The perfect weekend breakfast

© Dishes Undressed 

It's the weekend! Boy, am I glad it's arrived. Knowing that my alarm is not going to go off at the crack of dawn is just the snuggliest, most perfect feeling! Ahhhhh yesss!!

And, what could be more perfect than this breakfast? I've been mad about Bircher Muesli breakfasts all summer long and now winter is fast approaching I want to get the last few in before this 'cool' oaty snack turns into warming porridge.

// Mollie Makes Magazine - Check
// Runny Honey (from british bees)  - Check
// Gluten Free Porridge oats with berries - Check
// Mangos, strawberries and lots of healthy seeds on top? - Check check!!
// A few tunes from my favourite new band London Grammar - Check

Here's how you can have the perfect breakfast too....!

Ingredients
150g muesli mix (I used Perkier!)
1 grated Granny Smith or other eating apple
1 cup milk (or apple juice or soya/rice milk - each are just as delicious!)
A small tub of yoghurt (use alpro soya for dairy free)
1 mango
a few strawberries, sliced
Seed mix
Fresh mint (don't worry if you don't have any!)
1 tablespoon Runny Honey (I used Clarks Honey)

Method

Mix the muesli mix with the milk (or apple juice) and refrigerate overnight (if you want soft oats, but works just as well if you don't refrigerate overnight).

In the morning take out of the fridge, add the grated apple, stir in half the yoghurt and dollop the rest on top.

Cut the mango and strawberries and sprinkle on top with the seed mix and a few mint leaves and drizzle with lashings of honey.

NB:  I am addicted to mangos. I think there has been a boom in Mango sales in recent months due to this. YEY TO THE MANGO!

POOR COFFEEEEEE into your favourite mug.

Perfect rise and shine breakfast!

Enjoy your weekends everybody!

Craft night!

Hey there gang! A little bit of a different blog for you this week - still making stuff - but not of the edible variety!

I know that heaps of you who read my blog also love arty, crafty things so I knew you'd love to hear about the fun night I had making stamps, cards and envelopes at 'Make it Monday' - the super new craft night, at By the Yard in Cheltenham.

I don't know about you, but I love browsing little independent shops and handmade goods on Etsy, Folksy, Craft fairs and shops.   So when I came across a brand new shop from a follower on Twitter, you could say I jumped up and down with joy (just a little bit!).  So, I set off to find this new little independent shop, By the Yard, Cheltenham - and let me tell you, it was like finding an Aladins cave of goodies!  My senses were totally overcome!

I met Bex and Elle, the lovely ladies who run this incredibly creative 'establishment' and have bought their vision to Cheltenham.  Along with the amazing shop - which you must, must, must go and visit - they hold these cool, unique, craft nights called Make it Monday.  So on Monday night, I took my friend Georgina along to the first Make it Monday night where we met a bunch of other lovely ladies.  With the expert instruction and supervision from Bex, we designed and made our own stamps, crafted our own envelopes and made some lovely cards and art!  (Mine was food related, so predictably, I opted for ice creams in my design ... )

I'd seriously had not had this much fun.. (and a lovely relaxing time too I might add) in ages.

I've already bought a lovely unique handmade necklace from By the Yard and I have my eye on some other handmade jewellery, cards, prints and things they stock form independent makers from around the country.

If you like things like this, you'll love the shop - so pop along //  By the Yard, St James Sreet, GL50 1DX Cheltenham, Gloucestershire - (can be found by walking through Cafe Moochoo on the high street or just around the back of The Vine on the corner.)

Follow them on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/bytheyardcheltenham or Twitter here https://twitter.com/btycheltenham > Or see the schedule for future Make it Monday's right here https://www.facebook.com/MakeItMonday

Kitchen Crushes - Beyonce special!

Thank you to Nordic Leaves Blogger for sharing her beautiful kitchen!

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had lovely Bank Holiday weekends.  Now it's a 4 day week - and that's kind of cool too!

Just wanted to share with you a few of my kitchen crushes this week.  Some really lovely coloured goodies for you as always and an extra special recipe from Beyonce herself!

This first B.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l kitchen is Edina's over at the super-stylish Nordic Leaves blog.  I absolutely love the SMEG fridge, don't you?  What a great colour!  And check out the Andy Warhol framed quote on the wall.  I love her style and choice of colours so much -  I could really imagine just sitting down in this kitchen, reading a paper and munching on some of my gluten free banana bread I made last week (I will share the recipe soon I promise, I want to share it with you all because it's possibly my favourite gluten free cake recipe to date!)  - Thank you Edina for sharing your stunning kitchen!  Edina's blog is also equally cool so check it out!

I really love Andy Warhol quotes, so when I saw this poster in the Nordic Leaves kitchen I loved it, and then I came across these awesome Andy quote pencils from Urban Outfitters.  SO cool!

Also stumbled across this very cleverly designed recipe notebook from ETSY seller ohNOrachio.  I really need a new notebook for all my recipes!  I've just come to the end of another and am currently writing on the back!!

And lastly, this adorable picnic basket and tableware from good old BHS (British Home Stores)  which is my absolute steal of the week for only £25!

And how could I forget this extra special recipe from Beyonce herself?!

Beyonce recently shared her dinner menu for her tour on the internet and on it was a Sweet Potato and Coconut soup!  I was so excited because I've been making this soup for a few years and it's so quick, delicious, healthy and awesome!  So here's the one I use.  Make it tonight, it's lick-your-lips-able-delicious!

Kitchen Crushes - Bazaar Style

You know, I am a little bit obsessed with looking at pretty kitchens and dining tables.  Some people love shoes and handbags; I love a colourful, bright kitchen, a good Belfast sink and a driftwood dining table.  Maybe it’s the cook in me - the kitchen is really my home office.

One of my favourite books and interior stylists (for my kitchen crushes) is Selina Lake.  Her books Pretty Pastel Style and Homespun Style are my favourite interior styling flicks and now I’ve discovered another, Bazaar Style!  I’m going to need another bookcase for all these books!

On the Bank Holiday weekend, I went to a few car boot sales and vintage fairs -  I just love browsing brick-a-brack and finding really beautiful pre-loved pieces I can re-love! Don’t you?

So Bazaar Style is about decorating with market and vintage finds and so much more – In this book stylist Selina and writer Joanna Simmons show you how vibrant rooms furnished with intriguing pieces from different eras and cultures, mixed with vintage and retro influences, inspired by a French brocante or Moroccan bazaar can really spice up your interior spaces.  It’s really a beamingly colouful book, which has made me think of hot sunny afternoons with some alfresco dining and delicious Moroccan inspired food.

These are just a few of my favourite eye candy pieces from the book.

There’s so many more beautiful rooms to flick though!

Bazaar Style by Selina Lake is published by Ryland Peters & Small and is available from www.rylandpeters.com

Pretty inspired by pastel kitchens

Hey everyone! It’s that time of the week where I daydream about pretty kitchens that I wish were my own.  So, imagine my excitement when I came across Interior Stylist Selina Lake and her candy coloured, vintage and retro style inspired rooms recently!

I really wish this was my kitchen.  Look at the Belfast sink! (You know how much I’d love a Belfast sink like that!)  The pops of pretty pastel colours just make me want to get into that kitchen and bake something special.  And I’d invite you all over, of course!

And look at these dining room tables – the colours, the styling, the vintage feel… Wow.  Really inspirational!  You wouldn’t want to eat out ever again!

Selina has just launched her colorful new book, Pretty Pastel Style, and the photography in it is beautiful  (these photos are a selection of my favourites from the book).  It’s full of ideas on how to use a pastel palette, with handmade, vintage, modern, simple and retro styles.  Definitely what I need to style my new place - you know how I said I’m still trying to work out where to put everything!

She is already a best-selling author with three previous books, Bazaar Style, Romantic Style and Homespun Style all enjoying great success.  Interiors and style blogging queen Holly Becker at Decor8 blog is a big fan and I can totally see why.  You just want to hop right into the photographs and hang out in Selina’s beautiful rooms with her!

I absolutely love this retro pink coffee machine (you know how much I love good coffee too!)  I can almost smell the espresso.  Fancy a cup?

And check out this cheesecake.  I would need a serious amount of willpower not to indulge in that pretty pink thing!

If, like me, you find this cheesecake pretty inspiring - I found this gluten free cheesecake recipe on one of my favourite vegetarian foodie sites Green Kitchen Stories.  Go try it, it’s incredible (and almost healthy).

Pretty Pastel Style by Selina Lake is published by Ryland Peters & Small and is available from www.rylandpeters.com