Healthy Eating | Butternut Squash and Halloumi Salad

I have recently joined the gym in best efforts of a healthier lifestyle and I feel it would be wasted time if I came home to eat fatty processed foods filled with artificial flavourings so I have been trying out a few salad recipes of my own. I found this delicious yet it is also really nutritious...

Ingredients
- spinach leaves
- 1 stick of celery
- 1/2 an orange pepper
- 1/2 a courgette
- 1/4 of a butternut squash
- 1/4 tin of sweetcorn
- 30g halloumi cheese
- dried thyme and coriander
- salt
- pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
for the dressing
- 50ml olive oil
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tbsp honey

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Peel the butternut squash and cut into 1cm cubes and place on a baking tray. Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil over the squash and roast for 20 minutes.
2. Dice all of the vegetables and slow roast them in a baking tray with the remainder of the oil and season with the herbs, cook for 20 minutes.
3. Layer the spinach leaves and sweetcorn onto a plate.
4. Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients into a bowl and whisking thoroughly together until they have formed an emulsion.
5. Cut the cheese into small pieces and fry the in vegetables remainder oil until browned.
6. Drizzle half of the dressing over the leaves and then place the vegetables and halloumi on top.
7. Pour the rest of the dressing over the salad, enjoy!

Health Benefits:

Courgette - aids water balance - lowers cholesterol and stroke risk - supports efficient metabolism 

Sweetcorn - fights age-related vision loss - promotes a healthy digestive tract  

Spinach - helps strengthen bones - contains anti-cancer properties - helps fight inflammation - helps prevent atherosclerosis

Celery - helps lower blood pressure - has a diuretic action - promotes feeling of fullness - promotes healthy joints and muscles

Pepper - promotes collagen synthesis - helps protect against cataracts - maintains healthy blood vessels - contains anti-cancer substances 

Butternut Squash - helps fight inflammation - lowers risk of heart disease and stroke - promotes bowel regularity - supports a healthy pregnancy 

If you have any salad recipes on your blog please link me!

Summer Essentials | The Bronzer

I have previously found when using a bronzer on my skin (with my skin type being dry) that it seems to go cakey after only an hours wear and it looks too orange toned on my fair skin. So I set out to try and find a liquid bronzer that left me with a summer a glow and could be used to define my cheekbones.

I decided to try a high street product and searched the shelves of Superdrug, Boots and The Body Shop in hope of finding something reasonably priced and good quality. I found just what I was looking for in The Body Shop.

I decided on the "Honey Bronze Bronzing Gel For Face" at £12.00
The product description claims it to be moisturising, light and non greasy and suitable for all skin types and it is true to its word! The tube contains 30ml and little goes a long way making it great value for money. I use my Real Techniques Stippling Brush to apply the the bronzer and I apply on my cheek bones for definition and just a tiny amount on my forehead as that is one of the places the face naturally catches the sun.

 

 

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/make-up/bronzing/honey-bronze-bronzing-gel-for-face.aspx (a link to the bronzer)

http://realtechniques.com/shop-collection/your-finish-perfected/stippling-brush (a link to the brush which is also available at Boots and Superdrug)

Any bronzer recommendations? 

Detox Water | Lemon Water

I've always been interested in health and fitness and over the past few months I've been seeing more and more about healthy living and felt that I wanted to make some changes to my lifestyle. I am currently studying for my exams so can't commit to a full on workout regime at the gym (though I am doing so small home workouts) but thought that I could make some small changes in my diet.

The first thing I have done is looked into what Detox Waters are all about. They follow the same idea as Detox Diets; flushing away the bad toxins with added health benefits. I'm going to try and drink 3 a week.

(not my picture) http://www.pinterest.com/pin/116108496615909907/

This week I tried a Lemon Water. I simply added half a sliced lemon to my bottle of water and drank it over the course of a couple hours (though it is recommended to drink it when you wake up). Before I did this, I looked up what makes lemons so good as I think it's all very well hearing it has benefits but you need to know why they're so good.

Lemons are packed with nutrients - Vitamin B & C, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and fibre. These are the things that are responsible for lemons benefits. 

Aids Digestion - this equally means it helps to prevent indigestion: the horrible thing that makes you bloat, burp and cause heartburn.
WHY: 1) it helps to loosen toxins in the digestive track 2) it gives the liver a boost in producing bile which is a vital acid in digestion

Strengthens Immune System - they're excellent at curing colds.
WHY: the Vitamin C in the lemon helps to prevent the body suffering from immune system deficiencies

Relieves Stress - enhances your mood hence reducing depression and anxiety.
WHY: when your Vitamin C levels drop you become stressed, lemons revive this

Clears Skin - keeps your skin radiant and blemish free AND prevents wrinkles and acne
WHY: 1) antioxidants (e.g. the Vitamin C) decrease blemishes 2) its alkali pH helps to kill some of the acne causing bacteria

Cleanses System - flushes out bad toxins
WHY: enhances enzyme production which in turn stimulates the liver which flushes away the unwanted substances 2) lemon acts a diuretic which means it increases the rate at which the body removes fluid

Aid Weight Loss - stops snacking and over eating
WHY: contains pectin fibre which fights hunger cravings


I found I was experiencing the benefits of lemon water even after the first time I drank it. Normally when I wake up, I feel I have a 'good stomach' (as good as it gets for me at the moment anyhow!) but after eating my second meal I appear bloated. However, when I drank this throughout the day, I hardly bloated at all and my stomach maintained its 'goodness'. I also noted I was slightly more energetic with less blemished skin. It's definitely going to be a change in my diet it that sticks and something I highly recommend to all of you!

Wish List | 21/04/14

Evidently, I have dated this Wish List post in the title as the things I want change pretty much every day. In fact, if it wasn't tedious for you to read I would happily write a Wish List post daily. Anyhow, here are a few (okay quite a lot) of things I currently want.

Beauty

Firstly, I want to purchase the matching conditioner to the shampoo I am using at the moment - John Frieda Go Blonder Conditioner in best efforts to get my golden locks for the summer. I might even go all out and purchase the spray of this collection too!

Whilst on the subject of hair, I recently popped into John Lewis and felt my heart cry out to all the lovely hair care brands in store. My eyes were first drawn to the Percy & Reed section and while there is not a particular product of theirs I want at the moment, I definitely want to invest in something soon! I then came across a brand I had not heard of before called mop with it's eye catching simple, modern design. Everything just looked so cool and sounded really good for your hair and I can't wait to get something from there.

Onto makeup... I've recently taken a liking to the idea of contouring your cheeks to make it look like you have more defined cheekbones but found that powder products can look cakey on top of foundation which is never a good look. After looking online for what seemed like years, I stumbled across the MAC Pro Sculpting Cream which claims to sculpt and shape the face. Cannot wait to add this to my small MAC collection.

In just over a month I will be getting my braces off (and I am SO excited) and I want to have lovely lips to go alongside my new veneers. When I am next at the MAC counter, I want to choose another of their lovely lipsticks and quite possibly a lip liner too. However, I know (thanks to Tanya Burr) that lip gloss is more on trend this season. I firstly want to order one of her lipglosses from her collection as they all look lush and I've heard great things about them! I also want to buy the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker as my lips aren't the most full and this claims to do great things, please let me know in the comments if you know of any other lip glosses that plump your lips!

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories 

I have really really really wanted some white skinny jeans for a while now and when I saw that Topshop did their Joni jeans in white in the Petite range, I was more than excited. That was until I went to add them to my basket and found they were out of my size :( :( but as soon as they are back in stock I will own a pair!

When I was last in American Apparel I was once again drawn to their beautiful range of scrunchies, particularly the check and floral ones so I made a mental note to pay a quarter of the price and buy some off of eBay... 

I haven't bought any new shoes for far too long and I'm really struggling with summer footwear! I want some new Nike/New Balance/Adidas trainers but I can't seem to find any I like, so if you have any recommendations please comment them below! However I do really like these pastel coloured converse...

Finally, with summer just around the corner, I am in desperate need of new sunglasses! (I say as if England will ever have enough sun for this to be a necessity) I really like the cat-eye style ones and found these for only £13 on Asos. 

I think I shall finish my wish list here as it's getting excessively long but I'm sure I'll be back with an update soon!

Goldy Locks | Current Hair Products

If you knew what I looked like, you'd think this caption was stupendously deceiving. My hair is currently a mousy brown (no where near golden) and it's in terrible condition (I wouldn't class it as locks). So this post is more so about my errmm journey to getting to the golden locks I dream of having.

Two years ago I made the jump of going from blonde to brunette. At the time I loved it, and so I continued to dye it for the next year and then I decided it was time to try ombre. I enjoyed that hairstyle too but now I just want my blonde hair back. I am gradually having highlights as my hairdresser mother refuses (quite rightly so) to dye it blonde as it will ruin the condition. So I am currently left with a horrific washed out brown with blonde highlights giving my hair an overall ginger tint, yay...

My friend, who is moving up to London to work in a prestigious salon, advised me to purchase the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo. It could just be the placebo effect but, much to my delight, I'm pretty sure my hair is lightening up using this!

The other product I use on my hair whilst I shower is the TIGI Catwalk Oatmeal & Honey & Avoine & Miel Hair Mask. It smells really nice and nourishes my hair back to some sort of health. 

 

Before I dry my hair, I apply 3 products. I first apply two (amazing smelling as usual) Toni&Guy sprays, the Sea Salt Texturising Spray and the Heat Defence Spray - I'm taking as many precautions as I can not to ruin my hair further! I find the sea salt spray helps to add natural wave and texture to my hair. 

I also use the Lee Stafford Blow Dry Your Hair Faster Spray which is pretty self explanatory. A few sprays of this before blow drying really does speed up the tedious process, an absolute god send!

Finally, to add a bit of volume to my flat hair I spray some L'oreal Paris Studio Line #TXT Spray. This was another product that I saw Zoella promote on her channel and if I could get hair that looked the slightest bit like hers, I'd be happy! It does make my hair feel thicker but it wins my vote with it's divine scent.

If you have any hair products that you use and would recommend pleaseeeee comment them below!!!

Summer Glow | Glowing Make-up For Summer

There's nothing worse than feeling you look grey and grimey in the summer when everyone else is glowing around you. So this year I'm going to make a conscious effort to get glowing skin.

This post is basically the base products I currently use when I want to look radiant. Alongside using these products, from here onwards I'm going to ensure that I drink a minimum of 2 litres of water a day and make sure that my diet is packed full of healthy vitamins and nutrients.

• I start by applying La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (purchased from Boots). I use this to get rid of my red blemished cheeks. It has over time made a difference and is quite good value for money and I bought it after Zoella said how good it was on her youtube channel

• Then I buff in my MAC Face and Body Foundation in C1 (from Debenhams) using my Real Techniques Stippling Brush. While the foundation is not high coverage, it has a really nice dewy finish and the brush allows it to blend well into my skin

• I then take my High Beam by Benefit (purchased from Boots) and dot onto my cheek and brow bones. I just dab this in with my finger and it really illuminates these areas

• I apply to dots of L'oreal Paris Lumi Magique underneath my eyes and also blend it in using my finger. This product is good as not only does it cover the dark circles under your eyes, it also lifts and highlights the area!

• I finish with the only powder product I use in this look which is my Icy Eye Palette by Pixi which I received as a christmas present. I use the white eyeshadow on the brush it came with and just blend it on top of the High Beam on my brow bone. I absolutely love this shadow as it really glows and lasts a long time

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8

One of my new years resolutions this year is to go out more and do more exciting things, I haven't actually applied this properly quite yet but I plan to put into action as soon as my exams are over (bring on June 12th!!). So I thought that it would be nice to capture these moments and I find that whilst it's nice to have pictures on my phone, it's never quite the same as having it as hard copy and so I made an investment...

I'd seen numerous different polaroid cameras online but the design of this one really caught my eye and I couldn't resist. It's the Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 and I purchased mine on amazon with 4 sets of 10 shots for about £80.

When you take a picture the photo prints out white and over about 5 minutes it develops into the picture and I love watching it slowly process! The print size is adorable too.

(photo of looking through the lens)

It's taken me a while take get the hang of using it as obviously it is very different to a normal camera and I still need some practice but it was definitely worth the investment!!