Ideas: A Lazy Weekend

So there is nothing better than having your days off at the end of the week to enjoy yourself, relax, indulge and experience new things. I see as Fridays and Saturdays as my days for getting out of the house and doing fun things and Sundays as my relaxed day. Lately my Saturdays have been my chilled day as I haven't been feeling too good and so when it gets to Sunday I feel like I need to do something.

Dont get me wrong, its still a chilled out day but sometimes I just can't handle sitting around all day as I feel like I'm wasting my life away, so I've put a list together of little things you can do on your day off that make it a little bit more interesting.

1/ Making snacks ready for a film or a TV marathon
So sometimes there is nothing better than getting cosy in your dressing gown and sitting down with some treats to watch a film or catching up on your favourite shows. Instead of buying in some snacks full of bad things why not make your own? This will help you accomplish something in the day and also help to improve your cooking skills.

Now I'm a little addicted to popcorn at the moment and it can be such a simple thing to make. Buy some popcorn kernels, add half a cup to a saucepan with some coconut oil or butter, put a lid on and watch them pop away. All you need to do it make sure you shake the pot now and then so non of them get stuck to the bottom and add your flavourings. You can just add sugar and a pinch of salt or if your feeling extra naughty drizzle some chocolate over the top! yum!

Another thing that is really easy to make are cookies! I always whip these up on random occasions as they take less than 20 minutes and taste a lot better than the ones you find in the supermarket. You can try my 'Chocolate Tea' flavoured ones here or just change the recipe and miss out the tea leaves and mix in chocolate chunks instead or if your feeling health conscious you can try this 'Coconut Tart'

Tea flavoured cookies dipped in chocolate 

Gluten-Free coconut bites (tart)

2/ Yoga
I've done yoga here and there over the past few years but I haven't really stuck to it but when I do take part in a class or follow a yoga video I feel so much better in myself. Yoga helps you to reflect on the positives in your life and get rid of all the negative vibes that are dragging you down. Its also a form of exercise which releases good endorphins which will make you feel better anyway.

So in the comfort of your own home grab a mat or blanket, turn on youtube and either follow a session from your laptop or connect it to your TV with a HDMI cable. No one will have to judge you but you will feel much better for it when you are finished.

3/ Plan a weekend away with your loved ones
So todays the day when you really don't want to do anything so why not take the time to plan a little break away? Everyone needs some 'me' time or just a moment to get away from the stresses of everyday life and enjoy what is around you. I done this the other weekend and now I have something to plan and look forward to.

Me and Nick have planned a 2 day getaway in Graffham, West Sussex in a cute little flat that we found on Air BnB. Its set in a little town where we can go for walks, have lunches at a local pub and enjoy the quiet life of the countryside. Its going to be a great time for us to spend some quality time together and really enjoy each other company without worries about the daily chores we need to get done. There are hundreds of places on Air BnB you can check out and you can get a lot of them for a great price and in locations that hotels dont offer you.

Source: Air BnB 

I am already dreaming of staying in a log cabin in the heart of Scotland where there is a hot tub and beautiful scenery around us, I mean, how dreamy does that sound? So grab a notebook and start a Whats App group and get your next trip planned. It doesn't have to be expensive like a holiday abroad but you can have just as much fun because its about the company you keep, not where you keep it.

4/ Write a letter
The world we are living in right now is becoming more of a digital one as the months go by. Gone are the days when we need to make a effort to talk to someone by either travelling to their house for a catchup or writing a letter and telling them about your day, all it takes is a quick facebook message or a text and thats it. The only thing with this is that the communication is short and sweet and not really meaningful.

Now we all love a bit of stationary and what better excuse than to buy your own writing set? There are lots of beautiful ones out there so head down to your nearest Paperchase or purchase one online and get writing! Here are a few of my favourites:

Source: Paperchase Art Deco Set (left) & Paperchase Parisian Set (right)

Source: Etsy Writing kit with box

 5/ Go to a Car Boot

If your a pinterest fanatic like most of us then you are going to love a good car boot sale. There are always little gems hidden away which would make the perfect DIY project. Buy an unwanted chair or bedside table, sand it down and re paint it. Spray an old ornament or lamp stand copper. All done for pennies but way more satisfying than finding something triple the price in a shop. 

Give your area a good google for some car boots and head down one weekend. You will be surprised what you can find when you have a good nose around. 

I hope you have enjoyed this post and I have inspired you to do something different with your day!

I will add a few more things when I get the time so watch this space. 

Enjoy your lazy day no matter what you do.

Love Khrissie x

British Baking - Chockie Tea

So its the weekend and whats better than chilling out and doing a spot of baking? The good thing about having three housemates is that they can test all my creations for me so I know your getting the best recipes, I am sure they will agree.

Today I have a recipe for you that is quintessentially British! Its important to be proud of where you come from, because it makes you who you are, from the accent to the humour and quirky ways of doing things. There are lots of things about Britain that I love, one of the main things being tea! On my trip to Asia I don't think I had a cup of the good stuff the whole time I was away, mainly because they just don't make it the same over there. Green tea on the other hand is pretty nice but I love the proper builders tea with a dash of milk and one sugar. (I'm not particular at all!)

This is a really tasty cookie recipe and tastes like your drinking a cup of tea without actually drinking it. Its a weird concept but it really works. I dipped the cookie in tea coloured chocolate to add an indulgent feel to the cookie and to make it feel as if its been dipped in the tea. Everyone loves chocolate so you can't go wrong, but if you have not got much of a sweet tooth you can leave it off.

Ingredients: (Makes 12)
125g butter
3 black tea bags
100g light brown soft sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
100g white chocolate
100g milk chocolate

To make:
1/ Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2/ Melt the butter in a pan or microwave (dont boil). Once all melted add in tea leaves
from the tea bags and mixed until combined. Wait a few minutes for the butter to cool.
3/ Add the sugars to the bowl and mix in the butter and tea mixture until blended.
4/ Combine the egg and vanilla into the mix and stir well.
5/ Sift in the flour and stir in slowly until combined into a dough.
6/ Either roll out the dough into a sausage shape and cut into even cookies or roll into little balls and squash slightly.
7/ Place the cookies on a baking tray, giving enough room between the cookies as they will spread.
8/ Cook for 7-10 minutes depending how soft or crunchy you want them.
9/ While the cooking are baking heat up a pan of water and melt the chocolate in a bowl above the water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl otherwise the chocolate will burn. Melt the white chocolate first, adding in the milk chocolate to achieve your perfect tea colour.
10/ Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes before dunking them in the chocolate and allowing them to cool (if you can)
There you have it! Your very own British biscuit!

 

These really are tasty! and if you want more of a biscuit just give them a little longer in the oven. 

Now I am looking at these again I'm going to have to bake some as I have some spare dough left over from making this batch. If you want to refrigerate the dough like I do and make them fresh each time you fancy one then you can. Your friends will love you for it to!

I hope you enjoyed this British recipe and like the taste of them as much as me and my friends do. 

So what do you think of using usual flavours in cookies and biscuits? Do let me know if you make them, I'd love to see some pictures.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

Love Khrissie x

Healthy Snacks: Coconut Bites

Today I am going to share with you a recipe that I tried and tested from a wonderful blog called 'My Whole Food Life'. I've been reading a lot of food blogs lately as I have been on the hunt for a healthier version of some of my favourite foods like pizza. I am definitely not one for starving myself on these fad diets, which in all fairness are never really good for you as your weight ends up yo-yoing when you do decide you want to indulge on a pizza.

This year is all about being happy and I am not 100% happy with my body. Its not completely terrible but its not all that good either and rather make myself unhappy by sweating all my spare time at the gym and starving myself of the foods I love, why not just make some small changes that can in turn can make a much bigger difference.

I came across this post and once I tried it I just had to share it with you, specifically from an amateurs perspective. We all known that you see these amazing pictures of these wonderful food, try them and they end up looking like something the cat dragged in! This a gluten free recipe is surprisingly easy, its gluten free and can also be vegan if you find alternatives.

Prep Time: 5 minutes 
Cook Times: 20 minutes

To start of with you are going to need:
1 1/2 (173g) cups raw pecans 
12 medjool dates (remove pits)
1 cup (230ml) sweetened condensed milk (vegan)
1/2tsp sea salt
1 cup (100g) unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup (110g) dark chocolate chunks

You can either buy a set of weighing cups here or use the conversion.

Instructions: 
Preheat oven to 350 
Measure out your raw pecans and add them to your food processor with your pitted dates. Add in the salt and whiz up until the mixture starts to stick together.

Line a glass dish, around 8inches wide with parchment or greaseproof paper leaving some extra at the edges. Add the mixture to the dish, making sure all the base it covered and press down with a fork.

Next pour a cup of the condensed milk over the mixture, making sure it is evenly covered. You then need to weigh the coconut and chocolate chunks and sprinkle them on top of the condensed milk. Lightly press into the condensed milk with your fork.

Then just pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes. This is where you need to catch up on some YouTube or blogs, as time seems so stop as soon as the smell of warm chocolate fills the air.

Get out of the oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cool and slice into whatever shape you like. Now this is even harder but let me tell you, its the best wait you will have. To me it tastes like a bounty with the coconut in, (so of course you can substitute it with whatever you like) but knowing its pretty healthy for you there is no guilt of shame after you have devoured a few slices.

As you can see its a gooey and chocolatey piece of heaven! Get it in the fridge quickly to make it less messy and enjoy it all to yourself, knowing you could be getting 1 of your 5 a day! 

I hope you have enjoyed todays recipe, please let me know if you make it.

I'm going to be doing more in the near future and even going to try my hand at making my own.

Have a lovely rest of the week guys!

Love Khrissie xx

Baking | Graveyard Cupcakes

Halloween is only a few days away so why not bake some tasty treats for your friends and family, or even yourself if your feeling a bit peckish. I wanted to create something which was super quick and easy where you didn't need too many ingredients. I have for you some halloween haunted graveyards.

You will need: 1 pack of chocolate cupcake mix / 1 Egg / 125g Butter / Pack of Oreos / A pack of icing pens / Halloween sprinkles / Piping bag or knife

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees
Sift the chocolate mix into a large bowl to get rid of any lumps

 Step 2: Add in one egg and 2 tablespoons of water

Step 3: Once mixed well, pour into the cupcakes cases and place in the centre of the oven between 10-15 minutes until bouncy to the touch.

Step 4: While the cakes are in the oven mix the icing sugar together with the butter until a smooth and creamy consistency is formed. Melt the chocolate chunks in a pan of hot water (leaving the chunks the bag) then add to the mixture and stir well.

Step 5: Get the cakes out the oven and allow to completely cool. Once cooled you can top them with the icing. Dont worry about it looking too neat as the chocolate is acting as mud for our graveyard.

Step 6: Take an Oreo and cut of the sides to look like a gravestone. The Oreos will crack but that all adds to the effect of an old weathered gravestone. Then place into the centre of the cupcake.

Step 7: To make the gravestone look a little more realistic, use some green icing pens to create some grass around the base.

Step 8: If you have some green sprinkles or some bats or ghosts add these around the graveyard too. This adds some texture to the cake as well as some spooky atmosphere (I got mine from Lidl) & there you have it, a spooky graveyard cupcake. I think it works well as it has received good feedback from the people eating them.

Step 9: For some spooky extras you can crumble the Oreos to look like soil, add blood (red icing) to the tops of the gravestones or even make eyes, using some white buttons for the whites of the eyes.
This would make for a great centrepiece at a halloween party.

I hope you have enjoyed this simple and quick recipe for Halloween.
Do let me know if you have a go yourself or if you create your own recipes.

Happy Halloween!
Love Khrissie x

Quick & Easy Halloween Snacks

Happy pre-halloween everyone! Only a few days away and I was itching to get into the spirit and I love things like this. I normally bake and decorate with my sister but as we are miles apart I thought I would do it on my own and show you guys.

Seeing as there are not many days left until the day has graced us I thought I would create a couple of tasty snacks which are nice, easy and cheap for you all! To begin with I have some marshmallow pops for all of you. Its a super simple recipe and oh my! they are super tasty.

What you will need is: A pack of Marshmallows / A bar or two of white chocolate / Green & Red food colouring / Bamboo sticks or straws / Coloured tubes of icing / Hot chocolate sachets / White chocolate buttons / Popcorn / Eyeball sweets

Extras: Plastic cauldron / Spider / Table cloth

Step 1: Melt a bar of white chocolate in a bowl above a pan of boiling water

Step 2: Add in a drops of green food colouring into the melted chocolate until you have reached your desired colour

Step 3: To make eyeballs add a dot of the green chocolate on top of the marshmallow. Add on a white chocolate button then decorate with the icing pens, creating two circles to make the pupil. For the ghost all you need to do is add three dots of black to create a scared face.

Step 4: To make a Frankenstein pop you need to put the marshmallow on one of the sticks to make it easier to cover it with chocolate. Use a blunt knife and once covered in a even consistency of chocolate you smooth around the edges to help stop it dripping and to give the pop a neater edge. Repeat this step until all the marshmallows are covered and set them in a glass and pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Once the chocolate on the pops has set you can now decorate them how you like. Add to dots for eyes. A straight line or a zig zag for the mouth. Some lines for hair and some bolts on the side of the head, not forgetting the scar on the side of his head. Get your friends and family to join in too as it can be a lot of fun, and quite funny to see the finished results.

Step 6: You can either decorate the bottom of a jar with some Halloween sprinkles or you can make a 'Bloody Popcorn Cauldron' to go with it. To make this all you need to do is melt the other bar of white chocolate, add in some red food colouring to make it look like blood, then mix it into some salty popcorn to make it look all gross. I found some eyeball sweets which I used as hidden treats in the popcorn and worked really well. Then just add the mixture into the cauldron for the full effect and there you have a great it! A spooky centre piece for your table at Halloween! oooooooh!

Cauldron, Table cloth and Spider are from Poundland

If you are feeling a bit chilly on Halloween evening you can actually add the marshmallows into a hot chocolate for a quick tasty winter warmer. All the colours will mix and will add to the gruesome effect of old hallows eve!

I hope you liked some of my quick and easy ideas for some Halloween snacks. If you have any please let me know as I'd love to try them out. I have some cupcakes and biscuits coming later in the week so keep and eye out for some more creepy cooking tips coming your way....

Love
Khrissie xx

Week 3: The Great Blogger Bake Off

Khrissie x

*This is Paul Hollywoods recipe which I only thought was fitting. I've never baked bread before so I used a bread maker and added the ingredients in the order as stated in the recipe. This is the proper way to do it.