Easter treats then back to reality | Finally Friday

A long Easter weekend was the ideal ending to my week last week. Stress levels were at maximum by Wednesday and a peaceful weekend at home was just what I needed. The Easter weekend was spend in the best way, in the company of good friends and family, enjoying the idyllic Sussex scenery with a few pints to begin the weekend. 

I rustled up a few treats in the kitchen over the weekend. It was Easter and a week of full on working out and healthy eating earned me Saturday mornings American pancakes. And the lemon shortbread and the carbonara and the chocolate dog courtesy of Sarah, a survivor of the rugby tour to Belgium. It was Easter and I wanted to treat myself so I did and so should everyone every now and again. Everything in moderation. 

It's so nice to have light, warm evenings again. The day is longer and I personally just feel more energised and happier when every evening isn't spent huddled round the TV donned in fluffy clothing. Spring is probably my favourite time of year. 

Tuesday was back to the grind though. The last full week of a 6am alarm though and that thought has definitely kept me going. I've been on the shorthand like a woman possessed this week, determined to get that 100 words per minute down. I'm not going to say how I feel I did cause I'm also a tad superstitious, only when it comes to exams really, and I don't want to jinx it. 

The beginning of another week also saw the return of the healthy food and plenty of exercise. Much to my pleasure. Don't get me wrong I love full fat pancakes and lots of chocolate on occasion but I definitely feel better all round for healthy food and a workout a day. Never thought I'd say that. Is this a new me? I think it might be. 

Anyway, not a bad week, not the best but definitely not the worst. Got a busy weekend with lots of seeing lovely people and lots of revision for my final exam.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, until next time.

Post-Easter Crackdown | Thursday Talks

Despite all the sweet treats I've been showcasing on Instagram as of late, mainly because of Easter, I have still been trying to keep as healthy and fit as possible. My fridge and cupboards have been stripped back and the running shoes have been donned more often than normal to ensure I am as bikini ready as possible in three and a half weeks, because even though I tried to keep healthy over Easter I did eat my body weight in chocolate. I don't claim to be a health and fitness whizz kid, cause let's be honest my abs are still far from peeking out and I still struggle with the three mile run I sometimes manage, but I have picked up a few little tricks that make it all easier and so I thought I'd share with you. These are the things I'll be definitely sticking too over the next few weeks.

1) Don't buy naughty treats
When you're doing your food shop, don't be tempted to pick up the things you shouldn't. You don't need the multipack of crisps or the kitkats, even if they are on offer. Instead pick up some raspberries or some low fat crackers. Ryvita things or snack a jacks are a really good crisp alternative. Just as satisfying but without the naughty fats. Also, don't go to the supermarket when you're hungry. You'll be most tempted to by the naughty goodies then because they're quick to satisfy the hunger.

2) Don't cut out, cut down
It's ok to think that cutting out dairy or carbs or sugar will help you loose those extra pounds because it will, but it's not easily sustainable to it might not last. Instead of completely cutting out the things carbs, fat or sugar just cut down. Have things that aren't full of added sugar, and things that are low fat and low carbs. I try to have days where I don't eat dairy, or veggie days to help cut down the fattening stuff. This week I'm trying really hard to have no unnecessary carbs and no added sugar.

3) Find your exercise
Everyone finds different exercises easier. Some people can run for miles, some can cycle, some can do an hour of weights. Everyone's different. I try to change it up every week but workouts I can do in my own house are my favourite. I try to an hour a day and this week I'm going to be doing workouts in my bedroom as I'm revising for final exams as well so I'm staying in but next week I'm going to running and home workouts so I get enough cardio to melt that fat. Find what you enjoy and do it as much as you feel comfortable with.

4) Water and Green Tea
2 litres every day minimum. It stops you snacking, it keeps you hydrated, helps keep your skin clear and keeps your insides nice and clean too. I drink a glass with every meal and also carry a litre bottle with me which I feel up twice in the day which ensures I've drunk at least two litres. Over the next few weeks I'm also cutting out alcohol. I don't drink a lot anyway but alcohol can prevent fat burning so I don't want to be doing that. Also green tea is great to drink. It's full of goodness and is great for detoxing the body, a drop of lemon juice makes it super tasty. I have a mug in the evening before bed and it serves me well.

As well as alcohol, over the next three and half weeks I'm completely cutting out chocolate, crisps, bread and any unhealthy snacks. Fruit and veg all the way for me now.

So they're my top four tips: no naughty treats, cut down, enjoy exercising, and drink lots of water. Hope these help you.

N.B I'd like to point out I don't condone restrictive diets, I eat three healthy meals a day and snack on fruit and nuts if I get hungry in the day. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF. It's not healthy.

TBR: Australia | Wednesday Reads

Follow me on GoodReads

If you follow me on GoodReads you may have seen that I recently created a new shelf. This shelf is my Australia TBR. Now as my 'before Aus TBR' failed miserably I'm determined to be successful this time. All the books listed are on my kindle as I'm not planning on taking any physical books unless I haven't finished what I'm reading. So here's my list of books I want to read whilst in Australia.

A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons - George R.R. Martin

Life After Life - Kate Atkinson

The Universe Versus Alex Woods - Gavin Extence

The Diaries of a Fleet Street Fox - Fleet Street Fox

The Hundred Year Old Man who climbed out the window and disappeared - Jonasson Jonas

Twelve Years A Slave - Solomon Northup

The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce

The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak

These are all books that have been sat on my Kindle for ages so I've obviously been meaning to get round to them for ages. Hopefully I'll get at least these read but I wouldn't mind getting onto a couple of others as well but we'll see. Don't forget you can follow me on GoodReads to keep up with how I'm doing and also to see what I think of what I'm reading.

Travel Essentials #1 | Tuesday Travels

It's just under three weeks until I leave for Australia and finally I'm allowing packing to enter my mind, although I can't let it take over just yet. As we're now getting closer to the day I get on that twenty-four hour flight, something that I'm definitely not letting take over my mind just yet, I thought Tuesday's (normally known as Tuesday travels) to become a travel essentials series. Only a few until I go detailing a few essentials that I feel are, well, essential for travelling. Of course there are things that I am taking because I'm going to Australia and wouldn't normally take so I suppose this is more of a long-haul/long-stay travel essentials but that's long a boring so we're going with travel essentials.

This weeks essentials is technology. The things we wish we could all live without, but when it actually comes down to it we can't. I'd love to go to Australia technology free but apart from anything else my mum would die if I didn't take my phone and I'd be a little upset if I didn't get any photos of this big part of my life. So here's a few gadgets and gizmos that I'll be putting into the bag in a few weeks time.

1) The Laptop
I normally wouldn't take my laptop on holiday with me. It's huge, weighs a tonne, and is simply an inconvenience. However, the laptop will serve as memory card free-er up-er over anything else. I.e. me and Jack can put all our photos onto the laptop as we want to rather than buying 101 memory cards that could end up getting lost or forgotten about. As well as this, although it's perfectly obvious I won't be able to continue blogging as regularly, I would like to get a few posts up every now and again and I also am doing a few posts for Travel & Trainers whilst I'm away and although iPhone's are great laptops are definitely easier when it comes to blog post writing.

2) Cameras x 2
Yes two cameras. Now you may be thinking, but Emily your baggage weight allowance will suffer so. Yes it probably will but as the owner of DSLR, and fellow DSLR owner's will understand, there are times when you really need your DSLR. Moments when a standard compact camera won't do the moment justice. However, there are other times when you think why have I bothered carrying this beast around all day, all I've got is shots of my family eating lunch. So for this reason, I will be taking my DSLR for those days when I know nothing else will do and my compact camera for those days where me and Jack are all day in the van eating, but memorable days none the less.

3) The Kindle
If you read my blog regularly and read Wednesday's posts you will know that I've always been planning on taking my kindle. It's great for the long plane journey in which I could potentially read two or three books, but with a kindle I don't have to lug around three huge novels sacrificing something else for them. It will also be good throughout the trip as I can easily buy new books when I'm done with what I've got without having to drag Jack into a book shop against his will. Kindle's were designed for times like these.

4) The iPod
Obviously. Since the early 21st century man has not travelled without some form of musical listening device. In the next few weeks I will deleting and updating my iPod to ensure it is fit for the long flight and expanse of time we will be travelling. I'm sure it will help pass any dull hours on the plane. I say any like it's only a possibility I'm going to be mind numbingly bored for a vast majority of the plane.

So there we are. My technology essentials for my trip to Australia and, apart from the laptop for all other trips you may undertake. Let me know if you have any other technological essentials you think I may have forgotten or anything that you take that's not on the list.

What feels like the end | Motivational Monday

Things come to an end all the time. This week is the last proper week of my NCTJ course. It's the end. But although it's the end of the course, it's important to remember it's the beginning of my life as a qualified journalist.

It's easy to feel stressed and scared but whatever is ending is ending. That last part of your life is coming to an end. It's easy to get wound up and worried because something's coming to an end but it's better to think productively and think about what's happening next.

The end of now is the beginning of the next part of your life where you learn more and become a better person for it.

Easter Treats | The Weekend Post

Easter is most definitely a time to enjoy all those treats that normally you know you should really say no to, even if you don't. The huge chocolate eggs, that I'm sure are getting bigger every year, are definitely a giveaway. But as well as those I enjoy to make a few extra treats for us all to enjoy in the house over Easter. I definitely earned it after a 10 mile bike ride on Thursday.

Pancakes are a must. If you read my blog regularly you might have seen my protein pancakes that I sometimes make if I have time in the morning. Now they are delicious and healthy, which is a winner, but nothing beats a proper American pancakes doused with maple syrup for breakfast at Easter. Fluffy and light and sweet. Absolutely what the Easter bunny ordered. They're quite simple, just flour, baking powder a pinch of salt then beat in an egg a tablespoon of oil and some milk leave it to sit for a moment then fry up and lather in your favourite topping.

I also made some lemon shortbread esque biscuits. I can't really tell you what this recipe was cause I mixed a few together to get the end result. But I guess a simple shortbread recipe, add the rind of a lemon would create the same effect. I then topped with some yellow coloured, lemon icing and they're deliciously sweet and tangy. I'm normally no good with biscuits and end up with burnt edges and biscuits that are more like crisps but these turned out well and I might try different flavours in the future.

I also made a sort of carbonara. Though I was feeling lazy and instead of making a sauce just used a tub of garlic and herb philadelphia. I actually found it a lot tastier than a regular carbonara but just as satisfying and tasty. Super good alternative if you're in a rush but want something filling and not too fast food esque. But still a treat cause let's be honest a pot of phili a day would not keep the doctor away.

So there's a few of my treats. Not forgetting of course the piles of chocolate that I'm going to put away this weekend. But then that's it, no more chocolate or any such treats before Aus. What are your treats over this weekend?

Cooks: Homemade spiced meatballs | The Weekend Post

I made this a couple of weekends ago and you may have seen it on my Instagram. I did say I'd put this recipe up last weekend, but last weekend ended up being a little more hectic than first expected so it's up now. Better late than never. Anyway this is a really simple meatball recipe. I think people have a belief that anything homemade like meatballs or burgers will take a lifetime, and it can but it doesn't have to. I made this on a Saturday for a quick Saturday in front of the tele dinner, which it's perfect for.

You will need:

• Food blender
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 white onion
• 2 teaspoons of dried coriander
• 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 500g of beef mince
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of tomato puree
• 1 vegetable stock pot
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil (better if fresh basil but dried is fine)
• Pasta of your choice for the amount of people (1 handful per person +1)

To begin with you need to blitz the onion, garlic, mince and spices in your food blender. It needs to look almost like a pate as there's no egg in this for binding so if its not really stick and mushy they won't hold together. Don't worry the texture isn't mush although when it's in the food blender the mix will look like something the dog left in the garden for you, but don't be put off. Roll the mixture into balls, I made four for each person  with the ingredients listed above so you can add or reduce depending on how many you're cooking for and how many meatballs you want.

Once you've rolled the mixture into balls pop them in ready heated pan with a little oil and begin browning them off. Whilst the meatballs are cooking you can make your sauce, which is so easy. Empty the tomatoes and puree into a pan and bring it to the boil then add your basil and stock pot and boil until the stock pot has dissolved. These Knorr stock pots are great for creating flavour when you haven't got a whole tonne of time but they're even great when you've got all day to slave over a pan, they create great flavour in sauces, stews and casseroles. Once the stock pot has dissolved bring the sauce to a simmer. You'll need to keep an eye on your meatballs. The best way to turn them is with tongs or a spoons try not to move them too much as they are delicate.

Obviously you need to cook the pasta for this dish. As always I used rigattoni pasta as it's my favourite and as always used a handful per person plus one. So I was cooking for four so used five handfulls. I also made a salad of lettuce, yellow pepper, tomato and cucumber to go along side it and bunged some garlic bread into the oven. Once it's all cooked drain your pasta and serve. Pasta, then meatballs and topped with sauce.

So that's it simple, easy, Saturday night dinner that's fresh, healthy and tasty. Why not give it a try and let me know how you got on?