Raspberry Pixie Cakes

I love baking. Fairy cakes are delicious and by playing around with the recipe you can soon make them even better. According to legend, fairies are good - but pixies are naughty.

Naughty Rhubarb Fool

Fruit fool is a decadent dessert, but so simple to make. I love to enjoy it in Summer, sat out in the evening sunshine with a cheeky glass of Prosecco, or even a cocktail. This recipe uses Little Red Berry Rhubarb Vodka, and also fresh rhubarb which is currently in season!

The Little Red Berry Co

I've been working with a fantastic local company; The Little Red Berry Co.

Based in Ripon, North Yorkshire, the company was set up by Rachel Jamieson in 2011. Their products are handmade, local, fresh, and they believe in putting a modern twist on a traditional product.

Friendly Soap

Friendly Soap is one of those brands that truly appeals to me. Simple messaging on their clear, easy to understand packaging, honest ingredients, and run by people that are truly in love with what they do.

Schmoo Skincare - Honey & Oatmeal Moisturiser

After learning about who Schmoo Skincare is, what they stand for and the products that they make - Sam very kindly sent me a pot of this rather delicious sounding Honey & Oatmeal Moisturiser to try out on my sensitive skin.

Schmoo Skincare

I recently came across the wonderfully named Schmoo Skincare. It sounded intriguing, and as a cruelty free organic skincare range made with high quality fruit oils - I needed to know more!

SimplyCook.com

I recently discovered a fantastic company called SimplyCook.com. They describe themselves as "a group of people dedicated to helping others cook great food easily at home" - and based on my experience - that's exactly what they are!

Don't Test My Baby!

No matter how old your child is, it seems that they must be tested. Examined. Measured up against some non-existent, picture-perfect child that the government has invented in some poorly veiled attempt to make you feel like a useless parent.

Coconut Dahl

This dahl is quick and simple, but is perfect on its own or as an accompaniment for a good, homemade curry such as my almost chicken balti.

L xx

Bee Good Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator

Bee Good is the only British premium skincare brand to exclusively use British beeswax, honey and propolis in all of their products. It is a cruelty free company, based in Hampshire.

When I was sent this facial exfoliator to try out, I was a little nervous. I usually find that this type of product dries out my skin and causes irritation.

Bee Good Vanilla & Honey Lip Balm

 

Bee Good is the only British premium skincare brand to exclusively use British beeswax, honey and propolis in all of their products. It is a cruelty free company, based in Hampshire.

I had the good fortune to try out their vanilla and honey lip balm recently, and absolutely loved it.

Zero Harm & Sustainable Luxury: Can That Which is Freely Available Still Be Luxurious?

Welcome to our first guest Nathan Stowe, who owns and writes for Manporium.com, The Luxury Blog for Men. Nathan discusses if and how cruelty free and responsible sourcing can be applied to luxury clothing.

L xx

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are quick and easy, but can look impressive. Serve them with dressed green leaves and they are the perfect starter or snack! Allow one mushroom per person.

L xx

Egg Fried Rice

I love egg fried rice. It's so versatile and will accompany so many different Chinese dishes. Here's my recipe for delicious homemade rice, which means you can control what's in it and also save some money by cooking at home rather than ordering takeout!

L xx

WIN! Beaut-Boutique Competition

I've teamed up with Beaut-Boutique to offer one lucky winner a fantastic Lip Service Duo Set, worth £35!

For Terms and Conditions, and to enter, click here.
Closes midnight GMT, 17.04.16.

L xx

Beaut-Boutique - Marine Collagen Under Eye Serum

The third product from Beaut-Boutique that I was lucky enough to try out, is this Marine Collagen Under Eye Serum.

I'll be honest, I have never really used a serum before. But as a busy working mum with two children, two dogs, and an equally busy husband; life is hectic and tiring and I'm probably one of the people that really SHOULD use serums!

Beaut-Boutique - Skin Perfector

Another product that the lovely Reggie from Beaut-Boutique sent to me, was this Skin Perfector; a "specially blended formulation of natural fruit extracts and essential oils is designed to fight blemishes, reduce red patchy skin, fight imperfections and combat shine".

Beaut-Boutique - Marula Oil Facial Serum

I often complain about my sensitive, dry and eczema-scarred skin. It's something I have had to deal with my whole life and it gets pretty boring! So to come across products that promise to help that is exciting, but I am always pretty dubious...

Beaut-Boutique Ltd

Beaut-Boutique is a fantastic organic skincare range, made in the UK, with responsibly sourced and cruelty free ingredients.

Arrabiata Spinach Spaghetti

Sometimes you just want an easy dinner, made from store cupboard ingredients and requiring minimal effort. This is one of those!

The BEST Chilli!

Hot food is one of my favourites. Not so hot that it annihilates my tastebuds, but hot enough to leave my lips buzzing. I love to cook chilli because it is so versatile - enjoy it with rice, nachos, on jacket potatoes, over a salad - even cold inside a pitta bread or tortilla with some salad!

Almost Chicken Balti

One of my favorite things to do, is create delicious dishes. This is a recipe that I was given years ago, that I have since tweaked in my own way. The result is similar to a balti - perfect served with shop bought naan bread and some rice, to quash those takeaway cravings!

Roasted Rhubarb

Rhubarb is technically in season in May here in the UK - but my plant is already flourishing in my back garden!

Foraging For Wild Garlic

I love to forage for seasonal produce. Berries, leaves, flowers - it's nature's larder and can be used in so many different and exciting ways!

With it being Spring, wild garlic is currently in season. It's often found in shady, wooded areas, and being lucky enough to live in the Yorkshire countryside, we have those in abundance!

Wilted Wild Garlic

Wild garlic has a very gentle flavour, and is particularly wonderful with chicken dishes (and fish, so I am told). Serving wilted leaves alongside a dish, or as part of the plate arrangement, is both tasty and beautiful!

Wild Garlic Pesto

Foraged wild garlic is milder than its sister bulb garlic, that we are all so familiar with. This pesto is light and fresh, perfect to add to salad dressing, pasta, use to marinate meats, and delicious in sandwiches too!

Chicken with Leek Potato Cakes & Wild Garlic Mushroom Sauce

There is something very special about cooking with foraged foods. Whether it's berries, leaves or flowers, it's a sense of achievement knowing that you went out and picked it yourself, before creating a wholesome meal.

This recipe is utterly delicious. You can scale it up or down to create a starter, or feed more people, and the mushroom sauce is fantastic by itself with some toasted ciabatta.

Barry M Brow Wow!

Following a run in involving a horse and a barbed wire fence as a teenager, my eyebrows are patchy at best. They are naturally dark, but full of gaps - so basically, attractive!

Finding products that don't look like I have drawn them on with a felt tip has proved challenging, until now.

The Walking Goals - 2016

We have recently enjoyed some really exciting adventures; climbing Helvellyn, Ingleborough and Snowdon. We've got the bug!

So here's my walking goals for 2016!

Barry M Flawless Primer

I've always been a bit dubious about primers. How much difference can one little cream really make to your makeup's staying power? Isn't it just like moisturiser?

Turns out - a lot, and no.

Barry M Ultra Moisturising Lip Paint

We all know that I am passionate about cruelty free beauty. Many people have this perception that cruelty free products are expensive, unattractive, and hard to come by.

You couldn't be more wrong!

Natasha Jade Art - Greeting Cards

So you want to buy someone a card, but Clintons and Hallmark don't cut it? Even Paperchase is a bit overdone these days.

Meet Natasha Jade - London-based artist with a flair for the abstract, the unusual, the beautiful.

Some Exciting Changes!

I've been a busy little bee behind the scenes this last week! Blogging is a true love of mine and I enjoy every moment, but it's not all trying new products and writing a few fluffy words. Here's what I have been up to!

Sol Tapas, Darlington

A couple of weeks ago, we booked a table at a lovely little tapas restaurant in nearby Darlington.

Located on Duke Street, with on-street parking outside, it's just fifteen minutes away from us and perfect for a night out with friends, date night, or an impromptu get together.

The Climb! Mount Snowdon.

Since our Helvellyn adventure back in Summer, we have been loving walking. We are now well equipped with merino wool socks, better boots, proper walking trousers and all sorts of other bits and bats, and we set ourselves the goal of climbing Mount Snowdon this Spring.

So with a car full of stuff and snacks, and two equally insane friends (Mr & Mrs C), we set off on our Welsh adventure.

A Little Hill Called Helvellyn

Back in Summer, we went to the lakes with some friends and on our way home, decided to go and climb a mountain. "What a great idea!" we thought.

With nothing but a bottle of water and a snickers each, and with one member of the party in trainers and another in wellies, we set off merrily up a little hill called Helvellyn.

The Walker's Checklist

We're really in to walking, and when we started out we simply didn't have a clue. We climbed a mountain with no food, only one bottle of water, and a friend who was wearing wellies. We didn't know what we'd let ourselves in for, but we learned fast!