My little biona bread blog

I just want to take a moment to have a rave about a new product i have tried and LOVED!

I have always been a person who has to watch what I eat, I don't get on well with wheat etc. I do still eat it, however for a long time now I've not ate bread. I was so fed up with how bloated and horrible it made me feel that I decided to eliminate it completely from my diet and have done so for about 6 months.

Recently I have been missing bread and was curious to see what alternatives were out there. So, I came across Biona bread. The handy thing is you can get your hands on it in most supermarkets (usually in the gluten free section). Currently I pay £1.65 for a loaf, which I agree is a little steep but if you have problems with ordinary bread it's soooooo worth it.

The main difference is it's made with rye, which for me means I don't bloat or get any kind of stomach problems. I've been so happy that I can have toast recently, i love to toast it under the grill, then add homemade jam & chia seeds ( I'll include a photo).

Another bonus is the range of different types of bread you can get by biona. I've tried one loaf with pumpkin seeds in and another with linseed, both were really tasty! Also these added ingredients make the bread even better for you!

I hope that if you see It you might give it a go. If you suffer from intolerances, IBS, stomach pains, or just want to change it up then I would definitely recommend this.

I hope you're having a great day, love Beth xxx

My Clinque diaries DAY #1 dry/blemished skin

Today, I did what I've been putting off for a while and went to Clinique. I would say that I've been fairly lucky in my teens, in that I've never really had to think about skin care. However since I've got to my twenties my skin seems to have gone a little crazy!

I was aware of the 3 step system used by Clinique and as a company I trust their skin care range. I met a very kind shop assistant for Clinique, who as it turns out has very similar skin type to me. I had a number of presenting problems with my skin however the initial and most important thing to get under control is my blemishes. I managed to get a few samples of their anti blemish range which I will be trying for the next couple of weeks and assessing whether I want to buy the full size.

I truly hope it works because I'm fed up having really dry skin! I'll take you on this journey with me with lots of embarrassing close up shots of my very bare face! So here goes ... day 1...

Lots of love, Beth x

Healthy sweet potato & green vegetable soup ~ Food Friday

Green veg soup:

This healthy soup has become a staple in my weekly cooking. I make a big batch so it lasts a couple of days. Its super good for you and adding sweet potato instead of white potato makes a really nice change!

Ingredients: Red lentils, 1-2 sweet potatoes, 1 large onion, 1 leek, 1 broccoli head + stalk, 4 celery stalks, 2 spring onions, 2 vegetable stock cubes dissolved in boiling water, garlic, salt and pepper.

Roughly chop all the veg, don't worry about being too fine or precise as the soup will be blended at the end!

Use a big saucepan, use oil or low cal spray first, add onion + garlic, turn the hob onto a medium heat and allow the onions to cook for a few minutes.

Add all the rest of the vegetables, the red lentils and stock cubes. Add 1.5 pints of boiling water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and place lid over the saucepan so the soup will continue to simmer. Simmer 25mins until the sweet potato is mashable.

Take off the heat, allow to cool for a few minutes then use a hand blender to puree the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This turns out quite green but don't let that put you off. It's really yummy, filling and makes a great meal or snack!

If you make this be sure to let me know on twitter @bethirishart

Have a great Friday! Beth x

Competing in the Derry Feis 2014 ~ Theatre Thursday

Last week the Derry Feis was taking place and i was very excited to be a part of it! I had entered 3 categories within solo singing - Musical theatre, Opera, and Anglo Irish.

Here's what i sang for each category:
Danny Casey cup (musical theatre) - 'How could i ever know?' The Secret Garden
Lawrence Hasson cup (opera) - 'Deh Vieni non tardar' Marriage Of Figaro
William Bryson cup (anglo irish) - 'A Blackbird Singing' Michael Head

In the days leading up to the competitions i was extremely nervous as i had managed to get laryngitis and i imagined all my worse nightmares coming true, standing in front of the judges with no voice to sing!

I went into full swing recovery mode and managed to get my voice back and my throat hurting less just in time.

I loved competing, not just for experience and criticism but to admire my fellow singers and their craft. I really enjoyed seeing and listening to the competitors older than me, realizing i too could reach the potential they already have.

I reached a 'highly commended' in each category which i was delighted with! I really look forward to competing again next year, when i intend to compete in more categories as well. For now, it's back to working towards my Grade 8 exam!

Much love, Beth x

Here are some photos of me from the different competitions...

Learning to live a little!

Hello one and all,
Today i write about something that's been on my mind alot recently. I think in all areas of life we can become too strict with ourselves, set too many boundaries, rules and ultimately compromise ourselves. This really hits homes with weight loss and overall trying to be healthier. I've been sooo 'good' over the past couple of months that I've got to the point where my body isn't showing any results anymore. I still eat loads, always trying to add variety and versatility, eating plenty of nutritious food. However, the thought crossed my mind the other day, i can't remember the last time i let myself go. When was the last time i had that mouth watering cinnamon swirl from O'Doherty's bakery, bought clotted cream and savoured it on scones with strawberry jam, or what about my most favourite cheesecake from cafe del mondo, i haven't had that in well over a year!
Suddenly, i realised that in my attempts to be 'healthy' i haven't allowed myself to slip up foodwise in any sort of social situation, which for the most part is fine but shouldn't we have a little bit of what we love every now and again?
Well, i answered that question by my actions today. After stepping on the scales this morning and seeing yet another weeks hard effort rewarded with a very frustrating half a pound on! I asked mum if she'd have coffee with me at cafe del mondo. For what feels like the first time in forever, i relaxed and got lost in a world of white chocolate cheesecake goodness! (seriously if you live in Northern Ireland, go to Cafe del mondo in Derry/Londonderry,  you won't regret it!)
So here's my lesson, i will forever be an avid promoter of having a healthy lifestyle, making improvements where you can, but don't ever ever loose track of the fun, enjoyable, guilty pleasure moments in life.
Much Love,  Beth xxx
Here's a few photos of me and my cheesecake today...

Losing weight & keeping it off

Hey everyone,

Today i wanted to write a slightly different post as i was feeling in the mood to talk about weighloss.
If you're anything like me then weight has and always will be something i have to keep an eye on.  I was overweight in the later years of my childhood and my early teenage years. These years were a struggle for me, but ultimately it led me in my mid-teens to loose 2 stone and keep it off.

Personally, i lost weight via slimming world. I really do love the eating plan, the lifestyle and the freedom it promotes.
Throughout the last few years i have struggled to keep the weight off but i am proud to say that i have! I've learnt that maintaining a healthy weight is a lifestyle shaped by good choices, not one crash diet after another.
If you are struggling with your weight, know that you are beautiful and you deserve to be the healthiest version of you possible.

As of January 2014 i took up Jessica Smith's fitness challenge throughout the month, i got into the habit of doing some exercise each day and atleast 5 x 30min sessions a week. So, i have continued to have an exercise routine along side my eating habits and i am really starting to FEEL like the healthy woman i am.

I hope you find inspiration to achieve your weightloss and health goals. I will do more posts soon about my everyday food and explaining a bit more about slimming world itself.

Much love, Beth xxx