Skin Food Smoothie

Everyone seems to be on the smoothie bandwagon these days and since I have fallen out of love with my usual breakfast of marmite on toast I thought I would resurrect an old favourite. 

My aim with smoothies is to try and include as many colours in the vegetables and fruits as possible to get as many types of nutrients and possible. 

I call this my skin food smoothie as it is filled with ingredients that are suppose to bring out the best in your skin. 

With omega-3 oils for hydration (particularly important for the vegetarians out there), beta carotene for smoother skin and ellagic acid for skin firming. This smoothie comes in at about 192 calories depending upon the size of your measuring cup. 

 Makes 1 smoothie

Ingredients 

2tbsp of chia seeds

1/2 cup of strawberries

1/2 cup of blue berries

1 cup of spinach 

1 cup coconut water 

Put all the ingredients in a blender whizz it up into a smoothie consistency and serve. 

Top tips

You can use froozen berries for a chilled smoothie plus you tend to get more for your money and they don't need to be in season. 

You can add the contents of a probiotic capsule for added digestive help. 

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Gomshall Mill

Surrey is littered with twee little villages that look like they were part of the film set of the Holiday. Over the years my mother has taken us on various tours of the Surrey/Kent area finding nooks and crannies to take us to.

One of her favourite locations is Gomshall Mill which is where my brother Chris, my Mum, my grandfather and I went to on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Yes those are old stocks outside. 

The pub comes with the soundtrack of running water as the converted mill dating back to Medival times is still operational with the River Tillingbourne continuing to run underneath.

The weather was beautiful but there was a bite in the air so we sat inside by the bar which has all of the paraphernalia you expect from and old world pub in deepest darkest Surrey. 

Chris was all too happy to have his photo taken. 

Mum was much happier. 

We ordered cream teas, which came in a respectable tea pot and cups with mini shortbreads. The shortbreads melted into a crumbly goodness in your mouth. 

Then the main even arrived the scones with pots of raspberry jam and enough clotted cream to keep even Chris happy. 

Chris and I snuck into the resturaunt before leaving to take photos of the mill in action. 

All in all it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon and you can even take your dogs along if you want. Like these two, who stayed at home this time. 

However after three weeks of cream tea/afternoon tea in a row I think I need a break from a scone. However I have just made plans with my sister-in-law and mum for afternoon tea in June! 

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To Mayfair we go

Last weekend I headed down to London again for a catch up with J. I have to confess I was completely lazy and left all the planning to her.

She booked us into The Chesterfield in Mayfair for afternoon tea. The Chesterfield could not be more different to the Sanderson's Mad Hatter Tea or the Tetley's understated afair. Instead it is about as old school as it gets. 

The lobby is a place of marble and gilt where your coats are taken to the cloak room before you enter the Butler's restaurant at the rear.  

You are provided with your menu from which you have your pick of teas and champagne. 

                        

We went for the Rose champagne and I picked the Earl Grey. 

       

They kindly made me a plate of my own vegetarian sandwiches (which they placed I front of me). Which for the record were the best range of vegetarian sandwiches I have discovered at a cream tea including not only the traditional cucumber and egg but also roasted vegetable with pesto and chedder and chutney. 

     

In respect of the scones there was your traditional version but also a chocolate chip variety. 

                                 

And the sweets well as you will see there was a layer of sweets with one each of the many varieties including; popcorn merringe lollipop (my favourite), blueberry, carotcake cupcake, mini eclaire, fruit tart and many more. 

If you wanted any more of a particular sandwich, tea or sweet you simply had to  ask and it would be brought over in the block of an eye. The service was immaculate and the food delishous. They even made us a doggy bag of the items that out eyes had been too big for our stomachs to finish. 

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