Oange Major: orange, pineapple, banana, & yogurt smoothie

I made a smoothie! When one visits a juice and/or smoothie place they always have crazy names like Strawberry Dream or BananaRama or something. Generally I am not that creative when it comes to names.

As a kid I named all my stuffed animals what they were. Penguin (my favorite stuffed toy) was called Penguin and his best friend Walrus....yup was a walrus. They are still best friends. I also had a platypus (he was a beanie baby, before beanie babies were a thing) he came with a name, but I changed it to Platypus. Because he was the original color I had a lady offer me $500 for him back in the day and I said no. I was a kid, I didn't have bills to pay.

Anyhow, I was drinking this and googling cocktails and something was called Major something or another and I was like I should call this Major something or another and I did. But at the end of the day it's an orange, pineapple, banana, and yogurt smoothie and here is how I made it, it's super easy.

Orange Major

serves 2 
1-2 oranges
1/4 pineapple
1/2 banana
50g vanilla yogurt

Juice the orange and pineapple and then blend with the banana and yogurt. If you like it cold add a few ice cubes!

It's perfectly orangey with just the right amount of pineapple and banana! This would also make great ice lollies. Pour them in ice lolly moulds and freeze! Yum!

Day Out in Reading, Berkshire! {WOLF, Snog, Urban Decay}

A few posts ago you saw how I went to an Urban Decay event at the Oracle and since the night was a bit rushed Alyssia, a fellow blogger, went back for round 2!

First we went to lunch at a new place in Reading town centre called WOLF: Italian Street Food. It's a bit like Subway. You choose your base: pasta, wrap, bread, salad. Then you choose your meat/veggies followed by sauces and hot toppings and cold toppings.

I picked out an olive bread and had the hot and spicy chicken with peppers and cheese sauce. Topped with more olives, sundries tomatoes, and rocket. It was so good! I couldn't recommend this place more! With only three locations across the UK if you are in Reading it's definitely worth a try!

Then we did a little shopping in the Oracle stopping at a few stores (more of that in a future post) before stopping for a little snog.... at Snog!

I went for the salted caramel frozen yogurt topped with blueberries and dark chocolate chips and covered in caramel sauce! It wasn't my first Snog and it won't be my last, but it was my favourite I've tried so far!

Then we headed upstairs for our Urban Decay makeovers by the same two guys we saw at the event. It was nice to catch up with them and check out a few of the new products!

I went for a day look as I had the school run later, but I did get to try out Gwen Stefani palette which was fun! On my lips we used a lip liner called Liar and the lipstick was Lovelight. We also used the complexion primer, B6 Vitamin-Infused complexion prep spray, liquid makeup foundation #2, Naked flushed palette - bronzer/highlighter, and the chill - cooling & hydrating makeup setting spray. 

We even booked ourselves in for a few weeks time to try out all the new spring products! It should be another good day out! 

Check out Alyssia's post - Girls Day Out!

note: All opinions are my own. We went on our own money and had a great day out! Please see my contact/policy page for more information.  

Love Your Freezer Part 1: Fruit {smoothies & muffins}

This post is the first in two posts where I will be sharing the love for my freezer. Starting with fruit! As a baker fruit is a pretty obvious thing to keep in my fridge, because frozen fruits make great crumbles, cobblers, and pies! 

Frozen fruit (and vegetables) are almost better then fresh. The fruit is frozen almost immediately after it’s picked and by doing that seals in the freshness. An added bonus with frozen fruit is that 9 times out of 10 there is no need to defrost before using them, so it's as simple as throwing them into whatever it is that is being baked and/or cooked!

The most obvious way to use frozen fruit is in smoothies! Smoothies are the best way to make the most out of any frozen fruit. Since the fruit is frozen ice isn't necessary to add ice, which just ends up watering it down. Sainsbury’s have a strawberry banana smoothie pack that make smoothie making a breeze. My two girls love it when I whip this up for them!

Strawberry Banana Smoothies:

½ pkg (eyeball it) of Sainsbury’s Strawberry Banana Smoothie frozen pack

300ml vanilla yogurt

300ml apple juice

Blend all the ingredients together. Adjust the yogurt or apple juice according to constancy.

Any frozen fruit makes a good smoothie, I found the trick is using juice to add flavor and texture. It helps keep the smoothie from being too thick. Apple juice pairs well with strawberries, but play around to find your favorite combination. Also if you juice your own fruit it is even better for you, no hidden sugars.

The one frozen fruit I constantly have to restock is blueberries. That is because they are the best fruit/berry to use in pancakes, smoothies, and muffins. This is my fail safe recipe for Blueberry Muffins; the only thing I did different this time was sprinkle some vanilla sugar on top. It gave these muffins a darker colored top, but it was worth it. 

Feel free to substitute with frozen raspberries, blackberries, cranberries or even cherries in place of the blueberries!

I am always looking for ways to make the best out of my freezer! What tips and tricks do you use? 

Please leave a comment below! 

For my go to Pancake recipe follow the link here 

(substitute the chocolate chips for blueberries)

&

For my favorite blueberry smoothie follow the link here

&

For Gluten & Dairy Free Blueberry Muffins follow the link here

notes: In association with Sainsbury’s for their Love Your Freezer campaign! Check out there Live Well for Less free magazine usually available at the end of the tills for more freezer ideas and tips. Watch out for Part 2: Vegetables and Herbs coming soon!! 

Yogurt Mango Ice Lollies

I was going to start out by saying how much I love summer! But to be honest I love most of the seasons. 

Autumn probably being my favorite followed by summer, winter, and well I don’t really like spring.

It’s such an awkward season. 

After winters I just don’t have the patience for spring, I just want it to be summer.

Summer is when it's hot and it's light out until late. It also just reminds me of being young and free. No matter how long I have been out of school, summer always feels like freedom to me! 

And it is summer! 

Which means it’s not only time for freedom, but ice-lollies (Popsicles)! 

They are also a staple of the summers of my youth. Ice-lollies are pretty much acceptable any time, anywhere all summer long!

In fact I think this cartoon by Natalie Dee sums it right up.

Ice-lollies are widely available in-stores and will not break the bank, but it’s fun and super easy to make them at home! There is the added bonus of no flavor additives when they are homemade. 

Then there are the endless flavor combos and colors one can use to make some really fun ice treats!

I stuck to what I was craving this time and I was after mango! I could have mixed it with coconut or lime or orange or anything tropical, but I was sticking to what my taste buds were telling me and I made these:

Yogurt Mango Ice Lollies

1 large mango

1 tsp caster sugar

200g mango yogurt

Cube just a little more than half of the mango and puree with the sugar. Mix in the yogurt and pour into the mold about half way. Thinly slice the rest of the mango and slide it down the sides of the ice-lollie mold. Top up the molds with any left over mix. Put the tops on and freeze over night.

They were exactly what I was after! My girls loved them too! I used Muller Light Greek style yogurt mango flavor. It was a good mix with the mango puree it was creamy and cooling!

I am sharing this post on Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream challenge over on Kavey Eats! The theme for June was fruit and fruit is perfect for any ice-y treat! 

On average how many ice-lollies do you eat in the summer? What’s your favorite flavor? Please leave a comment below, on twitter or facebook!

notes: this post was written in association with Sainsbury’s; please see my contact/policy page for further information. The ice-lollie mold pictured above is available in stores now! In America we call them Popsicle's, which is a name brand. 

Blueberry Muffins, perfect

“Perfect!” I say whenever something goes right and when it goes wrong; either with real sincerity and other times dripping with sarcasm.

It’s amazing how the tone in which we say something changes the meaning of the word.

If I were to say “blueberry muffins” with a disgusted voice you’d know that I don’t really like them.

And if I say “BLUEBERRY MUFFINS!” with real enthusiasm you’d then get the impression that I had an unstable obsession with them.

But if I say “Blueberry muffins, perfect” in a relaxed content way, you will then understand that blueberry muffins make me happy.

"Blueberry muffins, perfect" - Is exactly what I said as I burnt my fingers and tongue on a muffin fresh out of the oven. 

They were soft, fruity, and delicious. The sour cream really cuts the sweetness of the blueberry making it a perfect combination.

I think most people expect muffins to be bigger on top, but that's not always the case. If you want more of a muffin top you can fill them up a bit more, just don't over fill. 

They made an easy breakfast and a great afternoon treat. Served with coffee, of course! Now that’s perfect.

Blueberry Muffins:

200g plain flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp baking powder

100g golden caster sugar

pinch of salt

75g butter, melted

200ml sour cream

1 large egg

200g frozen blueberries

Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Line your muffin tin with paper cases. Combine the dry ingredients into a medium bowl by whisking them together. Mix the slightly cooled melted butter, sour cream, and egg together. It will curdle if the butter is too hot. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the blueberries I used my ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin cases, but if you don’t have one just spoon them into the cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. They will have a slight tan color and should spring back when gently pressed. Enjoy with whipped cream, melted butter, or as is!

  

Question(s): What words do you use often with different meanings (please only indicate rude words)? Do you prefer fruity or decadent muffins? Please leave a comment below or let me know on Twitter or Facebook!

Cherry Garcia Cake

Usually I get an idea for a cake and by the time I actually make it, it is something completely different.

The theme for this month’s Clandestine Cake Club in Reading was cakes inspired by Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavors. I wanted Peanut Butter Cup, but it was already taken. 

I couldn't decide between Chunky Monkey and Cherry Garcia so I gave the decision to another and she said I should go with Cherry Garcia!

Originally I wanted to make this cake as a cherry chocolate chip layer cake, with cherry buttercream and a ganche topping.

However this is what I made instead! I had decided that I didn't want to do a layer cake and at first I thought of making it in a loaf tin, but then after talking to another cakey person online settled on a tube pan.

Also, since it was based on an ice cream flavor, I wanted to replicate ice cream cakes I had from Dairy Queen in my childhood. They had like a cookie crumb middle layer that I loved.

That’s why I attempted to add a streusel in the middle and top. It just sort of baked into the cake so it didn't give the affect I was after, but it still turned out amazing!

I’m going to apologize for the inconstancy in the recipe I used a base American recipe that used cups, before adding in and adjusting it in grams. Then my littlest person messed with my timer so I had to guess a little bit on how long it was in the oven. I explain more below!

Cherry Garcia Cake:

1 ½ sticks or 171g unsalted butter, room temp

1 ½ cups sugar 

3 large eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla paste

1 ¼ cups of cherry yogurt

2 ½ cups of cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

50g dark chocolate, chopped

½ cup frozen cherries, chopped (keep them frozen)

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas5 and grease the tube liberally with butter before lightly dusting it with flour. Tap out the excess flour.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each time they are completely incorporated. Then add the vanilla, before adding the cherry yogurt.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl and mix until just incorporated. Then fold in the dark chocolate and frozen cherries.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Streusel

¼ cup light brown sugar

½ cup plain flour

50g dark chocolate, chopped

½ cup frozen cherries, chopped (keep them frozen)

85g cold unsalted butter, chopped

In a bowl rub the sugar, flour, and butter together until it resembles breadcrumbs then fold in the chocolate and cherries.

Place half of the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle over half of the streusel before topping with the rest of the batter and rest of the streusel.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. I set my timer for 45 minutes because I always check my cakes 5 minutes before the recommended time. But my time was tampered with, so I had to guess when 45 minutes had passed. I think my cake was in for at least 60 minutes if not five minutes more.

Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before removing it, however my pan was a spring release so I released mine after about 10 minutes and making sure the cake wasn’t stuck to the sides. Then carefully transfer to a wire rack

While it’s cooling make the ganche:

100g of dark chocolate

½ cup of double cream

Melt the chocolate and cream in a bowl over a simmering pan of water. Gently stir it while it’s melting until it becomes think and glossy.

Once the cake is cool, pour over the cake and use a spatula to smooth it out. 

notes: See what my fellow cake clubbers made! How I convert butter and how I make cake flour!

Strawberry & Coconut Ice Lollies!! {video}

Strawberry & Coconut Ice Lollies recipe

I love summer for various reasons and one of them is strawberries and another is ice lollies. Jubilee Strawberries is hosting a competition to make a video using one of their new recipes using their amazing strawberries!

It was tough to decide on what recipe, Strawberry & Rose Mousse Cheesecake Pots, Strawberry & Lemon Cupcakes, Strawberry Summer Pudding, and the one I picked Strawberry & Coconut Ice Lollies!

These are so easy to make! All you need is strawberries, coconut Greek yogurt, and icing sugar. Plus ice lolly molds and a stick blender or something to puree the strawberries. Then you freeze for a bit and enjoy! They are delicious and refreshing perfect for a hot day! I don't even want to start on how using fresh strawberries is a must! Mine were sent straight from the farm! 

notes: Check out all the amazing recipes on JubileeStrawberries official site; UK to USA Ice Lolly = Popsicle, Jubilee Strawberries sent me the strawberries to make these ice lollies please see my contact/policy page for more information. If you’d like an ice lolly I have plenty as it took me a few take to get it right! Not the ice lolly part! The filming/editing part! I thought this was going to be a bit easier than it was. I have a lot to learn if I want to start doing fun little baking and making videos again. So, please be nice! 

Coming Soon...

Behind the scenes of "Strawberry & Coconut Ice Lollies"