Things I am loving: April 2021

Sharing a few non fashion related March favourites!

Self Care: Bed Time Yoga

Raise your hand if you have bad sleep hygiene. Over the years I have been trying to improve and decrease my phone use in bed an watch less TV. I have made great progress when it comes to minimizing my phone use before bed including automatically putting it on silent mode at 9pm and not charging it next to my bed.

At least once a week I try to do a wind down yoga or stretch before bed. I usually do a yoga session from Melissa Wood Health however I recently discovered Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube which is great since her videos are free! In my exploration of Yoga with Adrienne videos I found a 19 minute bedtime yoga flow. What I love about this flow is all the moves are performed sitting or lying down. This wind down yoga video is extremely low impact and easy to perform in bed which is why I love it. If I had to perform a bedtime flow on a mat or on the floor I would need to shower after so I love that I can do this and go right to sleep. I would say it is almost meditative. If you are doing this in bed I would avoid doing any of the deeper bends at the end of the workout.

If you are like me and looking for something to help you sleep give this a try!

Television: The Serpent

If you love true crime or shows about serial killers this is a great binge watch! This series is based on a true story. The show was produced by the BBC and is on Netflix. I had never heard about the serial killer “The Serpent” before so this was an interesting watch. I loved that at the end of the last episode they say where everyone is now which I found a nice touch!

Baking: Strawberry Scones

These scones are SO amazing they almost deserve their own post. With fresh berries in season this is a great way to use them. I love making these ahead of time, cutting them into serving size, and freezing them. I find that these bake up great when frozen. This recipes was adapted from Sallys Baking Addiction. I had tried this recipe once and used milk instead of cream and it was a big flop. I thought I would never make it again. I decided to retry it and I have to say if you use cream they come out perfectly!

Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour(spoon & leveled)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream (plus 2 Tbsp for brushing)
1 large egg
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 heaping cup (170g) fresh or frozen chopped strawberries (do not thaw)

Instructions

Whisk flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut the frozen butter into small cubes or grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add the butter to the flour mixture. The butter can be combined using either a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Place the mixture in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the strawberries, then mix together until everything appears moistened.
Dust the counter with flour. Pour the dough onto the counter and with floured hands work the dough into a ball as best you can. Do not over work the dough. The dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1-2 more Tablespoons heavy cream. Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife, cut into 8 wedges.
SKIP this step if you plan to bake your scones right away. If you are freezing your scones, place your scones on a plate or lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Refrigerating your scones helps them firm slightly so they keep their shape when you freeze them. After at least 15 minutes remove your scones from the fridge and place your scone wedges in a ziplock bag and freeze them.
If you are continuing to bake your scones brush the scones with remaining heavy cream.
Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes.

These scones are not overly sweet which I like since I usually have these for breakfast. I add on some strawberry jam which adds the perfect extra sweetness. Serves warm with coffee and fresh fruit, this is the perfect breakfast or coffee break snack

Candle: Jo Malone Wild Bluebell

Whenever I am home I love having a candle lit. Aside from the scent having a lit candle feels cozy and comforting. I have had the Wild Bluebell Cologne from Jo Malone for a while. As a fragrance this is a very light scent that is great for layering. I love fresh scents at home and this is a great spring scent. Although this is a floral scent it is not too sweet. If you like to light more than one candle this scent would layer nicely with other candles.