Recipe for Pasta con Crema di Zucchine (creamy courgette sauce)

 This dish is so delicious! I made it for my Italian grandparents and they simply loved it!! The best part is, it was so so easy and can be easily changed to anyone's taste! So, without further ado lets get on with the recipe!

Banana and Chocolate Chips Tarts Recipe

Hey guys!

How are you? I had to share this delicious recipe with you because it was literally so fast, so easy but so tasty!! It will only take you around 15-20 minutes to make but will definitely wow any guests you have over! And what's so great about them is that once you crack down a simple recipe like this, the possibilities are endless. You can choose different fruits and different sauces such as custard instead of chocolate! 

What You'll Need: (Makes 5 Tarts)

Clean Eating | Healthy French Toast Breakfast Recipe

I've been eating lots of eggs lately, as it's summer I haven't been eating as much meat as I've been having colder meals such as salads so my main source of protein has been my eggs in the morning. I love eggs as they are so versatile, easy to cook and so filling, not to mention tasty. I'm sure most of you know how to make french toast, but for those who don't it is so easy and so delicious I wanted to show you guys how to make it! No more excuses for skipping breakfast because it takes around 5 minutes!!

What You'll Need: (Serves 1)

Dinner OOTD : Studs & Leather

Arun and I decided to make the most of the rubbish weather and went for dinner at a lovely Lebanese restaurant in Hampton Court called Mezzet. The food was so delicious that I thought I'd share it with you! Also, I thought it would be a nice idea to show you what I was wearing, as I find it really hard to find outfit inspiration for when it's raining and cold but not freezing. So to start here is what I wore: 

COOK: Turkey, Stuffing, Brie & Cranberry Sauce

This is by far my favourite Christmas lunch at the moment, I've been having it before work and I love it! What best is that it's so quick and easy to make, and not to mention cost friendly!

What you'll need:

Turkey/ham slices

Stuffing slices

Brie Cheese

Strawberry Jam (as a substitute for cranberry sauce, it literally tastes the same!)

Bread - I used wholemeal 

I was lucky because I found a pack of turkey, ham and stuffing slices in a pack all together, for like kids lunch, so I got that! But basically all you do is layer your slices of turkey and stuffing, cut chunks of cheese and put that on top and then spread your jam on the bread. Put it in a toastie maker and voila: 

Love O

x

MAN vs FOOD Isleworth Review

Last week, Arun and I went to the Man vs Food resteraunt in Isleworth because we are obsessed with the TV show and were so happy they brought it to London.

It's quite awkwardly located if I'm honest as it's down an extremely busy road where there's no parking but we managed to park and make our way into the diner.

On walking in, I quite liked the atmosphere, it was just really chilled and filled with good banter. I guess more like a bar than a restaurant. It had a buzz.

                 

We were welcomed by very friendly staff and given the menu, which was around the same price as restaurants such as Nandos, The Byron, GBK... So you're basically looking at around £15-20 ahead.

I thought not to bad considering it is supposed to be pretty good (our poorly judged opinion was purely based on the TV show).

To start we ordered the chicken wings, which for a starter was around the same size as my boyfriends main! The chicken wings were doused in this amazing hot sauce which I couldn't get enough of... Yet the chicken itself was odd. The bones seemed to be broken so marrow was leaking in places, and parts of the wing were black which I thought was strange. 

Now the main, I wish I could say something positive, but to start, it took around 20 minutes to start, not bad, except Arun's (my boyfriend) came and they completely forget about mine bringing it over around another 15 minutes later. 

Yes, by the time my burger had arrived to me it was cold. As cold as a bloody dead fish. Although it was impressively large (bigger than my hand, as shown above) the food just didn't meet the quality I had expected. I would honestly rather had eaten a Big Mc, which if you you me, you'll know I've eaten maybe 3 McDonald's in the past 5 years and only in emergencies! The bun was freezing like as if it hadn't been cooked at all, the meet tasted of rubber but was concealed by a large slop of cheese. It was supposed to be a BBQ style burger with BBQ sauce, because I was having some serious cravings but it didn't have any in it. Literally none! Zilch.   

                                 

So I put a load of chili sauce on it. 

I stubbornly ate my burger because by this point it was around 9pm and I hadn't eaten anything since 11am. It's really true... You'll eat anything if you're really hungry! I left nearly all the bun and tried to munch my way through as much of the burger as possible. 

Luckily, the chips weren't too shabby, so I happily ate those! 

So, the moral to this review is, don't risk it and go to either Nandos, KFC or GBK for a tasty but inexpensive meal worth paying for!

COLLABORATION: Girly Day Out - Makeup, Picnic and Nails

Hey!

So, this is my first ever collab post (ohhh yeahhh)! I met up with my friend Corran who is the lovely blogger from Corrange and we had a picnic in Richmond on the green (which for you non-Londoners is basically a big, random patch of grass). 

The first thing I did before meeting Corran was my makeup- obviously! As it is so sunny at the moment and I didn't want to have sweaty make-up running down my face, I only used 5 products.


On my face I used:

~Rimmel Foundation in soft beige
~ MAC black kohl eyeliner
~Sunkissed bronzer in medium bronze
~Rimmel Scadaleyes mascara
~ Cherub's Blush, cheek and lip tint

How I achieved this look:

~ Apply your foundation evenly all over all your skin, making sure to blend it well. I use my fingers, but you can use a brush too if you like.
~ Apply the bronzer using a slanted brush whilst sucking in the hollows of your cheeks to really define your cheek bones. Using a larger kabuki style brush, lightly blend the bronzer and dust it up along your temple and down to your jaw line, in the shape 3.
~ Using the same bronzer take a small eyeshadow brush and apply the bronzer to your lash line and outer corners/crease of your eye. Do this until the colour is quite dark and the outline looks really harsh.Now take any small, clean blending brush and blend it in, making sure to concentrate keeping the colour darker on the outer corner of your eyes for a winged effect. Once you've finished blending, using the colour left on your brush, take it underneath your eye- just under your bottom lash line.
~ Now take your eyeliner and apply it along your lashline. Using a blending brush blend it into your eyeshadow.
~ Apply your mascara as usual on both your upper and bottom lashes.
~ Finish by applying one coat of the tint, on your lips. You could also apply this to your cheeks however, I used a lot of bronzer and I liked the look without any blush.

Ta-Da! You're all ready to go out!

 
For our picnic I made a lovely Caesar Salad with sausages instead of chicken which was delicious! Corran brought some Cool Doritos, Coca Cola and Jaffa cakes. Which Melted...  It was so hot and we didn't eat any breakfast so we guzzled down the coke and ate all the salad in no time! I made such a big salad portion that we were pretty full by the time we had finished it, so we lay on the picnic cloth and gossiped while munching on the odd Doritos. We chatted so much that we forgot to take loads of photos. Apologies for the really rubbish picnic photo with my grubby shoes in the background!

 To make my Sausage Caesar Salad:

~Put your sausages in a tray with chopped onions, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and put it in the oven; Check the packet of sausages for time and oven settings!

~ Cut up small pieces of bread for croutons and drizzle with oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Don't put this in the oven until the sausages are almost ready.

~ Now cut up your choice of raw vegetables for your salad. I included a variety of lettuce, freshly cut from my garden, 3 tomatoes and an avocado.

...Around 15 minutes later...

~Check on your sausages and turn them.

~Put your croutons in the oven.

...Around another 7 minutes later...

~Take your sausages and croutons out of the oven and put them into your salad.

~ For the dressing, mix 3 tablespoons of Hellmann's mayonnaise, a few drops of lemon, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Top it off with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Corran and I loved the salad so so much!! It was so tasty- if I do say so myself!

After our picnic we went back to my house where nails enthusiast Corran did my nails for me! We chose a lovely pink shade with a single aztec pattern on my ring fingers in white. If you want to see how she did it- which you should because this photo doesn't do it justice and I love them then check out here blog here and she should have a post up on how to do it!

And if you do try any of these out leave me a comment down below because I love reading them!

Don't forget that I'm officially changing my blog domain to oriannasoracle.blogspot.com on the 3rd of August!

Love O
x

The Health Benefits of Parsley

Julys top ingredient, that I have been loving, is parsley! So, my aim for you guys this month is to eat as much of it as possible, as I have been doing.

The Benefits of Parsley

Parsley is the most popular and widely used herb in the world! This doesn't come as a surprise, once you realise how truly amazing it is. 

The vitamins packed in these small green leaves include: Vitamins K, C, A, B1 and B3, iron, copper, potassium, calcium, fibre, magnesium, zinc and many, many more. Not too mention it is also, low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol and a good source of protein! Studies have also shown the herb to protect against and prevent: heart disease, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. As well as to help digestion, menstrual flow, as an aphrodisiac, and as a breath freshener.

To top that off, it is great if you are keeping an eye on your waistline, as it contains only 22 calories per 60g portion! 

3 Ways To Eat It

• In a lovely salad. I had this for lunch today and it was so yummy and filling. It is so quick and easy to make and low in calories but because you are not constricting the size of your meal it doesn't feel like a 'diet'. It is also so good and healthy, as combined with the other vegetables, you are feeding your body such a variety of nutrients. 

You don't have to follow my recipe, but it was so delicious I simply had to share it with you guys!

Ingredients: 

A cup of parsley

2 tomatoes

1/4 of a green pepper

1 avocado

1/2 a carrot

and vinegar, oil and salt for the dressing.

All you do is finely chop all your ingredients, toss them in a bowl and add your dressing how you like. And there you have it! I told you it's quick! In this one dish you are almost getting your five a day already, and the day has only just begun! 

• As a garnish. Just sprinkle a few leaves over your cooked meat, potatoes, pasta... literally anything to add a little bit of interest and flavour to your dish. I love it with grilled pork or steak.

• To make a sauce. You can use parsley to make a variety of sauces and chutneys for various dishes. I like to use it to make pesto by blending the parsley leaves with oil, garlic, pine nuts and even a tiny bit of basil. Once made you can serve it straight away. What's even greater about a pesto pasta is that you can eat it cold for lunch or a picnik which just makes it a really lovely and refreshing summer dish!

Enjoy reaping the benefits of parsley and share this with all your friends so that they can too!

Love O

x

COOKING: Joe's Southern Kitchen Review

On a date with my lovely boyfriend Arun, we strolled through Covent Garden and passed a lively American diner restaurant. Not being one to turn down a burger, I instantly took up the chance to pig out! The atmosphere was lively and busy, full of people chattering while enjoying their food. With a decor of southern American style I couldn't be more in love. The service couldn't have been better, as soon as we entered we were taken to our seats and each given a menu.

First things first, I ordered a London Flower cocktail which at £7 is about average price for a drink in London. It was very cleansing and refreshing which was great, as it was a lovely warm day outside, but had a strange minty after-taste which Arun didn't like at all. The bar, may I add, is HUGE! It would be a really nice place to go for a few drinks on a night out with friends to have a cheeky cocktail or two before going clubbing.

I ordered a special- a delicious burger with avocado, bacon and relish with a side of fries with chicken salt. Arun on the other hand, ate southern fried chicken with fries. Our food came within minutes of ordering which was very impressive. On the table, there is provided the most yummy BBQ sauce ever!! I drowned all my food in this, it was just too tasty not too. I regret nothing.

All in all, the food was lovely. Yes, it is quite pricey if you over order, especially because they include service charge in your bill (which I don't personally like), however if you order water and only a main without starters it's not too bad. It is also so filling that I couldn't have eaten a starter too anyway! Also, thumbs up if you have a taste card because it's 2 for 1 on some days.

If you do go and loved your food as much as I did, comment down below and tell me what you thought!

Love O
x

COOK: How to make Mozzarella Dippers

Mozzarella Dippers Recipe : Easy

This recipe is so so easy it's unreal! All you need is:

• Bread
• Mozzarella
• Oil
• a pinch of salt
• herbs (optional)

First, cut the crust off the bread. Then cut slices of cheese to fit the bread. Cut as much or as little cheese as you like, I did quite a bit because I like my dippers extra cheesy! 

Place the cheese on top of slice of bread and roll it so that it looks like a spring roll. Alternatively, fold the bread in half and have flatter mozzarella dippers like I did as it's quicker and easier and allows you to use more cheese. For more flavour you can put herbs such as oregano and a pinch of salt in the dipper before you roll it. 

Place a dash of oil in the frying pan. I used olive oil as it's a healthier option. Put the pan on top heat and wait until the oil has heated up and then slowly put your dippers in. When they turn golden-brown they are ready to eat!

 

They make a great starter or party snack for when you have friends over. Each slice of bread makes a mozzarella dipper so depending on how many people you are serving you can use more or less bread; I'd use two slices of bread per person as that makes two dippers each.

Love O

x

COOK: The Ultimate Sandwich

I made the best sandwich ever for dinner today! Best of all, I made it using scraps in the fridge so it was cost-free! I used left over chicken tikka as the main filling which was really tasty and filling along with half a tomato, sliced and mayonnaise. I also spread guacamole which was left over from dinner yesterday because Arun made me Mexican food, on the bread . The sandwich was DELICIOUS and super filling and best of all, was ready in a matter of minutes! Try it out or make your own ultimate sandwich out of left overs for a quick, appetizing and healthy meal. Use brown bread with nuts like me, to make your meal even more nutritious!

Love O

x

How to make Italian Meatballs

Today I made delicious meatballs for dinner from scratch! They weren't as good as the Ikea ones but they would definitely give them a run for their money!

Ingredients: You can change the amount according to how many meatballs you want.

Minced meat (beef)

1/4 onion

1 clove of garlic

a handful of herbs such as basil, parsley, rosemary and oregano

pepper

pinch of salt

1 egg

flour

oil

tomato sauce

vegetable stock

Guide
Dice all the vegetables and herbs and place into a deep bowl. Put the meat into the same bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper and with your hands mix the ingredients together. Divide the mixture into round balls of any size you wish. The smaller they are the easier and faster they are to cook.

In another bowl, beat the egg as this is needed to make the meat hold together when frying. You now want to stir your meatballs in the beaten egg and then roll it onto flour until it is fully covered.

You then need to fry the meatball in a small/medium sized pan. I did mine in two loads starting with the smaller meatballs. Once they are all fried add the tomato sauce to the same pan along with a pinch of basil and half a cube of vegetable stock for flavour. After 10-15 minutes this dish should now be ready to eat!

Love O
x

COOK: Apple and Rhubarb Pie

Ingredients:                                                                                                                   Serves 8-12
140g flour
a pinch of salt
55g of caster sugar
55g of butter
1 egg + extra for glazing
2 apples
3 sticks of rhubarb
jam

Guide

Start by sifting the flour and salt into a large bowl to make the pastry and then stir in the sugar. Rub in the butter using our hands until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs and the finally add the egg. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and then place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. It should somewhat look like my picture on the left. 

In the meantime while your dough is in the fridge start peeling your apple and rhubarb and then dicing them. This will be the filling for your pie. Preheat your oven to 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7.

30 minutes later

Roll out the pastry. I used a pastry mat with flour on it so that my dough wouldn't stick. Prepare a tin with butter and flour so that the dough doesn't stick and then then placed the rolled out pastry into a medium or large tin.Remember to save some pastry for the strips on top

Once you have put your pastry in your tin, spread a generous layer of jam on top. This will compliment the fruit and make the pie more moist. 

You then want to pour your diced fruit on top of the jam as much as possible. Make sure to not fill the pie higher than the crust. You then want to cut the left over pastry into strip to place over the filling forming a lattice. I cut the pastry into 7 strips however you can do more or less depending on how big your tin is and how much pastry you left. To make the glazing you want to beat an egg and brush it over the pie and then sprinkle brown sugar on top for an extra crunch!

Finally, cover your pie with foil and put it in the oven for 25 minutes. When the 30 minutes are up, take the foil off and bake the pie for another 15-20 minutes until it is golden.

This is what my pie looked like. I managed 12 servings out of it and it lasted 3 days in the fridge! I received so many compliments from this pie so I just had to share my recipe with you! Enjoy!

Lots of Love
O xx