Baking: Baked Blueberry Porridge

Now I really like a recipe that can help to save time and can be made in advance and is healthy to boot. I saw this delicious healthy looking recipe on Pinterest for an amazing make in advance breakfast. As soon as I saw that you could bake it in 30-40 mins and would then have enough for 5-6 portions of breakfast, one to heat-up each day, I was in.

Here’s the recipe:

Adapted from SoHowsitTaste 

1 cup of porridge oats
¼ cup of chopped pecans
¾ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt
¼ cup of agave nectar (you could also use honey or maple syrup)
2 bananas
1 cup blueberries (you could use blackberries or raspberries too)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk (I used soya)

You will need a suitable oven-proof dish – I used a 10” oval Pyrex dish. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Melt the butter and allow to cool slightly.
In a bowl mix half of the nuts with the oats, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.
In a separate jug mix the milk, cooled butter, beaten egg and the agave nectar (or chosen syrup). When I did the agave nectar started to crystallise a little, but this didn’t matter.

Slice the bananas and layer over the bottom of the dish. Add half the blueberries to this and then cover the fruit with an even layer of the dry oat mix. Pour the liquid mixture over the oats. Finally, sprinkle the remaining nuts and blueberries on the top and bake for 30-40 minutes.

This makes around six portions, simply heat up a serving each morning. Delicious!

It was so easy to make and after my first portion this morning, I can confirm it is delicious. And filling. And healthy! Perfect for a busy morning…

Happy days xx

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Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes, Peter Pan Collars and Perfect Weather!

Such beautiful weather this weekend in Cornwall! Glorious sunshine all round.



Much fun had baking these cute little cakes...yes cakes. It's so easy! You just make a basic cupcake recipe, bake in the oven for 25 mins on 190 degrees, let them cool and decorate - voila! The babes just loved them!


Been working on some new designs this weekend, some structured Peter Pan detachable collars and some summery jersey turban style headbands. Can't wait to get then in the shop!


And finally what a superb sunny weekend we've had! Hanging in the garden, BBQ's, paddling pools and a lovely sunny pub lunch with my in-laws (and amazingly well behaved children!).


Happy days x

Tuesday December 20th 2011 - 5 more sleeps

Today's Three!

1. DIYed Tent - Really excited about starting the tent we're planning on making for the kids for christmas. Found this lovely tutorial for an indoor A-Frame tent on mycakies.

2. Crochet Heart Decorations - I made a load of these for the tree this weekend - so easy - tutorial here...

3. The Planner - finally finished it. The first few days have been brilliant - such a massive time saver :). I love a good printable!

Thursday 15th December 2011 - how to be a domestic...goddess isn't that what Nigella says?

Today's Three:




1. Brilliant baking - have really enjoyed baking for christmas coffee tomorrow. Nigella's Christmas was the go to recipe book, with some Chocolate Christmas Cookies and Spiced Christmas Tree Biscuit Decorations!





2. More organising - the planner is almost done thanks to some brilliant printables found via a brilliant round up of free printables...ahhh

3. Christmas is coming - almost ready, well not really... cards to post, presents to wrap and so much more, but I can't begin to say how lucky I feel right now, something quite magical about this time of year that really makes you appreciate what you have!

- Happy Days!

Saturday 10th December 2011 - Sunny Saturday stuff.

Today's Three:

1. Beautiful sunny day with a lovely long walk and lunch on my brother in laws boat - the children loved it!

2. DIYed Christmas decorations - cutting out reindeers and trees from felt to assemble for some dangling tree decs.

3. Baking - made some of Mrs Beetons tea brac. Super easy and super yummy. Love classic and simple baked.

BELATED - Thursday November 10th - Pickles, Poseys & Plates...

1. Neighborly love - yet again my adorable neighbors have given us treats, dearest Roland arrived yesterday with a pot of marrow chutney and pickled onions which will be ready for Christmas - human kindness is a remarkable thing...

2. Bloomin' marvelous flowers - My lovely grandparents popped over last night with a lovely pot of Hyacinths - my favourite bulbs, I keep meaning to pland some in the garden, so this is a wonderful treat to brighten up the house.

3. DIYed Plate - I've been making some decorative plates for people as gifts for special occasions (weddings, children's birthdays etc..) and I've just finished one for my grandparents. The family home that my mum and her 5 siblings grew up in, and the subsequent 13 grandchildren and now 2 great grandchildren have known all our lives, was 100 years old this year and they organised a big family party to celebrate family life in the home. Unfortunately they had to cancel it for various reasons and I know they were so disappointed, so I thought I'd give them a plate to keep and remember :)

Meet Herman

Herman is my new friend. He is a sourdough cake. My lovely friend at work gave me a Herman starter. It was a very odd thing. In a ziplock bag he arrived. Pale and creamy and bubbling away. I looked after him, by stirring and feeding him. After 10 days he was ready to be split into 5 portions and given away apart from one, which was fed again and lovingly baked into a delicious cake!

Above is Herman #2. I posted a portion of the first to my mama in London...and 10 days later she sent me another one back, he is DELicious and filled with apples and pears...and there is another batch bubbling away in my kitchen.

Monday November 7th 2011 - Cheerio Choo Choo..

Charming moments of the weekend were...

1. Charlie's cheerio's Choo Choo train. So funny watching him discover a way to transport his cereal around the lounge. I just love the amazing imaginations that children have - magical!

2. Took this pic of lil' Edie Rose off the camera from Halloween - a perfect plump little pumping - ahhhhhhh!

3. Chilly Crisp Sunshiney Mornings - So frosty this morning - it was BEAUTiful on my early morning walk to work. Ahhh winter is coming, and so is Christmas!

Sunday November 6th 2011 - Organise-Mania - Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!

I have high expectations of what I want to be achieve. Sometimes my ideas are unrealistic. I'd rather be this way than not though...

One of my best friends once dropped the phrase "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail" into our conversation. I liked it alot. So much so infact, that I think about this phrase all the time and try to apply it to to my daily rumblings of a routine. I know that I'm not always going to be able to do EVERYTHING I want to do, time is very precious and in short supply, but if I don't give it my best shot, then that I will regret.

1. My Love of Lists - In the spirit or trying to be super dooper organised, I've started a mega Christmas TO-DO list. This has been arranged in spreadsheet form (what a geek I am), including separate tabs for Presents, Food, Decorating, Cards. This is the first attempt and I'm sure it may need revising ALOT, but I hope that I may be able to use this as a basis each year and take a little stress out of the happy time!

2. Christmas Cake Bake-Off - I decided that this year, as the whole clan aren't going to be together, that I wanted to make a Mini-Christmas Cake for everyone from the same batch, so that we can all share a piece of Christmas cake on the day, even though we aren't all together. Today was the day, turned out rather nice, now time to feed the cake...pass the brandy :)

3. Mega Meal Planning - I am in love with the life is messy planner by mayi carles. ESPECIALLY the meal planning. I really believe that you will not use something that you don't like the look of. However I love the look of these and have found that I am using it to the letter, wonderful to find things that make life that little easier :)

Happy Days

Thursday November 3rd 2011 - Spooksville

Its been a MEGA busy week! Poorly babies, loadsa working and not much sleep! Still time for a load of lovely things though..of which here are a lovely three...

1. Happy Halloweeeeeeeeen - a super spooky lunch and a halloween party - so much fun and far too many sweeties and spidery cupcakes!

2. Baking Bonanza - River Cottage Cookies, loads a lovely leek and potato soup, halloween cupcakes, pumpkin puree, oh and the aforementioned spider cupcakes. Much more to come this weekend with Christmas cakes and homemade apple sweeties on the agenda...Nigella, eat your heart out!

3. Bloomin bloomers - not got around to the Etsy pics for the bloomers yet, but a sneaky peek...

Sunday October 23rd 2011 - Today's Three Things!

Today's Three!


1. Wintry walks - lovely walks in lovely gardens, such beautiful flowers, I just LOVE Hydrangeas :)

2. Baby bloomers - tried a new pattern out this weekend and made a lovely pair of baby bloomers for Edie - adorable especially with her chunky thighs!

3. First steps - Lil' Edie Rose being amazingly awesome and walking - soooooo fantastic!

- Happy Days!

Sunday October 16th 2011 - Today's Three Things!

My daily bread!






1. Home baked bread - a cheats version of soda bread, turned out rather well, house smells delicious and I'm now mega inspired to make our daily bread rather than buying it, so have tried to start my own starter...just another 10 days of waiting to see if it works :)

2. Lovely long walks - we've spent a lovely weekend outdoors having a couple of hearty stomps - todays was topped off by a lovely roast with runner beans and purple sprouting broccoli from our allotment! Cornwall is one beautiful place, beaches, countryside, woodlands and stunning gardens, super lucky to live here.

3. So excited to have made my first sale in my Folksy shop! Admittedly it was my friend, but very happy all the same :)

- Happy Days!

Tuesday September 13th 2011 - Today's Three Things!

Today's Three Things!




Image from...

1. Happy little children - despite such early rising times from one little mischievous elf named Edie, the Talling children are so hilariously fun at the moment, although full on manic most of the time, its so amazing to see them interact with each other, starting to play and laugh hilariously at each other. Its infectious - one will start giggling, then the other and it can go on for a good 10 minutes! Superb!

2. Organisational Nirvana - After a super dooper massive organisational push over the weekend, I'm feeling on top of the mayhem once again! Mountains of washing washed and sorted. Piles of paperwork filed and tidied and children's meal planning finally nailed, with the help of a Pinterest Pin and subsequent brilliant blog find Wendolonia. Finally Charlie T is actually looking forward to his meals with the fabulous bento box ideas I found on this inspired blog, with loads of great food ideas for children. Amazing!!

3. Early Family Christmas (in November!!) - I am so unbelievably excited about the prospect of our early family Christmas. The last couple of years have been odd Christmases, its now that we are all older and with husbands/boyfriends/girlfriends/children etc that its proving much more difficult to all meet up. This year at Christmas again we won't be all together, but have all booked a long weekend away to have our own little early Christmas - I can't wait...they'll be 10 adults, 2 babies, reindeer, faux snow and fun and frolics! Super excited about having my family together (for the first time since both babies). Yippee, pass the turkey!

Wednesday April 20th 2011 - Todays Three Things!

The Daily 3!

1. Macaroons - my first ever batch! I have always wanted to make them and today was the day! The end result was pretty good, I made far too many though and to avoid scoffing the lot, I gave my lovely neighbours Roland and Roma a few to have with their afternoon cuppa.

2. DIYed sun dress - I finally got round to making Edie the sun dress I've had in my head for ages, lets hope it fits, by the time I finished she was sleeping soundly so couldn't test it out!

3. The garden - such glorious weather again today, pottering around the garden was just lovely, nothing like a bit of sunshine on your face to make you smile...

Tuesday April 19th 2011 - Todays 3!

The Daily 3!

1. Sunshine - my oh my the weather here in Cornwall is just marvellous! Such a joy to potter around the garden avec les enfants! Today was particularly lovely, pasties for lunch in the garden...mmmmm.

2. My peas - they're coming along a treat, can't wait to plant out in the allotment this weekend.

3. The Cornish Food Market - a fab new local online grocery delivery service, that offers FREE delivery, locally sourced produce and is cheaper than other supermarkets - amazing idea! I was thrilled with my order when it arrived on time last night!