Celebrate Matcha Tea May With Tea Pigs



Anybody who knows me will undoubtedly be aware of my complete love for tea and coffee of all varieties. I usually drink coffee 2-3 times a day purely as an energy boost and simply because I am totally addicted to it. I am really tying to adopt a healthier lifestyle and I have really struggled to find a healthy alternative my tea and coffee addiction to boost energy levels without constantly having to fuel myself to avoid the dreaded mid day energy crash and comedown, having tried tried and failed with countless other alternatives, including regular green tea, to satisfy this!

As we welcome in the month of May and wonder how on earth we are 5 months into the year already, one of my new favourite brands Tea Pigs, who specialise in delicious high quality and organic teas, is launching a marvellous matcha may campaign in celebration of everything matcha green tea, to raise awareness of it's absolutely incredible health benefits and superiority over other green tea varieties. The folks over at Tea Pigs were kind enough to send me over my very own 30 day matcha green tea starter kit, including all of the essentials needed to experience the benefits of a matcha tea for a whole month!


What is matcha green tea and where does it come from?


Matcha green tea is a finely ground green powder made from 100% natural, organic tea leaves. As one of many Japanese health innovations, matcha was founded in the renowned Nishio region and supposedly used ceremoniously by Buddhist monks to increase calmness and focus while maintaining alertness during meditation...if it is to the satisfaction of Buddhist monks, notorious for their talents and abilities, then surely it must be something pretty special! Matcha tea may just look like a typical green powder on the outside but it  is created from specifically shade grown tea plants to avoid direct sunlight and increase chlorophyll content, healthy nutrients and essential amino acids packed into each and every leaf.





Some of the superpowers of matcha green tea include:



Antioxidant Surge


You may have heard of antioxidants before, they are natural chemicals that are proven to help prevent against symptoms of degenerative, age-related diseases and it is also suggested that they cleanse your body of free radicals for clearer skin. Matcha green tea is absolutely crammed full of antioxidants, more so than any other so called 'super food' out there. In fact, research shows that it contains 137 times more of the good stuff than regular green tea and around 20 times more than their nearest rivals pomegranates and blueberries. You would have to drink 10-15 cups of regular green tea to match this antioxidant potential, making matcha green tea the perfect everyday immune system booster.


Metabolism Boosting Ability

Matcha green tea is calorie free itself, as well as producing a slow release form of energy, helping you to keep on powering through the whole day without the 'come-down' associated with coffee. This, combined with natural ingredients promoting fat oxidation and increased energy usage means that your metabolism is increased and more calories will be burned, creating a much more natural metabolism booster than coffee, without any added stress or blood pressure increase within the body.




Concentration & Stress Relief Power


Unless you are a nutritionist, scientist or really in to your chemicals, I very much doubt that you have ever heard of L-Theanine before. L-Theanine is an amino acid which is supposed to induce relaxation and calmness while also enhancing memory, focus, learning ability and counteracting the added negative side effects of caffeine. I don't know how much of an effect this has on the body, but surely it's definitely worth a try to boost your performance before your next exam!




What makes matcha green tea so superior to regular tea?

When making a good ol' regular brew, you usually end up wasting countless nutrients and minerals by throwing away the teabag, with the water only extracting a small fraction of the potential goodness locked away inside the tea leaves. Matcha green tea utilises tea leaves to their full potential by ensuring that you consume the whole tea leaf, in the form of a concentrated and far more versatile organic powder, enabling you to let your creative imagination run wild and diffuse in water, juice or even add as a healthy kick to a green smoothie.




What do I think about Teapigs Matcha green tea?


After conducting a little research on matcha green tea, it's safe to say that I was really impressed by it's supposed track record and amazing health benefits and also really excited to give it a try for myself!

Upon opening the tin, your nostrils are greeted with the most wonderful organic and leafy herbal smell and I may or may not have proceeded to stand there with my nose in the tin for a little while, probably looking completely weird to everyone watching (warning, don't put it too close to your nose or you will breath it in, lesson learnt *face palm*). One of the main problems that I usually have with green tea is the taste. I think that everyone will agree that green tea seems to be like Marmite, an acquired taste which isn't to everyone's liking. The best think about matcha green tea is that it maintains a hint of that regular and familiar tea-like taste and more satisfying flavour than any green tea that I have experienced before so you can easily actually enjoy drinking this beverage, as well as knowing that you are filling your body full of natural ingredients and antioxidants.

Technology has come a long way, so an electric operated whisk is probably a lot more efficient and less time consuming, but you can also purchase the traditional bamboo whisk used by the Japanese for a little added authenticity. Tea pigs actually sell a whisk which is perfect for mixing together the tea leaves with water or your chosen juice, although did take me a couple of goes to mix it without everything getting out of control and covering myself and everything around me in a green liquidy mess, which is admittedly more due to my own clumsiness and accident prone nature than any fault of the product! I tried hand whisking with a teaspoon which didn't seem to be as effective as you are still left with little unpleasant chalky particles, so you probably would need the additional whisk, which is extra expense but a worthy investment in my opinion.

I have found that matcha green tea powder works really well when mixed in with a variety of juices, tastes a whole lot better in hot water than cold water and I have also tried adding it into a couple of delicious green smoothie recipes which I plan to share in the future, so keep your eyes peeled for those! As a science student, I am always being taught to be pretty sceptical when it comes to things until they are proven to be  true, so I was really interested to see if any of these supposed healthy benefits actually worked and contributed towards my healthy lifestyle. Normally a lack of coffee leaves me feeling tired, lethargic and lacking energy but I have been drinking matcha green tea in place of coffee for about a week now and, although I haven't quite reached the level of Buddhist monk in terms of concentration and focus (totally working on it though!), I have genuinely already noticed positive differences in my energy levels throughout the day, becoming more consistent compared to usual, and I have also felt improvements in my general mood and frame of mind which really helps during this stressful exam revision period. I do think matcha green tea is more for anybody looking to find healthy alternatives to tea and coffee, but also for people that love trying out new things and enjoying a healthy life style in moderation, or just need to get more nutrients and antioxidants into their diet on a daily basis! Admittedly after just a week I do really miss a relaxing with a mug of coffee, but I have committed myself to starting every morning with a with matcha green tea in exchange for coffee, hopefully so that I can continue to see a lot more of the amazing health benefits in the future!




Whether you're looking for a health kick, an alternative to tea or coffee or you're just up for trying something new, I definitely recommend at least giving matcha green tea a go, and Matcha May could be the perfect chance to join in and experience it for yourself, you may just be pleasantly surprised with what a difference it really makes to your lifestyle!

Purchase your own little supply bundle to take part in 'Matcha May' from Tea Pigs here


You may also like: 
Super Healthy Smoothie Recipe // Blend Active Review // Graze Healthy Breakfast Alternatives



Music to my ears: Albums of the week #1


I think that it is pretty safe to say that I have a little addiction to music, being an avid listener for a large percentage of the day, whether I am at home revising, in the shower or on the train, it plays a huge part in pretty everyone's lives on a daily basis. I think that you can tell a whole lot about someone and their personality based on their taste in music and you usually find that people with similar music genre preferences tend to get along really well. Music can become a form of motivation, relaxation or just a boost to inspire you through the day which is why I thought I would start a blog post series to share some of my favourite and most listened to albums of the week with you wonderful people in order to give you a little insight into my music taste and introduce you to some albums that you may not have experienced before.

This week's albums are very heavily Indie/Rock based, but even if these aren't your usual favoured genres of music I still recommend giving them a chance and listening anyway, you may just surprise yourself!

Future Hearts - All Time Low



My featured album of the week has to be this little gem by on of my absolute favourite childhood bands, All Time Low. I may be slightly biased as I have an unconditional love for this wonderful band, but I think they are one of the few that consistently produce amazing music while managing to progress with the times, maintain their musical uniqueness and remain relevant as a band. Every song on the track strikes me as high quality rather than the all too common albums with one or two stand out tracks and then the rest you will listen to once or twice and then inevitably forget about. I highly recommend giving All Time Low a try if you are a punk rock fan!





Whispers II - Passenger




We all have those 'Go To' albums or songs which we find especially helpful to combat revision stress, unwind after a long, busy day or help switch off and drift off to sleep late at night. I am a huge fan of Passenger's unique and highly relaxing sound and after falling in love with the first 'Whispers' album, this on seems to be another positive step up. I have managed to fall asleep listening to this album many a time during its relatively short existence and if this doesn't prove it's relaxation potential, then I don't know what does!



Chaos And The Calm - James Bay




I will be the first to admit that I wasn't really a huge fan of James Bay when he first burst onto the scene. It's not easy when you're a break-through artist with one popular song that everybody seems to know you by and 'Hold Back The River', although being a really good song to begin with, was far too overplayed on the radio, making it become boring and repetitive. After browsing through some new album releases I decided to give this new album a listen and was literally so hooked and impressed that I managed to listen to the whole thing from start to finish without moving. Congratulations James Bay, you have cemented yourself firmly into my playlist!



V - Maroon 5



Everybody needs that extra little boost when working out, a soundtrack to make revising more bearable or to help you through completing those tedious daily tasks, which is why motivating music can be so effective at inspiring you to get that little bit more out of life. I have always had a bit of a soft spot for Maroon 5 and like probably every male out there I have a slight man crush on Adam Levine which, combined with their musical talent, makes Maroon 5 one of my absolute favourite bands. I fist experienced their uniqueness with 'She Will Be Loved' which my ears were bombarded with for the majority of my early high school years, and I have continued to be a big fan of the music they release, especially their new album. This is one that you can't help but sing along to in your best (ok, ok, horrifically awful) Adam Levine impersonation. I totally have the singing voice of an angel..honest..



Blink 182- Blink 182


Ah the nostalgia associated with this band. Blink-182 were pretty much the soundtrack to my childhood and even just listening to their music brings back such fond memories of adventures with friends when I was younger. This album is more of a classic sing along and feel good album, where I tend to turn the volume up loud, air guitar around the room and annoy the heck out of my flat mates. If you haven't experienced Blink-182 before then 1. Have you been hiding under a rock your entire life?! and 2. You need to give them a listen if you are a 90s punk rock fan, 100% satisfaction guaranteed!

My Week In Pictures - Positivity Edition


University deadline week and the dreaded hardcore revision period has officially begun, so this week I have really been struggling a little to cope with stress and being someone that worries a lot about the smallest things, I don't really deal very well with it. This means that I have been a little below par in regards to my usual happiness and positivity, which is why I thought it would be a perfect idea to release all of this built up stress in the form of blogging and sum up some of the positives of the last week to inject a bit of motivation, inspiration and take my mind off of the stresses of life for a little while.


The closer we get to that warmer, happier time or year, the more the evenings begin to draw out again. As well as being  ideal for extra hours of blog photography, this makes me incredibly excited for warm summer evenings full of adventures, tasty barbecues and beautiful sunsets. One of my favourite times to go running is in the evening, just as the sun begins to set in the sky, turning everything into a gorgeous shade of gold, creating the perfect stress relief after a busy, hectic day. If you're a huge fan of sunsets like me, you can see some more of the amazing sunsets that I have experienced in my 'Sunset Porn' post here.


I am trying my best to eat as healthy as possible with the aim of completely improving my lifestyle for the better, and I am really starting to see the positive effects emerging from all of my hard work and (relatively good) self control, finally achieving a body that I am happy with for the first time in my life, but every so often you just need to release stress with a pig out of your favourite food and boost moral, this usually being in the form of pizza for me, one of my true comfort foods at the moment! I plan to experiment with more healthy pizza bases and topping alternatives so that I can eat them more often without that guilty, unhealthy after feeling afterwards. This weeks speciality was sausage, pork, beef, smoked prosciutto, oregano, rosemary and spinach (spinach makes it healthy right?) 

Most people tend to judge me because I am an 'elegant knife and fork pizza eater' and 'pinkie finger lifter when drinking from a glass' which apparently makes me super posh, basically makes me Made In Chelsea material, yah?


This little guy brings me endless amounts of happiness. His name is Charlie and he has been my best friend for the past 15 years, accompanying me through life ever since my first day of first school. I don't know what I would do without him and really don't know how people manage to cope without a pet dog around, they make such great companions, always appreciate your company and they are super cute too! I always miss having this mischievous one around when I am away at university, it almost feels like something is missing when he is not around, bugging me for attention, food or effortlessly convincing me to take him out on walks with his innocent puppy dog eyes, so it was such a boost being able to see him over Easter!


Eat Natural bars have become my new addiction in life. They make an amazing relatively healthy, substantial and satisfying alternative snack to cake and biscuits while also tasting delicious, unlike a lot of other cardboard-y healthy snack bars. Eat natural bars are packed full of natural ingredients and high in protein which is perfect for a post workout snack. 'Peanuts and Chocolate' is my current favourite, mostly because I love peanuts, coconut and honey, which all contribute to a mouth-watering combination of ingredients. Highly recommended, James approved *thumbs up*.



The beach is one of my absolute favourite places to be, no matter what time of year it happens to be, but especially in the summer months. I was fortunate enough to live a relatively close drive away from the coast back home in Norwich, but unfortunately at university I am miles away from a walk by the sea, the relaxing crashing sound of waves and a beautiful golden sandy landscape like this one. They do say that 'you don't know what you have until it is gone' which is why I now cherish every moment that I get to spend enjoying sandy walks and fresh sea air. Of course you can't go to the beach without indulging in a delicious fish and chips (yes it's very clear that food is pretty much the key to my happiness!) and skimming a few stones into the sea, releasing my inner child. 


What made you happy this week?






A personal letter to my younger self



Dear Past Me

As a kid you are going to effortlessly possess some special qualities that you should hold on to for the rest of your life. You will be creative, open minded and ambitious to conquer every little challenge that the world throws at you. With bundles of imagination and creativity, every single day will seem like a new little adventure to explore, gain a better understanding of the world and better yourself in every way possible, all things that will give you a huge advantage in later life. You will feel the urge to spend a lot of your childhood longing to be an adult, drive a car, go to bed far past your bedtime and want adult responsibilities, but don't let this stop you from making the most of those younger, stress free years where the biggest challenge is building a blanket fort which doesn't collapse on your head. You will have more freedom and possibility now than you'll ever have for the rest of your life, cherish it because it may just define the person that you grow up to be.

You have this extraordinary power to control your own future, do not throw it away on a pathway that you feel peer pressured into taking. Go with your heart, follow through with your passions and always put your own happiness and the happiness of the people that mean the most to you first. Experiences and life skills mean so much more than any material possessions that you will ever have. Yes, you will sometimes get jealous at all of the nice toys, money, cars and clothes that all of your friends are constantly being given by their parents while you have to endlessly slave away to earn money and work hard to save up and buy them for yourself, but you are much better off for it. You will learn a certain respect for the significance of life better than the majority of others, you will appreciate and value the little things so much more than any of them and constantly receive that amazing feeling of achievement when you finally reach your goals. Always remember that money does not equal happiness, it's how you choose to live your life, the acts of kindness and the people that you surround yourself with that will define you as a person.

As a teenager, you are going to start delving into the scary and foreign world of relationships, and lets be honest it's scary, you are going to have absolutely no idea how to overcome this  hurdle to begin with, which is okay because everyone is in the exact same position as you. Rule number one is that girls are definitely not the most important thing in the world. Sometimes you will get your heart broken from relationships, but you should never let anybody else make you doubt your self worth as a person. A failed relationship does not mean that you are worthless, or that there is anything wrong with you, because you are perfect just the way you are, you just don't realise it yet, its something that I am still coming to terms with but something that is undoubtedly true. There are so many people in life that are going to promise you this feeling of 'love', some will mean it and some of them won't, you are going to fall for people that are nothing but poison for your confidence and happiness, they will whisper sweet nothings in your ear and you will fall for them, inevitably leading to heartbreak. Do not change who you are because one day you will eventually fall for that one special somebody who you can be yourself around, who will love and accept every little bit of you for who you are. You will find someone who helps you to cherish every little moment in life and will continue to support you as you grow, moulding yourself into the person that you were born to be, and that is definitely worth waiting for. But until then, you're a strong, independent guy who has more than enough personality to to hold your own.

You are going to grow up relentlessly trying to see and bring out the best in other people, treating everyone with kindness, despite how lost or awful they may seem which is a trait that you will never grow out of, but it is so important that you do not allow anyone to take advantage of that. You are going to encounter bullies, who will try their best to make your life as miserable as possible, physically and mentally abusing you to raise their own self esteem. People that decide to pick on you for your 'different' sense of style, poor acne prone skin at high school, skinny figure, gift of intelligence and self motivation to propel yourself to the top of the class in regards to grades and all because they are jealous of the amazing human being that you are and will become, while trying to mask their own flaws. You will grow to do amazing things with your life that you never dreamed were possible, you will pass all of your GCSE's with A*'s and A's while the bullies fail their's, you will continue to exceed all expectations through college and get yourself a place at your first choice university while the bullies the majority of the bullies now have dead end jobs at McDonald's. Your skin will completely clear up, you eat healthily and work out now, and your self confidence will flourish as you learn to embrace and love yourself for who you are and you grow as an individual with so many ambitions expectations for life, which I am pretty sure you will have the passion and desire to achieve.

You will have times where you feel worthless and alone, like your lack of confidence and social skills will always be the reason that you spend so much time on your own and can't keep a relationship going for more than a few weeks, like you can't fully express your thoughts and feelings or live life to the best of your ability in fear of being bullied and standing out from the crowd, like you're ready to give up on life all together. Despite this, hang in there, never give up. Things always have to get worse before they get better, but the good will tremendously outweigh the bad. There will no doubt be instances where you feel ugly, insignificant, like you don't fit in or belong, but I promise you that you are none of these things, you just haven't  quite discovered your place in this world yet. 

Smile more, laugh more, perform more acts of random kindness, flood the world with your positivity and it will become a better place because of it. Walk down the street with your shoulders back and head held high, take advantage of the exciting opportunities that are gifted to you rather than sitting in your room alone, thinking that you had no place in this vast world. Waste less of your life worrying about what other people think of you and don't be afraid to do things that make you happy because that is the main goal in life at the end of the day, to find happiness. 

My final advice to you is to waste less energy on negativity and trying to fit in with everyone else in life, you were born to be something special and unique, invest more time in happiness while finding and bettering yourself as a person and most importantly believe in yourself.

You really will become your own hero.

James


Mens Fashion - Suit Up With Matalan

I would just like to start off by saying that, believe it or not, I have never actually owned my own proper suit before (shock, horror!). I think the reason for this is that I have literally never had anything particularly formal or worth buying one for in the past. We have a very small family and close group of friends which means that I have never formally attended a wedding (although I have worked at enough of them for my hotel job to last me a lifetime), so the fresher's summer ball was the perfect excuse to go out suit shopping for the first time.

Shopping tends to be incredibly tough when you are a student who is reluctant to part with the little money that you have *shakes fist at tiny student loan*, which makes finding a genuinely good quality suit that doesn't cost an arm and a leg a momentous challenge in itself. It's pretty safe to say that I started off by running around shops like a headless chicken with absolutely no clue to what I was actually looking for. One thing that I had never realised was how much of an endless variety that there actually is when suit shopping, which colour would suit me (pardon the pun), which material would look best, do I wear a tie or a bow-tie? The vast selection of choice is a real headache for a person as indecisive and fussy as myself, but after a looooong time of searching, I finally found the perfect one for me. I wanted something a little different from the regular and predictable black and white, so I finally settled upon this rather amazing little grey skinny suit from Matalan.


 I find that skinny suits are prefect for people with a less bulky figure, as regular jackets seem to look like they drown me in a huge mass of material, I absolutely love the slight shine of the material and I think that the black skinny tie and black shoes bring everything together really well. Surprisingly, I am really impressed with the quality of the suit for the reasonable money that it cost and hopefully, if I manage to put of my inevitable clumsiness for at least one night, it will remain food and alcohol free and last me for other events in the future!


A final shout out to my mum for being photographer for the day, even if she is a little bit of a technophobe and about a foot shorter than me (trust me, it's really funny watching here hold the camera above her head to capture the perfect angle), and of course you can't take a photo in this family without being constantly pestered and completely photo-bombed by this little guy.


Voting in the General Election





As you may or may not know, the general election fast approaching on May 7th, a time for anyone over the age of 18, who has registered before April 20th, to head down to their local polling station and tick a box to determine which political party gets the responsibility of running the country.

I think that it's completely up to you whether you choose to vote or not, and there really is no right and wrong in regards to this, but it does really bother me when people make out like others are in the wrong for using their free will and opting not to vote. Some may say 'oh, but people in the past have fought to give everyone the equal freedom to vote' and they are undoubtedly right, but there are also other people who have fought for your freedom and free will to choose not to vote. Enforced, compulsory voting is sadly something that is still common, especially within a lot of Africa, because some people believe that it will bring about a 'more stable, legitimate and genuine government which would benefit the individual even if their preferred candidate isn't elected into power' and also cases of people being threatened into voting for a particular candidate, taking away their freedom to vote entirely. Obviously this is not the case in the UK but doesn't everybody deserve the right to withhold their vote without judgement from others?

Don't get me wrong, I think that using your vote is important. You actually have a say in what the next 4 years (minimum) of your life are going to be like, since a lot of different aspects of everyday life are going to be dictated by the next government party that comes into power. I won't pretend to be the most knowledgeable person when it comes to politics as I find it just as mind numbing and dull as everyone else does, but I myself have started to make a concious effort to get to know the different parties and their manifestos, even if I do choose not to make a contribution in deciding who gets overall power of the country.

I understand people's anger when politicians make empty promises or fail to deliver on certain manifestos that they deliver, blaming the economy and such but never themselves. You put a certain amount of your trust into them when using your vote and sometimes politicians completely take advantage of that, making impossible promises to cheat and deceive their way into power. However, there is never going to be a perfect party policy that pleases absolutely everybody in the country, so you're always going to be voting for the party that you dislike the least rather than one with your ideal policy. Is it really a good idea to use your vote just because a party has one aspect that you agree with, even though you don't really feel passionate about most of the other policies? Is there really much point in doing absolutely no research and randomly voting for a particular party because you feel like you have to, basing your decision on the colour of their logo or how much you like the party leader?

One thing that I do recommend is to always do your research before making your vote, to make sure that you vote for the right party for you. Don't let the media propaganda sway you into using your vote on a particular party, just because they are 'more likely to win the election' because that may not even be true, considering no one party is guaranteed votes to win, Vote for a party that you share similar beliefs with and deem worthy of making a positive change to the country. If you are considering whether or not to vote you can read an completely unbiased summary of the political parties over on the BBC website here. There are a few main aspects that you should probably consider thinking about when voting, which most parties normally outline in their manifestos:

- Taxes and economy
- The NHS
- Security, defence and foreign affairs
- Immigration
- Jobs
- Education
- Housing
- Law and order
- Benefits and Poverty

Some people may decide that if you don't vote then you don't really have a right to complain, but does shunning the political system of democracy in favour of using our hearts, minds and energy to make a real change in society really sound like such a bad thing?




Making Creme Egg Brownies



I will hold my hands up and admit that I have never been the best baker in the world, or the person to go to for that perfect and aesthetically pleasing cake or scone recipe, partly due to my hopelessly clumsy nature and complete lack of patience, This means that I usually get pretty surprised when I manage to pull off something that looks and tastes edible, such as these irresistible Creme Egg brownies. without dropping anything, burning them to a crisp or torching the kitchen in a fiery inferno (I have already set an oven glove on fire at my little time at university..don't ask).

Brownies are probably one of the hardest thing to get right in regards to baking, so adding a Creme Egg to the equation is just preparing yourself for disaster, but nevertheless I like a challenge and although this may seem like a complete failure to some people, I'm actually pretty happy with how they turned out. I was tempted not to post this, but I then realised that everyone is human and not every blog post has to portray a feeling of absolute perfection. I salute anyone that can make the perfect recipe every time but one of my favourite things about baking is getting your hands dirty, the home-made look, that 'I made this myself' satisfaction when you finish and the fun of the process behind it, despite how high quality the finished product turns out. Some of my fondest memories I have are of baking with my nan when I was younger (or as I like to call her, the biscuit magician), getting more cake mixture on myself and up the walls than in the actual cake itself and ending up with this gloopey mess which probably tasted awful, but I was honestly proud of it.




I actually stole this recipe from the BBC Good Food website but these creamy, chocolatey Creme Egg brownies were just too tasty (and gone within minutes) not to share:

Ingredients

185g unsalted butter
185g dark chocolate
85g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
3 large eggs
275g golden caster sugar
6 cadbury's Creme Eggs, cut in half

Method


  1. Preheat oven to 160c and grease 20cm square baking tin.
  2. Melt butter and chocolate together.
  3. Break 3 large eggs into a bowl and add 275g of golden caster sugar. Whisk with electric mixer on maximum speed until thick and creamy.
  4. Pour chocolate mixture over the egg mixture and fold together gently
  5. Sieve in the flower and cocoa and fold into the mixture.
  6. Pour into the baking tin and cook for 15 minutes before taking out of the oven and gently adding the Creme Egg halves into the mixture, spacing them evenly. Put back into the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked
  7. Leave to cool before cutting and enjoying your delicious treat!




I hope that you all have a wonderful, chocolate filled Easter


Men's Fashion - Casual OOTD

So, its finally British Summer Time and bloggers up and down the country will be rejoicing in gaining those extra few hours of daylight in the evening, dedicated to cramming in extra blog photography. I thought that the start of spring would be the perfect excuse to get out in the evening sunshine (truthfully it was bloomin' freezing and windy) and take some photographs for a new fashion post, consisting of a few items of clothing that I have been loving recently and to hopefully give some style inspiration to a few of you reading.


 I don't really think I really fit into a particular type of style category when it comes to clothes as I am  so indecisive and always try to experiment with different looks and types of outfits. Working out and eating healthily is a difficult lifestyle change that I have adopted in order to gain a body that I am happy with and lot more self confidence in my image. As I start to notice a positive change in myself and grow in confidence, I begin to gain self-belief in my ability to look good and stand out, while being a lot more original and unique with my outfit choices.

 I have recently acquired an addiction to shirts, especially of the denim variety, which I find make a perfect replacement for jackets as we slowly creep towards summer and the weather begins to get warmer again. I think denim is something that not everyone really suits, which is why I was never really sure that I could pull off the look when I was younger and never really thought about trying it out again until now. There are several different ways that you can wear a shirt, including that indie buttoned up to the top look that I usually go for (you can see this in my other fashion post here), but recently I have been enjoying experimenting with a scruffy unbuttoned shirt and rolled up sleeves , which creates a much more casual and relaxed look, enabling you to incorporate a shirt into your everyday routine without looking overdressed.


The shirt is from H&M which is one of my favourite clothes shops at the moment, literally because of how inexpensive and good quality that the clothes seem to be. Sometimes I don't really understand why you would pay a ridiculous amount of money for an item of clothing just for the brand when you can find the exact same thing for a lot less money elsewhere, so I purchased this denim shirt for something like £7, which I find to be exceptionally good value for money, I am also wearing my cross necklace from Warren James (you can see it better along with more of my jewellery here) because I think it really stands out to have a necklace hanging down the middle, really adding a bit more personality and giving that completed feel to the outfit.


I find that when it comes to shoes you really do get what you pay for, which is why I opted for Nike, who have always been my absolute 'go to' for a reliable and athletically pleasing pair of shoes. I love the look of high tops, which are basically a more casual version of boots and these were one of those pairs of shoes that were just calling out to be bought when I stumbled upon them in the shop! The lighting makes them look a little darker in the top two photos but they are actually a navy blue colour which I think complements the shirt quite well when separated by the trusty black skinny jeans (I do wear other trousers, trust me!)

I just wanted to finish by saying a quick thank you to everyone that takes time out of their busy day to read my blog or those that are kind enough to leave thoughtful comments. I recently hit 10,000 views on Blogger James which may not seem much to some people but it is such a crazy milestone for me, considering that I never thought anyone would even be interested in what I have to say. The only way is up from here and things can only get bigger for this little piece of the internet that I like to call mine. Thank you all for your support on my blogging journey so far!
© Blogger James

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