Happy Holidays

Schooooooooooooools . out. for. winter.

Finished up at school for Christmas. the last week we just threw glitter about, sang carols and ate chocolate. Its was pretty fun, but the kids were getting so hyper by Friday. I'm glad to now, have packed up and be outta class.

I'm ready for my 2 weeks of relaxing baking, shopping and quality time with those people I sorta like.

speaking of which, Monday I met up and spent the day in London with Mr Bake n Beebz...

 

we had planned to go ice skating but the weather was miserable and the rain stopped play, so instead we  just fancied spending some time in each others company in the capital.  We wandered around M&M world...

 

sipped pints of diet cola in a pub and watched the hustle and bustle of china town...

 

happened to stumble across the hummingbird bakery. stepped inside to be welcomed by christmassy cupcakes.

 

the only GF cupcake left was a lil frosted vanilla numbah. but boy, it was nomz. Ate it all up by myself and sent myself spiraling into a full sugar coma.  

After wandering pretty aimlessly and getting soggy in the drizzle we decided to catch the tube to Kensington... to make the pilgrimage to...

 

WHOLE FOODS!!!

 as we stepped  ran in, I shreiked with excitement... It was like frickin' disney for a foodie blogger.

Gigantic gingerbread mansion...

the best part was the self service nut butter machines, you can make and blend your own nut butters choosing from almond, pecan, pistachio and peanut... I had some cheeky samples, harry had to restrain me from putting my head underneath the machine's taps, The pecan was so gooooood, but at £26.99 per kg, I, and my purse opted for straight up salted peanut. its by far the best PB i have ever had, tastes so fresh and its good to know it only contains nuts and nuttin' else.

 

we needed a rest after so much excitement and dined in the restaurant, I made a B line for the burrito bar but in the end was enticed by a gluten free meddterainian platter of falafel, green bean and aubergine tagines

served with lentil rice. this was so good! and a bargain meal out for £3.80

After refueling I continued to drag Mr B n B around the aisles and we picked up some amazing American foods including salsa verde for mister spicy. The most addictive jalapeno cheese pop-chips,  jars of PB&co nut butters and lots of baking/pancake mixes.

BEST DAY EVER! I would just like to say thanks, Harry for putting up with your mental PB/ foodie obsessed girlfriend.
and now, im in the kitchen baking cookies! g'night.

Gettin' festive

Ahhhhh I'm So excited to receive bloggy my secret Santa! Laura took it upon her self to spread some festive joy and organize a blogging parcel exchange.

I received my gifts in the post this morning! Lucy from porridge and parsnips Sent me a brilliant card and box of pink delights!

Pink mug for my daily cuppa x10, Christmas green and red M&Ms (which didn't last after delivery!) and pink cupcakey bits....
Thank you so much Lucy!
Can't wait to see my parcel I wrapped up and sent pop up on the blogo'shpere!

In other festive news...

My lil tree is up!  I had a wonderful Sunday at Mr Bake n Beebz's, we had a family roast and Christmas tree day! we dressed the tree, it looked far more beautiful/ tasteful than my amateur bedside creation. If I had my way i would turn my bedroom into a complete sparkling tinsel filled grotto.

 Things have been winding down at school and me and my class have been doing lots of Christmas crafts! At the end of the day I'm covered in glitter, glue and tissue but its soooo much more fun than sums or spellings.

I baked and packaged some mini gluten free fruity christmas cakes for a bake sale! they were pretty popular and a made some pocket money

I have been working seven days a week lately at school and at the cath kidston store so havent had much time to bake or blog, Ill have some extra pennies though! The school breaks up for christmas holidays this friday... cant wait to get back in the game. planning on baking some christmas present and puddings for family and friends.

Do you make/bake homemade gifts?!

Gingerbread scones with Maple Glaze. (Gluten Free)

 Christmas is my thing, i live for it... I start my count down in January.

 I'm just a creature who loves the extra trips/ excuses to shop, unwrapping the decorations, cozy cinnemony smells,  the copious sweet indulgent treats and of coarse the presents (mostly receiving them).

 Its turned December the 7th and Im far too excited Already, I'm getting giddy, and i need to calm down...

My Festive baking season has definitely officially begun, and there is no stopping me. I have baked mini fruity GF Christmas cakes for a craft sale over the weekend and These... Ohhh these, they just smell like like Santa Claus well at least what I hope he smells like, I recon he bathes in maple syrup and dowses himself in cinnemon colonge. anyway before this gets creepier/ weirder. Th

These Glazed Gingerbread scones just epitomize all things Christmas, and taste, so comforting.
they are a mix between a sweet spiced gingerbread cookie and a soft fluffy warm scone.  buttered up and drizzled with maple glaze.  they just some how disappear... It must be Christmas magic or something... like my tummy.

225g/8oz Plain GF flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon 

50g cold butter, cut into cubes

1 free-range egg 

75ml skimmed milk or soya 

30g stem ginger and dried cranberries.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 5.
   
2. Sift the flour,  baking powder ground ginger and cinnamon and add sugar in to a large bowl. Add the butter and Rub into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. make a well in the centre.
   
3. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk, reserving a tablespoon of the mixture to use as an egg wash. Add the rest to the flour mixture, along with the sultanas, stirring until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly (don't over work) until the dough is smooth.
   
4. Gently press the dough out to a thickness of about 2.5cm/1in and cut out shapes of your choice using a cutter. Arrange the scones on a baking tray, spaced slightly apart, and brush the tops with the reserved egg wash.
   
5. Bake the scones for 10-12 minutes, or until golden-brown and risen. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
   Whilst cooling, mix together 3 tbsp icing sugar with 1 tbsp of maple syrup.
   
6. To serve, brush each scone with a maple glaze.

Guess whose back...

Hello stranger! nice to see you.

Rocky Road Bars

You may have noticed that me and Beebz have been a little absent for the last 2 weeks! its been pretty hectic over here at bake n beebz HQ. lotsa work related stressing going on as well as taking on more hours, starting another new job and doing some design work, I kinda have neglected my oven and all things fun in general.

No need to fear though Bn'B readers, me and the shih tzu are going to be posting as normal and back on your computer screen once again...

Back in business and baked up some new Gluten Free sweet treats!

healthy banana browines

And dropped a few too...

GF chocolate caramel shortbread

Recipes will be up very soon. x

recent tings & Giveaway winner!

Yeeeeah free stuff, everyone loves a freebie and one lucky winner will receive a parcel of these nakd bars...

using a random number generator was comment/retweet... number 14...
 congrats Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli!

 Spent the weekedn with my best buddies Mr Bake n Beebz and teh Beebz. she was due for a clippin' and I invested in some specialized dog grooming clippers...

 Lookin' neat after a long old beauty parlour sesh with yours truly. really wanted to paint beebz's nails too but she'd already been through enough, poor shih... so i painted mine instead with my new pale blue Barry M Nail laquer.

 

  Went shopping with Charlotte on Sunday and got myself some of the essentials ya know...new pyjamas, undies and some GOOOBUUUURS on sale down from 5.99 to 2 quid. Get in, couldn't wait to get stuck in. PB and jelly in one container is a genius time/ space saver...kinda?!?! haha

 Peanut Bee and jelly is the OG combo... some framed reminders on my walls to celebrate this...

 Also snapped up some Reeses cups in white chocolate. damn homie. best day for PB related stuff evhuuur.

 Getting in to my new pyjamas and poured some milk ready for these PB and white chocolate cookies, good night blogging world.

Gluten Free butterscotch & white chocolate chip peanut butter cookies

I baked this batch of chew chewieeee delicious healthy cookies the other day, after a week of putting this post on the back burner... these pictures are bringin' back sweet, sweet tooth memories and i'm craving them like a mad woman. A spin on the original choc chip version and the the was the ginger nut... now in the trilogy, of the epic saga that is my cookie recipes I bring you... Butterscotch & white chocolate peanut butter cookies.

Like always these are perfect dunked in to a cold glass full o milk. its hard to believe, ya'll think im saying but they are these are low cal and gluten free... they ain't the prettiest, I agree, but they are so damn tasty... and that what really matters, guys.

 Ingredients

• 1/2 cup oat flour (ground rolled oats!)
• 1/4 cup peanut flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp bicarb of soda (not baking powder)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2T white chocolate chips, depending on your preference
• 3 butterscotch hard candies smashed or broken into pieces
• 2T brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sweetner
• 1T peanut butter or pre-melted margarine
• 1T plus 2tsp nondairy milk (feel free to switch proportions of milk and oil) (25g)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix your dry ingredients, then add in wet. Form cookies into discs using your palms on a baking sheet, and bake 6-8 minutes. Take out when still underdone–they’ll continue to cook while cooling, taking them out early this way, means they remain chewy!

What I ate Wednesday...pumpkin packed Halloweeny round up and giveaway!

Whats sup, what I ate Wednesday.

  I'm going for the jugular and hitting ya straight up with my early breakfast, Oatmeal, cinnamon, PB and chopped apple.

Hope you all had a sweet halloween! Mine was pretty chill, stayed in last night with some scary flicks and some treats. no trickin'

 

I spent Halloween night cozied up, I hid from kids and ate my cupcakes...

 Painted my nails...

 pampered in this new pumpkin spice bath product...

 walked that pumpkin pup.

 Me and Mr Bake n Beebz also rolled out to a theme park fright night at the weekend! The theme park was seasonally decorated with giant pumpkins and spooky bits and bobs.

 

It was open late in to the night, thrill seekin' was pretty fun in the dark! It took all my will power to keep a straight face whilst this picture was taken, didnt think a log flume could be so petrifying.

pumpkin and pepsi bobble hat

 Annnnddd back to today... Lunch is served... Beetroot, Feta and spinach sammiched between gluten free brown seedy bread. such a good combo.

snacked on a Nakd banana bread bar and cup of sweet milky hot tea in the staff room. (keep reading on for details of a lil giveaway!)

 

After work came home to some big boxes! yeaaaaah buddy! love letting samples in the mail...

Will review these very soon.

  (ohhhh and for your chance to get your own lil something in the mail enter my giveaway at the bottom of this post...)

After work I whacked on the oven and Roasted up some Pumpkin with nutritional yeast to accompany my dinner. 

 Spinach, chick pea and vegetable curry with chutney and poppadom. nothing beats a crunchy poppadom and saucy spicy hot hot curry.

 

Im in the the mood for pudding so once I hit the post button im gonna run wild and raid my chocolate stash... gawwwwd Wish i had gone trick or treating now for some candy... Do you think they would've given up their sweets to a 23 year old BIG kid?

How was your halloween and what is the bestest thing you have eaten lately? let ya girl know.

As my treat for you this Halloween I am giving away my favourite flavours of these Nakd bars I reviewed earlier in the week...

For your chances of winning just...

1. Follow Bake n Beebz on twitter (button on this page)
2. retweet giveaway... @aliceblairbakes and www.bakenbeebz.blogspot.com is holding a Nakd bar giveaway!
3. Follow the blog
4. and comment below!

good luck, competition closes Friday 4th of November at 5pm.

As ever thank to jenn for hosting this week W.I.A.W!