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!

Making Smoothies with Boost at the Oracle!

Everyone has had a smoothie at some point in their life. If you are reading this thinking "I have never had a smoothie in my life!" then one you're weird and two you should remedy that like right away by visiting your local Boost! 

Mine is in Reading at the Oracle and I am ashamed to admit I have been walking past it these last few months looking, but never stopping. Until last week when I was invited to get a behind the scenes look at how they make their smoothies! 

Boost was founded in Australia and was introduced to the UK in 2007 by Richard and Dawn O'Sullivan. They saw a lack in the UK market for freshly made smoothies and changed that by opening a Boost here in the UK. The first shop is in Manchester and is to this day the 2nd most popular store in the world! Melbourne of course is number 1.

Smoothies, although a very simple concept, are super good for you and taste great! There is probably a diet trend or someone out there ready to disagree with that statement. There are a million arguments for and against blending and juicing fruit and vegetables. 

From what I gather is that no one has a solid answer. Because some fibres are increased and some decreased by blending and some nutrients absorb better when juiced and others not so much. At the end of the day people today don't eat the amount of fruit and vegetables that they should be eating. A smoothie has at least one type of fruit or vegetable and usual contain more. In my opinion that can only be a good thing and when they taste amazing it's hard to argue how they aren't good for you.

I chose to make the Strawberry Squeeze, it is made with strawberries, banana, apple juice, no fat milk, TD4 strawberry yogurt and ice. I replaced the apple juice with orange juice. It means I got to use the fun orange juicing machine pictured above! One of the perks of Boost - you can make the smoothie your own! Swap fruits or juices or add a supplement; Boost want you to like and enjoy your smoothie so they are flexible!

I believe all of us added or changed things in our smoothies one of us even asked for something off menu! We all had a lot of fun making our smoothies and were all happy with our choices! After my experience I will definitely be stopping by for a smoothie and not just walking by looking at it! I know my girls will love it too!

Boost 

Unit 20, The Oracle, Reading, RG1 2AG

Located in the Upper Mall 

notes: I was invited to visit Boost by the Oracle and Boost as a PR event, I was compensated for my time, but was not asked to give a positive response - all opinions are my own please see my contact/policy page for more information.

Oh and one last thing we were given a gym bag full of fun Boost stuff! Polo shirt, cups, key chains, hats, and stuff!! 

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.  

Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits

For me breakfast is a thing for the weekends. It’s hard to wake up and want food right away or I should say it’s hard to wake up and want to cook right away. If I had a personal chef and breakfast was waiting for me as I got out of bed then it’s be a different story. But that’s not the story and breakfast is on me.

If there is an easy way for breakfast I will take it. When I was a teenager and started driving my sister and I to school, every once in a while we’d sneak through the McDonald’s drive through for a breakfast burrito (different then the ones here in the UK) and a fruit parfait. Maybe not the best of combinations, but hey I was a teenager and food didn’t seem to “stick” like it does now.

It was or is literally a layer of yogurt, strawberries and blueberries, topped with more yogurt and granola. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Since they don’t sell them here in the UK I thought I’d make it myself. Also, it is Breakfast Week! A campaign dedicated to educating the nation and celebrating breakfast, it is the most important meal of the day! Too many people skip breakfast, myself included some days....

I really hate busy as an excuse, everyone is busy, it’s what you choose to make priority and breakfast should be a priority. How would anything get done if you didn’t have the energy to do it? I am trying to make breakfast a priority and these parfaits make a good start!

They make a great breakfast because fruit and yogurt are, depending on the choice of yogurt, good for you. Plus they can be made the night before and can keep in the fridge for 1-2 nights if properly covered and ingredients were well in date when made.

Fruit & Yogurt Parfait

makes 2 (easily doubled)

8 tablespoons of yogurt, your choice (I used Arla Skyr Icelandic Style Yogurt, Honey)
3-5 strawberries, quartered
2 handfuls or 150g blueberries
baked muesli (recipe follows)

Layer two tablespoons of yogurt in each glass/container. Then add the layer of fruit and top with two more tablespoons of yogurt and the granola! or muesli. Enjoy or wrap tightly with clingfilm and save until the following day.

baked muesli

45g muesli of your choice
20g butter, melted
1 tablespoon of honey

Heat oven to 180C. Mix the muesli and melted butter, honey together. Spread on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Leave to cool completely before breaking up and dividing between each parfait.

notes: Shake Up Your Wake Up - all about how you can get involved with Breakfast Week! I was not asked to mention or promote this campagain, I just agree and like it! I entered this into Brilliant Breakfast linky! Aria Skyr Icelandic Style Yogurt is in no way associated with this blog post or my blog, I mention it because it is what I used. I chose it because it is low in fat and sugar, but high in protein, which can help keep hunger pains at bay. Please see my contact/policy page above for more information!

Raspberry Lemon Yogurt Popsicles

This this summer is different from most summers for our family. I am working part time so I only have 2 says a week to bake & do other leisure day things. It's hard to believe we are already into week two of summer vacation!! 

The kids love to help try new things in the kitchen. So, when I was out the other day, I saw these Popsicle molds at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. I remembered that we always talked about wanting to try different types of Popsicles. So, I picked them up and searched for a recipe. We tried these... 

Raspberry Lemon Yogurt Popsicles aka Ice Lollies: 

¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoons (approx. 1 lemon) lemon zest
½ cup (approx. 2 lemons) fresh lemon juice
1 ½ cups plain yogurt
6 ounces fresh raspberries

Divide the raspberries between ice pop molds. Cut the raspberries in half if needed. Set aside while you combine the lemon zest and sugar by smooshing it together with a fork. Add the lemon juice and yogurt - stir until combined and pour into the molds with the raspberries. Last but not least put the stick/lids on and freeze for at least 4 hours, possibly longer depending on your freezer.

My kids loved them. They are very lemony...sour yet sweet from the raspberries. My oldest loved how creamy they are because of the yogurt. The kids want to try them with blackberries, blueberries and strawberries next. 

We can't wait! :-) - Janet 

 recipe adapted from www.theslowroasteditalian.com

If you liked this try these Mango Ice Lollies: 

or these Strawberry & Coconut Ice Lollies: 

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. 

Super Detox Smoothie

It seemed like every time I turned around someone else I knew was talking about juicing.

I received a juicer for my birthday back before I had kids so like 7 years ago. I juiced a few things and then it was shelved.

The juicer came with a book by Jason Vale, telling his story on how juicing saved his life. Then my friends bought me The Juice Master’s Keeping it Simple! - over 100 Delicious Juices and Smoothies by Jason Vale.

The first book was donated, but the second I had held on too. So, when I felt like I was hearing the word ‘juicing’ I brought it out and decided to do the 3-day detox.

Instead of over thinking it I just did it. It was actually quite refreshing. I did struggle a bit the last day. I was very tired. So, if you ever think of doing a juice detox make sure you aren’t too busy, because you will be tired.

For the whole program and recipes check out the book! He also explains how the juice are beneficial and how they help to detox.

I’m not really sure what to write about, as I’m not sure what people want to know about juicing? So, please if you have any questions or anything you want to know leave a comment!!

My favorite juice of the 3 days was breakfast on day 2 and here is the recipe.

Super detox smoothie

½ small pineapple

1 handful fresh blueberries

1 handful fresh black berries

200g low-fat live yogurt

4 ice cubes

Juice the pineapple before blending with the rest of the ingredients until smooth.

notes: This post is not being compensated or endorsed by Jason Vale or his affiliates in anyway; all opinions are my own. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. This post was written for day 24 of Blog Every Day in May. #BEDM

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"

Waste not, Want Not {meringues}

In my last post I made ice cream for the very first time. So, in this post I’m going to share my first experience making meringue! I think I've been put off meringue because I found whisking them, even with a handheld whisk, a bit of a chore.

It just shows that I shouldn't have been so daunted. There really was no reasoning to why I haven’t tried making meringues before. I think of all the egg whites I have wasted in the past. I feel ashamed.

I know you can freeze egg whites and many people have tips on how to freeze them. I just know myself well enough to know that I would forget about them or they would go funny, that is if they do, before I even got around to using them. So, it just better if I use them right away!

Some people prefer more crisp meringues I like them a little more chewy. These were smaller so these were pretty crisp, but a couple were on the bigger side had a nice chewy middle. Here is the recipe I settled on with. It’s not really from one source as I combined a few different recipes from different places. It is just a meringue, egg whites and sugar! 

Meringues:

6 large egg whites

300g caster sugar

1 tsp cornflour

Preheat the oven at 100C/200F/gas ½

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks with electric hand whisk or free, standing mixer (so much easier). Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar at a time, whisking constantly until the whites come to a stiff peak. Add the cornflour and whisk until combined.

Using a circle cookie cutter any size, depending on what size you are after. I used a 2 ¼ in/58mm circle cutter. Then I used a pencil to draw many circles on the sheet. They can be close together but not touching. Then make sure you turn the parchment paper over before placing on the baking sheet. I didn't and had pencil lines on my meringues.

Then I used a star tip and filled a piping bag with the whisked egg whites. Towards the end they didn't seem to keep the shape so much I’m assuming (there I go again) because my hands were warm and it started to loose it’s stiffness.

I just swirled them around staying as best I could with in my lines.

Then I placed in the warmed oven, for about 2 hours until dry and crisp. Time will vary on how big they are. Smaller less time, bigger more time I probably wouldn't leave them in for longer then 3 hours. Turn the oven off, but leave in the oven to cool. Over night is best from what I read, but a couple of hours would probably be all right.

Meringues are delicious on their own. However there are many ways to enjoy them! My favorite way is add them to a yogurt that has a fruit layer. Any fruit peach, blueberry, raspberry, or strawberry!

Last summer with all the British pride The Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Muller came out with an Eton Mess Corner. I was in love. However I do prefer Greek yogurt so I bought one with strawberries then crumbled my meringue on top! As Dora’s backpack would say: Delicioso!!

How do you like you're meringues? Chewy or Crispy? & How do you prefer to eat them??