Silent Sunday
Snickers Milkshake
In June I was very lucky to win a Vitamin Blender and I am sure I will be sharing recipes here on the blog including this Snickers Milkshake which you could also make using another blender of course but maybe use a high powered blender if possible.
Anyway I’ve had this mean machine for about 12 hours and I’ve made 4 different things.
First up I tried the vanilla ice cream from the Vitamix recipe book that came with it. Ice cream in a few minutes using just milk, sugar,vanilla and ice cubes. Yes please. It was really nice – I messed up the first batch as forgot to add sugar..it’s been a rather difficult day. Second batch was gooooood.
Then later on this eve I had an idea to make Snickers milkshake .. I first had a Snickers milkshake at Blissfields festival in 2011 where a really cool food/drinks stall made them using Vitamix style machines. I tried to recreate this myself last year using my Kenwood smoothie maker and well it wasn’t great but I had a feeling this machine was up to the job so here is the recipe.. Super simple as are all my recipes:
1.5 cups of milk – I used full fat
1 Snickers quartered
1 cup of ice cubes
Place all ingredients in the Vmix and turn on variable 1-10 before turning to high for approximately 60-90 seconds until smooth. Et voila. It tasted exactly like the ones I’d had at the festival. So good.
I’ve also made a zingy lime smoothie and some incredible hot chocolate which I promise to share tomorrow but for now I need my bed.
Nanight x
I’m blue da ba de da ba da
I’m not sure if its because I didn’t sleep last night or whether my body is just feeling exhausted but I feel blue. Although there have been loads of little and large issues some of which I’ve blogged about and well others I haven’t with this pregnancy I’ve managed mostly to keep a positive spin on things.
Today was only something minor – I have developed a ear and throat infection so I’m on antibiotics. AGAIN. Nothing major right but it must have been the icing on the cake as I suddenly feel miserable. Last night I didn’t really sleep at all, not just due to the heat which has kept most of the country awake for days but because my throat was so swollen ..by the time 9am came I felt broken. Flu type symptoms in my arms, legs and head with a massively sore throat, nausea and a niggly pain starting in my ear. If I wasn’t pregnant I would have dosed up on cold/flu meds and relaxed until I felt better but when pregnant you are extremely limited as to what you can take to relieve the pain so I give in and visited my GP. Lucky I did as the infection is pretty bad and my doc said it would have become a lot worse. At the same time we have thought Izzy had hayfever all weekend when it turns out today that she has a chest infection so she is also on meds. I should point out she is dealing with it a lot better than I am.
My body just feels useless right now. Deep down I know it’s not – I’m growing a baby after all 😉 but it feels that way. Every week seems to bring a new issue and although I know the baby is ok I worry, after all if I feel this way how does she feel? I hate that I am now on my third lot of antibiotics in as many weeks although I know they are essential especially the ones to fight the Strep B but all this medicine in my body when I am carrying my precious baby seems wrong.
I worry constantly about how rubbish I feel. What if this continues? How will I cope with labour or a newborn?
When I think clearly I know that I will be fine, the baby will hopefully be fine and this is all just worry but it’s very hard to shake out of this mood today. I think I’ve felt more stressed in this pregnancy that I have in most of adult life. During my last pregnancy my mum battled breast cancer and I coped with that better than I am currently coping with less serious matters.
Added to all of the above is the effect on Izzy and my OH. I feel guilty most days about not doing enough with Izzy – when I have an ounce of energy I try to spend it on her or we do things like cuddling and watching films. My OH has been incredibly supportive when I know a lot of this has been hard on him too and I worry about the strain it puts on him.
It feels like forever until our next scan at 28 weeks when we hope to see our heathy,happy girl bouncing about in my belly.
How can I get out of this silly mood and stop feeling sorry for myself? I know there are many people worse off than me and I am lucky in a million ways but right now I need a boost.
This was a bit of a thought spillage so apologies if it makes little or no sense.
Thanks for reading.x
Mumkind – a review
A little while ago I saw a company called Mumkind on twitter looking for pregnant ladies to try out their new range of maternity products. It sounded different in that for once it wasn’t stretch mark cream or a non wired bra but things to eat and drink – yes!
I was sent 2 bottles of Water Our Way
2 Bump to Baby nutrition bars:
And a big tub of Night Night Baby Vanilla & Belgian Chocolate bedtime drink:
First up Water Our Way:
What the brand says about it:
Want to feel less tired?! Want to make water more exciting?!
Just add a squeeze to water for a great berry taste. Helps you drink more water,
keeps you hydrated and our blend of B vitamins helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.
With 0 Calories, 0 carbs and 0 guilt – try it at home, at work or when out and about.
What I think:
I will admit to being sceptical about this one. A little drop of berry juice to make you feel less tired?
But… I was actually impressed. Firstly it tastes pretty good, it definitely lives up a glass of water and whenever I’ve drunk it it’s perked me up. The best example of this is when I was admitted to hospital a few weeks ago without any prior warning and it just happened to be in my handbag. I used it to pimp up my hospital issued jug of water and it definitely made me feel brighter and more alert on a rather rubbish day. I love that it’s in a teeny bottle and I can pop it in my purse/bag wherever I go. A definite item to pack for weekends away or for your hospital bag. The only fault I can find is that there is only one flavour. I like the mixed berry flavour but I do like to have options.
Next up Bump to Baby Nutrition Bars:
What the brand says:
Try Mumkind ‘Bump to Baby Enhanced Bars’ – delicious one handed top up
pregnancy nutrition bars. If you have a busy day or you feel your are not eating as
well as you would like, enjoy a delicious mumkind bar with 25% RDA* of ALL the
nutrients that are essential (and only half the calories of a chocolate bar!).
Think of them like nutritional insurance for a healthy mum-to-be or a busy
new super mum.
What I think:
I’m not a massive fan of snack bars/cereal bars so I was pleasantly surprised by these. It’s kinda nice to be eating something sweet which doesn’t make you feel guilty about it being bad for the baby ( says me currently munching a neopolitan ice cream sandwich ) I definitely preferred the chocolate version but the red berry and yoghurt was nice too – just not as appealing to a choccie lover like me. They are fairly filling and handy as a grab on the go snack or again perfect for your hospital bag.
And lastly Night Night Baby Bedtime Drink:
What the brand says:
Try Mumkind ‘Night Night Baby’– a luxurious hot drink exclusively for mums-to-be
and new super mums. Winding down and relaxing before bedtime shouldn’t be a
compromise. If you are trying to be good, even your regular tea or coffee is
‘off the list’ and cocoa or malt drinks can leave you feeling more nana than mama!
Designed with hidden benefits let our mumkind blend of key nutrients do their work
while you are sleeping. Each mug has 25% of ALL the essential vitamins, minerals
and good stuff you need. In Vanilla & Red Berry or Vanilla & Belgian Chocolate.
What I think:
It took me ages to get around to trying this as I am really off hot drinks in this pregnancy but eventually I did and I like it. A lot. Maybe it’s not meant to taste malty but to me it did. Luckily I love malt drinks. I think I will benefit from this more when baby arrives and I want to wind down in the evening as hot drinks aren’t really doing it for me right now but it’s one to recommend. Ideal for mums to be who are missing lots of caffeine laden coffees etc. I tried the Belgian chocolate as I didn’t fancy the red berry and it does taste quite indulgent and is quite thick and creamy too. It almost feels naughty and maybe you could even add some mini marshmallows and squirty cream..as an occasional treat. Yum. Could make a lovely gift for a mum to be with a pretty cup?
You can find about more about Mumkind here or on Twitter: @mum_kind
* I was sent these products in return for an honest review.
Silent Sunday
Makka Pakka washes faces – In The Night Garden Live review
A little while ago we were lucky enough to be invited to a performance of In the night garden live. We are massive fans of ITNG here in our house.. Well Izzy is a massive fan and we love the fact that it makes her super chilled out ready for bed. I thought she may have grown out of it now but she still loves it and quite often I will find her excitedly chatting to Upsy Daisy or Iggle Piggle.
Makka Pakka is my favourite as he washes faces. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used the line Makka Pakka washes faces doesn’t he? While wiping a runny nose or trying to remove a tomato based sauce from her chin. It always stops her moaning and she will often pick up the face sponge in the bathroom and walk around wiping her toys saying Makkkaaaaa.
So anyway we were excited about the show – I did think that perhaps Izzy would be scared or just too young to understand it. I was wrong! As we walked into the O2 there were large teaser boards pointing the way to the show entrance each with a different character on and she ran eagerly to each one beaming. When we got to the entrance and she saw the giant inflatable HaaHoos her little face was a delight to see.
We were early so secured a good spot and settled down. Izzy was fascinated by the images on the dome roof especially with the pinky ponk flying around the ceiling. When the show began at first she just looked shocked for a few seconds and then absolutely delighted as the characters began to appear. She danced and sang and chattered along with the show and I have to say watching her enjoy it will I’m sure be one of my favourite memories from her toddlerhood.
Some rather cute, funny videos of Izzy enjoying the show:
In the night garden – at the beginning reaction video
In the night garden 2 – happy to see all the characters video
In the night garden 3 – dancing like Upsy Daisy video
Myself and OH enjoyed the show also and I think we will go it see it next year again if Izzy is still interested in it as was such a fun afternoon.
A very easy positive review to write as I honestly can’t recommend it enough.
*we were given a family ticket in return for our honest opinions of the show.
Mango & Coconut Sorbet
I first made this when pregnant with Izzy. I was craving sweet foods and ice cream in particular but I was getting concerned about all the cake I was eating so I tried a few easy peasy recipes for icecream and sorbet. I am surprised I haven’t made this one again until now as it really is the easiest recipe.
You don’t need an ice cream maker or a fancy blender.
In fact all you need is a freezable tub,an electric whisk and TWO ingredients. Yep you heard right.. Just TWO ingredients.
1 tin of Mango Pulp ( 850g)
1 tin of coconut milk
Blend ingredients together using an electric whisk until completely combined in your freezable container. Place in freezer and pull it out and whisk ( electric whisk) every hour for 3 hours. Then freeze overnight or for at least 8 hours and enjoy. You could adapt this in lots of ways – I’m thinking dark chocolate chips would be a really good addition or just sprinkle over some shredded coconut when you serve but it’s tasty enough on its own. A lovely treat to serve your little uns knowing that there are no added nasties or sweeteners.
On first combining the two ingredients it can look a bit bleurgh..
but then after a good mix..
On the third hours whisking..almost ready
Not quite ready but someone had to test it and make sure it was ok..
The easiest dessert you will make this summer and just incredibly tasty and super refreshing. Just what we all need in this hot weather yes?
Hope you enjoy.
X
What’s for dinner tonight? Schwartz/Britmums challenge
I will start by being completely honest with you and telling you I don’t normally use packet mixes in my cooking. I’m not a food snob at all I just like experimenting with herbs from the garden or my store cupboard and seeing how it turns out. However when I had an email from Britmums explaining about the Schwartz 2 in 1 challenge I definitely wanted to give it a try – it couldn’t have come at a better time really. I’m under strict instructions at the moment to take it easy and also I’m finding it too hot to spend much time in my kitchen so my samples of garlic & thyme roast chicken/crunchy roast potatoes and Mediterranean chicken pasta with cheese crumb topping were ideal!
The 2 in 1 range from Schwartz includes ( apart from the 2 listed above) a chicken tikka with raita option – which I so want to try and two crunchy chicken bite versions.
So what did I think:
Roast chicken and crunchy roast potatoes
Truthfully I was impressed. The blend of herbs for the chicken was spot on and resulted in beautifully tender and fragrant meat. Nice. It was too hot for the roast dinner I had planned so I served ours in tortilla wraps with salad and the potatoes alongside. It was delicious. The potatoes weren’t quite as crispy as I had hoped but possibly I should have left them in a little longer.. Or used better potatoes. Hmm.
Mediterranean chicken pasta with cheese crumb topping
Although we enjoyed the roast chicken our favourite was the Mediterranean pasta. We enjoy pasta bakes normally but this had a little something extra and I particularly liked the crunmbly topping combined with the melted cheese … Drool.
Overall it’s not something I would purchase to use every day. However I definitely plan on having these in my pantry. So straightforward to use, simple recipes to follow which means my OH who rarely cooks can use them with ease and I can see me using them on nights when I just don’t want the fuss. They retail for about £1.29 a packet although there are quite often good offers on so keep an eye out.
Too hot to handle
I love sunshine. I really do. We normally go on holiday somewhere with guaranteed sunshine at least once a year and if its sunny in the UK I always make the most of it. This week – not so much. This heatwave has been a little unbearable in this pregnancy. I coped pretty well when pregnant with Izzy even when at my most pregnant in August/September so I’m not sure if its just a lot hotter now or if I’m just not as tolerant. Either way as much as I like waking up to sunshine I could really do with it dropping a few degrees.
A few things have made life a bit easier (cooler) in the past few weeks:
* paddling pool – we put this up for Izzy to enjoy but I’ve found if I sit outside to watch her play but keep my feet in the cool water I can manage it a lot better.
* keeping hydrated – drinking cool drinks keeps me cool – sounds obvious but how often do you forget to drink enough. I’m currently reviewing a sodastream and most days I make a carafe of sparkling water with lemon slices to keep in the fridge and top up my glass as much as I can. I’ve also developed a bit of an obsession for their mojito flavour mocktail (so refreshing) and that’s without my current love addiction for Schweppes Summer Punch
* spending less time over a hot stove – I love cooking so I find this hard but simple, easy meals are on the menu right now.
* keeping my moisturiser in the fridge – nothing like some cool lotion on your legs at night. Ahhh bliss.
* refreshing leg spray – my mum bought me this lemon, chamomile and lavender spray for pregnant legs and its really cooling and seems to given them a little energy boost.
* not drying/straightening my hair – I have naturally curly (wild) hair so I just wash then leave damp and spray in some sea salt stuff. Sorted. Spending an hour with a heated appliance taming my thick hair is not on the cards right now.
* maxi dresses, cotton undies and super comfy bras – I’m all about comfort.
* We have set up a fan in our bedroom which is really helping at night and I sleep with just a cotton sheet and my gigantic Theraline pillow which I’m a little bit in love with. I need my sleep and with a growing bump and restless legs its not as simple as could be but these things definitely help.
Some tips I’ve had from fellow tweeters:
* running wrists under cool water for an instant refresher – @missamanda77
* ice pops were a life saver – @keeley_ne
I may have also been making ice cream a little bit more lately. I love homemade ice cream and I have been experimenting with various egg free recipes including pomegranate and lime and tonight I made Mango and coconut – delicious. Recipes to follow.
I should point out that although I’m having a moan I am thoroughly enjoying watching my daughter run around in just a swimsuit (sometimes nothing at all) whilst dipping in and out of her paddling pool or running around our local park picking flowers – as much as the heat is getting to me these moments are special and she is so happy.
What did you find helpful during a hot pregnancy?
Your tips are so very welcome.
X
Over halfway
My pregnancy feels like its been at least a year long .. I remember it going so quickly with Isabelle and everyone told me it would be even faster this time around as I would be so busy with my toddler that it would fly by. Not the case. Every week/month has brought something different to worry about and I would love if the next 18weeks were peaceful so that I could enjoy my pregnancy. During my last pregnancy my mum was battling breast cancer so I feel like I’ve never really enjoyed my pregnant time – I have to admit to feeling slightly cheated.
I am ashamed to admit that as grateful as I am to be pregnant right now and overjoyed that I will have a wonderful baby in just 18weeks time I never EVER want to be pregnant again. EVER. I won’t miss my bump. My bump has caused me nothing but problems – my baby I love already .. My pregnancy not so much.
Thankfully I am now over halfway and my baby is still safely tucked up in my belly – I am so happy that we have made it this far. Every week I get further along is a blessing.
It is only now 8 weeks into my second trimester that I can feel my energy levels returning which I assume is later than most due to the stress/lack of sleep and an infection invading my body.
The heat is a bit much the last few days but I’ve been trying to enjoy garden time with my family and watching Izzy splashing about in the paddling pool has definitely improved my mood. I’ve started to feel more positive.
Last week we had a little bit more news regarding the pregnancy when I found out I was carrying Strep B (you can read more about strep B in my last post) Strep B caused our family a lot of distress 9 years ago when my sisters first child almost died after contracting it during labour so I have some negative emotions related to it but I am lucky in that it was picked up during some routine testing I had done in hospital and as such I’m receiving the appropriate care.
My bump is huge. Like really huge. I’m sure I didn’t look this big on Izzy until I was about 30weeks. I know second pregnancies show faster but woah I feel like an elephant.
We had our 20 week scan last week and the baby looked well.
IT’S A GIRL!
She was a little naughty and didn’t stop wriggling all the the way through and made it very hard for the sonographer but so far all looks fine 😀
We have a consultants appointment this afternoon just to chat about some issues and after that I’m hoping for a few weeks break from the hospital and GP surgery so positive thoughts please readers!
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