The Versatile Blogger

Evening Peeps. how are y’all?? hope you had fab wknds all round, i know i did! i played with my new Toy lots!! and sunbathed, and BBQ’d, twas all lots of fun!

lets start with the bad news though – get it out the way first, my hoover died! booooo! and coz we have a dog, we totally couldnt last without one for more than about, ohhh, 4 hours! so off we went to buy a new one! grrrr! at this stage in the game so close to the wedding, unplanned spending is pretty much forbidden! not good! and it also meant I had to let my lovely friend Jo down, for the second time this month, i’m a rubbish blogger friend! life keeps getting in the way, Jo and i were supposed to be going to the cinema tonight, and i was really looking forward to it, but the new hoover set us back more than we had allowed for, and we’re off to Glasgow this wknd to buy wedding rings and hen night dresses (well ring for both of us, hen night dresses for me only! not Buddy dont worry!) so needs must and i had to rain check! sorry again Jo!

So over the wknd i made more Muffins, dont worry i didnt eat the last batch all to myself i gave most of them to my sisters family, i was keen to try out the new toy, and also now i’ve found myself unsweetened apple sauce i wanted to have a go subbing some of the oil for applesauce, to make em healthier! i also cut out about half the sugar! much better i thought, not so sweet, healthier, and only ever so slightly not as moist – just perfect! these come in at around 140 cals each now. here’s the recipe, taken from IGE, the only thing i changed was i used less sugar.

Zucchini Bread Muffins

Makes 10 muffins

1 1/2 cups of wholemeal self raising flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1 1/2 t cinnamon

2 eggs

1/4 vegetable oil

1/4 unsweetened apple sauce (i used organic apple and pear baby food)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

2 cups grated courgette/zucchini

Directions

Preheat oven to 175degrees, whisk flour, salt and baking soda and powder and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

in another bowl, combine eggs, oil, apple sauce, sugar, vanilla. whisk until blended.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three batches, stirring after each batch until only just combined. fold in zucchini.

place muffin cases into muffin tin, fill 3/4 of the way full. bake for 20 minutes, rotating tray half way through.

Perfectoooo!!

For Bfast yesterday i had a HUGE fruit plate with some unsweetened apple sauce for dipping (sooo good! yes its baby food, but lets not dwell on that, i’m pretty sure its almost exact same as unsweetened apple sauce – now shhhhh)

And a muffin – perfect summer breakfast – a lovely change from podge

we then went to camp out in my mums garden for the day, it was sooo hot! lunch was a salad, with avocado and tuna and salad cream

and dessert was for me – another muffin, and for everyone else vanilla cuppycakes with vanilla frosting that i made in my new toy!!

I, unfortunately had to bring some work home with me, but i could do it in the garden, so i kicked off my shoes

And camped out at my makeshift desk – not too shabby huh!

Mid afternoon my mum delivered me a big glass of ice cold water

and a big bowl of watermelon and garden raspberries

So refreshing

and for dinner…………………….a BBQ – hmmmm hmmmmm

I had one piece of chicken, marinated in red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and herbs for 24 hours, halloumi, a field mushroom, a small piece of garlic bread, salad and a small spoon of potato salad……………i went back for seconds of halloumi and salad and half a sausage – i love BBQ food – BEST.FOOD.EVER – fact!

the perfect spot for an after dinner nap in the late afternoon sun! what more could a girl ask for!

This morning was back to the grind, kicking off the day with a fruit place and a muffin

so this wknd i was kindly nominated a Versatile Blogger Award

Here are the rules:

1.Thank the person who gave you the award. – Thank you Laura

2.Share seven things about yourself.

3.Nominate fifteen newly discovered blogs.

4.Let your nominees know about the award.

Heres 7 things about me:

1. I work as a PA for 2 directors in the NHS – the Head of Planning and the Head of HR

2. I’m at the top of my game with my current qualifications, so i’m putting myself through a home study 4 year HND in Business Management, i’m almost finished my 1st year.

3. i have extensive qualifications in office management, administration management, art and design, and am a trained nail technician – versatile huh!

4. I have a tattoo on my lower back – i got it done aged 15 with some fake idea, in a dodgy tattoo shop that was selling puppies from the waiting room! i should have run a mile then! its a bird but the head and wings have faded so much, it now looks like the German Eagle.

5. When i get to goal weight I’m going to have my tattoo redone, to curl round my side and up about 1/3 of the side of my spine, to cover/incorporate the botch tat i have at the moment! it’s going to be my treat to myself to congratulate myself for a huge achievement, and serve as a symbol to remind me of the hard work it took to earn that ink and remind to never go back to being overweight – i cant wait

6. I’m allergic to almost everything – well specifically formaldehyde, its a preservative that is used in practically everything we use, from our carpets and curtains, to the paint on our walls, to the nail polish and cosmetics we use, to the food we eat and alcohol we consume, i suffer really badly with allergies, of the sinus and the skin kind!

7. I’m getting married in 3 months and 5 days! – how did it come round so fast!!

Here’s the blogs i’m nominating – i dont think i’ll have time to let you all know, so hopefully you will see this: Becky, Laura, JAG, Nicola, Miss Lovely, Jo, Cazza, Laura, Helene, Tam, Gayle, Kat, and Stacey

Not quite 15 but it will do me just fine – sorry if your on the list and you’ve already been nominated by one of our lovely mutual bloggy friends!

well thats all from me – i’m supposed to be studying – oopsy – really must get on! and i’m one tired puppy tonight!!

Questions: – do you have any tattoos? do you regret them or do you still love them? do they mean something to you? do you want more?

Coming soon: – a re-evaluation of my diet and eating habits, a full KitchenAid Review, and Healthy Living Blogs.

Night all, sweet dreams xx