Blog - Munchies and Munchkins

Well That’s Just Brilliant.

November 29, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 6 Comments

It’s 11.45pm on a Saturday night and I’m sat here back aching, eyes are worn and trying to unwind after a long week. I’ve just finished cleaning my kitchen, sorting laundry and other bits and bobs. I should have done this a lot earlier in the day but I didn’t and now I’m tired, tired but happy.

Today seems to be THE day for people discussing or complaining about Christmas decorations. I’m not sure why it hit everyone on the last Saturday of November but everywhere I’ve seen moans and posts asking why on earth people have their decs up??? Family members have been discussing it..friends I’ve met and it’s ALL over social media. If it was September I would almost understand but it’s December on Tuesday!

Let me tell you a story…

Way back in the day when I was young enough to be impressed by Santa and wowed by a tinkling bell in the distance we put our decorations up on the 1st December. It was one of the most exciting days of the year for me and my siblings. We didn’t do anything spectacular on that day, we pulled the boxes down from the attic..reminisced over handmade Christmas baubles and possibly cracked open the first box of Christmas treats. What I really remember is how happy and loved I felt. I knew it was the start of a really fun and exciting time. I knew I would be surrounded by the ones I love and see others who only seem to appear during holidays. The lights didn’t fade for us as children and we still bemoaned the day that the last bit of tinsel was packed away in January. How the house looked bare without it. It seemed colder, darker.

Last week we passed a few houses nearby that were all lit up and Izzy just looked and smiled, then on the weekend we had a family break away with all of my siblings, my parents and all Izzy and Chloe’s cousins. It was a real festive occasion, we even had a Christmas dinner with crackers. We arrived home and it felt like December 25th was a million miles away.

So this morning we got up and decided to get up into the attic ( well Andrew did.. I would but..spiders. ) and spent a few hours with the girls just pulling them all apart and marvelling at the shiny, tinkly treasure chest.

This evening we put up the tree and we all decorated it together. Christmas music played, our home was warm and full of laughter.

*For the effect of extra warmth turn in Fireplace in your home if you have Netflix on your telly – a log crackling fireplace takes over your screen..it’s awesome.*

At one point Izzy stopped, looked up at the tree proudly and said “Well that’s just brilliant”.

My list of chores continued to pile up as we all revelled in Christmas warmth. Chloe doesn’t quite understand the decorate the whole tree aspect and instead chose to decorate one branch..but what a pretty branch it is.

Our tree won’t be the most stylish, we really have let the children do their bit and I’m trying to stop myself doing any adjusting now they are in bed. But it’s definitely fun..maybe shabby chic??

The faces we saw tonight of glee and surprise may not have still been there if we had left it another 3 weeks with them seeing a tree here and lights there with every shop or home we walked into.

I think what I’m trying to say here is that I understand that some people don’t want decorations up early, some people may not want them at all and for others it may be against their beliefs. But don’t put a dampener on it for others. We all have our reasons for doing or not doing it.

Mine is this. Christmas is magical. It doesn’t heal wounds but it almost caresses them. It can make bigger problems seem smaller and in most cases you spend more time with the people you love. Christmas should never be about just that one morning scrabbling for presents under the tree.

Our world is full of sadness and trouble. For us and the majority of you reading this blog we are lucky. We don’t live on the streets or in a refugee camp, cold and afraid for our lives. We don’t have to worry about where the next meal will come from, even if we aren’t rich ..for most of us the cupboards are still full.

I’m sure we have all shed tears over the past year for every country being affected by terrorism, by war or by poverty. Paris brought it to the forefronts of most of our minds and perhaps felt more real due to our proximity to France.

Every day a terrible event will happen in another country, to another person. Yes we need to help and we can’t bury out heads in the sands which is why I urge you to do what you can in your area. Give food/clothes bundle to volunteers heading to refugee camps or help the homeless in your area or just give money to a local charity or church who know what to do if you feel lost and unsure how to help.

And celebrate. Don’t stop living or enjoying.

I don’t know about you but I just want to soak in every minute of this warm Christmas bubble before I walk back into our wonderful yet terrible real world.

A Foodies Christmas Gift Guide

November 26, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · Leave a Comment

Do you have someone in your life that is a little food obsessed? Here is a great round up of gifts which are just perfect for Foodies.

A delightful Christmas Hamper from Greys Fine Foods:

For budding cooks or people with a busy lifestyle who still want to create fresh, healthy meals each night why not send them the gift of a Marley Spoon recipe and ingredient box?

Or a subscription to a Baking Club? I love the look of this iced cinnamon bun kit:

Of The Earth Superfoods: This hot chocolate tin looks attractive and the hot chocolate inside is thick and creamy!

Peters Yard have a a selection of crispbreads and crackers which would be great to pop in a hamper:

Smorgasbord is a board game just for foodies:

Brabantia tasty tools include Cookie Cutter Sets
Pastry Brushes, Baking Spatulas, Corkscrews and much more – all under £10 and in bright, attractive colours.

Cadburys choc gifts as always have a massive range of festive treats. From mini Christmas figures to the traditional large Chocolate Father Christmas, Oreo balls and selection boxes. There is something for everyone:

Costa coffee – I love when Costa bring out their Christmas flavours with my absolute favourite being the Blackforest Hot Chocolate. These also have these adorable ceramic travel cups:

Choc On Choc – These chocolates will look exactly like the most popular biscuits. My Dad is a huge biscuit fan so he really enjoyed trying these.

Beanies coffee – Beanies have lots of different flavours to offer this Christmas including Irish Cream in cute little jars:

Cherizena Christmas coffee blend – festive coffee is a perfect treat for coffee lovers:

Baru – I was first introduced to Baru products at the BBC Good Food Show last year. Once I tasted their chocolate covered salted caramel marshmallows I was in love. Since then I’ve tried a variety of the other products including their Spicy Chai Latte which I just love.

Try a different stocking filler with these Liberation Nuts:

*Some of these products were gifted to us for the purpose of this guide.

Baked Pulpetti – A Maltese Recipe

November 25, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 6 Comments

I’ve never been to Malta although it is one of the places on my to visit list. It looks like an idyllic holiday destination as well as being rich in history and culture – a perfect mix in my opinion and the warm weather is appealing too. You can find out more about holidays to Malta here.

I was challenged by Expedia to take part in their World On A Plate challenge to create a Maltese recipe. I’m always interested in trying and experimenting with new dishes so this was a fun opportunity for me.

Pulpetti is a traditional Maltese recipe and I’ve made a few adaptations to make it my own.

It’s best described as meat patties ( slightly flatter than meatballs ) using beef or pork mince or a combination of the two with a rich herby flavour. I’ve discovered that some people use corned beef – I may try that next!

Some traditional recipes use Parsley but I used a combination of Sage and Rosemary from my herb garden.

My Pulpetti were more meatball shaped than patties but they were extremely tasty all the same. I used three methods to cook the Pulpetti, baked, slow cooked and shallow fried.

Baked Pulpetti:

You will need:

For the patties:

750g High Quality Minced Beef ( I used 10% fat )
2 eggs ( beaten)
2 garlic cloves finely diced or a tbsp of garlic purée
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 slices of slightly stale bread
90g Grated Parmesan
A handful of sage and rosemary leaves roughly chopped
Pinch of seasalt and cracked black pepper

For the sauce:

1 400g carton of chopped tomatoes with chilli ( or plain chopped tomatoes with a finely diced chilli)
1 tsp of brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 180c.

In a large bowl mix together your beef, eggs, Parmesan and olive oil. In a blender whizz your bread into fine breadcrumbs along with herbs, salt and pepper. Add this dry mixture to the wet and using your hands mix thoroughly.

Using 1/3 of the meat mixture roll into small balls ( you can flatten them slightly if you like). Heat 2 tbsp of Olive oil in a large pan and brown your balls on all sides.

Add your brown sugar to your tomatoes and pour into an ovenproof dish, add your meatballs and bake for 40 minutes.

Pre baking:

Serve with the side of your choice, they go well with rice or in flatbreads.

Slow Cooker Method:

As above for the ingredients, use 1/3 of the mixture and form into balls, sear on all sides in a large pan before adding to the slow cooker with sauce and cooking on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve as above. Tastes even better the following day.

Shallow frying method:

As above for the ingredients, use 1/3 of the mixture and form into balls.
Add 1 cup of Olive oil to a large pan and heat until bubbling. Carefully add your meatballs and fry until cooked throughout.

Serve in wraps or flatbreads with some yogurt and mint sauce or hot chilli sauce. Delicious.

The precooked meatballs/patties can also be frozen to use at a later date.

*This post is part of the #worldonaplate challenge with Expedia and I was compensated for my time and ingredients.

Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts – Part Two

November 23, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 8 Comments

Last month I shared some of my favourite edible Christmas gift ideas and now I’m back for part two.

I love making Christmas gifts for people and the look on their faces as they receive and enjoy them. My personal favourite is fudge but here are lots of other ideas:

Spiced Apple & Rosehip Jelly:

Dairy Free Chocolate Bark:

Roasted Hazelnuts With Cacao Nibs:

Christmas Spice Truffle Filled Chocolates:

Lebkuchen:

Classic Vanilla Fudge:

Glitzy Chocolate Mendiants:

Festive Cookies In A Jar:

Easy Chocolate Christmas Trees:

Parmesan Sable Biscuits:

Want some more Christmas food and craft ideas? Follow my Christmas Pinterest Board for more inspiration.

Christmas Gift Guide For Kids

November 23, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year when children everywhere are making their Christmas wish lists. Chloe is still a little young to make demands and Izzy doesn’t ask for much yet which is nice and I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Here are some ideas of great gifts around this winter for children of all ages:

What child doesn’t love a doll? This Tiny Tears 50th Anniversary Doll is so pretty and I’m sure any little one opening this on Christmas Day would be thrilled.

An alternative to playdoh? This soft modelling sand from Sands Alive is reusable and looks like so much fun.

Another creative gift of Aquabeads:

This Lighthouse Playset will go down a storm with any Pip Ahoy fans:

Any Twirlywoo watchers? We love the TV show and they now have some great toys to accompany it:

We do love to read and this Miffy book is both cute and interactive:

This RC Flying Dragon is great for bigger kids ( or Dads):

We still have Frozen Fever in our house and these Frozen Jelly Stickers and Snow globe maker kits are ideal for creative kids.

This is one of the most wanted toys this year. My Friend Freddy is a truly interactive toy and a real friend in the shape of a bear.

For older children these drawing kits called Skinny Sketchers are perfect:

Got a child who loves sleepovers? These sleeping bags from Snugpak are perfectly shaped for smaller figures:

Board games or puzzles more your thing? We love this Greedy Sheep game and also the Trickin Camel:

Playmobil is a firm favourite of my girls. They have a fabulous selection of toys this year and also this advent calendar which is ideal for children who for one reason or another can’t eat chocolate.

CHOC Chicos Kit: These dairy and soya free chocolate making kits are great for children with allergies and really good fun to make.

Getting Personal have some great personalised gift ideas. I love these bean bags and the blanket backpacks:

Leapfrog Fridge Phonics look great fun and are also educational teaching early alphabet skills and phonics.

For the very little ones there are some gorgeous Forever Friends products including this bear:

* Some of these items were gifted for the purpose of this guide.

Food Blogger Of The Fortnight – Penne For Your Thoughts

November 21, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 5 Comments

This is the fifth in my series of Food Blogger Of the Fortnight interviews.

Today we meet Sophie from Penne For Your Thoughts.

Sophie shares some incredible recipes on her blog including some really fantastic sweet treats. She also shares restaurant reviews from the area she lives in – Birmingham. Read on for more about her:

I started blogging a few years ago, and last year Penne For Your Thoughts was born! I’ve always had a passion for food, and cooking/baking and wanted to combine my love of writing with this. The blog was born, and I haven’t looked back since. Whilst it is time consuming, especially with a full time job, I absolutely love the food blogger community – the advice and support from everyone is what keeps me going! Over the past year my blog has given me the opportunity to learn more about baking, cooking and especially photography! When I look back at old posts and the photos they make me cringe. It’s lovely (although still a little surreal) to know that everyone from friends and family, to complete strangers are reading my blog and making my recipes.

My most popular recipe is my home-made version of the Mr Kipling Angel Slices. My absolute favourite childhood treat!

Your personal favourite recipe:

My triple chocolate and caramel blondies! They were kind of an experiment and they turned out so well, super tasty and I keep getting compliments from people who have made the recipe.

Your social media links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/broomfis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penneforyourthoughtsblog
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sbroomfield91/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sophiebroomfield

Happy Birthday Chloe

November 19, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · Leave a Comment

Happy Birthday to our beautiful girl, you are two today.

You learnt to count to 10 a little while ago but the way you say six ( seeeeeehhhhheex) and seven ( sevannnnnnnnn ) still crack me up.

You love to sing and dance and pretend to read me stories from your favourite books. You are more generous with your hugs and kisses than anyone I’ve ever met. If you think anyone is sad or upset you run over, rub their back and say “Don’t worry ..you’ll be alright”.

If I tell Izzy off for anything, even for snatching a toy from you or being a little rough you defend her and tell me No whilst hugging your big sister. You adore her.

You say the funniest sentences and have a wicked smile. You can always, always make me laugh even when I’m having a really bad day.

You have been through a lot in your first two years and dealt with it like the little trooper you are. You put up with others eating things around you that you can’t have and rarely get irritated by it.

Unfortunately you STILL don’t sleep through the night but as everyone says it will come.

Happy Birthday to our little Chloe. We love you more than you will ever know.

Birth Trauma Two Years On…..

November 18, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 1 Comment

Two years ago today I was in ( very ) slow labour with our second daughter. I had already been in hospital for 3 days and I was more than a bit emotional, exhausted and anxious.

The following day at 8.30pm Chloe arrived. Perfect in every way. Considering all of the problems that we encountered during the pregnancy it actually felt like a bit of a miracle that she had arrived, not too early ( in fact ..late! ) and healthy.

Unfortunately the birth was incredibly traumatic. I can’t go over it again and you can read a little about it here but it was a dark period of time in my life, of course when Chloe arrived I was overwhelmed with joy that she was ok. She fed immediately, we bonded straight away and she was of course worth every bit of the torture I felt I had endured.

The difference between our first daughters birth and Chloe’s birth was that after Izzy arrived although birth had been difficult and long I knew I could do it again. After Chloe arrived I knew it would be impossible to ever do it again.

I assumed these feelings would pass and that the memories of the birth would fade along with my afterpains – why does nobody warn you of how bad the afterpains are after your second?!?

They didn’t. In fact they got worse. I was weepy all the time…I blamed my milk coming in, the baby blues and eventually the tiredness of having a baby and a toddler. The nightmares from the birth I put down to my unsettled sleep pattern as I woke to feed Chloe throughout the night. The flashbacks and black thoughts were masked by the happiness and love I felt for our beautiful girls. Life should have been perfect.

I started to get counselling as I knew I needed it.

As weeks turned into months I knew that time should be fading my memories and stopping the way I felt but instead I just began to feel lower and lower until when Chloe got to just over 1 year old. I lost my appetite ( most unlike me) I was incredibly depressed and suddenly it was New Years Eve and I felt distraught. I had told myself in the lead up to Christmas that a new year would bring a fresh start but instead I knew I needed to do something more.

As Chloe was now old enough I knew I could stop breastfeeding although I had wanted to continue much longer and I took medication to help myself. I tried several medicines as my body kept reacting violently to them until eventually my body let me keep one in my system. I also started therapy called EMDR which trains your brain to put traumatic thoughts into the depths of your memory so they are still there but not always on your mind.

It helped. The flashbacks lessened, the sleep paralysis started to become less frequent and my mood began to life. Not every day but at least some of them.

But I still don’t know if it will ever go. I can’t watch labour scenes in films or TV without getting upset. My sister in law had a baby 4 months ago and I was anxious every time she mentioned labour. While she was in labour I felt overwhelmed, checking in with my parents constantly to find how she was. This happened again a few days ago when one of my closest friends was giving birth. I messaged her all day long ( how it must have annoyed her ).

I hope one day this will be less of an issue for me.

Two years on I do feel like I’m getting there. The light is visible at the end of the tunnel. Chloe is two tomorrow and a wonderfully happy and utterly hilarious little girl. Along with her sister, Andrew and my parents and family my days are brightened and I’m supported and loved.

It’s really important to know how difficult birth trauma can be and to support friends and family through it. Encourage them to get counselling and medication if needed. If you are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress following birth I can tell you it may not vanish but it really does get better.

Globe Trotting With Glorious Soups

November 18, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 1 Comment

Ah it’s been such a long time since I experienced exotic food in balmy temperatures. The last time we travelled abroad was around four years ago and that was a fairly tame trip to Portugal in Winter to avoid our then first baby girl getting too hot ( new parent worries hey? ).

Whilst I love being a parent and a responsible adult and all that jazz I do yearn for the days when we would just book a last minute flight and pop over to sunnier climes for a piña colada or our more considered plans to visit Africa to grab mangoes fresh from the tree.

Or to meet new animal friends, meet people from all walks of life, listen to the musical beat of a country and breathe in it’s unique scent.

This month I’ve been trying some of the Glorious Soup range and letting the flavours sweep me along on an adventure. They may not be able to promise the weather or indeed the relaxation – my last bowlful was eaten whilst balancing a poorly toddler on one knee and reading a book to my eldest – they do however deliver every time on taste and taste can take you places.

My favourites so far:

Fragrant Thai Carrot – Thailand has always been on my list of places I want to visit and I love the flavours of typical Thai dishes. Echoes of lime, coconut and lemon grass ensure this soup really is fragrant and leads an all so pleasant dance around your taste buds.

Next up is the Bangalore Lentil Daal– I chose this because two of my best buddies are currently travelling the world ( not jealous at all…… ) and they recently spent a chunk of time in India. The photos of their visit were incredible ..it does help that Ceri is a pretty awesome photographer and it really did tell me a tale of the people who live there and the food they eat.

Photo credit: Ceri Davies

Years ago I used to hate lentils. I think I thought they were the type of food your mum would trick you into eating when you were a child. That changed the first time I had Daal. Lentils were no longer boring or sludgy but filling and warming..able to carry so many spicy flavours. The Glorious Bangalore Lentil Daal has both lentil and chickpeas flavoured with garam masala, curry leaves and mango chutney. I can imagine walking through the streets eating this steaming hot from a bowl while soaking in the atmosphere in the busy streets.

And finally the New England Butternut Squash.. For no other reason than ahhhh Butternut Squash. It has to be one of my favourite Autumn veggies. This soup contains roasted butternut squash and cumin and has a bonus point for having less than 1% fat.

Strangely all of my favourite soups this month were from the Skinnylicious range. Must be my current healthy eating plan guiding my shopping picks! Next month I’ll be trying some more Glorious goodies so check back in a few weeks.

Ooh I almost forgot..did you know that you could win a trip to Mumbai with Glorious and Foodies100? Check out the competition details here.

*I was sent vouchers to try out the range of soups and will be compensated for my time in reviewing and writing about this.
*This blog post is an entry into the Foodies100/GLORIOUS! soup #GloriousAdventures blogger challenge”

Win Tickets To The BBC Good Food Show Winter 2015

November 17, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 10 Comments

Every year the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham NEC is one of the highlights of November for me. Stallholders have festive offerings as well as their usual products and it gets me in the mood for Christmas, I buy gifts for my family and try so many samples that I’m usually too full to have lunch. It’s also fun to meet some familiar faces:

Stall holders I’m definitely heading to include:

Hedonist Bakery – they sell artisan breads which you can freeze to finish baking yourself at home. We have tried one at home recently and they are truly delicious!

Taste Gourmet Spice Gran Reserva Balsamic Vinegar – I bought a bottle of this last year and it was delicious so I was delighted when they sent me a bottle this year!

Mellow Yellow Rapeseed Oil – This makes amazingly crispy roast potatoes and great for salad dressings too.

Munchies Seeds – I have bought these lots this year and they are handy ( and healthy ) snacks to keep on my desk to nibble on through the day.

Swifts Bakery – ah I’ve bought bread from Swifts every time I head to the show, Winter and Summer. It’s perfect. My favourite is the chilli, lime and coriander and I hope it’s there this time!

In previous years I’ve enjoyed heading to the Supertheatre to watch some of my favourite celeb chefs in action. I’m hoping to take a look at some of the new products from some of my favourite brands like Kenwood as well as nibbling my way through all of the cheeses and brownies in the hugeeeee hall at the NEC. I also love browsing stalls and trying things I’d never have tasted otherwise. The Garlic Farm always tempt me with their garlic pesto and smoked garlic bulbs.

Now for the best part, would you like to win a pair of tickets to go next week? I have two tickets up for grabs and all you have to do for your chance to win is enter my simple rafflecopter form below. If you went lucky enough to win you can still get 15% off your tickets using this code: BL15

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Some of the items mentioned in this post have been gifted to me as part of my role as BBC Good Food Show Official blogger.

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