food

1 Of Your 5-A-Day with Juicy Fuel Cola*

By Laura Thornberry - 13:00

Juicy Fuel Cola*; a craft cola from The Juice Shed Company; which started up in 2007. 

Juicy Fuel Cola*; a healthier, and more natural alternative to very popular and much loved Coca Cola drink. All natural goodness served up in cola form, that also happened to be one of your five a day!

 (I know, it's amazing, I couldn't believe it either). 

"Nothing but 100% natural, sparkling fruit juice. All our ingredients are grown, Kola nut, grape juice, lemon juice and barley malt. We don’t use preservatives or any artificially manufactured ingredients."

My favourite has to be the Cherry Cola flavour drink. So fresh and fruity, packed with a super fizzy and sour cherry flavour, it's delicious! If you're a lover of those super sour pick n mix cherry sweets like me, this is the drink for you!

When I saw that there was a Blueberry Cola, I was very intrigued. What other blueberry drinks are there? So this was a first for me, and if I'm being honest, I wasn't disappointed. It was super fizzy, had a very fruity taste, with a slight sour kick. Imagine chewing sour Haribo sweets with a mouthful of coke!

I have to say, out of all three of the flavours, the Original Cola was my least favourite. This flavour is surprisingly similar to the full fat coke itself, just a bit more fruity. It was nice but compared to the other two flavours, I found the Original Cola tasted more 'syrupy', went flat quite quickly and didn't have as much fizz as the Cherry or Blueberry.

If you want to find out more about The Juice Shed or Juicy Fuel Cola, feel free to give them a tweet at @JuiceShedCo or visit their website! 

These drinks are available from the following stores: Tesco, Morrisons, Booths, Sainsburys, Waitrose and ASDA.

Have you heard of Juicy Fuel Cola? What would your favourite flavour be?

*PR Samples kindly sent to me by The Juice Shed for review purposes.

 All views and opinions are my own and 100% honest.

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The Ultimate Garlic Bread Recipe

By Laura Thornberry - 11:00

I don’t know a single person who doesn’t love Garlic Bread. It's the most tasty, quick and easy to make side dish that I can think of, and doesn't require too many ingredients either, so you can't really go wrong -> just bread + garlic + butter = a winning combo! 

It is such a popular side dish to serve with so many different dishes... You name it, Garlic Bread goes with it.

For my Ultimate Garlic Bread recipe, you will need;

- 2 ready to bake Baguettes, cut in half

- 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped

- 3 tbsp of Butter

- 1 tsp of Parsley

- Olive Oil

- Salt and Pepper

- Chilli Flakes (optional)

- Grated Cheese, Cheddar and Mozzarella (optional)

 To begin making this tasty treat, you will need to firstly grab a microwave-safe bowl or cup. Then combine all of the ingredients together; the Butter, chopped Garlic, Salt, Pepper and Parsley, followed by a splash of Olive Oil.

 Microwave the mixture on a low power setting, for 30-40 seconds, until the butter has completely melted. Then remove from microwave and give the mixture a good stir, making sure everything is combined. 

With a fork, press some holes evenly across the baguettes; this allows your buttery mixture to absorb and fully soak into the bread better, giving a much better flavour to your dish! Spoon the Garlic Butter mixture evenly over the baguettes until covered. Now they are ready to bake in the oven!

If you are using ready to bake Baguettes, these will take 8-12 minutes to cook in a preheated oven, around 200° is perfect. Once the baguettes are ready, I like to finish them off by placing under the grill for a couple of minutes, this allows the mixture to soak deeper into the bread and the fresh Garlic to super crunchy! Delicious!

I prefer to make my own homemade Garlic Bread, as I find store-bought versions sometimes lack in flavour, or can be completely dry as there is not much butter mixture added. I like mine to be super buttery and packed full of garlic, for that extra punch!

As an added extra, you can finish off my Ultimate Garlic Bread Recipe by adding some grated Cheese and a pinch of Chilli Flakes (for a little spicy kick) before you place under the grill. I like to use a grated Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese, as for me this is the best combination of cheeses to use, as they melt perfectly and go super crisp under the grill.

Do you make your own Garlic Bread at home? What is your favourite recipe to use?

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Super Smoky Bacon & Spicy Tomato Pesto Penne Pasta Recipe

By Laura Thornberry - 10:00

If you're a lover of pasta like me, this is the kind of dish that is perfect for when there’s nothing left in the fridge. I love to experiment when making different pasta sauces, and this recipe for my Smoky Bacon & Tomato Pesto sauce. A simple, yet classic style sauce that is very easy to put together, and can be prepared and cooked in under 20 minutes... Sound good? Carry on reading!

For this recipe that serves 2, you will need;

- 200g of Penne Pasta

- Grated Cheese, to serve

For the sauce, you will need;

- 1 tsp Olive Oil

- Half an Onion, diced

- 2 Rashers of Streaky Smoked Bacon, diced

- 1 tsp of Garlic (minced or fresh)

- Half a tsp of Chilli Flakes

- Half a tsp of Mixed Herbs

- 2 tbsp of Water

- 1 heaped tbsp of Sundried Tomato Pesto (I got mine from Aldi)

- Half a bottle of Passata

- Salt and Pepper

Method

- Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the Penne pasta for 10-12 mins. 

- Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the diced Bacon and chopped Onions for 3-4 mins until just starting to crisp. 

- Then add the Garlic, Chilli Flakes, Salt and Pepper, and continue to cook for 1 min.

- Add 2 tbsp of Water to the pan, followed by the Pesto and Passata, and stir. Leave this to cook for 2-3mins, until all the ingredients are combined and the sauce has thickened up.

- Once your pasta has cooked, drain well and pour into the saucepan of sauce. Stir well until every piece of pasta is coated in sauce.

- Serve immediately with Grated Cheese! If you want a more filling meal, I would serve this with a simple Green Salad and a couple of slices of Garlic Bread.

What is your favourite pasta sauce?

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Healthy Banana Superfood Porridge Recipe

By Laura Thornberry - 10:00

As part of my healthy eating regime, I'm hoping that I will find enough time each morning to get myself a healthy and filling breakfast, that'll make me feel energised and ready for the day ahead of me. In today's post, I wanted to share with you my current go-to breakfast and what ingredients I use to make it, that keep me fuelled into lunchtime. All you need is a few ingredients and about 5 minutes of your time in the morning, and you can also treat yourself to this super tasty breakfast porridge!

You will need

4 Spoons of Porridge Oats

200ml Almond/ Normal Milk

Handful of Frozen Mixed Berries

1 Banana

Honey

1 tsp Chia Seeds

1 tsp Cacao Nibs

Method
Grab yourself a microwave safe bowl and add 4 spoonfuls of Porridge Oats
Pour in 200ml of milk and stir
Add a handful of Frozen Berries - I use Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries and Redcurrants
Microwave for 4 minutes on high, stirring occasionally
Peel and slice your Banana into small circles
Once cooked, remove Porridge from microwave
Add sliced Banana, Chia Seeds and Cacao Nibs
Finish with a squeeze of Honey and enjoy!

If you have a little more time in the mornings, why not treat yourself to my Pancake Day Treats or my Tropical Banana Pancakes for those of you who have little time to spare each morning, check out my Breakfasts with Belvita post.

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A Treat for Pancake Day

By Laura Thornberry - 13:00

With Pancake Day on the way,  I thought today's blog post would be a great way of sharing a little cheeky pancake recipe that combines some great flavours, that would be perfect for creating on Pancake Day as well as those cheat weekend breakfasts! Pancakes can sometimes be seen as quite an unhealthy food, but throw on top some fruit and yoghurt, and its a win win situation..... right?!?! From sweet to savoury fillings, a pancake is such a versatile snack that can really have literally any toppings and still be delicious!

I also wrote a blog post about my very own Tropical Banana Pancakes, which may be for you if you're wanting to be that extra bit healthy! Carry on reading to find out what ingredients you will need and how I made these delicious pancakes! 

For the pancake mixture

110g  plain flour

pinch of salt

2 eggs

200ml milk

50g butter

To serve

handful of blueberries

melted dark chocolate

sprinkle of dessicated coconut

2 spoonfuls of plain yoghurt

drizzle of honey/syrup

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.

2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it, and begin to whisk.

3. Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and continue to whisk, until all the flour is incorporated.

4. Now melt the butter in a pan and spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, and place the remaining melted butter in a small bowl.

5. Now place the frying pan on a medium heat and add enough batter to evenly cover the base of the pan. (around 2tbsp)

6. Let the pancake cook, and once you are able to move the pancake in the pan, its ready to be flipped! (the most fun part)

7. Then once flipped, and the other side is fully cooked, then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate, and add on all your delicious toppings. I opted for blueberries, yoghurt, honey, coconut and melted chocolate. YUM!

What are you favourite pancake toppings? Has this post given you the urge to cook up some delicious pancakes?

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January Favourites

By Laura Thornberry - 17:26

With 2018 being the year that I finally start taking skincare seriously, the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ is a product that I decided to get my hands on. My skin can be pretty temperamental, some days its good, some days it bad, but that's life I guess. I would say my skin is fairly normal, with the odd dry and oily patches, nothing too drastic, but a harsh winter has made it enough for me to notice in day to day life. The Effaclar Duo+, "a dual action gel moisturiser for every day that minimises the appearance of spots and blackheads, controls shine and helps protect the skin" and claims to be "A blemish treatment that corrects and hydrates skin for clearer skin in 4 weeks". I've been using the Effaclar Duo+ for around 1 month, I purchased just after Christmas, and have slowly been introducing it into my skincare routine. As a first impressions, my skin definitely has been more matte and less shiny, which is the biggest improvement I have noticed since using this gem from La Roche-Posay.

Hugo Boss The Scent for Her - a new fragrance to add to my never ending perfume collection! I received this perfume for Christmas, I had never tried any fragrances from Hugo Boss previously, since having this one, I have fallen in love with it. It's a very fresh and fruity, bursting with a peachy aroma but with a slightly floral scent that would be a perfect Spring or Summer fragrance.

Whilst learning to drive with Wimbledon Driving School, I downloaded the DVSA Theory Test App to help me with revising for my Theory Test, as well as allowing me to take mock tests and practice the Hazard Perception side to the Theory Test. The app itself is very easy to use, you have a choice of launching the Theory or Hazard Perception programme within the app, with the Theory side allowing you to study and practice each topic, as well as taking mock tests with the 50 questions to answer. I have been finding it very useful in helping me to revise and practice for my upcoming test, and would definitely recommend the app to anyone revising for a Theory Test or even someone who is wanting to learn to drive, this app would be something to look out for!

Marsh and Mallow bars are something new that I have recently discovered when visiting my local Starbucks. I saw these sat in front of the tills and decided to grab a couple in Raspberry and Vanilla flavours, and was very pleasantly surprised with these, they are super tasty and a great snack for on the go! I would recommend you stock up on these on your next trip to Starbucks and keep one in your handbag when you're feeling a little hungry.

A favourite, holy grail make up product of mine has been the Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara. I've repurchased this over and over again as this has become a mascara that I know will work for my lashes. This mascara has a plastic brush with thin, small bristles that reach, grab and separate every lash, creating dramatic length without being clumpy, as well as being very black in colour. The mascara is also very buildable, applying one or more coats depending if you want more of a natural or dramatic look to the lashes. I also use this mascara on my bottom lashes, to create length to the lashes and definition to my eyes. Usually priced at £7.99, very affordable and very easy to get hold of in Superdrug or Boots, if you haven't tried this mascara from Rimmel, I would definitely advise you to give it a go.

Lastly for my January favourites, a high-end fragrance of mine that I have loved ever since I ordered my first bottle; YSL Black Opium. I think it's the perfect perfume for special occasions and nights out as it holds such a deep, musky, sexy scent that I really love at this time of year. I've found that this perfume is long-wearing and lingers on the skin all day, which is brilliant as I hate having to carry the perfume around with me for top ups. Every single time I wear it, I get numerous compliments, people asking what I'm wearing or just generally saying I smell nice. If you're after a new perfume or just want to treat yourself to something extra special, Black Opium is the one for you. You can read my recently published review of this perfume here

What have been your favourite things recently?

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The Sunday Brunch | Crushed Avocado & Eggs

By Laura Thornberry - 09:30

When it comes to Breakfast ideas, during the week I have pretty boring and standard meals. I rarely have time before work to make something exciting and interesting, which is why I leave this to the weekend, where I can really create something full of flavour and delicious, as well as quick and easy to make. My idea of the perfect Sunday brunch is 

definitely Avocado on Toast, with my own little spicy twist and a couple of boiled eggs for that added protein. If you like the look of the photos above, just keep reading to find out what you'll need and how I made it!

Ingredients

1 Slice of Bread, Toasted

2 Eggs, Boiled

1 Ripe Avocado, Crushed

1 Tomato, Chopped

Lemon Juice

Chilli Flakes

Salt

Pepper

Method

- Place the kettle on to boil. Once boiled add to a saucepan and place in the eggs. Boil for 6 minutes.

- Place the bread in the toaster.

- In a small bowl, combine the avocado, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chilli flakes and crush together using a fork.

- Chop the tomato into small pieces and combine with the avocado mixture.

- Once the eggs have boiled for 6 minutes, strain the water and peel off the shell.

- Once the bread has toasted, place onto a plate and spread over the avocado mixture.

- Place the boiled eggs on the top, cut in half and let the egg yolk ooze over.

- Finish with some black pepper and enjoy!

What's your favourite weekend breakfast?

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A Teatime Mac n Cheese with Batchelors*

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

If you're a lover of pasta, you'll definitely want to make this recipe tonight! Something that is ready in no time, super quick and easy to make, and definitely delicious! As you may have seen on my blog, there have been a number of recipe ideas previously as I love to experiment with new ingredients, and I love cooking. For today's post, I was challenged by Batchelors* to take part in the campaign is called #ThePowerOfThePea, to share the super-food values of the humble pea with the following recipe for a simple Macaroni Cheese.

Ingredients

6 Rashers Streaky Bacon, chopped*

1 tbsp Oil

250g Batchelors Marrowfat Peas*

4 Spring Onions, finely sliced into rings, including the green*

350g Macaroni*

50g Mature Cheddar Cheese, grated*

Cheese Sauce:

50g Butter

50g Plain Flour

500ml Milk

120g Mature Cheddar Cheese*

200g Cream Cheese*

Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Method

1. Preheat a grill on the highest setting.

2. To make the Cheese Sauce, heat the Butter until melted and add the Flour. Mix together in a saucepan and cook on a low heat for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Place back on the heat, whisking continuously until the sauce has thickened, is smooth and is just coming to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the Cheese, Cream Cheese and Nutmeg (if using) and season with Sea Salt and Black Pepper.

3. Fry the Bacon in the oil for 5 - 7 minutes until the Bacon is golden brown add the Peas and Spring Onion and cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat.

4. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the Macaroni according to the instructions on the packet and drain.

5. Mix the Macaroni into the sauce, along with the Bacon and Pea mixture, check the seasoning and alter according to taste. Place in an ovenproof dish, top with Cheese and grill until golden brown and bubbling.

6. Serve with a mixed salad and enjoy!

Will you try this recipe out at home?

Check out some of my other pasta recipes including my Super Smoky Bacon & Spicy Tomato Pesto Penne Pasta Recipe and my Super Speedy Vegetarian Tagliatelle Recipe

*PR Sample. Items paid for using vouchers. 
 All photos are my own

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Fun and Fruity Summer Flare Cocktails*

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

 "A range of 4% abv blended cocktails exclusively created for Independent Retailers priced at £1 flavours include: Mojito, On the Beach and Cosmopolitan"

Now that the weather is warming up a little bit here in the UK, it's making me excited for Summer and the holidays I have planned in the next few upcoming months. Relaxing by the pool, soaking up the sun, adventuring your surroundings and having a few cheeky cocktails is the perfect way to spend your days on a beach holiday. What perfect way to get in the mood for the sunshine than with a tasty, fruity cocktail, and these ones from Flare Cocktails are a great starting point! I was kindly sent three Flare Cocktails* to try, Cosmo, Mojito and On The Beach, a lovely selection of drinks that all have distinct different flavours.

"MOJITO - OUR MOJITO HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY EXPERT MIXOLOGISTS TO CAPTURE THE TASTE OF A TIMELESS CLASSIC: AN ALCOHOLIC MIX OF WHITE RUM, LIME JUICE AND GARDEN MINT EXTRACT."

"COSMO - CITY LIFE IN A COCKTAIL; OUR COSMOPOLITAN HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY EXPERT MIXOLOGISTS TO RECREATE THE TASTE OF THE FAMOUS LIGHT AND FRUITY MARTINI: AN ALCOHOLIC MIX OF VODKA, CRANBERRY, LIME JUICE WITH ORANGE FLAVOURS."

"ON THE BEACH - THIS FRUIT-FILLED REFRESHING ON THE BEACH MIX HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY EXPERT MIXOLOGISTS, TO CONJURE UP MEMORIES OF DISTANT SHORES: AN ALCOHOLIC MIX OF PEACH SCHNAPPS, ORANGE AND CRANBERRY FLAVOURS."

When it comes to cocktails, I am definitely a Mojito kinda girl. They are my absolute favourite, and this Flare Cocktails Mojito drink didn't disappoint. It was lovely! I love the sharpness of the lime and the mint, that makes this cocktail really refreshing and something that you can enjoy all day long without it being too strong. The Cosmo Cocktail was also really fruity and fresh, something that would be perfect to sip on whilst lounging by the pool. Lastly not that I didn't enjoy it, but the On The Beach Cocktail was my least favourite. I'm not a huge fan of  Peach Schnapps, but nonetheless this drink was still enjoyable. The fruitiness of the orange and cranberry really helped to add a great depth of flavour to the drink and made it enjoyable for me.

What are your favourite cocktails?

* PR Samples sent for 100% honest review purposes

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Best of British Soup with Crosse & Blackwells

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

With the cold weather still in abundance, something I find handy to keep stocked up on in the cupboard is soup! There is just so many to choose from it's insane. Whether you love chicken, vegetable, or minestrone, there is something for everyone, which makes soup such a great lunchtime meal. Simply serve with a couple slices of bread, some rye bread crackers or even some crunchy croutons on the top, and you're good to go!

I was recently gifted a couple of soups from the Best of British range at Crosse & Blackwell's, one Pea and Ham*, and one Leek and Potato*, along with a super cute microwavable pot*, making lunchtimes super quick and easy! The microwavable pot was a great accompaniment its so easy to use, and quick to clean, I would definitely recommend trying out a product like this! My favourite was definitely the Pea and Ham, so full of flavour. It was delicious and something I would purchase in the future!

"Crosse & Blackwell’s Best of British range of soups are made using ingredients grown on farms across the UK. The range is inspired by Britain’s favourite recipes, which have been developed into a range of great tasting wholesome soups. Our recipes bring the home grown flavours of the British countryside from the field to your table."

Have you tried any Crosse & Blackwell's soups? What is your favourite from the Best of British range?

*Products kindly sent for 100% honest review. All thoughts are my own

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My First Degustabox

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

As one of my new years resolutions to improve my diet further, and seek healthier alternatives, I decided that I would give DegustaBox a try. I love to try out new food and drink products and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to find and try some new surprise products, and see how I got on with them. I received the following products in my January box and I was really excited about the variety of products and brands I received.

Amoy Thai Green Curry Cooking Sauce/ Amoy Malaysian Laksa Cooking Sauce / Yushoi Snapea Rice Sticks / Slim Noodles / Finn Crisp Thin Sourdough Rye Crispbread / Conscious Organic Raw Chocolate / Reese's Peanut Butter Cups / Fit Fit Rainbow Fig and Walnut / Fit Fit Maya Date and Cacao / Coldpress Apple Juice / Clark's Carob Fruit Syrup / Tsingtao Beer / Jordan's Country Crisp Fruit and Nut

Why not try DegustaBox for yourself?

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Tropical Banana Pancakes

By Laura Thornberry - 09:00

As today is Shrove Tuesday, more widely known as Pancake Day, I thought I would use this as the perfect opportunity to share with you some absolutely delicious, and pretty healthy pancakes that I made using a recipe from the Fit Girl Code website, then added some of my own favourite toppings to make it extra delicious! 

I love browsing this website, as there are so many great recipes and great workout plans, as well as great articles and plenty of reading material. I always find myself browsing on the commute to work, flicking through all the newest blog posts and articles, as well as bookmarking recipes that I want to try! I found these clean pancakes to be super easy to make, they only required a few ingredients and they were so tasty and they definitely kept me full for a good few hours! 

So if you like the look of my pancakes, keep reading to find out what you'll need and how to make them!

Ingredients (makes 4 to 5 pancakes)

      1 Banana

   2 Eggs

1 tsp of Cinnamon

 2 tbsp of  Greek Yoghurt

Selection of fruit - I used Mixed Berries, Pineapple and Coconut

Honey

Method

Mash the banana on a plate and whip the egg in a bowl. Add the mashed banana to the egg and mix it up.

Add the cinnamon. Pour the mix into a small soup spoon and scoop the mix into the frying pan that is on a small fire.

Let the pancake bake for a while on only one side. After this, turn the pancake. If you think it’s going to break, then you should not yet flip the pancake but bake it on the same side for a while.

Bake the other side until the pancakes have nice brown colour.

Put the pancakes on a plate and garnish with some honey and some cinnamon.

What are you favourite pancake toppings?

*Basic recipe taken from Fit Girl Code website

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Pretty Personalised Cupcakes

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

"Our traditional family bakery has been established nearly 100 years you would be right expecting that we have perfected the art of cake making. With all that experience and knowledge passed down through the generations we can be confident in saying you will never taste a better cake! And with fantastic cake, great tasting icing and personalised with your own photo, image, artwork or logo, our cupcakes are sure to be a hit at any celebration!"

So it has to be said, I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I rarely eat cakes and chocolates and sweets, but on the slight occasion, I tend to treat myself to something small. But when the opportunity to try and test some lovely personalised cupcakes, with my own edible photo on the top, I knew it would be a good idea!

Firstly, can we just admire for a couple of moments how delicious and absolutely mouth-watering these cupcakes look. And yes, they did taste just as good as they look. I was really impressed. Such a sweet and fresh lovely vanilla flavour, my favourite cupcakes ever! They were so soft and light and moist, and featured some seriously creamy icing that was just to die for. All cupcake dreams right here. 

For the edible photo on the top of my personalised cupcakes, I chose to use my blog button image, a simple yet bold design, combining both text and decoration, that I thought would be a great image to use, and it turned out amazing! The quality of the image used in the edible photo topper was amazing and I truly believe they turned out better than I ever expected. The cupcakes from Eat Your Photo arrived in no time at all. Such super speedy delivery, arriving safely and so well packaged, no spills or breakages. I was super happy with this and I would highly recommend to anyone after some personalised cupcakes.

Box of 6 cupcakes // www.eatyourphoto.co.uk // £13*

Have you heard of Eat Your Photo before? Would you like to try these personalised cupcakes?

* Kindly gifted by EatYourPhoto.co.uk for review purposes/ all opinions are my own and completely honest.

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Healthy Living | Haul and First Impressions

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

This year, I have wanted to improve my health and fitness, more drastically than last year, and I thought the first thing I really needed to change was my eating and drinking habits, not that I was doing either badly, I wanted to find healthier, more beneficial snacks that I could use as replacements for some snacks that weren't so good for me.

I was recently browsing in my local Sainsbury's after work one day, looking for some new, healthier snacks to try when I came across the Kallo Dark Chocolate Rice Cakes. I'd never tried rice cakes before, but I was really impressed with these. Such a tasty, high fibre snack, I would definitely recommend these to any chocolate lovers out there, still a great chocolate taste, with much more added health benefits, without the added calories.

Another snack that I picked up recently from Amazon were the Nakd Cashew Cookie Bars

and the Nakd Ginger Bread Bars. I had tried the Cocoa Delight raw bars previously and enjoyed those, so I was hoping I'd be happy with some of the newer flavours, and I am in love, especially with the Ginger Bread Bar. It had such a sweet and spicy taste, just like Christmas! It just tastes so heavenly and I can't believe there is so little ingredients but such a great, authentic taste. These bars are a perfect on the go snack, whether you have them whilst travelling to work for breakfast, or as a simple in-between meal snack. They are super tasty and only made with very few ingredients, so there is nothing nasty or processed in these.

Since I bought my Breville Blend Active about a year ago, I've definitely upped my game when it comes to making smoothies, especially for breakfast if I'm in a rush. Smoothies are so quick and easy to make, it's a great alternative for a simple, nutritious breakfast. Recently I was kindly send a few health powders and tablets, that you can combine into your smoothies, that add great health benefits without spoiling the taste. I've been using a mixture of the Indigo Nutrition Organic Supergreens Powder* / Indigo Nutrition Organic Spirulina Tablets* / Indigo Nutrition Organic Wheatgrass Powder* and simply adding a small amount to my breakfast smoothies in the morning and I have really been liking using them. Even though you can't physically see any health benefits, you know that they are all packed with great nutrients and vitamins, it's something so easy you can incorporate into your lifestyle to lead a healthier day to day life.

Something new I'm trying this month are the Proper Pops Lime, Lemongrass and Garlic Chips*. "We pop our nutrient rich chips under pressure. They don't go near a fryer, so they're 100% FULL OF TASTE with almost 90% less fat than your average crisp." The pop chips are basically a healthy alternative to crisps, and these ones I received definitely packed a punch with the flavours used. With a slight Asian influence, the Lime, Lemongrass and Garlic flavours were something I really enjoyed and I would really like to try some other flavours from the range as these really impressed me.

Next up, water. As you may have seen in my 16 Things for 2016 post, I wanted to increase my water intake as I felt that I really wasn't drinking enough. Water is super important when leading a much healthier lifestyle, so I was super happy to receive a bottle of the Nuva Ginger and Lemon Spring Water*. I love flavoured waters, my favourite being the Volvic Lemon and Lime water. But when I tried this one from Nuva, I was really impressed. It was such a lovely, not too overpowering ginger and lemon flavour, that I drank this first thing in the morning before breakfast, just to make my body feel refreshed and get it started for the day.

Finally, another water related product here. I was kindly gifted a variety of Stur Water Enhancers* to try and test, and they have definitely helped me in my aim to drink more water and increase my daily intake. I was sent 2 Real Brewed Tea with Lemon, 1 Real Brewed tea with Peach and the Boldly Blackcurrant and Apple Flavour, all of which are super tasty, but my favourite has got to be the Real Brewed Tea with Lemon, its such a refreshing drink for the early mornings and I've been having a pint of water each day before breakfast, with a little squeeze of it, just to add some flavour. My first impressions of Stur, I would highly recommend them to anyone who finds plain water boring to drink, as these are a great little additive that can help add some fruit flavour and help you to increase your water intake. They also come in such handy travel sized containers that they are easy to take on the go an add to some water wherever you go!

What new foods and drinks have you been trying this month? Would you consider purchasing any that I have included in today's post?

* All items kindly sent for 100% honest review purposes

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10 Tips To Help You Feel Good with Aqua Pura

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

For today's post, I've teamed up with Aqua Pura, who kindly sent me a whole load of natural mineral water* and some great tips to share with my readers, as well as what I have personally been doing to help me and you feel good and get that extra mood boost to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle. Aqua Pura has provided a list of the following top ten ways to feel your best, how many have you tried or think you could incorporate into your daily lifestyle?

1. Begin by finding a brave friend to start this next chapter with you - having some friendly support (and a bit of healthy competition) should help!

2. Water, water and more water - An amazing 70% of the body is made up of water, and you need to drink around 6-8 glasses to stay hydrated!

3. Move it, move it! - Take the stairs, walk to work or even go to a few classes at your local gym. Find new ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

4. Self motivate! - Don't go for a complete lifestyle overhaul on day one - set yourself achievable goals that you can aim for and conquer, changing your routine one step at a time.

5. Eat a good breakfast every day - Try to get up ten minutes earlier so you have time to enjoy a healthy breakfast before dashing out the door.

6. Snack wisely- If you're feeling a little peckish between mealtimes, grab some unsalted mixed nuts, chopped raw vegetables or dried fruit, and wash it all down with a glass of - you guessed it- water!

7. Enjoy your surrounding - Get to know your local area or reacquaint yourself with nature by going for regular walks.

8. Try something new - As well as cutting out some of your bad habits, introduce some new and exciting recipes and hobbies, and see what works best for you and your lifestyle.

9. Moderation is key - Don't be so strict on yourself that you ban everything you enjoy, but be sure to stay healthy as much as possible so that you deserve the occasional treat.

10. Tackle things heads on- Challenge the negatives in your life

With all these tips in mind. I wanted to share some of the ways I have chosen to feel good and improve my lifestyle. Firstly, I have been drinking a lot more water recently and find that this has given me so many health benefits, it's amazing. My skin looks clearer, more radiant and less dull, plus my hair feels and looks shinier and healthier, as well as having less split ends. Also, I have been walking to the train station instead of taking the bus, this really allows you to get some fresh air and clear your mind, as is a great way to incorporate some exercise into your daily routine, without it being too tiring and vigorous. I've also been improving my diet and incorporating healthier alternatives, making exciting breakfasts daily, trying new foods and recipes and better snacks that are much better  and nutritious for my body.

What tips and tricks do you swear by to help you feel good?

* Written in association with Aqua Pura

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lifestyle

January Favourites

By Laura Thornberry - 12:00

One month of 2016 done and dusted already?!? This year is already going crazy and flying by, I remember Christmas like it was just yesterday! Let's not dwell on this for too long, lets get stuck into my favourites for the month!

Kicking things off this month in the beauty front, a haircare favourite of mine has been the OGX Kukui Oil Shampoo/Conditioner. This haircare duo is formulated to help hydrate and defrizz your hair, something I definitely need after my locks have taken a battering from this harsh, winter weather. I've noticed when I use this shampoo and conditioner, my hair definitely feels smoother and silkier, and just looks a lot shinier and healthy looking. Also I adore the scent of these, its what I'd think a tropical island would smell like, so sweet and fresh! I would highly recommend the Kukui range, as well as the other varieties OGX has to offer, as they work wonders for my hair and are super affordable!

Another beauty favourite this month has been The Body Shop Smoky Poppy Shower Gel, a product I have used in pretty much every bath/shower this month, and I'm so upset that is has finally run out. The scent of this is to die for, to me its very manly, like an aftershave sort of smell, that I actually find really deep and sexy. The shower gel lathers up really well and leaves a slight scent on your skin once your out the shower, nothing to overpowering, just a slight linger. I really like The Body Shop shower gels as a whole, as I find the scents to be really lovely and fresh, affordable and they leave my skin feeling nourished and hydrated, without being too drying.

I love face masks. They are my favourite part of my skincare routine and I love trying and testing new ones, to see which ones work best for my skin type. Recently I had the opportunity to try out the AA Skincare Frankincense and Rose Deep Cleansing Face Mask. This specific mask features essential oils, these help to really nourish the skin and leave it feeling moisturised, leaving my skin feeling plump and bright, something it definitely needs with this cold weather, I want to look glowing and hydrated. I have reviewed this mask is more detail here.

A new addition to my monthly favourites, but my favourite blogger of the month has definitely got to be Em from EmTalks. She is just all kinds of goals! I've really been enjoying reading her fitness and health posts, as these have really helped to motivate me and help me with my fitness routine and starting to adapt my lifestyle to lead a more fit and healthy life. As well as that, I love reading her blog on a daily basis as there is always something on there to read and catch up with, from food posts, beauty posts, travel and fashion, Em definitely has a blog that you should be following!

As a goal of mine in regards to my health and fitness, I've ditched the fizzy drinks and have been upping my water intake, as I felt I really lacked in this and it was definitely something I wanted to improve this year. As well as just drinking water, green tea is something that I've really been enjoying and the Twinings Pineapple and Grapefruit Green Tea is just perfect! I love that the flavour isn't so overpowering and you get the right amount of juicy pineapple and sharp grapefruit, that combine to make a really lovely tea, I am quite obsessed really and already have finished one box in the space of a week. Ooooooops! I've also reviewed this here if you want to find out some more.

Something more fashion related here, I've been loving H&M Lace Bras. Lingerie is something that I write about much, as it is seen as quite a taboo subject, but we all wear it so why not share the love about lingerie you have been loving. The two bras that I featured in the image above are the two that I have purchased recently and I just love them. H&M bras are just so affordable and I find them to fit really well and flatter my body shape, plus they are super pretty and super comfortable!

Last but no means least, I have recently dug out a couple of lip products from my stash, and I have fallen back in love 100%. Enter the ELF Matte Lip Colours in Tea Rose and Praline. I've been loving nude lip shades this month, and these have been my go-to lips colours, Tea Rose is more of a pink toned nude, and Praline is more of a brown tone, both shades that I find really wearable and suited to my skin tone.

What have been your favourites this month?

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