Double Chocolate Brownies...

It's no secret that I love to cook and bake, and one of my favourite things to bake are these double chocolate brownies. I love them so much, I thought that I would share the recipe with you so you can try them out too.

For this recipe, you will need:

• 115g/4oz Butter
• 115g/4oz Plain Chocolate
• 300g/10 1/2oz Caster Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Eggs
• 140g/5oz Plain Flour
• 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 100g/3 1/2oz Chocolate Chips
• 100g/3 1/2oz Walnuts/Pecans (optional)

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 180c/350F/Gas Mark 4
2. Grease and line a 18cm/7inch square cake tin
   
3. Place the butter and chocolate into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until melted - don't let it burn!
   
4. Remove the chocolate from the heat and leave to cool slightly
5. Stir in the sugar and vanilla extract
6. Add the eggs, one at a time and stir until smooth. You need to make sure that your chocolate is relatively cool at this point else your eggs will start cooking when added to the mixture.
7. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and fold together
   
   
   
   
8. Crush the nuts (if using) with a rolling pin until they are the same size as the chocolate chips
9. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. I couldn't find any chocolate chips so I used Magic Stars instead. This made a nice alternative as they are of a similar size and made the mixture slightly sweeter.
   
10. Pour the mixture into the tin
    
11. Bake in a preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes. You want your brownie to be slightly gooey in the centre.
    

The brownie is best served warm with some vanilla ice cream.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Ellie xxx

10 Easy Ways to Change Your Life...

As Summer has officially started and most schools/colleges are starting too finish, I thought I would give you a list of tips for easy ways to improve your life and increase your mood. These are things that you can include into your everyday routine that will get you feeling 100% happier in no time at all!

1. Wake up at a reasonable time

Everyone loves a good lie-in, myself included! However, it is not healthy to go to bed late and stay in bed all morning. Not only do you spend the day feeling a bit grotty but you also will have a lack of energy as you have been relaxed for too long. Getting into a good routine of going to bed at a decent time and waking up in the morning has a lot of health benefits and will make you feel a lot better.

2. Have a good breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and having the right one can really boost your morning. Recently I have been obsessed with Granola, so I have been having this everyday with either strawberry yogurt or milk. Sometimes I like to add sliced strawberries onto it too. I love this particular breakfast as although it is not extremely healthy, it is filling and makes my body feel good. Skipping breakfast is not advised as it leaves you with a lack of energy and doesn't wake you up properly. If you have little time in the morning, or don't like eating much then even having a piece of fruit can help give you a boost of energy until you are able to eat a decent sized meal.

3. Drink lots of water

On average you should drink at least 3 glasses of water a day, this is very easy to do as you can have a glass of water per meal. I usually drink double this as I like to drink throughout the day and I like a glass of water before bed. Water has a lot of health benefits which a lot of people don't realise, it is very good for your skin and can help clear up blemishes and spots. It can also increase weight loss and help with digestion.

4. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables

This is a pretty obvious tip, everyone tells you "make sure you eat your five a day", but lets be realistic, who is actually able to consistently do this everyday? Introducing lots more fruit and veg into your diet slowly will help your body adapt and it won't feel like too much pressure. Having fruit as an alternative snack to chocolate or biscuits will make a huge difference to your health, but remember you are always allowed a cheat day now and then. Lots of people have been loving making fruit/vegetable smoothies at home to help with there daily intake. This is an easier way of making sure your body has the right nutrients, however having too many smoothies is bad for you. When you blend the fruit for a smoothie, it breaks down all the important vitamins and increases the sugar in the drink. What you think is a healthy alternative is actually something with a high amount of sugar, making it not too great for your body.

5. Get Outside

Going outside for the day can really boost your mood. It gets you active and can be really fun. Going for day trips to the beach, going shopping or even just going for a walk gives you something to do that relaxes your mind and can help with weight loss. It is really important that you don't spend everyday stuck indoors, go outside and take in your surroundings - you will feel a lot better for it!

6. Do some exercise

Exercise has the obvious health benefits that will improve your overall fitness but it also releases endorphins that makes you happy. You can do lots or different types of exercise so find one that you like and stick to it. I love going out for walk/run through a country park near my home, I do this weekly with my Dad and it is really fun. It is a different landscape and it really helps me relax. You don't have to go out somewhere to do exercise either. I am lucky enough to have an exercise bike at home so I am able to go on that whenever I want too, but just doing some ab workouts can really help tone your body or just make you feel a lot happier. You don't need lots of fancy equipment to exercise, if you go onto Youtube, you will find thousands of free workout routines based around what you are capable of. If you are really stuck on what to do, just turn your music up loud and have an epic dance party - this is my preferred choice any day! 

7. Try yoga or meditation

I have recently been really into doing Yoga, it helps me relax and calm down. This is really helpful if you have had a stressful day and you just need to take your mind away for a minute. Again, if you go onto Youtube, you will find some really great yoga routines and poses if you are unsure what to do. I like to do yoga or some sort or stretching every evening before I go to bed, this helps relax muscles and calms me down before I go to sleep. I personally don't do meditation as I have found it doesn't work for me, but try it, it might really help you.

8. Spend free time with friends and loved ones

I think that this is a tip that a lot of people forget but is actually very important. If you want to change your life to become happier, you need to surround yourself with the right people. I know this is something that I personally have realised over the last couple of years. Figure out who your real friends are, the ones that came and never left, the ones that don't judge you for who you are - hang onto them and never let them go. If you surround yourself with people who add to your life then this will help increase your mood too. Your family is also the most important people in your life, make time for them and make memories that you will never forget.

9. Wear clothes that make you happy

Feeling body confident is the best way to change your life. Wear whatever you want to wear as long as it makes you happy and don't compare yourself to others.

10. Have a positive outlook

Out of all my tips, this one is definitely the most important but is also the one that takes the most time to master. Having a positive outlook on life and everything you do will really increase your mood. Make small changes like not worrying over small things and always choosing happiness. Do something that you enjoy and love and over time you will see your outlook change.

Ellie xx

Summer Playlist 2016...

I listen to music everyday usually when I am getting ready in the morning and when I am on the bus too work. It makes me feel very relaxed and happy, so I thought I would share with you some of my current music favourites. Some of these songs I have chosen do have more of a summer vibe to them, so of course as I am writing this, I am listening to a thunderstorm and watching it pour down outside! Typical England!

1. Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande

There was no way that I was going to make this post without this album being my first choice. Ariana released her third studio album in May and I am completely in love with it! I love all of Ariana's albums, however this one really stands out. It definitely has a more mature sound to it compared to the others and the songs really show off her vocal range. My favourite songs from the album are Greedy, Side by Side and Let Me Love You.

2. I Choose You - Sara Bareilles

I discovered this song while watching one of Colleen Evans' youtube videos, she covered it while playing a Ukulele. I instantly fell in love with her cover and wanted to listen to the original - it has now been on a constant loop! The song is very cute and is very easy to sing along too, I love it!

3. Kill Em With Kindness - Selena Gomez

My best friend Leonie introduced me to this song as she has recently become obsessed with it too. The song gives out a really important message and is great to get up and dance to! I also like some of Selena's other songs from her recent album Rival such as Hands to Myself and Same Old Love, she is so underrated!

4. Lush Life - Zara Larsson

This song is 100% the definition of summer! Its feel good and just makes you want to dance. I love playing this really loud and having an epic dance party.

5. Thank You California - Joshua David Evans

I can't really describe how this songs makes me feel, it is so cute! Josh wrote this song about his wife and it is adorable. The song is so good to sing to and is very heartfelt.

6. Sia

For number 6 I have just written Sia as I have recently become obsessed with quite a few of her songs. Her recent single Cheap Thrills is amazing and was on repeat in my playlist, so I decided to search her up on spotify to listen to more. My new favourite is Hostage, it is fast paced and great to dance to!

7. YOUTH - Troye Sivan

I know I am very late to the game with this song, but this is by Troye Sivan who is a youtuber. I really like this song because it has a bit of a different sound to music that I usually listen to but it is fast becoming a firm favourite of mine.

8. Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - Adele

This is Adele's latest single from her most recent album. It is quite different from Adele's other music, it is very upbeat compared to the ballads she normally sings. This makes it quite unique and great to listen too.

9. Famous - Kanye West

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a not so secret obsession with Kanye West. I think he is quite funny and makes some quite decent music. His latest album The Life of Pablo is one of his best, in my personal opinion. I also like Facts from this album too. He songs are a lot harder to sing along to, unless you're are a world renowned rapper of course! However, I think the beat it cool and I like his vibe.

10. Work From Home - Fifth Harmony

I am not a huge fan of Fifth Harmony, but this song is quite good. It has more of a hip-hop vibe too it and I really like it.

What are your music favourites?

Ellie xxx

Dealing with Stress...

Hi everyone!

Recently, I have been under a lot of pressure and stress from exams and revision, I'm sure you all can relate to this! I have been getting very overwhelmed and anxious which has caused me to have meltdowns/small anxiety attacks. They are not very nice and can make you feel very emotionally drained for the rest of the day. This is quite a common issue, especially amongst young people, but I feel not many people are willing too talk about it. Some people also feel that it is 'cool' or 'trendy' to get these anxiety attacks, let me tell you that when I am crying, shaking and unable to breathe, I certainly don't feel 'trendy'! I wanted to make this post to help other people who may be suffering with the same or similar things, I want to talk about some of the things that I do to help calm me down. Hopefully these things might help you too. 

1. Get out of the situation

Lots of different environments can trigger anxiety attacks or make you feel panicked. For some people it can be situations they feel uncomfortable in, such as large crowds. For others it can be things they are doing, such as revision, or how much they have got going on in their mind. I know I may be Captain Obvious with this tip, but a lot of people don't realise how important it is to get out of the situation that is making you anxious. This can be quite difficult depending on where you are, but it is so important to go somewhere quieter to breathe.

2. Get a drink

When you get overwhelmed or start to panic, it is important to cool yourself down by getting a drink. Drink it slowly until your heart rate slows down to its normal pace, I cannot stress to you enough how much this helps when you feel overwhelmed.

3. Listen to music

This may not help for everyone, but when I feel nervous or overwhelmed I like to listen to music. This not only makes me feel slightly better, but it distracts me from my current thought processes. You can also combine this tip with getting a drink as it will really help calm your nerves. I also do this when I feel like I am about to panic, I can usually tell when I am feeling overwhelmed and sometimes I know when I am about to get an anxiety attack. Therefore I help prevent it or prolong the meltdown by listening to music and stopping what I am doing. 

4. Take a break

After you have had an anxiety attack, take a break from what you are doing, don't immediately force yourself back into the situation as it can make you feel worse. Do something that makes you happy, whether that be doing some exercise or watching youtube videos. Make sure to sort out your emotions before carrying on.

5. Know your limits

Just because sometimes you feel nervous or anxious, don't let that stop you from doing something that you want to do. It is important to step out of your comfort zone every now and then. However, don't be afraid to turn something down if you don't feel comfortable or ready. Sometimes other people don't understand why you feel anxious in situations as they don't feel the same, but be honest with them and they should understand.

I really hope this helps.

Ellie xxx

NYX vs. Maybelline: Matte Lip Creams

I am completely obsessed with lip products; lipbalms, lipsticks and more recently matte lip creams! I recently bought two new matte lips creams within a day of each other. The first one is the Vivid Matte Liquid by Maybelline, the second is the Soft Matte Lip Cream by NYX. As they are both very similar products, I thought I would directly compare them to each other to see which product is better.

I got the Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid in shade 40 Berry Boost, and I got the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in shade 18 Prague. They are both berry toned colours, the Maybelline one is slightly more pink whereas the NYX cream has more of a purple hint too it. I love both shades a lot!

Packaging

The packaging for both products are very similar. They both have black writing which contrasts well with the shade of lip cream. They also have a matte black lid which reflects the product itself, with the products being matte, I think this links everything together well. This again contrasts with the shiny bottle.

I think the packaging is quite simple but it works as it doesn't take your focus away from the product itself.

 The Applicator

The applicator is vital to the products success, if it doesn't apply the product well then its just not worth the hassle. 

The applicator on the Maybelline product is quite long and flat, this makes it a little difficult to accurately apply the product on your lips. This also makes it more likely you will go over your lip line and not evenly apply the product.

The NYX lip cream has more of a generic applicator, however, this does make it a lot easier to apply the product to your lips. 

Both applicators are sponge tips so are soft on your lips and doesn't leave them sore or dry after applying.

The NYX lip cream is a thicker formula which mattifies quickly without drying out your lips. In comparison, the Maybelline Matte Liquid is more of a gloss and takes a lot longer to turn matte, sometimes it stays glossy. I have also found that this one also spreads around your lips a lot, which isn't great. 

The Product

I think both products are nice but I do prefer the NYX Soft Matte lip cream, it is easier to apply onto to your lips and has a lot more staying power. It also looks nice when applied and can have a nice professional look to it. The Maybelline Vivid Matte liquid doesn't have the same affect. Sometimes it takes ages to actually dry matte and sometimes it never actually dries. This means it is very easy to spread which is annoying when eating a drinking. When it does dry matte, it dries matte in the middle of your lips and leaves a glossy line around your lip lines which looks nasty. However, this may just be more noticeable as I have a bright colour, if you went for a more nude colour, this might not have the same affect.

I think both colours are really nice and I think the colour ranges for both products are really great as there is a lot to choose from. 

NYX Soft Matte lip cream in £5.50 from Boots and the Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid is £6.99 from Boots. The Maybelline product is more expensive and not as good as NYX.

Ellie xxx

Current Candle Obsessions...

Hi everyone!

Recently I have been really into Candles! That is possibly the weirdest thing I have written, but its true! I got given a Yankee Candle for Christmas, and ever since then I have been obsessed! I thought I would talk about some of my current favourites.

1. Yankee Candle - Cosy By The Fire

This is definitely more of a winter candle as it smells of cinnamon and spices! However, this does not stop me burning it every other night! It is by far my favourite candle out of my little collection as it reminds me of Christmas. This candle also smells a lot when it is lit, which I like as it is doing what it should be doing. Another great thing about this candle, is that although it is small, it lasts a very long time. I like to light this candle at night as it helps me relax after a long day.

2. Bath and Body Works

My final 3 candle favourites have all come from Bath and Body Works in America. When I went over there earlier this year, I saw these mini candles in the shop and I thought they looked really cute! They were 3 for $12, that is the equivalent too about £8 so how could I resist!

The first one I picked up was Honolulu Sun, this is a very pretty blue candle with a very fresh scent. It reminds me of being on holiday! The candle is quite fresh and has a hint of coconuts which balances out the scent well. I also liked that the packaging was quite simple, the lid of the candle had a slight pattern on top which was different to the others too.

The second candle is Amsterdam Spring Tulips, this smells exactly as you would expect! It is perfect for spring as it smells of beautiful tulips. This candle is more of a teal colour which makes it even prettier! I really like burning this and Honolulu Sun at the same time to make my room smell really fresh and pretty.

The final candle is Eucalyptus Mint, this is a light lime green coloured candle. Again this is a nice fresh scent that is slightly lighter than the others.

While I was there, I also picked up a really cute pineapple candle holder for my mini candles.

What are your candle favourites?

Ellie xxx

New York Travel Diary

At the end of March/start of April, I travelled to New York City with my family as part of my 18th birthday present! I know the post is slightly late, but I really wanted to share my experiences and some of the images I took so I can remember it forever!

We travelled too New York via Virgin Atlantic. I have never flown with Virgin Atlantic before so it was quite the experience! The flight was about 8 hours long, it wasn't too bad as I watched some films and ate a lot of food! 

When we arrived, we got the train and subway to get into the city and to our hotel. It took about an hour to get there, I don't remember too much as I was half asleep during the journey. We then arrived at our hotel, did a bit of exploring and then went to bed.

Day 1

On our first day, we really wanted to explore the city and get our bearings. We decided to go up the Empire State Building which was right next to our hotel. I was so excited as *cue cheesy talk* it was my dream coming true. It was quite cloudy but the view from the top was amazing, we could see all the key landmarks. It was boiling hot on our first day, we ended up walking round in just jeans and t-shirts.

Empire State Building

 We then went and did a tour round Madison Square Garden - the World's most famous arena! This was really interesting as they have images of everyone who has performed in the arena. We didn't get too go into the changing rooms as they had a game later in the evening, but we did see everywhere else. I learnt a lot and it was really enjoyable.

Madison Square Garden

For dinner we went to a normal restaurant which was nice, I had a chicken Quesadilla, which caused many discussions during the trip on how it is pronounced. After dinner, we explored Macy's which is huge! Safe to say, we didn't manage to see all of it!

Day 2

Before we did saw some more touristy places, we went and did some shopping which I was very happy about! We went to a nearby mall and looked in Aeropostale which is one of my favourite American clothing shops. We also went into the biggest Victoria Secret I have ever seen! It was on 5th Avenue and it was three storeys high! In the windows it had some of the outfits from this season's runway, including the one that Kendall Jenner wore, I thought that was pretty cool.

Fifth Avenue

After we finished shopping, we went to see the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island. We travelled to Battery Park on the subway and then got the boat across to the island. I became your typical tourist and bought a Statue of Liberty foam hat, I wore it with pride! The boat then took us too Ellis Island which is where the first immigrants landed before trying to make a life in the U.S. The island has a huge museum too look around, it was very interesting but we didn't stay long.

Statue of Liberty

We hopped back on the boat which took us back to the mainland where we then walked to the new World Trade Centre and the 9/11 memorial. The memorial was very eye opening and well thought out.

New World Trade Centre

We decided that for dinner we would walk from the memorial through Chinatown and head towards Little Italy. This was really cool to experience although slightly confusing when you saw the merge between Chinese shops/restaurants too Italian shops/restaurants.

We ate at this nice Italian restaurant, I had Cabonara Pasta for main and Chocolate Cannoli for dessert.

Day 3

The third day was our final full day in New York which was sad. It was also the coldest day of the trip, we were all fully wrapped up as we walked around the city in 0 degrees, it did not dampen our spirits though! We walked through Times Square which is incredible! It is probably one of my favourite parts of the city, so many things to look at and take in. We browsed in some of the shops there such as the Hard Rock Cafe and Bubba Gump Shrimp.

Times Square

 After this, we walked towards the Rockefeller Building. This is where they have the big Christmas tree and where the Jimmy Fallon Show is filmed. We went up the building which gave great views, you also got a great view of Central Park and the Empire State. It was even colder and windier up the top which made it difficult to stand outside for too long.

Central Park

We then walked through some of Central Park, past the ice rink. I would have liked to explore further but we were running out of time to see everything we wanted so we left and headed towards Grand Central Station.

On our walk towards the station, we popped into Tiffany & Co, for a browse. 

Grand Central Station was amazing! It was just like the movies!

Grand Central Station

For dinner we went to a little diner where I ate another chicken Quesadilla because I am obsessed! 

Day 4

On the fourth and final day, we were on a mission to find Bath and Body Works which is one of my favourite shops in America. We found one in the Flat-iron district which made me super happy!

We also saw the Flat-iron building which is really cool. 

Flat-Iron Building

After this, we sat in a sports bar for about an hour to have some food and drinks before our flight home. I got quite emotional as I really didn't want too leave the city I had fallen in love with.

Central Park

 I had such a great time in New York and I am determined too go back again one day. If you want to see some videos from New York, then check out my travel diary on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOGmn1sqrEs

Ellie xxx