The Goodness Of Coconut Oil

There has been a lot of hype recently about Coconut Oil and it's benefits.  I finally gave in and got myself a jar. My Health Coach also advised I buy this and start using it instead of Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil when cooking at high temperatures. 

This oil is solid to start with but when heated becomes a clear liquid. Coconut Oil works really well when cooking at high temperatures as it has a high smoke point. This means it is slower to oxidise and less damaged and chemically altered by heat making it the healthiest oil to fry with.

Health Benefits

• Hair- This amazing oil is great for using as a conditioner adding essential proteins to dry and damaged hair. 
• Skin- Due to it's antioxidant properties Coconut Oil is good for dry skin conditions such as eczema and dermititus. It also helps prevent wrinkles and premature ageing.  

• Weight loss - Medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil can speed up metabolism faster than long-chain fatty acids because they are easily digested and converted into energy.

• Digestion- Coconut Oil contains fatty acids, inside these fatty acids are anti-microbial properties which help to soothe bacteria found in the gut.

I have been using coconut oil in cooking for a few weeks now and absolutely love it! It also has a delicious coco-nutty flavour which makes for great stir-fry vegetables and roasted sweet potatoes. I even use it in smoothies for flavour. We are definitely hooked now and won't using anything else!

Do you use Coconut Oil? x

Poppa Joe

Danny's lovely Grandad Jonas aka Poppa Joe is a true legend amongst our family and friends. At 86 he looks incredible and has the spirit of a 18 year old! Get him on the dance floor and there's no stopping him! In fact, he lasts longer than all of us!

Poppa Joe knows all about my blog and how I like to try out different beauty products. Joe is a real shopaholic with favourite hangouts such as Aquascutam, Oliver Sweeney and Liberty. His shoe collection would put Carrie Bradhsaw to shame!! Every Monday he makes the tube journey into the West End or "The Other End" as he likes to call it. When we all got together recently he presented myself, Danny's Mum and Danny's Sister with bags full of treats! These treats were pots and pots of beauty samples!  With a keen interest in the Italian language Joe speaks pretty fluently and I can just imagine him charming the pants off the ladies in the department stores with his beautiful accent.

Poppa Joe is one of the kindest nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. A true gent and loveable rogue. Lauren is often telling me of her Friday evenings spent with him, grabbing a takeaway ( his favourite Chicken soup)  and catching up on TV soaps. An avid Arsenal supporter too he cannot be without his beloved Sky Sports!!

YES!! This man is a LEGEND! And one I am forever grateful to have in my life! Thank you Joe for all that you do for us :) We love you very much! x

Vision Board!

My Best Friend Emma told me about this great idea! You've heard of The Secret right? A powerful tool used to make positive things happen in your life. Well, this works in a similar way. If you imagine all the things you want for the future and visualise them....eventually they will come your way. 

So what is a Vision Board? In simple terms it is a paste board with a collection of pictures or collages. These pictures are your desires! All the things you want to bring into your life. The idea is, if you surround yourself with images of what you want to be, have or achieve....eventually these things will make their way into your life. You can get these images from magazines, photo's or the Internet. Simple!

My Vision Board

I had so much fun putting my Vision Board together. It was pretty easy for me as I know exactly what I want. When I was younger I would always draw the same picture. A house with a picket fence, flowers and apple trees. The sun would always be shining and in my garden I would grow my own fruit and vegetables. Inside my little house I would have my family. A loving Husband, and two children- a girl and boy ideally but I would be grateful with either. We would have a little sausage dog called Lady. My home would be filled with laughter and love and the smell of freshly baked bread and cakes :)

My Vision Board includes the words, Health, Love, Friends, Career & Family as these are all very important to me! What are important to you? What do you desire? For example if you dream of getting married you can create a board filled with wedding objects such as your dream dress, rings, church, etc....Or if you want that dream career you can paste pictures of that specific occupation.

The most important thing is to enjoy making your Vision Board.  Try to make it fun, take your time and play around with pictures. Once you have your perfect Vision Board place it somewhere you will see it each day. Keep looking at it and visualise these things in your life....then just let the magic happen and see it all fall into place. All you have to do is BELIEVE!!! x

Annabellz Attic Great Goodie Giveaway!!

Check this out everyone!  Today I am giving away a box full of goodies to one lucky follower! Take a look at this....



Brands include Rimmel, Clarins, No7, Barry M, Revlon, REN, Diptyque



This box has been put together by myself and includes lots of different branded products that I have used and spoke of in my blog- please note: everything in this box is brand new!!

To win this box of goodies all you have to do is,:

1) Be a follower of my blog- if you aren't already just join up today by clicking the blue icon that says" Join this site" then click one of the following icons to sign in with. If you haven't got a google account its easy enough to open one- just click " create a new google account" and that's it! Easy!!

2) Follow me on Twitter- @blondieana.

3) Leave me a comment on this post telling me your beauty "must-have".

Your names will put into a hat and one picked at random. The winner will be announced on Friday 12th April. Good Luck Guys!! x

Madeleine Shaw's Banana Brekkie Recipe

As you all know I am a little obsessed with Madeleine Shaw's Website and love trying out her delicious healthy recipes. The other evening I decided to try out her Banana Brekkie Bites. 

This recipe is so so easy to make using the simplest ingredients and better still....it's Gluten and Sugar free!! 

Ingredients

2 Banana's

100g Ground Almonds

100g Natural Yogurt 

1 TSP Stevia

2 Eggs

100g Butter ( unsalted) 

Method

Place 1 Banana, the Almonds, Stevia, Butter and Eggs in a blender and blend well. Next add the yogurt slowly and blend again.

Pour into a baking tray or cake tin and cut the other banana into slithers and place sparingly on top of the mixture. Bake in the oven on 180'C for around 20 minutes or until brown. 

Before Baking

After

Cut into pieces and serve with cream or yogurt. 

This tastes delicious! I have been eating it as an evening treat after dinner. It's a perfect substitute to dessert and won't leave you feeling bloated! 

 Tip: Try adding some cinnamon or desiccated coconut for extra flavour :) x 

What I'm Lusting Over....

I often go through phases where I just want everything!! Now is one of them....here is my current wish list:

Urban Decay Naked Palette- £36.00

I've had my eye on this for ages now!! It's only recently that I've gotten into my eyeshadows and this palette has the perfect shades to create some great looks. 

Marc Jacobs Gold Blade Watch- £259.00 

It seems that everyone has a Michael Korrs or Marc Jacobs watch....but I don't! I have my eye on this beauty :) 

Diptyque Mini Trio Candle Set- £60.00

I mentioned Diptyque recently. I really love the brand and the smells are amazing!! Lily Pebbles from WIHT speaks about these candles all the time! 

Aspinal Marylebone Tote Bag- £895.00

This caught my eye when I saw the lovely Millie Mackintosh modelling it on her Style Diary here. Millie just makes everything look good! This bag screams sophistication! 

Monsoon Savannah Blouse- £59.00

I really love this blouse!! It's the perfect summer top! 

So these are what my heart desires at the moment. Some of these are way out of my price range but a girl can dream.....x

Clinique Mascara

I'm always on the look out for a good Mascara. I would say it's one of my most important make up products as my eye lashes are pretty non-existent without it.

To date I would say the best I have found is the YSL Shocking Mascara although I do find it clogs and drys up pretty quickly!

So what do I want from Mascara? It has to be the darkest black you can find, volumising and lengthening. I do like lots of thick dark lashes. There's been a lot of hype recently about the new Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara so I went to my local Boots to check it out. The wand just wasn't doing it for me. I felt that it was far too big! 

Introducing the Clinique High Impact Mascara......

I really liked the wand to this mascara, it wasn't too big and clumpy. This mascara is said to thicken the lashes and create volume and length at the same. It cost £16 so wasn't massively expensive in comparison to the YSL one at £24. 

I'm really enjoying using this at the moment, the colour goes on really black with the first application. You do need to build it up to get the length but it's really good as it doesn't leave your lashes looking clogged up and stuck together. They separate perfectly without looking too thin. I'm really happy with this purchase and glad I bought it. 

Let's hope this doesn't dry out too fast! I will let you all know in my next tried and tested video. Stay tuned! x

Healthy Beetroot and Carrot Salad

I got this idea from a salad I used to buy in Waitrose. It's so tasty and delicious so I decided to make my own healthier version.

Ingredients

4 Carrots

4 Beetroots

1 Red Onion

2 Handfuls of Pumpkin Seeds

3 TBSP Cider Vinegar

Half a Lemon
Splash of Olive Oil

Grate the Carrots in a bowl, chop the Onion finely in rings and mix together. 

Next chop the Beetroot into small cubes and add to the Carrots and Onion, stir together. Add a splash of Olive Oil, the Cider Vinegar and squeeze the Lemon. Add the Pumpkin Seeds, stir and serve on a bed of green leaves. 

It's so easy and so tasty!! This is a really healthy recipe packed with goodness :) It's Danny's current favourite! x

Smoothies...

I've finally given in to all the hype and bought myself a Smoothie Maker/Blender. This is mostly due to my new diet plan from Madeleine Shaw as she has given me some great  recipes to try out for breakfast! I found this one by Kenwood and think it was a great choice as it's a blender/juicer and has an attachment mill for harder foods such as nuts and ice.

I've found I have used this alot so far as it's so quick and easy to use! Here are some of the delicious smoothies I have made so far;

Avocado & Banana Smoothie 

200ml Coconut Water

1 Banana
1 Avocado

Handful of Mint Leaves
Handful of Almonds

 Berry Smoothie

100ml Natural Whole Milk Yogurt

Handful of Almonds

100ml Mixed Berries ( to include Blueberries)

Banana

Breakfast Smoothie

100ml Semi Skimmed Milk

1 banana

2 large handfuls of Spinach

2 TBSP desicated Coconut 

A handful of Almonds

The berry one is my favourite so far! I have tried making smoothies with Apples but have found they taste really waxy? Does anyone have any tips for using Apples in Smoothies? What do you put in your smoothies? x

Diptyque Fragrance

Every time I go into Space NK I notice their massive range of Diptyque Fragrances and Candles. I love the packaging and the smells...it's all so very french and romantic!

Danny recently came home with some perfume samples for me and I am now in love............

I'm really going through a floral theme at the moment and I am not the floral perfume type of girl at all but there is something very different about the Eau Rose Les Florales scent. It has a musky sensual smell which is so long lasting! This is by far the best Rose smelling perfume I have ever smelt. High notes in this perfume are Roses, Blackcurrants and Bergamot.  The other fragrance- L'Eau De Trente-Quatre is a more citrus-musky smell. This is also very nice. It's really fresh with notes of Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit and Lavender. These perfumes aren't at all cheap at £60 a bottle but they are a real luxury perfume!

 I now have my eye on the candles although they are pretty pricey but my yankee candles are almost finished now so I have a good excuse to try something new :)

Have you tried Diptyque Products? What are your favourites? x

My Monthly Favourites...

Over the last month or so I've found some great products! These are the ones I've found myself reaching for the most....

Anatomicals You Need A Blooming Shower Body Cleanser

I am in love with this showergel! I got it in my February Glossy Box and recently purchased another one. I love the packaging and it smells so fresh without being too floral. This cost just £3.00 from Cloud10 Beauty.

Sassoon Hair Treatment

This is another product I got in my February Glossybox. I love the way it makes my hair feel so smooth without weighing it down and it smells delicious!

Rose De Courreges Perfume

Amazing fragrance! This perfume is fresh and floral without being too overpowering.

MAC Dollymix Blush

Ive been wearing this loads! It's kind of replaced my Nars Luguna Bronzer for now. I'm really loving that rosy red cheek look at the moment.

Barry M Lipstick- Coral ( 53)

I decided that when using my MAC Dollymix Blusher I needed to try a more softer colour lippie. I had a look in Boots recently and found this lovely coral colour from the Barry M Lip Paint range. I love this! I've been wearing it everyday. 

Thalia Eye Lash Nutrition Serum

I've been using this every night and really can notice the difference in my lashes! They feel thicker and fuller. See here for my post on this.

 What do you think of these products? Have you tried any of these? x



Introduction to Slow Cooking...

Danny's Mum bought us a slow cooker a little while ago and I've been meaning to use it for ages now! Last week I finally got to put it to good use! I love the size of our Slow Cooker, it's just right for us and I love the colour of it too :)

Slow cooking has made a bit of a comeback since it was originally introduced in 1971. They are particulary great for convenience as you can prepare everything in the morning and slow cook throughout the day without having to do anything. The other benefits of using a slow cooker are;

• Foods are cooked at a relatively low heat which helps keep the nutrients in the food. Foods cooked at temperatures higher than 120'C lose some of their nutrients.
• Easy to Clean- one pot so less washing up
• Meats are great for slow cooking as they become softer and melt in your mouth due to the length of time cooking.
• It performs best with the less expensive cuts of meat and does a fabulous job with inexpensive staples such a root vegetables, lentils and beans. So people can cut back on their food budgets, while producing delicious, nutritious food.

I decided to make a Beef and Ale Stew. I've made one before using a normal pan and it came out really well but I remember thinking I should have left the meat cooking longer in order to get that melt in the mouth feel. I literally chopped everything up the night before so in the morning all I had to do was put the lot in the slow cooker pot and switch the switch to low.

Voila!! It was that simple!

Have you used a Slow Cooker? x

Thought of the Day...#5

I was recently speaking to an old family friend on facebook and we were reminiscing about the days when I was a youngster. I grew up on a street that also housed a few of my aunties and my dear old Nan..:) sounds strange but we all lived down the same road or around the corner from one another. I remember as a young girl walking along the road I would see all the houses with the front doors open and my neighbours speaking to one another in the front garden. Everyone knew each other by name and we'd all look out for one another. It was like a little community. My Dad would arrange snooker tournaments as he had a snooker table and all his friends and family would come round to play. Me and my Sisters would sit under the table picking up the balls from the pockets whilst Mum would keep count of the scores. If we were good they would let us stay up late. It was such an exciting time for us..:) I felt so safe and content back then. I had all my cousins living near by and we all went to same school. The good old days!!

I feel so old speaking like this but nowadays you're lucky if you live next door to someone you get along with. You're lucky if you know their name! Things have changed so much in the last 20 years! Imagine what it will be like in a further 20 years?! It's scary!! With all the bad things going on in the world are we doing the right thing by bringing children into it? Of course we have to re-produce..but it is a frightening thought.

I miss simplicity...myself and my two Sisters as kids didn't have a lot in regards to materials growing up but we were happy. What we lacked in toys we gained in love. We would get excited if Dad came home from work with reams of A4 Paper, we loved to draw and write. I remember my Dad would save up to buy little gifts for my Mum...he would hide the money under a loose floorboard :) It's the simple things in life!  Unfortunately my parents are no longer together but luckily for me I have plenty of good memories of them as Husband and Wife and they still get along today. That's another thing....Divorce is too easy nowadays. Whatever happened to couples sitting down and working on their problems?
What has happened to our society? If I had one wish it would be for world peace. There is so much bad going on in the world. Statistics for depression is on the rise, you rarely heard that word mentioned back in the 80's! It's a shame what has become of us. All we can do is try to be the best version of ourselves that we can be and hope that we can pay it forward so that the world becomes a nicer place to live in...not just for us for the next generation. :)  RANT OVER! x

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Water Earth Skincare Kit

My lovely friend Gevi works for Aveda and gave me this kit to try out. As you all know I love my REN Clay Cleanser and am quite happy with it but I still like to give things a try and loved this 4-step skincare system. It contains the Aveda Purifying Gel Cleanser, Exfoliant, Toning Mist and Hydrating Lotion.

If there's one thing I've learn't over the years it's that Cleansing is key!! It helps to remove impurities on the skin. One thing I liked about this kit is that it came with an Exfoliant in the form of a non abrasive liquid. Most exfoliants have particles that scrub at the skin, this is not good for spot prone skin like mine as this just spreads the bacteria all over the face. I first tried this Exfoliant after washing my face with my REN Cleanser. When I use my REN Cleanser I feel that my skin is totally clean afterwards....WELL...that doesn't appear to be the case! After using the Exfoliant on a cotton wool pad I was amazed at the dirt that still came off my face! The Exoliant is really gentle and feels light of my skin. I have used the full kit for a week now to see what it's like and am really impressed with it. The Gel Cleanser feels nice on my face and easily removes my eye make up which is a must for me! It contains Camomille, Lavender and Vitamin E. The Hydrating Lotion feels so light on my skin which enables the skin to still breathe. It absorbs really quickly but still moisturises really well. The only product in this kit that I haven't found much use of is the Toning Mist. It says to use this in the mornings after cleansing but it doesn't feel moisturising enough for me so I've been using the Hydrating Lotion afterwards.

On the whole I really like these products and would definitely buy them again. This kit is for Normal/Oily Skin and costs £26 which I think is really reasonable for a high end brand like Aveda.

Have you used any of these products? Do you use Aveda products?

Perfect Sunday Breakfast...

This morning I decided to make to my delicious Baked Eggs breakfast. This recipe is so simple to make and tastes amazing! It's full of goodness and looks really pretty too :) 

Baked Eggs with Spinach

Ingredients

1 Egg
Handful of Spinach
Handful of Cabbage and Leeks
1 Clove of Crushed Garlic
Salt & Pepper to season

Grease the ramekin with butter and pre-heat the oven to 200'C. Place the Cabbage, Leeks and Garlic in a pan and lightly fry off until soft. Add the Spinach and stir until wilted. Place the greens in the bottom of the ramekin and crack the egg on top. Place in oven until the whites of the egg are cooked. Season with Salt and Pepper and serve.

I made a delicious Smoothie too to wash it down. This breakfast is the perfect combination of Protein and Vitamins to give you the best start to the day.
Enjoy! x

Mind, Body & Soul

I have to work hard at keeping myself balanced. I tend be very up or down, all or nothing! As I say to many people, "its not easy being me". Unfortunately I have been given the worry genes. I am a constant thinker,  always over analysing everything and worrying what other people think continously!

When I went for my consultation with Madeleine I discussed this with her and she recommended I try out Meditating. This is something I've never done before but was happy to give it a go. She suggested I download an app on my iphone called Headspace. Headspace is great for those who have never done this before as it gives you a real insight into what it's all about and how it can benefit you. The first night I tried this I fell asleep halfway through, that's how relaxed it made me! I would highly recommend you try this. It's a great way of clearing your mind and de-stressing after a long day! I have continued Meditating every night and am really enjoying the benefits. I'm sleeping like a baby and feel a lot more rested upon waking.

Mediation also helps with Anxiety, Stress, Addiction and Focus. Check out Headspace here for more information. x

My New Diet Plan By Madeleine Shaw

So after my consultation with Madeleine I received my diet plan and am now full speed ahead with my new healthy eating regime. I'm so impressed with the plan, there are 16 pages full of helpful advice and recipes along with a shopping list which makes things so much easier! Madeleine really simplifys the way she explains all the science to healthy eating which has really helped me understand how to get the best out of the foods I eat.

First things first....I needed to re-stock my fridge with plenty of vegetables and fresh produce. Madeleine says to buy  fresh local, organic and grass fed produce when you can. Healthy soils create healthy plants and animals- this is her theory and makes total sense!

I'm terrible for eating breakfast in the mornings and tend to wait until I get into work to eat but the best way to kick start your metabolism is to eat within 1 hour of waking. Madeleine advises to start the day with a warm lemon and water drink, this helps to cleanse your system, I then got to work on my breakfast. It was hard at first getting myself out of bed that little bit earlier but now I actually prefer having the time to sit down and eat a good breakfast before leaving the house. I also felt much more awake in doing so and found that I was able to go through until lunch without feeling hungry!  

Madeleine advised me to eat just three meals a day and not to snack as these cause you to eat more. She encouraged me to eat good fats such as Avocado, Olive Oil and Coconut Oil as they keep you fuller for longer and to cut out bad carbs by replacing them with good ones such as sweet potato or pumpkin.

A Typical Day's Diet

 

From Clockwise- Warm Water with Lemon, Veggie Omelette,
Mackerel with Beetroot & Carrot Salad, Lamb Steaks with Sweet Potato Mash & Broccoli

I am absolutely loving the Veggie Omelette recipe that Madeleine gave me. It's so simple but packed full of delicious nutritional ingredients. Take a look at Madeleine's recipe;

2 Egg Whites and 3 Egg Yolks ( Free Range)
A handful of chopped Cherry Tomatoes

1/2 Chopped White Onion

1 Clove of Crushed Garlic

1 TSBP Coconut Oil

A Handful of Spinach

Sautee the onions in the coconut oil on a medium heat until soft, whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, spinach and garlic to the onions and stir. Add the eggs on top. Cook until the bottom is bronzed, flip in half and cook for a further 30 seconds then serve. It really is so good!

Why don't you check out Madeleine's Website here for Nutritional Advice and Coaching. I can't recommend her enough! x 

March Glossybox!

It's that time again....and here we are...my March Glossybox!!

This months box is another good one with some great brands! I really am so pleased I subscribed to them now :)

Here's a peek at what I got:



Tresemme Salon Finish Hairspray- Normally £1.99
This is said to give all day control and long lasting hold!



Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream- Normally £25 for 50ml
The skincare classic that soothes, restores, calms and helps relieve chapped, cracked, dry skin. Soothes roughness, redness and minor skin irritations.

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush- Normally £12 for this size
A moisturising lip stain that tints your lips with just the right amount of juicy colour and hydrates like a balm.

Nails Inc- Bruton Street Shade- Normally £5 for this size
This is a nice dusky pink/nude colour.



L'Octitane Precious Cream- Normally £43 for 50ml size
This rich smooth moisturiser visibly corrects deep wrinkles and improves firmness.



I think I got a good mix of brands! I'm actually really excited to try all of these products although I have already used the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and am a big fan!  The total value of these products would normally be £86.99. That's such great value for money!

Stay tuned for an update on these products! x