Where has February gone? I know it’s a monthly favourites cliché, but seriously, this month has flown by! However, I’m kinda glad the shorter, gloomier month of the year has gone, as, even if it’s seen a few nice highlights, I’m totally, completely, entirely ready for springtime! Bring me the warmer weather, the thin layers, the fresh flowers, the juicier fruits and better tasting vegetables please! I’m so totally done with winter this year…

The end of a month also means it’s time for the monthly roundup of my favourite discoveries from the past 30 (or less) days, and this month I have quite a few! I’ve tried very hard to keep the motivation alive (and it can be so hard when everything you want to do is staying under a pile of blankets and not move if not to grab a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate) and if I did find it somewhere, I had to thank a few new little treats as well!

Candle – Millefiori Milano ; Tea Scented Erasers – Kikkerland ; Diary – Frankie Press ; Note Pads – Ikea

If there’s one thing that makes me happy is new stationery. I’m waking up happy every morning just because I can put my hands onto my new beautiful Frankie Diary over and over again! It took quite a while to come and I have to remember to order it in advance next year and not when January has already started, but I’m completely fascinated by how a cute journal and organizing my things, to-do lists and little tasks/ideas in a pretty way can bring so much positivity to my work, schedule and general approach to what I have to do! I like to pair it up with my new Pink Note Pads from Ikea, which are the cutest (aren’t they?!) and my Scented Tea Erasers that I can’t stop talking about!

Talking of scents, I’m completely in love with my new Floral Romance Candle by Millefiori Milano – such a beautiful, spring-reminder, full, intense floral scent. It brings me to an extemporaneous springtime everytime I can smell the scent – and just having it there at my desk even if not lighted up yet, it fills the area with fresh floral notes that can’t *not* make for a good start of the day!

Earphones ℅ Woodbuds

You’ll hear me talking about these earphones again very soon, but I couldn’t resist mentioning them between my monthly favourites. I’m completely fascinated by Woodbuds‘s ethics: their earphones are made out of bio-pastic and naturally crafted wood, their packaging is 100% made from recyclable material, and every 100 sets of earphones they sell, they plant a new tree to give back to nature what they took! I love companies like that, they make spending a few more pennies completely worth!

Plants, vases, pots – Ikea ; Clear Glass Mug – Ikea

On a complete spring-ish, floral theme, I’m also loving anything green! I’ve a bunch of tulips on my dressing table, and it’s brightening up the room as nothing else! I also love all the little Ikea pot plants, they make for a cute little touch of green to add to any workspaces!

I feel like I mention a new mug in every monthly favourites post! But recently I’m obsessed with clear glass mugs and this one from Ikea is the latest entry of a way-too-crowded mugs pantry. I love the clean look of this, and I mainly use it with cappuccino or layered lattes, and the effect is beautiful, but tea looks amazing in there too! … next on my list? This beauty!

Zebra Printed Blouse ℅ Sheinside

I might need to start buying spring clothes – that would make me a very happy girl! Meanwhile I’m appreciating everything that reminds me of spring and that can be worn on those recent odd few days of sunshine too. I’m in love with the pattern of this new blouse of mine and I’ve a feeling I’m going to get so much wear out of it in springtime and summertime – but it’s also perfect to be layered under cardigans and sweaters until the weather will be a little bit nicer!

Eat Pretty

I had quite a tough time at reading last year, but I’m trying to keep the motivation alive recently and Eat Pretty is just so interesting that was the right one to start from to get back into a reading routine! I’ll move on to novels soon, but for now reading about food and getting to know what I put into my body a little bit better, what’s good for me and what’s not, what I should try to replace and with what, has been very fascinating! I highly suggest giving this book a read, it’s a nice one just to go back to when you feel like eating healthier, and it suggests (not forces) you what’s actually good for your body health! … plus, look at those illustrations, it’s just a pleasing book to browse through!

Let me know what has been on your favourites list this month! x

As much as January‘s been a tough month, I’ve tried and approached February in a slightly more positive way. I need the warmer weather to be here so badly, the winter blues’ve totally hit me recently and only on the odd warm spring-like days I totally felt renewed! I’m super excited for the new month and the new season to come, but I must admit, between some forgettable episodes, February has seen some nice highlights too (and a lot of coffee – can you guess it from these pictures?!).

On my February happy list…

1 :: Valentine’s Day! It’s been a good one this year! We actually got to spend it by our own for almost the entire day, doing romantic and love-themed things (like putting together an indoor picnic with wine and chocolate and baking heart-shaped brownies) that we never really “find” time to do on an average day together.

2 :: Going back to the pool and swim at least once a week has been one of the best things about this month! I’ve always loved swimming and being in the water and sometimes I really can’t believe how easy it is for me to forget how good and renewed I feel afterwards! I really need to stick to it in the future… oh, and I’m also loving yoga quite a lot lately, mostly thanks to Adriene!

3 :: The little joys that come with having a daily diary, a one place where to keep my notes and to-do lists and tasks. Bonus points if it’s as cute as Frankie Diary.

4 :: This has not lasted the whole month, but I tried to switch off the technologies and instead read before going to sleep. It felt quite nice while it lasted, but I’m a creature of habit and always go back to my phone and Instagram feed. *But* I’m going to try and make it a real thing the next month.

5 :: Healthy eating or in general a healthier approach to life! I’m really enjoying taking care of myself and what I put into my body, but most of all, I truly deeply enjoy discovering new ingredients, especially if they’re good!

Bonus :: that feeling when someone buys you flowers! Especially if they’re tulips!

My favourite online contents :: Kristabel’s My Career Story So Far ; Gemma’s Intuitive Eating ; Rosie’s My Workout Routine ; Katy’s Stopping & Starting ; Cat’s Poltergeist.

What’s on your February happy list? x

I guess I’m not the only one that is trying to achieve a healthier lifestyle lately (or have your New Year resolutions gone out the window already? I hope not!) and there’s no need of a reminder for knowing everything starts from what we put in our body. However I must admit Eat Pretty is very good at keeping my motivation alive; I might save you the details for another time, but that book is all I needed in this period of my life: food awareness. It’s the one to go for if you don’t know where to begin with your healthy eating, but it’s amazing also as a reminder that you can start (or restart) approaching life in a more conscious way from literally every next meal!

As you might have noticed from my latest healthy-ish recipes over this space, I’m trying and embracing the philosophy of cooking and baking with healthier, non processed ingredients a lot more. This obviously means I have to cook every of my meals and it might sounds very time consuming, and sometimes it really is, but others is easier and quicker you’d ever imagine to put together a 100% healthy and delicious meal from scratch. I’m finding myself going back to basics quite a lot, and realizing most of the natural ingredients I was already eating are incredibly good by their own too. As much as I like to experiment with different recipes, there’s totally no need to try out new ones every meal, but it’s actually all about combining what I already know and love!

Ahh, I remember discovering guacamole years ago and finding it groundbreaking! Since then me and mom experimented with the recipe quite a lot, and even though we still change things up now and again and though making guacamole is always very approximate, I thought it was about time to share my recipe for my number one favourite food ever!

Serves 1 | Ingredients:
1 big egg

3 handful of bulgar wheat + quinoa mix
A sprinkle chia seeds
Soy oil, salt

1/2 ripe avocado
2 or 3 small cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Turmeric, paprika, salt, pepper, onion to taste

1 :: Start by boiling your egg your own way. I like to wait 6 minutes (or a tiny bit more) from when the water starts boiling, then rinse the egg under tepid water for a minute or two until I’m able to handle the egg and remove all the skin. Set aside.

2 :: Fill a medium saucepan with water and place it onto a high heat until it starts boiling. Throw in one handful of salt and three handfuls of bulgar wheat + quinoa mix and lower the heat to the minimum. Set a timer for 10/12 minutes (or what suggested on the pack). It’s very important to not overcook it or it will feel too soft and lose all the consistency!

3 :: Meanwhile peel the avocado and slice it into cubes. Place it into a deep bowl together with the tomatoes, the olive oil, lemon juice, onion (feel free to use your own quantity – I like to add just a quarter or less of an onion for these doses) and spices to taste. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until very smooth. Taste and add salt, pepper, spices if needed and according to your own preferences! I like it to be super spicy 😉

4 :: Drain the quinoa well and place it into a plate, together with your guacamole and egg. Top the egg with salt and the quinoa with a drizzle of soy oil and a sprinkle of chia seeds.