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!

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte: The Verdict.

Hello!

"On a cold, chilly evening out last Tuesday, this was the drink of choice"

We're a little Fall Obsessed with this post as it's all about Autumn. Well, this is said to be THE drink for Autumn. This American Fall Classic was first bought to the UK Starbucks stores in 2012. Ever since, the thought of Pumpkin in my coffee did not sound appetising - but you never know unless you try, right?

"Ever since, the thought of Pumpkin in my coffee did not sound appetising"

On a cold, chilly evening out last Tuesday, this was the drink of choice to warm me up - and I am happy this was the one I went for. The PSL was advertised in big posters as soon as you walk into Starbucks and so I went with it. Topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, the initial taste is amazing - then the coffee kicks in! Overall, though, the Pumpkin Spice Latte did not disappoint, and yes, I'd order it again (hoping they spell my name right on the cup again, which, surprisingly, they did this time!).

That's The Verdict: Pumpkin in Coffee is a good idea!
Have you tried the PSL?

Chiquito - Dinner in Leicester Square

Hello! 

"As soon as you go in, you notice the lively atmosphere, full of fun and good food!"

Last weekend I went to dinner with two of my lovely friends. The place we decided to go: Chiquito. Having it been my first time, I had high hopes for this famous place! It was super busy and I doubt we would have got in without a reservation. Hint: Make a Reservation!

"When in a Mexican restaurant, the starter to order is obviously Nachos!"

As soon as you go in, you notice the lively atmosphere, full of fun and good food! The first thing they do: give you popcorn! This is a smart idea as popcorn makes you thirsty, so you order lots of drinks! Not to worry - you have a wide range of thirst-quenchers to choose from!

When in a Mexican restaurant, the starter to order is obviously Nachos! They served lovely nachos that went down well. Note: they have very big chips!

In terms of drinks, I went with a piña colada - and it looked super yummy! Plus, the pineapple slice was a nice touch!

"they have a wide range from burgers to fajitas to burritos..."

For mains, they have a wide range from burgers to fajitas to burritos... you know, the usual mexican food! I went with the vegetarian quesadilla. It was good. I tried the vegetarian burrito and was not a huge fan. The filling of both the quesadilla and burrito was both basically the same, but the burrito had a lot more of it.

As for desserts, we chose the 'Mexican Mess' which was basically meringue with churros, brownie bits, ice cream, chocolate fudge sauce and strawberries in a bowl, topped with whipped cream (picture above)! It was a bit of everything and was scrumptious... definitely recommend. 

"Leicester Square, people playing musical instruments, the fountain going and the lights looking gorgeous "

The lovely thing about it was also the view. Sitting on the ledges on Leicester Square, people playing musical instruments, the fountain going and the lights looking gorgeous - it was the perfect setting. We also went to Yates, a club near chiquitos - which is also worth a visit if you go to the L. Square Chiquito's.

The Verdict: To me, chiquitos is like any other mexican restaurant. Nothing special or unique about it, yet a lovely place all the same.

Are you a fan of Mexican Food... or prefer another cuisine?

New Series: The Great British Bake Off - It's Back!

Hello!

"love this show and look forward to it every year!"

If you're a baking fan, you'd be glad to hear that TGBBO is back! At season 5, I've been watching since season 2, and it's just as good! I love this show and look forward to it every year!

So far, the first episode was all cakes! It was lovely to see the different decorations the individuals came up with. To think they all have the same amount of time and what different creations are made.

Have you been watching TGBBO, or any other baking shows?

Nakd Bar: Cocoa Loco - First Impressions

Hello! 

"they're getting more and more popular by the day"

A different POTW, it's food related! You may have heard of these nakd bars as they're getting more and more popular by the day. Having tried Nakd bars previously (Cashew Cookie flavour), I was more than excited to try out a new flavour and went with Cocoa Loco.

"wheat free and one of your 5 a day!"

Having read the name, for some reason it reminded me of coconuts - even though it is not coconut flavour, they should invent one! But I went with this one anyway! It has Oats, Dates, Raisins, Peanuts, Apple Juice, Cocoa, Almonds and Walnuts. It is wheat free and one of your 5 a day!

"this would be a lifesaver"

The bars are quite compact and would be great to have in your purse - you know when you're out all day and end up hungry and don't know where to go, this would be a lifesaver ;)

"I totally recommend it, especially if you love cocoa"

The consistency is quite chewy, which I love, and the nuts add a nice crunch. I must admit that I prefer Cashew Cookie as it doesn't have the oats - the oats aren't my favourite part of the bar.

Overall, I love dates and nuts together, so this is definitely a brand to try. I totally recommend it, especially if you love cocoa (definitely can taste it) and nuts! I know I'll be buying more - trying different flavours, though! I saw the variety pack on their website but this works out to be more expensive than if you buy single ones of your choice in store - so be aware!

What's your favourite go-to Purse Snack?? 

5 Simple Strawberry + Chocolate Recipes

Hello!

British Strawberries - the fruit of the season, especially in the UK (I guess that goes without saying!). The thing with strawberries is that they don't last for very long - so simple recipes are perfect for when you want them eaten before they go to waste. Also, what better way to eat strawberries than with chocolate?

Here are 5 easy recipes which can be substituted with Raw Chocolate (1 cup cacao, 1 cup melted coconut oil, 4 tbsp agave syrup)  for a healthier version! Healthier White Chocolate recipe here.

This is a simple recipe which is easy to replicate (the whole idea of this post) and is so versatile as you can add things to it without much worry. You can add almond flakes or make it a coconut chocolate filled strawberries or whatever you wish! 

This is a little different but just as simple. If you use whipped cream, ensure that you eat it soon and not leave for too long!

This idea is another simple one. Sort of like the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups but with strawberries instead of peanut butter - not saying peanut butter cannot be added to it!

This idea I thought was totally different. I would have never thought of it yet it's such a lovely idea! You can add any fruits you want or any other toppings.

A little trickier but just as tasty and yummy as all the others, this recipe consists of an oreo crust and a strawberry and chocolate filling!

What's your favourite simple go-to recipe with strawberries?

image sources: 1//2//3//4//5

Healthy Chocolate - Is it really tasty?

Hello!

Hearing the words 'healthy' and 'chocolate' together sounds a little weird... And slightly untrue! However, it might be a bit more normal to hear after you've read this post!

Healthy Chocolate. Oxymoron - yet couldn't be truer with Conscious Chocolate! Conscious chocolate is chocolate (duh!) made with raw products. It is sweetened with Agave Nectar which is obviously better than the over-processed and bleached white sugar found in regular chocolates! 

The oh-so-raw chocolate has a different texture to your regular dairy milk. It has a truffle-like texture which is very soft. If you try to break the chocolate into pieces, it doesn't snap, it kind of slowly breaks apart - sort of like caramel  (Does that even make sense?!).

Conscious chocolate have a wide range of flavours to choose from, ranging from 'Goji and Coconut' to a nutty chocolate bar to a cherry flavour and loads of flavours in between! 

I got to try the 'Essential Orange' and 'Mint Hint'. You're bound to find something that catches your attention! 

I love the 'Essential Orange' flavour. The chocolate is more on the dark chocolate, bitter taste - which I wasn't too fond of at first but it definitely grew on me! As I had more of the orange, I started liking it more and more. It's true what they say about your taste buds adapting! 

However, I wasn't a huge fan if mint to begin with so naturally, I preferred the Orange flavoured chocolate! 

I like how they didn't try to fool us with the nutritional information. Sometimes products show the nutritional information about 1/5th if the packet and we assume it's the whole thing - however, Consious Chocolate give us info of the whole thing! Also, all the products are natural, minimal process and still taste great. Good going, conscious!

The products are packaged in 3 wrappers. 

1) it is wrapped in a bit of paper

2) it's put inside a foil baggie (as shown in the picture) 

3) it is then inside the main packaging with the name if the flavour

Just to mention, I love the packaging and how all the flavours have different outer package! The paper packaging (1) is good as it keeps the chocolate together and not melting on your hand as you get it out, the foil baggie keeps the chocolate fresh and the other packaging to name the flavours! 

Overall the chocolates from 'Conscious Chocolate' taste so yummy and it's nice to know they're not processed and are raw. Oh, and I have to mentioned the scents of them - they are so good! Like you open the first packaging and the scent lingers! It's a lovely strong scent of the essential flavours -yum! 

So, is it a little more normal to hear 'healthy chocolate' after reading this? Or are those two words together will never sound normal! Try out 'Conscious Chocolate' (link here) and then tell me these two words are made for each other: Healthy Chocolate! 

What are your favourite healthy desserts?

*Conscious Chocolate did send the two products to me for review purposes, but all of the information is honest and not biased

Healthy, Yummy, Quick Snacks

Hello! 

New year. New, healthier, you!
So, with the Christmas and winter, we tend to have slightly overindulged with the oh-so-yum Chocolate and pies that are available! So, we need to get set on a healthier route again, right?

I, too, may have received one too many chocolate gifts for Christmas which I will need to hide away from now on!

Here are some easy snacks which are yummy as well as healthy. A lot of the time we think healthy tasting disgusting - and yes, honestly, sometimes it does! But these ideas taste so yummy, you won't think they're healthy!

1. Cereal in a Bowl - without the milk

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I LOVE Raisin wheats by themselves. They provide a serving of dry fruit, as there are raisins inside the mini wheats. Also, they are a great serving of wholewheat and fibre. Many of us don't have enough fibre in our diets due to the fear of Carbs, yet we need the 'good' carbs in our life and fibre to help with digestion! So, Raisin wheats are sweet and crunchy. A perfect easy-to-grab snack.


2. Carrots with Hummus 

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Carrots are veggies. Veggies are good for you! I am not likely to eat just a plain carrot on it's own. Hummus is a dip made from Chick Peas. Chick peas are full of protein, low in fat and taste nice. Therefore, hummus tastes nice! Pairing these two items is a match made in heaven. I wasn't a big hummus fan myself until a few days ago, and I've been having this for the last two days straight!
Just get baby carrots or cut slices from big carrots and dip in the hummus (about 2 tablespoons) - enjoy!
You can also eat with cucumber slices, pepper slices and even grapes - yes, I tried it with grapes and it's nice!


3. Apple and Peanut Butter

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Many people will look at this and think 'Ergh.. Peanut butter is NOT healthy' - let me tell you: it is! Actually, I once told somebody about this and they said 'How can peanuts mixed with Butter be healthy, have you lost your mind?!' - well, actually peanut butter is not peanuts and butter - contrary to the name! It is actually roasted peanuts blended to a spread-like consistency. Therefore, no saturated fat is in natural peanut butter! It is all the good unsaturated fats! These improve cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart disease. Though, peanut butter is calorie dense, so 1tbsp with an apple is perfect! Peanut butter tastes incredible! Apples are also a natural teeth whitener, so eat up for those pearly whites!

Those are my 3 favourite go-to snacks! I hope you have a healthy, tasty and happy New Year!

What are your favourite snacks? 

Fresh Juice over Cartons... Why?

Hello!
Many of you may be aware of the 'Juice Cleanse' craze going on at the moment, and to be honest, I love it!
From a family who has freshly made juice almost everyday of the week for at least the last 6-7 years, I am a huge fan. My parents had seen a tele advert for a juicer and jumped on it and since then we've been served with carrot, apple and ginger juice for a very long time (with the occasional melon or over-ripening fruit added to the mixure!)... oh, and for a change we'd have freshly squeezed orange juice too.

Anyway, the REAL reason I'm writing this post is to tell you the reasons why freshly squeezed juice, orange juice in particular, is much more beneficial than the cartoned juice. I am not a huge fan of juice in general, I don't remember the last time I drank soda and nor do I enjoy fruit juice or any sort of cartoned juice in general, but when it comes to fresh juice... YUMMY.

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice in my Summery Glass! 

You may know that food (vegetables/fruits etc.) in general lose nutritional value when they're cooked, by that I mean raw broccoli has more vitamins and minerals than cooked, such as steamed, broccoli, therefore if orange juice is cooked in any way, the nutritional value is reduced. "Cooked juice? WHAT?"you may ask, well, legally (in the UK anyway), all juice has to be pasteurised before sold to ensure longer shelf life and the idea that bacteria is killed. Now, pasteurised means heating the juice, which is basically cooking the juice, what does this mean? This means the nutritional value is reduced!

Therefore, store bought orange juice, no matter how healthy and high in nutritional value it may seem (I'm looking at you, Tropicana), it won't beat the freshly squeezed, legit juice. Also, the sooner you drink it after it is squeezed, the higher in nutritional value as it is said that the longer it sits, the decrease in nutritional value.

Moreover, many store bought juices have added sugar and ingredients that you may not be aware of, so you may think it's great for you, yet it's not. So, even though it takes a little more effort, I recommend freshly squeezed NON-PASTEURISED juice to ensure you're consuming the most nutritious beverages with the highest amount of nutritional value to nourish your body.

Woah, I feel like I said 'Nutritional Value' a million times in this post! Anyway, I hope you learnt something from this and decide to join me and my family with the fresh juice consumption.

xoxo,
BerryBloomXO

Disclaimer: I am not trying to say the juiced/cartoned juices are BAD for you, just that there are many benefits of fresh juice - and if you find that you crave some orange juice and don't have the time or energy to squeeze it fresh, by all means buy the cartoned version over that soda (try and avoid added sugars, though)... :)
Oh, and I'm not a nutritionist or anything, just a curious person who likes to research stuff! :D