bloomzy /

Introducing Vivid Drinks: A Matcha a Day…

I don’t usually do posts like this, but I figured it went hand-in-hand with the blog. You might be wondering why that is, and I say, shame on you! If you don’t know of my love of matcha by now, then, well…you’ve probably been doing something productive with your life. Anyway, I do love matcha and I do like to mention it a lot, on the blog, my Twitter, and to anyone who will listen. So when Vivid sent me a crate of their matcha based drinks, I did a little happy dance. 
Vivid Drinks was set up by a fellow matcha lover – James Shillcock.
He decided that it was about time that matcha made it’s big break in the UK. Up until now, it has only been available to health addicts, and those who have the money to afford it – most places that sell matcha have raised the price to extortionate levels. However James wanted it to be available to everyone, in a convenient way. Vivid Drinks was born. Thanks to his expertise in the tea industry, and time travelling in China, he’s the perfect candidate.
So why do I love matcha (green tea powder) so much? 
Not only is it super delicious, but it is full of amazing benefits. It contains a lot less caffeine (only 0.01mg) than coffee, and regular tea. That means it’s a lot better for your body, but don’t fret because it does also give you a healthy boost. I can’t drink highly caffeinated drinks like coffee or coca cola, so this is a great way for me to enjoy it. More importantly though, it is full of antioxidants (130x more than regular green tea), which are wonderfully good for you. Vivid Drinks have managed to keep all of those amazing benefits inside their drinks, whilst adding some healthy tasty flavours to the matcha. Matcha is quite bitter by itself, so pairing it with something sweet, like honey or pear is a really good idea. My personal favourite from the collection is the Lime, Ginger & Honey. In fact it was also the first one I tried when I ordered it at a tea room on Church Street. I didn’t know what to expect, but left with a happy tummy and my matcha craving satisfied. I make sure to drink a matcha a day, why don’t you try doing the same?
You can purchase Vivid Drinks in stores such as WH Smith, Waitrose, Selfridges & Whole Foods for £1.85 each. You may also find them in your local cafe, so keep an eye out, and visit Vivid for more information.
bloomzy /

Nuffnang’s 1st Birthday Party

On Saturday afternoon someone let a bunch of bloggers, including myself, lose on the rooftop of Netil House (Netil 360 to be exact). It’s ok, don’t worry, we were given plenty of food and drinks to keep us happy (and snapping photos). Yes, it was Nuffnang’s First Birthday celebrations and we were ready to party!

There were props a plenty, so me, Alex, Honey & Jesse took full advantage. In blogger terms that means a mini photo shoot! So we pranced and posed all over the rooftop with the colourful balloons Nuffnang had provided us. After we had exhausted ourselves and our cameras, we retired to the shade to sip on Pimms and chat with our fellow bloggers. It was so lovely to finally meet Marlene, and catch-up with Steph, Sarah, Sara, Holly, Angela…there’s just too many wonderful Nuffnangers to keep up with! Time flew by as we laughed and swapped anecdotes. We worked up quite the appetite during the day, but thankfully Club Mexicana were on hand to serve us delicious vegan tacos. I am a meat eater, but I adore vegetarian and vegan food, and I was not let down by these tacos. They were scrumptiously spicy, and left me wanting more! Still, after so much savoury food I had room for a little something sweet. Thankfully the amazing Victoria Yum was at Netil Market, which just so happened to be directly below us. So I told everyone about her and convinced them to come down with me and buy up all of her cupcakes!

I’ve wanted to be a member of Nuffnang ever since I found out my girl Cheesie was with them. Unfortunately at that time they were only in Asia. Naturally as soon as I found out they were in the UK I joined straight away! Nuffnang may have only been around in the UK for one year, but they are already pros at hosting events. I feel so relaxed with them, and I know that they would gladly help me (and the others) if I ever needed it. Not only that, but Jesse has already become a good friend of mine – she inspires me so much and I truly believe that we were meant to meet. So thank you Nuffnang, for inspiring me in blogging, helping me meet so many amazing people, and for hosting us at your first birthday party. May it be the first of many! 

bloomzy /

Recipe: Cauliflower Base Pizza (Gluten-Free)

Cauliflower base pizza is something I’ve been toying with the idea of for a while. I first heard about it when a friend told me she had tried her hand at a gluten-free pizza. After reading up on it I found out that all you needed was cauliflower and egg for the base, which excited me greatly, as I can be a bit lazy in the kitchen. So I figured I’d try my hand at it and see what I could come up with on my own. This recipe is completely gluten-free and can be adapted to best fit your personal tastes. It may sound outrageous, but this has now become my favourite kind of pizza. I would gladly choose it over a regular base any day. Sayonara Dominos! Hello gluten-free heaven!

As a reference, most of the seasoning for this is done to taste so I haven’t used any measurements.
I’ve also recommended some alternatives for those who don’t like spice.

Ingredients:
350g Cauliflower – Frozen or Fresh
50g Mozzarella (approx)
3 Baby Tomatoes
1 Large Egg
Pesto (approx. 1 1/2 tablespoons)
Chopped Spring Onions (approx. 2)
Chilli Powder/Paprika
Dried Basil & Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Garlic Clove/s
Parmesan
What you need to do…
Pre-heat your oven to 200c/Gas Mark 7, and line a tray with greaseproof paper.
If you use frozen cauliflower, I would suggest defrosting it/cooking it slightly and squeezing out any excess water. Fresh cauliflower is easier to work with, but I have used frozen in this recipe as it’s just easier to keep a big bag in the freezer. 
After you have prepared your cauliflower cook it in the microwave for 5mins.
Let it cool, then place it in the blender, along with the garlic (I used 2 cloves).
Blend this for about 10 seconds, making sure you are left with crumbs, and not a puree.
Add your cauliflower and garlic mixture to a large bowl. To this add the egg, salt & pepper, dried basil & oregano, parmesan and the chilli powder (or paprika if you’re not a fan of spice) – to taste. Mix this together with a large spoon until you are left with a dough like texture. If you think your mixture is a bit wet, you can always add a little gluten-free self raising flour to bulk it up.
Once you have your mixture ready, roll it into a ball and place it on your lined tray. Press down onto the ball and create a large circle, making sure not to thin it out too much – you want a thickish crust. Don’t worry if it looks a bit messy, the rustic charm will add to the look and texture of the base once it is cooked. Place your ‘dough’ in the oven for around 15mins. Sometimes I turn it around halfway through, to make sure it is cooked evenly. 
Now your base is cooked, you can garnish it! Spread the pesto evenly over the base – you can add a little tomato puree (gluten-free) here if you like. Cut your tomatoes into quarters and scatter them over the pizza. I like to scatter the chopped spring onions over top of this. Finally, break up your mozzarella and cover the pizza with it. 
Bake your pizza in the oven, for around 10mins, until it has browned and the mozzarella has melted.
Cut in half and serve – I like to have it with potatoes or a salad.
This is a super quick and easy recipe that anyone can enjoy – even if you’re not on a gluten-free diet. Trust me! It’s just as filling as a regular pizza, but has a lot less calories and isn’t anywhere near as greasy. It also includes 2 of your 7 a day! 
As always, if you do try it out, tweet me or leave a comment here as I’d love to know what you think!
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Rekorderlig ‘Apple & Guava’ Spirit of Summer Press Event

On Thursday evening I headed to St Paul’s for a beautifully Swedish affair. My favourite fruit cider (who am I kidding? It’s the ONLY cider I drink) Rekorderlig were hosting a press event to celebrate the launch of their new Summer flavour. That meant the fiancé and I were able to take in the amazing views from the Sky Bar (at The Grange Hotel) roof terrace as we sipped on the new Apple & Guava Rekorderlig. It’s juicy, sweet and very unique. After trying the new drink, I wanted to jump straight onto the cocktails (they’re my jam, yo!). Luckily Rekorderlig’s amazing mixologist Joel Persson was on hand to offer us some delicious beverages. My favourite was the Guava Semester, a succulently sweet cocktail made with Rekorderlig’s apple & guava, gin, apple juice, mint leaves, lime juice and sugar syrup. Now all I need is a stocked fridge and a pitcher to make it my drink of the Summer.
Once again Rekorderlig managed to host a chilled and enjoyable event. I loved the decor and more importantly the venue, which was the perfect Summer setting. This Summer I can definitely see myself chilling on a roof terrace with some friends, having a laugh and throwing back the Guava Semesters. Well done Rekorderlig, you’ve outdone yourself again!
Visit Rekorderlig to get your hands on their new flavour this Summer.
bloomzy /

House of Cuckoo at Taylor Taylor London

When the invite for a food event at a hair salon dropped into my inbox I almost spilt my tea. If you ever need to get into my good books, just give me a plate of food or the latest beauty product. Anyway, back to the topic at hand! I arrived at Taylor Taylor’s new Portobello Road salon and was immediately reminded of what makes their salons so appealing: the decor. Decadent chandeliers, gold detailing and a peacock so magnificent you have to see it in person. Suffice to say, I was in awe before I was even handed my Bellini – yes this salon also offers cocktails to it’s clientele. I was then shown through to part of the salon where I was greeted by smiling faces and cupcakes upon cupcakes. 
House of Cuckoo is a company run by two fabulous women who happen to also be mums. Chieko and Carolyn wanted to offer their children tasty treats that were also good for them. So instead of battling at meal times, they started baking cupcakes with various vegetables, yes you heard me right vegetables. Since then they have gone on to take the cupcake world by storm and are now selling their cupcakes in select Waitrose stores. Now let me tell you, these cupcakes are really something else. I never thought I’d say I enjoyed pea or cauliflower in a sweet dish, but after just one bite I wanted more! Each delicious morsal convinced me that these two lovely ladies were onto something pretty special. I love trying new things and if you do too, you must check them out. My personal favourite is the Butternut Squash & Almond.
Now I did mention Taylor Taylor before and you’re probably wondering why we were even at a salon in the first place. That’s because we were offered blow dries from a range of styles. I chose a sleek straight look, whilst others such as Jesse went for full on glamorous curls. Ashley did my hair whilst I sipped on a green tea cocktail, and chatted with me about the best burger places in London (she recommends Honest Burgers). My final look left me feeling super stylish and my hair was incredibly silky and shiny. Before I left I was given a hair consultation and some products to compliment my hair type (expect reviews soon!). The staff are brilliant at their jobs and are incredibly chatty and friendly. I must head back soon!
Thank you so much to Sarah from The Prosecco Diaries for planning & hosting the event.
House of Cuckoo can be found in select Waitrose stores and are available for parties, weddings etc. 
If you want something special or just need a trim you can book into one of Taylor Taylor’s salons.
bloomzy /

Recipe: Vegan Mac & Cheese (Macaroni Cheese) – Gluten Free

First off, no I am not a vegan, but I appreciate vegan food. I eat a lot of gluten and dairy free food and I like vegetarian dishes. So when I first heard of vegan macaroni cheese I was very intrigued. I originally came across a recipe a few years ago, from a website that is now dead. Thankfully that doesn’t matter as I have made it so many times that I’ve personalised it. I prefer to use nutritional yeast for this recipe, as opposed to cashew nuts – so it’s nut allergy friendly. Nutritional yeast has a lovely nutty cheese flavour to it and is great for pretty much all diets. It’s nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan friendly – so it’s suited to most people.
This is a quick and easy recipe that doesn’t take long, and tastes absolutely delicious. A lot of people on Twitter were asking me to post it, so here is my Vegan Mac & Cheese recipe!

For reference, I use cups as they’re easier.
Ingredients:
Paprika: 2 Teaspoons
Nutritional yeast: 1 Cup
Dijon mustard: 1 Teaspoon
Gluten-free Pasta: 3 Cups
Rice Milk (or any milk alternative): 1 Cup
Garlic: 1-2 Cloves (depending on personal taste)
Sunflower or Olive Oil (both work fine): 2/3 Cup
Tamari (Gluten-free Japanese soy sauce): 1/4 Cup

Put the nutritional yeast, paprika and garlic in the blender and mix to chop the garlic.
Add the mustard, oil, tamari and rice milk to the mixture. Blend the mixture for about 30 seconds.

After you’ve blended the mixture, cook your pasta in the saucepan. Whilst this is cooking pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. It’s worth mentioning that I like to make the mixture in the morning and leave it in the fridge until the evening.  I find that the sauce seems to be a bit more flavoursome if you do this.
Once the pasta is cooked, pop it in a dish and pour over the mixture. You can optionally add gluten-free breadcrumbs to the top (or regular, if you aren’t on a GF diet). Make sure all of the pasta is covered with the sauce, and pop in the oven for around 20 minutes. Remove from the dish and serve!
This is one of my favourite recipes to make so I’m glad I could share it with you.
If you do have a go at making it, do let me know as I’d love to know what you think.
bloomzy /

Video: Life in Japan Q&A #1

Here is the first in my ‘Life in Japan Q&A’ series. I’ve decided to do this series in short videos so you can find exactly what you want to know, without having to sit through 25mins of me rambling away. The first couple of questions are from Kat about learning Japanese (and using it on holiday) and coping as a vegetarian in Japan.

If you’d like to ask your own question you can leave a comment here on this post or here, or you can tweet me. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more videos.