Soon-to-Graduate

Heya, just to let you all know that as I finish my final year of university in less than 2 weeks things are going to be a bit quiet, be back soon!! x

What to do with... Avocados!

So health and dieting has been a bit of a theme on my blog lately, so today is no exception as I show you what I have been doing with the awesome superfood, avocados! Not only is avocado extremely good for your insides, boosting your cardiovascular health with its vitamin e and containing mix of potassium, b-vitamins and folic acid to name a few, but it also helps you look great on the outside! (deary me, I sound like that yoghurt advert with Gok Wan!) this is because of their high levels of mono-saturated fat helps to plump and rejuvenate skin. Avocados are pretty high in calories (more than a mars bar!) yet they can still help you lose weight. This is because the good fats in this mean green machine have been proven to be used as energy as opposed to stored as fat, this energy is released slowly so that we feel full and satisfied, rather than reaching for that cheeky packet of crisps or McVities biscuit! There are so many more benefits to this gnarly looking fruit, but now that you know a few let's move on to the important bit, what to do with them!

This is what they look like when ripe!^^

I am going to mention that I did do a recipe which I did not photograph, it was chicken thighs stuffed with avocado. For this I mashed the avocado with salt, some chilli flakes and lime and stuffed it under the skin of the thighs, backed and served with cous cous!

Avocado and Halloumi open toasted sandwich

This was one of my favourite recipes, probably because I adore halloumi! to start with I mashed an avocado with some lime juice and salt and pepper (this is pretty much my standard additions when doing anything with avocado, you can experiment to find your own!) I then spread this mixture on some toast, topped with some ready made salad and some fried Halloumi cheese, simples! The avocado really adds a certain je-ne-sais-quoi to what would otherwise be quite a dry dish, and really you can change the toppings around to suit what you like!

Loaded Avocado skins

Loaded potato skins is a staple in my student diet, when you are trying to be healthy though it can all get a bit too carb-y and cheesy. Enter the avocado! by doing the exact same thing, mashing avocado with tuna (and salt, pepper and lime of course!) I sometimes add onions too, before stuffing back into the skins and topping with a bit of cheese, you get a filling and satisfying lunch without the carb-y bloat or guilt!

Eggy avocado on toast

This recipe will not only give you goodness from the avocado but also from the eggs, a real satisfying meal! Much like the first recipe I mashed the avocado with salt, pepper and lime juice  and once again spread on toast. I then made a well in the middle and carefully cracked my egg, I baked until the egg was cooked to my liking, topped with a bit of cheese (I can't help myself) and stuck under the grill until melted.

And so there you have it! that is how I have been eating my avocados lately, what do you think? Would you like more posts like this, with different foods or the same?

Bargain find: Essie's cuticle oil + first impressions.

How pleased was I when I spotted Essie's infamous apricot cuticle oil for £2.99 in TK Maxx! I spotted some really great brands in my local store, including Neom and Japonesque, so would definitely check yours out! I whipped this out to give my cuticles a much needed treat as soon as I got home. Let me tell you, utter Smell-gasm, this stuff is so gorgeous (apricot scented if you haven't already guessed) that I just want to smother my body in it and smell of sweet fruity goodness all day long. The bottle and brush is like that of a nail varnish and it feels very luxurious when rubbing it in. It's actually really quick and easy so along with the divine smell, applying it 2 times a day will be a doddle! Hopefully this will work as good as it smells, but I would definitely pick one up if you spot for this bargain-ous price.

Wheatgrass powder review; an easy way to get your vitamins and minerals?

 As you all know, I am currently on a journey to lose some weight. Alongside that though, I also want to be healthier and ensure I am getting everything that I should in my diet. When I had to opportunity to try Geco's Organic Wheatgrass Powder I grabbed it with both hands, it seemed like such an easy way to boost my daily intake of vitamins and minerals. A quick google of wheatgrass benefits bought me to this site, which lists 50 unbelievable reasons to start drinking wheatgrass, from improved digestion to treating skin diseases!

When the sample arrived I thought the paper packaging fitted in really well with organic-ness of the product and there was some interesting information on the back as well as suggested usage, in a smoothie. I happily gathered together some smoothie ingredients ready to tests it out and voila, I broke my smoothie maker! to the point where there was bits of plastic in my drink so I couldn't even taste it. Not to be disheartened though I decided to just mix some in with my squash instead, and you know what, it worked! You could certainly taste it, but it wasn't all that bad. What I tend to do is have what I like to call a 'power cup' in the morning where I will just drink it as quickly as possible and follow with my trusty morning coffee which soon takes the taste away (be careful with the amounts as it can sometimes taste a bit too 'powdery'. I have since attempted a smoothie again and I will say that it's a much nicer way of taking it as you can't taste it at all really. I should probably point out that it does turn whatever you put it in a lovely shade of hulk-green.  I have also found this website which is full of yummy looking food recipes for wheatgrass powder! I cannot wait to try them as it is just another easy way if reaping the benefits. 

whilst doing some research online I came across this NHS website which de-bunks some wheatgrass myths. For example showing that lb for lb its nutrient levels is equivalent to that of veggies such as spinach and broccoli, as opposed to some more radical claims. It also states that the tests done on the benefits of wheatgrass have not been thorough or conclusive enough. The dieticians verdict is that it is not better than other fruit ad veggies in terms of nutrition but does contribute towards your 5 a day. Which is good enough for me because lets face it, I would much rather have a banana and strawberry smoothie which some wheatgrass powder for breakfast as opposed to a bowl of broccoli!

I love that this is just a super simple and easy way to boost your intake of vitamins and minerals, and I always feel better in myself and a lot brighter when I have been taking it, I don't feel sluggish and have more energy. It is so easy to introduce this into your diet so there is no harm in trying. And can I just say, nothing makes you feel healthier than drinking something green.

p.s I have had this powder for a couple of weeks, there may be still be benefits or even problems I have yet to see, so will keep this post updated!!

Benefit Peek-a-bright eyes review.

Not so long ago I received a gorgeous box of goodies from Jess at starvioletbeauty from a competition win. One of the pieces inside was this benefit eye shadow kit! I have never owned any benefit eye shadows but I love their mascara and blush so was pretty darn excited to try this out.

How adorable is this little kit! it comes with 3 eye shadows, a base, a contour and a highlight, and then a creamy highlighter. Plus it even has mini brushes which, surprisingly, aren't that bad! The concealer brush is a little stiff but I love the contour and liner brush, the contour one is so soft, it's great to finally have a decent 'mini' brush! These shadows are seriously pigmented, you really only need the tiniest touch with your brush, especially on the brown shade! They also lasted pretty well on me without any creasing, with no primer! In the pictures below I have the matt 'buff' shade under my brow, the 'pearly pink' on my lid and the 'warm chocolate' through my crease, I then popped the cream highlighter in my inner corners. Benefit suggest using the 'buff' shadow as a base and the 'pearly pink' as a highlight, but I wasn't feeling shimmer under my eyebrows so just switched them round. I am still trying to figure out what is the best settings for my camera so bare with, and if you have any suggestions then please pop them below. So here is my quick bright eye using this palette: 

I really don't think these photos do this lovely little palette justice, I will definitely try and get some better ones! Overall, I love this palette, it has a good mix of colours that can also be used to create a more smokey evening look, stays put sans primer and is in a compact (if a little fat) case which is good for travelling.

My colourful jewellery

If you saw my guest post over on carouseldiary.com you will know that I promised to put up my colourful jewellery collection, well (finally!) it is here!

The elastic bracelets: 

You can pick these up anywhere, some more expensive than others depending on what is actually on the elastic, but these are a fun  and easy to add some colour and dimension to an outfit. I love that because they are elastic and wont flop about up and down my arm either. The red stones are such a gorgeous colour and the blue have an iridescent shine about them which actually harbours so many colours! The green-y turquoise bracelet is one that is most suited to just the warmer months and looks awesome next to a tan.

The statement necklace:

This necklace I actually received as a set complete with some earrings from a twitter give away yonks ago (sorry, I can't remember who!).  This is my ultimate statement necklace for if I am going to an evening dinner or a sophisticated event, I mostly pair it with plain dresses to let the gorgeous colour and detail take centre stage.

The stone necklace:

I picked this beauty up in a charity shop for under a couple of quid! If you are lucky enough to be heading to a festival this year then I think these kind of necklaces have such a relaxed boho vibe about them and work great to add some interest to an outfit. I never realised just the amount of natural detail was in the stone until I looked at this macro photo! I can see this being a favourite over the upcoming months.

The heart stone necklace: 

I can see this being one of my favourite pieces to wear this SS14, just with denim shorts and a white cami, a nice pop of colour that isn't too out there. The stones in the heart are milky amber (I didn't know it existed either) and turquoise and I think they are just to die for. I see this being lovely with any white item of clothing (and a tan if I am luck to get one) and I can't wait to incorporate this into some outfits for the warmer months!

Diet update

So I thought I would do a quick update on my diet/weight-loss journey and also share with you my favourite tip, don't do it alone!

 My total weight-loss is 21.4 lbs, but this is yo-yo-ing quite a bit as I struggle with the snacking and bad food choices that goes hand in hand with 'final months of university' panic! One thing that is keeping me on track is having my house mate on the same journey too, we can share healthy dinners give each other encouragement and also enjoy treats together too, it just makes the whole process a lot more enjoyable! I have also seen a serious increase in my green tea intake, green tea has many health benefits so I have tried to reach for it more often, but it sometime slips my mind. Now, I feel like I am on a double tea schedule, as whenever my friend is making one she will ask if I want one, and vice versa, meaning we both up our intake of the good stuff!

Avocados are also something that I am trying to incorporate into my diet more, I am going to do a post soon on what recipes I have been using. Other than that I have just been trying to make healthy choices and squishing some form of exercise into my day, even if it is just a lap around uni in my study breaks!

I use my fitness pal to track my calories and keep an eye on my progress, it is so satisfying to see the numbers go down! However, I have just recently downloaded DietPoint, it is to soon for me to judge yet but what I do like about it is that it gives you a range of meal plans to choose from and set shopping lists, which is brilliant as I always get so distracted in the supermarket.  The down-side is at the moment it is looking like you have to pay for the full version to really get the benefits, I will see how I go but may just end up using the information available as inspiration!

How are you doing with your journey, I am always available for some support if you tweet me @emmiegeeblog