House of Fraser AW16 Press Day

I was super excited to be invited to the House of Fraser AW16 Press Day, held at One Marylebone, a venue where I had previously attended the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards.

There was home featured on the first floor, and fashion on the second floor. I started of on the first floor and absolutely loved all the interiors and products from brands such as BIBA, Shabby Chic, Linea, Dickins & Jones, Casa Couture and Gray & Willow, as well as others. They were all autumnal themed and seriously dreamy.

My favourite was the Global Artisan look book as the styles resonated with my African upbringing and I loved the crafted and contemporary products, with the bright prints.

The classy Casa Couture was brilliant with refined luxury, neutral colour schemes with pale shades of blush being the primary colours, and the sophisticated scheme.

The decor in the bedroom area was so dreamy, modern and full of statement pieces by Christiane Lemieux. It had that rich, luxe feel and I loved the interesting geometric prints and the contemporary look and feel.

On the opposite spectrum was BIBA Home, with dark dramatic colours and a different style of opulence, which I was also very drawn to.

In the Home section you had the opportunity to print a design on a tote bag, which I had great fun doing! I then ventured upstairs to have a look at the Fashion range. There was a juice bar, a braiding and hair styling bar and lots of amazing clothes and accessories on show, both for men and women.

I was drawn to both the colours and the styles of these handbags (must mention that handbags are my weakness) and the colours coming in are darker shades such as maroon, navy, olive/dark greens and greys.

Great products and colours coming out in Autumn and can’t wait to spruce up my home with some of the home products when they hit the stores.

To check out House of Fraser, go to: http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Looking for the perfect Father’s Day gift? This handy guide is packed full of ideas which are sure to please the super dad in your life. If you are a bloke reading this, you may find some new products you want to try or hint to get for Fathers Day!

Food and drink lover?

Ultimate man box

Buy the ULTIMATE man box as the perfect gift for Birthday’s, Father’s Day, or just to say … I love you man!

https://www.boroughbox.com/ultimate-man-box

Mighty Fine Honeycomb

From it’s glorious golden centre to the particular noise that it makes when cracked, this honeycomb is the bees knees.

The range of luxury honeycomb products includes its chocolate-covered Honeycomb Dips (90g; RRP £3.50), Honeycomb Boxes (220g; RRP £7.50) and Honeycomb Bars (RRP £1.79)

 The range is available to buy in-store at Harvey Nichols nationwide and at various shops and delis, as well as online at www.mightyfine.co and www.notonthehighstreet.com.

 

GIN explorer

Gin Explorer is a monthly subscription box packed with everything a gin lover could want, delivered straight to their door! Join the journey and receive a selection of 4 different 50ml gin miniatures, each and every month direct through your door. The gins are hand selected by your personal tour guide to take you on a culinary journey; thrilling your tastebuds and awakening your senses. You’ll also learn all about the heritage and origin of the gins increasing your gin knowledge, and passion, along the way. Throughout your expedition you will be accompanied by delectable mixers and everything you need to explore, with extra treasures along the way!

https://ginexplorer.com

Market porter discovery boxes

Choose a selection box of amazing produce to have delivered to your dad. You can choose from meat, cheese, charcuterie and chocolate. The produce is sourced from great independent British producers and delivered straight to your door.

https://www.marketporter.com

Courvoisier Célébration Sensorielle XO limited edition gift set

 

Anyone who is serious about cognac will know that aroma is key to the drinking experience. The Courvoisier Célébration Sensorielle XO limited edition gift set contains two bespoke scented candles along with a bottle of Courvoisier XO for a multi-sensory cognac experience.

The scents of the candles take you on two different Parisian journeys. The ‘Brise de Vincennes’ (‘the breeze from Vincennes’) scent draws on all the aromas which make Paris so charming in the day, whilst the second fragrance, ‘Nuit Débordante’, (‘heady night’) conjures up the glamour and intrigue of Paris after dark. For a father who loves to travel this is the ultimate cognac sensory experience.

https://hedonism.co.uk/product#!/courvoisier-celebration-sensorielle-xo-gift-set

MONIN Syrups 

Jazz up your coffee with MONIN syrups. They’re the perfect gift for any coffee-loving dad – either on their own or as as part of a DIY coffee hamper.

There are four 250ml flavours currently available in Sainsbury’s (MONIN Caramel, Hazelnut, Vanilla and new Chocolate Cookie), rrp £3 each.

Alternatively there are a range of MONIN flavours currently onsale via the Twinings Tea website including Green Apple, Melon and Passion Fruit – ideal for budding mixologists: .

Book worm?

Mindfulness and Surfing: Reflections for Saltwater Souls  by Sam Bleakley

Mindfulness and Surfing casts a fresh perspective on this popular sport, and explores how riding the waves can be the ultimate meditation. Engaging author Sam Bleakley takes us on a soulful journey across the tideline of his personal and philosophical travels. Through lunar cycles and river surfing to the Taoism of nature, he reveals an acute awareness of what the oceans can tell us about our place in the natural world. Meditating on one of nature’s greatest elements – its salty swells, flow and peaks – he shares life lessons in mindfulness that will be relished by surfer and non-surfer alike.

https://wordery.com/mindfulness-and-surfing-sam-bleakley-9781782403296

Movie enthusiast?

Cineworld Gift Cards

Cineworld is offering a variety of gifting options this Father’s Day, with the perfect gift of a £25 gift card in a range of vibrant designs, or for that extra special movie lover give them the gift of cinema all year round with the Unlimited Gift Box.

For the last-minute shopper, sons and daughters can gift dads with e-Gifts which can be received straight to your inbox today!

http://www.cineworld.co.uk/shop/#/shop/categories/egift

Keen Golfer?

Golf Buddy

 

Get dad out on the course this Father days with the perfect golfing gift from GolfBuddy.  No matter how dad likes to receive his distance information GolfBuddy has a product to match his game. With 3 scan modes the smart new LR5 Laser is light, quick and accurate, whilst the new CT2 is powerful, small but packed full of features or if he prefers a watch then there’s the award winning WT5. With 38,000 golf courses world wide and the only company offering on-foot mapping without charging extra fees or annual subscriptions any GolfBuddy product is sure to be a hole in one. www.gpsgolfbuddy.eu 

 

 Cleveland RTX 2.0 wedge 

This fantastic Cleveland wedge features:

• Advanced spin technology
• 588 RTX 2.0 Technology
• Tour Proven Design
• 12 Month Guarantee

STD Bounce Grind

This wedge has been designed with a standard bounce grind which is ideal across a wide range of golf courses. This versatility and forgiveness across different turf is thanks to the combination of a trailing edge grind and a moderate relief from the heel and toe. The 2 DOT’s indicate the standard bounce, while this wedge is ideal for golfers with a neutral attack angle.

Tour Proven Design

The evolution of the 588 RTX 2.0 wedges began by listening to some of worlds best golfers. Working in cooperation with elite tour staffers like Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley, and Hideki Matsuyama, Cleveland’s engineers were able to pinpoint the challenges players face from 125 yards and in and seek out solutions to help them score better. Throughout the entire development process, Cleveland’s tour staff tested and provided feedback to ensure that the 588 RTX 2.0 was the best wedge on tour.

588 RTX 2.0 Technology

Completing this superb wedge is the Rotex face technology. This face has evolved the way golfers can spin the ball on the greens thanks to the 15% sharper grooves and a micro milled Rotex face pattern. This provides the wedge with the maximum surface roughness that the USGA allows. Improve your short game today!

 

http://www.onlinegolf.co.uk/clubs/wedges/cleveland-golf-588-rtx-2.0-tour-satin-wedge-277956.html).

 

 Callaway XR16 Driver 

For the Callaway Golf XR 16 Driver, the Callaway Golf R&D team worked with aerodynamics experts at Boeing to redefine what is possible with clubhead speed and aerodynamics in a golf club. This driver has been engineered to be the most forgiving head shape ever, and the specialists at Boeing made it fast with a re-engineered Speed Step.

 

 

R.MOTO Face Technology

Next generation R.MOTO Face that is lighter and up to 19 percent thinner, this technology creates more ball speed across the entire face of the club.

Extreme Forgiveness

The clubhead has been developed to be the most forgiving shape with a larger shape and stretched out crown for more MOI. This design has a low deep centre of gravity which provides extreme forgiveness.

Callaway Golf XR 16 Driver Features:

• R.MOTO Face Technology
• 460cc Head Size & Extreme Forgiveness
• Advanced Aerodynamics
• 12 Month Guarantee & Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 Graphite Shaft

Advanced Aerodynamics

Boeing made the XR 16 Driver fast with advanced aerodynamics and a re-engineered Speed Step Crown to save weight. This new design creates a high speed head with lower drag in the crown, and adds serious ball speeds for added distance.

http://www.onlinegolf.co.uk/clubs/drivers/callaway-golf-xr-16-driver-296317.html

Fitness lover?

iFit Duo

Introducing the first of its kind, the iFit Duo is a reversible, double-sided activity watch engineered for business and play. The activity watch features:

• Dual face: the iFit Duo suits both a professional and active lifestyle

For the office: A traditional timepiece assembled with expert craftsmanship, the classic dial face showcases a signature, sophisticated style.

For the gym/on-the-go: Flip the watch face over to discover a bright LCD screen displaying real-time activity stats and fitness data including net calories, steps taken and distance covered.

• On-screen notifications: Choose which calls and texts are important with discreet, on-screen notifications. iFit will also send you healthy suggestions about when to get up and move(vibration alerts), so users are constantly motivated to stay active.
• Auto-activity detection: All workouts and activities will automatically be recorded by the Duo. State-of-the-art technology detects whenever users change activities, whether walking/sleeping/working out, so the stats that count the most are never missed.
• Water-resistant: The Duo is water-resistant up to 50 meters, meaning users can take it for a swim and work out in the rain.
• The iFit family: With iFit, everything you do is connected. This means that all stats—whether users are running with one of our wearables or working out on a piece of iFit ready fitness equipment—sync up to the same cloud. You can find all of your information, safe and secure, in one convenient place.

 

 

RRP from £299, available now at NordicTrack.co.uk.

Kenwood Blend-XTRACT Sport

The Kenwood Blend-XTRACT Sport blends ingredients with ease to make a nutritious drink or sports supplement. The two speed settings and pulse guarantee optimum results and the two durable TitanTM moulded sports bottles, are ideal for ‘on the go’ nutrition for you and a partner.

The Blend-XTRACT Sport is perfect for health-conscious and gym junkie dads who are always on the move.

Kenwood Blend-XTRACT Sport, (RRP: £29.99)

www.kenwoodworld.com/uk

Also available at John Lewis, £29.95

Playstation fan?

Sony Wireless Stereo Headset 2.0

Discover just how great your games can sound with the Wireless Stereo Headset 2.0 – the perfect gift for gaming Dads this Father’s Day. Hear unseen enemies and epic explosions in stunning 7.1 virtual surround sound (PS3 & PS4 only) and chat with friends via the internal microphone.

From £68.99 (Available from retailers across the UK including Amazon.co.uk)

PlayStation® Socks

Looking for a way to spice up the tradition of sock-giving? Treat Dad to these fun Play-Station themed socks this Father’s Day – this is for the Dads!

 

From £9.99 (Available from retailers across the UK including Amazon.co.uk)

Technology lover?

Beats by Dr. Dre Mixr On-Ear Headphones

 

http://www.qvcuk.com/Beats-by-Dr.-Dre-Mixr-On-Ear-Headphones.product.505704.html?sc=SRCH&cm_sp=VIEWPOSITION-_-1-_-505704

Smart dad?

Braun Series 3 

With the new Braun Series 3 shaver Braun is introducing MicroComb technology. It features two rows of fine, evenly spaced grooves that surround an independently moving middle trimmer. This catches and feeds more hair with every stroke, which gives you a faster shave. The difference to other shavers is noticeable, especially in the torture test of 3‐day beards.

Amazon

Braun Beard Trimmer

The BT5050 Braun beard trimmer will give you the exact length and precise contours, two fundamentals to give you the ideal look. Whether you want to achieve a designer stubble or trim your full beard, two detachable trimming combs will provide you with the flexibility you need.

The precision comb will provide you with the precision to achieve a desired look. The trimmer will also feature a long beard comb; this will give you more range to maintain a longer beard style.

The trimmer is also fully washable, for easy cleaning it can be ran under running water. Lastly, it features a charging LED light that will indicate the charging status.

Buy from:

Tesco

Amazon

Argos

Gillette Fusion ProShield:

Gillette Fusion ProShield Men’s Razor shields while you shave. ProShield Lubrication before and after the blades lays down a protective layer to shield from irritation. Plus, FlexBall Technology makes maximum contact* over contours and gets virtually every hair (*among Fusion razors). Gillette Fusion ProShield is Gillette’s most advanced razor. Just look for the yellow blade and handle.

Features and Benefits

• Gillette Fusion ProShield Lubrication before and after the blades shields from irritation

• Gillette Fusion ProShield Men’s Razor features Flexball Technology that responds to contours, getting virtually every hair

• Five precision blades provide less tug and pull* for incredible comfort (*vs Fusion)

• Precision Trimmer on back for accurate edging

• Blades fit all Fusion and ProGlide handles

Buy from:

Boots

ASDA

Fashion conscious dad?

Brydon Brothers: The Lauder Range

Available from http://www.brydonbrothers.com/collections/shop

Versus Versace Tokyo Rubber watchAvailable for &80 from http://uk.versace.com/versus/men/watches/1250000,en_GB,sc.html

Timex’s Expedition Scout range

Available from http://www.hsamuel.co.uk

 

Accessory lover?

Personalised Wooden Beer Trug

 How cool does this look? Will look great on a bar or anywhere in the home.

http://www.borngifted.co.uk/baby-gifts/product/BG-4629

Superman fan?

Superman shaped mug

http://www.findmeagift.co.uk/gifts/shaped-superman-logo-mug.html

Fragrance lover?

dunhill London ICON Limited Edition Luxury Spray

This stunning luxury spray comes in 30ml with 2 refills, the perfect travel companion. Refined and sophisticated, dunhill ICON is sleek, aromatic and woody, with key notes of Italian bergamot, black pepper, lavender, smoky Oud wood and Oris-leather. Available exclusively at Harrods from 2nd May and at selected department stores nationwide from 30th May 2016.
2 x 30ml EDP £60.00

 

Jimmy Choo MAN Gift Set

A striking MAN coffret launches just in time for Father’s Day. The bottle was inspired by an antique hip flask, representing traditional design imbued with an edge of rock n’ roll rebellion. Cool metallic chrome combines with sultry shades of grey. The masculine aromatic fougère contains key notes of lavender, pineapple leaf and patchouli and comes with a complimentary 100ml shower gel.

Available nationwide from 30th May 2016.
EDT 50ml & Shower Gel 100ml £42.00

 

Binny’s Kitchen turns 1! A very special anniversary

  Jambo friends and family!

Exactly 1 year ago, I hit publish on my first official blog post on Binny’s Kitchen and it was a recipe for Stuffed Masala Aubergines with a spicy tomato sauce.  It all started as a platform to share recipes of dishes I had been posting on my Instagram and over the last 12 months it has grown into something I could only have dreamed of.

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to each and every one of you who takes the time to read my blog (and to my parents for sharing all my posts so proudly, and to Yatika and Meera for their endless support as the bestest friends anyone could have) and I am so grateful to have you all on this journey with me.

Starting this blog was one of the best decisions I have ever made and Binny’s Kitchen has evolved from recipes, to include restaurant and bar reviews, events and travel inspired posts.

My biggest regret was not starting this blog earlier due to the amount Amit & I have travelled and the amount we have eaten out prior to the blog. It is important to look forwards and not backwards so I am re-creating new memories as well as including some posts about past experiences.

To commemorate the anniversary, I asked the lovely Ella Masters to create the illustration below for me. It has a Kenyan theme of course because that is where my heart will always be, and it has an elephant to signify the very special cause I support with all my heart, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

It is no surprise that my blog anniversary coincides with the same month as my wedding anniversary and last year we celebrated our wedding anniversary at Gymkhana and it was actually the first ever restaurant review I wrote. You can read it here:

http://binnyskitchen.com/2015/04/12/gymkhana-indian-food-at-its-best/

We then celebrated both mine and Amit’s birthdays at Gymkhana in 2015 and it is only right to celebrate my blog’s first  birthday there too so that is the plan for later.

Through the past year the highlights, of which have been many, have included making lots of friends, meeting inspirational chefs and role models in the industry as well as experiencing London and different cuisines which I wouldn’t have been motivated to prior to starting the blog. I hope that my blog inspires you to try those things too!

Highlights of the past year have been:

Making fellow blogger friends

Michelle, from http://petitetealover.co.uk and Sandra from http://cakeandwhisky.com are my blogging buddies. Our friendship formed at Le Meridien Piccadilly over afternoon tea and we have experienced so many events and restaurants together ever since.

Dates with the lovely Nessy, whose photography is truly inspiring.  Check out her photography here: https://m.facebook.com/pages/Nessy-Samuel-Photography/567610629925103

I have met so many other lovely inspirational bloggers at events and some I still have to meet in real life, but the friendships made over the past year are truly special.

My current favourite bookmarked blogs to read (including Sandra and Michelle’s) are as follows and is not limited to the following:

Meera needs no introduction. She is not only my best friend but has a mouthwatering instagram feed and an amazing blog, with recipes which look amazing and are really good for you too. http://thefitfabfoodie.com

Jaime’s lifestyle blog with interiors I envy at http://www.angloyankophile.com/p/about-me.html

Angie’s luxury lifestyle blog which invokes a lot of wanderlust. She is also my source for restaurant reviews. http://www.silverspoonlondon.co.uk

Aftab’s blog, is so honest, amazing and inspiring to read. He covers everything from beauty, travel to food. My kind of blog! http://www.freshandfearless.co.uk

Vi Vian is my favourite Malaysian blogger and she also hosts supper clubs (I am going to attend one soon promise) http://www.vi-vian.com

Kacie, is a lovely lovely girl who I met at the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards. She is a Welsh blogger and she always has recipes and reviews that invoke a lot of hunger. If you are planning a trip to Cardiff she is your girl! http://www.therarewelshbit.com

Anu from Peachy tales is my Mauritian friend who I am hopefully going to meet super soon! Her photography is on point and she is such a lovely girl. http://peachytales.com

Harpreet’s blog is the number one stop for all things wanderlust! She tells her epic tales of her footsteps across the world and her photography is stunning. http://harpreetswanderlust.com

Jaini – A fellow David Sheldrick supporter and mummy to Mbegu, I love this girl and she inspires me so much!Her diary has amazing travel posts from Kenya and other countries too. http://jainisdiaries.com

Mel & John are an adorable pair who I met at an event at Bunny Chow and we all had a giggle as John could not fit in the kitchen, apart from one spot where the ceiling had a bit of a slot big enough for his head to fit into. One tall and one short and they have fabulous reviews and recipes on their blog. http://www.yummyfeed.com

Suji and I had been chatting on twitter and experienced Hoppers together and have a lot in common. She is lovely, inspiring and has a Sri Lankan background. http://mykitchenadventures.co

Curry For Change

Another big highlight of 2015 was getting involved in #CurryForChange with a charity called Find your Feet to raise money for a worthy cause. Pictured are Chintal, who makes amazing cakes and Nankhatai https://chinskitchen.co.uk and Tania, co founder of Chit Chaat Chai, soon to be a new restaurant opening in a few months.

 

Meeting and seeing some Inspirational chefs and foodies

Going to events, and restaurants, and even in my own work HQ, has allowed me to meet some truly inspirational chefs and role models in the industry such as Chef Vivek Singh, Mallika Basu, Asma Khan, Jason Atherton, Paul Hollywood and Michel Roux Jr.

Vivek Singh

Mallika Basu

Asma Khan

Jason Atherton

Paul Hollywood

Michel Roux Jr

The Cosmopolitan Blog Awards

I was so thrilled to be awarded Highly Commended in the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards and I could not have done it without you all voting for me. I am so thankful to Janki too, who styled my hair and did my make up for me on the night. Check out her Instagram account here.  PS I know I look really short in the photo below :p

A big thank you to Amit

I cannot of course end this post without saying a massive thank you to Amit who has let me have the freedom to live my dream, has supported me endlessly, motivated me and encouraged me and bought me a Macbook and a Camera to help me on this journey.

He is also my plus one on many restaurant reviews and trips and having him believe in me is something I am so grateful for. He also doesn’t mind the evenings when I am out at blogging events and always helps me where he can (Instagram husband) so thank you very much Amit 🙂

So what’s next for Binny’s Kitchen? First off this weekend we are celebrating the blog’s birthday, followed by an upcoming trip to the Cotswolds and Mauritius.

I then have the UK Blog Awards to attend at the end of April and then a blogger trip to France in May. I look forward to sharing those experiences, as well  as many more restaurant reviews and recipes with you.

Thank you for all your support so far and thank you for being a part of my blog’s journey.

Asante Sana 🙂

Lots of love Binny xx

 

.

Lighten the load with Ecover Laundry Liquid

Laundry is the least favourite task in my household so when I was sent a bottle of Ecover Non-Bio Concentrated Laundry Liquid to use and test in order to #LightentheLoad I wanted to see if it could really lighten the load.

  The Ecover Non-Bio Concentrated Laundry Liquid is plant based, environmentally friendly and Ecover is a brand I have used before in a conscious effort to be greener.

  I first prepped my washing machine by putting it through a maintenance run. I simply ran a wash cycle using hot water and a bottle of white vinegar, which was kindly sent to me by the folks at Ecover. This cleans out any residue which has accumulated in your machine, enabling it to work at its full potential.

I decided to put my whites which were looking a bit grey, to the test. I used a handy tip provided by Ecover, which was to add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash along with the Ecover Non-Bio Concentrated Laundry Liquid.

After a wash, my whites looked fresher and had lost all the greyness. I also separated my whites and pastels from my bright and  dark colour clothing, and washed them in separate loads. It can be tempting to dump everything in together to save time but this is not kind to your clothes at all. To keep the colours of your clothing intact for longer always separate them.

A final handy tip which I thought was ace is to rejuvenate the black in black jeans that are looking dull after a few washes by soaking them in a bucket of black coffee. The tannins in coffee dyes the jeans and makes them look new again. I live in my black jeans so this is a brilliant way to keep them going for longer.

So after finishing my laundry my verdict on the Ecover Laundry liquid is that it is really effective. My clothes not only smelt really nice, they looked fresher and brighter. The liquid really did work on tough stains (cooking curry always guarantees splatters of tomato gravy over my clothes) and a little goes a long way.

It is also a fantastic way to be more environmentally friendly if you want to be greener, which I have made a conscious decision to do.

Ecover Non-Bio Concentrated Laundry Liquid is available in all major supermarkets and for more information go to: http://www.ecover.com

Have you got any favourite laundry tips or do you use Ecover products?

 

Beauty Product Review: Chocolate Orange Grounded Coffee Scrub

I recently tried the Chocolate Orange Grounded Coffee Scrub and it is a product I would love to recommend as it is absolutely amazing. Not only does it smell heavenly, it made my skin feel super soft, moisturised and my bathroom had this wonderful aroma too.

The packaging is super cute – it has a coffee theme to it and is resealable. The Chocolate Orange scrub is made from ground Robusta coffee beans, brown sugar, Himalayan rock salt, cold pressed almond oil and cacao and sweet orange oil. Sounds delicious doesn’t it! Too bad you can’t eat it as it smells good enough to eat 😉

  Coffee has been used as an ingredient in beauty products for a long time as it has so many health benefits such as improving the blood flow to your skin, and  it acts as a diuretic and restricts blood vessels, which shrinks fat cells and in turn makes your skin look less puffy.

The scrub exfoliates your skin really well and helps to remove dry, dead and flakey skin cells. In addition, thanks to the oils, salts and sugars that make up its ingredients, it also moisturises your skin, cleanses it deeply, smooths, polishes and makes your skin look healthy and glowing. It is great to target common skin problems such as Acne, Cellulite, scars and Eczema.

I used it all over my body and all over my face. It is really easy to apply and scrub. I left it on for a couple of minutes before washing it all off and my skin instantly felt refreshed. Normally after a scrub it feels extra dry, but thanks to the moisturising ingredients in the Grounded Coffee Scrub, it felt really lovely and soft.

1 packet should last a month, depending on how frequently you use it. I use it 2 or 3 times a week.  It is easy to store as it is resealable.

  
It is also fine for people with sensitive skin and it is not tested on animals, which is a major plus point for me.

The packets are available from Boots for £15 each and come in other variations such as Coconut and Grapefruit. Grounded also do a range of lip balms and a hair mask.

For more information visit: https://groundedbodyscrub.co.uk

To purchase each flavour, go to:
Coconut
http://www.boots.com/en/Grounded-Body-Scrub-Coconut-Scent-Coffee-Scrub_1799367/

Grapefruit

http://www.boots.com/en/Grounded-Body-Scrub-Grapefruit-Scent-Coffee-Scrub_1799363/

Chocolate Orange

http://www.boots.com/en/Grounded-Body-Scrub-Chocolate-Orange-Scent-Coffee-Scrub_1799365/
Let me know if you #GetGrounded and which one is your favourite in the comments below.

February Favourites

  Can’t believe February has already gone and we are in chapter 3 of 12. Here are some of my favourites from February.

Book

Karen Blixen – Out of Africa. Although it is not politically correct in its colonial perspective, I love the memoirs of her love for Africa, life on a coffee plantation and description of a historical time in a country I grew up in, Kenya. It feels like a book we should have read in school for English Literature as it is so well written.

  
Product

Teruel Food’s Olive oil in a pouch. I got sent this to try and have to say it is absolutely amazing. Olive oil in a pouch vs a bottle has benefits such as it doesn’t spoil easily, is easy to carry around and this one tells you how many olives are in it in an imaginative way.

   
 It tastes incredible and has been my go to for drizzling and cooking all month.

Teruel Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil retails at £8.95 for the signature 250ml pouch and is available on http://www.teruelfoods.com.

Restaurant

Cahoots was the highlight of February, with the squiffy picnic, which I reviewed separately. A really fun experience, and one which is quirky, in a replica underground station from the rationing era and with lots of Gin and Tonic.

  
The squiffy pic is on Saturdays and Sundays. Check it out here: http://cahoots-london.com

Kitchen Appliance

Tefal Cook 4 me has been a life saver on days when you want a hearty meal with minimal effort. My go to dish has been gujarati dal in it and it is ready in less than 20 minutes. Now that is amazing! I have been using it on manual mode but it does have pre-set recipes with step by step instructions to follow too.

   

  To find out more visit: http://www.tefal.co.uk/cook4me

Bar

My favourite bar in February was the Polo Bar at the Westbury with its amazing cocktails, food and dessert! The bar is super lush with amazing decor and it is a really nice venue to catch up and people watch, while indulging on fabulous drinks.

   
 http://www.westburymayfair.com/en/restaurant/polo-bar.html

Ingredient

Turmeric from Absolute Spice has been the spice I try and add to all my dishes for its health benefits, and am now adding to a mixture of honey and hot water for my cold. The spices from Absolute Spice are fresh, incredible and packaged so nicely in generous portions.

  
To see the full range of spices available go to: https://www.absolutespice.com

What were your favourites in February?

Book review: Cooking with Cheese

Finally a book dedicated to one of my favourite ingredients  – cheese! This book, which will be published by Ryland Peters & Small on 10 March 2016, is a treasure chest of fantastic recipes.

  Whether you want to make appetisers, soups, quiches, pastas, bakes or desserts, just to name a few categories, this book has lots of inspiring ideas.

The recipes are written clearly and are very easy to follow with simple steps. Beautiful photos accompany each recipe so you know what your end dish should look like.

From flicking through the book, my eyes got attracted to the Japaleno, tomato and Monterey Jack pasta bake.

  I decided to try this recipe out as I had also not cooked with Monterey Jack  before. This cheese is available in most Sainsburys, on their fresh cheese section, and Waitrose.

  The recipe was so easy to follow and the ingredients were easy to source. The dish itself was delicious and one I will definitely make again.

 
The next recipe I want to try is the blue cheese and walnut biscuits.This book is fantastic, especially if you love cheese and want to try to make different dishes with it. It does inspire you to try cheese you may not have tried before and it has over 80 recipes to choose from. It is great for dinner parties as there are so many different sections to choose from.

There is a great vegetarian recipe selection in the book too which was a nice surprise.

This book is out on 10 March 2016 and will be available from all good book shops for £16.99.

Mothers Day Gift Guide

Mothers Day is next Sunday. Treat your mum to a wonderful gift and here are some ideas for some inspiration!

For the Baker

Brabantia have this fabulous Baking Gift set, which would make any mum’s day. Included is a kitchen scale, mixing bowl and cookie cutters. The price is £38.50.

For more information go to: http://www.brabantia.com/uk/baking-set-red/

Fruit Cakes

Why not treat your mum to one or two (or more) of these fantastic fruit cakes from Tipple Tails. With flavours like Coco Bazaar, Cherry Orchard, Cinnamon Pippin and Ginger Tingle, these would make a delightful treat.

   

 For more information go to: http://www.reallygreatfruitcake.co.uk/fruit-cake-shop/

Coconut lover?

This Cheeky Coconut Bundle is a collaboration between rawco and the Cheeky Food Co. to include their spicy Nutter Coconut Sprinkles alongside rawCo Coconut Oil and rawCo Coconut Flour. This bundle, which costs £13.49, would make the ideal Mother’s Day present for any Mum who loves cooking and baking.

For more information go to:

http://www.rawcofood.co.uk/shop/coconut-oil/cheeky-coconut-bundle/

Everlasting Posies

Why not get your mum an everlasting button flower posie?

These are £10 a cone and fabulous and a keepsake forever!

http://www.iheartbuttons.co.uk

Bouquet of flowers

Why not give your mum a bouquet of fresh, beautiful flowers from Blossoming Gifts? They have a gorgeous range available. I fell in love with this bouquet!

There are so many other pretty bouquets available in addition to this one and a wonderful bouquet will really make your mum’s day!

What’s even better is I am able to offer you 33% off a bouquet with the discount code: BGIFTS33* What a good reason to order a bouquet asap!

*The only bouquets exempt from the discount is the ‘Flowers By Post’ range.

Order your Mothers Day Flowers today!

Handmade Ceramic Sugar Bowl

This ceramic sugar bowl is amazing and would really impress your mum. It would be a nice addition to the home and perfect for special occasions.

This retails at £22 and can be bought from:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/247815419/ceramic-sugar-bowl-handmade-pottery-dark

 

To see more from the Mudness ceramic range, go to: http://mudnessceramics.weebly.com

A beautiful Mahogany Sleeping Giraffe Pot

How gorgeous is this pot?

Perfect for anything small such as  jewellery, matches, marbles, paper clips and elastic bands! They are hand-carved in a village just outside Blantyre, Southern Malawi by a group of carvers who work for local social enterprise, People of the Sun.

Every pot is individually hand-crafted, making it 100% unique and ideal as a gift for that special person. Imperfections should be expected and simply add to the charm of your handmade pot.

Each giraffe pot measures approximately 17 cm long, by 9 cm wide by 13 cm tall and is for £22.50.

This is available from: http://www.okapihome.com/new-products/mahogany-sleeping-giraffe-pot

Jewellery lover?

Checkout the amazing range by the very talented Nikki Stark. Each piece is just gorgeous, elegant and excellent quality!

To see the full range go to: http://nikkistarkjewellery.co.uk

A super collaboration between Deliciously Ella & method

  method have launched an amazing range of cleaning products which are “greener” than other cleaning products as they are eco-friendly. They also smell absolutely amazing and give your home a lovely scent and they are not tested on animals, which is a major tick in my box.

   
  When super blogger Deliciously Ella collaborates with method on their range of almond, clementine and limited edition pomegranate cleaning products, you know there is going to be amazing recipes involved. This is an amazing fusion as both Ella and method are passionate about clean, natural living.

Ella has created three bespoke healthy recipes exclusively for method, each inspired by the ingredients used for each of the cleaning products, which are almond, clementine and pomegranate and I am thrilled to share these recipes with you.

Almond

method have a wood cleaner that smells better than some food and is non-toxic, bio-degradable and has no wax. 

  Deliciously Ella has created a fantastic Almond Soup inspired by this wood cleaner.

 

Almond Soup 

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is an underrated superfood. It is so divine and I love that method has a limited edition range dedicated to it. The all purpose cleaning spray has made my bathroom and kitchen smell gorgeous.

Deliciously Ella has shared an amazing recipe for Pomegranate salad which is healthy and has an amazing array of ingredients. This is a fantastic lunch box idea.

Pomegranate Salad

Clementine

A citrus scented zesty cleaning products makes washing up time more exciting! I love clementines and this washing up liquid is amazing!

  The recipe inspired by this is a Clementine and Coconut Sorbet which just sounds incredible and perfect for a healthy alternative to ice cream.

Clementine and Coconut Sorbet

 

To find out more about the method range go to: http://methodproducts.co.uk

Have you tried any method cleaning products and do you have a favourite? If you try any of these recipes I would love to know about it! Let me know in the comments below. I personally am excited to try the Clementine and Coconut sorbet!

I was sent method Cleaning products to review. Credit for food photos and recipe cards: method. All views are my own as I love these products and the fact that they are planet-friendly.

Joseph Joseph NEST Storage – Product review

   

 Are you always losing your tupperware lids? I am guilty of this! No idea where they go they seem to disappear in a tupperware black hole!

 The Joseph Joseph geniuses have the perfect solution with their Nest Storage food container sets. Available from sets of 2 to sets of 5, these are so convenient!

Not only are the containers bright and colourful, it is a brilliant space saving solution as it lets you save all the different sizes in one space from largest to smallest. The lids also slot together in the same space.

They are colour coordinated so you can’t lose them. You can also use the colours for your own coding mechanism when storing food in them.

They are dishwasher safe and also so easy to clean too if you don’t want to put them in the dishwasher.

The best thing is they are also microwave and freezer safe so you can food-prep in them and then have your lunch or save the food in the freezer.

They can even double up as lunch boxes!

They look really cheerful in the fridge and because they are see-through you can easily see what you have in each one.

The design of the Nest storage is fantastic and as with all other Joseph Joseph products, the range is amazing quality.

  You can purchase these from £9.00 at http://www.josephjoseph.com/en-gb/nest-storage

I was sent a set to review. All views are my own.