Review: Boneyard, Shoreditch, East London

I've mentioned the street food market Pump before and now i'm writing about another tasty venue inside. Let me introduce you to Boneyard, a US-style meat joint with a relaxed vibe. Boneyard is actually a wooden restaurant inside so you don't have to brave the cold. Rows of communal wooden tables line the eatery and you wander up to the till to place your order.

As always I arrived hungry and zoomed in on the bone marrow burger on the menu. Intrigued, I added this to my order. A double patty is loaded with heaps of strong cheese and fresh salad. The meat is rich and juicy inside a toasted brioche bun. The bun soaks up the juices and manages to stay in one piece. It's certainly not the best burger in town but it still got my nod of approval.

Sadly the Tator Tots were sold out, so for a side I opted for the salted crinkle crisps smothered in spicy chilli, grated cheddar cheese and a heap of sour cream. Perfection! I'd have preferred for the cheese to be slightly melted but the chilli had just the right amount of kick.

Overall Boneyard was a good shout. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to visit again but if I'm in the area it's definitely one I'll pop in to.

Read more

5 of the best snacks to eat mid-morning

The period between breakfast and lunch is a killer so here are some snack suggestions you can keep on your desk for when hunger strikes. And save you from raiding the chocolate in the vending machine.

1. Perkier bars*
These new 100% plant based quinoa and sprouted grain oat bars are packed with goodness and perfect to help keep your energy levels up mid-morning. They're also free from wheat, gluten and dairy. Thanks to the quinoa, the bars really fill you up. The slow burning energy keeps you feeling satisfied before you can tuck into lunch. And keeps you away from the dreaded biscuit drawer! My personal favourite is the fruity goji and cranberry flavour. Who needs a chocolate bar? #getyourperkyon!

2. Yogurt drops
I got this idea from Sarah a while ago and it's genius! Simply pick your favourite fat free Greek yogurt and using a teaspoon, drop into a baking tray. Pop in the freezer over night before taking to work the next day. It's a great way to keep your sweet tooth at bay but without the guilt.

3. Fresh fruit salad
Is it me or does fruit taste so much nicer when it's cut up in a bowl? All the peeling is too much of a faff when you're in your flow. Make up a fruit salad the night before. Try something a little out of the ordinary and choose fruit that's in season. Clementines, apples, pommegrantes and cranberries are all in abundance in December.

4. Hummus and vegetables
Hummus comes in all different forms now at the supermarket but if you're feeling adventurous, whiz up your own batch at the weekend for the working week. I'm loving red pepper hummus at the money with carrot batons and sticks of cucumber

5. Popcorn
Popcorn is great because you can satisfy your sweet or savoury tooth. There's more varieties on the market than ever. Plenty of brands offer healthier versions too. It's better for you than a bag of crisps but you still feel like you're treating yourself. Win win situation!

What are your favourite snacks?

Read more

Recipe: Christmas sticky toffee pudding

A few weeks ago Whitworths invited me along to a baking master class hosting by the first GBBO winner Ed Kimber. We were given a the chance to make his alternative Christmas pudding - a rich sticky toffee pudding. I'm not a fan of traditional Christmas pudding so this is perfect. It's really quick and simple to make - you can even make it the day before!

Ingredients:
225g Whitworths dates
100ml rum
200ml water
175g light brown sugar
3 tbsp of honey
200g self raising flour
1 tsp of mixed spice
75g unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
50g Whitworths apricots, roughly chopped
50g Whitworths sultanas
50g of Whitworths crystallised ginger, roughly chopped

For the sauce:
50g unsalted butter
A pinch of sea salt
100g dark brown sugar
A splash of rum
100ml double cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (160 degrees if fan) and lightly grease ten dariole moulds.

2. For the butterscotch sauce, place the butter, sugar and salt into a medium saucepan and cook over a medium heat until melted and smooth.

3. Allow to bubble away for few minutes before adding the cream, stirring to make a smooth sauce. Set aside whilst you make the puddings.

4.  To make the puddings, place the dates, water and rum in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer and cook until a thick date paste has formed. Scrap the paste into a bowl and set aside for a moment.

5. Place the butter, sugar, vanilla and honey into a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy.

6. Add the eggs one at a time beating until combined before adding the next one.

7. In another bowl, mix together the flour, spice and baking powder.

8. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on a slow speed until they just combine.

9. Add the date puree and the dried fruit and mix until smooth and combined.

10. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared moulds and place onto a parchment lined baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven for around 20 minutes or until the pudding springs back to touch. Remove from the oven and turn onto plates immediately.

11. Serve the pudding whilst hot with lashings of caramel sauce.

Tweet me if you decide to make them - I fully recommend it!

Read more

OOTD: Sequin cami #GeorgePartyTips.

Outfit:
Copper sequin cami: George at ASDA*
Black jacquard cigarette pants: George at ASDA*
Glitter low heel courts: George at ASDA*
Black duster jacket: Topshop (similar)

December parties means sequins and sparkles. Lots of sequins and sparkles. So when George at Asda got in touch and offered to send me a festive outfit, it was obviously what I went for. Instead of opting for the usual party dress, I went for this gorgeous copper came. LOOK AT ALL THOSE SEQUINS! No Christmas party outfit is ever complete without a red lipstick. I think it might even be written in the rulebook.

The festive season is hardcore. There's parties left, right and centre. Someone has to take one for the team. But work christmas parties can be stressful - no one wants to go in the next day with a raging hangover to sniggers from colleagues. Not even a double sausage and egg mcmuffin will save you. My plan of action is to not treat it as a party with your friends. Work colleagues will not appreciate your dirty sense of humour and maybe drinking three bottles of white wine to yourself will leave a bad impression. Try to have a little bit of an air of professionalism. It's still work! Also a Christmas party is never the time to ask your boss for that pay rise. Never. Wear something you feel comfortable in and you'll be ready to hit the ground running. Just make sure you don't take it literally.

Read more

5 ways to switch off after work

1. Scrapbooking
If you're anything like me, you love to collect bits and bobs from your adventures. Ticket stubs, leaflets, photo booths photos and odd knick knacks are all full of happy memories. So rather than stuffing them into a drawer, pop them in a scrapbooks. Make sure you arm yourself with some fuel - I'm loving Lovechock, a raw chocolate sourced from Ecuador. Instead of being roasted, the beans are cold ground. Natural Balance Foods are also a favourite at the minute. The Gingerbread flavour of the healthy snack bars is making me feel very festive! These delicious snacks are full of goodness so I don't feel so guilty about stuffing my face.  Settle down for an early night and take a trip through memory lane.

2. Paint your nails
I never feel more that I have my sizzle together then when I have pristine painted nails. There's just something about them that make me feel like I can take on the world. So I love nothing more then settling down after dinner, picking a colour from over a 100 nail polishes - I wish I was joking - and making my fingers look pretty. It's a great way to just forget about the world for a little while.

3. Life admin
There's just something about organising that gets me. I let my room/life get into a right old mess before something finally snaps and I'm on a mission to sort it all out. Nothing more rewarding them flopping down on your bed and realising that your life is in order. Tidy up that pile of papers sitting at the end of your bed, clear out some old clothes for eBay or get rid of those toiletries you ain't ever going to use.

4. Baking/cooking
As much as I hate to clear up, I feel most relaxed when I'm in the kitchen rustling something up. It doesn't have to be spectacular but cooking something from scratch always gives me a sense of achievement. You kinda get lost in the moment, forget about all your troubles of the day and have some very tasty - hopefully! - to eat by the end of it. Plus who doesn't like cake? If you don't, I'm judging. Soz.

5. Pamper night
We all need a little 'me' time and sadly it seems to be non-exsistant. Weekdays are always spent rushing around like a headless chicken, trying to squeeze 25 hours into 24 hours before collapsing in bed exhausted. Instead, take a step back and give yourself some TLC. A TLC soundtrack is optional. Light some candles, hunt out your favourite face mask and settle down with a good book. You'll feel a hundred times better.

How do you switch off from work?

Read more

OOTD: Mustard roll neck jumper

Outfit:
Mustard roll neck jumper: Tu at Sainsburys (similar)
Striped shift dress: Tu at Sainsburys (Similar)
Khaki trench coat: Primark (similar)
Suede heeled ankle boots: Ravel via TK Maxx (similar)

Feeling slightly sixties in this get up. And I have my knees on show. Scandalous! Supermarket clothes have really upped their game recently. It's always decent quality, reasonable prices and quite nifty. I'm loving a roll neck under dresses recently. Nothing quite like feeling as snug as a bug when you brave the elements.

Life has been pretty crazy the past few weeks. I think I've forgotten what sleep feels like. But crazy is good. I like to be kept on my toes. I've been freelancing in West London for nearly three weeks which is about as far away as Australia from my house. But it's been fun. I've learnt lots and really enjoyed it. I realised I love working in an office. I love the socialising, the atmosphere and the fast pace. It's been a good change. I've now got a week off to recover before I'm back again for the next three weeks to do it over again. So this week I'm going to sleep. Lots.

Read more

Review: The Force Of Destiny opera, Coliseum

Last week I got to tick something off my bucket list and took a trip to the opera. The English National Opera to be precise. Isn't the Colisseum absolutely breathtaking? I always feel like such a fancy pants when I visit a grand theatre and get lost in a dream world imagining all the people who have visited in the past.

I managed to catch The Force of Destiny*. During wartime a dying man curses his daughter after he was accidentially killed by her lover. Her brother swears revenge and she is forced into hiding. As you can imagine it was very dramatic and emotional. I was blown away by the beautiful, powerful voices and it gave me goosebumps.

Now it isn't for the lighthearted at nearly four hours long, but with two intervals It's very much doable. Just means you have to have double the ice cream!

If you can't fit in the opera before Christmas then save your money for Norma - coming to the stage 17th Feb. There are at least 500 tickets at each performance priced under £20 so grab yourself a bargain!

Read more

5 tips to help you sleep better

1. Make your bed cosy. Make it into a little haven that you can call your own. So invest in some gorgeous bed covers, pop some pretty fairy lights around the headboard and pop some cushions on your bed. It makes getting into bed even more inviting than usual.

2. Invest in a lavender pillow spray. I always scoffed at the thought of these. But boy do they work. There's something very relaxing about snuggling into your pillow and breathing in a floral fragrance to help wash all the troubles of the day away.

3. Good pillows are everything. They can be the difference to waking up a grouch or waking up full of zest to face the day. I personally prefer some nice and firm on top with a soft feather pillow underneath for the contrast. This Zonal Support Pillow from sleepy people.com* offers next support and holds its shape perfectly. I find with feathers they  get too scrunched up throughout the night and I wake up like a bear with a sore neck.

4. Switch off and opt for a book instead. I find getting lost in a good book makes my eyes droop and I fall asleep a lot quicker. Staring at your phone can strain your eyes and make you feel completely wide awake. Give yourself some down time. Your body will thank you in the morning when you wake up fresh as a daisy.

5. During the week try and go to sleep at the same time. It's easier said then done thanks to Netflix but it can really help your tired eyes. Get into a routine and it will help your quality of sleep. Hopefully you should wake up without an alarm which is always nice!

Do you have any tips to share?

Read more

Learning to trust your gut

Pressure. A concept that can push you under the water and making it feel like you're frantically paddling trying to keep your head above the water. A concept that can force you into making decisions not always in your best interest. A concept that can make you full of regrets.

Over the last few week I've been faced with some tough decisions to make about the possibility of my future. At the moment my future feels so uncertain. So up in the air. I've not know if I'm coming or going. Freelance is tough. Tougher than I ever thought it would be. But I don't want to take opportunities for the sake of it. I want to take them because they feel right.

I've not known if I'm shooting myself in the foot in turning opportunities down in the hope that something would come off or if it I'm doing the right thing and will soon be rewarded. But when I thought about it deep down I realised that although I'll be faced with the total unknown, my gut was telling me that it was the right thing to do. Instinct is a powerful thing. It can help you make the correct decision. Not for anyone else. But for you. The most important person.

No one knows you better than yourself. After all, you've lived with yourself since day dot and have grown as a person over the years. You know what you want from life. What you truly want to do. No one else is living your life. So trust that little voice in your head. It knows what it's talking about.

Read more

Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Chicken Tikka Masala

I'm trying very hard to get my eating habits back into a good place recently. I'm following a simple, healthy eating plan during the week which helps me to indulge over the weekend. I find 80:20 is the key  - I've lost 6lbs in just under a month. As a result I'm cooking Slimming World dinners during the week. A little while ago I was invited along to see the new launches of Slimming World products in Iceland. I'm already a huge fan of the range so was pretty excited to see they've introduced two new sauces to help make things a little easier in the evening. A chunky tomato and tikka masala - both which can be adapted to make so many different dishes. This recipe taken from a booklet available in the Iceland stores was a surefire hit and one I'm going to make time and time again. I've slightly adapted it to pop in my favourite veggies.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 pots of Slimming World Spicy Tikka Masala Sauce, cooked according to packet instructions*
1 courgette, cut into chunks
1 onion, sliced thinly*
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips*
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips*
1 bag of ready cut butternut squash and sweet potato
1 can of butter beans
1 pack of cherry tomatoes*
200g of baby spinach*
Frylight
Brown rice to serve

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees/ Fan 200 degrees/Gas mark 7.

2. Start cooking the brown rice.

3. Spray a large roasting tin with frylight and scatter the prepared vegetables. Season to taste, toss well and pop in the oven. Roast for about 20 minutes, remembering to turn halfway through.

4. Meanwhile, tip the cook tikka masala sauce into a large saucepan, add the butter beans and heat through over a medium heat.

5. Add the cooked roasted vegetables and spinach to the mixture in the pan, simmer until the spinach is wilted. Add some water if you want a thinner sauce.

6. Serve with brown rice and tuck in!

As always I would love to know if you decide to rustle it up. Drop me a tweet to let me know!

Read more

Review: Mangal 1.1, Shoreditch

A few weeks ago I was invited along to try the newly launched Mangal 1.1 Turkish restaurant in Shoreditch. Located inside the Bedroom Bar, the cosy restaurant is the newest eatery in the company. Mangal already has a fierce reputation in the city and is well known for it's delicious, mouth-watering dishes. So I knew I was in for a very tasty night night indeed.

I met Lily outside after work and we settled down for a Turkish feast and to put the world to rights. What a feast we were treated too! First a selection of delicious mezze with endless chunky warm bread. Dishes of creamy hummus, cucumber and yogurt cacik and a spicy tomato ezme salata were eagerly moped up with the bread.

It wasn't long before a fresh salad was placed on the table and a generous portion of juicy seasoned meat appeared. Lamb koftas, chicken cheese, lamb chops, spicy chilis and slabs of tender beef were all piled high on a plate with floury wraps for us to make our very own kebab. The meat was perfectly cooked and melted in your mouth. The lamb chops were a personal favourite.

The meal was finished off with sweet baklava. Layers upon layers of crispy, sweet filo pastry filed with syrupy pistachio nuts. Just the ticket to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Mangal is expertly priced especially for Shoreditch. It's a great place to go with friends, we never felt rushed and as a result managed to have a long-awaited catch up. I really do dislike this 2 hour limit on tables in London. They also offer a takeaway service so you can enjoy it in the comfort of your own home.

Thanks for such a lovely evening Mangal 1.1. I'll be back!

 68 Rivington St London, Greater London EC2A 3AY

Read more

Alternative advent calendars

Over the last few years the trend for alternative advent calendars are really seemed to pick up. Chocolate ones are becoming old hat. Arran Aromatics* have brought the perfect one for beauty fanatics. What a fabulous treat it was!

Filled with 25 gorgeous smelling miniature body lotions, candles, soaps, bubble soaks and shower gels, it's the perfect daily treat. The calendar retails at £40 but it has a value of £60, making it great value for money. I can't wait to light the candles - the grapefruit one smells amazing! Available both online and John Lewis, you best be quick treating yourself to one as only 1000 are available.

Another advent calendar is a tea one from Victoria Mae Designs*. Oh my gosh, the smell when I opened this package was intense. I wanted to gulp them all down at once!

Priced at £19.50, 25 gorgeous teabags come packaging in a cute little brown box. All the tea is sourced from a local British tea company and comes in handmade paper pouches. A lovely little treat to start each morning with in December.

Read more

5 ideas for a cosy evening

I don't know about you but now the nights are getting darker and the air is getting colder, I'm looking to hibernate. Once I get home after my commute into the city, I'm straight into my snuggly pyjamas and locking up for the night. Staying home doesn't have to be boring, use the time to have concentrate on making your soul feel happy.

1. Films and chocolate. Could there be any better combination? I love nothing more than popping my favourite film or boxset on - Peaky Blinders may have been watched about four times over the last few weeks - and snuggling under the duvet with a good box of chocolates. My favourites ones of late have been these delicious Lindt limited edition orange lindor truffles*. I may or may not have scoffed a whole box as I was drooling over Cillian Murphy with a cup of Tetley's new Super Fruit Boosts cup of tea*. Even with a razor blade sewn in his hat, he's still a babe.

2. If you can't face going out on a Friday night after a long week at work, invite your BFF round for a slumber party. Order in your favourite takeaway, get under the covers and prepare to chatter the night away. Sometimes the best tonic is your friends. They are just as weird and wonderful as you are.

3. I live for long, bubble filed baths with a bit of Craig David on Spotify to take away my troubles. Light your favourite candles, grab your most gorgeous smelling hair mask and warm up your vocal chords for an evening of bath singing and soaking. You'll get out feeling refreshed and ready cosy up in fleecy pyjamas.

4. Ban technology for the night - yes even the addictive Instagram - and switch off. I promise you'll sleep so much better and make a start on that pile of unread books on your shelf. Get lost in a world of make-believe and before you know it it'll be time to enter the land of nod.

5. Pop to the supermarket and stock up on marshmallows, squirty cream and Cadburys hot chocolate to make yourself the hot drink of dreams. Pile those fluffy balls of goodness sky high and sip away your troubles. There's nothing a good cup of hot chocolate in front of the telly can't solve. We all deserve a treat in winter time.

What do you do to make the dark nights seem less daunting?

Read more