Banana, Coconut & Mixed Berry Bread.

Good morning you beautiful rays of sunshine, how are you? I finally have a moment to sit and write a blog post, which is fabulous although I do enjoy my Christmas Casual position at the moment as it is my first time in retail and I can safely say out loud that I love it! However whilst it has been crazy town the past week, my posts have been lacking slightly - which is why I will be updating you later on in this very post. 

Firstly though, who loves banana bread? I know I do. A thick slice of bread toasted and lathered in butter is absolute perfection. However I have decided to step up the classic banana bread recipe and add in succulent mixed berries and sweet coconut to the mix - therefore in my eyes this mix of ingredients has made a whole new level of scrumptious banana bread creations. 

 Banana bread is typically a cake mix shaped into a loaf pan, which has formed the name of bread/loaf. Whilst bread is in the title there are no technical methods of adding yeast and making sure to separate it from the salt and all of that jazz. You can literally make it in the one bowl, which is perfect when it comes to washing up! 

Banana, Coconut & Mixed Berry Bread 
Ingredients: 
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150g plain flour
100g desiccated coconut
1 cup mixed berries
180g cater sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method:
1. Preheat an oven to 180-degrees (gas 4). Grease and line the base and sides of a 21x11cm loaf tin.
2. Put the mashed bananas into a large bowl and mix in the eggs; it is quicker if you use electric beaters.
3. One by one add in the dry ingredients; flour, coconut, sugar, salt, bicarbonate powder - until just combined.
4. Gently mixed in the mixed berries. It is important to do this stage softly so that the entire mixture does not turn pink. A slight ripple effect needs to be created.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer is inserted and comes out clean. If the top starts to brown cover with foil for the remaining cooking time.
6. Remove the bread from the oven once cooked and cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before turning onto a wired rack.
7. Cut into slices and serve the banana bread warm or at room temperature.

Compared to a traditional banana bread that is toasted and layered with butter, this particular style of bread only needs to be warmed due to the moisture from the berries. Therefore you do not need any extra condiments, otherwise just heat and serve straightaway.

It is light, soft and is packed full of flavour from the powering bananas to the sweet and subtle coconut, and the burst of mixed berries. It is fantastic for morning or afternoon tea as well as a snack throughout the day. I would love for you all to give it a try and if any of you have a favourite banana bread recipe then please comment it down below because I would love to make some more! 

As for my little update … as you may know from reading my last couple of posts, I will be hopefully (*fingers crossed) completing Blogmas this year, which is posting on my blog everyday up until Christmas. I will be sharing with you heaps of recipes, plus a few DIY's and gift ideas along the way. So I have been organising (pretty much making a list) of everything that I want to share as well as starting to create little bits so that I don't have to worry about everything last minute. 

I am travelling to Melbourne on Friday and will be gone for four days! I will hopefully be able to share my travelling diaries with you all as soon as I get back and I will keep you updated on those, as I go, but my first one should be posted late Monday evening or Tuesday morning. I will hopefully be writing them as I go, so I can keep up to date with them, however I am unsure of what the Internet connection will be like so I will most likely post them as soon as I am back - as I also want to spend the time relaxing, exploring, shopping and celebrating 13 years of school. 

There should be some exciting posts coming over the next fews weeks and months so please stay tuned to find out more. Please follow any of my social media links in the side bar to stay updated with my whereabouts. 

Have a wonderful day and I will speak to you very soon! 

M x 

Spaghetti Bolognese

Hello … 

I would assume that Spaghetti Bolognese is probably a firmly lodged recipe in your collection, as it is the perfect 'safety' meal that is easily adaptable and customisable for everyone. I know my family can gobble up an entire bowl and it is a step up from the traditional kind as it is full of assorted vegetables. 

This version of Spaghetti Bolognese was found from the Simply Delicious website, and can I please take a moment to applaud this site. The creativity and mouth watering recipes that are posted continuously, are so inspirational and look so incredible that you feel like it is necessary to have a whole weekend cooking. It is absolutely amazing for finding simple yet scrumptious recipes that are perfect for families, friends, parties, baking, and the list just goes on. Please go and show your support on the website and have a browse, I know you won't be disappointed. 

 It is really simple, only requires a few ingredients and as always can be changed according to your desires. I decided to make my own garlic bread, however I will honest with you all - it did not turn out according to plan, so I will be leaving that recipe until another day when I have mastered yeast and feel confident talking about bread, but for now the classic Spaghetti Bolognese recipe …

Spaghetti Bolognese 
Serves 4-6 *Adapted from Simply Delicious 

500g Beef mince 
1 large onion, finely chopped 
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped 
6 button mushrooms, finely chopped 
1 cup peas 
2 garlic gloves, crushed
1 sprig of fresh rosemary 
2 x 400g tins Italian tomatoes 
250ml beef stock 
salt and pepper to taste 

500g spaghetti/ pasta of your choice 
finely grated parmesan 


1. Brown the beef in a large pot until well browned. Drain any excess fat and remove from the pot and set aside. 
2. In the same pot, add a splash of oil and fry the onion, carrot and mushrooms for 10-15 minutes until soft and fragrant. 
3. Add the garlic and rosemary, and fry for another minute. 
4. Add the beef stock to the pot as well as the tomatoes and beef. 
5. Lower the heat so the sauce simmers and cover. Allow it to cook for 30 minutes. If the sauce remain watery, remove the lid for the last 10 minutes of simmering so the liquid can reduce. 
6. Whilst the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in a large pit of boiling salted water. 
7. Serve the bolognese with the cooked spaghetti and a generous grating of parmesan. 

I hope that this delicious savoury recipe satisfies your palette and I cannot wait to develop my culinary skills further and share some amazing dishes with you in the near future! 

M x 

52 Lists: List the things beside your bed #5

Hello! 

I am going to give you an insight as to all the things that I have on/ in my bedside table. A lot of it is basic bedroom bits and bobs so before I start rambling lets get straight into it. 

52 Lists: Everything that is beside you bed. 

1. Box of tissues - you never know when you need to clear your sniffly nose. 

2. Fly spray - A little strange I know, but it is for those pesky insects during the warmer months that are constantly buzzing around your head. 

3. A journal - I don't write in this as frequently as I should but it is there if ever I need to make a note or thought. 

6. The book in which I am reading currently. At the moment it is Cupcakes at Carringtons by Alexandra Brown. 

7. Lamp. 

I think that just about sums up everything that I have on my bedside table. Of course there are always odd objects that find themselves placed there, which either stay or they go straight back to their original home. 

Thank you for all being patient whilst I get back into the swing go blogging and as I have just been offered a second job - working for the first time in retail, I am going to be extremely busy. So as I have spare moments I will be preparing and making all of the exciting posts ready for Blogmas! 

Hope you are all enjoying you Sunday and I will speak to you very soon. 

M x 

A day exploring the wonders of Adelaide City.

Hello! 

Last Friday I ventured into the depth of the city with one of my closet friends for a day of exploring, eating scrumptious food and discovering new places for potential future visits and projects. 

I have collated an assortment of photographs together that were captured through my lens, and hopefully this gives you an insight into what Adelaide looks like … 

This incredible looking Natural Frozen Yoghurt place called Cow & Co, straight away shows a personality and distinct style from the side walk, as potential customers wander by.  I am yet to try something from their menu, however if a day arrives that is scorching hot in the summer and I am need of something refreshing to eat, this will be one of the first places to go. It is a healthier alternative and certainly up my alley! 

There are always unique cafes and restaurants located around the city that showcase a certain style and look so inviting. This always makes me want to head on in to see what else I can discover. 

I definitely think that the city needs more 'food vans' around and hopefully there will be more in the summer time. 

This hotel looks absolutely beautiful and from this photograph above it could potentially be down one avenue in New York City. The things I would do (their is a limit) to be in that city right now! The Treasury looks incredibly sophisticated and such a delight to stay in, I will have to look further into the business at a later date! 

Flowers are starting to blossom for the spring and summer months. 

I hope that this was an enjoyable post for you to browse some images from around Adelaide. I would just like conclude by saying that I am officially 110% finished with school, which means that I have all the time in the world (well apart from working my part time job) to start creating posts and projects ready for my blog. No extra worries or assignments that I should be prioritising instead of blogging. 

I also have quite an exciting announcement to make … *drum roll please* I am going to be doing Blogmas this December! I will be blogging everyday up until Christmas and sharing with you a variety of recipes, DIY creations and more outings that are influenced by the festive season. I cannot wait for the month to start and it shows that I am excited because I have already started planning out each of my posts and we are not even a week into November! I hope you are all excited to! 

Have a wonderful day. 

M x 

Stop Waiting, Start Doing!

As soon as you realise that time is ticking by at the speed of a rocket shooting up into the never ending universe, you have to make to most of every minute of everyday. There are only so many tomorrows to be wishing that you would start or change something, but really you have to say 'I will' and make the most of the time and resources that you have.  Here are some useful tips that will help you on your way. 

Image one 

1. Stop waiting for the 'perfect' time… 

To be honest there is no such thing as 'the perfect time', for certain occasions yes, however it is just in fact anytime of your life. Ask yourself one question - so why not now? Why don't you want to get fit, start a new hobby, take an online course to boost your career or take the leap and take a new path? Whatever you hopes are, stop waiting and start acting!

All you have to do is the make the decision! Remember that you cannot be given each moment, you have to embrace them and accept. Life is not going to be a perfect stroll in the park, but from our daily mistakes and life challenges it moulds us into being better people and moving onwards and upwards with our ambitions. 

                                        Image two                                                                      Image three

2. Start a bucket list… 
A bucket list is one of the easiest lists that helps to define a number of experiences or achievements that a persons hopes to accomplish during their lifetime.

A creative approach to writing the list would be to design a sketch book and fill each page with a different dream. (I have one on the go currently) Include photographs, the location, prices (if required) and when you would like to achieve it by (if there is a set time frame?). This way you can visually see everything that you have accomplished or are on your way of achieving. To add to the creativity, you could print out small squares and stick them in the corners of each page and once you have completed whatever your aspiration is - simply tick it, this way you can keep a record and even write the date next to it as a continuous memory. By all means add your own photographs or comments from your own experience to someday have to look back on.

A bucket list doesn't have to be extravagant and by no means go and launch yourself out of a plane and pull a parachute - no matter how small, write it down and start planning. It is a way of trying new things and learning new skills. All of your wacky ideas can range from small to large - go nuts!

3. Start putting words into actions…
Once you have written all of your aspirations on paper - now ask yourself what's stopping your from achieving these goals? Fear? Judgement? 

Do not let other people govern what and how you act towards your dreams. In simple words, prove them wrong and go bigger and better. A large portion of people are usually jealous about what you are doing, so don't ever feel like you should stop - keep moving forward!

I hope that these words are wise enough for you to take forward with you to start achieving your dreams. As cheesy as the saying is You Only Live Once, so why would you not want to concur all of these amazing opportunities and embrace the experiences? I know I certainly do. 

Have a lovely Tuesday! 

M x 

52 lists: List your to-do list this week #4

Hello … 

It always feels that Sunday rolls around very quickly and I am here sharing yet another list. This weeks delight is my weekly to-do list, which are written rather frequently - often more than once a week. You know how it is, as soon as something else comes up you have to write a whole new list and it then just seems like it is never ending. 

So with my pen centimetres away from the lined paper, my mind swirling with thoughts and ideas that I have to instantly write down - I write my somewhat short weekly to-do list. 

This gorgeous note book and pen is from Kikki K, which supplies the most stylish stationery that makes your heart fall in love with all of the new addition - and yes I am referring to stationery here! It is perfect for stationery lovers (picture my hand shooting up in the air as though you are in a classroom) and a large portion is quite simplistic however just simply gorgeous! Enough about this random stationery blurb, we shall save that for another time! 

52 Lists: List your to-do list this week 

1. Maths revision ready for my final exam on Thursday. 

2. Complete the all the paperwork ready for my new job, which I start on Wednesday. 

3. Start planning and researching potential Christmas themed posts for December. (*hint hint* I may be committing to Blogmas!) 

4. Tidy and organise my bedroom. 

5. Exercise at least 5 times. 

6. Bake. 

7. Google Melbourne: markets, food, shops, etc ready for my celebratory holiday at the end of this month. 

8. Plan out my blogging schedule and suggested posts to create and write for November. 

9. Try to stay optimistic and happy! 

Have a lovely day and be happy! 

M x