Gluten Free Banana Bread (Wheat-free, Rice-Free and Free From Refined Sugar)

Finally I have my baking mojo back and I have a very happy hubby! Since discovering The Free From Fairy Gluten-Free Wholegrain Flour my gluten free bakes have literally been transformed. Using this fantastic flour gives us bakes that do not have the powdery finish that I got using other gluten free flours.

Whenever I have any ripe bananas that are going brown I love to use them in bakes and as I had a bag of The Free From Fairy flour I knew it was the perfect time to have a go at making a gluten free banana bread. Believe me, we were not disappointed!

This is what I did...

How a Healthy Diet is Essential for a Healthy Mind - Guest Post

There is evidence to suggest that good nutrition is essential for mental health and physical health. There are several mental health conditions that may be influenced by dietary factors.

In a recent study, two thirds of people who did not report mental daily health issues ate fresh fruit or fruit juice every day, compared with less than half of those who did report daily mental health problems.

Eating well balances mood and feelings of wellbeing, with leading mental health charities such as Mind advocating that healthy eating courses should sit alongside treatments from GPs and specialists.

Sausage and Beetroot Traybake - Aldi Super 6 Recipe

One of the highlights of shopping at Aldi has to be their fantastic Super 6 offers. This week I thought that I would share with you an easy recipe that uses some of the products that I found in the Super 6 offers this week. Every week Aldi bring you a selection of 6 fruit and vegetable produce that is priced at just 65p and under and 6 meat and fish offers all at great, low prices. It really does pay to stock up on any favourite items while they are on offer.

Traybakes are a delicious way to cook a meal. They are so easy to prepare and cook. You simply place all of the ingredients in a large roasting tin and let the oven do all of the work for you. When cooking all of the ingredients together you create a meal that is so full of flavour, as they cook their flavours combine together to compliment each other perfectly. 

As soon as I saw that both beetroot and sausages were on the super 6 I knew exactly what I would make. This is what I did...

#CookBlogShare 2017 - Week 13 Plus 4 Delicious Easter Treats

Hello and welcome to week 13 of #CookBlogShare.

Week 13 means we are finally getting more hours of sunlight! Even though we lose an hour of sleep I am always so happy to see the days lengthening and welcoming in the better weather. During the weekend there was a lovely feeling of spring in the air. Everything seems so much better with the extra hours of sunlight. We spent a lot of time in the garden and I even got my bake on. Baking bread is something that I have not been doing recently. But on Friday the twins, who had the day off school due to illness, wanted a pizza and as they had not been eating much I could not say no. Even though I had no pizza, I did have bread flour so I made some fresh pizza dough and rediscovered my love of baking. I adore the whole bread making process, how the ingredients come together and how you can feel them change as you knead. After my pizza baking I made more dough on Saturday and also made a focaccia as well as a banana bread.

On Mother's Day I was treated to a day off from cooking. The hubby made an amazing meal, he slow cooked a joint of beef in red wine with carrots, onions, garlic and fresh bay leaves from the garden. If he agrees I will definitely blog the recipe!

Last week the CookBlogShare linky was hosted by Eb from Easy Peasy Foodie. There were so many delicious recipes shared and as Easter gets closer there are more and more lovely Easter recipes coming through. This week I could not resist featuring Easter treats and I am sure that you will also find them all irresistible!

Here are my four favourite recipes from week 12 of CookBlogShare...

Weekly Meal Plan - #MealPlanningMonday Week 13 2017

Wow the weeks are flying by aren't they? I really do not know where the days are going. We are almost in April and Easter is on it's way!

Last weeks meal plan went well. The only meal that we did not have was the Slimming World chicken. This was due to poorly twins and needing to go shopping and to get weighed in the evening while the hubby was at home with the kids. But apart from that it was a good week. All of our meals have been full of veg thanks to our lovely veg box delivery. This week we have got a seasonal box so plenty of fruit and veg at its best!

When I got weighed last week the scales showed a half pound gain. But I am taking it with a pinch of salt due to being weighed at the end of the day as opposed to the morning. Also I managed to get to the gym twice in the week and I hate to admit it but I actually love going! I also understand that the more exercise I do my muscle mass will build which does weigh more than fat. I am fine with this as I feel that I am at the point where I feel happy with my body and can see it is changing the more I exercise.

I have been a bit off plan the last couple of weeks and know I need to get back on plan. For some unknown reason I have not been feeling 100% motivated. I am sure it is just a blip and I am sure I will get over it but I will admit that I am struggling. This week we will have lots of veg and healthy meals and I will try to get back on track.

This is what we will be enjoying this week…

Savoury Egg Muffins - Gluten Free and Dairy Free #FreeFromEaster

When it comes to Easter we immediately think of chocolate eggs. But, believe it or not, not everyone likes or can have chocolate. So if you are looking something that is definitely healthier that chocolate and a savoury option then look no further.

Eggs are such a fantastic source of protein, contain various vitamins and minerals and are such a versatile food. Eggs are an essential part of my kitchen and thanks to our chickens, something that we always have in. So when it came to thinking of a savoury recipe for Easter I kept coming back to eggs. Eggs are a traditional Easter item and the perfect ingredient to base a recipe on.

These savoury egg muffins make a fantastic addition to either your party buffet or to just keep in the fridge for when you or the kids are wanting a snack. They can be packed with fillings that please everyone and tailored to individual taste.

This is what I did...