Cameras, Pets, Bars & Baking |BERRYWEEKLY

Hello!

"it was practically waiting for us to open the door to freedom"

Another Friday has come, and it's time to reflect. These BerryWeekly posts are so lovely, as it's almost like a mini scrapbook - with pictures and small descriptions of some of the weeks highlights! Actually, seeing as scrapbooking is kind of become a thing, I wanted to get on board and made an actual scrapbook (see here)! Who say's scrapbooking is only for kids?! Not. Me. :)

The idea of scrapbooking actually came to me when I ordered this baby. It's the oh-so-beautiful Canon 700D. I was debating whether or not I should jump into the DSLR bandwagon, wandering whether it's really worth it or not. Being a blogger, it is (silently) believed that having a DSLR makes you an "official". How much I agree to that is another post entirely. For the record, even though I now am lucky enough to own one now, I still don't regard myself as an 'official'.

So far, I have been loving it! The crisp photo outcomes are lovely. What made me feel it was the right decision to pick the camera up, was your responses in this post, which was the first I properly used it.

"I used to be a rabbit owner and miss her to this day."

On another note, I paid a visit to Pets at Home the previous week and saw the cutest little animals. I've forgotten the name of the animal species on the right, but they were super cute snuggling on their little wheel! Though it did sadden me to see the rabbits in their tiny cages. The rabbit next to the one pictured was jumping about, and when we came close to the cage, it was practically waiting for us to open the door to freedom.

 I wish I could say I adopted one, but we have foxes that come to our garden, and it wouldn't be right to put the animal in danger.

If you didn't know, I used to be a rabbit owner (see here) and miss her to this day.

With birthdays come birthday parties. Was it me or did everyone seem to have their birthday in February? My good friend had her birthday and took us all out to Piccadilly Circus. We went to a bar called Jewel Bar based in Glasshouse Street. It's beautiful, and I fell in love with the decor. The seats reminded me on my headboard on my bed - so it felt a little like home! I loved that they had separated sections so you don't feel intruded on by strangers, and you even have your own little area to use as a dance floor.

Although I'm not a huge fan of clubbing, bars I can deal with. Nonetheless, they probably wouldn't be my outing of choice, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't try to get out of it. Though I was told I must attend, and I didn't have a choice, it did end up being a lovely night. Give me anything with coconut and I'm happy (hello, Piña Colada!).

"We went a little artsy and even tried some marble biscuits - completely unplanned but they looked gorgeous."

Finally, to wind off the week on a calmer note, I resorted to baking. My mother and I had some bonding time making these lovely biscuits. We went a little artsy and even tried some marble biscuits - completely unplanned but they looked gorgeous. We had a little cocoa biscuits going on, some plain and the pretty marble mix! It was a lovely time and definitely therapeutic!

What do you think of the whole blogger/DSLR debate? 

BerryWeekly: Hot Chocolate, Candles & Baking

Hello!

"add a bit of whipped cream and marshmallows on top if we're feeling it - you know how it goes!"

It's always nice to reflect on the good things of the week, and hearing about what others did for their week is always fun too (admitting to my nosiness here). Another post I've been loving the idea of is '10 Happy Things' of the week, it's all positive thoughts and reflecting back at the same time. Totally agreeing with the moto 'you've got to look back to move forward'...might have just completely butchered that famous quote but... you know what I mean! 

"I usually just fold the page (shock horror, some people absolutely hate that)"

First of all, I've been loving my bookmark. A bookmark included in a BerryWeekly? What is so special about it? Well, like you can't already tell from the picture, it's personalised with my name on it! I was gifted it as part of a birthday present, and have been loving it. I usually just fold the page (shock horror, some people absolutely hate that), but fear not, I now use this bookmark. 

SNEAK PEAK into a possible BerryReads post in the future!

"what better time than now"

Next, this has been my go-to drink of choice. During this time of year, when it's frosty outside and for some reason the heating automatically turns off, then while waiting for it to turn back on again we make ourselves a lovely hot chocolate!! Occasionally add a bit of whipped cream and marshmallows on top if we're feeling it - you know how it goes!

"These tasted heavenly and you gotta bet I add a couple throughout the day"

Adding to that topic of consuming stuff, I did a bit of baking. I say baking, but it's no-bake chocolate pieces - sort of a dupe for the 9 bar (which is basically a nut and seed bar). These tasted heavenly and you gotta bet I add a couple throughout the day. Definitely good as pick-me-up energy bites. Let me know if you'd like a recipe! 

"all positive thoughts and reflecting back at the same time"

Finally, if you follow me on Twitter, you'll already have seen this picture. A candle always makes me happy and what better time than now to light one?!

Tell me, is hot chocolate your go-to beverage of choice, if not, what is?

BerryBakes: Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free Cookies?!

Hello!
 If you're anything like me, then you love sweet stuff: cakes, cookies and candy floss - you name it! So, you want to eat it all but it seems kinda unhealthy... Solution? Sugar Free, HEALTHIER Cookies!
That seems a little like an oxymoron, but I put it to the test... and I like it!

My mum and I were actually making regular biscuits/cookies for my grandma (She's recovering from an operation and loves the biscuits we make and currently can't bake herself, so we made her some and she was full of smiles!), and I went ahead and took the opportunity of an already on and heated oven to make a small trial batch of sugar-free cookies (and it didn't take very long, so that was a plus)!

This is what they turned out like:

They were slightly crunchy on the outside and nice and chewy towards the middle, it tasted a little like coconut but the flavour wasn't overwhelming. It also had a nutty flavour due to the flour used and to be quite honest - I liked it! If I were to do it again, I'd add more sweetener, just because I like my sweet stuff, but the reason I think mine turned out slightly less sweet is because I used a slightly different type of Stevia than the one in the original recipe, yet the texture and overall flavour was lovely!

The original recipe stated that loads more would be made yet I only got to make 7-8 (maybe because I ate some cookie dough while rolling it out - whoops!)... yet they were nice!

Recipe (adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie):

• 1 cup almond flour (ground almonds in a food processor - I needed about 3 handfuls of almonds)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoon Stevia
• 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon milk (I used Almond Milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  - heat oven to 325 degrees F. (about 163 degrees C.) 

  - mix all dry ingredients together in one bowl and liquid ingredients in another

  - mix together the liquid and dry ingredients by adding about half liquid first, then stir, then add the other half (this will become a slightly chunky dough)

  - roll this into a ball and then pat out on a smooth surface until desired thickness is reached (the thicker it is, the chewier the cookies will be yet the smaller number of cookies able to make - or bake for a shorter time for chewier cookies)

  - cut cookies 

  - place them on a non-stick baking tray (or greased, if not non-stick)

  - place in oven for 10-15 minutes based on how chewy you want them (I left them in for about 12)

In the original recipe it states that you need to freeze the dough before placing in the oven, but my mixture was stiff enough already and I didn't feel the need to freeze it - feel free if you find you need to.

Also you could put in chocolate chips or glaze with icing if you would like to! 

This cookie recipe is sugar free, gluten free and easily lactose free (depending on type of milk used) - also it is vegan! Great! :D

I hope you enjoyed this recipe and let me know if you would like more tried and tested recipes!

I'll leave you with a picture of my half-eaten cookie:

xoxo,

your fellow foodie (BerryBloomXO)

PS. have you noticed the recent craze for Coconut Oil recently? I LOVE anything coconut - coconut scented candles, coconut water and even the food itself! Oh, and coconut oil is a great beauty product - I use it on my locks (let me know if you want a post)!