Khajur Pak 'ENERGY BALLS' | RECIPE

Hello! 

"A vegan friendly, healthy yet delicious snack to grab whenever you feel a sweet craving"

Medjool dates are getting popular by the minute. Known for their incredible caramel-like taste and sticky texture which is great for no-bake treats. Yet little did I know the treat I'd been having since as long as I can remember would be huge in the 'Western World' too! Being Indian, my family love the good old sweet treat and the now known 'Energy Balls' were always called Khajur Pak [kha-joor pah-kh] in my book. So, as I made a batch, I thought I'd give you the low-down to these incredibly tasty, nutritious and super EASY treat!

Watermelons, Cookbook, End of Exams & Mason Jars | BERRYWEEKLY

Hello!

"First of all, watermelon season is upon us"

The week has been a start of something new. I say that meaning there's less pens and papers and exam seats in my life, and more sun, movies and what feels like freedom! I do believe it's all about the little things in life that make us happy, and here's a peak at the week!

"To celebrate the end of exams, I bought myself a gift"

First of all, watermelon season is upon us. We love watermelon and bought 2 that were over 10kg! That's a lot of watermelon, but it is just so delicious! Watermelon juice (pictured above) tastes incredible when its cold, on a hot summers day!

On that note, I also got myself the Deliciously Ella cookbook! I love her YouTube channel and thought the book would be great to get some new recipes. It was a decision and a half to choose between this one and the Get the Glow by Madeleine Shaw book, but went with this one as I thought it'd more suit my vegetarian lifestyle. So far, I have been loving it, it's lovely to read her story and the tips behind ingredients she keeps as staples!

"totally feel 'tumblr worthy'"

On Saturday I had a huge clear out in terms of revision material. Let's just say my walls look a lot cleaner without a million papers stuck there. Oh, and a couple of pens were, unfortunately, murdered in the process!

To celebrate the end of exams, I bought myself a gift. The Magnitone Lucid had been on my skin care list for a while, and I thought it was finally time to take the plunge (blog post about it here).

"it's all about the little things in life that make us happy,"

I love candles year around, and when it comes to summer, more floral scents are opted for. The candle pictured above is Pomegranate and Acai, and let me tell you, it smells incredible!

Finally, if you saw a picture posted the other day on Twitter or Instagram, you'd have seen the mason jar. I bought it the other day, and although it's not 'legit', it's still super cool and I totally feel 'tumblr worthy'. Is that a thing? I don't know but it's just so cool! It has a double wall so your drinks remain colder for longer too - it's just cool! I got it from Sainsbury's by the way :)

Having spent most of the week just chilling and having the pleasure to do pretty much nothing, I've loved it! Tell me, what has been your highlight for the week? 

Starbucks Soy Chai Latte | THE VERDICT

Hello!

"I am a huge fan of masala in my chai, and this drink definitely had it."

It has been a while since a Starbucks Verdict has been made on BBXO. In fact, the last was in the festive season during the Red Cup phase! Oh, the good ol' days!

The weather in England has been quite confusing, I'm talking very sunny but freezing, and Spring showers occasionally popping into the equation. What more than a Chai Latte to get us through the day?

I am Indian, so if anyone knows what a Chai Latte should taste like, it's us! Let's put it this way: Starbucks did not disappoint. The kick of ginger was incredible, and the warmth of the drink made me feel 10x better! I am a huge fan of masala in my chai, and this drink definitely had it.

So, you may ask: Why the soy milk? Well, I love watching a bit of MissGlamorazzi, a.k.a. Ingrid, on YouTube and remember her raving about the Iced Soy Chai Latte, however, the other day when I ordered, it was pouring down with rain and I couldn't bare to have an iced tea, so went with the warm version. It was incredible. The frothiness of the soy made the drink taste very yummy!

The verdict: Starbucks, you've got it down to the T (T, tea, geddit? Oh the puns!) with your Soy Chai Latte. Nicely done!

If you're a fan of ginger and spice in your tea, get a soy chai latte next time you're in Starbucks - you can thank me later ;)

Have you tried teas in Starbucks? If so, what's your favourite?

BerryHealthy: Watermelon Wonders

Hello!
Summer's in full blast at the moment, especially in England where the weather has been phenomenal for the last couple of days! I've been enjoying sitting out in the sun with my cold beverage and platter of yummy fruits while I read my book or watch the boys play sports!

One of my favourite fruits to enjoy in the summer is Watermelon!

I LOVE pretty much all types of fruit and this is one is no exception! There are so many benefits to eating fruits that contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals which are obviously bound to be great for the human body in numerous ways.
I enjoy researching about the foods I eat to gain knowledge about how they benefit me and wanted to share with you!

1. Hydrating
Even in the name you can guess that this fruit is full of water! It is made of 92% water and therefore is very hydrating. This is great in the heat when you tend to sweat (unfortunately!) and lose water, so it's important to stay hydrated to avoid headaches and... quite frankly, dehydration!

2. Antioxidant
The Red Pigment of the watermelon is a great antioxidant. It is also found in other fruits such as Papaya and pink Grapefruit. This pigment is found to reduce risks of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer!

3. Vitamins & Minerals
Watermelon contains vitamins C and A. This means it is great for eye health too. In addition, it contains traces of vitamins K and B. Loads of minerals are also found in watermelons, such as Manganese, Copper and Iron. It is also a great source of Potassium which helps muscles and nerves function properly which is essential for good health. In addition, is reduces inflammation which leads to diseases such as asthma and diabetes.

4. Nutrition
Watermelons are very low in calories with only 43 calories per cup! This is great for those looking to slim their waistline. It is also virtually fat-free and contains very, very little saturated fat. It is also low in sodium and contains no cholesterol, caffeine or alcohol.

There are over 1,200 varieties of watermelon grown worldwide - in Japan, you can even get square watermelons! This was done so it fits in fridges perfectly! haha! Oh, and did you know watermelons are originally from South Africa?!

Watermelons are one of the 15 'most clean' non-organic fruits - although seedless varieties are less 'clean' and not as organic.

There are SO MANY recipes you can create with watermelons, some ideas here:
Watermelon 'cake', smoothies, ice-cream, juice and throw in with some feta cheese and mint for a salad!

I hope you enjoyed this health post!
xoxo,
BerryBloomXO

Photo from HERE
Info from: here, here and here