All Hail Hanky Panky Pancakes

I may have said this before, things don't move particularly quickly in Chester and anything evenly mildly alternative is either a raging success or a tragic flop so when Hanky Panky Pancakes opened it's doors a couple of years ago it could have easily tipped in either direction. 

However, I am delighted to say that success was all that awaited this little eatery.

B's Bakes: Raw Vegan Cookie Dough Ice Cream

 

Is it just me or does ice cream stir up some serious flashbacks?

 

Maybe it's because it's such a seasonal delight; a nod to the sunshine filled summers of our childhood and windswept trips to the seaside with sand in hair and hair in mouth. Mushed up with jelly, at children's parties and trips to the ice cream parlours on visits to America where the toppings were more exciting than the flavour you chose!

B's Bakes: Savoury Sweet Potato Muffins

For a long time, I was very unsure of how I felt about savoury cake. Give me any flavour of sugary sweet treat, but herbs and more than just a pinch of salt...no chance. It wasn't until I started experimenting with sundried tomatoes and cheese that I realised that just because I didn't want to inhale the raw batter, didn't mean the end result wouldn't be delicious.

B's Bakes: Colourful Coleslaw

There's something so very summery about coleslaw. With a satisfying crunch of fresh veg and the perfect salty/creamy/sweet balance, it really is such a wonderful picnic staple. And interestingly enough, for the longest time I wasn't really a fan. It was only after I decided to experiment and make my own that I realised I'd been missing out for far too long.

B's Bakes: Cacao Coconut fudge with sour cherries

Chocolate, for many, is one of the hardest things to give up when trying to get your diet clean. Whether your opting to ditch the dairy or the sugar, not even the high quality brands can really hold their hands up to being guilt-free. As I began to wean myself off processed sweet treats, I found that I could no longer really justify my love of chocolate in the way that I was eating it, and I really needed to find something that gave me the cacao hit, without the guilt crash.

B's Bakes: Cranberry Cookies

I have a serious thing about cookies. 

As a confessed sweet treat addict, more often than not I tend to I let my sweet tooth reign. Yet often when I'm out for dinner I'm just not feeling it the array of lemon possets or chocolate fondants. The one thing I can never say no to, however, is a cookie or two.

Busy Bees Make Time for Tea Hive

Once you leave a place that you so dearly called home it's a curious thing to discover what you miss about it. It's also a curious thing to find out what will sway in making the effort to return to that place that you have now left. For me, the eateries of Manchester are some of the best ever and Teahive would be up there at the very top of my list.

B's Bakes: Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Is it me or is Nutella one of those foods that have just sky-rocketed to cult status?

In the blink of an eye, it's gone from being an average chocolate spread to being some kind of instagram-able pledge of allegiance. And if you've got a personalised jar, well you can expect your likes to double for sure! As a die-hard praline fan, I appreciate a good hazelnut, I do. However, I've taken to trying to avoid foods that don't feel natural or nourishing to my body, and while it may be delicious in all it's sugar-coma inducing glory, not even I can defend that nutritional index. 

Is This the Best Brunch in Town?

Last week, the girls & I arranged to meet up for a spot of brunch on one of the rare occasions that we were all free at the same time and I could not think of anywhere better to go than Moose. With an overwhelmingly large selection of all things brunch it is a highly popular spot and it is hardly surprising as to why...

Quick and Easy Sick Day Soup

Life has been rather hectic lately. As I stepped off the train from London I received a call from my employer asking if I could work overtime as the children that I nanny for had come down with flu. Needless to say that with my immune system a little weakened from all the sugar consumed whilst in London it was inevitable that I would be struck down with the same bug. However, unlike the children, I live alone and have no one around to make me food and bring me fluids in my hours of need. I therefore keep this little recipe up my sleeve as it is super simple and quick using ingredients that can usually be found in the bottom of the fridge whilst also being warm, comforting and nourishing.

A Foodie Trip to London: Day 4

Our final day in London involved a lot of travel and the prospect of having to drag heavy luggage around a sunny, busy London. After checking out of the accommodation we were in need of a good breakfast to last us through the day and so headed to the end of the road in order to visit Leon.

A Foodie Trip to London: Day 3

The third day of our gallivant round London town produced bright and beautiful weather and we therefore decided to spend our morning exploring the delights of Borough Market.

A Foodie Trip to London: Day 2

Day two of our London trip was all about the shopping! So. Much. Shopping. Because, if you can't buy it in London, then where the hell can you?

A Foodie Trip to London: Day 1

Every year my mum and I head to London for a girl's trip away together involving a lot of shopping, gossiping and, of course, food. This year was no exception.

Simple, Scrumptious, Quinoa Salad

It took me a long time to get to grips with the fact that salad did not have to be boring and that it could consist of more than just a few wilted leaves of iceberg lettuce and some watery tomatoes. 

So here is my go-to salad recipe that has never failed to be a winner and, even better, it uses up loads of scraps and only takes around 15 minutes to create.

Spring Health Kick: Seed Sprouting

It's the beginning of March and Spring is starting to, well, spring. As we watch daffodils and crocuses come into bloom I feel my body reawakening and craving fresher foods, more movement and the general shrugging off of my winter state of hibernation. In order to kick start this process, it is around time of year that I like to reintroduce sprouted seeds / beans back into my diet as a fantastic means of bulking up salads, soups and omelettes. They are exceptionally high in protein, fibre and B vitamins whilst being deliciously nutty flavour and crunchy texture.  

If you fancy giving sprouting a go then here's how to do it.

A Meeting at North Tea Power

Sometimes living alone and also working from home can become a real drag. Little interaction + little encouragement = low motivation. So a couple of weeks ago I made arrangements with my oldest friend Becky, who is in a very similar situation, to meet up and go for breakfast in order to discuss life, boys, business and all things blog related. 

Paleo, Chocolate Truffle Protein Balls

If ever there was a way of combining a healthy post-workout snack with chocolate then I was determined to find it. And, now that I have, I am going to share it with you lovely lot.

Love Juice? Then Head to Love Juice

I love afternoon tea. There, I said it. In fact, it's not just afternoon, there's brunch too... and supper - in fact any meal that is not really a meal but is at the times of day when one should be at work and therefore eating cake, and generally being decadent, feels all kinds of sinfully wonderful. One of my favourite people to while away an afternoon with is undoubtedly my mother but since she has been juicing (see previous post for more details) finding places to gain appropriate sustenance has proven tricky. Enter, Love Juice.

My Three Favourite Juices... from Jason Vale's, Super Juice Me

I was first introduced to Jason Vale, the Juice Master, and his juicing philosophies when I was still in my mid-teens and my mum was re-training as a nutritional therapist. I was instantly on board and have remained a bit of a fan ever since.