A Playlist: Feel Good Friday

Happy Friday all you lovely people!

This week I have for you a very uplifting playlist so you can feel good this whole weekend, or if you're like me, until summer finally hurries up! 

I hope you enjoy, this is defiantly different from my last two playlists, it is jam-packed with some classic oldies that we all love:

You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall & Oates 

(My ultimate guilty pleasure)

Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

Hey Ya - OutKast

Friday I'm in Love - The Cure

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper 

Spring is so almost here and I cannot wait, 

Have a fabulous weekend 

Maddy x

Banana Business - Healthy Banana Muffins

Hello my lovelies, 

A quick apology for the lack of posts recently, so far I have spent my half term driving to and from places and bing-watching Gossip Girl, but now the weekend is over I've got lots of posts planned.

Today I've been baking something so delicious and incredibly low in fat that it makes me want to leap with joy (yes, they're that good)

Here are my healthy and scrummy banana and chocolate chip muffins. As I have already said, these are very low in fat and the beauty of them is you can alter the recipe to make it as healthy as you like. I opted for 1/3 plain flour, 2/3 wholemeal as I think adding a bit of plain gives the muffins abit more flavour. I also threw in a handful of plain and milk chocolate chips, but feel free to add either one or the other, or go all out and have white chocolate instead (equally yummy but I do often find this rather sickly). Another alternative is blueberries which is equally delicious. 

Similar recipes that I have seen have stated their muffins were under 200 calories. I have no clue about these but I'd assume that these are in fact under 200 as well, therefore perfect for pre/post workout snacks, everyday snacks and delicious puddings when warmed up and covered in cream or ice cream. I bet that made your mouth water just a little.

Ingredients:

- three bananas ~ as ripe as you can get

- one egg

- a quater cup of honey

- a half cup of Greek yoghurt (this is in place of butter)

- one tablespoon of vanilla extract/ essence

- one tablespoon of melted coconut oil (olive oil will work too)

- one tablespoon almond milk (dairy milk or any other alternatives will work)

- one cup of wholemeal flour

- a half cup of plain flour

- a teaspoon of baking soda

- chocolate chips (as many as you like, blueberries work great with this aswell)

Method:

- Mix together the bananas, egg, honey, yoghurt, vanilla, coconut oil and milk for a minute or until smooth and evenly combined. 

- Add the flour and baking soda and mix slowly until combined before folding in the chocolate chips/ blueberries. 

- Then spoon the mixture into twelve. I used cupcake cases but if you have a nonstick muffin tray that would be perfect. Alternatively you could use baking parchment/ paper to make your muffins a lot edgier and more photogenic than mine.

- Pop these in to the oven at 180 celcius for 20-25 minutes. Your kitchen will smell incredible as these beauties bake, I couldn't wait to take them out. Cool on a cooling rack for at least five minutes before indulging yourself.

Enjoy! 

Lots of Lurveee from my bananary bliss,

Maddy xx

Small Things To Change Your Life: Task #1

Hello all!

Today I'm here to talk to you about the simplest but one of the most important things one can do to make their life shine just a little bit brighter.

BREATHE.

It's as simple as that. Obviously, you already do breathe around 28,800 times a day but I mean really breathe. As someone who struggles with sleep problems and is a huge worrier, concentrating on my breathing as become a big thing in my life. It's subtle and silent. Nobody has to know that you're doing it. That's the beauty of it. It's not attention grabbing or embarrassing. It is simply breathing in and out.

When I'm stressed out or upset I normally clean or tidy up. It's an odd habit but it helps me to calm down so there we go. But obviously, if my room is already tidy or if I'm out in public I don't anything to organise. So breathing is my go to. In through the nose; out through the mouth. You all know how it goes. Below are four different techniques you can do for circumstances of stress, anxiety or the general for relaxation.

7/11

In for seven, out for eleven. An easy-peasy one that I normally try to do for around two minutes if I can. You can also vary the speed depending on your circumstance, but try and keep it as slow as possible without feeling dramatically out of breathe in between. 

300 Backwards

A more time-consuming one that is I would go to if I'm desperate for sleep. Start counting backwards from 300, breathing in at '299' and out for '298' and so on. This requires a lot of concentration and is generally quite relaxing. Also don't worry if your mind wanders whilst doing this: once you realise that you've stopped concentrating on your breathing, just bring your breathing back into the rhythm and start from the last number you remember thinking. 

Balloon Breathe

This is my favourite and one I've been using for many years now. Start breathing in through your nose and allow your tummy to expand like a balloon. When you breathe back out, let you tummy drop and make an effort to push slightly more air out than comes out naturally. This is a breathing technique used in yoga and is very relaxing. 

Figure of 8

This one is slightly more unusual but it works well for me. With the edge of a duvet or blanket/rug or even the tip of your pinky, begin moving this around the edge of your nostrils, coming up in the middle. Breathe in whilst going down and out whilst going up (or the other way if that feel uncomfortable to you). Again, you can vary the speed but a slow and steady speed is best. Also don't apply too much pressure to your nose otherwise that'll be very uncomfortable!

"Feeling come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor."  - Thích Nhất Hạnh

I hope this might help some of you and I hope you all have a fabulous Sunday!

xxxx

Maddy

A Playlist: For Baking

Two things I love: food & music. So when I'm baking away, having music on in the background is a necessity. I've put together some of my favourites for baking. Have a listen and maybe listen to it whilst making my delicious healthy peanut butter cookies.

Enjoy!

Mykonos - Fleet Foxes

If I Ever Feel Better - Pheonix 

Tighten Up - The Black Keys

My Number - Foals

She Moves In Her Own Way - The Kooks

Do You Want It All - Two Door Cinema Club

(Currently craving some of these cookies but I've only got Ryvita and cream cheese!) 

All my Love,

Maddy x

Hidden Gems: Lucy Rose

Pinch Punch: Happy February!

I am currently laid on my friend's floor, listening to an artist I have been loving for a few months now who does not have enough recognition: Lucy Rose. 

I discovered her in November last year and fell head over heels for her song Shiver. It is a beautiful song and so catchy that after listening to it twice, I felt I'd known it my whole life. In December I decided it was time to find out about more her music and instantly fell in love with all of them. 

My favourites include:

Shiver
Middle of the Bed
The Fire
Watch Over
Bikes
Lines
Gamble

I hope you enjoy this Hidden Gem. I know she is already rather well known as you can tell my her youtube views, but not enough people know of her and she was a hidden gem to me at one point.

Have a fabulous Sunday all,

Love and Smushy Kisses,

Maddy x