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The Food We Ate

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Sometimes I can’t find the words to say what I want these days, even to write up a simple recipe. Today is one of those days so I’m giving my brain a break and sharing some photos of what we have eaten over the last few days:

Starting with a seriously good Sous Vide bbq brisket, rocket and mature cheddar toastie. Simple.

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Next up was maple, apple and mustard sous vide ham..’twas tremendous.

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A baked chicken and coconut curry:

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A roasted carrot, turnip and celeriac soup:

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And well this was the favourite meal that my 3 year ok ate all week.. Beetroot (princess) pasta from Dell Ugo, homemade meatballs in sauce with salad bits. It was devoured.

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Recipes for most dishes will follow in the next week. Just hitting the snooze button for a day or so. Nanight.

Child Products We Use And Love

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I think the best recommendation for products to use for your children are from other parents. To know which products are durable, value for money and that your children will also like to use.

So with that in mind here are a few of the products we use for Chloe and Izzy and that we are happy to recommend:

Munchkin UK cutlery, beakers and plates/bowls:

As ambassadors for Lindam Munchkin we have been lucky enough to try out a LOT of their products and it’s hard to pick a fault with any of them. The cups and beakers are durable, eyecatching and reasonably priced. The cutlery sets are easy to hold, dishwasher safe and have bright designs. We especially love the Disney sets.

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Hooded Owl Towels:

We were sent a Hooded Owl towel for Izzy just before Christmas and it’s been used for every bath time since which means it’s been washed and dried SO many times. It’s still fluffy and full of colour and she loves to wrap herself up in it after her bath.

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Johnsons Baby Oil and Bubble Bath:

Johnsons baby is a name we all know and love but we particularly like the bedtime range. The bath wash smells delicious and both my girls like a massage with the bedtime oil afterwards.

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Ewan The Dream Sheep:

I’ve raved about this on the blog before now. We were given this as a gift from my brother and sister in law for Chloe on her first Christmas and it has been used every single day,multiple times ever since. It’s been on holiday with us, for hospital stays and more. That means 14 months of daily use and it still works! Yes we replace the batteries quite regularly but other than the buttons now getting a little glitchy these days we still very much love our darling Ewan!

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Aldi Nappies & Wipes

We do a lot of our shopping at Aldi, particularity for baby products. I can’t recommend their nappies and wipes enough, as well as their pull ups for older children who aren’t quite dry through the night. We also use their toilet wipes with our toddler. It’s no wonder their products have won a whole host of awards as it really shows you that don’t need to spend a lot of money for an excellent product. The nappies we buy in packs of 48 are just £4.49 which is such a bargain. They have packs of wipes for just 59p too!

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There are lots of baby and toddler products we use and recommend but these are our daily essentials.

*This is not a review post simply a guide to some products we love.

I Don’t Want To Be…

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I’m tired of looking ’round rooms
Wondering what I’ve got to do
Or who I’m supposed to be

I know, I know ..I totally just quoted lyrics from a Gavin DeGraw song.

I’ve listened to this song a lot lately, mainly because I’ve become a little obsessed with One Tree Hill – as usual I’m ten years behind everyone else. I’m a little sad tonight because I finished the every final episode of the ninth and final series. I’ve enjoyed watching this show. I’ve found it easy to watch and almost become entwined in the intense friendships on the show. It’s been a distraction. In a place where awful things can and do happen, they carry on. They support each other and they always end up being good, decent people. Yes, even the evil guy of the show somehow ends up redeeming himself and stealing a bit of your heart in his last episode.

I’m sure this is reading much like a long line of waffle about a slightly cheesy American TV show. But. What I’m thinking about is the bit behind the show and in a way especially these lyrics. The song is called ‘I don’t wanna be’ and the lyrics aren’t anything amazingly poetic or outstanding but the bit that gets me EVERY single time I hear it is this – I don’t want to be anything other than me.

Because I don’t. I don’t want to be anything other than me. I don’t want to be famous, super rich ( although slightly would be nice) or supermodel thin. I just want to be me. But not this version of me. I want the old me. The one I loved. This me..well I’m not such a fan of her.

I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post or if I’ll even post it but at a time in my life where everything seems uncertain and dark I am hunting for light. I am hunting for the kindness of strangers, the warmth (and stickiness all too often) of my daughters hands, a 30 second interlude where I laugh and forget that I’m sad. Thankful for a family who are like no other..weird almost certainly but wonderful definitely.

You see with medications or exercise or faddy diets we all expect to want to change but I don’t want that. I don’t want to be anyone other than me.

This post wouldn’t have been written today if I hadn’t joined a wonderful group of people in a movement called Embrace Happy – started by Karin Joyce of Cafe Bébé , I was invited by a special lady who writes this wonderful blog – An Organised Mess. – if I’m honest I am not embracing happy quite yet but it’s making me search for three good things in every day. Sometimes this is very hard, I’m hoping it gets easier. Thanks ladies.

 

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The Perfect Chai Latte

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I have always been a bit of a sucker for warm, sweet drinks. From tea to hot chocolate and even the occasional horlicks. I’ve recently developed a bit of a thing for Chai Lattes. Costa make a really good one but my favourite so far has been from Marks & Spencers cafe.

I can’t always have my lattes at a cafe .. Unfortunately.

So I had to recreate it at home. Now you can buy sachets ( similar to the hot chocolate ones you can get ) or capsules for fancy coffee machines but there didn’t seem to be any decent recipe on line for making your own using spices and tea bags.

I of course had to experiment and it took a fair amount of attempts but I’ve cracked it. Well in my humble opinion anyway!

There is room for a little flexibility and of course everyone has different preferences on how sweet or creamy they like it but one thing which is not negotiable is the foamy milk. It’s a must! I get mine all frothy in the Vitamix but you can buy fairly cheap milk frothers which will give the same result.

Chai Latte

You will need:

1 Twinings Chai Tea Bag – I’ve used others but I love this one
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon palmyra jaggery powder or sugar substitute ( or sugar – up to you )
1 cardamom pod
2 cloves
1 tsp of light coffee mate
100ml of hot water
100ml of milk

Add your tea bag, cardamom pod, cloves, palmyra jaggery and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to your hot water, stir and leave to infuse for 6 minutes. Add your coffee mate to your milk. I then heat and froth my milk using my Vitamix but if using a standard frother you will need to heat your milk first. Remove your tea bag and pour the infused tea through a sieve into a clean mug or latte glass, add your milk (reserving a little foam) leave to settle, top with a little foam and sprinkle on a little cinnamon and brown sugar or more palmyra jaggery.

It is creamy, spicy and tastes incredibly indulgent. Bliss and calm in a cup.

Honey would make a good substitute for the palmyra jaggery or agave. You can of course use sugar and cream if you like but I prefer the lighter, healthier taste for everyday.

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Hammet House Photo Diary

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We were recently invited to stay at the gorgeous Hammet House in Pembrokeshire and to try out their rather superb dinner menu created by their new head chef Ashley Chapman.

A full review is coming up sometime in the next few weeks but I just had to tease you with a few photos before then:

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And this.. This is just a teaser. The utter indulgence and quality of this hotel has to be seen to be believed. Full details of ALL of the food and the hotel to follow in the review.

Follow @HammetHouse on Twitter for special offers and drool worthy pics.

Thank You For The Day

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I am in the midst of depression, post natal depression, severe depression, post traumatic stress..whatever you want call it or label it.

It’s astonishing how an illness can totally encompass you.

How rather than you having depression, depression has you.

It totally has you in every way possible.

It takes the joy away. The beauty. It takes away the person you were. It’s made me snarly where I was laidback, irritable when I would have laughed.

But it hasn’t taken away today. It hasn’t taken away my family, their love for me is unwavering. It hasn’t stopped my eldest from looking at me and telling me I’m her best friend. Or from my youngest loving to be wrapped tightly in my arms while I stroke her neck. It hasn’t taken away the love of my man or the support from my parents.

Today I found it hard to even use my fake smile. But..

I’m still here.

There may be brief moments where I almost wish I wasn’t. But I am.Here.

Thank you for the day.

A Preview Of Wychwood Festival 2015

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You should know from reading this blog how much we love festivals. Music festivals, food festivals and literature festivals are high up on my list of favourite places to be. Recently we were invited to attend this years Wychwood Festival.

This is a new festival for us to attend but it’s actually been running for 11 years and previous years reviews make it sound more than a little awesome.

Sometimes this guy even shows up:

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So what can you expect from this years festival:

Soul and funk maestro Craig Charles is back by popular demand, armed with an extensive collection of dance floor hits to raise the beats and bass of the Big Top attracting thousands of Wychwood revellers to dance the Sunday away. Excited to be invited back, Craig comments, “We Play funk & We Play Soul, 3rd Year back at Wychwood Festival’s Big Top, lets have it!”. Saturday’s Big Top invites another legendary DJ to take to the stage with Andy Kershaw. The much lauded DJ started his broadcasting career at Radio One in 1985 where he presented for 15 years delivering an incredibly eclectic range of music inviting dance fans to enjoy his irresistible tunes that span Soukouss to salsa, roots reggae to Rai, Soca to South African Township Jive.”

CBBC favourites Dick and Dom have reigned supreme on television becoming pan-generational household names. Entertaining children and parents up and down the country for the past seventeen years with their unstoppable range of comedy sketch shows and silliness they are now the most recognisable children’s television presenters. The pair are responsible for the BAFTA-award-winning Dick and Dom in da Bungalow and BAFTA nominated Diddy Movies as well as authors in their own right with Slightly Naughty But Very Silly Words and the hilarious new handbook Whoopee Book of Practical Jokes. The dynamic duo head up Wychwood’s very own Children’s Literature Festival in association with Waterstones, with an interactive show. The rest of the programme will be coming soon.

London based promoters Smashing Blouse who take the reigns of the The Big Top, have announced their second wave of artists. Famous for showcasing the best in up-and-coming artists, previous years have seen Bipolar Sunshine, Wolf Alice and Kyla La Grange all perform Wychwood. This year Ghostpoet and Fickle Friends will be joined by Black Honey, Ted Zed, Jamie T’s tour support, Palace and Zane Lowe’s future radio of 2015, Demob Happy.

You know all this and ahem.. A few little names you may have heard of such as UB40 and The Proclaimers..

As well as.. camping AND glamping options. Great food options such as wood fired pizzas, higgidy pies, ice cream and of course Real Ale.

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There is also the Booktrust which offer rhyme time and story sessions and the wildly popular Headphone Disco.

It sounds and looks like there is something for everyone.

Wychwood Festival returns to Cheltenham Racecourse from 29th to 31st May 2015. Weekend tickets are priced at just £129 for adults, £104 for concessions, £62 for 10-15 year olds, £22 for 5-9 year olds and under 5 free. Day tickets are available from £42 for adults, £32 for concessions, £22 for 10-15 year olds and £10 for 5-9 year olds and under 5 free. All tickets and more information is available from www.wychwoodfestival.com

36hr Sticky Sous Vide Ribs

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I’ve made ribs so many times over the last year in my Sous Vide Supreme. I’ve cooked them for 24hrs, 48hr and 36hrs. I’ve added fancy marinades, prepared BBQ sauces and dry rubs. I’ve served them with chips, with coconut rice or my favourite way with tortilla wraps and a huge salad.

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This is my favourite,incredibly simple way of cooking ribs in the Sous Vide. Just three ingredients, rubbed in and left in the water bath for 36hrs before a quick burst in the oven to make the sauce extra sticky.

Cooking the ribs in the Sous Vide does something rather special to the meat. It falls off the bone and is incredibly tender and moist. I’ve made these for my parents and my Dad who really does not like ribs LOVES these. I urge you to give this recipe a go. It’s worth buying a Sous Vide to only ever cook ribs in. Honestly.

You will need:

Ribs ( I normally cook around 4 racks at a time)
For each rack of ribs allow:

3 tbsp of dark muscavador sugar
2 tbsp of sweet smoked paprika

Combine the sugar and paprika and rub well into the ribs. Vacuum seal the ribs and place in a water bath preheated to 80C. Leave for 36 hrs before removing and placing ( gently ) into an roasting tray along with half of the juices. Cook in a very hot oven for approximately 15 minutes until the sauce had become dark and sticky. Serve immediately.

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* I was gifted a Sous Vide Supreme last year for the purpose of a review.

Tefal Cook4Me Review – Part Two

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Last year we were sent a Tefal Cook4Me Multicooker and it’s pretty amazing. It can cook a meal in 10 minutes. Start to finish. You can brown, pressure (quick) cook, slow cook, reheat or keep warm.

I use it regularly to make soups and its also really good for casseroles, meatballs and spag Bol.

I’ve found that I am inspired quite a lot of the time to throw new dishes together as I know I haven’t got to slave over the hob for hours on a dish that may not turn out the way I want. Last night I made a totally delicious Spanish Chicken with Orzo pasta. From start to finish it took me about 17 minutes.

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If you fancy making it yourself it was a bit of a throw it all together recipe but it worked and here it is:

You will need:

3 chicken breasts
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of boiling water
1 chicken stock cube
1 pepper diced ( I used yellow)
1 carrot diced
1/2 sweet potato diced
1 shallot diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
100g of orzo pasta
1tbsp of olive oil

Turn on the browning function and brown your chicken, shallot and garlic in the olive oil. Then switch to manual before adding all other ingredients and giving a good stir. Cook on the quick cook setting for 14 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked at this stage and tear apart into the sauce. Cook again on quick cook for a further 3 minutes.

If using traditional cooking methods, you could do so using a large pan but allow longer cooking time to ensure chicken is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has time to thicken.

Serve with hunks of fresh bread – it’s worth noting that my little ones simply loved this dish.

If you want a kitchen device that you can use for lots of different dishes, is easy to clean and simple to use I highly recommend this Tefal Cook4Me.

*As stated this item was gifted for the purpose of a review. For stockists click here.

Going Dairy Free – Review

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Towards the end of last year we discovered that Chloe has a dairy allergy. Since then we have discovered that dairy products are in a rather astonishing amount of food. Some days choosing what she can and can’t eat gets pretty frustrating. I found cows milk had been injected into a turkey joint I bought last month – weird but not unusual it seems.

We have been sampling some dairy free products at home and these are a few that we have tried and liked so far:

The Coconut Collaborative make dreamy yoghurt from coconut milk and it’s so indulgent that it’s hard to believe there is no dairy in it. Free from dairy, soya and gluten I would be surprised to find someone who didn’t enjoy these yoghurts. Yes they were for Chloe but I had to try it first 😉

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Goodness Gracious Food Pouches are dairy and gluten free and available in the following flavours: Carrot, Broccoli, Pea and Quinoa Puree as well as Chicken, Sweet Potato, Spinach Puree with Mint and Lemon Juice. We have now tried them all and they went down well with Chloe and I had a little taste too and they are pretty nice!

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Amy’s Kitchen have a large range of dairy free options including: Lentil Soup, Lentil Vegetable Soup, Split Pea Soup, Hearty French Country Vegetable, Hearty Spanish Rice and Red Bean and Hearty Rustic Italian Vegetables. We have really enjoyed these soups as a family and they are ideal for grabbing healthy food on the go.

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*These products were gifted for the purpose of this review.