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8 Ways With Overnight Oats

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You may be thinking to yourself come on now Becky this was a food trend a few years ago, get with the times. I am sure there is a more fashionable breakfast that I could be eating right now but I have never been a follower of fashions and trends, always preferring to do my own thing and so I turned my nose up at overnight oats when everyone and their dog seemed to be eating them last year. Well I didn’t turn my nose up as such but cold porridge? Well let’s say it didn’t appeal.

I am terrible at eating breakfast. I tend to feel a bit queasy if I eat too early and then an hour or two later I have a real energy dip and end up just grabbing some sweet, indulgent junk especially on the days that I am in work.  Which is fine, on occasion. Not every day. I realise the importance of breakfast and how it sets you up for the day..blah blah blah but unless I am having a lazy wake up in a hotel where I can relax and amble to breakfast I rarely want anything. A few weeks ago I realised that although I was feeling good about my body shape and my health and fitness levels that I still wasn’t eating as well as I should be. And the thing is some of the ways food affects us can’t be seen so I knew I needed to start working a little harder on the balance of what I was eating. I don’t mean this in terms of cutting calories because none  of this is about losing weight, I am happy with my size. I just know that feeling an intense need for a handful of biscuits at 10am is a result of me not eating a decent meal in the morning more than me needing that sugar high. So what’s a girl to do? I knew that I wasn’t going to want to make myself breakfast each morning as the hunger just wasn’t there but if I made myself breakfast the night before THEN I knew I would eat it because one I hate waste and two, well I wouldn’t have to think about it, just grab and go.

Overnight Oats made the most sense but I expected eating them to be a bit of a chore but it turns out I have gone and started loving them. They are insanely good when you find the right measurements for you. I have included a rough basic guide below but be prepared to make adjustments with the consistency, I amended mine slight each day for 5 days before landing on the perfect balance for me and it really is all about personal preference. The best thing about these oats is you could add anything you like, and you will find yourself getting excited about flavour combos.. or maybe that is just me being weird.

I have tried a few different ways of having it this week and I’ve just made a version with coconut milk and strawberries which is resting in my fridge. I really enjoyed peanut butter and banana but my favourite way so far should come as no surprise. NUTELLA.

Remember these measurements may need adjusting to your taste. And always feel free to add more Nutella. Of course.

Nutella & Cinnamon Overnight Oats:

You will need:

50g organic jumbo oats

110ml milk ( I use semi skimmed but any you wish to use is fine )

1 heaped tbsp Nutella

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all your ingredients together in a jar or covered bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next morning whip it out and enjoy!

Now check out these 7 ideas from my fellow food bloggers:

Apricot Puree from Rough Measures

Raisins, Apple & Pumpkin Seeds from Tin & Thyme:

Berry Fruity from Gingey Bites:

Cashew Butter from Natural Kitchen Adventures:

Halva from Nadia’s Healthy Kitchen:

Cherry & Baked Cinnamon Apples from Thinly Spread:

Spiced Orange fron Veggie Desserts:

Cheesy Stovetop Potatoes & Herby Frittata- Camping Recipes

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You know when you feel like nachos but you don’t have any so get creating something else to satisfy all of this flavour needs. You don’t? Well I do.

And I did.

In fact my kitchen has been ever so busy this weekend. Two camping recipes, a batch of cookies and some more dishes coming up very soon.

When Simply Hike asked me to create some recipes for al fresco or campsite eating I knew these would be perfect as they are filling and full of flavour yet really simple. I don’t know about you but I seem to get so hungry on camping trips, I blame the fresh air or all the walking we seem to do. For me camping food is all about the prep and at the end of this post I’ve included a short list of food you could take on a camping trip to make mealtimes easier.

This cheesy stovetop potato dish is ideal for camping as you can prepare everything in advance, pack it in a cool box and just chuck it all in one pan over a campfire or camping stove. It is also just perfect for lazy lunches and indulgent suppers at home. You can even save on washing up by eating straight from the pan….truly lazy dining. This will make just about enough for two but you don’t need to pay much attention to serving sizes or ingredient weights, just go with what you think looks right. I you want more cheese add more cheese. And if you want more bacon, then I love you.

Cheesy Stovetop Potatoes

You will need:

15 (ish) cooked, cooled new potatoes

3 rashers of smoked bacon, diced

150ml tomato passata

3 tbsp sriracha sauce ( you can omit this if you don’t like the heat )

150g mature cheddar, grated

25g butter

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

seasoning

Put your pan over a high heat or camp fire if that is the way you will be cooking. Add your butter and oil and leave to get sizzling hot. Add your potatoes and cook for a few minutes before adding your bacon, saute until your potatoes and bacon are bronzed and starting to get crispy. Drain some of the oil away. Add your passata and sriracha ( combined) to the centre of your pan over your potatoes, season and leave to heat through. Now add your grated cheese and lightly cover with foil until it is all bubbling and gooey.

Enjoy! Eat from the pan for minimal washing up.

Another dish I always make when camping is Frittata, it is so easy and filling. I like to let it cool down completely and cut into slices to take out and about during the day for picnics. I tend to make this in foil when I camp ( sometimes even when I do it at home ) as it means less scrubbing off the pan as Frittata can leave a pan in quite a mess plus it is ready to transport then straight from the pan. Depending on how good your stove is, it may take a while to set on top but it will happen and requires no extra work once it is in the pan other than keeping an eye every few minutes to check if it is done.

Frittata in Foil

You will need:

5 eggs ( free range and large is what I used )

50ml whole milk

3 sticks of Asparagus roughly chopped

5-6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

100g ham, diced

1 tbsp of dried herbs

seasoning (salt and black pepper)

25g butter

100g mature cheddar, grated

Foil

Beat your eggs and milk together. Line you pan with foil and place over a medium to high heat. Add your butter. Mix your vegetables,seasoning, herbs and ham with your egg/milk mixture and pour into pan. Leave until almost completely set on top and add your cheese. Cover loosely with foil for a few minutes before removing from heat and leaving to cool.

You will find it is beautifully crisp and brown around the edges and base, yet soft and fluffy inside. It is a delight to eat, hot or cold.

Camping Cooking Tips

Always cook away from and most definitely outside of your tent.

Take a frying pan, a small saucepan, 1 sharp knife and cutlery/plates/mugs. You won’t need any more than this really.

And a stove of course.

A tray is ideal for food prep such as buttering bread if you don’t have the car space for a table.

Take a picnic blanket with a waterproof base to sit on, the grass gets pretty damp overnight.

Advance Food Prep

This can really improve on the quality of your meals and the use of your time on camping trips. I take the following whenever I camp:

I make and then freeze a bolognese or curry the day before we go and then I know that on the second day we have a really good home cooked meal. You could serve this with pasta or rice or for less hassle just serve with crusty bread.

Freeze butter, water bottles, bread and milk to maximise freshness and keep your cool bag really cool.

Grate your cheese before you go, always dice bacon,chicken or ham if using in recipes. Also prep your veggies and take small bags of seasoning, you don’t need a giant pepper mill.

Take nachos/tortilla chips to pop in a pan with grated cheese for those nights when you get the munchies, popcorn also works well for this and kids will find it lots of fun.

And of course you need giant marshmallows, chocolate and digestive biscuits for S’mores.

  • This is a collaborative post with Simply Hike and I have been compensated for my time in creating these recipes and writing this post.

 

 

The Ultimate Happy Song Playlist

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The last few months have been pretty miserable haven’t they? World wide acts of terrorism have horrified and shocked us all to our core, we have seen one of the worst tragedies in the UK in a long time with the Grenfell Tower fire and it just seems that life is hard for many right now. Added to that there is a really poor state of affairs currently in the political world and I think a lot of people are feeling very low with little it seems to look forward to.

It is of course incredibly sad what has happened over the course of the last year but if this is to be the way we have to live we have to find ways of coping with all that is going on around us. And that doesn’t make you ignorant, it doesn’t mean you are burying your head in the sand.  You can be sympathetic and thoughtful yet also know that for your sanity and happiness you still need to find ways to escape the world around you. A happy world, a calmer world, it may seem impossible these days. But nothing is.

Right now we live in a scary time for sure but for this reason we actually owe it to ourselves to be trying to fill our days with joy, as much joy as we can on every day that we can. Because ( and this sucks a bit ) we only get one shot at this life and I don’t know about you but I want to try as hard as I can to make it a happy one. That doesn’t mean walking around with a huge fake smile plastered across my face each day, because I have low days and plenty of them, as I am sure many of you  do but it does mean recognising what makes me smile, what lifts my spirit and brings me joy. A giant cuddle with the girls, a really good catch up and coffee with the ones I love and music. Because music really does bring me such happiness. It is powerful, it has the ability to transform a day. I love concerts, gigs and festivals although I don’t go to as many as I would like but really just turning up the volume at home and spending 30 minutes dancing it out can change the way my day is going. I have so many different playlists and when I am travelling you will rarely see me without earbuds in.

happy song playlist

I wanted to share with you 15 songs which always bring a smile to my face. Always. They aren’t necessarily my favourite songs ever, in fact some of my faves are rather mournful, gloomy songs but these are the ones I listen to when I need some cheer, some instant joy. Then I decided to ask some of my fellow bloggers to share their favourite happy songs and any reasons behind it and I have to tell you that this has been such fun to create.  So here I  give you the ultimate happy playlist. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have enjoyed creating it. Where possible I have linked to YouTube videos so you can listen to them all yourself as you go through. Also if you don’t feel like reading all the way to the bottom or perhaps you want to listen as you read then you can click here for the playlist on YouTube, go ahead and bookmark it for those days when you need a boost

1. Superstition – Stevie Wonder

This song is one of those songs that will always make me want to dance, even if it’s just a shuffle in my seat. It makes me want to just move and smile.

2. Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars

Apologies for those within hearing distance if this song ever comes on as I actually cannot listen to it without singing along. Also makes me want to dance.

3. Boom Shak A Lak – Apache Indian

Wind your bodyyyyy, wriggle your belly… this is the theme tune to my late teens and it always makes me feel like summer. If I get very tipsy on a night out I can possibly be seen asking the DJ to play this song.

4. Bright – Echosmith

I was introduced to this song by a friend last Summer and I must have listened to it a 1000 times since then. Although I do love the original I actually prefer the version from Future Sunsets that I have linked to above which I found on YouTube and the lyrics always make me smile. It is just a happy, feel good song about love.

5. Shut Up & Dance – Walk The Moon

This song makes me feel so happy. The girls are obsessed with it and they think they know all the words ( they don’t but their interpretation makes it even funnier ). I have spent many an hour dancing to it. Claire from Life, Love & Dirty Dishes agrees and says it instantly lifts her.

6. What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction

Another song I have danced around my lounge to with the girls more times than I can count. They love the song and they have a bit of a fascination with Harry Styles ( the 16 year old version ). Izzy will tell me every day that I’m beautiful and if this song comes on she says you know you are beautiful don’t you? Ahh to be seen through the eyes of a five year old.

7. Can’t Stop The Feeling – Justin Timberlake

Go on, put this on and try not to move. Even if it’s just your shoulders, something will be twitching. I got that sunshine in my pocket.
Also JT is just getting better with age, he has all the moves. Also recommended by Beth from Twinderelmo and Helen from Talking Mums.

8.Beautiful day – Joshua Radin

This is a really mellow, happy song. I love the lyrics and I am a huge Joshua Radin fan anyway. These lyrics:
Gonna turn my enemies into friends, what’s broken gets stronger when it mends..

9. You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift

I was never a big fan of Miss Swift until I listened to a load of her songs last year and dammit I got swifted. I am a fan now. A reluctant one but one none the less. This song is just fun and makes me sing along and reminisce about all that teen angst, you know the kind. Come on all together now.. she wears high heels I wear sneakers…

10. Love Today – Mika

Whatever happened to Mika??? Most Mika songs were pretty catchy but I loved this and although it’s rare that  I listen to it now it still gives me all the smiles when I do.

11. All The Small Things – Blink 182

The video alone is enough to make you smile and it just seems to sum up the entire pop industry at the time in one 3 minute video. I am not even entirely sure why this makes me happy, but it does.

13. On Top Of The World – Imagine Dragons

This is one of my favourite songs of the last 5 years or so. These lyrics: I could’ve gave up then but then again I couldn’t cause I’ve travelled all this way for something It is easy to feel on top of the world listening this and I love to listen whilst working out or blasting through my blog admin.

14. Because We Can – Bon Jovi 

One of the lesser known Bon Jovi songs which was released in the early stages of my pregnancy with Chloe. My first few months of pregnancy were particularly fraught with worry and on many occasion I thought I had lost her. I first heard this song after good news following a scan and it became a sort of anthem for me during the rest of the pregnancy and even now I can feel that sense of relief and joy from that day.

15. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

There is no real reason why this makes me happy, it just does. Maybe because I am a brown eyed girl!

Moving on now to the recommendations from my fellow bloggers:

Hall & Oates – You Make My Dreams Come True Sus from Rough Measures recommended this because she cannot fail to smile whilst listening and she and her boyfriend get up and dance whenever it comes on.

Jump – Van Halen – Janice from FarmersGirl Kitchen wants to jump whenever she hears this. She also recommends Up On The roof – James Taylor for when this old world is getting you down…

I Love To Boogie – T Rex – Elizabeth from Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary recommended this as it makes her get up and dance like a fool in the kitchen.

Mr Blue Sky – Electric Light Orchestra recommended by Kellie from Kellie’s Food To Glow, she said she can’t help but feel happy whenever it is played, it is rarely on the radio but if I hear it so do my neighbours. Irresistible soaring strings. Also recommended by Kellie from Kellie Allen Writer who says: As soon as it starts I feel light, free and happy! It has such an awesome rhythm and it’s also in one of my fave Dr Who episodes during a truly happy moment

Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners recommend by Becca from Amuse Your Bouche – this song is also one which makes me beam and remember nights spent in Walkabout. This song ALWAYS came on.

Copacabana – Barry Manilow recommended by Helen from Family Friends Food. When she was in her early 20’s she was in an am dram production and the whole cast would gather and sing this together before a performance. Such an uplifting song. For me personally this will always remind me of that episode of Friends. You know the one.

Happy – Pharrell Williams recommended by Camilla from Fab Food 4 All, she said you can’t help but feel happy ( and click your fingers ) listening to the words and beat. Also recommended by Rachel from Rachel Beauty who challenges anyone not to dance to it.

Grace Kelly – Mika Nicola from Kitchen Sanctuary likes to do the different voices when she is in the kitchen.

Mr Brightside – The Killers – recommended by Nicola again as it makes her feel young and rock n roll. Also recommended by Clare from Neon Rainbow Blog and Laura from The Unsung Mum who says it was a huge hit while she was at Uni and one they all sang at the top of their lungs in the pub!

For Kavey from Kavey Eats it is Golden Brown – The Stranglers which brings a smile to her face.

Andrea from The Petite Cook  loves Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen which was also recommended by Laura of Five Little Doves who says as soon as she hears the opening line it takes her back to her early twenties and how she would dance herself stupid to it with friends. These days she has swapped clubs for her kitchen but she still can’t help but dance to it.

Choclette from Tin & Thyme never thought she would suggest Abba but the song Mamma Mia makes her think of the film and she immediately starts grinning.

Erica from The Incidental Parent loves You And Me Song – The Wannadies as it’s so happy and uplifting.

Sarah from A Few favourite Things loves Valerie – Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse as there is just something about it that gets her singing and dancing along.

Kate from Five Little Stars says Rather Be – Clean Bandit reminds her of her first summer as a parent and the amazing friends she made through her NCT group, although it’s not the sort of music she normally listens to she loves it as it is uplifting and gets a little emotional when it comes on.

Emily from Emily & Indiana can’t help but smile and think of the film White Chicks every time she hears A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton

Amy from The Mighty Duxburys loves Yeah – Usher, she isn’t really sure why as it’s not her usual type of music but it transports her back to high school and dancing like a loon!

Stacey from One Small Human recommends All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor  She said: I actually really didn’t like the song at all until my son started dancing to it! He was about a year old when it was being played all the time and it used to make him dance immediately. Makes me smile every time I hear it now.

Jade from The Newlyweds Site had Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran as her first dance song and it now always makes her feel happy and remember her perfect day!  Soppy but sweet, yes? I actually quite like it myself especially these lyrics: Darling your soul will never grow old, it’s evergreen.

Cathryn from Cardiff Mummy Says rates Do You Love Me – The Contours as one of her favourite happy songs, it reminds her of her close friends.. plus it’s on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack!

Pompeii  – Bastille was recommended by Alana from Baby Holiday as it was the first song she heard on the day of her wedding so it brings back loads of good memories of the day.

Kayleigh from Candyfloss & Dreams loves I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor – Arctic Monkeys  as she said it reminds her of all the fun times she had at college with her friends.

Hannah from The Amphletts recommended Do You Remember – Jack Johnson as it reminds her of a video her husband sent her whilst on deployment to Afghanistan and says it always makes her smile as she thinks about all they have been through together.

Rude – Magic was playing on the radio just before Julie from Pondering Parenthood was proposed to and again just after – it was very apt so always brings a smile.

Frances from Whinge Whinge Wine defies anyone to not love The Power Of Love – Huey Lewis & The News

And this playlist could have gone on and on but I think this is enough for now. Perhaps I’ll do a part two at some point, I certainly have enough recommendations for another post!

I hope this playlist brings a smile to your face at least once! You can find the full playlist here.

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Halloumi & Chicken Pesto Kebabs

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Halloumi makes me happy. In fact most cheese does but Halloumi especially. It has that weirdly salty yet buttery taste which is so addictive and satisfying. As soon as the summer months hit and is is officially time to dust off the BBQ you will find a block of Halloumi in permanent residence in my fridge. Basil is my favourite summer herb so it is only natural for me to combine the flavours to make Halloumi & Chicken Pesto Kebabs.

These last few weeks our weather has been a little topsy turvy so my initial plans to BBQ went out the window and these Kebabs ended up in the oven. They make a really simple and quick dinner paired with a bowl of wild rice or cous cous. You could even prepare them the day before and cover and pop in the fridge ready for an easy meal after work. You could also make these vegetarian easily enough by substituting the chicken with mushrooms, tofu or just more Halloumi!

Halloumi & Chicken Pesto Kebabs

You will need:

2 chicken breasts cubed

1 block of halloumi cut into large cubes

1 courgette sliced into rounds

10 small tomatoes, halved

1 small jar of pesto

olive oil

black pepper

6 wooden skewers ( soak these in water for 30 minutes before use )

Preheat your oven to 200c or fire up your BBQ!

Line a baking tray with foil and layer your chicken, halloumi, tomato and courgettes on your skewers. Drizzle over your pesto and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Season and cook for 15-20 minutes, this will depend entirely on how large your chicken chunks are and you should check the meat is cooked. On a BBQ it is more about the visual signs of cooking than actual timing so again just check the meat is cooked throughout. A meat probe is a great investment.

Serve immediately.

Serve on a pretty plate with the oil and pesto from the baking tray drizzled over the top.

halloumi & Chicken pesto kebabs

Rum Berry Slush

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Rum is such a summertime drink for me. I rarely drink anything with rum in it during the autumn or winter months but as soon as I see a peek of sun then I am all about the mojitos and the pina coladas. Sometimes though its is good to have a change from your normal drink and I fancied something with berries and I ended up creating this rum berry slush. I have always got a stock of frozen berries in the freezer,sometime because I buy then in the reduced to clear section and other times I will just buy the bags that are ready to blitz into smoothies. The best thing about using more frozen berries and less ice in your drinks is that they are thick like a smoothie and aren’t watered down yet they are deliciously cool and refreshing.

This is a really simple idea for a Summer cocktail using three ingredients.  Frozen Berries – I used raspberries and strawberries, Dark Rum and Still Lemonade for a little added sweetness.

Rum Berry Slush

You will need: 

300g frozen berries

150g ice

125ml dark rum

100ml still lemonade

Put your berries, ice and rum into a high powered blender and blitz to a thick slushy consistency. Add your lemonade and blitz for 15 seconds or so just to combine. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

 

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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I have to warn you in advance of the incredible indulgence and satisfaction you will gain from these cookies if you were to make them. You will want to make them over and over again. I made three batches this weekend alone. In my defence I like to thoroughly test a recipe before I share it with you guys but these cookies did not last long in my house although I did of course share them with family members.. a little anyway.

I am a real fan of anything which combines salty and sweet, salted caramel is one of my greatest addictions and these Peanut Butter Cup cookies manage to tick all of the boxes. The cookie is sweet but not overpoweringly so and the peanut butter is salty and rich and unctuous..I do so love that word. You could adapt the sizes and make them bigger or smaller, I went for fairly large ones similar in size to a Millie’s cookie or the one you get in coffee shops. The most important thing to remember in this recipe is to chill the dough and also freeze your dollops of peanut butter ( I picked up this tip from the late Izzie King from the Coriander Queen blog, she was a pretty clever baker ) as it makes it so much easier to work with and stops them spreading too much and just becoming a swirly mess.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

You will need:

225g softened butter

225g golden caster sugar

175g self raising flour

50g cocoa powder

30ml golden syrup

10 teaspoons of peanut butter

First you need to place your dollops of peanut butter on a sheet of baking paper and freeze for at least an hour, don’t remove from freezer until your dough is ready.

In a large mixing bowl, combine your butter, sugar and syrup before adding your flour and cocoa powder. Mix well to form a smooth cookie dough mixture. Cover and pop in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180c. Remove your dough from fridge and peanut butter from freezer. Take a lump of dough and press a dollop of Peanut Butter into the middle, press the dough around it so the peanut butter is completely covered. You should be able to make between 8-10 depending on how large you want your cookies to be. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove and leave to cool for at least 10-15 minutes, don’t attempt to move as they will just fall apart.

Now just try and stop yourself eating them all in one go because I have to tell you that these are even better the next day when the layers have firmed a little and they are an absolute delight with a cup of tea. I am currently testing a batch of the uncooked but formed dough balls in the freezer to see how well they cook from frozen. I think these would just be the ultimate treat to serve impromptu guests. I’ll keep you posted on how they turn out.

 

 

 

Gin Gin Gin Gin Cocktails – World Gin Day 2017

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Not that we need any excuse to hit the Gin but tomorrow is World Gin Day which means you need to up your game for sure. These Gin cocktails from myself and my fellow bloggers should give you a few ideas, perhaps you could start trying them out tonight? It is Friday after all.

Strawberry & Gin Smash from Supper In The Suburbs

My Elderflower & Lime Gin Cocktail

Gin & Melon Slushie from Fuss Free Flavours

 

A Soho Martini from Supper In The Suburbs

Gin Lemon With Thyme & Basil from The Petite Cook

Bramble Cocktail from The Petite Cook

Blood Orange Gin Fizz from Supper In The Suburbs

Elderflower & Coconut Gin Martini from Fuss Free Flavours

And to finish here is my Rose Gin Cocktail

world gin day

Enjoy World Gin Day friends!

 

9 Perfect Picnic Recipes

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It’s that time of year..or at least it’s supposed to be. The time for impromptu days out and picnics at the park. The weather isn’t exactly playing ball at the moment but shall we try and be positive and prepare for the sunshine that I am sure is on the way? Let us plan a picnic and well if we have to have it indoors or inside a tent or gazebo then so be it.

I’ve rounded up a few recipes from some of my favourite bloggers as well as a couple of mine to get you started with your picnic preparation. Picnic food needs to be easily transportable and ready to be served without heating. Check out some sweet and savoury recipes below::

Sunny Picnic Quiches from Fab Food 4 All

Crustless Quiche from Foodie Quine

Cheese and Olive Picnic Muffins from Family Friends Food

Herbed Potato Bannocks from Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary

Asparagus Tarts from Tin & Thyme 

Strawberry Cream Cakes from Tin & Thyme

My Bananatella Muffins

bananatella muffins

My Soda Bread Rolls

Beet Top & Courgette Tarts from Kellie’s Food To Glow

Father’s day Gift Guide 2017

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It feels like just a short while ago that I was writing up my Father’s Day gift guide for 2016, wow this year has really flown hasn’t it?? Anyway here we are again, the day of Dads is almost upon us. I have been incredibly lucky to have only known wonderful fathers in my life. I grew up with a dad I idolised and still do, we are very close and spent a lot of time together in my childhood and even now to this day. My girls are also so lucky to have an incredibly strong and supportive Dad and it makes me happy to see the kind of relationship they have with such a strong bond, just as it should be.

But what do you buy for these wonderful Dad’s? Not socks or a tie surely. Not again. Lucky for you I have some cool ideas for gifts that you can order online and get in time for the big day.

iFit Vue Does your dad have fitness goals? This iFit Vue is a really clever fitness tracker which also helps track your sleep patterns.

Braun have a multi groomer kit for the Dad who likes to look sharp but doesn’t want a hundred different grooming tools.

Gillette are the official sponsors of this years British Lions tour and they have released a commemorative razor, perfect for a rugby loving Dad.

Sous Chef have some really quirky gift ideas but my favourite ones at the moment are the Himalayan Shot Glasses and the Smoke’n Spice BBQ set. Perfect for foodies.

The Snaffling Pig have these fairly incredible gifting jars of Pork Crackling with a range of flavours to choose from. I love the Maple flavour.

A coffee lover dad perhaps? Would he enjoy these syrups from Monin?

BenQ have a fantastic gift option if you have a little more of a budget to play with. This BenQ camping projector is a great piece of equipment, I can say this quite confidently having had one in my home since last Autumn.

Huawei – I am a bit in love with Huawei as a brand and I highly recommend their MediaPad if you want a small, budget friendly tablet, it is ideal for Netflix binging sessions.

Menkind have a range of gifts and lots that can be personalised too like this Port:

Sticking with the alcoholic beverage theme Woodford Reserve is a small batch, craft bourbon made at America’s oldest and smallest working distillery. Currently available at Waitrose and Morrisons.

 

DO you have to deal with a snoring Dad? Get him this anti snoring pillow so you can all get some rest  Anti Snore Pillow

 

Hallmark as always have a selection of funny and thoughtful cards as well as this range of Itty Bitty superhero character toys:

Does your dad have any sleep problems or would he just like more of it? I know I would. This S+ by Resmed is a non contact sleep monitor which you place on your bedside table.It tracks the light, sound and temperature of your bedroom, lulls you to sleep with special harmonies and wakes you up gradually to get you refreshed for the coming day. I have just started using one myself and I am hoping it improves my pretty awful sleep habits.

If you leave it to late to get your online shopping then I recommend you pop to Homesense for all of your last minute needs, I have found some amazing gifts in there recently from unusual oils and condiments to leather bound notebooks and cool kitchen gadgets.

Zippo have a few cool gift ideas but I do think every dad needs a hip flask right?

Discount Supplements have a New Dad package with some products to help with sleep.

Finally I recommend this desk lamp from Lumie, I have been using one for about 6 months now and it makes such a difference to have the natural light brightening up my workspace.

And if all else fails, get baking or just make him a special meal. It is the thought that counts after all.

* Some items have been gifted for the purpose of this feature.

Where Is The Love?

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Where is the love? This line from a Black Eyed Peas song has gone over and over in my head tonight.

This is one of the times where I have debated with myself about what to say on here, whether I should even say anything at all. But I have this online platform that lots of you read and it feels almost wrong not to acknowledge what is happening in this world that we are living in.

What to say though? 

When both recent terrorist attacks occurred ( Manchester, May 22nd and London June 3rd ) I was getting ready for bed. I was tired and ready to curl up in bed with a book. I scrolled across social media and spotted the news, the worried tweets, the panicked FB posts. Both times exactly the same way, it was probably the same for a lot of you. Ten years ago, even five we would have perhaps been a little more protected from this news as it happens. We would have woken up the next morning, turned on our radios or televisions and been dumbfounded and full of sorrow but we wouldn’t have spent the night feeling like spectators. Was that a better time? In some ways I think yes. Yes, because I don’t know about you but I sat up until 1am this morning, waiting and watching for more horror to unfold. Waiting to hear the news that it was over, that they had caught the attackers and that the city was safe again. I cannot begin to imagine how that would have felt if I had known that a family or friend was out in London last night. The scrolling down, refreshing the page, searching hashtags and looking at every image to see if you can spot a loved one. How is that bearable? I don’t know and I know that I am one of the lucky ones, to not have been in that situation at any time.

But looking at the other side of the immediate news feed that is social media I see the benefits. The way that the people of London instantly knew what was happening. They knew an attack was ongoing, they could get somewhere safe, avoid those areas and try to protect themselves. The way that the general public pulls together at these times and shows how utterly amazing and full of love the majority of people are. The tweets which offer places to stay, lifts across the country and the messages of support you see pouring out.

The week following the Manchester attack I went a little quiet, I found that particular attack harder to bear than most. I guess because it seemed so targeted at young girls and as a mum of two girls I just couldn’t handle it. I stepped away a little from social media and the blog. Everything I wrote seemed trivial, every image I went to share seemed inappropriate but you see what I realised today is that by changing the way we behave in the face of these attacks surely we are giving the terrorists that they want. They want to defeat us in every way and we absolutely can’t allow it. So I sat this morning and thought about what had happened, I cried for people I don’t know and those I will never meet. For the world that I have brought my children into. Then I told myself to get on with my day and do exactly what I had planned for the day. To go to brunch, to tweet and share food photos, make people smile, get on with home improvements and to play loud music that cheers me. There is a line between being respectful of what has happened and letting life stop. The world cannot stop turning because of these acts and we must not let it.

Tonight I’ve sat with millions of others and watched some of the worlds top performers celebrate and sing about One Love.  I watched an incredibly brave and talented 23yr old woman face what must have been an extremely frightening event head on and not just manage it but show immense courage and spirit. It has made me smile and cry on a few occasions, mostly it’s made me feel proud to be of a generation of people who will not be beaten, who when the very worst happens can dust themselves down and spread love and joy. There is the love. One Love, yes for sure. One Life, definitely. Let us love and live. They will not win.

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