City Discovery #2: Simonds Park Boston

Hello Beauties,

A new year means new travels, another edition of the new cities adventures. To end my 2017 adventures and start 2018, there is no other place id rather be than in the beautiful city of Boston. 

I am lucky enough to have friends in Boston that I came to visit while on university break. And let me tell you something, Boston this time of year, is absolutely freezing. But with each new day comes new places to visit and new cafes and food spots to discover.

Before new years we visited this snow-covered local park, what was amazing was the kids sledding down the snow mounds on their own sleds. To an Irish person, that’s something we don’t see very often. Especially when we don’t get snow very often, and when we do, it's not snow, its just pure slush. 

Everywhere you look is snow upon snow, it's magical, no matter where you take a picture, there is always something beautiful being captured. Everywhere you look it's a great backdrop.

Block Tench Coat: Primark

 Jumper with Ruffled Neck: Primark

Denim Skirt: Primark

Cashmere Scarf: Dublin Clothing Stall

Cashmere Gloves: Dublin Clothing Stall

I hope you all enjoy this 'wintery' inspired cool toned fashion look, I enjoyed taking these photo's as it feels great being back in the states for a little vacation. Which city is next?

Love Rouxella x

Positivity, Food and Bringing People Together!

It was a long awaited journey which I have been planning to go on since the beginning of last year when I first started following this energetic and positive 'Pear' of guys. The Happy Pear are twins, Dave and Steve from the beautiful Greystones town in Wicklow. They spent a long amount of time travelling the world but not together, separately. Discovering new and different cultures, and of course new foods. Dave and Steve eat a plant based diet and their branding and family shop has grown above and beyond their own expectations. The one thing that captivates me most about 'The Happy Pear' is their values and how much emphasis they put on their family and friends. In today's world, it's not very often that you come across individuals who are as genuine and loving towards everyone that they meet.

The Happy Pears vision for making the world a healthier and happier place has sprouted through their own positive attitude towards not only wholesome and plant based foods but also towards life itself and how lucky we all are to be alive and healthy. Through my own ways of living as healthy and happy as I can, their motto really captivates me. I try to live each day, if not second of my life with a positive and happy attitude to not only keep my own mind healthy and happy but to also make sure I am exuding that positive attitude onto others. They are a part of Jamie Oliver's Foodtube network while also setting up their own Happy Heart Course.

From being a little follower of their social media channels to following their daily snapchats, I made it my mission to go to their cafe and really get my hands on their delicious food which I see every day on either their Instagram or Snapchat. I have created and re-created many of their recipes from both their YouTube channel and their book but to have the chance to go to their cafe and taste the true Happy Pear dishes was just something else.

It is well known that food can bring people together, but it's not just the food that brings us together, it is their attitude towards life. They genuinely care about the people(including me) that support and are followers of their journey from a small fruit and vegetable shop to a No.1 cookbook best-seller. The smile on my face as I watch their daily snapchats is something else, it's almost like I am a child on Christmas morning. So you could only imagine the expression on my face as I travelled to 'The Happy Pear' cafe in Greystones. It was a long time coming, but damn was it worth it. We arrived at the cafe just before lunch time so it was the most perfect and ideal time as we beat the long lines of people who line up daily for their delicious food.

The atmosphere and environment which surrounds the cafe is uplifting, it's all 'go-go-go' and everyone is just smiling and laughing and truly having the giggles with one another. The biggest struggle or issue I had was trying to decide what I wanted to order. There was an array of delicious food, and I wanted to taste it all. My mother and I got two different plates so we could try a few different dishes that they had(very tactical I know). I got a plate full of the different salad options that they had were serving that day. I just asked for everything. I had never tried any of the salad options they had so I was excited to taste it all. My mother got the quinoa and black bean burger which was just phenomenal and definitely had the 'more-ish' taste to it.

The food was so filling and absolutely delicious, everything was so fresh and there is no better feeling than eating wholesome foods which just fills your body with the micronutrients our bodies need and crave. Food's that I wouldn't usually have such as beetroot, chickpeas and hummus were the options I tried and since then, I have introduced them into my daily dishes but of course I can't make them taste just as wonderful as 'The Happy Pear' Chefs do. What was most surprising was how full my mother and I felt all day, we couldn't get over how much it filled us up. These dishes kept us so satisfied throughout the whole day. They were definitely those meals that you just didn't want to end.

For dessert, we just had to buy not just one dessert or a slice of their delicious cake, but we just had to buy a whole loaf of their banana cake/bread. And oh sweet baby Jesus, it was delicious. It was gone in minutes and when we returned back to Cork the following day we were on the hunt for the ingredients of the cake so we could make it ourselves and devour it again and again. It was just so moist and it just melted in your mouth, paired with a perfectly brewed 'Latte' it was the perfect 'pear-ing'. Oh, the puns! We replicated the banana bread/cake as best we could but again, there is just no way you could truly make it taste as good as the real thing. This bread is a staple in our household now, every week see's a new banana bread. And I ain't complaining.

I was in awe, walking around the cafe and looking at all the vegetables and different fruits they have available,. I absolutely love discovering new wholesome and nutritious foods and finding out new information about different superfoods etc. And 'The Happy Pear' cafe just encapsulates the wholesome, delicious and plant-based food motto.

So I hope ye enjoyed this little foodie adventure, I know I did.

 Let's hope there is another 'Happy Pear' adventure coming soon.

Love Rouxella x

Fruity Swirl Porridge Oats

Hello Beauties,

Looking for the perfect start to your day? Find yourself trying to come up with new porridge ideas? My whole reason for beginning these healthy food posts is to really inspire people on how easy it is to incorporate nutritious and feel good food into your lifestyle.

I absolutely love starting my day with a delicious bowl of porridge/oats. I find myself thinking of new flavour ideas and new topping ideas regularly. Starting my morning with a warm bowl of porridge/oats sets me up for the day as it is highly nutritious and will give you a great amount of energy with its high protein content and whole grain source of carbohydrates. Whole grains are absorbed by the body slower than starch based carbs such as bread and pasta. Porridge oats will leave you feeling fuller for longer and give you that boost of energy for a longer period of time instead of a drastic energy boost and dip.

Oats are a great source of fibre which of course is great for your digestive system. They also contain beta-glucan which is a type of fibre which when consumed regularly has been found to lower cholesterol levels.

Nutrient levels can be easily heightened by adding a variety of different toppings. Try to stay away from pre-flavoured oats as they are packed full of unnatural and un-nutritious ingredients. My favourite topping staples would have to be whole chia seeds, cacao powder, cacao nibs, nuts, dried fruit and of course fresh fruit(Aldi Finest). It's completely up to your own preference and taste but it should be noted that adding flavour to your regular porridge isn't as difficult as one may think.

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Oats

1 1/2 Cups Water/ Milk( of your choice)

2 Tbsp The Chia Co Chia Seeds

2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
White Chocolate Skinny Syrup

Heated frozen Raspberry

1/2 Kiwi

1/2 Plum

Iswari Exotica Cacao Nibs
Sprinkle Shamrock Desiccated Coconut 

Method

1.    Add half cup of oats to saucepan on medium heat and add 1 cup of water. As it begins to thicken I like to add 1/2 cup more of water to really expand the volume of oats.

2.    While the oats are beginning to heat up I add a few frozen raspberries in a small bowl and add 2-3 tbsp of boiling water and mash them into a raspberry sauce/ compote consistency.

3.    Add chia seeds to oats in saucepan , after a few minutes on heat you will see them begin to thicken up the porridge quite easily. I then add two tbsp of cinnamon and a splash of the white chocolate syrup. Once satisfied with consistency I add it straight into a bowl.

4.    Add raspberry sauce to porridge and swirl around with spoon for that swirl design. Slice a kiwi and a plum and layer on top of porridge, finish with a few frozen raspberries and a sprinkle of cacao nibs.

It all depends on your own preference and what flavours, toppings you like. I love coming up with different ideas and to really experiment with different flavour combinations. Porridge doesn't need to be stodgy or boring, get creative, share your porridge bowl creations online. My inspiration definitely comes from The Happy Pears morning snapchats so make sure to follow them @thehappypear.

Hope you enjoyed this recipe post, make sure to tag me in your re-creations!

Love Rouxella x