Wednesday 9 August 2017

#Foodie - Pea Soup


Why not choose a creamy pea soup for a delicious autumn dinner to keep you going in the middle of the week



Ingredient:

Creme fraiche (optional)
Butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion or spring, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley
6 cups peas, fresh or frozen
½ cup water
4 cups vegetable stock
½ cup half-and-half (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

You will need:

Pan, a hand held Blender, Spoon

Directions:

Heat butter and oil over medium heat until the butter melts in pan. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme (or parsley); cook, stirring, until fragrant, for about 10 seconds.

Stir in peas. Add in water and the stock; bring to a lively simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for about 1 minute.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in half-and-half, add in salt and pepper.

Finally add in Creme fraiche (Leave out if Vegan)

Tip:


Ready  to eat in 35 m, with 3 servings, you can also make ahead of time; refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

  

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Sunday 6 August 2017

Muse of the Autumn Season



As we transition in to the autumn season, we thought we share our muses for the season; Caroline Issa, who is an fan of Madia & Matilda and our sustainable clothing ethos.






CEO and Editor of Tank, Because magazine Caroline Issa exudes classic feminine style, that the Madia & Matilda woman portrays. Always, making a statement in the front row or street style blogs, Caroline style is understated and sartorial.



We have hand selected, work style we feel Caroline Issa would approve of; to transition into the autumn season. 




1. Effortless everyday staple - Shan Blouse worn with the Phoebe skirt, in a fitted silhouette  with a contrast elasticated waist band. A great selection if you are planning on going for drinks after work.




2. A less conventional classic Work shirt - Adian has embroidered flowers or for a classic work shirt the Carrie - Chiffon Blouse as seen worn with the Eduora skirt a midi Length pleated skirt.




3.  Floral beauty - River Top a cap sleeve, pleated top; worn with a smart crop trouser Zara is perfect for running from meeting to meeting!




Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Edible Papaya Boats



The ultimate in fast food breakfast in a crafted edible bowl. A fresh, delicious & nutritious breakfast that just looks beautiful. Perfect for if your in a hurry or just lounging on a Sunday morning; check out our recipe below.

PAPAYA BOATS

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS
80g mixed seeds (or Oats or granola which ever you prefer)
1 apple, grated
Splash of vanilla
Pinch of cinnamon
20g blueberrys
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
1 Papaya
Strawberries, blueberries to serve
Blackberrys
Bananas
Almonds
Coconut flakes
1 Nectarines

INSTRUCTIONS
Simply pop the oats in a bowl.
Cut the papaya in half and use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds.
Fill the papaya bowls with the muesli, oats or seeds and top with berries and all the ingredients listed with a pinch of cinnamon and your good to go!



Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Sunday 16 July 2017

What to wear at a festival



Whether you are off to Glasto, Hide out or Boardmasters or somewhere further afield…




... We've got a few styles for you to stand out from the crowd; in a sustainable outfit you can wear again and again.





 Our ‘Levannah’and ‘Carly’ dresses are easily our favourite festival go-to.




With such a versatile style, the ‘Julia’ dress is easy to pack, just add your favourite accessories and of course glitter! Tip: The‘Lena’ skirt looks super with it too for increased variety; why not rock the perfect sheer vs. matt ensemble?






 In the mood for music? Check out our Summer Playlist here on Spotify. 











DIY Flower garland
You will need:
·         Scissors/a knife
·         Horticultural wire
·         Tape (preferably green washi or masking tape)
·         Dried flowers or artificial flowers

Step one
Bend the horticultural wire in a loop about 2cm larger than comfortably sits on your head to create the main structure

Step two
Arrange flowers without tape to ascertain how the final product will look. If there’s a variety in the flowers then ensure they’re evenly distributed (or not if asymmetry is your desired effect.
Step three
Begin to tape the flower stems covering each with the next flower. Where you finish will be the back of the garland.

Step 4
Add ribbons or other trimmings for more festival fun!


Aiming to crowd surf or sit on shoulders?Our ‘Jain’ playsuit offers a cool alternative to dresses, for the more adventurous side of fashion.

DON’T FORGET: Sunscreen is the best accessory with any outfit in the sun!

  Sincerely Madia & Matilda



Sunday 9 July 2017

Travel






Travel
Peak holiday season is almost upon us. Here at Madia & Matilda we want to share our go-to holiday outfits as well as some nifty tips.

Plain and simple
Opt for minimal pattern to achieve effortless style. We live the M+M Tess - dress for this reason. Not only is it comfortable enough for that long haul flight, its fun tie-back design ensures just the right amount of flair to be suitable for all occasions.

Creative combos

Mix and match items for maximum versatility. Our top picks from Madia & Matilda are the Phoebe - contrast panel skirt and the Lisa May - tank top. Block colours work best for this but patterns could be introduced with accessories.




Pre-plan outfits
we cannot stress how important it is to make sure you have already planned out your outfits to wear on holiday, we have previously often thrown a load of summer clothes into my suit case and arrived on holiday with no assembled outfits.

Take minimal accessories
You won’t want to turn up on holiday with 100’s of accessories, just try to take accessories that will co ordinate well with your outfits, sunglasses a must!

Take clothes that are durable for travel

It is a pain when you’re travelling and your clothes get damaged, so too avoid this make sure to not take clothes that are already damaged and take clothes that will be right for what you plan to do whilst travelling.











Try to avoid taking a huge amount of beauty products                                      
If you’re planning to wear makeup during your travels, try not to avoid taking most of your beautystash, try taking a makeup palette that includes eye shadow, lipstick and blush instead of taking those individual products.  

                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                           








Sincerely Madia & Matilda

e::  info@madiamatilda.co.uk       w::  www.madiamatilda.co.uk/

Friday 7 July 2017

Breakfast of Champions



With Wimbledon on at the moment it’s time to eat the British breakfast, or snack, of tennis champions A.K.A scones. They’re perfect for trying to replicate the Wimbledon experience, whether, it’s whilst eating lounging on the sofa watching TV or sitting in the garden on a picnic blanket with friends





Check out our recipe for scone

Ingredients:
350g of self-raising flour and extra for dusting
¼ tsp of salt
1tsp of baking powder
85g of butter cut into cubes
3tbsp of caster sugar
175ml of milk
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Squeeze lemon juice
Beaten egg to glaze
Jam and clotted cream to serve
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 220c/fan and 200c/gas 7. Tip flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl and mix.
2. Add the butter then rub with fingers into the dry mixture until the mixture becomes fine like crumbs. Then stir in the sugar.
3. Put the milk in a tub and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave so it’s warm. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Then put it to the side and put a baking sheet to the oven.
4. Make a hole in the dry mix and add the liquid. Combine it quickly with a knife; it will seem very wet at first.
5. Scatter flour on a surface and put the dough on it. Put flour on your hands too. Fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother. Then pat the dough into a round that is roughly 4cm deep.
6. Take a round cutter and dip it in flour before cutting out the dough.

7. Bake for 10 minutes until they are golden on the top.