in hindsight...

I really love vintage and always have. One of my dreams growing up was to move to LA and open my own thrift store, it would be so awesome. And so, I've been scouring for some beautiful festival ready bits and bobs for when my besto and I fly to Benicassim (YESSS!!!) and I came across this brand - Hindsight Vintage - and saw their super cool vintage sunglasses collection.

My brother (the dude in the snap) got a pair too, and look how sick they are!

I'm literally obsessed with the blue, it looks so amazing in snapchats (I think I sent 15,000 the first day I got the sunnies in the post)... Do you blame me?

Anyway, they have a great selection of styles and they are all genuine vintage - I would suggest getting a move on to buy some 'cause they are limited edition. Click here to see their range on Asos... go go go!

Caffeine wars with Vivid Drinks

I decided to take part in the Vivid Drinks 5 day switch-your-coffee-for-matcha-tea-challenge since I am a coffee gremlin who simply can't get any work done unless I've had my cup'a Joe.

So, I saw the challenge and decided to look into the beauty of matcha tea and found a list of the ridiculous health benefits it can give which include, increased concentration (YES!) and can keep you calm (YES!)

And, what two things do you need at work, eh? Concentration and calm? Yeah me too.

At this point I'm pretty much screaming, 'GIVE ME THE MATCHA!' For ultra-health, I went for the unsweetened bottles.

Day One: Thursday
I'm going to admit it, I already missing the taste of my soy sugar-free-vanilla latte. Although the matcha tea isn't vile, it isn't a Starbucks. In fairness I tried Chlorella powder for a few weeks, and that was NASTY, this is super tame vs that. Mid- afternoon I usually have my first coffee slump and need a top up, surprisingly, today I'm not slumping. This is good.

Day Two: Friday
What on earth?!I went cycling AND swimming BEFORE work today. I usually struggle getting up on the best of days but today I was up and out at 6am - best part, I didn't suffer for it later on in the day. The taste also seems better today.

Day Three: Saturday
Today, the weather was stunning and I had plans later on to watch Batman Vs Superman (hiya no1 cinema/superhero geek) and a friends housewarming party. Again I was up, dancing, jumping, all into the early hours of the morning; no need for a pre-party nap.

Day Four: Sunday
The head was a little dull this morning after the late night, but up and into the garden with my matcha green tea and honestly, no joke, within the hour I was back to normal. This is a drink of gods.

Day Five: Monday
I have this horrendously long day of meetings and events, and the initial thought of not having my coffee breaks does make me a little glum, however, the reality is so different. I flew through my diary with no issues; I feel awake, I feel motivated, I am working well today.

So I completed the 5 day challenge with not a drop of coffee. I felt great. Back into day to day, I will be continuing with the matcha tea, but I will be adding in a coffee here and there. 

I now challenge you to do the matcha green tea 5 day challenge...

Check out Vivid Drinks full range

It's a Celeriac, celeriac so--oo-oo-up

In my opinion, homemade soup is probably one of the easiest and healthiest meals to make; there is no skill or expertise required.

To mix it up, I've been trying a few different veggies and spices, adding a bit of uniqueness to my bowls. My most recent is this chilli celeriac soup - which turned out to be a delicious dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole celeriac
• 1/2 floret of broccoli
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 stick of lemon grass
• 1 large onion
• 5 stalks of celery
• 1/2 a swede 
• Spices: 
• half tea spoon chilli powder
• two cloves of garlic
• chilli flakes
• salt and pepper

What's the process?

1. Cut ... into small pieces
1. celeriac
2. broccoli
3. onion
4. celery
5. swede
2. Peel the top layer of lemon grass off and bruise with a knife
3. Boil water with the vegetable stock cube
4. Put the veg and lemongrass in the water/stock and boil until the veg is soft 
5. Remove the lemongrass
6. Put the water and the veg and put in a blender
7. Sprinkle in chopped garlic, pepper, salt and the chilli powder
8. Blend until its the consistency you would like: longer for smooth, shorter for chunky
9. Serve up and sprinkle chilli flakes on top (I sprinkled pumpkin and sunflower seeds on too)
10. Let the soup warm your insides - perfect for these last few cold nights before spring officially comes.

(This makes 4 portions - calories per portion: 96: and 0000000000% badness)

How can I burn this back off in 10 minutes?

• Do aerobics using an 8 inch step
• Carry heavy boxes or move furniture
• Rapid ice skating

(Based on a 150lbs person)

Teami 30 day teatox: day 1

Yesterday I started the Teami Tea 30 day teatox and I am so excited! 

Firstly, not only does it taste good, it looks good; all the little leaves expand and look so pretty, like a Chinese flowering tea. The packaging was also appealing to the eyes, and comes with a great little info card with a calendar. If you're more tech than paper, there's a great app too! You input some simple data, such as your height and 'before' photographs and it sends you notifications when to drink your teas. Now that's handy!

So, wish me luck, and if you want to get on board and try out some Teami products - to get 10% off just use the code FORTELLER10. Click here to buy the 30 day detox!

Tropical muffin magic

Yesterday I spent a lovely afternoon making these guilt-free muffins. They were simple, quick and delicious!

There are all sorts of variations you can make - mixed berry, cacao, orange and plum - the possibilities are endless, just switch 'My fruit base' and 'My topping' for whatever you fancy; the fun is in the testing.

Ingredients:

• The 'batter'
• 4 small bananas
• 3 eggs
• My fruit base 
• 8 physalis
• 1 passion fruit
• 1 apple
• My topping
• 4 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• 1 tablespoon poppy seed
• 1/2 squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Sweet Freedom fruit syrup

What's the process?

1. Blend the bananas (I used a nutri bullet)
2. Crack the eggs and spoon out the passionfruit
3. Add both into the banana mixture then blend together
4. Cut apple the apple into small half circles and spread evenly in 8 section muffin tray
5. Put one physalis in the centre of each section of the muffin tray
6. Pour the banana/egg/passionfruit evenly over the 8 sections
7. Bake in a pre-heated 200degree oven for 12-15 mins until golden brown
8. Whilst the mixture is baking, put the desiccated coconut, poppy seeds, squeezed lemon and syrup in a bowl and mix
9. When the muffins have been removed from the oven and cooled, spoon the topping over the muffins and enjoy!

(This makes 8 mini muffins - calories per serving: 110... and guilt-free!)

If this was a little afternoon treat and you'd like to burn it back off, do one of these activities:

• 20 minutes of vacuuming and dusting
• 20 minutes of gardening
• Instead of sitting down, stand up whilst working for 1 hour

(Based on a 150lbs person)

Cauli-power

So I've been really interested in making a Spanish potato tortilla (you know, the bake thing made of eggs, not a tortilla wrap), but I've been doing a no complex carbs week - therefore, I swapped the potato for cauliflower. 

This is a surprisingly filling dish that is so quick and easy to make and, it easily fed 4 people.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cauliflower about 4 inches diameter 
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 3 shallots 
• seasoning of your choice: I used Himalayan salt, crushed black pepper and paprika.

Whats the process?

1. Blend the cauliflower until it looks like cous cous
2. Mix the eggs in with the cauliflower 
3. Add healthy amounts of salt (Himalayan) and pepper (black, crushed)
4. Put into an oven proof container
5. Cut the shallots in half and lightly place on top of the mixture
6. Lightly place the cherry tomatoes into the mixture
7. Put the container in a pre-heated 180degree oven until it browns up:
1. push a knife in the center to check if the mix is ready: the knife will be clear if done, have mixture on if not
8. Take the container out and leave to cool for about 10 mins
9. Finally, serve.
1. I served mine with a healthy dashing of paprika, Greek side salad... and a bucks fizz; why not, eh?

(This makes 4 servings - calories per serving 104 - not including the Greek salad and bucks fizz)

If you're crazy and want to burn those 104kcals back off (why?!?!?!?!?!) then partake in one of these activities:

• Do yoga for 20 mins
• Play Frisbee for 30 mins
• Weed your garden for 18 mins
• Wash your car for 20 mins
• Spend 40 minutes cleaning up everyone's dishes from this delicious meal you made them... joke, they can do the washing up!

(Based on a 150lbs person)

Co-co-nuts!

I'm absolutely ecstatic. This ridiculously easy recipe has set my mood to kid-in-a-candy-shop crazy!

1. Throw... in a blender. 
• 3 frozen bananas
• 150ml of thick coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon of manuka honey
2. To be a fancy pants, spoon the ice-cream into a cracked coconut.
3. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut or cacao nibs or whatever you fancy.
4. As you devour your creation, feel the happiness surge through your body.

(This makes 3 servings - calories per serving: 211 - but absolutely no badness!)

As you can see above, my friend Chris enjoyed his with cacao nibs, poppy seeds and a sprinkle of cacao powder; he was a happy guest.

If your conscious of the calories and would prefer to burn the ice-cream back off, just do one of these exercises:

• cycle for 23 mins
• walk for 40 mins
• climb stairs for 20 mins
• dance for 40 mins
• squat for 15 mins

(Based on a 150lbs person)