Skip to main content

DISNEY, DUBLIN AND FESTIVAL FUN

As the days get colder and the rain more frequent, I've found myself looking back through photos from the summer. I was lucky to have a very busy few months after finishing my first year of university and had the best time so I thought I'd do a recap of everything I got up to. Festivals I'd never been to a festival before and this year I went to 3! The first was The Isle of Wight Festival which was just amazing and I definitely think it's a festival for everyone to enjoy. We were able to see some amazing artists including Lewis Capaldi, Tom Grennan, The Kooks, Rudimental, Madness, Shaggy and so many more. I did end up burning myself really badly on the first day, despite frequently applying suncream but that was a small price to pay and I've already planned to go again in 2023!  I also went to Boomtown which is a different kind of experience music wise but was so good to spend time with my boyfriend - Ryan and our friends. Also, the sets were incredible, and the eff

SUMMER RECIPE IDEAS

Magazines used in photo: Ocado Life, Tesco, Homemaker

I feel like we're having a proper summer here in England this year, (though typically it's been raining today) and when it's hot out I always like to have foods that are full of flavour, colour and are pretty easy to make. However, I often find myself eating the same things so I've made a Pinterest board with recipes I want to try out and thought I'd share some of my favourites!

Breakfast

So to start off the day I've gone for something that you probably shouldn't have every day but if you paired it with some fruit then it would make a delicious breakfast to wake up to! This recipe is for Nutella Brioche which just sounds great, doesn't it and it's something that lots of people can eat. It does take a while to prepare but the cook time is only 40 minutes, which I think is totally worth it! 

Credit to Dina from Simply Home Cooked for the recipe and image


Lunch

Instead of a conventional sandwich, I thought I'd pick something a bit different for lunch, these Grilled Bruschetta Skewers would be a perfect addition to a picnic or even a barbeque! I'm obsessed with pesto at the moment and this seems like a great idea to have it in a more interesting way so I'll definitely be trying these out. They are super quick and easy to make, plus the recipe produces 20 skewers which is ideal for a family or friends gathering and you could definitely adapt it if you wanted to add different things! 

Credit to Annalise from Completely Delicious for the recipe and image

Dinner

When I hear summer I automatically think of barbecues so a burger is an obvious choice for dinner, however, this particular one caught my eye as it's a bit different from your classic, simple one! When I found this recipe for a Cheesy Salsa Burger I knew it would be right up my street and really want to try it out now, I love how a few additions can completely transform a dish. I'm actually not a fan of avocado (controversial, I know) so I probably would leave that out but other than that it looks delicious! As a side dish I thought that these Parmesan Garlic Fries looked so good and are really simple too, which is ideal when you don't want to be cooking for too long. 

Credit to Brandy from Nutmeg Nanny for the burger recipe and image
Credit to London from Evolving Table for the fries recipe and image

Dessert

There were so many dessert recipes that looked amazing but I picked out two items that include some of my favourite summer flavours. Firstly are these Lemon & Raspberry Cupcakes, which just look so good, I mean who wouldn't be proud to serve these! Lemon cakes are probably one of my favourites and these only take around an hour to make so what's not to like?! Secondly I've gone with this Mango Sorbet, its light, refreshing and mango is definitely one of my go-to summer fruits!

Credit to Ashley from Baker by Nature for the recipe and image
Credit to Sandhya from Sandhya's Kitchen for the recipe and image

Snack

Everyone needs something they can grab as a snack at some point during the day don't they! Now snacks can come in many forms so I've chosen something savoury, something sweet and then something a bit healthier! Firstly are these Cheese & Pesto Whirls which would be perfect for a mid-morning snack and just look delicious! Alternatively, if you fancy something sweet then why not try this Cinnamon Pretzel recipe, it's so simple but the cinnamon sugar is just the best and makes for a great little treat. However, if you're looking for something a bit healthier then why not go for a Fruit Salad, which screams summer. This particular one combines some of my favourite fruits with a citrus-honey dressing and fresh mint, it would be the perfect snack on a hot day!

Credit to Cassie from BBC Good Food for the pesto recipe and image
Credit to Debbie from One Little Project for the pretzel recipe and image
Credit to Ingrid from The Cozy Apron for the fruit recipe and image


Drink 

Now I couldn't make a summer recipe post without adding a bit about drinks! When it's hot out, all you want to do is have a refreshing drink on hand and fruity flavours are definitely my first choice. This first recipe is for a Raspberry Peach Lemonade which just sounds so amazing and would be the perfect thing to drink on a summers day. It's also a great thing to make if you've got guests and is something a bit different from normal lemonade! I also love to drink smoothies at this time of the year, I love that there are so many variations and you can be really creative. However, my favourite has to be a Tropical Smoothie, this particular one includes 4 fruits: pineapple, mango, orange and banana which is definitely a combination I like but you could also add in whatever you fancy!

Credit to Amanda from The Chunky Chef for the lemonade recipe and image
Credit to Ali from Gimme Some Oven for the smoothie recipe and image

I hope to try out all of these recipes as they all sound amazing, be sure to let me know if you make any! Or if you'd like to check out my Pinterest board, where I've saved lots more recipes, then please head on over. I've organised it into sections so hopefully, it's pretty easy to find everything! 

Comments

  1. I am digging all of these delicious foods! Oh man, the nutella brioche sounds so good - Maybe if I have just once slice :P. The grilled bruschetta skewers look so fancy! I know I'd appreciate that as a finger food. Oh man, those garlic fries are to love for!!! I am a total fan of the raspberry peach lemonade - maybe a bigger fan if I spike it up XD. Thanks for sharing these!

    Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know it all looks so delicious doesn’t it, totally agree about the bruschetta skewers - they’re so simple but fancy at the same time! Haha yeah I like the sound of that!! Thanks for reading xx

      Delete
  2. I was so hungry whilst writing it haha! The cupcakes are so pretty aren’t they, I bet they’re amazing! Thanks for reading xxx

    ReplyDelete
  3. All the food looks so good in the pictures! I definitely love the look of the lemon and raspberry cupcake, haha. That one is definitely something I would like to try! A fruit salad is also perfect choice for the summer weather, although as you said, it has been raining the past few days, but it's not as bad as it's nice with it being quite a bit cooler!

    Amy,
    https://creativenails.uk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I love a fruit salad when it’s hot out, it’s perfect for the summer! It definitely is quite nice to have some cooler weather isn’t it! Thanks for reading x

      Delete
  4. I've been looking for some summer recipes so this is incredibly well timed! Those grilled bruschetta skewers sound absolutely amazing, will definitely be giving those a try!

    Jas xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha let me know if you do give them a go! Thanks for reading xx

      Delete
  5. The Nutella Brioche looks amazing! You could prepare the night before if you were trying to save time! I'm mad to do an extra bit of cooking, and learn a few extra recipes over the Summer, so this post will come in handy!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah it would be great to wake up knowing you had that to say in the morning! Ooh let me know if you make any!x

      Delete
  6. These all look like amazing recipes, especially the cheesy salsa burger and the cinnamon pretzel. Right now I am trying to start eating healthier and cleaner, so maybe I'll find some alternatives.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I’m trying to eat better but sometimes it’s definitely nice to treat yourself isn’t it! Thanks for reading!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BLOGMAS: CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

Christmas is approaching so today I thought I'd share my gift guide to hopefully give you inspiration for the people you are buying for this year. I am going to do a combination of gifts for her, gifts for him and then gifts for anyone!  Knitted Jumper - Perfect for this time of the year and something most people would appreciate. Head over to Asos for a huge selection!  Jacket - Another one that is useful for the colder weather, personally I'd like a denim jacket this Christmas but you could also go for a leather, smarter or bomber jacket. Have a look on Topshop for some inspiration!        Image via: Topshop  Shirt - This is definitely something I know my Dad would appreciate and would be a great present if you tend to dress smarter on Christmas day! There are some great choices at John Lewis and Marks and Spencer.  Slippers - Another ideal gift for this time of the year and so cosy,  Next  have some great ones!  Converse - Another one that is on my l

1 YEAR OF BLOGGING!

I did it, a whole year of blogging! I'm so glad that I stuck at it because I enjoy it so much and can't believe how much progress I've made with it all. Not only that, but I've connected to so many people all around the world which is just amazing, I can't wait to see what the next year working on my blog brings! Anyway, here is a sum up of my blogging journey so far. What I've achieved - Just over 50 posts which is equal to roughly 1 per week, and I'm definitely pleased with that! I started off slow and could have probably done a lot more but at least I've got something to work towards! - Hit 1.5k+ followers on my blog Twitter account and also had 30.5k impressions in my best month - Reached 200+ followers on my blog Instagram account after starting to properly use it in May - Had 2562 viewers on Pinterest in one day and an average of around 1000 - Over 9000 pageviews, the fact that I'm on the way to 10,000 blows my mind! -

MID-YEAR GOALS

Since we're halfway through the year I thought I'd do some reflecting and wanted to refocus on some goals to work towards for the rest of 2018. I like having something to work towards whether it's more short-term or something that I'd like to improve over time. I've tried to include a range of things so I can target different aspects of my life! Blogging Goals Hit 2000 followers on Twitter - I just hit 1.5k so 2000 is my next goal! I'm really pleased with how my Twitter following is growing as it's my favourite social media and way to connect! Hit 500 followers on Instagram - My blog account is pretty new & I'm still learning to use it for blogging but I hope to reach at least 500 followers. Work with more companies - It's so rewarding when brands contact and want to work with you so I'd love to work with more companies, I've not had much experience of it but have done a couple of reviews! Schedule more posts - It&