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...