My Very Important Pet

My dog Meg has been working rather hard recently. All that sleeping, snoring and generally lazing about... it's a hard life! When Panasonic asked me to share some snaps of my Very Important Pet, I thought Meg might want to have a pamper session:

Any advert featuring a animal, preferably a dog, is a winner for me. Seen the dog from Dog's Trust waiting patiently for his future owner? What about Amazon's Little Horse? Or Channel 4's Underdog interviewing various celebs? I'm a sucker for it all!

So when Panasonic sent me their latest advert of Dave the mastiff, who has earned himself a day off from guarding duties, I was their perfect audience. A dog getting a spa treatment, what's not to love? I admit that I am an ad man's dream!

Panasonic then challenged me to share some pictures of my own pampered pooch. I was inspired by Meg's curls to give her a perm! She really looks like a glam little old lady with her curlers in! She was very happy to have a snooze and relax with me in front of the TV.

If you want to enter too, simply upload a picture or video of your very important pet to social media with the hashtag #MyVIP. You could win a stay in a luxury hotel, a spa day for you and your pet or a pet photoshoot - I think the spa day sounds amazing! How do you pamper your pet?

Check out the video (I love Dave!) and find out more about Panasonic's Very Important Pet competition! Do you have a Very Important Pet?

*This is a sponsored post*

Jess

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Neopolitan Protein Fudge Recipe

Please vote for me in the Multipower Great British Health Blogger Bake Off!

Eating clean is tough and for me, craving a sweet treat can be the ultimate downfall. When Multipower challenged me to create a recipe using their 100% Pure Whey Protein, I knew that I wanted to create something quick, easy and ultimately tasty. The final recipe involves just 8 ingredients for three layers of scrumptious healthy fudge, packed full of protein, and it is unbelievably easy to make:

Servings: 15
Prep time: 10 minutes
Set time: 15 minutes
Total bake time: 25 minutes

You will need:
Plastic tupperware box (approx. 10cm x 15cm)

For the chocolate layer:
2 tbsp of Multipower 100% Pure Whey Protein in Rich Chocolate
1 tbsp of melted Vita Coco coconut oil
1/2 tbsp of runny honey
3 tbsp of ground almonds
1 tsp of cocoa powder

For the strawberry layer:
2 tbsp of Multipower 100% Pure Whey Protein in Strawberry Splash
1 tbsp of melted Vita Coco coconut oil
1/2 tbsp of runny honey
3 tbsp of ground almonds
Dr Oetker Gel Food Colour in Hot Pink

For the vanilla layer:
2 tbsp of Multipower 100% Pure Whey Protein in French Vanilla
1 tbsp of melted Vita Coco coconut oil
1/2 tbsp of runny honey
3 tbsp of ground almonds

1. Melt your coconut oil in the microwave for a few seconds to turn it into liquid. In a bowl, combine the chocolate layer ingredients with your hands. Work the mixture into a dough-like consistency. If it seems too crumbly, add a little more honey or coconut oil until it all binds together.

2. Roll the chocolate layer until it is the correct size to place in the tupperware and create the bottom layer of your fudge.

3. Combine the ingredients for the strawberry layer, as you did with the chocolate layer. Add the hot pink gel food colour to add some colour to the layer. Roll out the layer and place on top of the chocolate layer in the tupperware.

4. Finally, combine the ingredients for the vanilla layer. Roll out and place on top of the strawberry layer to finish the neopolitan layers.

5. Place in the freezer for around 15 minutes until it sets. Remove from the tupperware and cut into squares - it's ready to eat! If you have any left over, simply pop it back into the fridge or freezer and eat another day.

I was seriously impressed with how the fudge turned out, as I was honestly not expecting it to be as tasty as it is! The striped appearance of the Neopolitan fudge looks really pretty and the three flavours makes the fudge even more delicious. The combination of protein powder, coconut oil, honey and ground almonds creates a melt-in-your-mouth fudge which will satisfy any cravings and keep your diet on track. I think it's a winner!

Don't forget to vote for me in the Multipower Great British Health Blogger Bake Off! You can also bag yourself a 25% discount code by checking out their website.

Jess

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Allotment Cafe at Novi

Before I start talking about food (and I promise that the food is worth the wait) I wanted to say hello after an unintentional break, which some of you may have noticed. I've now got a full-time job, which is wonderful, but it is tiring stuff! I have new awe for all of you who blog daily and work a full-time job, as I have struggled to write anything in my first two weeks of my career. However, this weekend I met up with some fellow Cambridge food bloggers to try out Allotment Cafe pop-up in Novi and treating my taste buds seems to have inspired my creative juices too - hurrah!

So let's talk about the food...

Novi in Cambridge is a fun premise which I have wanted to try for a long time. It's a permanent coffee bar, which also offers tasty smoothies and delicious cocktails all year round. However, when it comes to the food, it is always changing. Novi hosts various pop-ups from the local Cambridge food scene from Thursday to Sunday and this rotates on a daily and 'termly' basis. At the moment, Allotment Cafe is the main independent on offer, providing brunch from Thursday to Saturday 9am-4pm. Then in the evening, there is a different independent to eat from each day - check out their website to see what's on at the moment. I'm already planning my visit to Steak and Honour burgers on Saturday evening!

I love the concept of Novi and the chilled ambience and tasty coffee means that I am sure to return to try the various independent pop-ups on offer. Today it was the Allotment Cafe's turn. Fresh, vibrant and with a true 'taste of nature,' Allotment Cafe certainly hit the spot for a healthy, nourishing and filling brunch. I chose the cheese and toast; cheese served on sourdough bread with apple slices, fresh seasonal leaves and tiny cucamelon pickles. The pickles provided a pleasant burst of flavour and how can you go wrong with cheese on toast? Although I must admit that I was slightly jealous of Claire's perfectly poached egg on beetroot hummus atop an English muffin. Oh, and Pina's rainbow beetroot ribbons salad... I really could have eaten anything on the menu! The brunch menu constantly changes and you are sure to have plenty of delicious options to choose from.

I also managed to find room for a slice of the carrot and parsnip vegan cake. I was intrigued by the vegan nature of the cake and I found it pleasantly moist, if slightly oily. The icing was definitely the highlight, although I have no idea how it was made! The cakes were very popular and I'd recommend ordering quick before they are snapped up! 

If you haven't headed down to Novi yet, it really is a must on the Cambridge food scene. Make sure you pop down soon before the Allotment Cafe finishes its scrumptious stint!

Jess

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Review: Whites Cafe Bar, Headingley

I recently popped up to Leeds to visit my brother and, of course, I used the opportunity to tick off another new place to eat in the city. Whites Café Bar in Headingley is a trendy café-cross-bar on Otley Road which grabbed my attention thanks to the beautiful images of food on their website so I was excited to check it out with my family:

Whites does a little bit of everything, from coffee to food to alcohol. The range of drinks was surprisingly broad and my Dad was impressed to see a variety of unusual beers on the menu, including his favourite Meantime Porter, and my Mum and I had a glass of wine alongside our delicious coffees. I liked that the deli was a great spot for a variety of situations; a simple coffee, a brunch or lunch date or, in the evening, a spot for drinks.

We decided to share two sharing boards - although I was seriously tempted by the whole menu, including a range of healthy brunch options, such as smashed avocado on sourdough toast, and flatbread sandwiches. However, we settled on the Italian meat board and the vegetarian mezze which was the perfect amount for three people to share at lunch. The meat platter had a variety of meats, including parma ham, prosciutto and spicy salami, accompanied by a tasty salad and slices of artisan bread. It was tasty but the vegetarian platter really stood out. Simply put, it was the best vegetarian platter I have ever had. The hummus, made with lentils rather than the traditional chickpeas, was incredibly smooth and it was delicious with the brown bread. We were also treated to some tasty falafels, a vinegary bulgar wheat tabouleh and grilled halloumi. The platter was fresh, vibrant and like I say, the best vegetarian platter I've had as I find that the veggie option is often overlooked and becomes very cheese focused - it was refreshing to be able to choose such a tasty non-meat mezze busting with flavour.

Whites Deli is a hidden gem in the generally very student-y Headingley but it's well worth seeking out for its delicious fresh produce and tasty coffee. Have you ever tried Whites Café Bar? Where else would you recommend in Leeds' outskirts to eat?

Jess

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