Dissertation writing and Detox review

It's dissertation time and I, like a typical art student, really struggle to sit down and focus on the writing I need to do. I always like to create an atmosphere at my desk or workspace and I think it's vital that you feel comfortable and take breaks often for tea so you don't burn out.  

Candles are a great way to relax and as I tend to get frustrated with writing I found that candles on my desk really help to create a nice atmosphere and the soothing smells relax me a lot. This was a christmas present from Mum, Milan by Next which I think they only sell now as a diffuser which is such a shame. It has a melon top note which really brightens and freshens the room. It's much lighter than the winter spices candle I've been using before, so a nice change to be a bit fresher. 

My current favourite tea was given as a gift and I absolutely love it, even though I'm not a fan of aniseed at all. Pukka are a brand I haven't tried a lot of, they're a bit above my price range when it comes to tea but I loved the three mint flavour that they do.

 Detox is really refreshing, especially in mornings and after dinner where you tend to be a bit more sluggish. It has a sharp taste that is just sweet enough to give you a bit of a kick. So far this is my current favourite tea to drink while I write my dissertation, which is proving a lot harder than I initially thought. 

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Super-Fresh Vegan Green Smoothie

I'm so sad christmas is over! I hope you all had a lovely time with family and friends. But like me if christmas food is becoming a little overbearing and the rich foods are looking a little less appealing now - fear not! This lovely smoothie is so fresh and filling it'll take you right from breakfast to lunch or lunch to dinner. I don't really know where I got the recipe from, I think over the past few months it's been a means of trail and error based practice but now I absolutely love it and it's a perfect pick me up after a night drinking or over indulging.

It's so cold and chilly out, the UK has just had it's first touch of snow this year and I can't say that I like snow, so being snuggled up with some good healthy food and herbal teas is ideal for me right now. 

So here is the recipe: 

• 200ml of Almond Unsweetened Milk (Soy, Hazelnut or Oat also works fine)
• 50-100g or 1/2 to 1 whole of a frozen Banana
• 1 green tea bag 
• 2 tbsp Stevia 
• 70g of frozen spinach 
• 100ml of water 
• 2-3 teaspoons of Soy Protein Powder

I've used frozen mashed bananas here only because I'm out of freshly chopped bananas but if you can have them frozen they make an almost ice cream texture rather than having them at room temperature. I find it's much more enjoyable and refreshing to have this drink ice cold. 

The soya protein is by Pulsin which I've linked above, it's a really great mixer for both savoury and sweet foods and it works really well to give a great protein hit (about 17g per smoothie) that would really be a great post-gym snack. 

Blend everything together in a blender - mine is the Kenwood smoothie-to-go appliance that comes with the Kenwood blender. It's so simple and easy to use I find it's been a great buy and really brought my smoothies alive. 

I really hope you liked this recipe, hopefully you can try it and experiment with your own alternatives and it's a really simple smoothie that for a green smoothie tastes amazing with a low sugar and hugh protein content and is super filling. 

Enjoy!