Breakfast ingredients :: Coconut, banana & berry frozen smoothie bowls.

30.08

T H E S M O O T H I E B O W L.

Breakfast for dinner is a thing. Brunch is a thing. Heck, those Special K adverts from a few years ago made out that breakfast (a measly bowl of cereal, but still…) for basically every meal was a thing! And now, thanks to whichever genius it was who first realised that blending up frozen bananas and other frozen fruits results in a sort of semi-frozen smoothie that for all the world tastes like sorbet, dessert for breakfast has now become a ‘thing’, too!

This frozen smoothie bowl is my favourite breakfast at the moment. It’s so full of goodness, and manages to be light and refreshing and yet unexpectedly filling and satisfying at the very same time. Feel free to be as creative as you fancy with the toppings- I like to sneak a few chia seeds in there for the calcium boost, as well as a handful of granola and some fresh fruit too.

But really though, there’s not much that can improve upon having a bowl of ice-cream (well, there or thereabouts) for breakfast, is there?

Serves 1-2, dependent on how hungry you are and also how quickly you get brain-freeze…;)

I N G R E D I E N T S + I N S T R U C T I O N S ::

2 frozen ripe bananas
1 cup of frozen berries
250ml coconut milk (I use Alpro Coconut + Rice blend)
~
Fresh fruits, seeds, nuts / granola as toppings.

- Place the bananas, berries, and coconut milk into a blender, & blend until smooth and creamy. {I use a NutriBullet, so often divide the ingredients in half and whizz them up in 2 batches to help it blend more easily.}

- Scoop out into a bowl, add on any fruit, nuts, or seeds that you fancy, and then eat right away to beat the melt…

M O R E B R E A K F A S T I N G R E D I E N T S ::
Eggs + avocados
Banana + honey pancakes
Coconut + date Bircher muesli

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10 things that’ve made me happy this week!

28.08

T H E H A P P Y L I S T.

If you don’t hear from us over the weekend, that’s because Sam sent over our wedding photos last night, and so I fully intend to spend the next 72 hours looking through them on repeat until I’ve burnt all 750 of them into my brain. That’s a legitimate way to spend three days, right? I mean, I might do a little baking too. Maybe try and catch up with family, and, let’s face it, shopping is probably going to happen as well. But really? It’s all about watching the wedding photo slideshow (set to Mumford + Sons music, be still my heart) back, and trying not to smudge my mascara. But first, let’s get to this week’s happy things!

1. Breakfasts of those magical banana+egg+oat pancakes, with fresh berry compote! It tastes so indulgent, but really is as healthy as you’d like. And how often does that combination come about?!

2. Essie ‘Ballet Slippers’ on my nails. Even if I did manage to chip it less that 24 hours after my DIY manicure…

3. The joy of changing into warm, dry clothes after getting soaked to the skin on a midweek dog walk. (I managed to head out right as a thunderstorm broke, and got so thoroughly drenched the rain was running down inside my wellies and soaking my socks. NOT fun.)

4. Falafels. I don’t know why, but I can’t get enough of the things lately. And hummus too, so maybe it’s a chickpea thing?

5. Being down by the sea last Friday. There’s something so restoring about sea air, isn’t there?

6. Reading Birdsong with Jason. And why yes I AM forcing him all my favourite novels on him by choosing them as our ‘read together’ books, why do you ask? ;)

7. Blackberrying! Though it is the true sign of autumn being on its way, and I’m not so sure if I’m ready to say goodbye to summer yet…

8. Drinking some of the wine we had leftover from the wedding with family last weekend. I couldn’t really taste anything at the wedding itself, so am making up for lost time now! ;)

9. Getting back to a regular routine of workout classes. I’ve missed the ache!

10. Remembring to do actual adult stuff, like book my car in for an MOT test and having meetings with the bank and paying tax bills and whatnot. I mean, DULL, but oh so satisfying, right?

Three posts I’ve loved reading this week :: Tania’s update from France || Anya’s photos of beautiful Edinburgh || + Molly’s incredible photo series from Isreal.

What’s made you happy this week? :)

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Who’s been in my sidebar this month? || August advertisers!

26.08

It’s always so much fun putting together these round ups of the amazing blogs and sites that’ve been linked in my sidebar each month. I just love taking a little time out to appreciate how many creative and passionate people there are in the blogging community, and being able to share their sites here on Cider with Rosie. And since this week is turning out to be the rainiest, greyest August week imaginable, what could be more perfect than spending a little time sitting inside with a cup of coffee, adding some new reads to your blog feed? Let’s get to it…

Laughter is Catching
I’ve so enjoyed getting to know Laura and her lovely blog this month. Laura lives in London with her husband (though frequently makes the trip over the Atlantic to San Diego), and shares her adventures life and loves on her blog. Each and every post on Laughter is Catching is beautifully written, and so clearly has come straight from the heart. I especially love Laura’s posts about travel, as her passion for the subject (both the countries she’s visited, and the idea of travel itself), is infectious. And you just must go and read through her entire ‘Five Happy Things’ series, which is just as uplifting as you’d imagine. You’re going to just love this one, I know!
Favourite post of the past month? I Heart Travel.

Silverspoon London
I love getting chance to talk about Silverspoon London here each month, because it really is just the most fun blog to follow along with! Angie seems always to be doing the most exciting things! A few weeks ago was the trip of a lifetime to South Africa, this month- a glamorous trip to Cannes! I love the insight Angie shares in each of her posts, and the fact that her reviews of the beautiful restaurants and hotels and locations she visits always seem to be frank and honest. It’s so lovely too to read each of Angie’s posts, and get the sense that she approaches each new experience with a sense of gratitude and wonder. In short, I’m a fan, and I am pretty certain you will be too! :)
Favourite post of the past month? Summer Food at Tom’s Kitchen, Canary Wharf

Quintessentially Me
‘Lord, I love a cheese fondue!’ is, at the time of writing, the very first sentence of Ashleigh’s most recent blog post, and doesn’t that just tell you everything you need to know about why I like her blog so much? And the fact that Ashleigh’s next most recent post is entitled ‘Learning to brew the perfect coffee’ pretty much seals the deal! Quintessentially Me is a lifestyle blog, focusing on the finer things in life. Each of Ashleigh’s posts has something special and unique about it, and I just love the effortless way in which she puts together her photographs and writing. In fact, it’s Ashleigh’s writing in particular I just love- it’s so eloquent and well-informed. One to click through to on the double!
Favourite post of the past month? Learning to brew the perfect coffee.

The Librarian
Georgina’s blog has become a favourite read of mine over the past couple of months it’s been linked here on Cider with Rosie. There’s just something so uplifting about everything she shares! Over the past few weeks, Georgina’s posted a recipe for ultimate mac n cheese (containing no less than THREE different types of cheese!), opened an Etsy shop (congrats, Georgie!), and harvested a homegrown crop of strawberries and mange tout. I just adore the wonderfully simple way Georgina puts together her posts, and find myself being drawn back by her warm and friendly writing time and again. I just can’t recommend The Librarian highly enough :)
Favourite post of the past month? Midweek Meals: Ultimate Mac n Cheese

The Awkward Blog
Congratulations are in order to the lovely Angela this month, my fellow newlywed buddy! Angela got married just shy of a month after Jason and I, and judging by the photos she’s shared on her blog, it looked like the most beautifully fun and glamorous day! I’ve followed along with The Awkward Blog for such a long time now, and can’t recommend it highly enough to you. Angela blogs about her life in London in such an infectiously fun way, you’ll be hard pressed to do anything *but* add it to your reading list! Whether it’s the restaurant reviews, travel posts, tips for where to head next in London, or photographs from Angela’s day trips and adventures, there’s something for everyone on The Awkward Blog!
Favourite post of the past month? Mr & Mrs.

Helene in Between
Helene’s blog is so much fun! Reading it, you get the feeling that she’s blogging purely for the joy of sharing her life and loves online, which is just so refreshing! Helene in Between is a lifestyle blog, and on it Helene posts about her recent fun and exciting experiences, updates from her life in the US, and shares the simple moments that’ve made her most happy. I especially loved her recounting of the ‘Mean Girls’-themed Bachelorette party she helped throw for a friend (the bride is to be wed on the 3rd October- MG fans will get the reference!;), and her post about the best spots for dancing and cocktails to be found in Texas. If lighthearted, charming, and uplifting lifestyle blogs are your cup of tea, then you’re in for a treat with this one!
Favourite post of the past month? How To Know If You’re Ready For Fall.

A Little Lusciousness
Oh, I just can’t get enough of Rosie’s blog! Though to be honest with you, reading it should come with a ‘This blog will make you ravenous’ warning- so consider yourself told, okay? ;) A Little Lusciousness is a food blog, and has become my ‘go to’ place for restaurant recommendations over the past few months I’ve been reading it. This month, Rosie’s shared her thoughts on The Real Greek (I got dip envy!), ate an envy-induing meal at Paradise Garage in Bethnal Green, and paid a visit to the new street food market in Elephant and Castle! Rosie’s reviews are always so well written and comprehensive, and her passion for her subject just shines. A true gem of a blog!
Favourite post of the past month? Food Yard Friday, Elephant & Castle.

Little Miss Katy
And lastly, I bring you the ray of sunshine that is Katy, of Little Miss Katy fame! Katy’s blog is just so lovely to read, I can’t stop clicking through to it at the moment! Each and every one of her posts is so full of joy and has such a warm tone, it’s like catching up with a good friend instead of simply reading words on a screen. On her blog, Katy shares restaurant reviews, happy lists, photos and stories from the press events she attends, and fashion posts to boot! I just love the way Katy infuses everything she shares, from her photographs through to the writing itself, with such a strong sense of personality, and am pretty inspired by the effortless way she does it too. You’ll just love it!
Favourite post of the past month? London | Superfood Ice Cream at the OXO Tower Bar.

A few lovely more blogs + shops to get to know ::
Get the Skinny || Favourite post? Find your summer.
Emma Inks || Favourite post? Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Michael 84 || Favourite post? What To Wear To A Summer Wedding
And She Made || Favourite post? Vogue V1102: A dream backless dress
Lace & Lilacs || Favourite post? lovely little things: photographs. thoughts. links.
Happy & Glorious || Favourite product? Organic vanilla & chilli triple-wick candle
Feet Meet World || Favourite post? 40 Questions

p.s. If you’d like to see your own blog featured here on Cider with Rosie, click through to the Sponsor page and book up an advert!

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Back in London, + back to normal.

24.08

‘Has everything gone back to normal now?’…

is the question I’m being asked most often these days. ‘How does it feel being a wife?’ is probably the next most frequently asked, with ‘has coming down from all the excitement been tricky?’ following in closely behind. And the answers to all three? Yes, yes, and oh my GOODNESS yes!

The return to normality has been a strange one, if I’m honest. I told you before that it feels as though everything and nothing has changed, and over a month in it remains true. I look at Jason and still see the same constant, steady source of happiness and love and inspiration and joy that he’s been to me for the last six years. We still stay in and watch television or read books and cook dinner together most weekday evenings, and have friends and family over for wine and dinners cooked outside on the grill at the weekends. We still say hasty ‘hi and goodbyes!’ as he arrives home just as I’m heading out of the door to exercise classes, trade off who gets the dog most during one week or the next, and still bicker about really super important issues like ‘you forgot to hang out your towel to dry again’, and ‘for the love of God please put that damn electric drill up into the loft where it belongs’.

But normality has this new resonance now. It feels…deeper, maybe? More profound, more secure? I’m not sure there’s even a word capable of expressing it. I keep glancing over at Jason and catching sight of his wedding band, and the mental picture of placing that band on his finger in front of the people we love most in the world last month comes dancing into my mind, and then I’m beaming like a fool in the middle of Waitrose or sat in the meeting room at his offices or wherever we both happen to be at the time. It’s magic.

True normality is coming back slowly, and though at first I was reluctant to say goodbye to the few weeks of fizzy excitement that surrounded the wedding, coming back to our regular routines now feels lovely in its own way.

Being back in London last week felt like the final step in returning to regular life. Running for trains, spotting mice in the Underground, lugging round bags full of cameras and spare batteries and memory cards and chargers, getting blisters on my feet from walking walking walking all day long- it felt cathartic, in its own funny, tiresome sort of way.

I’d headed over to Shoreditch for a day of working and brainstorming and taking photos, and just generally having a long awaited catch up with my love Tania. We’d not seen each other since the wedding, and had so very much to tell one another that the afternoon ended up being not quite as productive as we’d envisaged…

What did get done though, in our characteristically diligent style, was the eating of some outstandingly good food. I’d picked up some bread and coffee on my way through to Tania’s, and was met by the sight of cookies being placed into a hot oven to bake, and the promise of courgette and potato rostis with poached eggs for lunch. What can I say- my friends are just the greatest! ;)

We sat about chatting whilst eating cookie batter off wooden spoons, then faffed about taking so many photos of our poached eggs and their runny yolks that they’d turned stone cold by the time we actually picked up our knives and forks.

Since cookies and tea weren’t quite sweet enough for our sweet teeth, we decided to go for a wander through Borough market in search of gelato. Despite not having the first idea where to find good gelato around Borough market, we happily stumbled upon 3BIS Gelateria, just next to Neal’s Yard Dairy. It was a little overpriced, as is to be expected of all food and drink at Borough market, but absolutely delicious and with plenty of special diet options, too. I chose the soy pistachio gelato (not because it was soy especially, but because you can never go wrong with pistachio), and it was so creamy you’d never for a second guess it was made from something other than cow’s milk.

Worth a visit, if you ever happen to be in the Borough market area and find yourself in need of a second lunchtime dessert…

What I wore ::
Cardigan
Blouse
Jeans
Handbag
Shoes
Necklace

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Posted in DAY TRIPS, LONDON, WORN