Travel plans for 2016

The last few years have seen me visit as many countries as I possibly can. It's all that seems to enter my mind and I'm constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. 2016 is all done and dusted where travel plans are concerned. This year I really do need to knuckle down and save so I won't be venturing outside Europe. But I couldn't be happier.

So, where am I going?

The Cotswolds
So this trip may have been and gone but I couldn't not include it. You've probably seen the influx of pictures on Instagram! I'll do a more in-depth view in a week or so. Along with my favourite internet friends, we trudged off to The Cotswolds to stay in the most beautiful house for Sarah's birthday.

Image taken from Bow Dream Nation

Cologne
March sees me jet off to Germany for the second time. We spontaneously booked flights for a mere £20 and are staying in a lovely central hotel next to the river. This German city was never really on my radar but when I spotted the cheap as chips flights I couldn't resist. I completely fell in love with Germany when I visited Berlin so have high hopes for the country's fourth-largest city. We don't really have many plans apart from seeking out the cathedral, stuffing ourselves with schnitzels and wandering around the city aimlessly.

Image taken from ElevatorMusik

Copenhagen
I had booked this as a surprise for my boyfriend's birthday but got far too excited at my good deed that I spilled the beans. Just as well because I've heard it's expensive so he needs to start saving up! Scandinavia was never really on my list but it tops my boyfriend's bucket list so I was obviously the dutiful girlfriend. However, now I've absolutely dying to visit. I've been doing some research and realised the city is all about the FOOD. My kind of place. I'm expecting to come back four stone heavier.

Image taken from Lily Lipstick

Prague
Just a three weeks later and Prague is on the agenda. The first stop in a two week Eastern European adventure in August. Here I'll be spending three nights in the Czech Republic capital. Prague was the first holiday my boyfriend and I ever looked at and nine years later we're finally making it there. Took our time eh?! I've heard such amazing things about the city and can't wait to explore. I'm a sucker for a cute little old town oozing with history.

Image from Julian Weyer via Flickr via Pinterest 

Vienna

Next we'll be getting the train to Vienna for two nights. Oh Vienna! I definitely won't be singing that every hour... I've heard that this city really is quite beautiful and am looking forward to soaking up the historical culture. As a classically trained musician - I have many talents *ahem* - I'm looking forward to having a sneak peak into the musical history. Let's forget I haven't picked up my clarinet in about 6 years... I can still appreciate Mozart!

Image taken from The Blond Zebras

Bratislava
After Vienna we hope onto a boat and sail across the Danube river to the Slovakian capital. This small city was only really put in the itinerary because it's cheap and it breaks up the journey to Hungary. But I'm going to enjoy the two nights we have planned! I can't wait to explore and try some traditional Slovak food.

Image taken from Fat Frocks

Budapest
Finally the place I'm looking forward to the most. The Hungarian capital Budapest. This city has been on my travel wishlist for a good few years and I'm finally able to go. We have four nights in this city and I'm giddy with excitement. I want to relax in the famous baths, go on a bar crawl among the ruin pubs, visit the dictators in the park, walk across the dividing bridge and get lost in the old town. I really hope it doesn't disappoint!

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A Valentine's day love in

After nine years my boyfriend and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day and I'm actually away with the girls! Oops. But I do get drawn into the heart shaped food, the vibrant pinks and red and the beautiful flowers. After all, I am a girl! So to celebrate the day of love - because what do I love more than stuffing my face - these heart shaped scones will be perfect. Paired with this gorgeous bunch of red roses* from Blossoming Gifts, they make me one happy bunny. Even if you don't have a significant other, Valentine's Day flowers are always a winner. There's nothing to say you can't treat yourself once in a while. After all, you know your tastes inside out! Buy someone special - or yourself! - a bunch with my special discount code. Simply enter BGIFTS33 at the checkout - the only bouquets exempt are the flowers by post range.

No sweet treat is every complete without having a pretty tin to carry them in. Every bake needs a finishing touch. It's a good job this Orla Kiely set* made its way into my kitchen then. It makes the perfect gift for any baking fanatic and you get five - FIVE! - tins so that means lots of cake. Lot and lots of cake. Food is always the way to a girl's heart. Well this girl anyway! These scones fit in the bottom one perfectly.

Then finally ice cream. Haagen-Dazs Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream* was made for the day of love. Vanilla ice cream is blended together with crumbly biscuit and a tangy strawberry sauce. It really does taste as good as it sounds. It's best to get two as you won't want to share this beauty with anyone!

Recipe taken from good old Martha Stewart. She's a good 'un. As always, I'd love to know if you managed to rustle these up in the kitchen so drop me a tweet. Happy baking!

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The £3.50 ASDA wonky veg box - what can you make?

ASDA got in touch and challenged me to rustle up three recipes using their new Wonky Veg box. Priced at just £3.50, the cardboard box is full off seasonal vegetables. With the only snag being the fact they're all a little bit misshapen. But they taste perfectly fine! It's to encourage the public to waste less food and trying the imperfect vegetables that usually get thrown away.

So what did I make? Well I put together three different recipes and still have so much left over! The below menu fed five people comfortable. The only vegetables pictured below that were bought separate was the radishes and the spring onions and I didn't have many salad items. 

Prawn cocktail

Ingredients:
Half a cucumber
3 peppers
1 bag of radishes
1 pack of cooked king prawns
8 spring onions
5 heaped tbsp light mayo
4 tbsp tomato and chilli chutney
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp creamed horseradish
A splash of lemon juice

Method:
1. Mix the mayo, chutney, Worcester sauce, horseradish and lemon juice together to make the seafood sauce.

2. If you have one, used a spiralizer to create cucumber ribbons. Place the chopped salad nicely in a small glass bowl.

3. Place 5-6 prawns in the middle before pouring a couple of tablespoons of the sauce over the top.

Cottage Pie - taken from Hairy Bikers Dieters cookbook with a few weeks

Ingredients:
800g potatoes
3 leeks
150g low fat creme fraiche
500g extra lean mince
1 can of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp of tomato puree
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 parsnip
2 carrots
3 small onions
500ml of beef stock made with one stock cube
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cook the mince, parsnip, carrots and onions in a large dish for around ten minutes - until the meat has browned.

2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to the boil and then let it shimmer for around 40 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

3. Once the meat has been shimmering for around 20 minutes, peel the potatoes. Chopped into small chunks and cook them until they are soft.

4. Once the potatoes are nearly done, sautéed the chopped leeks for five minutes. They must be softened but not coloured.

5. Drain the potatoes, tip back into the pan and add the creme fraiche and leeks. Mash everything together until it is smooth. Preheat the oven to 200 - adjust accordingly.

6. Pour the beef mixture into an ovenproof dish and layer with the mashed potato.

7. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven or until the topping is lovely and golden. Serve with savoy cabbage or a veg of your choice!

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

I've actually made this before and posted the recipe on the blog.

Overall I was so impressed with the box and really couldn't believe just how many different types vegetables were in it. It's fantastic value for money and a great way to encourage people to eat healthier.

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