Review: Hello Kitty afternoon tea, Cutter & Squidge, Soho

At the beginning of July I joined some of my favourite girls, Hannah, Sarah, Michelle and Lily, for an afternoon of eating lots of cake and drinking endless cups of tea at the Hello Kitty afternoon tea. On offer until 31st August, Cutter and Squidge is hosting the first ever pop-up cafe in Europe dedicated to the iconic character. At £40 it isn't a cheap afternoon tea by any means but you do get an awful lot of cake and savoury treats to savour with the option to refill if you wish. Which we did. Obviously. So, what did we get to eat?

Starting with a cute milk bottle of sweet pink lemonade, I opted for a pot of white peach loose tea to keep me refilled throughout the afternoon. My eyes grew as wide as saucers when the waitress put all our treats in the middle of the table. Following tradition we started in the selection of savoury sandwiches first. Cucumber and cream cheese, hummus and pepper, cheese and red onion and salmon and chive were all on the menu. The cheese and red onion sandwiches were divine and I made sure I asked for a second round of these. The generous fillings got a massive thumbs up from me.

After we had scoffed all the sandwiches it was time to try out the sweet treats. My favourites were the sweet strawberry milkshake biskie, rich white cake truffle and the decedent Kitty's chocolate mud pie. With so many sugar-filled concoctions, it was a welcome relief to try the savoury cheese scones with delicious red pepper relish and cream cheese. In fact, I think these were my favourite part. The scones had a lovely crunch yet fluffy middle and the subtle cheese flavour help to give them something a little special. A special shout out to the juicy strawberries with a creamy chocolate dip - they were the perfect end to a wonderful afternoon.

I'll hold my hands up and admit I'm not really much of a Hello Kitty fan and only went along because I wanted to spend some quality time with the lads. But I had such an amazing afternoon and completely got caught up in the moment. The staff were attentive and helpful, the sheer amount of food on offer was amazing and despite a 1.20 hour slot, I didn't really feel too rush as they moved us to a different part of the cafe so we could continue with our nattering. It's quite a lot of money for something if you're not into the hype but if you are, you really can't miss out!

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How to visit Copenhagen on a budget

As much as I had a whale of a time visiting Copenhagen, the city isn't the cheapest of places I visited. I work in London and have the pleasure of paying through the roof for most things but the prices here made my eyes water. But I do believe it is possible to do the Danish capital on a budget AND still have an amazing time. In fact, when I visit again I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to ensure that I don't come back to London a pauper. Again.

Eating and drinking can be a killer on your wallet but you don't have to spend a fortune on filling up your belly. Copenhagen has a cracking food market which has everything you could ever dream off. Buy a few bits and pieces to enjoy a picnic in one of the many green spaces. Or even pick up some fresh food to keep at home and trying out some recipes. If you do prefer to eat out, Paper Island is great value for money. The street food market has cuisines from all over the world and average about £7-10 for a dish. They're pretty decent sizes too so they keep you feeling satisfied. It's such a great vibe down the canal. Although we only had brunch once, I really recommend taking advantage of the brunch scene in the city. Head for something to eat about 11am and you'll last until it's time for dinner in the evening. Eating out twice a day is a lot cheaper than eating out three times a day! I'd also avoid alcohol or just have one glass with dinner because it soon adds up. I'd buy a bottle of wine from the supermarket and enjoy it at home reminiscing about what you've done throughout the day.

Accommodation is something else that isn't cheap in the city. When I was looking into places to stay, the hotels were way out of my budget. The trip was my boyfriend's birthday present so I couldn't afford to pay those prices for the both of us. So I turned to my old favourite, Air BnB. I found an amazing Scandic-Chic apartment near Rosenborg castle at a pretty decent price. However, you can find cheaper apartments but I wanted something a little more special as it was a birthday treat. Renting an apartment is a great way to experience local life and save a bit of money on a trip.

Finally, another top tip is to avoid public transport to help save money. It's not the most compact of cities but it is quite easily to walk. The most we walked from one place to another was 40 minutes. But it didn't seem that long at all as you're marvelling at the city along the way. It's a great way to really get a feel of it and to stumble across sights that you may have missed on the metro. Getting taxis, buses and the metro can soon add up and start to become expensive. Why travel underground when there is so much to see on top?

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Recipe: Chicken and courgetti with kale pesto

I'm a massive fan of spiralizing vegetables so when Lakeland sent me the handy hand held spiralizer I set about making one of my favourite dinners with a twist. Courgetti, chicken, tomatoes and kale pesto. After a bit of a indulgent week, this is my dinner I always turn to so I can get back on track with the old healthy eating. The hand held sprializer is such a great gadget. It's so easy to use, quick and easy to store - it's in the sale now too!

Ingredients
85g curly kale
85g pine nuts, plus some to sprinkle
85g parmesan cheese
150g virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
A handful of cherry tomatoes on the vine
1 courgette
1 chicken breast
Spray oil

Method
1. Using the hand held sprizaliser, turn the courgette into noodles and set aside.

2. Pop the chicken breast under the grill to cook. Keep an eye out on it.

3. To make the pesto, put the kale, pine nuts, olive oil, sea salt and parmesan cheese into a food processor and give it a quick whirl until it resembles pesto. Keep in mind this makes enough for 12 servings so keep in the fridge in a air tight jar.

4. Spray a frying pan with the oil before popping in the courgetti and the cherry tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes before stirring in a tablespoon of pesto.

5. Transfer onto a plate before topping with the chicken and sprinkling over a few pine nuts.

It really is as simple as that! A really quick, healthy dinner when you feel like you've been eating too many burgers. As always, let me know on Twitter if you ever make it. I'd also love to hear about any other spiralized recipes you recommend.

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