Gluten Free Nesquik & Nutella Popsicles

Beat the heat this summer with this quick & delicious, chocolate lover's popsicle!

 

Have I mentioned that Manchester is in the throes of a heatwave? Average summertime temps here are 55 to 60. For much of last week and all this week and forecast for all of next week, temps are hovering around 70. It's lovely but hard work without any air conditioning. So, we've been looking for other ways to stay cool and incorporating lots of water play into our routine including splashing around in the bath at the hottest part of the day!

I've been seeking out edible ways to cool down as well! A friend shared with me a link for Nutella popsicles and I thought they were intriguing. In true, Anyonita Nibbles style, I've played around with the recipe and made it my own. The addition of the Nesquik really amps up the chocolatey flavor of these. They're finished off with a final ribbon of rich Nutella before being dabbed with sugar dots.

They're so quick to make and use three ingredients you probably have in your cupboard already! If you make them before breakfast, they'll be ready for lunch time when little hands would enjoy helping you dredge these in soft, silky Nutella and crunching them in small bowls of sugar dots or sprinkles.

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Tasty Tuesdays #18 + 10 Stunning Food Photos

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

This link party is all about sharing recipes & food-related posts! Joining in is easy; just click "You are Next" and copy/paste the URL of a previously unlinked blog post's URL. Choose a flattering photo to upload and then click some of the other great posts in the party and meet new bloggers!

Why should you link up to Tasty Tuesdays?

Linking up to parties and leaving comments on other posts is a proven way to increase traffic to your blog and grow your blog's followers!

All Tasty Tuesdays participants get guaranteed Pinterest exposure; we pin every post you share because this party is about everyone getting exposure for their blog! I also make sure I leave a valuable comment on each post because if you've taken the time to link up on my blog, it's the least I can do! Be sure to follow our Tasty Tuesdays board on Pinterest to see your post and all the rest from the party!


All Tasty Tuesdays featured bloggers get added to a beautiful roundup and get followed on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, G+, Google Friend Connect and Bloglovin'! Here's how we do features on Tasty Tuesdays:

Featured from last week's party

Let's face facts. We eat with our eyes and judge food by the way it looks. This week, we wanted to share with you 10 truly stunning plates of food from savory to sweet. Be sure to click the links below the photos to view these photos; they're worth seeing full size, trust us!

Gluten Free Kale Berry Smoothie

Summertime has finally arrived here in Manchester. The weather's balmy and the nights are ever-so-slightly cool, but temperatures are holding steady around the low to mid 70s. Here in Manchester, that's hot back in in North Carolina, with these temperatures at summertime, we'd be grabbing the scarves and jackets!


One thing's sure no matter where you are: summer is the perfect time for cool, refreshing smoothies. Slipping in some extra greens is an added bonus, too! This smoothie is one of my favorite! Made with kale, fat free strawberry Greek yogurt, a tiny drizzle honey and raspberries and blackberries. Delish!

Product Review: Schwartz 2 in 1 Mediterranean Chicken Pasta & Cheesy Crumb Topping

I'm not a from-the-packet mom. Although it sometimes takes more time and requires loads of organization, I prefer to cook things for my family from scratch. I think it's more nurturing and that you can really feel the love when you make things yourself. You can also adjust the flavor and the seasoning to reflect your tastes.

I'm not anti from the packet by any means. I understand the need for quick food without having to put loads of effort into it. After a long day nothing seems more appealing than the satisfying rip of a packet, pouring the content into a baking dish and bunging it in the oven before retreating to the solace of the sofa.

Gluten Free Ouefs en Cocotte avec Chorizo et Mascarpone

Ouefs en Cocotte avec Chorizo et Mascarpone is fancy French for: Eggs in Pots with Chorizo and Mascarpone. Or more colloquially still: Baked Eggs with Sausage and Cheese. No matter what you call this dish, the verdict is the same. It's pretty freaking delicious. 

I first heard about this dish in Paris. When I was about 6 months pregnant, my husband and I went on a roadtrip from Manchester, around Normandy and Brittany, to Paris. It was nice enough, but a bit annoying since I couldn't eat soft cheese, runny eggs, most seafood or drink wine. Probably not the best time to go France! The entire time I was there, I kept seeing this dish on the menus ouefs en cocotte, ouefs en cocotte and I desperately wanted to try it! Instead, I engorged on McCafe for the whole two weeks we were away, eating cheeseburgers and macarons.

A few weeks ago, we went a little bulk buying crazy and got a bumper of chorizo from Costco and needed a way to use it before it spoiled. For inspiration, I turned to Rachel Khoo's Little Paris Kitchen cookbook and almost immediately spotted her recipe for ouefs en cocotte. Without a bun in the oven, I shouted, "Hells yeah!" and went to preheat the oven. (Yes, I really shouted that.) Take note, my recipe differs greatly from Rachel's. She has a more classic version of this dish in her book.

How to Optimize Photos for Pinterest

Written by: Anyonita Green on 7/4/2103

Welcome to the Blogging Crash Course! Helping you grow your blog into the powerhouse you know it can be!

Last week, we looked at the importance of watermarking photos. This week, we continue our photo discussion and talk about how to optimize your photos for Pinterest. 

If you haven't read the watermarking photos post, then I suggest you start there and then come back as watermarking is especially important for Pinterest. 

This week we're going to talk about a few Pinterest tips to help with getting your photos noticed, including titles, the often overlooked alt text, file names and keyword best practice. If you've wondered how to get your photos on the search results pages of Pinterest, then this is the tutorial for you! All right, let's go!

Gluten Free Patriotic Fruit Braid for July 4th

Today we're doing something completely new! I'm on a guest posting staycation! That means this post was written for Sugar Bee Crafts but instead of appearing over on that blog, it's going to be here! How cool is that idea?

When Mandy first announced the theme for these guest posts, I was stumped. I didn't want to share the same old patriotic desserts we've all seen a hundred times. I wanted something delicious and enticing. Something that you would remember and that you could make in 20 minutes. That's where the idea for this Patriotic Fruit Braid came! It's a follow on from my Turkey & Stuffin' Braid with Cranberry and Pistachio, this is just the dessert version! It's also filled with my homemade blueberry freezer jam, too!

Cute & Clever Treats For Kids + Tasty Tuesdays #17

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

This link party is all about sharing recipes & food-related posts! Joining in is easy; just click "You are Next" and copy/paste the URL of a previously unlinked blog post's URL. Choose a flattering photo to upload and then click some of the other great posts in the party and meet new bloggers!

Why should you link up to Tasty Tuesdays?

Linking up to parties and leaving comments on other posts is a proven way to increase traffic to your blog and grow your blog's followers!

All Tasty Tuesdays participants get guaranteed Pinterest exposure; we pin every post you share because this party is about everyone getting exposure for their blog! I also make sure I leave a valuable comment on each post because if you've taken the time to link up on my blog, it's the least I can do! Be sure to follow our Tasty Tuesdays board on Pinterest to see your post and all the rest from the party!


All Tasty Tuesdays featured bloggers get added to a beautiful roundup and get followed on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, G+, Google Friend Connect and Bloglovin'! Here's how we do features on Tasty Tuesdays:

Featured from last week's party

Last week we had so many yummy kid-friendly recipes that I thought it would be nice to feature some of the most viewed ones! There's something for every kid here including gluten-free treats, dairy-free treats and even paleo treats! 

Rory O'Connell's Gluten Free Grilled Cod with Roast Cumin and Tomato and Coriander Simple Sauce

You know that saying, behind every great man there's a great woman? Well behind every great chef there's a great cookery teacher and for many of today's chefs, it's Rory O'Connell. When I was asked whether I'd like to review a recipe from O'Connell's new publication, I was excited and a little nervous!

I've been aware of O'Connell's culinary clout for years and thought I would be intimidated by the recipes in the book. I coudn't have been more wrong! In the sample of the book I received, O'Connell explains each recipe thoroughly, telling readers step-by-step what needs to be done. So, with some fresh cod in the house, I couldn't resist this delicious dish from O'Connell's Master It: How to Cook Today book.

My family loved it--the flavors were simple yet powerful. I enjoyed learning a new technique with the simple butter sauce and will be using it again in the future, I'm sure. The combination of cod and cumin is one that I'd only ever encountered in a curry, but now love the flavors without the usual heavy curry sauce associated with them. The other great thing about this dish is how quickly it comes together! I was finished cooking and dinner was in the table in 20 minutes. For a fresh and healthy weeknight supper, you can't beat that.

Before serving, I added baked sweet potato nibs and peas since I always try to serve two vegetables with every meal for Callum, my toddler. If you followed O'Connell's recipe and didn't add the sweet potato and peas, this would be filling enough for lunch or a light dinner.

I was provided with a preview copy of Rory O'Connell's Master It: How to Cook Today book, but all opinions of the dish and book are mine and have not been purchased or influenced.

Gluten Free Homemade Taco Seasoning

Make your own taco seasoning and always have a stash on hand for adding flavour to your dishes!

This is a simple base recipe that you'll use time and time again to make a number of flavourful Mexican dishes and Mexican-inspired meals. You'll probably have all of the ingredients on hand, just combine them to make your own taco seasoning mix. Store it in an airtight container and it will keep for 3 months.