Let's Cook! Banana Bread - Low fat, Low Calorie!

 Hello Lovelies!

Today I've got a recipe for low fat healthy version of Banana bread! It comes in at around 140 calories a piece (Or less if you use smaller cases!) It's very simple to make and takes about 30-40 minutes to bake in the oven!

Ingredients

• 200g Whole wheat flour
• 300g Over ripe bananas
• 119g eggs (roughly two medium eggs)
• 1 TSP Stevia or other sweetener (Optional)
• 1 TSP Cinnamon
• 1/2 TSP Nutmeg (Optional)
• 1 TSP Bicarbonate of Soda
• Pinch of salt

Stuff

• Large bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Fork
• 8 cake cases or loaf tin
• Oven - preheated to 200c or 190c if you are using a fan oven

Add your bananas to the bowl and mash them with the back of a fork until you have a lumpy goop!

Crack the eggs into the bowl and beat in to the banana mix. Add in the sweetener if you are using it and mix well.

Next add in the flour and stir in till you have a wet cakey mixture. It shouldn't be overly runny, if it is add a little more flour in.

Add in your spices, salt and bicarb and mix through.

Divide the batter evenly between your cake cases (If you're using hard cases like mine I suggest using a baking sheet underneath or if you are using paper cases using a cake pan)

Pop them into the oven for 30-40 minutes - I'd check on them around 30, if they look dark brown and are stiff to the touch they are done. You can try using the cocktail stick method but as there is banana in these you run the risk of mistaking banana for raw cake batter!

And there you go! All done! You now have some pretty tasty snacks for jsut 140 calories a pop! I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know your thoughts in the comment, or any suggestions you'd like to see me make!

Ta-ta for now!

x

Urban Piercings Reading - ~*~Positive~*~

Hello Lovelies!

Today I have a handy review about Urban Piercings in Reading! I'm mainly witting this as whilst I was researching for a reputable piercers in Reading I couldn't really find many reviews or information! Awhile ago I decided I wanted my upper ear pierced and set about looking  for somewhere that I would be happy with. I came across Urban Piercings which had been recommended to me before, and had a look at their very informative website. (They also have an amazing on-line store that I'll be taking advantage of soon!) The website contains lots of different information on different kinds of piercings, stretchings, after care as well as lots of other useful items. Urban are also registered with Reading Borough Council. After thinking it over for awhile I decided to go ahead and get my piercing done with Urban - whilst I was researching I came across someone who said Urban used to be in Harris Arcade - It turns out these guys did my original lobe piercings but had just moved locations!

So off I went on a Tuesday morning down to Urban Piercings - they are located just off Friar street - so very accessible for all modes of transport. I'd been forewarned they get super busy so I aimed to get there just after opening, I went in, talked to the very friendly lady behind the counter about what I wanted, chose a ring over a bar and paid for my piercing (£22) and was offered a choice of after care solutions. I opted for the drops as they seemed easier to use and would last longer! (£4 - but they smell really lovely too!) I was given an after care sheet to read through and asked to take a seat and someone would be right with me.

I then met the lovely Belle! She was so so sweet! Belle showed me the ring that she would use to make sure I was happy with it, disinfected my ear, marked the spot, checked I was happy, wiped it again and away she went! I have to say it hurt way less than I was expecting! It was way easier than a blood test! Belle did a fab job and was happy to chat away to me too (probably a good thing because I babble when I get nervous!) Belle explained the after care for the piercing (It's slightly different to lobes as you aren't meant to move the piercing at all as this can prevent it from healing properly). It didn't really hurt much after I left either, though it does feel a little bruised now - the healing time for cartilage piercings is around 2-4 months though you can change the jewellery after 2.

And here we go, my lovely ring a day or so after it was done! I'm considering getting my other ear done once this one is healed! (I'd highly suggest not getting both done at the same time as you'll have a very interesting time trying sleep!) I'd definitely go back to Urban again and I'd ask for Belle too!

If you'd like more information on Urban Piercings 

you can check out their website and store below!

Urban Piercings Site

Urban Piercing Shop

Etudé House - ~*~Posititve~*~

Hello Lovelies!

My favourite cosmetic company, Etudé House are now shipping world wide! Yay! This is a really great thing for me as I've been stuck ordering from ebay and I've had a few problems with fake products and items never arriving, so when they announced they were now shipping world wide I was over the moon! For those that don't know Etudé are based in South Korea. Their website is extremely easy to use and works like any other mail order website. You can pay via paypal too which is always a bonus. I ordered three eye shadows, a face mask and was entitled to a free gift too.

My order was sent very quickly and took about two weeks to arrive. Check out that super cute box, I really love the 'All of you are born as a Princess' slogan on the side! Everything was packaged securely in the box inside some bubble wrap too.

Here are the items I ordered! All perfectly safe! I was a little worried the eye shadows might get broken in transit but there was so much protection from the bubble wrap they were fine.

These are the awesome free gifts I got! A lovely pink tote bag (It's made of really strong cotton and I use it quite a lot!) And lots of little samples. I've wanted to try the baking powder range for awhile so I was extremely pleased to receive these - I love make up samples because they let you try out different things before deciding on your favourite to purchase.

I was very happy with the service I received from Etudé and I didn't think the shipping charges were too bad either. I'd definately order from them again, espeically as they seem to have so many shopping events on at the moment.

If you'd like to check out Etudé House's 

website you can follow the link below!

Etudé House

Ta-ta for now,

X

IKON HAIR REVIEW - Earley - ~*~Positive!~*~

Hello Lovelies,

Hair is a very personal thing. You always want it to look it's best, and the wrong hair cut can mean disaster (unless you own a variety of awesome hats!) I've had some very bad hair cuts in the past and even a few there were completely opposite to what I wanted (take the time when I asked for a scene cut, and for it to be dyed pillar box red - I left almost 4 hours later with dark red perfectly straight, one length all round!!). There's now only one person I trust to cut my hair, and that's Kay from Ikon Hair!

I met Kay almost two years ago when I was looking for a bridal hair dressers that wasn't going to charge me £300 just to do my hair, I wasn't asking for anything too complicated (I think, but saying that I did have long hair that reached the small of my back, and it's quite thick too) But I contacted Ikon and sent them a picture of what I was asking for and they came back with a price and asked if I could pop in!) From there it was pretty much history! Kay did a wonderful job of my hair for the wedding, so much so that I went back a few days later to get it cut shorter. I really do love Kay, and one of the things that I like best is that she LISTENS to what I ask for! She also chats to me whilst styling my hair! I can't stress enough, how good this is, every other place I've been always makes it seem like a massive inconvenience that I'm there and I end up sitting in silence for an hour! Ikon always makes me feel welcome.

So here's a quick before and after my last visit to Ikon! My hair always looks so pretty and feels really soft! I'd highly recommend Ikon to anyway in the Wokingham/Earley/Woodley/Reading area! It's definitely worth a trip!

You can check out their website below which has a price list and a handy online booking system to boot!

Ikon Hair

Inner Beauty - Woodford Park (Woodley)

Hello Lovlies!

Today I'd like to tell you all about the Inner Beauty salon! Inner Beauty is run by the lovely Hannah Camfield and is based in the Woodford Park sports centre, in Woodley. I'd been trying to find someone locally that didn't charge the earth for treatments (and there are quite a few of those out there) and had good reviews, so I asked on one of the local facebook groups for Woodley, I was recommended Hannah/Inner Beauty. I chatted to Hannah via message about what I needed and opted for a full body massage on Hannah's suggestion after I couldn't decide between the full body and aromatherapy!

Upon arrival I was greeted by the lovely Hannah and shown to the therapy room - It's warm and cosy and has some very lovely background music playing (I could fall asleep here!) Hannah and I talked about what I was looking for from the massage and if I had any problem areas, she also asked me to fill out a client form (the usual name, address, medications etc.) Once this was done Hannah left the room so I could change and hop on the bed for my massage.

I have to say, this was the best massage I've ever had and I might be a little hooked now! (I've been back for two more since then and have another booked!) The massage left me feeling really relaxed and all the achy muscles I had were gone! I really love chatting to Hannah too!  Other places I have been always seem to have that awkward silence I hate so much! and it's lovely to be able to chat away with someone!

Before (Lousy photo, sorry!)

After! Pretty!

After my first visit I decided to book another massage and to get my eyebrows waxed (I've never had this done and was really curious about how I'd look. (A previous salon I went to to get a manicure done kept going on about how she really wanted to do my eyebrows and how I'd look so much better!) I'm super happy I did as it's just made them so much tidier and easier to apply make up as the wax removes any dead cells as well!

I'd highly, highly recommend Inner Beauty, the prices are great, Hannah is wonderful and it's a great place to go for some 'me time'! If you'd like to know more you can check out Inner Beauty's website below:

Inner Beauty

Ta-ta for now,

X

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Hello Lovelies!

Christmas is fast approaching! With only three more sleeps to go today seems like a good day to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Posting will remain as normal over the festive weeks!

Ta-ta for now,
X

Glasgow!

Hello Lovelies!

If you've ever wondered if I'm capable of looking some what human at 3:00am then the picture above is it! A while ago we had a business trip to Glasgow with a very early start!

We flew from Heathrow and it's changed quite a bit since I last went anywhere - there are little pods now that you can take from the car park to the airport! The design reminds me a lot of Honda's Asimo and are definitely very space aged!

Inside are the pods are little screens that tell you different information and show how far you are away from the air port. You can just about fit five people and luggage in one of these!

Early morning airport! I was surprised it was this busy this early in the morning.

In Glasgow we spotted two different Tardis's! I'm not sure why one was red but they were pretty cool anyhow! Our office is right off the high street and there were quite a few different shops to look at, though as it was such a short trip we didn't get much time to look.

I've forgotten the name of the restaurant but we went for a curry after work.

The Citizen M hotel! I've never been to one of these hotels before and they are a little bizzare! (Not in a bad way though!) They are definitely great for sole travellers though, I'm not sure how they'd be for couples thought (I'll get onto why I think that in a moment.) Check in/out is all automated on touch screen computers.

In the hotel was a Samsung tablet, everything  is controlled from here, the TV, the A/C the lighting, even the blinds! It was super easy to use though.

The sink is right in front of you as you walk in the door, this struck me as super odd and possibly rather un-hygenic as the bathroom is in that little pod on the right hand side of the second picture! That's right, the bathroom/shower is in a semi-translucent pod!!! This is why I said the rooms are suited to single travellers rather than couples. I'm not sure what they were thinking with this but why on earth would you want to watch your room mate in the bathroom! The other think that struck me was the gigantic bed, it's literally the width of the room! I have to say I did find the room a little claustrophobic, everything was wedged in and I don't think I'd want to share it with anyone.

View from the window in the morning. I didn't bother with the hotel breakfast, I'd read reviews saying that it wasn't very good, and some others that I went with commented that it wasn't very nice.

We managed to find some interesting food! Including a deep fried Mars bar, a deep fried pizza and some really lovely macaroni cheese (one of my favourites) The deep fried pizza was a bit odd as it tasted really sweet to me!

Have you ever been to Glasgow? Where are your favourite places to go or see? Let me know in the comments below!

Ta-ta for now
X