Simple dark chocolate treats

Ingredients/utensils

74% dark chocolate from Lidl

Roasted hazelnuts & flaked almonds (or whichever nuts you prefer)

You could also add dried fruit if you like

Silicone moulds 

At the end of last year I attended a chocolate making class as part of a hen party (very fun), on this I learnt that the darker the chocolate the better the quality of cocoa is.  They actually recommended Lidl chocolate as they have a varied range of great quality dark chocolate.

• Break the chocolate into a glass bowl
• Melt the chocolate in the glass bowl over warm water in a saucepan on the hob (I’ve tried the quick method of microwaving and have ended up burning my chocolate)
• While the chocolate melts place some nuts into the moulds
• Once the chocolate is fully melted pour it into the moulds on top of the nuts
• Then place in the fridge to set
• Once set turn out onto a plate or tray
• Voilà the finished chocolates ready to eat.

You could also wrap them in cellophane and finish with ribbon to make a great little present.

~Laura~

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My cook book collection

Finally here it is, a look at my obsession with cook books (note to self stop buying cook books!)

Good Housekeeping step-by-step cook book
The slow cooker cookbook 
Best kept secrets of the Women's Institute - Healthy eating  
A chocolate dream (I was given this one and the above and I can't find links)
Glorious Cakes
Good Housekeeping easy to make wheat free
The burger 
4 ingredients Christmas
400 budget recipes
Reboot Juice book
Gluten-free cooking
The healthy slow cooker cook book
Good housekeeping easy to make soups
The hairy dieters
Vegan & gluten free baking
Gluten free baking
Seriously good gluten free cooking - Phil Vickery
Donal Skehan Home Cooked
Donal Skehan Kitchen Hero
Itsu - The Cookbook
Flourless
Flat belly diet, gluten free cookbook
Simply gluten free and dairy free
I quit sugar for life
Deliciously Ella
Paleo diet
Honeybuns gluten free baking
Wheat gluten & dairy free 

Below are a few close up pictures of my favourites.

Finally, no cook book is complete without having a pretty cook book stand to display them in. Even when I'm not planning on making anything I like to keep a recipe open as it adds a nice touch to my kitchen.

~Laura~

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My Summer Picnic Essentials*

Anyone that knows me will know I have a complete obsession with cushions, throws and anything homeware.  So when it comes to the summer it gives me a chance to bring colour to my garden when having a picnic by adding cushions, throws and of course beautiful summer themed dining accessories. Below are some of my ideal picnic essentials.

PICNIC IN MY GARDEN ESSENTIALS

Graham & Brown Green Air Balloon Cushion

Linea Wave Acrylic Jug

Linea Acrylic Colour Burst Glassware Range

Dickins & Jones Multi Blanket

Helena Springfield Rise & Shine Cushion

Linea Palm Leaves Chair Pad

Joules Moss Stitch Cushions

Picnic out and about essentials

Christy wimbledon blanket throw

Plum & Ashby dog print cushion

Linea velvet rope cushion

Linea fruits hamper

Joseph Joseph storage containers

Linea Ice cream spoons

Linea wine glasses

~Laura~

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Gluten free healthy food supplies

Brown rice flour

Buckwheat flour

Easy clean crispbread in chickpea seeds & black pepper

Easy clean crispbread in chickpea Moroccan spice

Chia seeds – I really want to make the cauliflower pizza base and these are a crucial part of the Deliciously Ella recipe

Cumin

Turmeric

Eat Real lentil chips – chilli & lemon

Eat Real quinoa chips – sour cream & chives

Vine tomatoes

Red onions

Avocadoes  - ripe and ready to eat ones

Lemons

Limes

Organic carrots

Organic mushrooms

The groovy food company organic agave nectar

Lettuce

(Ecover cleaning wipes sneaked into this pic)

~Laura~

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The Body Shop body mists

Madagascan vanilla flower fragrance mist - I can't seem to find this online but they have an eau de toilette version.

Coconut body mist - this is a must for all those coconut scent addicts out there like me!

White musk smoky rose fragrance mist - yes I am one of those people who also enjoys rose scents, it seems to be you either love or hate rose smells.  This scent has also combined another love of mine, musk. I do love musky scents as I think they last longer on me.

These are all £7.50 for 100ml which is great value for product, I mainly switch between these throughout the week for work.

~Laura~

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Recent Body Shop buys

Amazonian Wild Lily Mini Eau De Toilette 10ml - £5

White Musk Mini Eau De Toilette 10ml - £5 - This is for my granny

Sweet Almond Oil Nail Varnish Remover 100ml - £6

Camomile Waterproof Eye & Lip Make Up Remover 150ml - £8 - I've only used this twice and already think it might be my new favourite eye makeup remover.

All-In-One BB Cream 00 Fair Skin Tones - 25ml - £12

Satsuma Shower Gel 250ml £0  - when you spent over £10 and you could pick a free shower gel and as it's summer I picked this gorgeous satsuma one which smells divine!

There was also 40% off online so I got all these goodies for £21.60

The all in one bb cream has pigment-filled capsules that burst when applied to the skin, releasing the colour inside.

This is the lightest shade 00 and when I blended it on my arm it turned into an orange shade, so I'm not quite sure how this will look when applied to my face. Have I actually found one body shop product that I don't like?! Fingers crossed it blends better on my face as I've watched the video that is on the body shop website for this product and it doesn't look orange at all.

Have you tried any of these products?

~Laura~

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Me time - gardening

I am eagerly waiting for strawberry buds to appear on these lovely strawberry plants (this has now doubled in size)

The strawberry plant flowers are so pretty

Everyone should have a mint plant (this has now tripled in size). It gives your garden a beautiful aroma plus fresh mint tea whenever you want!

Bringing the outdoors indoors - Chives. I enjoy adding these to omelettes and salads as they are lovely and fine. 

I love having little plant pots in my kitchen as it encourages me to plant my own herbs

This now has a thyme plant in it

I need to buy seeds again to refill these

I am minimalistic about gardening, I love having a few plant pots scattered around my garden.  One day the dream is to have a slightly bigger garden and grow my own vegetables.

Do you enjoy gardening?

~Laura~

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Recent beauty buys

Vichy Purete thermale 3 in 1 one step cleanser for sensitive skin 

Lush seanik shampoo bar

Meacher, Higgins & Thomas Rosehip All Purpose salve from Marks & Spencers - I cannot find this online anywhere:(La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+ 

Lush Gay is OK soap

Not only is this a beautiful looking and smelling soap (bergamot mixed with lemon) it is all in aid of a great cause. Here's a little bit from the LUSH website to explain:

'We are selling a soap and giving the profit away - we’ve made enough Love Soap to raise £250,000, if all the bars are sold! The money will be put into a fund to help LGBT organisations fighting for rights, equality and acceptance around the world. We want to attract applications from groups working in areas where anti-LGBT laws are harsh and extreme and where funding is in short supply.'

I have only tried the squeaky green shampoo bar (which is great) and it lasted at least 4 months so I wanted to repurchase another one.  When I read that this has lemon, seaweed & sea salt I was hooked as I love the Lush Ocean salt scrub which is a similar scent. 

Mark & Spencers is a place that I would have never of thought to go into for skincare but recently I've found myself enjoying a little wander in there to test all the beauty products they have to offer (Nuxe, Ren, Korres, Rituals). I spotted this Meacher, Higgins & Thomas Rosehip All Purpose salve which is all-purpose for lips, face, cuticles, elbows, knees and other areas prone to chapping. I thought this would be a great little tin to put into my handbag and it was really affordable at £4.50 (50g).

~Laura~

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