Nothing Says Home Like the Smell of Baking

*This photo is not my own

Hey, welcome to me new baking blog post! With another day off/unemployed? on holiday? (I'm not sure what I officially am at the moment!) I decided to be productive and do something I love... bake! 

This recipe was given to me by a friend at work and it's for muffins.  I'm usually a cupcake kind of girl - I like the decorating that goes hand in hand with cupcakes - but after trying these I'll definitely be making some more muffins! The recipe I used is a generic one for muffins and there were a few suggestions for flavouring.  I opted for banana. 

Sound like something you'd like to try, read on...

1. All the ingredients: Doves SR flour (GF) 250g, 1 large egg, full fat milk 75g, caster sugar 125g, sunflower oil 75g, plain yogurt 50g, 2 bananas.

2. Start to measure & mix the ingredients.

3. In the first bowl is the caster sugar, oil, milk, egg & yogurt.  In the second is the sieved flour and the third mashed banana.

4. Add the banana into the flour and gently mix.

5. Mix the 2 bowls of ingredients together until there is no flour visible.

6. Carefully spoon the mix into the muffin cases - the recipe makes 12 nicely. Bake in a pre-heated (180°) oven for ~20/25mins.  I would probably turn the temp. down next time (mine ended up a little more well-fired than I'd have liked!) Keep an eye on them in the oven!

How cute are they!?

Voilà! 12 yummy banana muffins! Easy - peasy! If you're not a mad keen banana fan, don't worry here's some other ideas for flavouring... 

Apple & cinnamon (2 roughly chopped apples, 1tsp 

cinnamon)

White chocolate & raspberry (white choc chips & handful 

raspberries)

Summer berry (1 punnet of any berries)

Double chocolate (100g dark choc chips & substitute 25g 

flour for 25g cocoa powder)

Lemon poppy seed (add 25g poppy seeds to dry ingredients, 

& zest of 1 lemon to the wet)

So that's it, really easy yummy muffins! 

Happy Baking! 

Would you like to try this recipe? Have you got any good baking recipes to share? Please leave your comments & let me know what you think or contact me via Twitter: Sc0tsGirl

South East Asia Adventure... The Countdown!

24 days from today...  I will be flying out to Cambodia on my Emirates flight.  I will fly from Glasgow -->Dubai --> Bangkok --> Phnom Penh.  It's all starting to seem scarily real and the month since finishing work I had to get the final preparations ready is FAST diminishing!  So I thought I'd just post an update on how I'm getting along with my preparations and generally getting ready for going away! 

Over the past few months I've been keeping an eye out for suitable clothes to take with me.  I am very aware of the fact I am going to be living in a country with a completely different culture; where modesty is valued and therefore it's important for me to take clothes which respect this.  Particularly because I will be living on site at the orphanage as a teacher; it is important that I'm a role model for these children and someone they can respect.  

I also have to consider the climate in Cambodia, it will be SUPER hot and humid so loose, comfy clothes are a must. With all this in mind, whenever I've been in the shops I've had a browse along the sale rail for Summer clothes.  I'm doing this whole trip on a budget so of course I've only bought sale clothes.  I've also put my Ebay addiction to good use and purchased some real bargains on there as well. 

As you can see from the photo I've been pretty successful in my bargain hunting! I love a good rummage through sale rails!

The other night I also laid out all my clothes to see what I actually had and what I still have to get.  A lot of people have said don't take too much 'cause stuff will be so cheap to buy when I'm out there, but I only have one day in Phnom Penh before I go to the village where there is only a small market and a shop.  So I think I'm better to be prepared and I can always get extra out there.

The last clothing item I really need now is a bikini! So I will keep you posted with that! 

In addition to clothes, I also have a few teaching bits and pieces to take with me.  I ordered reward stickers from Ebay at really cheap prices (£2.85 & £1.74) both from the UK. I also got some really amazing bargains at B&M stores; I got a lined exercise book - for lesson planning, some stationary, coloured post-its and 4 English exercise books from ages 3-7 (I'm going to copy lesson ideas from these).  They're also super lightweight so won't take up too much weight in my bag. 

So that's some of my travel preparations! 

Are you travelling or volunteering abroad? Do you have any packing tips? Or maybe some teaching tips?  I'd love to hear from you, leave a comment or get in touch via my Twitter! :)

Another Baking Sesh!

*This image is not my own

It was my grans birthday in February and not just any birthday... her 85th !!! I decided to mark the occasion with a cake.  As I have mentioned in a previous post I follow a coeliac's diet so the cake was completely gluten free.

1. All the ingrediants

2. Prepared for measuring & mixing

3. Starting to mix the ingredients together.

4. Cake just out the oven (I used a heart shaped cake tin)

5. Once cooled I cut the cake into 2

6. Smooth on the buttercream & jam filling.

7. Cover the cake lightly with buttercream for under the fondant

8. Use icing sugar to prevent sticking when rolling the fondant.

9. Fondant icing rolled thinly & evenly.

10. Drape the fondant over the entire cake

11. Trim round the edges neatly.

12. Decorate how you fancy!!

13. My finished cake! 

I used ready made edible flowers from Tesco - however if you have time you can create your own with fondant and colouring! 

I hope you enjoyed this post! 

P.s. My Gran loved it & she kept the 85 candles as a little memento! (cute)

A New Chapter... Goodbye Glasgow!

So the big date APRIL 17TH 2015 is fast approaching! This is the day I will start my journey and fly out to South East Asia.  So everything's in full swing preparation stage now - I moved out my wee flat in Glasgow's West End just over a week ago now.  This hadn't originally struck me as a major milestone, until someone said to me that this was a whole new chapter of my life starting.  Que emotional moment! I have lived in Glasgow for five years now since I first moved up to the city at age seventeen.  It's cliché, but my time in Glasgow has really been a roller coaster ride of times! I think I've done and experienced so much in my time there and have come to look upon the city as my home.  So I guess, thinking about it, it is a huge turning point in my life.  I'm giving up the life I've built over the past five years and stepping into the unknown.  I am jobless and have moved back into my mum's house.  I have my savings to live off for the next year and no set plans for after that! Scary, yes. Exciting, hell yeah!

So, as I close the door on my life in Glasgow for just now I wanted to post a few photos of around Glasgow - I would quite often go for a walk at the weekends or on days off - Glasgow is (in my opinion) an amazing city with loads to offer with beautiful architecture, parks, theatres, cafes, restaurants and nightlife.

These photos were taken on a snowy day in January.  They were taken on a walk from the West end, along the Clyde to Glasgow Green. 

Little pick-me-ups for when you're not feeling your best

Hey, and welcome to my new blog post :)

I'm going to be talking about what I do to combat those times when you're maybe feeling a little under the weather, tired, lethargic or just a bit down! We all have these times whether it's because we've been snowed under at work, buried under an ever growing pile of coursework or stressed out emotionally in our personal lives.  But, I believe that as awful as these times may feel there's some things we can all do to help our bodies feel a little healthier and our minds a little happier! 

When I feel like this I usually just want to have a duvet day... snuggled on the couch under the duvet with a cup of tea and some mindless daytime TV! (or a good movie!) But as we all know this just isn't always possible - we have to drag ourselves out of bed in the cold and dark early mornings and soldier on through the day. *cue lots of sympathy from friends, family, work colleagues, the coffee shop barista, hell anyone who will give us some!*

For me, there's four main areas I try to focus on when I'm feeling like this in order to get back to my usual sunny self ASAP!!  

1. Nutrition: lots of healthy eating

2. Physical activity: sometimes a little walk in the fresh air can blow away all the cobwebs

3. Sleep: plenty of beauty sleep, my body needs rest to recouperate

4. Stress management: when I'm feeling rundown stress can make it 100X worse, staying relaxed works wonders!

I always try to do a super healthy shop (if you're not actually up to facing the supermarkets try a home delivery) I find filling my body up with lovely nutritious goodies makes me feel good plus they're packed with vitamins!  So make sure your fruit bowl is full to the brim!!!

A really easy way to ensure you get 5 a day is to make up a big fruit salad - I especially love adding lots of berries (blueberry, raspberry and blackberry) into mine. But, you can choose all your faves!

Multi-vitamin food supplements are another way to add some extra vitamins into your diet and give you a little pick-me-up! I personally love Berocca - I have it in the mornings with breakfast instead of a fruit juice.  Orange is my favourite and I think it tastes fab!  Even better is that they contain the B-12 vitamin and a deficiency in this can cause tiredness so it's super important to make sure this is included in your diet!

I love nothing more than wrapping up and heading outside on a cold, crisp and sunny or blustery day to get fresh air and blow away the cobwebs! Granted, if I'm feeling tired and run down I might not feel like a huge hike, but even a small wander round the park can help.

LAVENDER LAVENDER LAVENDER!!! I find it a MUST when it comes to getting a good nights sleep.  Sleep is really important when you're feeling rundown and you might not be getting as much as your body needs so make sure the quality of sleep you do get is good.  Unwind before bed, run a bubble bath to make you feel sleepy.  This Radox 'Relax' bath soak has notes of lavender and waterlily and it smells dreamy! Just perfect before bedtime.

I also love a hot drink before bedtime, this Twinings Camomile and Honey tea is delicious - the honey just adds a hint of sweetness and for me it is as it says on the packet really soothing!

My last tip for a little pick-me-up is to pamper yourself!.. As if I need an excuse!  Pampering and some nice beauty products can give me a lift and make me feel luxurious.  Think of your home as a spa... light some candles and chill out. Stress is good for no-one and will only make you feel more run-down.  

I've picked 3 No7 beauty products that I find really useful in combating the tired look that annoyingly accompanies the run-down feeling.  

Beautiful Skin Radiance Exfoliator -  this is a lovely 'kind' facial exfoliator that is designed to leave skin brighter; I think it does the job well, it's really creamy and moisturising at the same time which is a great bonus!

Instant Illusions - MY FAVOURITE! I could rave on about this product forever in a day! It smells fruity and delicious, it has a lovely silky feel on your skin without the grease! AND I definitely think it makes my skin look brighter and more radiant.  I have worn this on its own and underneath my make-up and it's great both ways.  Definitely worth investing in this product for days where your skin feels dull and tired!

Beautiful Skin Overnight Revitalising Eye Balm - I dab this on my under eyes at bedtime and leave it to work its magic overnight! It does have a slight slimy texture and the smell is fairly nondescript, but I do think it works well at reducing dark circles which is after all the what it's supposed to do! 

So why not treat yourself to one of these little delights to help combat the tired look! 

That's all for now! I hope this post helps anyone who's been feeling rundown! Remember Spring is just around the corner! In the meantime be kind to yourself! 

Staying Connected

Let's talk, Tech.

With my travels fast approaching I'm almost finishing ticking off the 'biggies' on my to buy list.  Laptop, being number one and camera a close second (for another blog post).  Its worth mentioning I've not bought a laptop for the sole purpose of travelling; I am on a budget after all! - my old laptop came to the end of it's life in 2014... RIP.  So it's out with the old and in with the new YIPEE!
Now, despite what my current job as a radiographer might suggest, I am ironically a bit of a technophobe!  I don't seem to experience the thrill of buying or keeping particularly up - to - date with the latest gadgets and technology.  

However, as a Christmas present my family kindly gave me money for a new laptop, to take on my travels and to use when I'm back at home.  So I done a little research and decided upon the ASUS transformer book.  Sorted. Or, so I thought.  In  two separate stores the ASUS broke right in front of us.  Failing to power up once being clicked in, despite having been on charge - now, if this had happened only once I would still have gone ahead with my purchase, but it happened in two different stores so I couldn't trust it wasn't a flaw in the model.  My well organised plan of a quick 'in and out' shop was kaput, a whole day driving to different retail parks in and out of various stores ensued. 

***The final choice... HP Pavilion x360 11.6" ***

It appealed to me for several reasons

1. It's size - really portable for travelling

2. The 2 in 1 hybrid aspect; it can be used as a tablet & laptop

3. The Beats audio sound (it's not the loudest due to the laptop size, but it's got good sound quality and bass)

4. The USB ports - unlike most tablets it has 3 USB ports - perfect for connecting phone/camera whilst away.

5. Touchscreen functionality  

 I've been using it for almost a month now and I really do like this nifty little machine.  It has all the features of a laptop, but is more compact and has the 360 function + touchscreen to act as a tablet.  I'm looking forward to taking this on holiday with me at the end of the month and also on my Asia travels.  I think it's the perfect size to fit on a plane or bus table or to pop in my backpack.  Whilst it has been criticized for being thick & heavy for an 11.6" laptop I actually find it just sturdy enough for something that has to be so portable and travel with me a lot - I don't want anything too delicate and flimsy.  So the HP PAVILION x360 11.6" was my choice for travelling and so far it's a thumbs up from me! :-)  I bought mine from Tesco for £329 which I felt was a good deal for all you get with this fab hybrid! 

Summery Day In Glasgow

So today I decided to get my ‘Ass Off Couch’ and go a walk… but where to go in the city centre of Glasgow? After a trusty wee Google search I discovered Mugdock Country Park in Milngavie. I had no idea what kind of park to expect, but decided that a 15 min train journey was worth it to find out. I am SO GLAD I did :-)
ipod and picnic in bag off I went!
It was such a lovely surprise to find this gem of a park nestled into the outskirts of Glasgow.  With the Glasgow tower blocks and wind turbines near Campsie Fells creating a fusion background of urban landscape and countryside.  The built heritage of the park blends perfectly with the natural and the reservoirs proved a good substitute for the sea which I love to walk by at home.  I can’t honestly believe I have been living in Glasgow for 5 years now and haven’t already discovered this park! Perfect place to visit on a sunny day if anyone’s looking to escape the city without venturing miles away!
Moral of this post… get your ass off the couch more often… you never know what hidden gem you might discover!

 “Success is not simply a question of avoiding obstacles but more a way of discovering hidden pathways to new opportunities”

 Built & Natural Heritage.

"Love builds up the broken wall and straightens crooked path. Love keeps the stars in the firmament and imposes rhythm on the ocean tides each of us is created of it and I suspect each of us was created for it."

My favourite photo from today :)

Domestic Goddess Sunday

So, last Sunday was super productive: here's why!

"I’ve had the ingredients for a while and been planning to make some home-made bread and today I finally got round to it! It’s a rosemary & olive focaccia and just happens to be a gluten free recipe (‘cause I’m coeliac).

I’ve never made any kind of bread before in my life and had visions of this being a disaster, but to my surprise it turned out to be a huge success and I’m really quite proud of it - hence it’s one of my first proper blog posts!"