BREAKFAST ACAI BERRY BOWL

If you're wondering what an acai bowl actually is then let me tell you in the simplest way. An acai bowl is basically just a really thick smoothie that you can make look pretty with a variety of different toppings of your choice - both for decorative purposes but also for added yummy-ness. Personally I love making acai bowls because not only are they full of goodness that our bodies love, they taste pretty good too. They're an energising and filling breakfast option also. You can be as adventurous as you want with ingredients or keep it minimal; the internet is not short on recipes. 

My favourite acai bowl is the 'berry bowl'. It's super easy to make, tastes f*cking awesome, is definitely aesthetically pleasing on it's own (purpled-pink in colour) and let's not forget that it's completely healthy! 

Ingredients:

• X2 frozen bananas. 
• 1 cupful of frozen blueberries.
• 1/2 cupful of raspberries.
• 1 tbsp of chai seeds.
• 1/2 cupful of unsweetened almond milk. 

Pretty basic ingredients right? Just incase anyone was wondering I will explain the ingredients. The bananas are essential to give the mixture a creaminess and are also packed with vitamin B6  which can help protect against type 2 diabetes. The blueberries are what give the mixture it's vibrant pinky-purple colour along with the raspberries and are great antioxidants and also a good source of fibre and copper. Plus they are one of my favourite fruits and give the 'nice cream' a sweeter taste. The raspberries are also great antidioxidants. The word frozen in the ingredients list is essential to produce the nice-cream effect; keeping the mixture thick and of the same consistency as ice cream. Chai seeds are used to add more texture to the mixture but also for their amazing health properties; highly nutritious, loaded with fibre, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients. The almond milk makes it easier for the frozen fruits to blend, adds a slight 'nutty' taste that isn't strong enough to overpower the other ingredients and is the healthier alternative ingredient to using any dairy products. 

When making my acai bowls I prefer for the 'smoothie' portion of the bowl to essentially be dairy-free ice-cream AKA 'nice-cream'. It's really easy to make; infact you can make one using just three simple steps. 

STEP 1: Freeze your bananas and berries the night before so they are completely frozen by the next morning. 

STEP 2: Add all of your ingredients into the blender. 

STEP 3: BLEND - until a smooth but thick consistency. 

Pour into a bowl of your choice and there you have it, your very own berry nice-cream! Now the fun part of decorating with toppings.... I chose to keep it simple adding some sliced strawberry pieces, a small handful of blueberries, some granola and cocoa shavings and to finish a sprinkle of oats. 

Hope you enjoyed this little recipe..

Jodie 

x

MY BUCKET LIST

                1. Go on a road trip with no planned destination. 

2. Explore a shipwreck.

3. Spend the night in an igloo.

4. Camp in the woods.

5. Go tree climbing.

6. Go to a drive in cinema.

7. Bury a time capsule.

8. Send a message in a bottle across the ocean.

9. Go fishing and catch a fish. ✓

10. Discover something.

11. Learn a new language.  

12. Visit Mount Everast.

13. Ride on a motorbike.

14. Visit Tutan Khamun’s tomb.

15. See the ancient pyramids in Egypt.

16. Get my photo taking kissing the ancient sphinx.

17. Run a marathon.

18. Fly a plane.

19. See the northern lights.

20. Go in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia, Turkey. 

21. Go to the bottom of the ocean.

22. Ride in a helicopter.

23. Go snowboarding. 

24. Surf.

25. Coachella.

26. Tomorrowland.

27. Join a protest.

28. Cuddle under the stars. ✓

29. Fall in love. ✓

30. Get a tattoo. ✓

31. Make a positive difference.

32. Kiss under mistletoe.

33. Take kissing photos in a kissing booth.

34. New years kiss. ✓

35. Underwater kiss.

36. Skydive.

37. Volunteer.

38. Rescue an animal.  ✓

39. Learn to play an instrument.

40. Visit every state in America.

41. Visit Area 51.

42. Scuba Dive.

43. Go snorkelling.

44. Set foot on each of the seven continents.

45. See a Luna eclipse. ✓

46. Attend London Fashion Week. 

47. Go to Walker Stalker Con.

48. Go to Madame Tussad’s.

49. Go on the London Eye.

50. Visit the London Natural History museum.

51. Walk through hyde park.

52. Cross the Abbey road crossing.

53. Take a train from London to Paris.

54. Visit the Eiffel Tower.

55. Have dinner in the Eiffel Tower restaurant.

56. Put a lock on the Pont de l'archevêché bridge in Paris.

57. Visit All 7 wonders of the world.

58. Grand Canyon. ✓

59. Drive through the desert.  ✓

60. Go zip lining.

61. Spend new year in New York.

62. Have a bonfire on the beach.

63. Take part in a food fight.

64. Swim with turtles.

65. Rafting down a waterfall.

66. Ride a camel in the desert.

67. Walk the Great Wall of China & leave a note in one of its cracks.

68. Go on a safari in Africa.

69. Join a disaster relief team.

70. Skinny dip in the ocean. 

71. Fire a gun.

72. Brooklyn Bridge. 

73. Golden Gate Bridge.

74. Bake a rainbow cake.

75. Visit Bora Bora.

76. Watch fireworks from inside a plane.

77. Fly over the Heart Reef in Australia.

78. Go to Hamilton Island.

79. Visit Bali.

80. Galapagos islands.

81. Buy macaroons in Paris.

82. Visit the Cascade mountains.

83. Go to sturgis.

84. Attend Loy Krathong (sky lantern festival in Thailand).

85. Jump off a bridge into water.

86. Go to a masquerade ball.

87. Shout from the top of a mountain.

88. Bathe an elephant.

89. Kiss on top of a ferris wheel.

90. Meditate under a waterfall.

91. Throw a coin into the fountain di trevi in Italy.

92. Visit Phuket, Thailand.

93. Ride a bike in Amsterdam.

94. Go sailing.

95. Visit the temples of Angkor.

96. Pass my driving test. ✓

97. Snorkel in the great barrier reef.

98. Buy/build my dream house.

99. Crowd surf.

100. Hollywood walk of fame. ✓

101. Own a pug.  ✓

102. Buy a homeless person something to eat.  ✓

103. Kiss in the rain.

104. Go to Paris.

105. Have a song written for/about me.

106. Be happy with myself.

107. Visit/Trek Machu Picchu.

108. Go to Tokyo.

109. Go quad biking.

110. Hike the inca trail.

111. Go to yellowstone national park.

112. Go whale watching.

113. Visit under water caves.

114. Go to Hobbiton.

115. Go canoeing. 

116. Jet Ski.

117. Travel through the amazon jungle.

118. Be a tv/film extra. 

119. Serve food at a soup kitchen.

120. Watch a space shuttle launch.

121. Go to university and get a degree.

122. Learn to say hello in ten languages. 

123. Visit a Buddhist temple. 

124. Experience zero gravity. 

125. Climb mount Kilimanjaro. 

126. Meet a sloth.

127. See a wild wolf.

128. Parasail.

129. Watch the sun set and rise in one day.

130. Have meaningful conversation with a stranger.

131. Top of the Rock. ✓

132. Go to New York. ✓

133. Visit Niagara Falls. ✓

134. See the statue of liberty. ✓

135. Ride the subway. ✓

136. Times Square. ✓

137. Visit Petra.

138. Christ the Redeemer Statue. 

139. Visit Chichen Itza. 

140. Visit the Colosseum. 

141. Visit the Taj Mahal.

142. Attend a traditional indian wedding.

143. Hoover Dam. ✓

144. Las Vegas. ✓

145. Ride in a yellow cab in New York.

146. Visit the temple of Artemis. 

147. Swim in the red sea.

148. Visit Pink Lake in Australia.

149. Pamukkale, Turkey.

150. Walk through central Park. ✓

151. Visit “The Door to Hell” in Turkmenistan.

152. Visit Ronda city, Spain.

153. Shop on Fifth Avenue. ✓

154. Go to Los Angeles. ✓

155. Visit Milan.

156. Visit Rome.

157. Go to Barcelona.

158. Go on holiday in Santorini.

159. Go to Dubai.

160. Florence.

161. Moscow. 

162. Take a gondola ride through Venice. 

163. Eat a french breakfast in a parisian cafe.

164. Start a blog.  ✓

165. Shop on Avenue Montaigne.

166. Go to The Côte d’Azur.

167. Go on a boat on the French Riviera.

168. Go on holiday to Fiji in the Maldives. 

169. Go to disneyland Paris and see the firework display above the castle.

170. Attend New York Fashion week

171. Go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando.

172. Go on a safari in South Africa.

173. Party at the Rio De Janeiro carnival. 

174. Take a walk along Venice Beach. ✓

175. Walk through Rodeo Drive. ✓

174. Go to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. ✓ 

175. Feed a kangaroo. 

176. ‘Gibbon Experience’ in Laos.

177. Experience the Holi festival in India. 

178. Ride the worlds biggest swing in New Zealand.

179. See the Taj Mahal.

180. Take part in the La Tomatina festival in Spain.

181. Watch a broadway show in New York.

182. Go to the top of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.  

183. Rollerblade along sunset boulevard in LA.

184. Golden Temple in Amritsar, India. 

185. Go interailing. 

Hope you enjoyed my bucket list - yes i know it is extremely long! I hope to have every single thing ticked off one day, and i will of course share that with you via this blog! 

Jodie x

WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME

Somehow it's that time of year again to drink gingerbread lattes constantly whilst trying to get through the never ending swarm of people to get your christmas shopping done for your loved ones. How fast has the year gone?!

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas for me is about family and love. Giving and not always receiving. I think sometimes the meaning of Christmas can get lost and what it really is about. The best part of Christmas for me will always be seeing the smiles on other peoples faces (particularly when they are opening their gifts from me!) It's also about being that extra bit generous and helping others. Unfortunately today we live in world that isn't fair or always kind. There are a lot of people either spending christmas alone, or not fortunate enough in whatever way to enjoy christmas and have a smile on their face. For this reason i decided i wanted to give a little extra this christmas and help others who aren't as fortunate. I found out about a local organisation that encourages people to use old shoeboxes and fill them with small gifts that will then be donated to local people who are vulnerable or homeless. It's such a nice thing to do and isn't expensive! My nan also wanted to get involved so we arranged a day to go shopping and pick up some bits for the two shoeboxes we were going to make: a boy and a girl of the age of 5-6. Going of the suggestions the organisation had given us we went to places like Primark and pound shops to see what we could find. In the end we only spent £30 and managed to fill the boxes with so many things that we take for granted and some little treats! We also decorated the boxes with christmas wrapping paper, and the gifts were accompanied with a christmas card. Such a small and simple way of making other people smile this christmas!

If you are interested in producing your own or making up some little goodie bags to give out to those less fortunate near you, here are the items included in the ones i created:

- Shower gell
- Face cloth
- Hair brush
- Socks
- Hat & Gloves
- Fleece
- Toys
- Selection boxes
- Notebook & stationary
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
- Games

 I hope this post has given you some inspiration to do something extra this christmas & show love and kindness to others! 

☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃ ☃

Thanks for reading, with love, Jodie x