New Beginnings: Life on the Cam and Shiny Things

Coat - Topshop / Fedora - Topshop / Top - Primark / Jeans - H&M / Boots - Dr Martens / Bag - Mi Pac / Watch - Casio

University is weird.
Nowhere else is it appropriate to down wine from a plastic bottle whilst dressed in a dinosaur onesie and standing on a curry-stained table as your 'friends' stand back and snapchat the entire ordeal.
It also strikes me that it's probably not ideal to survive on a diet consisting entirely of Aldi basic hummus and digestive biscuits, but hey ho.

Despite (or because of?) these things, it also happens to be quite a fun time. I am soon to be entering into my seventh week here in Cambridge, as odd as that sounds to me. 'Time flies' has never been a more appropriate expression...

In any case, time moves on and with it do the seasons. I don't know what happened, but one day it was as mild as a chicken korma and then suddenly cycling to lectures became a huge task, what with the battling with layer upon layer of knitwear in what seemed like a futile attempt to keep warm.

Thankfully I have my trusty pimp coat to fall back on, it never lets me down. In an attempt to break the ongoing monochromatic monotony that is my wardrobe (I can't help it if black just always looks great) I've been pushing the boat out and attempting to incorporate some shiny stuff into the daily look. This was this week's try, involving a £3 Primark sale number that is surprisingly versatile, even if a little thin (hypothermia in the name of style is acceptable, right?). Stay tuned for more exciting fashion-y things, I can't promise any more colour though I'm afraid...

Min xo

Breakfast Polenta Porridge [vegan + gf]

This dish came about from one of those back-of-the-mind cravings that had been bugging me for a few weeks now. Unusual perhaps, given how I hadn't had polenta for years and never before in a sweet form, but hey ho that's just how my mind works!

The combination of fig, honey, walnuts and thyme is one of my favourites at the moment and goes oh so well with thick, creamy polenta. The whole fig and thyme thing reminds me slightly of a school trip to an ancient Roman palace many moons ago, where they let us wear ankle-drenching togas and pretend we were BC aristocracy for a short while. For some reason as soon as I put this to my lips that was the image that immediately sprung to mind... Hey, I'm not complaining. I looked fabulous in that toga if I do say so myself.

Anyway, this recipe is perfect for when you're a little bored of the oat and water regime and want to spice it up a bit with the god-like invention that is polenta (thank you Italians you are great pals of mine). It's so simple, but so worth it. You can pair it with anything really, much like traditional porridge, but this is just how I like mine! Feel free to switch toppings as you like, let me know how it turns out. Ciao for now xoxo

Breakfast Polenta Porridge

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup quick-cooking polenta 
• 3/4 cup almond milk (or water/whatever milk you like!)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp honey (+ more to drizzle)
• 2-3 dried figs, chopped
• 2-3 walnuts, chopped
• Small sprig of fresh thyme/1/4 tsp dried thyme
• Pinch of salt

Bring the milk to a boil in a small pan, then add the polenta and stir very quickly and continuously until it has all dissolved and the texture is creamy.

Add the honey, vanilla extract and salt. 

Remove from the pan and pour into a waiting bowl. Top with the chopped figs, walnuts and thyme. Add a splash more milk and a drizzle of honey to finish, and voila!