2-ingredient Banana Pancakes! Gluten-free and full of protein

I really cannot get enough of these. If you have a load of overripe bananas left then this recipe is perfect to use them up. As they only contain bananas and eggs we can say they are a healthier 'cheat' version of normal ones with a lower amount of calories. Plus, they are gluten free, flourless and full of protein - what more could you want? After making these I can assure you you will not want to make proper pancakes ever again (......they would seem like too much hassle) and while eating these you can even kid yourself you are having one of your 5-a-day. Enjoy.

Ingredients: 
1 ripe banana
2 eggs

1) In a bowl mix the eggs first gradually adding slices of the banana, making sure it is well mashed and mixed together.
2) Put some oil in your frying pan and place in on medium heat.
3) Scoop some the batter in there, and waiting for about 30 seconds (or when the middle starts to bubble) flip it over letting the other side cook.

Done!!!

I ate mine with cookie ice cream which is kind of defeating the objective (oops), but you could also add fruit or anything else you fancy ontop of these lovely pancakes. Comment below telling me what you like to eat with them!

xx

P.S: I'm going on holiday for about 3 weeks and probably won't be able to post during this time, so everyone have a nice summer. I will be back!!

Longer, luscious hair in 7 easy steps!

A few changes to your lifestyle could totally change the look of your hair - who knew? If you want loner, lustrous locks keep reading!

1- Watch the products you use!
Some shampoos contain such harsh chemicals that can remove the natural oils in your hair and scalp, leaving them dry and brittle. This could cause damage in the long term as the hair would grow much thinner. Beaware of Sodium lauryl sulfate, a substance found in many shampoos but also in dish soap, it is very harsh on your scalp!

2-Use treatments
Applying warmed coconut oil to your hair for 5-10 minutes makes a great hair mask. It will need to be washed out a few times, but the results will be shiny, healthy hair- promised! Do it a couple of times every month, and there will be a significant growth spurt in you hair.

3-Regular trims
Approximately cut an inch every few months,to get rid of split and dry ends. Some say it is the secret to what makes it look so healthy, so it's worth to give it a try!

4-Use less heat
Always favour drying your hair naturally rather than using hair dryers and straighteners as they can make hair fragile and create split ends.

5-Food
Growing hair is caused by the amount of blood flow that reaches the roots, so can be controlled by what we eat. Vitamins, minerals and water can all favour hair growth, so be sure to get plenty of them!

6- Scalp massage
Lastly, you can also stimulate the follicles by giving yourself a massage on a regular basis. Afterwards use cold water which helps close pores and prevent breakage.

Hope these tips are helpful!

xx

Good foods to give you a boost

With Summer soon arriving and many of us having to sit through exams in the next few weeks, this is not the ideal situation to be in. Its normal that we feel tired and in need of a break. Are you guilty of eating too many unhealthy treats to keep you going throughout the day? I know I am! So here is a list of my favourite yummy foods that are also good for your health and energy levels. Enjoy!

Natural yoghurt- Contains lots of calcium and healthy bacteria to support your immune system. Is also fat burning so is good eaten daily.

Nuts- Have many nutrients and healthy fats which keep your skin, hair and nails looking good. A fistful contributes to your 5-a-day and will keep you full until you next meal, as it is full of protein and fibre.

Oats- My favourite breakfast must be porridge! They are low fat and offer slow release energy which keep you feeling full until lunch time. Check out my previous post on them!

Blueberries- Famous for making you 'clever' they are considered to be a super food with a high level of antioxidants. This supports your immune system as it fights all the free-radicals which want to attack your body.

Green tea- Used traditionally in Chinese medicine to treat anything from headaches to depression, this is also considered to be a super food by many. It speeds up metabolism and is anti-inflammatory.

Dark chocolate- Low in sugar so is much better than milk and white chocolates. Likewise to other foods listed above, it is high in antioxidants and releases endorphins, which are good for your brain and heart. Vitamins and minerals can also still found, improving your general health.

Lastly, even if this is not food, it is still extremely important....

Laughing- Known as the best medicine as it releases endorphins, relaxing the whole body. Good for your general health as it lowers stress, depression and heart problems. Did you know that laughing for only 10 minutes a day can boost your metabolism for a whole 12 hours?

Also remember to drink lots of water and sleep well, giving you plenty of time to complete tasks.

Good luck x

Banana and Chocolate Oat Cookies

After Easter the abundance of Easter eggs in my house was just getting too much, so I had to find a way to use up all the chocolate. 

What did I do? 

I found a very simple egg-free, wheat-free and banana-full recipe which is so quick it hardly requires any weighing.

Here it is:

3 ripe bananas

100g melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large handfuls of porridge oats

handful almonds, ground or chopped

2 handfuls of dried fruit

a pinch of cinnamon

100g chocolate, chopped into little bits

Makes about 25

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

2. In a mixing bowl mash the bananas, add the melted butter and the vanilla, giving everything a good mix.

3. Fold in the rest of the ingredients.

4. Space out the cookies on the baking sheet so there is enough space for them to expand. Roughly the size should be about 2 tsp each. 

5. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden. 

They are best enjoyed when warm!

xxx

Oats!

 Starting the day with a bowl of warm oats is one of my favourite breakfasts. Adding them to pancakes, muffins or even using them in my peanut butter cookies makes them so much healthier. But did you know they also have various skin benefits?

Oats play an important role in fighting acne or dryness. They are anti-inflammatory and absorb dirt, getting rid of all impurities. When applied to skin, if helps it form a protective barrier, reducing symptoms of itchiness, dryness and rashes. Even the Ancient Arabs and Egyptians believed they made you beautiful!

Make a simple face mask by mixing 30g oats, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1tsp honey, and 30ml water. Apply to a damp face for 15 to 20 minutes. Interested in more face masks? Click here and  for a collection of them!

You can also make a moisturising face scrub by finely grounding 1tbsp of them and mixing them with a finely ground tbsp of almonds. Add some water and use.

They are also a natural cleanser- when wet with lukewarm water they release a milky liquid that can be applied to the face. Pore size will become significantly smaller and leave your skin feeling silky.

Did you know of their various uses? Comment below!

How to ......Zzzzzzzzzzz

Mock exams have filled my past week with revision and I know most people think it is very stressful. Switching off to go to sleep can be hard, so I have put together the tips I think work best.

Don't you just love these? - Sold here

1) Don't Clock Watch
Counting down the hours you have left to sleep (I'll get 3 hours if I fall asleep now..)will make you panic. Don't look at your alarm, and if you do wakeup, tell yourself its 2am. You will stop panicking and be able to get a few hours of sleep before you get up.

2) Turn Down The Heat
Cold temperatures make you fall asleep more easily than hot ones.Your body temperature also drops when you are asleep, rising only when you start to wakeup again. If you are then cold, grab a pair of socks and hot water bottle.

3)Thought Blocking
Do you know why they say you should count sheep to get to sleep? It is a word with no emotional connotations and so can help you distract from your worries. Repeat it over in your head for about 3-5 minutes and you will feel much calmer.

4)Keep A Routine
If you get to sleep and wakeup every morning at roughly the same time, your body will start getting used to it, expecting sleep at those hours.

5)Blackout
Make sure it is completely dark when your get to sleep. Invest in an eye mask if necessary.

6)Don't Hit The Snooze Button
Getting up straight after the alarm goes off automatically lifts your mood, so will make you face your day better.

Sleep well!! xx

Review | Graze Boxes + FREE box for you!

...just arrived

A few weeks ago I got given a voucher for one of these great snack boxes, and I just fell in love with them! For the people that don't know about graze, they are a company that send healthy snacks to you in the post. All the boxes are nutritionally balanced, with different types to choose from to suit your needs. The boxes are also 100% recyclable and each one fits through the letter box. If you want to try it out and get your 1st, 5th and 10th one free click on this link, there is no commitment and you can cancel any time!

As soon as you sign up you get asked to rate the snacks and get sent four of them, plus a booklet detailing its nutritional information. Favourites from my first box must be the Honeycomb Crunch which had coated milk chocolate, raisins and almonds and also the Cookies and Cream with mini chocolate cookies, roasted hazels, white chocolate buttons and sunflower seeds.

From my second box I loved the Garden of England dried fruits and the Fruity Mango Chutney! 

Overall these boxes have been a great hit in my family, especially with my parents, which, food-wise are very hard to please. They offer a great alternative to snacking on crisps and cookies, making a satisfying snack on-the-go. I await every box with excitement as I am just too curious to taste all the snacks they have.

Remember to click on the link here to get your free boxes!

xxx

Microwave Muffins

The past week for me has been a school holiday so I've had lots of spare time- guess how I've decided to spend it? Not doing something productive like revising for exams, finishing some work or getting on with chores, but experimenting in the kitchen! I am so good at procrastinating. 

Some time ago I found some very quick and easy recipes of Microwave muffins that used only a couple of ingredients, and was intrigued. There was no need to use flour or any baking powder as they used oats instead, and everyone saying how lovely they tasted. 

Here's what happened when I tried:

First try (Chocolate and Blueberries): The original recipe I found was 4tbsp oats, 1 egg, handful of berries, 2tsp sugar, 2tsp cocoa powder. The egg and cocoa powder in this one tasted weird, so decided one had to be removed.

 Second try (Blueberries): Even if I removed the cocoa powder I realised the egg was what it was making it taste odd, so had to find something to replaced it with.

Third try (Apple and Cinnamon):  At this point I didn't just run out of berries :( but it also BURNT. I used oil instead and cooked it for the normal 2-3 minutes- it just didn't work.

Fourth try (Banana and Rolos): This was LOVELY. I used 4 tbsp oats, half a banana, 2 tbsp milk and a handful of rolos, mixing well in the mug. I put in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until it was firm. The banana and oats make a nice shell on the outside and when cut into all of the nice chocolate and caramel sauce came out.......divine.

One thing I have learnt this week is NEVER add egg to a microwave muffin. On the other hand, I have found a great quick dessert to make from scratch which I am very happy about.

Have you ever tried making a microwave muffin?

Peanut Butter and Rolo Oat Cookies

Being a massive How I Met Your Mother fan, ever since the beginning of this last season of the show I have had an obsession for finding the perfect peanut butter cookies. They were named the 'sumbitches' and had a combination of peanut butter, caramel and chocolate, managing to calm Lily down as she made her way through them.

Partly inspired by Lorraine Pascale's recipe in 'A lighter way to bake' I think I have found the one. Soft and chewy with delicious melt-in-the-mouth caramel bits, they are not to be consumed everyday. However this recipe does try to make them lighter and healthier with oats, and and a minimal amount of added sugar. These might not posses the seemingly magical properties the 'sumbitches' had, but nonetheless are a delight to munch through.

What you need:
175g crunchy peanut butter
50g caster sugar
1 large egg
50g self-rasing flour
50g oats
50g rolos
Splash of milk

Makes 12 cookies

1)Preheat oven to 170 C.
2) Grab a bowl and mix the peanut butter, sugar and egg with a fork or spoon, until a mixture is formed.
3) Gradually fold in the flour, oats and rolos, adding a splash of milk to make the mixing easier.
4) With a spoon or using your hands, divide the mixture into 12 equal parts, placing these on a baking tray lined with paper parchment. Bake for 10 minutes.

 xxx