Don’t you just love quirky and cute kitchenware? The new Oliver Bonas shop opened in town this week and I just had to pop along for a visit and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s full of gorgeous printed dresses, jewelry, baby clothes and toys, recipe books and lots of bright patterned kitchen stuff, basically it’s my dream shop. I’m so happy that there is one locally to me now so I can indulge all of my loves in one shop.
While in town I went to visit my new favourite organic cafe, they do the most awesome matcha green tea lattes and baked goods. I picked up this chai latte made with almond milk to take away and I was surprised to note that it came in a vegan-friendly cup that’s actually compostable, awesome!
Yesterday I learned a whole new technique on how to poach eggs using cling film. This method is pure genius and was created by the mastermind that is Jamie Oliver. You basically just crack an egg in some cling film, wrap and twist the cling film around it and place it in some simmering water. So simple and easy! I’m rubbish at making poached eggs so I will be using this technique always and forever from now on. My poached eggs were brilliant on top of an avocado, rye bread and with a side of sliced cucumber for breakfast.
Another favourite breakfast of mine this week was this bowl of British strawberries with some coconut yoghurt, a chocolate and date oat bar that I’d made and some drippy raw almond and chia butter.
I’m going through so many bags of cashew nuts at the moment because I keep throwing them into my green smoothies for extra creaminess and healthy fats. This apple, ginger and cashew green smoothie with spinach, cucumber and almond milk is a winner in my books. I’ve made this a few times this week and it’s become a firm favourite.
I’ve played with my new spiralizer all week for lunches and dinners and made this spiralized ‘salad’ using cucumber and carrot noodles and topped it with some hummus, feta cheese and pumpkin seeds.
I treated myself to some of the small salad pots in Marks and Spencer this week for quick lunch ideas. They had some new ones that were on offer and this nutty cauliflower, chickpea and quinoa salad was delicious. I added mixed salad leaves, and Wensleydale cheese to bulk it out for a more satisfying lunch and it went down a treat. I also picked up a new kale concoction too, but I can’t remember what else was in it…oops!
Another day, another spiralized meal. Can you tell that I’m a bit in love with it yet? This was courgetti topped with a homemade minced beef tomato sauce. I stirred in some basil and cream cheese at the end to give it some oomph! The boys had theirs with traditional spaghetti and I have to say watching my 7 month-old trying to eat spaghetti is the most hilarious thing ever. I had some Ritter Sport marzipan covered in dark chocolate afterwards as a Friday night treat.
I experienced a new taste sensation this week, lavender in a cake. It’s something that I’ve never tried before and this lavender and raspberry cake was gorgeous with my earl grey tea. These weekly afternoon tea and cake sessions after postnatal Pilates are becoming a regular thing…not that I’m complaining of course!
If there was nothing more addictive it’s this packet of raw Vanoffe Mulberries. I tried not to scoff the whole packet in one sitting and although I succeeded the packet really didn’t last long at all. This addiction could turn out to be expensive, but you can never have too much of a good thing, surely.
This week has been full of lots of brand new tastes, foodie haunts, shops and Aiden’s very cute straw hat that I just couldn’t resist adding to his collection. And, yes he was wearing it indoors because that’s how he rolls! I’m looking forward to spending more quality time with him and Alfie today. We’ve recently acquainted ourselves with Breaking Bad, so I think a marathon will be on the cards as we are a bit obsessed with it.
Great tip about cracking an egg into clingfilm. I’m going to try that at some point this week! We’ve just been given a batch from my friend who keeps chickens so I have plenty to perfect my technique with!
It works really well, I was surprised to be honest. I’m rubbish at poached eggs normally so it was nice to have them work for a change even though it was technically cheating. 🙂
Aiden looks absolutely gorgeous with that hat on indoors or otherwise, I love small shops like that which have everything. All your food is making me very hungry, I need to make me some breakfast soon and absolutely loving that Jamie Oliver way of poaching eggs such is genius indeed.
It’s is genius isn’t it, who would have thought it! It is a fab shop, we will have to visit it together some time.
I’m not sure about the eggs and clingfilm thing – make sure it’s definitely not PVC! The vanofee Mulberries sound gorgeous though. I do love a good mulberry. A good read and lovely photos too! x
Those mulberries are so lovely, very addictive too.
Amazing food adventure! I wish i could have borrowed your taste buds for the day! Lol and I agree about the unique dishwater, we have a local store that has the same feel to it called Blue Sky and it’s my favorite store!
I love quirky stores like that for something a bit different!
What a delicious week! My new foodie thing was trying out my old boss’s amazing new restaurant when I went back home for a visit – so delicious.
I always used to poach eggs like that at uni! Then my dad scared me by questioning if chemicals from the cling film went into the egg when it heated up?? I can see where he’s coming from but surely it must be okay? Interested to know your thoughts.
I bet it was nice trying out your bosses new restaurant. 🙂 I can’t imagine it doing any harm though, most of the issues with leaching seem to come from PVC base clingfilm. If you avoid that then I think it is perfectly safe. 🙂
I loved this post! It’s really cheered me up on a gloomy Sunday. There are several things that I want to try now…
1) Going to an Oliver Bonas shop (never heard of it – but it looks like my kind of place!)
2) Poaching my eggs with cling film. Genius! Good old Jamie Oliver
3)That amazing green smoothie – I’m really into my smoothies at the mo, but I’ve never thought to put cashew nuts in. Sounds fab!
4)Spiralizing! I was recently given a £40 amazon voucher. Think I know what it will be going towards now..
Thanks for brightening my day 🙂
Thanks for stopping by Collette! So happy to hear that this post brightened up your day. 🙂 Definitely invest in the spiraliser, I love mine and have been using it like crazy since I got it last week.
I love finding cute shops like that! It looks like a fun one 🙂
It has lots of cute goodies inside that I want to buy…my poor purse.
what a lovely week in photos. Great post #ukbloggers
Thank you!
What a fantastic idea about poaching an egg! I do love Jamie, such a nice down to Earth guy!
And that cake sounds and looks fantastic – yum!
I LOVE Oliver Bonas! Anything copper and quirky just gets me so excited. It’s sort of like a more affordable Anthropologie. I’m moving to a new flat in a few weeks and desperately want to kit it out in all things Oliver Bonas and Anthropologie but have to remind myself I’m not a millionaire!
The spiralizer is great, isn’t it? Cleaning it, however, isn’t – agh! I need to try the ribbon blade soon, I’ve only been using the skinny spaghetti like blade so far. I’m a big fan of the M&S salad pots too. I discovered the other week that they do a ‘build a salad for £6’ deal – salad leaves, protein (salmon flakes/prawns/chicken/feta), then something to bulk it out (hard boiled eggs/quinoa/new potatoes and green beans/etc), and a dressing. A little pricey, I suppose but it’s great as a nice lunchtime treat.
Hope you have a good week!
She’s So Lucy
I can’t believe how much I’ve used my spiraliser already! My husband thought it was going to stay in the cupboard unused, but he’s very impressed that I’m getting my money’s worth, ha. Cleaning it is a bit of a faff though. Oliver Bonas is fab isn’t it. I could spend a fortune in there, so it probably isn’t a good thing that one has opened up near me. I didn’t know about the ‘build a salad’ deal – I’m going to check that out next time as a lunch treat. Have a fab week Lucy!
I love Oliver Bonas, you can’t help feeling uplifted when you come out of that shop – it has so many pretty things! I’ve tried on a few outfits in there and they don’t seem to work for me but the crockery and jewellery (and art prints) definitely do!
I love the raw choc mulberries, they are so expensive though! Haven’t seen the vanoffee ones anywhere yet.
They are pricey aren’t they, but they do make a lovely treat. 🙂
That shop looks fab- I love places that sell bits like that.
Those vanoffee mullberries sound so good- I love the normal mullberries as they have such a good chewy texture.
Also, love the sound of the cake- I have some lavender sugar but have only used it a handful of times as it can be a bit overpowering.
We have been catching up on House of cards at the mo, although like the first two series it is pretty dark at times. And also working our way through Friends.