy... Whether my batter needed to be thicker or oven temperature higher, I'm not too sure. They did have a weirdly meaty texture and if you are a fan of sweet and sour dishes, these would be right up your street. I'm planning on chopping the leftovers to fry up with some rice and other veggies, so hopefully my next attempt will work better!

Hot for Food have tons of vegan recipes on their blog, I've tried many of them and they've been successful so definitely check them out. They definitely have better presentation skills than I do! Well, this didn't go to plan, but I'll definitely be testing more creative ways of eating veggies soon.

Peanut Butter Cookies (VEGAN)

January has been a dreary start to the year, and for me, all I want is to snuggle up each morning with a hot breakfast. But lets be honest, some days porridge just doesn't cut it. Tea and cookies on the other hand... Perfect!

Ok, I admit it's not the healthiest option, but eaten when gooey and warm from the oven, I dare you to resist! Luckily these require only a few things that will probably be in your cupboards already. For a cereal bar alternative or a change from the late night dairy milk snacking, my super simple recipe is below...

You will need:

• 1 cup peanut butter 
• 1 cup plain flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Vanilla or cinnamon (I used a teaspoonful of each, but feel free to add raisins or chocolate chips too)
• 1 cup sugar (preferably brown but I'd run out)
• 1/4 cup oats

If healthier/less processed sugar and flour is used, these can become guilt free!

How to

1. Pre-heat your oven to 170c.
2. In a large bowl mix the peanut butter with the sugar using a wooden spoon until they form a thick paste.
3. Add all the other ingredients and mix into a dough (Add a splash of water to bind it together).
4. Roll into balls and pop onto a lined baking tray, keep them spread out as they will grow! Using a fork press down lightly on the top of each cookie before putting them on to bake for 8-11 minutes. 

 Leave them to cool for ten minutes to firm up then try not to eat them all at once...

These treats do actually have some health benefits, just in case you needed further convincing to give them a go! 

Peanut butter: The following perks only apply to peanut butter which doesn't have any salt or other artificial ingredients, I get mine in bulk here as it's cheaper than smaller jars. Rich in protein and healthy fats, peanut butter keeps you fuller for longer and helps to repair muscles after exercise (round of applause for anyone finding motivation to workout in this weather!)

Oats: These provide an energy boost for those early morning lectures and are high in fibre to help digestion. Cheap and cheerful!

Cinnamon: Not only a delicious spice, but can help lower and regulate blood sugar to help with those midday slumps... It's not just me, right? 

I hope you try this recipe and enjoy the weekend!

Moisture from MUJI

The cold weather has wrecked havoc with my skin, my richest moisturiser and creamy cleansers just haven't been cutting it. I decided in early January to test out some new products and luckily was sent a few bits from my mum along with some books- she is by far my favourite human!

I have always loved the simple packaging of MUJI products and fell in love as soon as I discovered they had brought out a new skincare range. The two products I received were 'essences' something which I had never heard of before, but are apparently well known in Korean skincare. If you are interested in doing some research, I found this article very helpful: http://sokoglam.com/blogs/news/11782665-skincare-101-essence-the-essential-step-in-skincare

The sensitive skin essence contains natural moisturising ingredients including grapefruit seed extracts and hyaluronic acid. According to Caroline Hirons (I.e. The queen of Skincare) 'Hyaluronic Acid is capable of absorbing up to 1000 times its weight in water. Basically it acts like a magnet to anything you put on top of it'.' With this in mind, I've been applying the essence as a serum beneath my moisturiser in the morning to lock it in when I leave and brace the wind! This also contains chamomile and rose which has helped with the soreness and redness I suffer from as a result of hormonal breakouts and maybe too many Percy Pigs...

In the evening I have been using the more intensely moisturising 'All in one essence'. With jojoba seed oil, olive oil and other fruit extracts aimed at creating a protective barrier to reduce water loss. This is slightly thicker than the sensitive version so I like using it as a night mask after. Both have helped combat tightness, dehydration and flaky skin, so I am a complete convert to this additional step in my skincare routine!

Both have a water based, gel-like consistency so perfect for oily skin that is suffering in the winter months. I will definitely be repurchasing the larger sizes as they are super affordable at £10-£15! I'm also finding myself tempted by the Cleansing gel cream and Moisturising milk.

What I Eat In A Week

I love reading foodie posts so I thought I'd try one out with what I eat in an average week. I aim for four sessions of HIIT training in a week on carb-heavy days. This was my first week back at uni so do excuse the lack of exciting meals, it takes me a while to create some kind of routine.

Monday:

I'd gone to do the weekly shop and other errands so didn't end up eating until after midday! I had half a packet of Spinach Ravioli with a tablespoon of red pesto and a large portion of lettuce leaves/cherry tomatoes. I also added some roasted garlic mayonnaise for a quick dressing. I later made a pizza using a tortilla wrap with mushrooms, green chilli, garlic, tomatoes and some sweet potato fries. I also had a large glass of orange juice between these meals but didn't take a picture!

Tuesday:

For breakfast on Tuesday I tested my new blender out for the first time, resulting in a green sludge which needed work... It was made with ginger, apple and spinach which I had alongside some toasted rye bread and peanut butter. Then after a three hour walk I went to the Union with my friend Megan and had a (super cheesy) tuna baguette which was a godsend since we were cold from the rain! For dinner I made a spicy sweet potato soup which was delicious so I will definitely post the recipe soon.

Wednesday: 

This breakfast was pretty simple, I just finished off the last of a bag of granola. It was a dried strawberry and sunflower seed one which I had with some almond milk. For lunch I experimented on a 'Reuben sandwich', replacing the beef (pastrami?) with smoked salmon and pairing it with spinach, cheese and sauerkraut. For dinner I poached some cod fillets in a tomato sauce and mixed that in with some tagliatelle, a hearty and quick meal. 

Thursday: 

This breakfast is hands down one of my favourites, thickly sliced rye bread with avocado, smoked salmon and loads of chilli flakes. Lunch was a creamy pasta dish with mushrooms and a loooooot of garlic. On this evening I went to food tasting, where we are paid to judge different products. This session included some marinated salmon, various sauces and some puddings. 

Friday:

The same breakfast again but paired with a pre-workout smoothie (banana and spinach). I'll never get bored of the avo combo! For lunch I grabbed food while out with friends, which ended up being really awful as my fish was too dry-meh. By evening, hormones were running wild so I caved in and had half a veggie pizza, all the carbs! 

Saturday: 

So Saturday started with leftover pizza and a whole carton of chocolate milk, you can tell it was the time of the month aha! At around 3pm I then had a banana and spinach smoothie before ending the day with a huge baked sweet potato and salad. I also had lots of ginger tea in the evening which I completely forgot to take pictures of. 

I usually spend my Sundays working with whatever leftovers I have and writing meal plans for the following week, something I find strangely relaxing. I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know in the comments what your go-to meals are! 

Hello 2016.

January, we meet again.

Today I moved back to my flat, armed with a surge of independence and a new record player (thanks, Harry!) It is usually this day when I feel motivated, as the first couple of days tend to be fairly clouded by sausage roll regret and confusion as to what day it is. But anyway, here we are. It's raining buckets outside, so I've decided to postpone exploring for a mug of steaming tea has my name on.

2015 was filled with mad, very adult changes for me, including voting for the first time, vising Universities and MOVING AWAY! I traveled to Morocco with my mother, and learnt that we can be anywhere in the world, but will always end up snuggled up with a book. I also went to Rome on a Philosophy trip, a lovely way to end my time at school. I will hold fond memories of hotel room giggles and sharing gooey pizzas with gooey hearts.

It was also the third year spent with my other half, which is insane. It's been the loveliest of times, so it's tough to be apart now. Does four hours count as long distance? Anyway, if he's reading, thankyou for being my best buddy and spending this life with me.

I’m not one for strict resolutions, but I do have a few thoughts about what I’d like the year to bring. Or rather, what I will make of it. For a start, I’d like to donate more, I’ve been fairly consistent with taking bin bags of clothes to the charity shops but there are always other methods of of giving. Earlier in 2015 I gave blood for the first time, despite being terrified of needles and filling out important forms. But it really wasn’t so bad; in fact it brought a sense of pride and worth. So I’d like to do so again, as what are simply a few minutes of discomfort for me, result in the safety and ultimately life of someone else.

With all that deep stuff over with, I’d also like to focus on this blog, specifically the foodie aspect. Be it food hauls or ‘What I Eat In A Day’ posts, I am determined to feed some creativity into my life (if you pardon the pun). I’ve been watching lots of food related YouTube videos and blog posts and have felt very inspired to share things which make me happy.

I also plan on indulging on skincare, yes I am only 18. No, I am not worried about wrinkles, I just adore the process of self-love. There is just something magical about massaging balms and concoctions into my face each morning and night. Obviously skincare products bring many benefits, all of which fascinate me, but ultimately, I'm in it for the relaxation properties. This year I plan in investing a little more, because life is too short. I don't buy makeup, nor do I go out drinking much, so this is my guilty pleasure.