smoothie with coffee and banana

I made another smoothie today. I wasn't planning on doing so but when a recipe calls for two bananas and you have two bananas on the kitchen side and they are beyond eating (too, too soft for me), then rather than throw them out, or give them to the birds (I have been told blackbirds like bananas but haven't tried this yet), I decided the right course of action was to follow this recipe, kindly mailed to me by Mademoiselle Poirot, after my initial foray into smoothie-ville.

I'll repeat the recipe here as my version differed very slightly, but I do recommend following the link above, not least because the photos that accompany the post are just what a breakfast smoothie should be about.

I don't have a photo of the smoothie I made today. This is partly because I was slightly surprised to discover that, in terms of colour, it was nearly exactly the same as the smoothie I made at the start of the month, that contained spinach. So at least I know I will make a third smoothie, one that is not brown...

This is what I did:

I added 2 heaped teaspoons of instant coffee (decaff variety) to what should have been 100ml of boiling water but was slightly more than that. I gave it a stir to dissolve and put it to one side.

I then added one roughly sliced banana to the blender, poured the coffee on top and gave it a blend. I then added 150ml of Alpro Hazelnut drink, and whizzed the mixture again. I then added the second banana. And blended. And finally I added 30 grams of oat meal (not oat bran as in the original recipe). And blended.

The little blender was at capacity at this point and not all the mixture remained inside it. In fact, it made quite a mess. Well, I made quite a mess. I think the trick is not to overfill and not to rush...

And the result? It looked chocolatey and coffeey, and smelt very bananay. I liked the texture (the oat meal didn't blend down much but added a nice touch, I thought), I liked the strong coffee taste, but this smoothie is definitely one for banana lovers as the taste and aroma were as strong as the coffee. The Alpro provided a subtle background and I'm going to try some on its own later. I did feel a little naughty about including something with refined sugar into a smoothie though. Tut tut. I think I may have done better with a little less banana, and I also think I need to check measurements before filling the blender so high next time...

fab freebies - ii

 Another little round up of some sweet and nice goodies I've found around the web these last few weeks. A few printables for Valentine's day, some wonderful sets of free fonts, a brilliant free ebook about body image, a calendar, a desktop for February, and a video which will hopefully raise a smile.

Very sweet (and unhealthy!) clip art.

I love puns but my other half really doesn't, so I will, with regret, not be using these free printables for Valentine's day from Jenn & Tonic, via My Owl Barn. (Do explore this site further and you'll also find free printables here, here, here and here. If you like owls and printables, you'll love this site.)

Free romantic fonts here and here. Better than a bunch of flowers. And no obligation to use them in any romantic way at all - they're just great fonts.

Check out the free download of The Body Stories on this page. Wonderful reading from inspiring women. The Bear Manifesto is very good too.

Still not sorted a calendar for the year out?  Ahem ... Then take a look at this template. All you need are your photos of choice.

Ladies - we all forgot to check. Check out this video and consider downloading the free reminder app. (Don't forget to watch the credits at the end!)

Casting around for an inspiring desktop for February? Check this one out. I adore it, and found it via this great site.

Quirky, even geeky Valentine's printables.

Some free romantic printables to say you love someone ...

Fed up with traditional Valentine's cards? Or just fed up with Valentine's day? Take a look at this selection of cards and feelings from the heart ...

Hope you find something that makes you smile this weekend - have a good one :)

drink more greens

I've been meaning to drink smoothies for a while. I've still not got around to it. I have a bag of frozen raspberries and blackberries in the freezer, just waiting for me. But I want to add greens to that, as I've heard that they give you far more benefits than 'sweet' smoothies, with a lower sugar content, and that they don't taste, erm, green , when mixed with sweeter fruit.

And so I've bought some fresh spinach. Because it's fresh it means I have to make the smoothie. And soon.

I'm not a big fan of spinach, and spinach is in a lot of green smoothies. But everyone says you can't taste it when it's in a smoothie. They do. It's true. So they say.

I've made a collection of recipes that I'm going to try, that I will try ... after all, if I don't then the frozen fruit will go out of date ... and the spinach will just wilt.

Prepare for a lot of green in this post.

This green apple smoothie is just the thing to get started with - after all, if its green, then it's apple, and not spinach, and so cannot taste at all of spinach...

This smoothie from The Culinary Chronicles has berries, Greek yoghurt ... and spinach.

Yes, this smoothie also has spinach in.
Also, the creator of this recipe has the best ever profile photo on her blog. And she promises you can't taste the spinach ...

Papaya is a main ingredient in this smoothie. Doesn't stop it still having spinach in it though. But you can substitute it for kale! I'm not sure if that's any better.

If you're serious about green smoothies then take a look at this 30 day challenge. I know I really should ...










Also, if you fancy reading about a whole year of green smoothie experiences, then check out this blog.


By the way, when researching this post I discovered some slightly more negative information about green smoothies. If you want to take a look at the other side of the argument, I found this post, this one and this one pretty helpful, but if you are embarking on a change of diet then do some searching around, and get yourself informed. I am no expert at all, but it seems that a bit of sense can go a long way in such matters ... and I can't believe a helping of greens a day can be less healthy than a chocolate bar and can of something fizzy which so many of us consume so regularly. I also believe that everything in moderation and a bit of variety in ingredients is a wise way to go.

For information on making sure your smoothie is healthy, have a look at this.

I'd love to hear your experiences of smoothies, green or otherwise, or if, like me, you've yet to take the plunge.

And this week, either I'll post about the smoothie I made, or I'll be too embarrassed to ever mention it again ...

scarves to keep warm by

The snow may have receded, for now, but it's still cold out. Even on sunny days, the wind is vicious and mean, creeping into your skin and chilling you. Plus, I have a bad neck, so scarves, more than ever, are important when I head out.

I saw one in a boutique the other day. I didn't buy it, but I wish I had done ...

Here are a couple I would also like to buy and a couple I would like to make. Unless I go back and get the one I saw in the shop ...

Savanna Scenery scarf by Ruche

Constellations Scarf created by A Beautiful Mess

Carmen Wong scarf by Plumo - on sale!

Buttoned up Infinity Scarf created by ps:heart

And here's a link with a great tutorial for making a handy scarf storage device - because, let's face it, they take up a lot of room if you just bunch them up. And then you can never find the one you wanted anyway ...

Spare clothes hanger? Left over shower curtain hoops? Here's what to do with them ...

If you're looking for more making inspiration, here's another great pattern here, and a few here too.

Hope you're keeping warm, super new scarf or just plain old one from the back of the cupboard ...

make my own ... diary

This is something I would love to do - make my own book. I have a book about bookbinding but it's pretty intense so I think I need to start more simply.

If you fancy creating your own diary for 2013, or a journal or notebook, then do have a look at some of these tutorials.


If you've already got a diary, or a book that's just a little bit boring, then have a look at this tutorial that shows you how to create a fabric cover for any book, with handy inner pockets too!

Not an easy project, but a stunning result with a leather-covered book. I guess you could substitute faux leather, or even fabric.

If you really want to get back to basics, then follow this tutorial to create the actual pages. Total crafting DIY and wonderfully satisfying. It's very high on my to-do list...

Create mini diaries - this tutorial is so simple, and since the books are so tiny you can use odds and ends of favourite materials you have lying around! The tutorial gives you three ways to make a journal - advanced, intermediate and easy breezy ... Take your pick or start at the beginning ...

And finally, if you know a little about Photoshop and fancy creating a travel journal, then take a look at this tutorial. I know my limits but this inspires me to stretch them ... beautiful.

Have you ever made your own diary? And did it encourage you to journal more? I hope you find something here to inspire you.

free owls throughout 2013...

A little something I came across on my web travels which is just so beautiful and generous I had to share it ... it's a complete 2013 calendar to print out, with your own choice of some delightful owl prints to adorn it, and it's totally free (ink and paper aside ...).

Here's the link, and I love it so much I'm putting the button for it into my sidebar. Oh yes.




For other free 2013 goodies, check out this earlier post I wrote.

make my own ... bag

I love bags. Adore them. Far more than shoes or boots. A bag will never pinch your toes, give you blisters, or make your feet ache.

They. All. Fit.

And I never throw a bag away, so I've had to be far more careful about buying new ones. Instead, I keep all my old ones (much to the horror of my other half), and bring them out when I need a certain look, depending on season or mood, or just fancy a change.

At the moment, I am (re-)loving a vintage Gap red berry suede slouch bag, but I have also discovered a world of bag-making opportunities and know that, when I eventually get a sewing machine (and figure out how to use it), more bags will be mine again ...

Here are some bag patterns that I've discovered, and that I'm holding onto, for when my sewing get-round-to-it is sorted out...

The pleated tote bag created by Ellen at The Long Thread


The reversible tote bag designed by Novita at Very Purple Person


The Grandview bag created by Emily at The Boy Trifecta


The Monk's bag designed by Mari at The Purl Bee


The bow bag created by Nat at Made By Night

Any favourites here? And anything you love that one day, some day, you just know you'll make your own? Do share!

pillow love

It's cold outside. The days are short and dark. I crave warmth, light, and comfort and nothing says comfort like a large, soft pillow, just right to be held as a barrier against the winter.

Here are some of my favourites, both to make and to buy.

|| 1. Pillow Art by Jenny Almen  

|| 2. DIY Mountain via Design Sponge (created by Merrilee Liddiard)  

|| 3. DIY upcycled sweater from Going A Little Coastal

|| 4. DIY upcycled sweater via Finger Prints on the Fridge (created by Hello from the Natos)

Please leave any links to any more adorable cushions - you just can't have too many...