Black Beans Recipe & Different Ideas to Have Them

I buy a bag of black beans in Tesco every week. They are the only beans I don't buy in a can, mainly because there is no canned black beans in Tesco, and it is good to give our digestive systems a rest from canned goods and to cook your beans from scratch, every now and again.

Black beans are so delicious and versatile. You can cook the whole bag and then divide them in different portions and freeze them and use in different recipes as pointed below. 

HOW TO COOK THEM?

Place your beans (previously rinsed) in a big bowl and cover fully in filtered water and let them soak over night. This will minimise the cooking time the next day by half! So, it is really worth doing!

My mom back home always throws out the water she soaks them in. But after doing my research, this water has most of the beans nutrients, so it's much better to cook them in the same water.

Before you cook them, you can if you want, sauté some onion, peppers, leeks, carrots to add more flavour. Add the beans with the water  into your saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add stock and then simmer for 2 hours or until the beans are soft.

Here are a few ideas of how to serve them without getting bored:

Black Bean Mexican Salad:

Mix some  black beans with avocado, corn, tomato, onion, couscous or quinoa. You can eat cold or hot. It is delicious, light and very healthy!

Sweet Potato Boats:

These sweet potato boats are incredible tasty. Black beans and sweet potato are a great combo. To make this, bake the potatoes in the oven for 30 minutes at 200 degrees and fill them in with the beans, corn and some herbs.

Black Bean Tacos:

I adore these tacos. You can add any grains of choice like: brown rice, quinoa, couscous and salsa veggies such as onion, jalapeños, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, etc...

I hope you can get inspired to cook your own beans from scratch! They're so handy to keep in the freezer and take out for days you don't want to cook, but still want to eat healthy.

Black Beans Recipe & Different Ideas to Have Them

I buy a bag of black beans in Tesco every week. They are the only beans I don't buy in a can, mainly because there is no canned black beans in Tesco, and it is good to give our digestive systems a rest from canned goods and to cook your beans from scratch, every now and again.

Black beans are so delicious and versatile. You can cook the whole bag and then divide them in different portions and freeze them and use in different recipes as pointed below. 

HOW TO COOK THEM?

Place your beans (previously rinsed) in a big bowl and cover fully in filtered water and let them soak over night. This will minimise the cooking time the next day by half! So, it is really worth doing!

My mom back home always throws out the water she soaks them in. But after doing my research, this water has most of the beans nutrients, so it's much better to cook them in the same water.

Before you cook them, you can if you want, sauté some onion, peppers, leeks, carrots to add more flavour. Add the beans with the water  into your saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add stock and then simmer for 2 hours or until the beans are soft.

Here are a few ideas of how to serve them without getting bored:

Black Bean Mexican Salad:

Mix some  black beans with avocado, corn, tomato, onion, couscous or quinoa. You can eat cold or hot. It is delicious, light and very healthy!

Sweet Potato Boats:

These sweet potato boats are incredible tasty. Black beans and sweet potato are a great combo. To make this, bake the potatoes in the oven for 30 minutes at 200 degrees and fill them in with the beans, corn and some herbs.

Black Bean Tacos:

I adore these tacos. You can add any grains of choice like: brown rice, quinoa, couscous and salsa veggies such as onion, jalapeños, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, etc...

I hope you can get inspired to cook your own beans from scratch! They're so handy to keep in the freezer and take out for days you don't want to cook, but still want to eat healthy.

Caramel Raw Chocolate Squares

This squares are a success at my house. The only thing about these is they are extremely high in calories (too much coconut oil). They are so worth it, but you do have to treat these as you would any other dessert.

They are handy to keep in the freezer for when the chocolate craving kicks in but I certainly wouldn't have them everyday.

BASE
1 cup almonds
1 cup dates
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
3 tbsp cacao powder

Blend on food processor until a you get a sticky base. Spread evenly over a lined dish and place into the freezer while you make the rest

CARAMEL LAYER
1 cup dates
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
4 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla

Process on food processor until creamy and spread evenly on top of your base and freeze again for about 20 minutes to set

TOP LAYER

You can also melt 150grams of 70% dark chocolate instead of the following:

1/4 cup ccao
1/4 cup coconut oil melted
1/4 cup maple syrup or stevia drops or any sweetener of choice

Make a chocolate sauce and spread on top of the caramel and place back in the freezer 10 minutes

Take them out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving and enjoy. They keep well in the freezer for 2 months!

Caramel Raw Chocolate Squares

This squares are a success at my house. The only thing about these is they are extremely high in calories (too much coconut oil). They are so worth it, but you do have to treat these as you would any other dessert.

They are handy to keep in the freezer for when the chocolate craving kicks in but I certainly wouldn't have them everyday.

BASE
1 cup almonds
1 cup dates
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
3 tbsp cacao powder

Blend on food processor until a you get a sticky base. Spread evenly over a lined dish and place into the freezer while you make the rest

CARAMEL LAYER
1 cup dates
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
4 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla

Process on food processor until creamy and spread evenly on top of your base and freeze again for about 20 minutes to set

TOP LAYER

You can also melt 150grams of 70% dark chocolate instead of the following:

1/4 cup ccao
1/4 cup coconut oil melted
1/4 cup maple syrup or stevia drops or any sweetener of choice

Make a chocolate sauce and spread on top of the caramel and place back in the freezer 10 minutes

Take them out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving and enjoy. They keep well in the freezer for 2 months!

My Specsavers Experience

If you follow me on Snapachat you might have seen how much I was suffering watching television without squinting my eyes. It was very tiring, especially when my husband wanted to watch a movie.
Mainly because my mother tongue isn't english so I have to watch movies with subtitles turned on, as sometimes I can't understand the words, so it is easier for me to read them. 

But every time we were about to watch a movie, I was always suffering because I couldn't see properly. So, I have been wanting to get my eyes tested since I had my first little boy but begin busy with a second pregnancy, I never got around to do it until now.

After talking about it on my snapchat I got a lot of messages asking me to do a blogpost about my experience in Specsavers. As I think we all put aside getting our eyes checked, I think it is easier when you hear somebody else's story. 

Just for the record this is not a paid post. I'm writing this because I got a lot of messages asking for it. I think it is nice these day to read non-paid reviews.

Anyway, first of all, you have to make an appointment before you go into Specsavers. I tried to get my eyes checked just by walking into the shop and they couldn't take me in so I had to book an appointment.

I went into the branch in Dundrum, which is obviously a very busy branch, and although it was a Monday it was packed. I couldn't believe it.

But thanks to the appointment system, people goes in and out really quickly, without having to wait for ages.

The first eye exam involves testing your eyes, by looking at a picture of a hot air balloon. In here they check for an infection of any abnormality with your eyes. 

After that, you go in with an specialist where she places a few images in the wall with different size letters and she ask you to say the letters you see and to chose between 2 different images saying which is clearer.

After this, she tells you wether you need glasses or not. Actually, she mentioned that 2 people had to go into emergencies that day after getting their eyes checked and found some abnormalities. It's crazy to think that we could be feeling fine when in fact there could be something wrong. This is why it is very important we get our eyes checked every two years. Not only to check if you need glasses or if your glasses need updating but also to check the health of your eyes. Opticians can also pick up on some general health issues too, like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Then I got assisted by a very nice girl called Eleanor. She helped me to chose my glasses. I loved how helpful she was, and actually very honest to let me know about the glasses that didn't suit me.

They had a promotion 2x1 so I was able to choose 2 pairs for the price of one. For this reason I decided to buy sunglasses with prescription so I can drive comfortably when sun is shining, and be able to see the signs on the road. And this are the ones I went for: 

On me:

I loved the fact that they shape the glasses to your face shape and size so you aren't suffering from dropping the glasses down to your nose because they are too big for your face:

One thing I didn't like about the whole experience is that they give you an option to chose from a "clear glass" rather than the normal glass, and this has an extra cost of 45 euros. It is a very impressive difference between the 2 glasses. Check it out here:

I don't know if I am beign unfair but the difference between a "clear glass" and a normal glass is huge. I think the clear glass option should be included in all the lenses without cost. I think it is the equivalent to go to a restaurant and order their speciality but at the waitress offer you a tastier option  but you have to pay more. Why don't they just serve the better option and state it in the menu price? I hope I am not begin unreasonable but that is my honest thinking

But overall their customer service is top class. They have all the right technology to make your glasses very comfortable to your face shape. I also loved they have a huge range of different type of glasses to chose from, from different brands to different price ranges. 

I went to a different optometrist before and their cheapest glasses were around 150 euros which I thought it was crazy. So for sure  in Specsavers you are able to buy glasses according to your own budget.

I also loved that Specsavers have a range for kids. There are plenty of kids that need glasses and they have a lot of options to fit the needs of your little ones.

So, in conclusion, make sure you get your eyes tested every 2 years. Specsavers are a great option to do it with as they offer great value for different budgets and great customer service. And lastly If you have any questions please let me know and I will be happy to answer.

My Specsavers Experience

If you follow me on Snapachat you might have seen how much I was suffering watching television without squinting my eyes. It was very tiring, especially when my husband wanted to watch a movie.
Mainly because my mother tongue isn't english so I have to watch movies with subtitles turned on, as sometimes I can't understand the words, so it is easier for me to read them. 

But every time we were about to watch a movie, I was always suffering because I couldn't see properly. So, I have been wanting to get my eyes tested since I had my first little boy but begin busy with a second pregnancy, I never got around to do it until now.

After talking about it on my snapchat I got a lot of messages asking me to do a blogpost about my experience in Specsavers. As I think we all put aside getting our eyes checked, I think it is easier when you hear somebody else's story. 

Just for the record this is not a paid post. I'm writing this because I got a lot of messages asking for it. I think it is nice these day to read non-paid reviews.

Anyway, first of all, you have to make an appointment before you go into Specsavers. I tried to get my eyes checked just by walking into the shop and they couldn't take me in so I had to book an appointment.

I went into the branch in Dundrum, which is obviously a very busy branch, and although it was a Monday it was packed. I couldn't believe it.

But thanks to the appointment system, people goes in and out really quickly, without having to wait for ages.

The first eye exam involves testing your eyes, by looking at a picture of a hot air balloon. In here they check for an infection of any abnormality with your eyes. 

After that, you go in with an specialist where she places a few images in the wall with different size letters and she ask you to say the letters you see and to chose between 2 different images saying which is clearer.

After this, she tells you wether you need glasses or not. Actually, she mentioned that 2 people had to go into emergencies that day after getting their eyes checked and found some abnormalities. It's crazy to think that we could be feeling fine when in fact there could be something wrong. This is why it is very important we get our eyes checked every two years. Not only to check if you need glasses or if your glasses need updating but also to check the health of your eyes. Opticians can also pick up on some general health issues too, like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Then I got assisted by a very nice girl called Eleanor. She helped me to chose my glasses. I loved how helpful she was, and actually very honest to let me know about the glasses that didn't suit me.

They had a promotion 2x1 so I was able to choose 2 pairs for the price of one. For this reason I decided to buy sunglasses with prescription so I can drive comfortably when sun is shining, and be able to see the signs on the road. And this are the ones I went for: 

On me:

I loved the fact that they shape the glasses to your face shape and size so you aren't suffering from dropping the glasses down to your nose because they are too big for your face:

One thing I didn't like about the whole experience is that they give you an option to chose from a "clear glass" rather than the normal glass, and this has an extra cost of 45 euros. It is a very impressive difference between the 2 glasses. Check it out here:

I don't know if I am beign unfair but the difference between a "clear glass" and a normal glass is huge. I think the clear glass option should be included in all the lenses without cost. I think it is the equivalent to go to a restaurant and order their speciality but at the waitress offer you a tastier option  but you have to pay more. Why don't they just serve the better option and state it in the menu price? I hope I am not begin unreasonable but that is my honest thinking

But overall their customer service is top class. They have all the right technology to make your glasses very comfortable to your face shape. I also loved they have a huge range of different type of glasses to chose from, from different brands to different price ranges. 

I went to a different optometrist before and their cheapest glasses were around 150 euros which I thought it was crazy. So for sure  in Specsavers you are able to buy glasses according to your own budget.

I also loved that Specsavers have a range for kids. There are plenty of kids that need glasses and they have a lot of options to fit the needs of your little ones.

So, in conclusion, make sure you get your eyes tested every 2 years. Specsavers are a great option to do it with as they offer great value for different budgets and great customer service. And lastly If you have any questions please let me know and I will be happy to answer.