A Little Update!

Hey Beauts,

Look at me! Writing a blog post! In my lecture! In all seriousness though, this lecture is so super boring, I thought I would supply you beauts with an update of what is going on with me and a picture of how I look today, rough, tired, over-worked and in a 5-9pm lecture! 

Let me start off by telling you beauts that I am so sorry for the lack of posts this month and in particular the last couple of weeks. I've mentioned before that I am in my final few weeks at University and the work load is getting really big (almost impossible). Plus I started back at actual work last weekend, full-time. It's an active job and I sleep as soon as I get in from work and wake up in the morning 10 minutes before I have to leave for work. It leaves me completely shattered. So with 2 days a week for uni work, I am getting pretty stressy. Let me tell you now that more that 8 strops/tantrums/crying fits have been had in the past week alone. 

Just so you know my dissertation is due on the 7th, tv & tourism essay on the 16th and finally all print production work on the 28th - all in April. After the dissertation has been handed in, expect a lot more posts! I have lots planned including hauls, competition winnings, recipes, tutorials, NOTD/FOTD/OOTD, reviews and more. But please do leave in the comments what you would like to see from me? Again I know I haven't been posting, but as soon as I do, I hope you won't want to miss out on anything - so remember to follow on Bloglovin' and GFC! 

Finally, thanks to all of you who have stuck by my blog and I whilst I haven't been posting, it really means a lot! <3 

Be happy, Be beautiful and Be YOU!

Ellie, xx

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Quick & Easy Chicken & Almond Traybake!

Hey Beauts,

Something a little different today! A recipe! Partly because it will be a quick post and what with being in my final 4 weeks of university and just starting back at a full time job, I have literally no spare time to do anything. But, as ever, I really wanted to give you a lovely post to read! :) Recently the boyfriend and I have really been into cooking more for dinner and this is my favourite meal that we have cooked so far. My mouth is literally watering so much right now - I want to eat it again!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Serves

2-4

Depending on how hungry you are

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts

3 Large Red Onions

5 Large Potatoes

4 Yellow Bell Peppers

2 Garlic Cloves

2 Teaspoons of Cumin

2 Teaspoons of Smoked Paprika

4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Lemon

A Handful of Skinless (Blanched) Almonds

Greek Yoghurt

Coriander

1 - Oven Heating!

Before you begin, pre heat your oven to 200C / 180C Fan / Gas Mark 6.

2 - Chopping!

Take the chicken and slice into thick chunks.

Take the onions and cut into thick wedges.

Take the yellow bell peppers and chop into thick slices. 

Take the potatoes and cut into thick wedges.

Take the garlic and finely chop.

Take the lemon and zest the outside of it, in a bowl, juice the lemon.

3 - Bowling!

In one bowl mix together the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.

In another bowl mix together the chicken, potatoes, onions and peppers. 

Pour the liquid mixture over the raw ingredients and mix so that everything is evenly combined.

4 - Baking!

Follow up by placing the mixture on a baking tray or two and place in the oven.

Roast the food for 40 minutes, turning the food over after twenty minutes.

Make sure the chicken is cooked through and add the almonds for the final 8 minutes of cooking time.

5 - Eat!

Pull out of the oven, serve in bowls. Add lots of Greek yoghurt and coriander on top and enjoy!

How to blanch almonds!

Don't worry, I had to Google this too! Simply pop the almonds into some boiling hot water and leave for a few minutes. Take an almond out and the skin should literally peel off in your fingertips. If it doesn't, pop it back into the hot water for a little longer. 

So I hope you enjoyed this recipe! It really does taste UH-Mazing! 

So what did you think of this recipe? Do you think you would try it out? And would you love more recipe posts in the future? As ever, don't forget to follow on BlogLovin' and GFC if you aren't already. As I previously stated, in four weeks you can expect regular, maybe even daily posts as there will be no more university for me! I hope you all understand for the time being and look forwards to more posts! :D <3

Be happy, Be beautiful and Be YOU!

Ellie, xx

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100 MASSIVE Thank Yous!

Hey Beauts,

Today I am here with the biggest smile on my face! I have hit a milestone, can you actually believe it? I certainly cannot! I have hit 100 followers on GFC and I am so super happy right now that you can see all of my teeth! :D

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you so much, because if it wasn't for you 100 people that have decided to follow me on GFC, I wouldn't be here where I am today! And the fact that you strangers out there can make me this happy is unbelievable! I'd really love to speak to you, not so much in a public sphere, but more on a one to one basis! So I think (if you wanted to) you should follow me on twitter send me a tweet saying you want to chat and I'll follow you back and we can direct message! The chances of any of you actually doing that are more than likely quite slim, but it would actually MAKE MY DAY if you did! :D 

So here's to 100 followers! Next up - 250! I love you beauts so much and once again, THANK YOU! Oh and that is a smiley face firework - hehehehe! As for BlogLovin' You lot are nearly at 200! Can you believe that?! :D  

Be happy, Be beautiful and Be YOU!

Ellie, xx

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The Body Shop Body Butters - Review!

Hey Beauts,

I'm going to start todays post off by saying that I really don't like body creams. I hate the way they feel, the sticky feel they leave on your skin and how they feel when you climb into bed after applying it and you just stick to the bed sheets. I mainly put this down to only using 'cheap' body creams and I just haven't found one that doesn't do this to me yet.

However, a couple of weeks ago I discovered The Body Shop Body Butters (RRP: £13.00). I was given one as a present during Christmas 2012 and just left it in my draw thinking it would be the same as any other body cream I have ever used. But boy was I wrong. I tried it out and it just soaked right up into my skin not only leaving my skin feeling hydrated but it had none of the 'side effects' of body cream such as the sticky skin syndrome. The next morning my skin was feeling lovely and soft. Even bits of fluff or my hair were not even stuck to the sides of my legs. Everyones a winner!

But as well as this, the smell was amazing! I had the coconut one at the time and as soon as you open the lid, your nostrils are filled with such a wonderful scent. Even if applied onto the likes of sun-burn I don't think it wouldn sting just because how soft, creamy and silky the body butters are. Since discovering how much I loved this little pot of happiness I went onto The Body Shop website and did a little bit of online shopping picking up Cranberry Joy and Shea Butter which equally smell UH-Mazing and super softening!

I would highly recommend these body butters to anyone, especially if you aren't a fan of body creams! Have you tried any of The Body Shop Body Butters out before? And if so, what did you think of them? I'd also be curious as to if you know of any amazing body creams I should try? Let me know in the comments below and remember to follow on GFC and BlogLovin' if you aren't already! <3

Be happy, Be beautiful and Be YOU!

Ellie, xx

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