Saturday 27 February 2016

Cork City


If ever you decide you want to go to an Irish city where creativity and individuality are the top priorities, Cork is the place to go. Located in the far south, it's a fairly small town, surrounded by a vast amount of countryside. For this reason, there is a market of nationwide fame (the Queen knows about it too!) filled with artisan produce which I promise to show you in a few weeks' time. Indeed, the whole place is very artsy. There's always something worth seeing, for example, gigs, graphic design in action and festivals. Each building is highly decorated, little kiosk style shops and eateries are to be found at every corner. Plus, everyone says hello to everyone else, whether you know them or not.
 The suburbs are calmer, but highly community oriented. There are miniature walking trails, parks, playgrounds and shopping centres where you can take your family or meet up with friends. Cork is just a mini big city, a bit like Dublin or even London, but with a much more out-there vibe. It has an exciting character, and a will to celebrate every single day of the week.

Where have you travelled to recently?

Anna x

Saturday 20 February 2016

The Things that Mattered



I like getting rid of things
Part of me feels guilty
When giving away old gifts or
Things I once loved
Expensive things, child things
But things I don't need
Things that don't make me
Any happier when they're mine
And then I'm left with things
I'll like, I'll wear, I'll appreciate
And less is really more
And I don't know why
We're so obsessed with having things
Because in the end
What ever
Really matters?

Anna x

Sunday 14 February 2016

100% Healthy Chocolate Smoothie


A few days ago, I came up with an irresistibly tasty smoothie recipe that was both healthy and didn't taste as such. It was richly chocolatey, sweet and had a hint of banana flavour too. I made it again the next day, and the following day, and then the each day that arrived during the rest of the week. I really wanted to tell someone about it, and to have someone else share in my bewilderment, wondering how it could taste like a treat and contain only four very healthy ingredients. Then I remembered this blog, and it's small readership that would surely hear me out. So here I am. I present to you my 100% Healthy Chocolate Smoothie recipe. 


1 cup/250ml coconut or almond milk
1 very ripe banana
1 tablespoon cacao nibs 
1 heaped teaspoon cacao powder. 

This recipe is very flexible, you can add more milk to make it runnier, more banana to make it thicker, add in cherries or chia seeds if you want. If you don't have cacao nibs, you can still go for it and add in more cacao powder instead. Choose coconut milk for a milder taste or almond if you want a bit more of a nutty vibe. Cacao powder is not sweet as it is in a fairly "unedited" form, so therefore I would strongly advise you use very ripe bananas for sweetness purposes. 


Now onto health benefits. Coconut milk is rich in fibre and vitamins, amongst those, calcium and iron. As you'd expect, it's dairy free too. Almond milk is a good option for those with high cholesterol. It too boasts a wide array of vitamins. We all know that bananas contain potassium, which helps your body to function properly. They're also great for digestive purposes. Cacao nibs and cacao powder are antioxidants, help maintain a healthy heart and can boost your mood! Not to mention that they are literally what chocolate is made of, and so have a much stronger, but equally delicious flavour. 

The method is very simple; but all the ingredients in a blender and whizz away. Pour into a drinking vessel and enjoy. 


Let me know what your to-go smoothie recipe is! 

Love, Anna     
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