Coffee 101

Have you ever walked into a coffee shop and been completely mind boggled at the vast array of coffees on the menu? Hopefully this post giving you the low down on some of the most popular coffees and will help you in the decision making process next time you are getting your morning caffeine fix!

Americano

• 1/3 espresso based (you can ask for a single or double strength)
• 2/3 hot water
• Can drink black or add hot milk
• Thin layer of foam at the top (crema)

Cortado

• An espresso cut with a small amount of steamed milk
• Usually served in a special glass with a metal wire handle
• Quite similar to a less foamy cappuccino 

Cappuccino

• 1/3 espresso
• 1/3 heated milk
• 1/3 milk foam
• A good option if you want a mild caffeine hit

Café latte

• 1/3 espresso
• 2/3 heated milk
• 1cm foam
• Usually served in a glass on a saucer
• Flavourings can be added such as vanilla, chocolate or caramel
• If you ask for this in Italy you will get a glass of hot/cold milk!

Café au lait

• 1 part hot coffee
• 1 part steamed milk
• This is similar to the café latte but with more coffee is added

Cafe Mocha

• 1/3 espresso
• 2/3 steamed milk
• portion of chocolate (usually in syrup form)
• Can be served with whipped cream & marshmallows
• Great if you have a sweet tooth 

Ristretto

• A less watered down version of the regular espresso
• Hailed as the most delicious part of the espresso as it avoid the burnt taste many have

Flat White

• Steamed milk (poured from the bottom of a pitcher) over a single or double shot of espresso.
• Similar to latte and café au lait
• Typically served in a small cup
• Uses microfoam instead of dry foam
• Usually made with whole milk

I hope this post helps all you coffee lovers decipher the abundant coffee options out there!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend!

Carly x

(Images taken from weheartit.com)

Mini Energy Bites Recipe

Today I will be sharing a quick and simple recipe for mini no bake energy bites that are great for snacking and defeating that late afternoon sugar slump! 

What you will need

1 cup of dates

3/4 cup of almonds

2 tablespoons of chia seeds

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

1 tablespoon of coco powder

2 tablespoons of linseed

Directions

1. Place almonds in food processor and blend for 1 minute until they are crushed.

Then add the dates and all the other ingredients and blend until the mixture is nice and sticky.

2. Roll into bite sized balls, place in freezer for one hour to allow them to set then store in fridge.

Then enjoy with a cup of coffee :)

Carly x

Quick & Easy Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, but when you are rushing out to work in the morning it can get a bit tricky deciding what too make and eat. Here are some of my favourite quick and easy breakfast ideas that I hope will inspire you to try out! 

Avocado & Egg on toast

This is my favourite meal to start the day and it's so quick and easy to make! All you need is a ripe avocado, 1 egg and a

slice of wholegrain bread too toast. You can serve the egg a number of different ways; fried, scrambled or my favourite poached, mash up the desired amount of avocado on freshly toasted bread, place egg on top, add a bit of salt & pepper and you are good to go!

Fruit & Yoghurt

This is really a quick and simple breakfast recipe and is great for warmer summer weather. All you need is a handful of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries and a dollop or two of low fat natural yoghurt. Mix together in a mug or a small bowl and it's ready to eat! It you fancy a bit more flavour you could try sprinkling some cinnamon over the top. 

Cinnamon porridge with bananas and berries

Porridge for breakfast is a great way to give yourself a good boost of energy that will keep you going until lunch time. All you need for this delicious breakfast idea is porridge oats, cinnamon, sugar (if you'd prefer it a bit sweeter) 1 banana, a handful of strawberries and 1 pot of fat- free natural yoghurt. 

First things first! In a medium-sized saucepan, mix the oats, cinnamon, sugar, milk and the sliced banana. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat and cook for 4-5 mins, stirring all the time. Once placed into bowl serve with strawberries, a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

What are your favourite quick and easy breakfast recipes?

x

Weekend Recipe #1 Nutella Stuffed Churro Pancake Recipe

I eat pretty healthily throughout the week, but when it comes to the weekend I like to treat myself to something sweet for breakfast (treat yo' self!)
This quick and easy recipe for Nutella stuffed churro pancakes hits the spot and ticks all the boxes for me.


What you'll need
2 cups of self raising flour (or plain)
2 tsps baking power
2 tbsps sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3 tbsps canola oil (or melted light/reduced fat spread)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups low fat milk (or almond milk)
1 tbsps Nutella
40 grams chocolate
4 tbsps sugar (choice)
1 ground cinnamon
4 tbsps cinnamon sugar (store bought)

Directions

1. Combine together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large-sized bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil (or spread), egg, vanilla and milk. Slowly, whisk well until smooth. Set aside.

2. Place Nutella into the microwave for 30 seconds until warm and slightly thinner. 

3. Heat a non stick pan or griddle over low-medium heat and wipe over with a little butter or oil on a paper towel to lightly grease pan. Pour less than 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan and spread out gently with the back of your ladle, shaping into a round pancake shape.

4. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of Nutella onto the center of the batter, and then gently pour a little pancake batter evenly over the top to cover the Nutella completely.

5. When the underside is golden, gently flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter and Nutella.

Enjoy! x

(recipe from Cafe Delites)

New York Cult Recipes

Happy Monday everyone!

Todays blogpost will be a mini review of one of my favourite recipe books. The New York Cult Recipes cook book.

I picked this up a few months ago and I love it! I'm an avid fan of New Yorks famous foods; bagels, cheesecake and pizza. (What's not to like?!) 

The photography alone is a reason enough to pick it up- it's beautifully layed out and would make a great coffee table book.

 It includes 130 recipes of some of NYC's cult food establishments. The recipes are divided into 7 chapters including recipes for breakfast, brunch and snack time!

One of my favourites, is 'Home-made Oreos.' These little chocolate treats give your store bought Oreos a run for there money! 

Another favourite is the classic 'Grilled cheese sandwich.' This is one of the cult snack sandwiches in NYC and is so quick and easy to make and it tastes great!

You can purchase this recipe book on Amazon for under £20 and if you love American junk food as much as me- you may need this book :)