If you've been here for a while you'll know that I'm gluten intolerant, which means my body struggles to break down gluten & foods with it in.
I check the bad of every food packet I pick up, I have to. However some things like sweets don't always come in packet that breakdown the ingredients. So I have a way of staying on the safe side of things..
Eat specialised gluten free sweets!
Candy Kittens are a company that make gluten free & (some flavours) vegan gourmet sweets. They have actually just undergone a rebrand so their flavours are limited, however my favourite are the Wild Strawberry & Eton Mess.
They sweets are great if you fancy a littler gluten free treat! They aren't that healthy so I wouldn't recommend eating a whole bag in one go, but they are nice to have now & again.
I also really like their new packaging!
These used to be quite hard to get hold of, but they are now available in your normal supermarkets as well shops like Selfridges.
July has come to an end, so it's time for some favourites.
An usual it is a mixture of different items ranging from beauty to fitness!
Below are the items I've been loving from the last month & my favourites video.
Urban Decay Naked Smoky palette
I love the Urban Decay Naked palettes in general & this one is no different! This one is the newest in their collection & has a great variety of shades. The shades range from cool to warm tones & have different finishes. In fact I like that there are more matte shades in this palette than all of the other Naked palettes. It is a really versatile palette, with great quality shadows.
The Body Shop Green Tea body wash
I got this product in my advent at Christmas time & have only just got round to using it. I wish I'd tried it sooner though! It's amazing!
I love the scent & how refreshing it is. I love to use this especially when I'm showering after the gym, as it feels so clean & refreshing.
Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail paint in Blueberry
If you guys have been on this blog for a while now you'll already know that I really like this nail polish formula by Barry M. Also they are an absolute bargain at approximately £3.00 each!
This shade is a new addition to my collection & I love it.
It's a pastel light blue shade, perfect for summertime!
GlamGlow ThirstyMud face mask
I love the GlamGlow Supermud mask, so decided to try some of their other masks too & I have to say I have not been disappointed so far. This one is the hydrating mask, which I don't need too much but when I do this is perfect. It smells incredible (of pure coconut) & really is hydrating.
On Amino Energy in Orange Cooler
As I have been getting into my fitness I have decided to try some supplements, especially BCAAs. They aid in recovery after working out. However I do also like something with a bit of caffeine to aid during/before my workouts. So this product is perfect as it contains both. It also tastes really nice, which is not usually the case with supplements.
Nature's Store Chocolate Orange Rice Cakes
These are just awesome, so simple but so awesome. If you're after a sweet chocolatey snack but don't want to go the whole way with a chocolate bar, try these. They are healthier & lower in calories! They also taste like Terry's chocolate orange! Perfect for those sweet cravings!
Candy Kittens
I wouldn't be surprised if I've favourites these before, because they are soooo good! They are gluten free gummy sweets, not that healthy but a sweet treat. They comes in lots of amazing yummy flavours & some are even Vegan!
There are some additional favourites not pictured, but check out the video for those!
I am not really one for hand creams, I use them when I have to but generally I don't really like them.
However..
I have found one that I LOVE!
It is Soap & Glory's Hand Food in the Sugar Crush scent.
I have tried the original one & like the formula, but I find the smell goes off very quickly which isn't nice. The sugar Crush one though! It's just amazing!
Firstly I love the sugar crush scent range from Soap & glory anyway! To be honest I think it's my favourite of all their scents. It's a delightful sweet citrus scent, very unique & refreshing!
I also love the formula of this hand cream, it's very much the same as the original. So if you like the original, you'll most likely love this one too! It's a moisturising but none greasy formula. I can't stand greasy hand creams, let's face it, we're all too busy for that nonsense.
This isn't super super moisturising, but I prefer my hand creams that way, as this trait is what makes a lot of them really greasy.
I only own the sample size of this product, but these sample sizes usually last me at least 6 - 8 months. To be honest I'm not exactly sure you can get a full size of this product, or buy it outside of a gift set. If you do see it though, I would very much advise picking it up!
I have been gluten free for quite a while now & this has included some holidays.
I've only been away in Europe over this period, so I'd like you to keep that in mind.
I have heard that certain countries like Australia are amazing at catering for the gluten free population!
So I wanted to talk to you a little about how to go about gluten free abroad & potential issues.
I was actually pleasantly surprised when I went to the supermarkets! I thought they'd have nothing gluten free, however I was wrong. They actually have a reasonable selection, especially if you're only on holiday for a week or two. They have the basics such as cereal, biscuits etc.
The products taste pretty much the same as they do here in the UK.
So firstly, I'd advise going 'self-catering' as this way you can go to shops to find gluten free items & check any necessary packaging. I would also advise looking online for any registered gluten free restaurants around, so you know where you're safe.
Another key thing is learn or write down your requires if you're in a country that doesn't necessary speak English. Language barriers can be hard at the best of times!
Overall, don't ever let your dietary requirements stop you going on holiday or travelling!
It's possible, it just sometimes involves a little more pre-holiday prep.
So instead of doing an end of year favourites I wanted to film something a little different.
So I decided to go with my favourite finds/ discoveries of 2015!
Some of my highlights have been finding out how amazing lip liners are, especially MACs & NYX's contour palette which is the first contour palette I've found for truly pale people. There have been plenty of other items too including haircare, more beauty, body care & skincare!
I've been gluten free for just under a year now so I thought it was about time I posted some tips for going gluten free.
1. It's not as hard as it seems!
I know any dietary changes can seem scary & complicated, but it doesn't always have to be. Gluten free sections in supermarkets are now quite visible & with a huge variety. You can still have the odd treat like cake but it's a great diet to cut down on the naughty things like that.
2. You need to check labels on everything.
Although supermarkets have sections it always does to check the label. Some items like frozen goodies aren't generally in the 'free from' sections. Same applies to items like dairy-free cheese!
Another reason to check the label is for me I also can't have oats, barley & rye, so even in the 'free from' section I have to check.
3. Find gluten free recipes to stop your diet getting boring.
There are plenty of websites, companies & books with some amazing gluten free recipes. So don't feel you're limited to fish/ meat & vegetables, because that's really not the case!
4. Check your drinks too!
By this I generally mean alcoholic drinks. Drinks like beer have yeast in them & therefore gluten so stay away! Spirits that are distilled are generally fine.
I can do a more in depth blog post on this if you would like, just leave a comment below.
5. Ask at restaurants.
Yes, you can still eat out! However a lot of menus STILL don't have gluten allergens listed, so ask your waiting staff. Also before going anywhere I always check menus online, if I don't see anything I think I can have I won't be going there.
6. Fruit & vegetable are gluten free!
In case you didn't know fruit & veg are gluten free, so eat up! Go for veg over fruit because of the sugars, however fruit can help curb your sweet tooth. This is another thing about the diet which can help with weight lose, if that's part of your aim.
So I hope these tips help you a bit. Whether you're going gluten free by choice, intolerance or celiac reasons these tips should help you out!
As someone who has to be gluten free it can be hard to snack, as most things you'd consider a normal 'snack' has gluten in it!
So I've had to find different thing to snack on throughout the day. With this diet I feel like I snack more as gluten free foods aren't as filling as normal foods, so it's important to pick snacks wisely.
I try to have bigger meals so that I stay fuller for longer, however sometimes I do find myself looking in the cupboards for a quick snack. So here's some of my favourite things to have when I'm feeling a bit peckish between meals:
1. Fruit
I try to get some of my five a day in when it comes to snacks, so picking up a piece of fruit is ideal. My favourite fruit to have are raspberries or strawberries, followed by bananas.
2. Corn Thins
Very similar to rice cracks/ thins apart from my nutritionist said I can't have rice, so I have to have the corn version instead. These do seem a little boring but you can put things on them like spreads or smoked salmon etc.
3. Kale Chips
These seem to be the 'it' thing at the moment, however for me they're just an alternative to crisps (chips if you're American). Most crisps contain gluten, but I sometimes miss the crunchy texture as a snack. This is where kale chips come in. Kale also has great health benefits.
4. Cupcakes
Now you're probably all thinking, doesn't that completely contradict the above items. Well I say we all deserve a treat or 'cheat' snack every now & again. This is my favourite thing to have, a cupcake. I recently found a local bakery that produce & buying in loads of gluten free items & these cupcakes are one of them. Honestly you wouldn't even know they're gluten free! They taste AMAZING!
Let me know your favourite gluten free snacks below, so I can try them too!
For my first restaurant review I wanted to keep it quite simple and go with good old Nandos!
I say this because me & boyfriend go to Nandos sometimes as often as once a week, bad I know. Haha.
So firstly the things you need to know, it's basically chicken & chips, but a lot more tasty.
However if you don't like chicken, Nandos definitely isn't for you.
One of the things that I kind of like about Nandos is that you go up & order your food yourself. I like this in some restaurants simply because it saves having staff interrupt you all the time.
So onto the food. Me & my boyfriend always get a share platter, which consists of a whole chicken (four pieces), a large portion of chips & refillable soft drinks. I don't have the peri salt on my chips because it could contain gluten.
We also sometimes get garlic bread, which isn't gluten free but I can have the odd bit now & again.
I love their garlic bread. However it can come a bit burnt sometimes, I feel like it differs depending which Nandos branch you go to.
I can't handle spice at all, however even I can manage the 'Medium' heat at Nandos. So don't be too put off if you aren't great with spice. I also find the chicken is cooked well, I've never had any which was under cooked. The coating is really nice and the chips they serve are decent too (I'm quite fussy about what chips I like).
You do have to get your own cutlery which I find a bit annoying.
Basically Nandos is a more casual restaurant which is ideal for if you want to go for a quick lunch & a chat.
I also think it's pretty good value for money, costing roughly £10 per head.
If any of you guys have pets you'll know what a pain it can be having to go out & pick up their food. Especially when you don't realise you're at the end of the bag when you are (always happens to me)!
A great online shop called PetShop have now got you covered!
They do this really handy subscription service, where you select how often you'll need food & they send it to you in the post.
Basically taking out all the hard work.
They sent me a few things to try for my fur babies.
The animals are loving the treats, especially the premium foods!
I will admit they usually get the bog-standard stuff we know they like & will eat, so this is a right treat.
I've also had a look on PetShops website and all of their product are great prices! With a lot of reductions on at the moment, so definitely check it out.
I always find shops like Pets At Home (etc) are very overpriced when it comes to more premium pet foods, but that's not the case with PetShop!
The website is also very helpful with tick boxes, which allow you to choose age, pet size etc to help you find the right foods for them.
Oh, and if you haven't met them yet. Meet Peanut the cat & Soda the German Shepard dog.
Hi, I'm Eve. I'm a 23 year old professional photographer, who also has an interest in blogging/ vlogging. I like to write about anything really, from beauty to health issues!
