Foodie Friday - What I Ate In June

Last month was the month when I started to take my weight loss seriously again. I'd had about a month off but June was the month when I tried to get back on track. I still had the odd treat - my life isn't about denial after all, but by and large I think I ate pretty healthily. Probably down to the weather my salad intake increased, my fruit consumption went up, I snacked better and I cooked a lot of the recipes, that helped me at the start of my journey.

Although I'm not doing Slimming World, I have found myself cooking a lot of recipes that feature on the plan. One recipe which I fell in love with is curry or chickpea dahl loaf. The original ingredients are curried rice, and chickpea dahl. I had neither and didn't fancy a trip to Tesco, so I made a variation. First of all I made a sort of baked bean dahl, I fried some garlic, and chopped onion in Fry Light, and then I added some jalapenos, some cumin, coriander and curry powder, and a can of baked beans. I then cooked it down till it was quite thick. I didn't have any curry rice, so instead I made do with a packed of golden vegetable rice, to which I added some more jalapenos and some curry powder. It was really nice and just as good as the original and dare I say it slightly cheaper to make.

I served it with some mixed vegetables and potato salad which I made with low fat salad cream, and I also served a portion with baked sweet potato, Slimming World type chips and homemade coleslaw. There really is nothing like homemade coleslaw, it's fresh and you know exactly whats gone in it. You really need a food processor or a slicer to make it but it's well worth it.

I also served some homemade coleslaw with some crustless cottage cheese quiche and some boiled Jersey potatoes.

My mums obsession with burgers also continued in June, so on a few occasions this month I tucked into a lovely veggie burger. This one was crammed full of salad, ketchup and low fat salad cream, with just a sneaky piece of Stilton.

For someone who never used to like blue cheese, I'm now a bit of a fan. My mum always seems to pick up a bit in the reduced section when she goes shopping and I can't resist. Like me my mum is a huge bargain hunter so she regularly scans the reduced sections in the supermarket for cut priced fresh food. As well as the Stilton so also spied a bag full of courgettes for less than 50p! I wasn't sure what to do but after having a little look at this website from one of QVC UK's food demonstrators, Home Economist, Simon Brown, I decided to try and make a courgette and Stilton soup. I just used my basic broccoli and Stilton recipe, and replaced the broccoli with courgette. It was really good, and it's made me wonder what other vegetables I can try, I'm definitely thinking kale or cauliflower but I'm not sure what else would work. If you have any suggestions please leave me a comment x 

It's always worth having a look in reduced sections in supermarkets especially when it comes to fruit and veg. June also saw us pick up a large ripe pineapple for less than £1. I love fresh pineapple but it's such a bind to peel and chop, so I cut the leaves off, and chopped it into large chunks and put it skin and all into my juicer. OMMMGG it was so good and so much nicer than any bought pineapple juice, you could really taste the freshness of the fruit.

I don't know whether it's down to the warmer weather or not but I seem to have put my juicing head back on and this month I've also made several Juicemaster Homemade Sherbet Lemonades. In case you don't remember it, it's just lemons, and green apples. It is so refreshing on the palette and it's really quite filling.

Despite the fact that weather is nice today and it has been for a few days now, for a lot of June , it was rainy, miserable and anything but summery, so I made a few meals to ahem warm the cockles of my heart so to speak, starting off with some more Slimming World inspired meals, including Diet Coke Quorn,

and Mushy Pea Quorn Curry.

I also made an old favourite, my Indonesian Rice With Tofu, which is a meal that I always find super quick, filling, and comforting in equal measure.

In order to get back on track, I've had to improve my snacking a bit. Obviously I've cut down on the picking and so on but when I have snacked I've tried to make better choices.

Fruit is the big one, I'm not the biggest fruit eater out there but juicing helps and so does the availability of good fresh produce and  British strawberries. I had some with a bit of Easi Yo Green Yogurt and some with a cheeky bit of evaporated milk but no sugar because they really were sweet enough.

Instead of reaching for chocolate bars  and the like, I've tried to go for slightly healthier options to help combat cravings and my sweet tooth. Poundland has proved invaluable and I've gotten slightly addicted to these yogurt covered fruit pieces and raisins

and these compressed real fruit sticks and mini raisin packs are great when your on the go or just need something sweet in a hurry. Obviously they still have a bit of sugar in them but it's definitely better than reaching for a bar of chocolate.

I've also been pretty obsessed with rice cakes, and these yogurt covered beauties from Aldi really are the one. For less than 100 calories each you getting something that tastes a lot naughtier. 

Something that I've also loved in June are these Udi's Toaster Pastries. 

Basically they're pop tarts but for those gluten and wheat free minions like me. They come in just the two flavours strawberry, and apple and cinnamon but they are really nice and filling, whether for breakfast or as a snack. They're normally about £3 a box but they are currently just £1 in Tesco.

Life isn't worth living if you cant treat yourself though and in June I did have the odd treat though including my Mum's Gluten Free Lemon Sponge Cake 

and some lovely gluten free flapjacks also made by Mummy Lou x 

The only other area where I've been bad is with my passion for coffee shops. As much as I love my coffees I June and so far in July I've been a bit obsessed with the cooler coffee shop options. I've had a couple of Starbucks Frappuccinos including the new Coconut Mocha which I loved despite not being the biggest fan of coconut, and I've also had a couple of Costa's Creamy Coolers.

Yes I know there are healthier Costa options but at times only the whipped cream will do. That said the Sticky Toffee one doesn't come with whipped cream but my favourite Raspberry and White Chocolate Creamy is back and it's totally divine. In fact I may have had another one today!

I do want to try the new Starbucks Yogurt Frappuccinos, and I also want to try some more of the Costa Ice drinks so I will definitely be making several more trips and earning my loyalty points before the summer is out.

I haven't had the best of healthy eating weeks this week in fact it's been lousy, partly down to something I will be showing you next Friday, but I've had my fun, and I've proved to myself that it is possible to have treats and eat well and still lose weight so who knows what I'll be showing you next month :)  Thanks for reading and happy cooking, and happy scoffing xx

June Buys And Gifts - Benefit, Barry M, Avon, Collection, Primark And More

I know I'm late with this again but in my opinion hauls are always worth waiting for. Although I was going to try and cut back on my spending a bit in June, I still have lots to show you. I haven't been very well for the last month or so and my mum has took me shopping and bought me quite a few bits to try and cheer me up, and I've picked up a few bits for myself. We'll start off with some clothes and accessories.

Basic vests from Primark - always used and a bargain at £2.00 and £2.50 each. I picked the colours to match the H&M trousers that I mentioned that I was waiting for in Mays haul, but alas the trousers went back. Despite having the same description and fabric content as my other ones, they were completely different fabric wise and fit wise :( Never mind I'm sure I have a zillion other things that I can wear them with

.

Next up another one of these Primark necklaces - This is my third one now, and they all feature different colours and different beads - I loved the faux pearls on this one.

It's been a little while since I bought anything from ebay, but this pastel statement necklace has been on my watch list for a while now.

I love the pastel tones, and the almost rose gold toned chain. It was just £2.59 including postage from this seller.

Next up beauty - you've already seen a couple of my June Make Up Revolution purchases (click here if you haven't)  but I bought plenty more beauty good that you haven't seen yet x

For my birthday my lovely Mummy got a years subscription to one of my favourite magazines ELLE. Alongside the subscription I received a free Benefit The Bronze Of Champions Kit.

I'm going to a full review and face of the day in an up and coming post but believe me this is the perfect kit for holidays or for the summer months.

I have to say Benefit are one of my favourite high brands, I love their packaging, their style and their products. I'm a bit of a lip balm junkie so when I saw that they were introducing tinted lip balms based on their popular skin tints - my ears pricked up.

Unfortunately my purse didn't and I couldn't really justify the £14.50 price point. Last month though I made the decision  to cancel my Birchbox subscription, I've enjoyed the boxes but to be honest I'd rather spend money on things that I really wanted. Whilst I was cancelling my account I noticed that I had a few Birchbox points to cash so I decided to order the Posiebalm Tinted Lip Balm and pay with my points.

The colour in the tube looks a little bit warmer than the original Posie Tint but the metallic packaging is to die for.

They have a gorgeous rose smell and taste, and they feel very, very moisturising on the lips but to be honest the pigmentation isn't all that. Don't get me wrong it's a nice enough balm, but the tint is so sheer, it may as well not be there at all. I'll definitely use it up and enjoy it but I'm just pleased that I didn't pay full price for it.

If you were going to spend `£14.50 on one of these then may be your money might be better spent on something else that I picked up in June.

Barry M Cor Balmy's are tinted lip balms with a SPF 15. The outside of the balm and the moisturising core contains Vitamin E, Jojoba and Shea Butter. There are 5 shades to choose from and I went for CB2 Rosie Lea, a bright pink

Like the Benefit balms you don't get full on, in your face pigmentation, these are just a tint but in this case they are actually more pigmented than the more expensive alternative. They aren't as moisturising but for the price I can deal with that.

Oh and the price? Barry M Cor Balmy retail at just £3.49 each, so your can afford to pick up a few x

As well as these two tinted balms, in June I also picked up a plain lip balm. I was in Superdrug having a nosey and I saw the new Mardi Gras range from Collection. My eyes were drawn the lip balms and after having a little sniff I picked up 1 Green Apple. These are just plain, lip balms and for just £1.99 they are worth picking up. This one has a lovely fruity fragrance and taste with notes of apple and melon.

I really need to stop buying lip products - I'm currently sorting out my lip products to put them in my new Muji drawers and the amount of balms, glosses and sticks I have is bordering on the ridiculous. In June though I added to my lipstick collection with this buy from Avon.

The Color Trend Naughty Or Nice Lipsticks are pretty special - basically you get two colours in the one bullet.

I went for the shade high society which features a pale, fuchsia pink on one side and a deep raspberry on the other.

Both shades are really pigmented and can be used individually or mixed to form new shades.

I think that these lipsticks are a fabulous idea especially for holidays or travel - you basically get two colours for the price of one. The RRP for these is about £4 but the brochures nearly always have some for of special offer on.

As well as the lipstick I also picked up a little bargain for the sale brochure - A mini purse spray of the Today fragrance.

I love this fragrance it's a really heady white floral, and the 10ml  purse spray was just £2.50. I love purse sprays and roll on fragrances and I really don't think we see enough of the them in UK.

I love perfume, and I always have quite a few on the go at once, depending on my mood, and the occasion. As you probably know I'm a compulsive magazine reader and last month there were quite a few scratch and sniffs of the new Prada fragrance. It was love as first sniff - so when I had a week of none stop of medical and hospital appointments my lovely mummy bought me a bottle.

The fragrance in question is Prada Candy Florale. I'm really not a fan of the original or to be honest any of the other Prada fragrances but this is something different. It's a combination of florals and sweet notes. I'm seriously in love. Thanks Mummy Lou xx

As well as the vest tops and necklace I also got something from Primark's beauty range. I looked around the whole store and I couldn't find my usual tea tree face wipes. So instead I picked up a duo pack of their new Oil Balancing Face Wipes with tea tree and witch hazel. I haven't tried them yet but hopefully they will be an adequate replacement.

My final out and out purchase from June, was this very cute Hello Kitty hand sanitiser spray. I got it from my local, small, independent chemist. It's alcohol free which I love as I normally find anti bacterial gels and sprays quite drying.

The final things in my June haul were all magazine freebies - The monthly magazines have really upped their game when it comes to free gifts. First up Cosmopolitan featured a free pair of sunglasses. I rely on prescription sunglasses or clip ons usually but I loved these aviators.

The next freebie was skincare and InStyle featured a free 30ml tube of REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser, with a lovely, soft white cotton flannel.

The rest of June's freebies were nail polishes - Marie Claire featured a free mini Ciate Caviar Duo. I went for the lilac one which came with Sugar Plum nail polish and Ice Queen caviar pearls.

I don't normally buy Harpers Baazar but I made in an exception in June for a free full sized Leighton Denny nail polish. I am a huge fan of the Leighton Denny range and I went for the shade Lolly Pop, a lovely pinky, coral.

Finally June / July Red came with a free full sized Mavala nail colour. Mavala polishes really don't get enough love, and I went for the shade Trinidad a bright blue to add to my little collection.

So that was it that was June's haul. If you want to find out more about anything that I bought last month, please check out my You Tube video below x Oh and just a heads up I'm wearing the raspberry side of the Avon lipstick xx



Thanks for reading and hopefully thanks for watching and if you have any questions please leave me a comment xx

Trimming My Stash - June 2014 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

Hey Guys x I know I say this every month but where on earth is this year going - It's July, we're more than half way through the year arghhhhh. Anyways it's monthly empties time again and yet again I've proved I'm consistent if nothing else!

Rituals Yogi Flow Indian Rose And Sweet Almond Foaming Shower Gel Sensation - 200ml
Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil -15ml
This Works Daily Boost Body Scrub - 50ml
Treacle Moon The Candy Jar Original Toffee Bon Bon Bath And Shower Gel - 500ml
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic - 200ml
Boots The Spa Conditioning Body Moisturiser - 125ml
SBC Arnica Bath Soak - 250ml
Total - 7 Items

6 or 7 items really seems to be the norm for me so far this year and in June I finished 7 items. I didn't manage to finish any make up items in June but I managed to finish quite a few body care items, and one skincare item, so I'm not feeling as despondent as I did last month despite managing to finish only one product more. So what did I think about the products I finished in June, well for once my mini reviews are largely positive with at least 3 potential repurchases.

1. Rituals Yogi Flow Indian Rose And Sweet Almond Foaming Shower Gel Sensation - 200ml

This is the first product from Rituals that I'd ever tried and I'm certain that it won't be the last. This was one of those amazing shaving foam esq shower gel /creams. As you'll see in the next week or so I'm a huge fan of this type of formulation. This product had a gentle fragrance and left this skin feeling super soft and clean - loved it x

2. Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil -15ml

Another one of my obsessions are cuticle oils - I have really dry cuticles and I love using oils and creams to nourish them and keep them smooth. This is one of Essie's best and has a gorgeous fruity, peach / apricot scent. It's not too greasy or oily and it sinks in really quickly. I will definitely consider repurchasing this when I've finished the 3 or so that I have my collection - 2 of which I'll be reviewing for you in the near future.

3. This Works Daily Boost Body Scrub - 50ml

The only mehhhh item on June's list is this body scrub from This Works. This was a magazine freebie from quite a while ago now, hence the small size. This scrub had a nice aromatherapy based scent but for me it just wasn't scrubby enough, the grains were just too small and fine. If you have a more sensitive skin or you like to exfoliate everyday in the shower then this might be for you but it wasn't for me :(

4. Treacle Moon The Candy Jar Original Toffee Bon Bon Bath And Shower Gel - 500ml

This was a product that was sent to me for review purposes, you can read a full review of it here x

5. Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic - 200ml

This is one of my favourite toners of all time. It smells fabulous and it's great on sensitive skin. I particularly use mine at this time of year to cool and refresh my skin, and I tend to use it decanted into a spritzer. I love this toner with a passion but to be honest it's getting more and more expensive so I'm on the look out for something cheaper. If you have any toner recommendation for normal to oily skin please let me know x

6. Boots The Spa Conditioning Body Moisturiser - 125ml

I'm not sure how long it it since Boots have sold this but I found it in a long forgotten toiletry bag. I'm not always the biggest fan of fresh and aquatic aromas but I always loved this range, and I'm kind of gutted after rediscovering this, that it isn't made any more :( I recently review some Palmolive shower gels that smell similar but I think that's as close as I'm going to get.

7. SBC Arnica Bath Soak - 250ml

I'm a huge, huge fan of SBC products. They produce a range of easily absorbed gels, creams and bath and shower product based on natural and herbal ingredients. My CFS / Fibromyalgia causes a lot of muscle pain and stiffness and I'm a huge lover of the SBC Arnica Gel. There is no burning or freezing sensation but it just seems to help ease my poorly muscles. You can read a little review of the gel here x I hope you can excuse the awful pictures but 4 years ago I didn't haven't the best camera :) This however is the bath soak, it produces a gentle foam with a pleasant but not overpowering herbal smell. The packaging is quite utilitarian but the product really makes a difference when used in a warm bath. I already have a one of these in back up and it's something that I will continue to repurchase.

So they were my June empties x I'm hoping to do a little bit better in July and I've already finished two products already - go me! and I've also got two make up items just about done, so I'm pretty hopeful. Do your post your empties on your blog? Leave me a comment and a link and let me know x

Weight Loss Update - 6 Months In - 27lbs Down

Over the last 4 weeks I've only managed to lose a measly 2lbs. By rights I should be disappointed but really I'm not. I haven't been very well recently so anything that I have lost has been a real bonus.

I've had a few treats here and there but by and large I've managed to stick to a pretty healthy diet throughout June. I've started juicing again, and I've eaten plenty of salads and fruit. I've also made a few of the Slimming World inspired meals to try and mix it up a bit, and I've been trying out some new snack ideas. I'll stick my food review of the month post up on Friday so you can see some of the things that I've been eating and drinking. 

Unfortunately exercise hasn't really happened over the last month, I've had days when even walking has been too much, but every movement is exercise, and it surprising how many calories things like, hoovering, and even shopping can burn so I'm not feeling too despondent.

I'm back listening to my Slim and Fit Pods every night at the moment too, and again I think that it's making the difference with regards to relaxation and motivation, particularly when I haven't felt up to it. I'm particularly focusing on the Create That Summer Beach Body download which is great for motivation at this time of year. I don't think I'm going abroad this year but I still want to feel confident enough to wear strappy tops, shorts and skirts in the warmer weather.

I'm not really a one for setting targets but in July I would love to lose another 2 pounds to take me back into the next stone barrier and back to the weight I was before my birthday. The weight seems to be coming off much more slowly than what it was, but at least its coming off and I'm not gaining x 

Thanks again for all your support on my journey and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. Oh and if you want to keep in touch with my weight loss journey every week please check out the weight loss tab above and of course my instagram  for weekly updates x 

(Various Thinking Slimmer Slim Pods Have Been Provided For Review / Promotional Purposes)