Clare’s Tasty Tapas (2)

Here is part two of Clare’s Tasty Tapas. These are super as a main meal any evening, ideal for lunchtime leftovers and you will impress many a dinner guest if you were to sever mini ones of these as canapés.

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Today we have our simple mango salad, Mushroom bruchetta and Tomato bruchetta.

Makes: 4 servings

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Total Time:  20 minutes

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Ingredients

Mango Salad:

  • 100g Mixed Salad leaves
  • 1 sliced mango
  • 1 sliced red onion
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch of black pepper

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Mushroom Bruchetta:

  • 8 slices of french bread
  • 200g button mushrooms
  • half a glass of white wine
  • 1tbs smooth mustard
  • 1tbs grated garlic
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • handful of fresh chopped parsley
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http://www.clarewiththehair.com

Tomato Bruchetta:

  • 200g vine ripe tomatoes
  • 2-3 chopped spring onions
  • 2tbs olive oil
  • 1 grated clove of garlic
  • 1tbs of sugar
  • pinch of salt and pepper
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http://www.clarewiththehair.com

PREPARATION

Mango Salad: Mix the salad leaves, mango, red onion and dress with the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Mushroom Bruchetta: Cook your sliced mushroom in a pan for 4-5 minutes, until soft and tender, add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, add your mustard, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. toast your bread slices and top with the mushroom mixture.

Tomato Bruchetta: Chop your vine ripened tomatoes, add your chopped spring onions, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Toast your bread and top with the tomato mixture.

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http://www.clarewiththehair.com

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

3 Minute In Shower Tanning Lotion

Delighted to see this super tan, the St.Tropez 3 Minute In Shower Tanning Lotion, on offer in Boots : http://www.boots.ie/en/St-Tropez-Gradual-Tan-In-Shower-Lotion-200ml_1690813/ Just 3 minutes is all you need as part of your daily shower regime for this luxurious lotion to provide you with a gradual sunkissed glow.

100% Streak-free and super easy to apply, it’s ideal for first time tanners or people who just can’t seem to master the traditional tanning lotions, pre and post holiday top-ups, or those looking for a low maintenance all year round glow. The more you apply the deeper this tan goes.

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http://www.clarewiththehair.com

Packed full of Sweet Almond Oil  to hydrate the skin for up to 24 hours, so there’s no need to moisturise afterwards, making it perfect for busy lifestyles.

Simply apply daily to build your depth of tan to suit you. One coat gives you a lovely light golden glow. Three coats and you look like you have actually been on holidays 🙂

How to Use

Step 1: Fully cleanse and wash in a warm shower.

Step 2: With the shower off, generously apply the product in circular motions with your hands to wet skin to create an even coverage. Wash palms after application.

Step 3: Wait 3 minutes.

Step 4: Fully rinse off with warm water only.

Step 5: Gently dry yourself, before getting dressed. After showering, the self-tan actives will naturally start to work, developing gradually and deepening with regular reapplication within the shower.

I am loving this tan, tell me have you tried it? what do you think of this? or is there one you might recommend as being even better?

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www.clarewiththehair.com

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

Aroi Restaurant Limerick Review

If you are planning a trip to Limerick City, then find time to visit Aroi! This review is based on my personal experience in their Aroi’s Limerick restaurant but just to let you know, Aroi are also based in Cork City Center also.

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www.clarewiththehair.com

In Aroi’s words:

“Aroi is associated with the eating experience in Asia. Pronounced (Aroy) means delicious or tasty.

Aroi is a casual dining venue which offers a single course dining experience and service with the minimum of fuss.

Our ethos is to serve market fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Our healthy cuisine avoids the obscure chemicals and additives so common in our food today.

Aroi sources authentic herbs and spices and we do not use M.S.G. in any of our preparation.”

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www.clarewiththehair.com

In my words:

Aroi is one of my favorite places to visit for lunch in Limerick, they serve fresh, tasty, clean food at affordable prices with the bonus of a free ice cream afterwards.

I have tried many items on their menu but my favorites are (in order) the Pad Thai, Char-grilled Duck, Red Thai Curry and the must try for you all, their sticky rice, I love this with the Char-grilled Duck.

All main meals are just €10, which I really love, before you go in, regardless of what takes your fancy on the menu, it is always just €10!

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www.clarewiththehair.com

Aroi also have a large selection of soft drinks, wine, teas and Thai beers.

The ice cream I referred to is actually their homemade Gelato, they have tonnes of flavors, I have tried their Cherry, Lemon & Coconut, and I loved them all, I will have to return “just to try the others” and report back 🙂 

www.clarewiththehair.com (image from Aroi)
www.clarewiththehair.com (image from Aroi)

I am a big fan of Aroi and I am not alone, this year Aroi won the Best newcomer in Munster from Irish Restaurant association. Well done Aroi, this is a super achievement because as you know, Limerick and Munster is filled with some super places to dine.

www.clarewiththehair.com (image from Aroi)
www.clarewiththehair.com (image from Aroi)

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

Blog Stats June 2015

Pinch punch happy 1st of the month and for most of you it is a fabulous beginning with some glorious sunshine.

Today I am sharing with you my blog stats for June, this has climbed each and every month since my little blog begun and I can see that we have many repeat readers also, thank you 1st time visitors and thank you to all my repeat visitors. I really appreciate the time that you take to come and visit this blog and thank you for all your emails and comments, it is super.

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http://www.clarewiththehair.com

This month 107,103 of you visited Clare with the Hair , WOW! honest to god! WOW! who would have thought that when I began to blog that so many of you would like what I do and over 100,000 of you would come and visit my blog in just one month, this is incredible!

Clare with the hair new design website is being launched in the next few days, so keep your eyes out for the release of this. It is a more professional looking, stylish blog that will load pages really fast for you, be 100% mobile friendly and have all the buttons you need to connect via social sites with me.

If there is an item you feel I should include on Clare with the Hair . com, then please get in touch with your suggestions.

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

Michelle Keegan 1st Look AW15 Collection for Lipsy

It seems like only yesterday Michelle Keegan’s summer collection launched at Lipsy but she’s back already with the first look at her AW15 line.

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www.clarewiththehair.com
And we have to say we love it. The actress and designer has incorporated this season’s 1970s story and reworked it for the cooler months, ensuring we can still do hippy chic all the way to next Spring.

This look is a great example. Over the knee boots, a floppy hat and this Bohemian inspired playsuit are the perfect combination for nailing the trend. The off shoulder style and lace texture give this all-in-one a gypsy-esque vibe.

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This marks one year since she began designing for the hight street giant. We adore the entire collection and its nods to 70s trends.

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www.clarewiththehair.com

mk6
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www.clarewiththehair.com

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www.clarewiththehair.com
Shop the entire collection this Thursday on http://www.lipsy.co.uk/

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

Clare’s Quick and Easy Herby Mushroom Soup

Soup is one of those foods I can love or hate, I love a good home-made soup and I love the filled with cream and butter soups you can get at lunchtime in most placing offering a lunchtime carvery, Ideally we should opt for the home cooked low fat alternative 🙂

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Clare’s Quick and Easy Herby Mushroom Soup

Making soup is so easy, you do not need any fancy equipment, you do not need to be exceptional in the kitchen and you do not need tonnes of time to get a big pot of fabulous home-made soup on the table for you and your family.

Today I bring to you my super Quick and Easy Herby Mushroom Soup

Makes: 4 servings

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Total Time:  45 minutes

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Ingredients

  • 600g Mix of Mushroom’s (I used Chestnut and Button)
  • 2 shallots Diced finely
  • 2tbs Coconut oil (or use a low fat oil spray)
  • 4 cloves of grated Garlic
  • 1cm piece Ginger grated
  • 1tbs chilli flakes (optional but adds a little heat in the colder months)
  • 2 spring onions Diced finely
  • 500ml Low sodium Vegetable stock
  • 2tbs Chopped Parsley
  • 2tbs Chopped Rosemary
  • 2tbs Chopped Thyme
  • 1/2tbs of Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2tbs of Flour to thicken (optional)

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REPARATION

1/ Melt the Coconut oil in a pan, add the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilli and cook until soft but not coloured, add the mushrooms, spring onions and herbs and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes.

2/ Add the flour and cook this off for 2-3 minutes , top with the stock and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, server on its own or with some crusty bread.

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Clare’s Quick and Easy Herby Mushroom Soup

Top Tip: I make 2 or 3 times this and freeze in batches, also I diced the mushrooms, you can slice them and blitz afterwards for a smooth soup, I personally like the texture of this un blitzed .

Thank you for reading you FABULOUS people

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

Clare’s Baked Cheesy Chicken Fingers

So here we are flying through the week again, and as always I am looking for a meal I can have on the table for my family, nice and quick after a long day’s work. This is a great one for the kids to help with, always great as a finger food when you have people over and ideal to over make and pop next week’s portion in the freezer or to take to school / work with a wrap or salad the next day, these always go down a treat with my family and I hope you enjoy them too. In my opinion these are far tastier than any chicken take outs 🙂

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>>>>>>>>>> Claire’s Baked Cheesy Chicken Fingers <<<<<<<<<<

Makes: 4 servings

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Total Time:  55 minutes

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Ingredients

  • 125g/4½oz fresh breadcrumbs using really nutty brown bread

  • 2 tsp parsley

  • pinch of salt and pepper to taste

  • 4 boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into strips

  • 50g/2oz plain flour

  • 3 medium / 2 large free-range eggs,  beaten

  • 2 tbsp melted coconut oil

  • 4 tbsp of finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 100ml of milk

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PREPARATION

  1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Oil two baking trays with melted coconut oil.
  2. Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley in a bowl. add the finely grated cheese and mix well, add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Place the flour in another  bowl.
  3. Dip the chicken pieces in the milk, then the plain flour, then in the beaten egg and finally coat in the breadcrumbs. Shake off the excess and lay the cheesy chicken fingers on the oiled baking tray.  This is much easier if you keep one hand clean from the egg and milk for dipping into the flour and bread crumbs.
  4. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven when completely cooked through and golden-brown all over.
  5. Serve the cheesy fingers with a variety of dipping sauces, use red sauce, barbecue sauce , the curry dip I used for chips, or any you like best. My family love these with a green salad in summer and with baked chips and beans during the colder months.
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This was done with a whole chicken breast but works equally well with the fingers

Tip: Over prepare these and freeze additional batches (before placing in the oven) in your freezer containers and over cook a few for your lunch the next day, to bring to work with a salad, or in a wrap or for the kids chopped up with some pasta in their lunch boxes.

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Thank you for reading you FABULOUS people    <

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

Reminder, The UK Blog Awards 2015 Public vote is still running, it is free to cast your vote, if you like this post then please consider casting your vote for me in the UK Blog Awards 2015 here http://clarewiththehair.com/2014/11/13/national-uk-blog-awards-2015/

Clare’s Simply Scrumptious Salmon Salad

Mid-week meals can prove to be the hardest to think about sometime but this, Simply Scrumptious Salmon Salad makes for an easy, low cal, no fuss yet exceptionally tasty home cooked mid-week meal. This is one of my families favourites.

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Makes: 4 servings

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Total Time:  35 minutes

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Ingredients 

  • 1lb of green beans
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 4  salmon fillets
  • 1 large bag mixed salad greens
  • 1 large red onion
  • 2 large hard boiled eggs

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PREPARATION

1. Preheat your grill to medium.

2. Place beans in large pan of boiling water; cook 2 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into ice water; drain.

3. Combine vinegar, mustard, oil, shallots, 1/8 teaspoon pepper in small bowl, stirring well with whisk, set aside.

4. ,If you want to, you can spray both sides of each fillet with olive oil via a mister or use one of the low cal oil sprays, I think there is no need for any oil but I know with older grills or ones not so non stick this is a necessary step,  1/8 tea-spoon pepper. Place fish, skin side up, on grill rack; cook 5-6 minutes on this side then turn and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side.

5. Arrange 1/4 of the greens leaves in each of the 4 bowls top with your finely sliced red onion, the egg slices, and beans. Top with salmon and  drizzle with your delicious dressing.

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Tip: Add some fresh chill to the dressing for a fiery hit, also I like to warm the dressing a little at this time of the year and you may even leave the beans warm, all ways this dish works!!

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Thank you for reading you FABULOUS people

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤

D.I.Y Beauty Treatments

1/ I have been posting beauty tips and tricks and some of you have asked me for DIY treatments that anyone could try at home, So here are 5 seriously simple at home DIY Beauty Treatments that anyone can do :-)Need a relaxing bath , then mix 1/4 of a cup of Rosewater, 1/4 of a cup of Coconut milk, pour into your warm bath, swirl and lay into it and relax, it a such a treat for the skin and is incredible relaxing and smells pretty dam good to boot!! Try it!!!

Legend has it that the beautiful Egyptian queen Cleopatra who loved to emerge herself in milk and rose petal baths and insisted to have her bed covered with fresh roses every day, had carpeted her boudoir with petals of these flowers (to which she attributed aphrodisiac powers) when she first greeted and seduced Marc Antony.

Well known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties, rose water is excellent for cleansing, purifying, softening and toning the skin. Its pleasant fragrance makes it a nice, light and fresh cologne to wear especially in the summertime.

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bt4/ Our poor feet get a battering in all the fabulous Shoe Shoes we wear but sometimes we need to treat our feet back!! it is only fair, I guess. So here we have the ultimate in simple yet effective Foot Pedicure‘s for you. Mix 1/4 of a cup of Almond Oil with 3 tablespoons of dried power milk. this will form a paste. Apply all over your feet, cover in cling film and socks, sit back for as long as you have or over night and wash off in the shower to reveal soft and supple looking feet 🙂

feet5/ My all time favorite DIY at home treatment is this Body Scrub, anyone who know me, know’s I obsess over super soft skin, It is a must for me and this is one of the treatments I use to keep it this soft!! Place the brown sugar and honey in a small bowl and mix together well. Store in a jar with an air tight lid if you want to make up more and have on the bathroom shelves. Apply a small amount of scrub to wet skin and massage gently in a circular motion. Rinse well.

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Thank you for reading you FABULOUS people

❤ Clare with the Hair ❤