Healthy Breakfast - Banana Oat Pancakes Recipe

I have a massive sweet tooth and if you read my New Year post you'll know that I am trying to up my exercise and eat a more healthy diet - something that can be difficult when you love sweet things as much as I do! So I've been experimenting in the kitchen and I threw together this really easy mixture which made some great (and sweet) tasting pancakes using all natural ingredients and no added sugar.

You will need:-

1 banana

1 free range egg

1/4 mug of wholegrain oats

Coconut oil

A small drop of pure honey

Handful of blueberries (for the topping)

First of all I chopped up the banana and placed it in a blender along with the oats and whizzed it all up for 10 to 20 seconds. (I don't have a proper food processor so I just used my Breville Blend Active which is great for making smoothies to go!) I then added the egg and a drop of honey and blended it all for a further 10 to 20 seconds until the mixture had a nice consistency. 

I then melted about half a teaspoon of organic coconut oil in a griddle pan and added 3 heaped large spoonfuls of the mixture to the pan separately. 

I let the pancakes cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium heat then flipped them over for the other side to cook for the same amount of time.

Once nicely browned on both sides I piled them on a plate and added a handful of blueberries on top.

It's as easy as that! How nice do they look?! The banana gives them a lovely sweet taste without having to add any refined sugary products. All natural and all healthy!

I think this is going to be one of my new favourite weekend breakfasts as they're so quick and easy to make and it feels like a real treat. I'm going to be experimenting with different toppings to switch it up a bit and see which I like best.

Do you have any great healthy breakfast ideas? Let me know if you have a go at making these yourself by leaving a comment below!

Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick Review - Shade #56 Teheran

I never used to wear lipstick at all - I'd avoid it at all costs thinking that the slightest bit of colour would draw attention to myself. A few years ago though I started buying MAC lipsticks and began experimenting with brighter bolder colours, understanding how the right shade can finish off your look perfectly. 

I started off buying MAC and 'drugstore' brands from Boots and then a few months ago I splashed out on my first Chanel lipstick - Chanel Rouge Coco in shade 56 Teheran. 

My 1 Year Blog Birthday and 100th Post!

Image Source: www.pixabay.com

Happy Birthday to meeeeeeee! Well, not me, but my blog! Yes, today 'What Shell Says' is one year old and this is also my 100th post...hurrah!!

I started this blog on 12th January 2014 and it has had a big impact on my life that I could never have expected. It has allowed me to be creative again, in writing and photography and to be more experimental with make up and fashion. Going to blogger events and networking with brands and PR companies has increased my confidence and it has led me into a community where I feel at home. 

I was petrified of attending my first blogger event - I would never have dreamed of going somewhere where I didn't know a single soul but I told myself to 'man-up' and go for it. What could go wrong? If I felt like a total idiot stood on my own then I could just leave and go home, but at least I would have given it a go. I need not have worried though as I met the loveliest girls that night who made me feel so welcome. 

I didn't think that starting this little blog would lead to making new friends with similar interests, but that has been one of the highlights of my first year of blogging. A special mention has to be made to my lovely friends  Anoushka, Katie, Jess, Georgie and Katie who I met at my very first event. These ladies are fabulous and I love attending blogger events with them. I have also got to know the lovely Italian fashionista Anna this past year who I can talk about my love of Venice with!

 I also talk to lots of other bloggers through Twitter and two that were there right from the start were Laura and Julie. They've both been a big support to me in trying to get my blog up and running (especially Julie when I've been baffled by html coding!)

Last but not least though, I'm grateful to each and every person who reads my posts. Never in a million years did I think that my little blog would attract any attention but thanks to you it has. I've been given opportunities to work with some amazing companies which I never thought possible for me and it's all because you continue to read my posts and follow me on my journey. So for that I thank you dearly!

I hope I can continue to improve my posts and photography and create some great content for 2015. Here's to another fab 12 months of blogging!

Jo Malone Cologne - Wood Sage and Sea Salt

I'm probably the last person in the world to own this perfume - I've seen it featured on so many blogs as the latest 'must-have' scent, but to be honest I'm quite picky with the perfumes I wear so I didn't rush out to buy it. However, fast forward a couple of months and whilst on a shopping trip to the Trafford Centre with my husband I saw this on display in the Selfridges beauty hall and thought I would try it. I instantly fell in love with the scent. I don't usually buy myself perfumes though so I left empty handed.

Little did I know that my lovely hubby had been paying attention and a bottle of this was waiting for me under the tree on Christmas morning!

It's a beautiful fresh perfume which instantly awakens the senses. Inspired by fresh breezes, crashing waves along the shore and the earthy wood scent of sage, the ingredients blend together perfectly to create a beautiful and sophisticated feminine scent. I like perfumes with a woody base so this suits me perfectly. It's not a sweet or floral scent, just lovely and fresh and unlike any perfume I've ever smelt before. 

This is one of my new favourites and I think it will become a permanent feature on my dressing table.

A 30ml bottle retails at £40 and the larger 100ml bottle retails at £82.

Have you tried Wood Sage & Sea Salt?

Lush Butter Bear Bath Ballistic Review

One of my favourite things about Christmas is getting a new bath/shower set. After opening presents on Christmas morning I love taking a long bath or shower and using all the new toiletries that I've received as presents. This year I received quite a few and one of my favourites was the Lush Candy Box gift box. (Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the box before I unwrapped it all though - oops, sorry!)

The first item from the set that I used was the Butter Bear Bath Ballistic - a cute looking bear shaped bath bomb and special updated version of their original Butterball Ballistic especially for the Christmas season.

Happy New Year! Hello 2015

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a lovely New Year's Eve whatever you chose to do. I stayed in and had family round for drinks and a big Chinese takeaway which was delicious!

Firstly I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has read my blog in 2014 - when I started it in January I honestly didn't think anyone would look at it so I really am truly grateful. I hope I can continue to improve my blog in 2015.

I've been a bit quiet on here over the past two weeks due to the the craziness of Christmas but I decided to not put any pressure on myself to get blog posts written and published and just enjoy the time off work to spend quality time with my friends and family. I've had a fab time and I think that little break has done me the world of good.

Looking back at 2014 it has been one of the best years yet.

...in January I set up this blog and published my first post
...in February me and my husband celebrated 10 wonderful years together since our first date
...in May we went on a family holiday to one of our favourite places - Murcia in Spain
...in June me and my husband celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary
...in September I celebrated my 30th birthday on holiday in Portugal with friends and family and stayed in the    most amazing villa

...in October my husband surprised me with a birthday trip to Venice which has created memories I will        treasure forever 

...in November my best friend turned 30 and threw a big party, and 

...in December we had one of the nicest and most fun family Christmases! 

2014 has been great and I'm looking forward to seeing what 2015 brings. I've made myself a little resolution to eat healthier and exercise more and I will be signing up to an online programme, so keep an eye out here for reviews and updates.

I wish you all health, wealth and happiness for 2015.......let's make it a good one!

Join in the Text Santa Campaign with TheHut.com!

Text Santa is ITV’s charity fundraiser appeal which runs every year in December. It aims to raise money and awareness for six selected charities to make a difference at the most special time of year.......Christmas!

The chosen charities for 2014 are:

Alzheimer’s Society
Guide Dogs
Marie Curie Cancer Care
Teenage Cancer Trust
Together for Short Lives
WellChild

The appeal first started in 2011 and last year saw over £5million being raised to help those in need.

This year online retailer TheHut.com are getting involved in the campaign and have a range of loungewear for kids and adults for sale, with a minimum 25% donation from each sale going to the Text Santa appeal which will be shared equally between the six chosen charities. You can see the full range here. I love the women's T-shirts featuring festive illustrations by Ben Mosley and the pink snowflake print onesie is fab! If you're stuck for last minute Christmas gift ideas please take a look at this range and join in with the campaign!

The Text Santa telethon will be on ITV tonight at 8pm so make sure you tune in! I will be watching in my pink 'Text Santa' onesie* and texting in my donation.