New Beginnings

The next three months will be big for us as we'll be welcoming our second baby, and buying our very first house.  For the last six years we've lived above our work, our current home being a 600 year old dark and 'quirky' flat.  I've grown to love it, but for a while now we've dreamt of somewhere with some outdoor space and the countryside on our doorstep.  So we're trading in city-centre living for a small rural village, and a bit of separation from work.  I'm so excited to live in a new build, with floors and walls that are level and even a garden for the kids to play in (and maybe to host a BBQ or two as well!).

I'm currently loving soft grey-blues and whites, so when the boys gifted me this vase and candle for Mother's Day I was over the moon; I just can't wait to style our new house, to choose every piece of furniture, accessory and wall colour to create a home that is truly ours.  It feels like a dream come true and I'm looking forward to sharing it on here.

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Simple Cranberry Granola

This is a simple variation of my honey granola recipe with cacao nibs, and has me hooked at the moment.  It's still gluten, dairy and nut free, but instead of cacao nibs there's dried cranberries to add an extra sweet kick.

Fruit has so far been my main pregnancy craving, I just can't get enough! So a fruit flavoured yogurt topped with fresh banana, strawberries and this fruity granola is just heaven to me right now.  It's filling, sweet, and guilt free!

Recipe:

2 cups gluten free oats

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup dried cranberries (or as much as you'd like)

1/4 cup olive oil

3-6 tbs honey (depending on taste)

pinch of salt

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3 and line a baking tray with baking paper.  Combine all ingredients except the dried cranberries in a bowl and mix well, then spread evenly onto the baking tray.  Bake for about 20 minutes then stir the mix again to ensure the oats cook evenly, then bake for a further 5-10 minutes.  When the granola is ready it will be golden brown and crisp.  Allow to cool, then add the dried cranberries to the mix and store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

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Brockhole Garden Stroll & Lakeland Cruise

It's been a while since I last posted on here, a few weeks off quickly turned into a few months!  It became difficult to juggle real life and online life, and ultimately real life won.  So this blog is back but with a new name and a new look in the hope of simplifying my site and its intent, without the added pressure to do collaborations or to post each week and so on.  I just want to use this as a place where I can share the places I love, the food I enjoy and the pictures I'm proud of.

Today I thought I'd share a summer trip.

Summer in the North of England doesn't exactly mean sunshine, but it's fun nonetheless.  A few weeks ago the boys and I met some friends for a day out at Brockhole, in The Lake District.  The rain threatened all day but surprisingly we stayed dry, if not a little chilly!

Brockhole is a manor house turned Lake District Visitor Centre with over 30 acres of grounds that run right down to the shore of Lake Windermere.   We used to come here all the time when I was young, so it's always wonderful to bring Noah here to make some more happy memories with him too. With an adventure playground, a tree-top assault course, horse riding and boat hire to entertain the kids, as well as some beautiful gardens to stroll around, it's one of our favourite places to visit.

Brockhole

After a play on the park we strolled down to the lake to catch a boat cruise.  We took the Red Cruise, which goes from Bowness to Brockhole to Ambleside and back to Bowness.  You can jump on and off the boats at any of these stops throughout the day, or stay on for the full 70 minute ride.  If you want to beat the queues then Brockhole is definitely the best place to catch the boat - there's plenty of parking and no crowds to fight through, whereas Bowness can be utter chaos during the tourist season!

The Low Wood Hotel

Ambleside

Bowness

Lake Windermere is over 10 miles long, so these cruises are the perfect way to see all of the stunning scenery that surround it.  At each stop you can hop off to find a range of cafe's, pubs and shops.  If you stop in Ambleside, it's an absolute must to treat yourself to Chocolate Dip ice-cream! 

You might have heard that recently the area has flooded, leaving around 60,000 of us without power for days.  Many homes and businesses were affected, especially around the Lake District, with small communities like Ullswater becoming isolated.  I don't want to post pictures of the destruction, but rather of the beauty before the flood and which can still be enjoyed now the water has receded.  Don't let it put you off visiting!  The Lake District can be wild, and the weather can be unpredictable, but the community is wonderful and the area is beautiful beyond compare.

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That Summer Feeling

I just love summer time here in England.  The trees, the grass and the flowers all seem to burst into life overnight, and suddenly everywhere you look your view is filled with a hundred different colours; green branches hang over the roads while white flowers peek out between old stone walls, with churchyards and fields covered with a carpet of multicoloured wildflowers.

After weeks of rain, with the odd sunny day in-between, summer has finally decided to make an appearance here.  The boys and I have been making the most of it by spending as much time as we can out in the countryside, surrounded by fields and lakes, driving down winding country lanes, drinking lots of ice-cold elderflower cordial and hopping from one country cafe to the next.

I took my camera along one one such outing and can't wait to share the pictures, it was such an idyllic place.

For now, how a wonderful week ahead x

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Coconut Yogurt With Banana And Cinnamon

So I'm not sure if this really counts as a recipe, but as it's a something I've been loving recently I thought it was worth noting.

I first tried this for breakfast on holiday in Tenerife (more about that here), and was totally hooked on it the whole time we were there.  I decided to re-create it at home and now I'm pretty much hooked again!

Coconut, or coconut flavoured yogurt is super creamy and goes wonderfully with the banana, with the cinnamon adding a bit of a kick.  On holiday they had coated the banana in cinnamon powder, but at home I just sprinkle a little mixed spice, a blend of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, on top with the end result being near enough the same.  

Not only does it taste great but cinnamon is also loaded with powerful antioxidants and additional anti-inflamatory properties.  Alongside the yogurt and banana you can enjoy a healthy, delicious start to day.

Recipe:

1 pot of coconut or coconut flavoured yogurt

1 banana

Sprinkle of cinnamon or mixed spice powder to taste.

Method:

Combine the yogurt and chopped banana in a bowl, top with cinnamon powder and enjoy!

Have a wonderful week ahead x

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