Love is in the air

Outfit:
Quilted fair leather jacket - Zara (similar)
Burgundy heart printed shirt - Topshop (similar)
Denim midi skirt - Topshop
Burgundy patent loafers - Zara (similar)
Glass statement necklace - Primark (similar)

If you can't wear hearts on Valentines Day then when can you?! Following on from the £100 ASOS giveaway a few weeks ago, the Brit Pack have decided to carry on in our adventures and do a linked themed post once a month. This month is Valentines themed and click on the links to see the other girls take on the lovey-dovey holiday. There are some right corkers!

Have you got plans for Valentines tonight? There's an indoor picnic in front of the telly calling my name following a trip to see the Foals at Ally Pally and lunch at The Rum Kitchen on Saturday. I've been wanting to sample the restaurant for a long time so am excited to finally stuff my face!

 (l-r)Maria of Frills n Spills, Kim of What Peggy Said,Christina of Kimi and Me, Donna of Polka-dot Pink, Erica of Being Erica

(l-r)Rachel Of Rachel The Hat, Sophie of The Story of a Girl Who Lives Above Her Means, Sarah of A Million Dresses and Gemma of Fat Frocks

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Recipe - Caribbean Inspired Shepherd's Pie

I have a soft spot for Caribbean food, add some jerk paste into anything and it becomes 100 times better in my opinion. I had the idea of making a Caribbean inspired Shepherd's Pie after having a few sweet potatoes and some jerk paste hanging around. This recipe is a mixture from The Telegraph and Levi Roots. I really just made it up as I went along but it came out amazingly well. It's definitely something i'd make again as it's perfect for a cold winters night. It's really good for you too as it uses lean turkey mince and sweat potato - who says healthy has to be boring?

Serves 4 - 6 depending on how many vegetable sides and how hungry you are! 

Ingredients:

500g of lean turkey breast mince
2 large sweet potatoes
1 chopped red pepper
1 finely diced onion
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Up to 4 teaspoons of jerk paste depending on how you like your spice
Vegetables of your choice to serve - I had spinach and green beans

001. Peel the potatoes and chop into small pieces and boil for around 25-30 minutes until they're soft.

002. Pop the mince, onion and pepper into a large wok and cook for around 20 minutes until the mince is cooked throughout. Add the jerk paste and stir thoroughly.

003. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes.

004. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and mash them until they're nice and smooth. Pop the mince mixture in the bottom of a rectangular deep dish and layer with the mash on top. Fluff up the top of the mash with a fork.

005. Pop into the oven for about 10-15 until you're happy with the crispy top. It won't go too crispy, just a word of warning! 

006. Cut into equal slices and serve with the veg! 

Please do let me know if you try it out as i'd love to see some pictures! 

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Beauty: January Empties

001: No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser
Review here

002: Paul Smith Hold Tight Firm Hold Hairpsray c/o work beauty drawer
I am like a magpie and when I spotted this bright pink bottle peaking up from the depth of the beauty drawer I thought it was worth a shot.  It stated that it was a firm hold hairspray but it seems a bit flimsy to be unless of course you sprayed for a very long time. Then it turned a bit crispy. It wasn't the perfect partner for my curls but did the job if it was in a topknot. It's not the best product I've tried and I do think there are better hairsprays out there in the price point. It's not something I'd pick up and buy with my own money.

003: Schwarzkopf Osis+ Sparkler Finish c/o work beauty drawer
This was another product I picked up in the same binge at work - have I mentioned how much I love my job? I'm always a bit confused by shine sprays. They always remind me of the Emperors New Clothes - do they actually make a difference. Maybe it's because luckily I've never had dull hair and it doesn't need much of a boost to help it shine. A good shampoo does the job! Therefore I'm not convinced this made a difference at all.

004: L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-gloss Crystal Sparkling Conditioner
I picked this up as it was on offer in Boots and had tried a few L'Oreal shampoos and conditioner before. This was a good conditioner, nothing too ground-breaking but it kept my hair lovely and soft. I had to brush my hair before as it didn't cope well on knotted hair.

005: L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-gloss Crystal Sparkling Shampoo
This shampoo lathered up brilliantly and a little went a long well. It seemed like the bottle lasted forever! It was such good value for money and I did buy it again a few times. It did they job well and kept my hair in good condition. I'm onto something else now just for a change!

006: Witch Cleansing Lotion c/o
I won this from Witch Skincare's twitter in their Flawless Followers competition. This cleansing lotion did the treat. It was gentle around the eye area and took out the make up without too much rubbing. It doesn't beat my Bioderma but it did the trick. Well worth picking up if you're on a budget.

007: Marc Jacobs Daisy
I have gone through so many bottles of this I have lost count. It's always brought for my birthday from my nan. I think it's the perfect day time scent as it's not too heavy and smells lovely and fresh. I like to think of it as my signature now!

Have you tried any of these products?

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