Tag: #winter

Winter Fruit Sponge
Stylemesisteradmin
November 23, 2018

Winter fruity Sponge Bake

Crisp colourful leaves on the ground. Bit knitted tops. Bowls of tomato soup and darker evenings watching box sets. Yes that pretty much sounds like Autumn. I love every season going and when the seasons change I often dream about what will happen in this season. Autumn to me is about comfort, appreciation and preparing for ‘come what may’. The colourful leaves followed by the crazy colourful fireworks have me lusting for this season a lot.

And as a baker with children with a sweet tooth I love experimenting with flavours and in Autumn I love gently spicing food with cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. The warm aroma makes me feel safe and snug.

What says ‘hey it’s Autumn’ to me is the combination of apples and blackberries. So here I have an awesome recipe for winter fruit sponge. It’s not too sweet, not too tart and has a spongy warm layer that says Autumn has arrived.
Serve this beauty with lashings of custard….or if you are still pining for Summer a scoop of vanilla ice-cream!

Ingredients:

For the fruity layer
500 grams Apples, Blackberries & plums
175 ml water
60 grams sugar
1 small cinnamon stick

For the spongy top:

125 grams butter at room temperature
125 grams castor sugar
125 grams self raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg whisked
50 ml milk

1) Place the apples, cinnamon and sugar in a pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes.
2) Add the blackberries and cook for a further 2/3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3) In a large bowl beat together the sugar and butter until creamed together. Add the egg and beat further.
4) Add the flour baking powder and ground ginger and beat. Don’t worry if it looks a bit lumpy that will be fixed later.
5) Now add the milk and stir in.
6) Take the baking tin and place the apple and blackberry in it. Spread evenly. Remove the cinnamon stick.
7) Pour over the sponge mix and spread evenly with a spatula.
8) Bake at 170 for 25 minutes (or until golden brown).
9) Take out of the oven and serve warm with custard.
10) Enjoy!

Must have Winter Beauty Products
Stylemesisteradmin
October 22, 2018

 

Top Autumn/Winter Beauty products (that have been tried and tested by me)

Disclaimer: this article contains my own opinions and has not been sponsored by Superdrug or any other company mentioned.

The nights are getting milder, the evenings are drawing in and before we know it we will be singing Carols and waiting for the post Christmas sales. Yes it’s that time of the year again….Winter is coming (and no I’m not referring to Games of Thrones…but whilst we talk about it what will we all do when GoT ends?!).

I don’t go to Salons; I really don’t have the time for them. I’m a diehard DIY beauty treatment nut and during the colder months I need to boost my not-really-that-time-consuming-working-Mama-beauty-routine.

Here are my top rated budget friendly products available (easily!) on the British High Street (this blog was posted in Autumn 2018 so if you are accessing this in the archives these items may no longer be around).

1) Superdrug Vitamin E moisturiser
£2.99 for 50 ml.

I’m all for own brands. I love Superdrug. Loyalty points, bargains and you can their own brands are bloody awesome.
During the colder months my skin starts to look dull. This moisturiser has built in light reflecting pigments that give you literally a instant glow. I apply it on top of my usual moisturiser so only use a small amount to avoid overloading my face.

2) Superdrug Vitamin C Orange Peel Jam Mask
£4.99 for 50 ml

I discovered this earlier this year and have not looked back since. It smells so good. Sooooooo good it’s hard to not lick your own face if you love citrus.
It exfoliates and brightens the skin-both of which are truly welcomed in colder months. Simply apply to cleansed face, sit back and wash off. I noticed a huge difference after the first use.
A true unsung beauty hero.

3) Carmex Original Pot 2G
£2.69 for 2g (I picked up a tube for a quid from B&M)

A cult beauty product for years for the average Mama to the glamourous elite. The tingly feeling makes this product a best seller world wide. I use it daily however during the cooler months I get through more than usual.
The Carmex family has grown and I love the squeezy lip products (Oh my gosh have you tried the Mint one?!)
Tried chapped lip are not a good look on anyone ladies (and gents) and can be painful too so just keep your lips moisturised.

4) OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Penetrating Oil
£6.99 for 100 ml

I’m Asian. Hair oil is nothing new to us. The magical properties of Argan oil are nothing new for the Moroccans (or Arabs) too. However we’re behind the time times in the West.
This oil is awesome at anytime of the year but believe me your winter mop will thank you loads for using this. It’s blended to revive, smooth and restore luster to damaged, dry and course hair.
Considering how dry hair can get in heated environments this product is fricking awesome.
Apply a small amount to hair, towel dry and away you go. Don’t be put off the price; the bottle will taste you ages.

5) Superdrug Hand Rescue Balm
£1.49 for 75 ml

Exposed skin will get damaged quicker-it’s a fact of life. Going from warm heated homes to the brittle cold outside means your hands dry out quicker.
I don’t know about you but cracked chapped hands don’t sound appealing and will be awfully painful when you have to pick up 101 shopping bags.
Superdrug Hand Rescue Balm is a budget saviour. It’s none greasy and bloody works a treat. Great to use throughout the year but especially awesome in Winter.

And there you have it. My top buys that have been tried and tested.

What are your colder much essentials?

 

My top 10 items for surviving the Winter blues…
Alliyah Dawud
October 15, 2018

Preparing for the Winter BLUES

I try to love and embrace all seasons I really really do! But I do suffer from SAD (Seasonal affective disorder). So basically when it’s cold outside, dark and dreary it gets scary for me. I used to spend the majority of the cold months indoors miserable and feeling low until I discovered I could work towards helping to REDUCE the side affects.

Since then my Winters have improved. A lot.

Here is my Winter survival kit

1) SAD Lamp
Small and compact this lamp is awesome. The colder shorter days result in less daylight which isn’t good for SAD/winter blues sufferers.
I switch it on whilst I’m working (ensuring it’s set to the right level to actually do it’s magic on me). Half an hour a day and it contributes towards happy vibes for me.
Price: available on Amazon from £39.99

2) Vitamin B 12 & Vitamin C
In all honesty I try my best to stay on top my Vitamin intake but it can slip. From September I try my damn hardest to take Vitamin B 12 to ensure my body can fight dreaded Fatigue. It’s a must. I usually feel a burst of energy from a month into taking this suppliament regualary.
I also ensure I take Vitamin C to fight Winter bugs.
*Always consult a specialist before starting a new suppliment*

3) Qi Qong (Life Energy Cultivation) Yoga sessions
Great for balancing you, relaxing you and taking stress away. There’s no pretzel moves…it’s about flow. And it’s awesome.

4) Essential oil roller ball (self blended combinations)
To perk myself up I use essential oil blends. Citrus blends rock and are an instant lift.

5) Meditation
Because if you can think it, you can do it. Meditating clears my thoughts and helps me tune into the source (God) and that is a blessing for me.

6) Prayer beads (tasbeeh)
Dikr (repeating suppliments) calms me no end. It also lifts me. So it’s crutial for me personally to do more of it in the darker months.

7) A brisk walk (no more than 10-15 minutes a day)
Yes it’s cold. But what’s the point of having an awesome coat if I’m not going to ware it? A bit of fresh air is super important for health.

8) Journaling
Noting down how you feel and reflecting on things is a major way of keeping ‘tags’ on yourself. I recommend it to everyone

9) Gratitude Diary
Because believe me when you are feeling ‘down’ it’s easy to forget the blessings. So I ensure I remind myself daily!

10) Manifesting Box
I reread my letters, notes etc to keep focus on my goals. Why? I don’t want to fall off the band wagon, lower my vibes and slow down my life. I keep focus.

 

That’s my list. What’s on yours? Leave your comments below.

 

Love,

Alliyah