Buzzing about bananas

Did you know that a banana is classed as a berry?

Fact of the day for you there- however, we can’t claim to have found out this information by studying bananas under a microscope. Though, if it rains for much longer, dissecting fruit could be a good form of entertainment, daytime TV really is rubbish.

 According to Stanford magazine: Botanists define a fruit as the portion of a flowering plant that develops from the ovary. It contains the seeds, protecting them and facilitating dispersal. https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=63171

So, there you go. If there is a question in a pub quiz on bananas being a fruit, you can now explain to everyone that they are in FACT a berry. Your friends will look at you in awe (or there are a whole load of other expressions which might cross their face, but we are telling you it will mostly be awe), and the whole pub will be silent for a good five minutes. You may become known as banana brain but it is always nice to have a random fact to pull out of the bag.

Now we have blown your minds with that, did you also know you can do a lot more with a banana than just eat it? (Or dissect it for fun?)

Below are 5 things you can do with bananas that may surprise you...

Face mask: Easy peasy banana squeezie. For glowing soft skin simply mash a banana in a bowl and pop it on your face. If you have coconut oil, add a teaspoon for extra hydration and leave for 10 minutes before washing off. If you have pets, it might be a good idea to lock yourself in the bathroom as dogs and cats will try and lick your face. Though, you might also attempt to lick your own face...

Banana hair mask: Using the leftovers from the face mask recipe above, pop the rest on your hair. Leave it in for 15 minutes before washing out thoroughly, no one wants bits of banana left in their hair and again you may get an unfortunate nickname.

Foot scrub: To give your feet some banana love, simply mix one banana, 1tbsp sugar and mix. Then rub it on your skin in a circular motion to get rid of grotty feet.

Teeth whitener: The peel has its own uses too; cut off a section and rub the inner part over your teeth for a couple of minutes, then gargle (try not to gag), and rinse off with water.

Frozen chocolate bananas: Ok we know we said you can do more with bananas than just eat them, but these little beauties are covered in chocolate so it would be rude not to share this with you.

You will need:

A freezer (see below)

Baking tray (freezer size)

Baking parchment

Lollisticks (desirable but not essential, use if you have them lying around your kitchen. We did not.)

Bananas

Copious amounts of chocolate white/dark/milk/flavoured

Toppings (sprinkles/desiccated coconut/chopped nuts etc)

Method:

To make your own lazy breakfast of frozen chocolate bananas get a baking try or something you can fit into your freezer with the door shut and line it with baking paper.

Get as many bananas as you desire and cut them all in half. Put a lollipop stick through the middle of each of them. If you do not have any sticks you can just slice the bananas.

Melt a load of chocolate (because you will want to lick the bowl- if you require measurements then 2 ounces will do), and dip in your banana lollipops/slices.

Once coated with chocolate, dip the bananas in you toppings and try not to eat them before you put them on the baking parchment.

Repeat until all of the bananas have been dipped, or the chocolate is running out and you HAVE to lick the bowl.

Pop the tray in the freezer until they are solid, which will take at least six hours. We know, it is a while but if you make them before bed then they will be ready for breakfast.

Wake up after a chocolate dream with –insert Hollywood crush here- run downstairs and try your delicious frozen chocolate banana lollies/bites.

Here are the ones we made...

Stop laughing. Please.

Get yourself down to your local greengrocer and go bananas!

Bacon eggy bread recipe

This recipe was born last week in a kitchen with a fridge which was empty except for bacon and eggs, but we guarantee once you have tried it, bacon eggy bread will become a firm favourite in your house.

*A word of warning, have the fire brigade on standby.

Ingredients for one person:

3 eggs

2 rashers of bacon  

2 slices of white bread

Oil to drizzle in frying pan

Method:

Fry or grill the bacon until slightly crispy

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk

Heat a frying pan on a low heat with a little oil

*Don’t forget about the bacon if it is under the grill-  on our first attempt we nearly burnt the place down. (It is an easy mistake to make in our opinion, we blame using the healthy option of grilling. If the bacon was being fried then it would not have happened.)

Put the cooked bacon in the egg mixture and dip a piece of bread in coating both sides. If you squish the bread then the bacon should stick to it. If not take the bread out and pop some bacon on top.

Carefully (and skilfully) flip the side with the most bacon face down into the frying pan and use a spatula to push the bread down to ensure the bacon sticks to the bread

Pop some more bacon onto the uncooked side of bread, then flip over -but be careful not to throw the bacon everywhere, and push down with a spatula

Flip every couple of minutes- but not like a pancake because that is just asking for trouble. You may end up with egg and bacon on your face

Once you are happy with that slice of bacon eggy bread, repeat with the other slice of bread.

You should end up with something that looks a bit like this:

 The ketchup heart is optional, brown sauce may be used or any other condiment which takes your fancy.

Happy cooking!

The Beauty Island Review

The beauty Island review

By Rebecca Frew

Sometimes in life you just know that you belong somewhere, and walking into The Beauty Island I felt at home.   In fact I wished it was my home, but as I had not recently won the lottery I knew that I would eventually have to leave- I guess that's life, but I did have a massage to look forward to.

The treatment I had booked was a mellow massage with a candle. Once I had sat down I was given four candles and was asked to choose which scent I like the most. I chose a coconut candle, which would be lit before my treatment and the warm oil from the candle would be used to hydrate my skin and leave me smelling beautiful for hours (which was handy as I had just run out of deodorant that morning).

There were two beds in the treatment room, I was on one and Johnny Depp was on the other (yes in my head.)

After I had stripped all of my clothes off apart from my pants (the therapist had to tell me to  take off my socks and trousers for my FULL body massage after I had told her that I was ready for her to start still half dressed), I was grateful that I had remembered to shave my legs.

Having a massage can sometimes be a bit awkward and I sometimes tense my back in the beginning, but from the start I instantly felt relaxed and not tense at all. I’m sure having Johnny with me helped, along with the soft music and dark cosy surroundings. I could have hibernated in that room until spring.

Once my massage had finished (which was the best massage I have ever had) and I reluctantly got up and dressed, the therapist came in and chatted to me about stretches to do to help with the problem areas on my back. She was very knowledgeable and told my about parts of my body I didn’t even know existed.

I can’t rate The Beauty Island enough, I left the building walking on air. Even though it was absolutely pouring with rain, I walked down the road with a huge smile on my face and I can’t wait to go back again. (Which I am, in a month and I can't wait!)

Capturing Sussex

Lancing

Lord's Piece, Fittleworth

Devil's Dyke, Brighton

Highdown, Worthing

Seaford

How to get through January

January is the month where the only rule should be; hibernate until February.

Unfortunately though, almost as soon as Auld Lang Syne has been sung from the rooftops on New Year’s Eve we have to get back to the daily grind of work and general life.

If you hadn’t realised already, we are sorry to give you the news that there is still over two weeks of the blasted month to go.

However, here at Sussex Zing we have dubbed 2017 as the year of being positive, so we have put together 5 things to make getting though January a little bit easier.

Book something to look forward to

Book something which you have always wanted to try or haven’t done for a long time. It could be a trip to the theatre to see a play, a night away in a new town, an art course or a massage.

We recently visited The Beauty Island in Victoria Road, Worthing which is an award winning day spa and beauty salon.

They have everything you need to feel good under one roof, from mellow massage with a candle (which we tried and came out thoroughly soothed and relaxed), to pedicures, hair styling, and a spa zone relaxation area complete with hydrotherapy pool and sauna. A trip to this beauty island will make you feel totally invigorated and ready for anything.

If you are a new customer they are currently offering 50% off on some treatments call 01903 206954 and quote NEWBEAUTY50 or book on the website www.thebeautyisland.co.uk

NEWBEA

Get moving

In January joining the gym is almost always at the top of our resolutions, but have you realised you can go to the gym without paying a joining fee or monthly membership?

Outdoor gyms are popping up all over Sussex, those weird bits of robotic looking equipment are not there to look like fancy sculptures, they are there for you to use- for free!

You can work out your whole body from your shoulders to your legs and there are instructions on how to use them on the equipment.

Take a couple of friends down to your local outdoor gym and even if you are just falling about laughing at each other, you will still be burning off those mince pies.

                                     

Take pictures

There is nothing more satisfying than posting pictures on the internet of the beautiful places you have visited and we promise you won’t have to go far.

No matter where you live there will be a park a short distance away. We live in Sussex and we have the option of the Downs or the Sea not too far from our doorsteps no matter where you are there will always be a photo opportunity.

While we were being dragged around by a husky earlier (his name is Hades, he is beautiful but boy does he live up to his name!) we took these beautiful pictures of Sompting.

Take a stroll with your camera, you never know what you may capture. Send your picture to us and we will post them on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Have a clear out

Instead of a spring clean, have a New Year clean and get rid of the clutter that has taken over since Father Christmas came to town.

Local charities are always asking for good quality items to be donated in their stores. If you were given a new pair of shoes for Christmas, get rid of an old pair. If you were given lots of new clothes, give some of your old ones which you haven’t worn in ages to a charity shop.

Charity bags which are posted through letterboxes are also a great way to give you old things away without you having to go anywhere. They have a day on the bag for when they will be back to collect it, so challenge yourself to fill a bag and kick off the new year by doing something good for someone else.

(The above is not our colour co-ordinated wardrobe unfortunately  it is from Hope House Augusta.)

Eat healthy

Most of us also make a commitment to eat healthier in January but that is easier said than done with leftover boxes of chocolates lying around.

We have found that the best thing to do is to try and eat a healthier breakfast, by starting off the day eating something good can help you to make healthier choices throughout the day (as you are feeling virtuous for eating porridge and a banana for breakfast), though it doesn’t always work.

However, at least the thought is there so why not scope out your local greengrocers and see what healthy fruit and vegetables they have and try having them for breakfast tomorrow? You never know you might find your new favourite fruit.

Though nothing is guaranteed, pigs might fly and – oh is that an unopened box of chocolates in the cupboard?!

(Photo realfoods.co.uk)

Welcome!

Welcome to Sussex Zing, the online magazine for Sussex.

We will be bringing you daily articles, features, photographs, recipes, and a Husky dog blog, all promoting the life and spirit of Sussex.

Sussex has so much to offer from the beautiful coastline to the rolling Downs and so much more in between. We will give you the freshest look at Sussex and the people in it.

If you would like to be involved in Sussex Zing, or have something to promote from a small business to a local event contact us at sussexzing@gmail.com Facebook: Sussex.zing Twitter: Sussex_zing

Tomorrow: How to get through January – with the touch of Sussex.

Welcome to Sussex Zing 'The life and spirit of Sussex' launching January 2017