brand new Archives - SAHARASPLASH

saharasplash7 December, 2016

Gluten Free Brunch with Quaker Oats

So I have been sitting on this post like a proverbial hen for a number of weeks now as it has been so crazy busy with all things wedding. Now the bridal bliss has come and gone- far too quick I might add- I’m happy to be going through all the October/November news for you starting off with a Gluten Free Brunch with Quaker Oats.

On the 6th October, the day after my birthday, I had a brunch date at ETHOS with some bloggers and the MD of nutrition at Quaker Oats. The setting was fabulous, who doesn’t love indoor trees?!

ETHOS is a great meat free spot for coeliacs, vegans and healthy food options- they cater for almost every dietary requirement!

The restaurant partnered with Quaker Oats to create some great recipes for us to try out during the brunch. I was so happy to see such a variety of options as people can perhaps stereotype oats as a boring food. This brunch showed us that it most certainly is not boring!

We started out with something quite easy which was make your own porridge- so I mixed mine with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips and honey.

The next dish was very unusual and exciting. These are oaty croquettes made with oats, broccoli, cheese, eggs and seasoning. These were so tasty and I think I ate three! If you’d like the full recipe then reach out to me on Twitter or comment below!

The next delight was a yummy zesty porridge cake. Baked to perfection, this had apricots and cranberries which sort of reminded me of an oatmeal and raisin cookie but way better.

It is safe to say that Quaker Oats can go a very long way for any household, and I for one am very happy that these gluten free oats are now available in sachet packs or in the big 510g tubes shown below.

510g Oats tube: £2.49

I loved my Gluten Free Brunch with Quaker Oats, and will definitely be making the croquettes in my own kitchen!

Saharasplash x

Thanks for reading, if you’re into all things festive and beauty then check out this post!

saharasplash3 November, 2016

Dragonfly Tea celebrates 15 years

I usually am pretty good at getting to events on time as I like to think I am quite organised and a fairly good planner. On the evening of this event however, I don’t think that I could say either of these things as I ended up getting incredibly lost around Kings Cross station. I was hopelessly following my Google maps directions in circles and by this point I was starting to feel like I would never get to the event which had begun well over an hour ago. I ended up calling one of the girls who had invited me who was so great at directing me and 10 minutes later (feeling very puffed out and silly) I arrived at the DFMasterclass!

If you haven’t seen my previous post on Dragonfly Tea, they are a family owned British company who are just so passionate about bringing the best quality teas to the British high street. This year Dragonfly Tea celebrates 15 years and to mark this they have brought out a fantastic new range of teas called the tea house collection. They were also kind enough to host a select few of us for this fabulous tea masterclass!

The location (which I will now remember for the rest of my days) was at the Waitrose cooking school and I was so happy to see it when I arrived. I had missed a little bit of the tea trivia but the staff and hosts were so gracious and set me up with a Long Island green tea straight away.

Our host Georgia Ginsberg from Dragonfly Tea talked us through what would happen next, which was a tea test! We had 10 teapots around the kitchen and we had to taste, smell and work out which one was which from the new collection. The academic in me always jumps at the chance to take a test so I was straight in there!

Even though I missed the first part, my tastebuds did me proud and I got 7 out of 10! I do like to drink a range of teas so I think this helped a lot 🙂

We had a great time taking photos of all the teas and flowers, it was one of the most amazing blogger events I’ve been to this year!

Dragonfly Tea celebrates 15 years in style, as not only do they have the brand new tea house collection, they have also brought out a luxury candle. This candle is super lovely and it’s definitely something everyone should have when taking a relaxing bath. The scent is homely, woody and just right for the transition into the cold season. I had the best blogger evening at the DFMasterclass and want to thank the Babushka Comms team for inviting me along!

Saharasplash x

Head over to my latest beauty post about my 12 week trial with SmoothSkin IPL here

saharasplash24 October, 2016

London Fashion Week Day Five

Woohoo we made it to day five! Or rather I did haha! I think I saved my best look till last as a lot of thought went into this outfit inspired by Harley Quinn. For those of you who have experienced fashion week you will know when I say how much hard work it is. I mean I’m still covering it and we are now in October! It’s not just about the shows, it’s about you, your friends, making new contacts and above all having a good time. So that’s why it is so important to not overdo it, to not try and go to absolutely everything because it’s just not possible. Choose smart and whatever happens, wear flats on the last day! Here is London Fashion Week Day Five for you…

My Outfit

My outfit number five consists of a custom made Harley Quinn jacket (because I just had to!) and I ‘m wearing ripped denim shorts and a dark red bralette/choker set from Boohoo. My bag as ever is by the fantastic brand Today I’m Me. I want to thank Today I’m Me for helping make each outfit look so great and it’s always a pleasure working with my favourite bag boutique!

Little Extras

These stunning earrings are by Roz Buehrlen, a British designer who is based in Kent. These are Gold Swallow earrings which also come in silver too. I think this adds something a little extra to the look but still manages to maintain its concept.

Catwalk Highlights

Fun Affair

Fun Affair was such a great show. We had lots of variety and I got the best views from the front row. I would definitely use the caption ‘woke up like this’ to describe this show. It was effortless dishelvement as clothes were put on backwards with bralette on top of a crisp white shirt- I’ve actually seen this out and about recently so very on trend! It was mix and match but done very stylishly and I could see that a lot of thought had gone into each look.

David Ferreira

These last ones came out a little dark so apologies for that. Lighting isn’t always something that can be counted on for a fashion show especially as the music and light work together to reflect the mood of the designs. David Ferreira was absolutely worth the wait and I didn’t care that I didn’t have a seat either. For me this season reminded me of the inspirational Lady Gaga so much. The powerful message to ‘break free from your stereotype’ along with some exquisite garments really stuck wth me and I think that Gaga would definitely rock any one of these looks.

Saharasplash x

Thank you so much for reading my five part fashion series, to catch up on the previous posts just click here

PR Samples included

saharasplash8 September, 2016

SAHARASPLASH visits Bea’s Cakes London

It is a truth universally acknowledged that an English lady cannot resist a good old-fashioned afternoon tea. So here is where Bea’s London comes in! This month I had the pleasure to venture across to the London borough of Marylebone to one of the splendid little cafes in the Bea’s chain. SAHARASPLASH visits Bea’s Cakes London!

An afternoon tea is such a great idea at this time of the year. It’s something fun to do in the city if you are hungry but you find yourself not wanting to indulge in a hot meal. Bea’s London provides an amazing atmosphere for a lovely afternoon spent with your best friend or your partner as you natter and nom away. I started things off with an apple and cinnamon tea.

Layer One- The Savoury Sarnies

Okay so they were more of a roll, but these four flavours were delicious! Naturally I ordered the gluten free option, and I had avocado with dukkha spiced yoghurt and pistachio – parma ham, mascarpone cream with honey and fig relish – goats cheese curd with beetroot and toasted walnuts and then smoked salmon with cream fraiche. The beetroot and goats cheese was to die for! Such creativity and not a cucumber in sight!

Layer Two- Scrumptious Scones

It was so wonderful to see a full-sized scone on my second layer. So many times I am left dissapointed by the size of gluten free cakes and pastries, but not at Bea’s! The gluten free scone came with the best serving of clotted cream and a choice of raspberry or strawberry jam. It was delightful.

Layer Three- Cakes, sweets, and more!

I really was not prepared for the amount of goodness on the third layer. This included a gluten free cupcake, the best chocolate brownie ever, a macaron, a homemade marshmallow cube, a meringue and some loaf cake. Needless to say I tried everything but did not finish everything. It was so nice to have a wide selection to browse through and taste. It’s the perfect thing for those indecisive eaters when it comes to choosing your dessert!

I want to thank Bea’s London for the very sophisticated experience, it was such a great way to start September and I hope that you will all go find a Bea’s London close to you if you live in London, or plan an afternoon tea with them on your next visit!

Outfit details: I wore a metallic crop, pleated skirt and zebra print jacket all from Motel Rocks.

Saharasplash x

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saharasplash23 August, 2016

BeBeautiful Lunch with Beauty Expert

I’m going to take you back a few weeks now, as this is something I have been working on reviewing for a while. Not only are you going to read about a fantastic place called the Ivy London, but you’re also going to learn about some top quality brands which you can get all in one place at the click of a button. This is my BeBeautiful Lunch with Beauty Expert.

It was one of those impossibly hot July days in London as I made my way into the centre of the city to Covent Garden. There I was greeted by the team from Beauty Expert as well as some of the brands launching with Beauty Expert’s new collection- The Rose Edition.

I saw some familiar bloggers at the event and met with some new faces too which is always nice. The tables were set out for all the bloggers with personalised place names and we each had a lovely rose waiting for us too accompanied by some Ren Skincare goodies.

The Ivy London took such great care of us, and were happy to provide me with gluten free rolls and modify the dessert to make it coeliac friendly. We had the most amazing salmon starter, followed by chicken and corn purée, then strawberry sorbet and fruit to finish.

It was lovely to be sat amongst other bloggers and representatives from the brands. After lunch, we had presentations from each of the brands involved to tell us a bit more about their key products and why they were included in this first collection inspired by roses.

Here’s what you can expect when you purchase the Rose Edition from Beauty Expert, which I must add here that it’s collectively worth £134 but is priced at just £50 for the whole collection!

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil (30ml)

This BioRegenerate oil will help keep your skin looking so radiant. It is vegan and cruelty free which I just love to hear and it can help to cleanse and repair skin prone to irritation. I love using this twice a week in the evenings and I always wake up to brighter skin when I’ve used it.

Monu Gentle Cleanser (180ml)

Ths cleanser contains Geranium, Rose and Aloe Vera to make one perfect gentle product. Also cruelty free, Monu are an inspiring brand which I cannot wait to discover more of their range. The lotion glides on smoothly with a cotton pad and I like to remove with a hot cloth so that it really opens my pores up for a deep cleanse.

Ark Body Beautiful Conditioning Oil (250ml)

This conditioning oil is such a great all rounder. It comes in a very genrous size of 250ml so you will get a lot of use from this product which can be applied to your bath, body or hair. I love massaging this into my legs, hands and feet after a bath as it helps to destress and detox.

Balance Me Rose Otto Body Cream (200ml)

The first thing I picked up when using this body cream was the scent of heady violets. It took me right back to my childhood and when I used to share a packet of parma violets with my nan, so I just love this product! I’d recommend only using small amounts as it is quite rich so again, it will last you a good while. It’s also 99% natural and made in the UK.

Korres Japanese Rose Shower Gel (250ml)

Although this contains hydrolysed wheat gluten, don’t be deterred if you have a gluten allergy. A lot of coeliacs tend to stay away from cosmetics and beauty products which contain gluten but there’s no need. Unless ingested, you are completely safe to use this japanese rose shower gel, and believe me it’s so worth it.

REN Keep Young and Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift (15ml)

This is by far my favourite product from the range. I have recently featured this wonder shot in my latest YouTube video- my August favourites. It has worked wonders around my eye areas in the past 3 weeks and the product gets to work instantly for immediate results.

The first collection from Beauty Expert couldn’t have been better in my opinion, it has a lustful range that will be coveted by most beauty addicts I am sure. Get yours today right here and let me know what is your favourite from the Rose Edition. I cannot wait to see what’s coming next, thanks ever so much for reading all about my BeBeautiful Lunch with Beauty Expert!

Saharasplash x

If you liked my Bebeautiful lunch with Beauty Expert, you will love my gluten free afternoon tea!

saharasplash18 August, 2016

Free From Afternoon Tea

This is a really big post which I am so excited about! Not only do I get to eat loads of yummy snacks, I can tick off one pretty big thing from my 2016 goals list, and that is to do a collaboration with Sainsbury’s! Sainsbury’s are without a doubt my favourite UK supermarket and I was so surprised to find this particular package waiting on my doorstep last week. The package in question sent to me was a massive bag filled with all the necessary equipment to have a fabulously free from afternoon tea in celebration of National Afternoon Tea Week.

For those living a gluten free lifestyle for whatever reason, I’m sure you have noticed the staggering changes in the free from market over the past 5 years. It is getting bigger and better with every launch, and Sainsbury’s have very recently revamped their entire range of free from products. I’ve tried pretty much everything out as I’m the type of coeliac who sees a new product and instantly feels like it’s my duty to buy it, eat it, and if it’s good then tell all my gluten free friends and family about it! I even went and bought the new Sainsbury’s birthday cake even though it’s not my birthday for months, no shame in admitting that one! So, onto the free from afternoon tea…

I set everything up in my mum’s back garden as it was a beautiful and sunny day.

My favourite from the range is defintiely the chocolate brownie! Before too long, the afternoon tea had a gate crasher…

As pretty as my pooch is, he wasn’t getting any of it! It didn’t stop him having a sniff and licking his lips though!

Thanks to Evie for the necklace loan for this shoot!

These fantastic new treats are just waiting for you to try at your local Sainsbury’s and are all free from wheat, gluten and milk:

Rich Fruit Cake Slices

Fruity Granola Slices

Cherry & Almond Slices

Chocolate Brownies

Mini Bakewell Tarts

What are you doing to celebrate National Afternoon Tea Week? Whether you have a food allergy or not, everyone should get to have some fun with a lovely afternoon tea this week!

Saharasplash x

PR Samples

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My Outfit

Little Extras

Catwalk Highlights

Fun Affair

David Ferreira

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Layer One- The Savoury Sarnies

Layer Two- Scrumptious Scones

Layer Three- Cakes, sweets, and more!

You May Also Enjoy

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil (30ml)

Monu Gentle Cleanser (180ml)

Ark Body Beautiful Conditioning Oil (250ml)

Balance Me Rose Otto Body Cream (200ml)

Korres Japanese Rose Shower Gel (250ml)

REN Keep Young and Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift (15ml)

You May Also Enjoy

You May Also Enjoy