Recipes, DIY, travel, health, random lifestyle thoughts & more.
Author: Alphe
It looks like I’ve inadvertently made this week banana-themed on this blog. I posted two banana-related posts earlier this week: banana fun facts and my banana & peanut butter porridge recipe. The comments they got quickly took a very specific direction: banana bread. I didn’t plan to make it this weekend, or any time soon at all. But the more I heard about it, the more I craved it. So here it is – my banana bread recipe!
Over Christmas, I binge watched both seasons of the Crown on Netflix. As an anglophile, I’ve always been mildly interested in British royal family (and let’s be honest, compared to other reigning monarchs around the world, British royal family is probably the most popular, almost like a commercial product). The Netflix series left me even deeper in love with British culture, but also hungry for knowledge. About the Queen, but not only her – about monarchies in general. The last of Polish kings died in 1798, so I’ve never experienced life in a country ruled by royals. Which probably makes the whole concept even more interesting to me! So, eager to explore the topic, I went on to search for interesting fun facts about monarchies around the world. Here’s what I learnt!
After a few food-related posts, I think it’s time for some more papercrafts. And no quilling this time! Today, I’m coming with a super simple craft idea – paper roses. They only use supplies I’m sure you have at home, take close to no time and require no skills. Sounds great, doesn’t it? 🙂 You can make them in any size or colour, with or without stems! Big roses will look nice in a vase, while smaller ones can be used for handmade cards and such. We love such versatility in crafts, don’t we?
“Zapiekanki” – or, in English, oven baked baguettes, are among the most popular types of Polish street food. I never thought it could be just a Polish thing. The concept is so simple and uses ingredients known and used worldwide – it just had to be present everywhere, right? So when three girls from three different countries (years ago!) came to my secondary school to have classes with us for a week, it truly shocked me when they unanimously declared that “zapiekanki” were their favourite thing in my country. Here’s a recipe for upgraded, high-quality home-made version of, I suppose, a typically Polish dish?
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may know that porridge is one of my favourite breakfasts. It’s tasty – but healthy, full of flavour – but quick to make. I usually make my breakfast porridge at work, in a quick, cooking-free version with yoghurt. However, when I’m at home – usually on weekends – I like to cook proper porridge, with milk, on the hob. So, without further ado, here’s my recipe for banana and peanut butter porridge!
Bananas are among the most popular fruits in the world. Sweet, tasty and filling, they come with a great deal of nutrients and vitamins. How about we go bananas today and take a look at this widely popular fruit? 🙂 Here’s a list of 23 facts about bananas which you’ve probably never heard of!
The 21st of January, in Poland, is when we celebrate Grandmother’s Day. And who, if not grandparents, can really appreciate handmade gifts? After all, to them we’ll always remain their beloved little grandchildren, no matter the age.
Naturally, I made a card for my Grandmother. A card in quilling technique (oh what a surprise, right? 😉 ). I’ve recently written the first part of my quilling guide, covering all of the available tools – if you’d like to get into this type of papercrafts, you can check it out here! Part two of the guide, covering basic shapes and techniques is in the works.
Star signs. A controversial subject. Some deeply believe that our fate and personality traits are all written in the stars, eagerly track horoscopes and when in doubt – ask the skies for opinion. Others play astrology down, considering it to be a collection of made-up fairy tales. Personally, I simply find the whole concept fascinating and – being naturally curious – thought I’d like to learn more about the idea that’s been growing and evolving for centuries.
There are many different types of horoscopes and many branches of astrology. This year, I’m going to focus on classic Western astrology and its twelve star signs.
Aquarius is the ruling star sign between the 20th/21st of January and the 18th-20th of February (exact dates differ between years). Since the month of Aquarius begins around today-tomorrow, it’s a good opportunity to have a look at the features of this star sign and its bearers. Let’s get started, shall we?
You may have noticed that I usually praise Aliexpress in my arts and crafts posts. Craft supplies are generally only of interest of a narrow group of people, so with low demand – and rather limited supply too – come high prices in local craft stores. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against supporting local businesses and there are items I buy from them. But when I see the exact same tool that I had bought on Aliexpress in a local store, for 5 times the price, I feel no guilt or shame for buying the thing directly from China.
Buying cheap craft tools and supplies also allows you to play around and experiment with various mediums and techniques, and once you get hooked on something, you know what’s worth spending money on and you can buy higher quality – and more expensive – tools, knowing that you’ll actually use and appreciate them.
Here’s a list of my favourite random creative tools and supplies that I bought on Aliexpress!
Continue reading “My Favourite Aliexpress Arts and Crafts Purchases”
From a very early age, we’re taught that we should make our plates colourful by adding vegetables to our dinner. These vegetable sides don’t have to be boring! This time, I’m coming with a recipe for honey glazed carrots, seasoned with freshly squeezed orange juice, rosemary and thyme. They’re soft and delicate and make a perfect side for chicken dishes (but not only those!).
Continue reading “Honey Glazed Carrots With Orange (Or Tangerines)”
Alphe's Corner 