Bowls are the new plates

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Every now and again, a food trend comes along from nowhere and takes us by storm.

This year is no different, but it isn’t a super food or celebrity chef, it’s the mere kitchen bowl.

From breakfast and lunch through to dinner with a snack along the way, if you are going to eat, then do it from a bowl.

We aren’t talking nuggets and chips being tipped into a cereal bowl and squirted with extra ketchup, but more about blending grains, veggies and proteins to balance portion control and goodness.

Bowl meals are fast, unfussy and full of fantastic flavours. They can be prepared the night before and be eaten while working or enjoyed at home, tucked up on the sofa with no trays and balancing needed.

We have put together our favourite combinations, so you can have a try.

Don’t be afraid; all you need to do is mix the ingredients together and then decide which bowl you are going to enjoy them from.

Cucumber, cherry tomato, rye bread and halloumi
1 handful of ripe cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
40g of halloumi, cut into slices and stir fried
Cucumber, chopped into chunks
1 slice of rye bread, toasted and cut into strips
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
A drizzle of olive oil
Fresh basil to decorate
Salt and pepper to season

Courgette, bean and mackerel
1 courgette, shaved
1 handful of olives (black or green), pitted and halved
4 tablespoons of kidney beans, washed and drained
1 smoked mackerel fillet, skin off and shredded
A drizzle of olive oil
Fresh parsley to top

Tuna, bean and rice
1 red onion, finely chopped
½ can of tuna
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 small can of sweetcorn
4 tablespoons of red kidney beans, washed and drained
300g cooked brown rice with added quinoa
50g kale, washed and chopped
Lime wedges and natural yogurt, to serve

Salmon and broccoli
½ head broccoli, cooked and cut into florets
100g fresh salmon fillet, skinned, deboned and pan-fried
½ cup of peas, cooked and cooled
2 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1 tablespoons of mayo

Grilled chicken and red pepper
1 chicken breast, cooked
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 cup of organic baby spinach, steamed
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon of roasted sunflower and sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of olive oil
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Sweet and green smoothie bowl
75 ml organic apple juice
1 banana, peeled and sliced
2 Juice of ½ a lime
1 large handful spinach
1/2 avocado, peeled and stoned
100g pineapple chunks
Granola, blueberries and raspberries to serve

To make this sweet bowl, put the banana, lime juice, spinach, avocado and pineapple in a blender and whizz until smooth. Pour into a bowl and then add the granola and blueberries and enjoy.

Each suggestion on this list makes one bowl and ingredients can be varied to suit tastes.

Got a bowl meal you love? Let us know about it so we can give it a try.

Team Pure Beauty

Have a happy half term

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apples, basics, buckets and spades, cider, creativity, cycle, Dan TDM, farms, fish and chips, football, fun, garden centres, half term, Halloween, help, Mario, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, movies, Nine Lives, playroon, pub, pumpkins, Pure Beauty, puzzles, sand castles, sea, shells, snacks, sofa, Storks, sun, supermarket, trains, Trolls

How did we go from back to school excitement to half term chaos in the blink of an eye?

If it seems like you only yesterday you marched your little ones off to school and now they are asking what the holidays have in store, don’t worry we are here to help.

We have done a little research and come up with some fun activities that will keep the whole brood happy all week long.

Get outside
Make the most of the last of the sun and get outside. Enjoy a walk, explore a nature trail, climb some trees or follow a car free cycle route. This half term there are apple festivals and den building, canoe courses and footballs camps to take part in all over the place. Whether you live in the city or country, by the sea or near the river, there is nothing like bundling up and getting some fresh air, stopping on the way home for a hot chocolate and muffin.

Get cooking
Half term is the perfect opportunity to do some baking at home. Cakes and muffins, pies and crumbles, the ideas are endless. Have a look online for some new ideas and why not start a blog to share you wares. You could even get a head start on Christmas and get your cake made and ready in the tin for decorating.

Catch up in some films
Term time can be crazy with extra clubs and activities and fun things, like watching films, can get lost in the madness. Why not use this half term to kick back and catch on the latest blockbusters? Nine Lives, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Trolls and Storks are all currently playing and are apparently worth a watch. Look out for the family mornings where tickets can be as little as £2.50 and there are offers on pick and mix. If you prefer popcorn and flicks from the comfort of your own home, grab some DVDs, dim the lights and enjoy a movie marathon on your sofa.

Pick up a pumpkin.
There are events on farms, garden centres and even in local coffee shops where you can go and try out pumpkin carving for yourself. The stakes get higher every year and levels of creativity are at an all time high in 2016. From traditional ghosts to Mario and even Dan TDM, never has it been so exciting when it comes to pumpkins.

Have a clear out
With everyone at home why not go though the playroom and bedrooms and get rid of the games, toys and clothes that no needs anymore. Take puzzles, jumpers and old trains to the charity shop and feel good about giving back and taking stock.

Visit the beach
Buckets and spades, boots and scarves are all on the list for a day by the seaside in the winter sun. A day on the beach, building sand castles and looking for shells, will take you back to basics and put colour in your cheeks. Once the sun goes down, head to the pub for fish and chips and a pint of cider and start planning your next trip to the sea.

Throw a Halloween party
Whilst most people actually go back to school on 31st October, there is no reason why you can’t host a fab party the weekend before. Your local supermarket will be jam packed with ghoulish snacks and scary costumes, so send out the invites, get the apple bobbing set up and prepare to have one scary night. Oh, and don’t forget to put the pumpkin you craved outside, so the trick or treaters know you are waiting for them.

After all that fun, be sure to order yourself a pampering treat from Pure-Beaty and sit back and relax knowing you have done a great job.

Team Pure-Beauty