23/07/201327/01/2014 by jo

Porridge On Tuesday – Win a 12 Week Healthy Eating Plan – Giveaway

We’re Porridge on Tuesday Ambassadors, overdue an update but for now, how about a giveaway?

Porridge On Tuesday is much more than just a healthy eating plan, though that is a massive part of it. We’re well into it now and doing well (not gaining weight, and finding loads of new quick healthy recipes) – and this is your chance to have a go too.

I have FIVE to give away – so that’s a twelve week plan – which would work out at £2.50 a week, so that’s a fair bit of money saved (please don’t ask me to count right now, I’m tired) – worth a go, I’d say!

It’s a nice simple Rafflecopter entry too, so please read on. Also, POT are offering the 8 week plan for £14.95 and the 15 week plan for £25.95 – so there’s some savings already. All you need to do is email offer@porridgeontuesday.com.

I’ll be posting an update on how it’s going for us soon – but until then you’ve got until the 8th August to enter – quick! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

22/07/201327/01/2014 by jo

App Time – Jump Up and Join In! with Carrie and David Grant

So following on from our previous post, we’ve been playing with the Jump Up and Join In (JUJI) app for kids that we previewed at Egmont’s offices.

It is based on the Lion’s Speedy Sauce book which we’ll be reviewing soon. The app is very straightforward and uncomplicated. While H isn’t reading properly yet she can work out words and knew which sections she wanted to go to – the colours are bright and colourful and really appealing – and they have good fonts!

That place would be her favourite section – the song – and has so far made about ten different videos of herself dancing with Carrie and David while singing the Speedy Sauce song (which we then did a recording of ourselves and she knew all the words to) – she’s picked it up quickly! You can choose various costume combinations to wear as well as adding a picture of yourself and changing the background.

The app has several areas where you can enter the game – if you read the story you occasionally get the JUJI logo which takes you to other interactive parts of the game (and while you’re in each section the characters all have little things they do if you touch them too which H really likes) – so far she’s fascinated with making videos and singing (future pop star in the making maybe?).

What I like about the app is the various ways you can play – and it’s making learning fun. She likes reading the story ‘Lion’s Speedy Sauce’ plus there’s a section where you can play along with bongos, repeating patterns or with keys repeating the tunes – Lion’s Speedy Sauce is all about rhythm which I think she’ll benefit from.

That and both songs so far are incredibly catchy – you’ll end up singing them yourself, let alone your child.

If this app proves to be successful, hopefully other books in the series will be added, which is great. We’re finding it lots of fun, although dragging H away from making videos of herself is proving difficult!

Jump Up and Join In – the App is available now from the App Store

We received a code to review this, all opinions are our own. The iTunes link is an affiliate link.

21/07/201326/03/2018 by jo

A Cadbury Experiment -Making Home Made Ice Magic #cbias

Are you old enough to remember Ice Magic? We are, and wanted to try making some home made ice magic – read on…

Home made ice magic is something I’ve often wanted to try. It’s a runny chocolate topper you put on ice cream, and it solidifies once it makes contact with the cold, leaving a crunchy chocolate top – oh and you can’t buy it any more. I’ve been dying for SO long to attempt to make our own and found that all it requires is chocolate and coconut oil. Our tub of oil was nearly empty so we picked some up when we went shopping in Sutton, before heading to Asda to pick up some Cadbury chocolate to do the hard work. There’s a Google+ album here.

After that it was all down to the preparation – we needed to make home made ice cream with our home made Ice Magic, obviously!

Strawberry was the flavour we opted for – put into the ice cream maker with the simple ingedients of 300g fresh strawberries, 200g double cream, 200g skimmed milk, two egg yolks and 70g icing sugar. I’ve posted the base recipe on here before now. It took about twenty minutes to prepare and with the chilled bowl having been in the freezer for over 24 hours it was ready to be kept fluid and aerated while getting colder.

The experiment was next – our home made ice magic. I’ve been dying to try this for so long, so weighed out 200g of chocolate and broke it up. I used one plain Cadbury Dairy Milk and most of a Cadbury Dairy Milk with Oreo Cookies (this has bulked up the sauce and makes it hard to squeeze out of the bottle we’ve used, so I’d recommend a chocolate without extras).

They were broken up and then melted over a pan of boiled water, and once smooth (with oreo bits in my case) I added 100g of coconut oil. The oil will stop the mixture from going solid (which is what you need it to do when it comes into contact with the cold ice cream). I’m wondering if this would also work for a fondue, so may have to try that another weekend…

Once the mixture was smooth looking (with bits of oreo floating in the top, sigh) I decanted it into an old ketchup bottle which made pouring over the ice cream much easier.

It was ready but still soft so we put it in the freezer for a bit longer – you need it to be cold for the chocolate to set.

The result? The home made ice magic works! Genius! I squirted a bit too much over the ice cream, and Shaun – ever the doubter – told me I’d put too much on. By the time we’d taken it from the kitchen to outside it had set complete with the spoons stuck to the chocolate – a success!

So if you want to try home made ice magic as well, it’s two parts chocolate to one part coconut oil. It leaves a thinner mixture but the colder the ice cream the better it will set and I’d like to think with the inclusion of coconut oil there’s a level of healthy in there too…

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

21/07/201327/01/2014 by jo

Easy Lunchtime Quesadillas

Food, Recipe
1 Comment

Easy lunchtime quesadillas are just that – easy. We don’t do difficult here.

Easy lunchtime quesadillas are something we like. They’re quick, straightforward and simple and quick to make. We did a vegetable quesadilla a while back and today as we started to run out of food we did an even simpler one,

You need :

wraps – we had a pack of six small ones
cheese – any will do
salsa or passata – depending on how much spice your child likes
a large frying pan – to warm them up

Simply put the salsa or passata on the wrap, and top with cheese – it doesn’t need to be neat, but keep it away from the very edge.

Place another wrap on top and try to make sure the mixture doesn’t squash out – the cheese will melt a bit and you don’t want melted cheese all over your frying pan.

easy lunchtime quesadillas

Place onto a non-stick frying pan (no oil needed – keep shuffling it like you would a pancake) and heat through well until the cheese has melted which is usually less than a minute.

Serve with carrot and cucumber sticks and whatever dips you have handy. We had hummous and it was yummy!

easy lunchtime quesadillas

We think easy lunchtime quesadillas made the perfect quick summertime lunch. They took minimal time to prepare and they cooled down quickly which was handy as we didn’t have a lot of time.

Nutritional information – we used Weight Watchers Wraps and cheese, using one and a half slices of cheese and two wraps, keeping the overall calories down. Passata has zero points too.

20/07/201309/07/2017 by jo

Mozzie Bites – A Cheap Fix If You’re Allergic

I have some mozzie bites on my arm – I’ve just posted about the lovely skin on my legs, but I forgot about this time of year when those annoying buzzy critters like to come and chomp on me, leaving behind itchy red bumps where they’ve been. I hate mosquitos, I really do. I’ve tried almost everything to repel them and nothing works. Every year they get me.

Mozzie bites are the bane of my life in summer. I attract them and I have no idea why.

Imagine how it will be when we relocate to Australia! When I’ve been in the past I’ve had mozzie bites they swell to horrible sizes – I had to be put on antibiotics one year, with steroids the following one. I get cellulitis (which is nothing to do with cellulite, it’s to do with your arm or leg swelling up thanks to the bites) and I’ve tried everything you can possibly get over the counter.

One year Shaun’s mum bought me a cream called Stingose. I wasn’t convinced but she was aware how I reacted when I was bitten – and after a night out (with all the repellent I could get on me) and the mozzies having a good feast on me, and my skin reacting, I put some Stingose on the mozzie bites. Within a day the swelling had gone and instead I just had a bruised kind of look there. It is the stuff of miracles!

Except.

You can’t get it in the UK.

I was bitten on the shoulder four times at my knitting group. After a quick look online I found that Stingose is discontinued in the UK. I have no idea why. So I had a bit of a panic… someone must have heard of it or seen it in a chemist, so I asked around. Instead I had helpful people sending me google links (to places where it is out of stock) and helpful suggestions of other creams, but I need something I know works.

Then Shaun came up with the genius solution – a Styptic Pencil. It has exactly the same ingredients as Stingose – and it’s also a lot cheaper! So off I went to Boots and picked one up. Sure enough its main purpose is shaving cuts, but insect bites is listed there too.

If you’re like me and a sensitive soul then I’d recommend giving the Styptic Pencil a try – you just dab it in water and put it on the bite. Obviously I’m not a doctor so maybe do some research into it before you try. If you too are trying to find some Stingose in the UK and failing, then this is your best solution.

That and I’ve bought an Executioner which should arrive early next week. Damn critters. This is very un-vegetarian of me, I know – but I don’t eat mozzies.

20/07/2013 by jo

Check Your Car Insurance

Check your car insurance! Following on from the last post about Contents Insurance, we got our car renewal through earlier this week.

Check your car insurance – Shaun did and spotted an error – for some reason when we moved house they didn’t amend the postcode which says where the car would be kept. A quick call and our annual premium has been reduced by £12 a year – not the biggest amount, but considering it hadn’t been done since we moved it has given us a bit of extra money which is a good thing!

It’s one of those small things you wouldn’t think to check, but yet it makes a big difference. It’s something which should have been noticed when we moved, but wasn’t.

So yeah, don’t forget to read the small print. That and check when you change address that your insurance company has done it too.

20/07/201327/01/2014 by jo

I’m a Fitbug Mum

I’m a Fitbug Mum!

I’m a Fitbug mum and in my quest to stay active, the opportunity came up to try out a Fitbug Air. They currently only work with Apple products (though a Samsung Galaxy compatible version is due soon) so I’m using it with the iPad Mini at the moment and tracking my daily steps.

(yes, today so far at nearly midday I have done 59 steps)

As it tends to be with me, I’ve not read the instructions. I’ve registered (which was straightforward) and been wearing the Fitbug Air tracking my steps – missing just two days so far. Of all the pedometers I’ve used this one has stayed on the longest and not fallen off – it’s really securely fixed to the holder.

I know I need to be more active, but actually getting several ‘pink’ days (when you’ve done a good number of steps) is quite encouraging – all that running for the train is paying off! It logs your aerobic steps too which is good. I’m purposely only tracking steps to start with, as I intend to log my activities (it converts your total steps into calories) properly at my Porridge On Tuesday account.

What I’m liking the most about being a Fitbug Mum is being able to send the data on my Fitbug Air straight to my iPad using bluetooth – which means everything stays accurate.

At the moment I’m still trying to understand it (yes, I will read the instructions), but nonetheless I’m getting positive results right now. With it having such a good clip to keep it to your waistband I don’t need to hide it in my pocket either.

So yes, here we are – and I am definitely much more active now my back issues aren’t troubling me as much!

I have been sent a Fitbug Air for review, all opinions are mine.

18/07/201326/03/2018 by jo

Saaf Pure Organic Skincare Review

Saaf Pure Organic Skincare approached me asking if I’d like to review anything from their range.

I had a look at the Saaf Pure Organic Skincare website for something which would help the long-standing dry skin patch on my leg. While various lotions and potions helped it fade, it would still get itchy and I’d find the rash came back after one scratch.

Looking at my skin I could see it was badly dehydrated which could be fixed, but nothing was working to stop the itch.

After describing my problem Saaf Pure Organic Skincare suggested I try some Super Hydrating Body Balm alongside some Eraser Body Oil. My husband, ever the sceptic, didn’t believe anything could shift the rash and that I needed to go back to the doctor but I wanted to persevere. This was the first time I was going to try something which would work on the itchiness.

All Saaf Pure Organic Skincare products are vegetarian, vegan, cruelty free and Halal approved. They are also 95-97% organic. Their founder, Dr Mah, draws on her in-depth homeopathic and pharmacological experience to formulate botanicals into blends which help smooth lines, soothe blemishes, nourish dryness, nurture fragilities and restore natural balance. There’s also no added alcohol, fragrance or chemicals. Dr Mah’s twins put some in their mouths so she made sure all ingredients were all edible!

From cold pressed botanicals to steam distilled essential oils, the ingredients are chosen for their therapeutic effects and the blends are scientifically formulated by a team of experts. There’s a list of all the ingredients here. Saaf Pure Organic Skincare is also fully certified organic by the Soil Association

The Super Hydrating Body Balm – which is solid – makes my skin smell a-maz-ing; it smells like a spa. The body balm is good for dry or prematurely ageing skin and is scented with essential oils – they recommend using on elbows and knees and is suitable for all over. It’s worth it to smell THIS Good – and after two months I still have loads left.

I’ve used the Eraser Body Oil daily for the last two months. You don’t need a lot and it rubs in well, though I’ve found it’s best to apply after a bath or shower. I still have the best part of a bottle left – a little goes a long way with this oil.

The Saaf Pure Organic Skincare products are also safe to use if pregnant says their FAQ :

I’m pregnant, should I be worried about using essential oils?

All our skincare products are safe to use during pregnancy, as we use the finest quality essential oils in small amounts. Our Complexion Boosting Serum contains Juniper Berry essential oil, which some aromatherapists believe may be contra-indicated in pregnancy, however we use less than 0.2% and Dr Mah developed the serum to use herself during her own pregnancy, so it certainly has her seal of approval.

I’m amazed at how effective it has been making my rash go away. The skincare isn’t cheap; you can get a smaller kit on offer at the moment; but for me I’d happily pay to keep the rash away. It is the only product I’ve used which has worked on both sides of the problem.

I was sent full-sized versions of both products to test, thank you! I didn’t think anything would work and I’m so pleased with the results!

17/07/201327/01/2014 by jo

Bear Paws Healthy Snacks – Review

We’re huge fans of the Fruit Yo-Yo’s you can buy in most stores, from Bear Nibbles – we were offered the chance to review their new snacks Bear Paws so jumped at it!

Bear Paws come from Bear Nibbles, and like the other snacks in the range are really yummy.

Bear Paws are healthy and interesting too – bear paw shaped fruit moulds, which count as one of your five a day, as well as having no added sugar, no preservatives and they’re never from concentrate.

There’s an educational element to them as well, in each pack there’s five different kinds of paws which match to what’s on the back of the pack – H is at the stage where she’ll remember the names of the creatures and identify them by being able to work out the first letter and which animal it should be – it makes a fun guessing game (and she shared a pack with her friend at swimming today too, so it kept them both occupied!).

If you like Yo Yo’s, you’ll know what you’re getting – there’s just the three varieties (and plenty of characters!) – Dino Paws (strawberry and apple), Jungle Paws (apple and blackcurrant) and Safari Paws (orange and strawberry).

There’s a little token on the back of each pack too which you can save up and send off to get a sticker – we’ve already bought more as they’re fun and not sticky – ideal for hot train journeys when your child wants a snack.

I’ve just spotted Bear are doing a cereal too – I’m definitely going to look out for that (available in Waitrose – I’m going there tomorrow to find some!) – healthy alphabet shapes sound perfect for H.

Bear Paws snacks are available at most good supermarkets – I’ve found them at larger Sainsburys branches as well as via Ocado.

We were sent a pack of each to try with some cool goodies, all opinions are our own, especially H who allowed us to share just one paw from each pack, she liked them so much!

15/07/201327/01/2014 by jo

Schwartz 2 in 1 Range – Mediterranean Chicken Pasta and Cheesy Crumb

Schwartz 2 in 1 is a new range of spices you can add to dishes. They’re simple to use, there’s clear instructions and the Mediterranean Chicken Pasta and Cheesy Crumb is suitable for vegetarians, so I gave it a go.

Schwartz 2 in 1 is part of a BritMums challenge to use it in a dish you’d normally eat, but as we’ve been off our food for the last week we’re late. The Schwartz 2 in 1 range has some spice to cook with your food and a second sachet which you use as a topping – easy – even I can do this one.

I bought some Quorn fillets over the weekend with this in mind, and realised I needed more, so raided what was left in the freezer – which were two veggie burgers.

I chopped them up, and cooked them, adding some red pepper (the recipe suggests yellow but we had none). I also added a courgette and some carrot so it wasn’t too pasta and cheese-based and had more veg.

After that you’re meant to get the first sachet and mix it with some tomatoes and water – I used passata and didn’t read the instructions properly, adding it straight to my quorn and vegetable mixture – fortunately it wasn’t a disaster!

200g of pasta was being cooked, and once ready I added it to the mixture and transferred it to one of my favourite oven dishes.

After that it was a case of adding the other sachet of topping as well as some grated cheese (I used some Tickler Extra Mature – we discovered Tickler at the Devon County Show and I’ve been buying it since – and you don’t need as much as it’s really strong) , popped it under the grill for a few minutes and let it cool down.

Then we sat outside and stuffed our faces! (actually, we ate half, it’s really filling and very yummy). As a sidenote, Schwartz, if you read this, I’d never have bought this, assuming it wasn’t suitable for vegetarians – so I’m happy it is!

This post is a (very late so doesn’t qualify) entry for BritMums ‘What’s for Dinner Tonight?’ sponsored by Schwartz. Find out more about the new 2in1 mixes here. We were sent two different varieties to try, all opinions are our own.

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