Blog - Munchies and Munchkins

The Little Red Biscuit Review & Giveaway

August 24, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 72 Comments

You may remember me talking about Lotus Biscoff sometime ago when I first discovered the spread and biscuits in my local supermarket. My love affair with Lotus has continued to grow steadily and I’ve normally got a jar of the spread in the pantry and always some of their Biscoff biscuits in my cookie jar.

I was recently asked if I’d like to sample the full Lotus range and it would have been just rude to say no.

When my parcel arrived it contained the standard Biscoff biscuits as well as the new chocolate covered delights and a jar of the smooth and chunky spreads. I’ll admit to being a bit pleased. Ooh and they sent me a cool Lotus coffee cup which I love.

I’ve always liked the plain biscuits but the chocolate ones take it up a notch and are definitely more of an indulgence. They come in little packs of three which are just the right amount to enjoy with a cuppa.

The smooth spread is perfect for toast and it melts into a totally delectable puddle of buttery sweetness. Yum.

I had my reservations about the crunchy spread – I thought it would be a bit too much like soggy, crushed biscuits but luckily I was wrong and it’s really, really food. Would work well heated every so slightly to top vanilla icecream or even swirled into icecream straight from the jar.

I’ve seen lots of recipes over on Google for cheesecakes and cakes using Lotus ingredients and my very lovely friend Amanda even uses the smooth spread in place of peanut butter to make Lotus Biscoff cups.

Now that I’ve made you all drool, how about giving one of you lovely readers a goodie box containing all of the biscuit and spread varieties as well as a Lotus cookbook?

It’s simple to enter, just use the rafflecopter form below and one lucky winner will be chosen at random. Good luck 😀
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lotus Biscoff is stocked in selected branches of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda and Waitrose and Co-op, to name but a few! For further information, to find your local stockist as well as download a one time, money off voucher please visit www.lotusbiscuits.co.uk.

A Sort Of Spanish Stew – Slow Cooker Style

August 23, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 8 Comments

As soon as a chill is in the air I turn to my slow cooker. It’s a bit of a seasonal thing for me although it does make occasional summer outings.

Today we were headed out for the day and so I whipped out my trusted friend to make a Spanish style stew.

I love cooking with chorizo and sweet paprika. The amount of flavour from just a tbsp of sweet paprika is incredible and chorizo well I use it in anything and everything. For me though the best part of this stew was the addition of Orzo towards the end of the cooking time. It turned it into a more substantial meal and we all loved it

Anyway without further ado here is the recipe:

You will need:

3 inch chunk of Chorizo diced and browned in a pan
Tin of potatoes drained and halved
Tin of carrots drained
1/2 courgette roughly chopped
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1/2 yellow or red pepper diced
250ml of beef stock
1.5 tbsp of sweet smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
250g of orzo

Put all ingredients aside from the orzo in your slow cooker.

I cooked on high for 3hrs and on low for an additional 5 ( purely as I was going out and didn’t want it to overcook ) In the last 45 minutes cook your orzo to packet instructions ( usually 8 minutes), drain and add to your stew. You could just add to stew earlier on uncooked and add more liquid but I didn’t plan the orzo – it was a bit of a whim. Take the lid off your SC for the last half hour as it helps to thicken the dish. Enjoy with hunks of buttered bread. Delightful. Warming.

We all LOVED this dish including my 3yr old. Would serve 5-6 people.

Linking up to:

Making A Healthy Start With The Green Smoothie Club

August 22, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 1 Comment

Last week a few people that I follow on Twitter were chatting about something called the Green Smoothie Club it was a challenge they were taking part in which involved having a green smoothie each day packed full of fruit and vegetables.

Well I’ve been feeling rundown and pretty lousy since having Chloe and it’s now 9 months on so something had to change. I have a pretty good and varied diet but it feels as though Chloe drains ( literally)all the goodness from my body leaving me with little energy, tired skin and lacklustre hair.

A challenge which includes extra fruit and veg every day could only be a positive thing yes?

So I’ve begun. It’s now 5 days in. I’m really enjoying it. My OH has joined in too and it means I’m more likely to keep up with it.

I’ve used 3 different fruit/veg combos so far that have worked really well and taste good so I thought I would share them with you.

1. 1/2 Courgette, carrot, apple,1 cube of frozen spinach,1 cube of frozen ginger,banana, mint and 1tbsp of linseed. Along with a small tray of ice blended until smooth in my Vitamix – this is lovely, a bit of a kick from the ginger but quite subtle.

2. Apple, Carrot, courgette1 cube of frozen spinach, 2 cubes of ginger, mint, 2 tbsp of linseed, ice and 1 Crushed apple and strawberry pure fruit pouch – this was really refreshing and zingy!

3. Blueberries, courgette, carrot, linseed, apple and a Vitacoco mango, ice and pineapple coconut water.

I’ve found I prefer the smoothies which don’t have too much banana as I get to taste the other fruits n veggies. I find banana is such a strong flavour that it can easily take over everything else.

It’s hard to say if it’s having a difference yet although I do feel a bit brighter and considering I’ve had a week of very little sleep that’s fairly remarkable. It also means I’m wasting less veg and fruit as I’m throwing all my odds and ends in the Vitamix.

I’ve also started dicing some bananas and carrots and freezing them ready to throw into my smoothies. Organisation is key to keeping up with all new challenges I feel. My aim is to keep up with the green smoothies for at least 5 days a week. I’ll keep you updated on my progress.

Oregano & Sundried Tomato Foccacia

August 21, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 9 Comments

As it’s bread week on The Great British Bake Off I couldn’t let it pass without trying my hand at a new bake.

The last few weeks I’ve been going through one of my flatbread addiction phases and they have accompanied a lot of our meals but last night I fancied a change so made a foccacia.

The basic recipe is one I’ve used on numerous occasions to make a rosemary and seasalt foccacia but the beauty of this bread is that you can change it so much just by adding a few herbs or ingredients.

This is a sort of pizza flavoured foccacia with oregano and Sundried tomatoes giving a really summery vibe. I used dried herbs as I was actually feeling too lazy to go out and snip some – and it was cold last night! Fresh would take the flavour up a notch I imagine. It also has a hint of heat because I used chilli and garlic rapeseed oil:

Oregano and Sundried Tomato Foccacia

You will need:

500g of strong white bread flour
1.5 tbsp of oregano
5g of easy bake yeast
350ml of warm water
30ml of chilli & garlic rapeseed oil ( The preservation society )
5g of seasalt
1.5 tbsp of Sundried tomatoes
* some additional oil, salt and herbs for the topping

Mix your oregano, flour and salt in a large bowl. Add your yeast and warm water and make a rough dough before adding your oil and bringing it together into a very sticky dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. You need to work through the sticky stage, using floured hands and adding more flour to hands as needed. It will become less sticky and more smooth. Then add your Sundried tomatoes and knead for a few more minutes.

Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a teatowel. Leave until doubled in size ( about an hour to an hour and a half).
Preheat your oven to the highest heat setting.
Now knock back and shape into a rectangle on a floured work surface and place into an oiled rectangular baking tray. Cover again and leave for about 45 minutes. Now using your fingers, press deep dimples into the dough and sprinkle with herbs and salt and drizzle with oil.

Place into your oven and cook for approximately 18-20 minutes. If it’s browning too quickly you may want to reduce the heat for the last 10 minutes.

Leave to cool slightly and serve cut into strips with oil for dipping.

I’m joining in with The Great Bloggers Bake Off 2014

And Tasty Tuesdays with Honest Mum

An Arabian Nights Inspired Meal – Spiced Turkey Meatballs & Flatbreads

August 20, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 2 Comments

I was recently invited by Red Tractor to take part in a recipe challenge.

The challenge was to devise a recipe using British Turkey and two other Red Tractor ingredients with an Arabian Nights theme.

I instantly thought of spiced turkey meatballs, Tzatziki… and flatbreads.

I also thought of a photo I once saw of a middle eastern mint lemonade that I had always intended to try and so there it was. My meal:

Spiced Turkey Meatballs With Flatbreads, Tzatziki and Halloumi Salad served with a mint lemonade slushie.

Like all good plans they don’t always go the way you want. I forgot to get yoghurt..then my two cucumber mad daughters munched a whole cucumber in two days and I simply have not found enough time to make the lemonade as yet! Arrgghh.

BUT.. I have made my meal of turkey meatballs and flatbreads, with cous cous and halloumi salad and it was good. So good.

You will need:

For the meatballs:

900g of turkey mince ( I used 7% fat mince from Aldi – red tractor approved of course)
3 small British shallots minced or diced ( red tractor approved)
1 large bunch of flat leaf parsley finely chopped ( red tractor approved)
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 tbsp of oregano
1 tbsp of Garam Masala
1tsp of allspice
1/2 tsp of crushed black and pink peppercorns
1/2 tsp of seasalt
Olive oil

For the flatbreads:

250g of plain flour
150ml of warm-hot water
1tbsp of olive oil
1/2 tsp of garam masala
1/2 tsp of oregano
1\2 tsp of seasalt

For the cous cous

250g of cous cous
400ml of boiling water
Olive oil
Butter
Lemon zest and 1tbsp of juice

For the salad:

Little Gem Lettuce ( red tractor approved)
Vine tomatoes
Spring onions ( red tractor approved)
Halloumi
Pomegranate molasses

Mix together all meatball ingredients apart from oil in a large bowl. Use your hands to ensure it’s all well blended.

Form meatballs ( size is entirely up to you- the smaller they are the quicker they will cook) and place on an oiled tray or plate. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up and make them easier to cook. Whilst your meatballs are in the fridge make the dough for your flatbreads by combining all dry ingredients and then adding your oil and warm water and mixing quickly to make a dough, knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes then cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Prepare your salad now and assemble it all but the halloumi and molasses. Cover and set aside. Once out of the fridge, heat an oiled pan and start to cook your meatballs. You may need to cook in batches. Once cooked place in a foil covered dish in a warm oven to keep warm and moist.

Roll your flatbread dough into a sausage and cut into six pieces. Roll out each piece into a thin circle ready for cooking.
Make your cous cous by following packet instructions – we kept ours simple with a bit of butter and lemon but feel free to experiment with flavours and herbs. Cover while you cook your flatbreads and halloumi
Place a pan on a high heat ( no oil required) until almost smoking. Cook your flatbreads one at a time, you can tell when one side is cooked ( approx after 1-2 minutes) as it will start to bubble up in areas, you then need to turn it over and cook the other side for about 45seconds. Don’t worry if some bits are blackened and scorched – it adds to the flavour. Sprinkle with sea salt and oil as soon as you remove from pan and place in a dish wrapped in a clean tea towel to keep soft and warm. Using your already hot pan drizzle some chilli oil in and place your sliced halloumi in carefully. Cook until golden and put atop your salad.

Serve your meatballs, flatbread, cous cous and salad with a dip or two – Tzatziki would be best but if not sour cream and a chutney would work well.

We all thoroughly enjoyed this meal. The meatballs were succulent and full of flavour. I don’t often cook with Turkey mince but I can certainly see this changing!

Let me know if you try.

Silent Sunday

August 17, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 4 Comments

Saving Energy, Water and Time with Happier Homes

August 14, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · Leave a Comment

I’m on the final additional unpaid part of my maternity leave right now and it’s making me take a long hard look at my budget and where I can save pennies. It’s also making me address the fact that when I go back to work I am going to be quite time poor which means household jobs need to be quick and efficient if I’m going to get anytime at all to spend with my family.

I’ve been sent some info by Happier Homes with advice on how to save energy and also how to save water – handy if you are on a water meter or if you just want to be a bit more environmentally friendly.

Some of the tips were things I had heard before but a couple of things surprised me.

Did you know that it’s better for you and the environment if you use a dishwasher? We have only had a dishwasher for about two years but I wouldn’t be without it now. I always thought that using up electricity to wash dishes meant it was a rather luxurious way to do your dishes and I actually believed it was costing me more money to wash up this way.

But no.

* Intertek UK 2010 Washing up Study. For more details download the full findings here
** Comparison calculations assume:
One meal per person equates to one place setting washed up
Data from Intertek Study of washing up place settings by hand vs in a dishwasher
Average water and energy costs supplied by uSwitch.com

As a mum of four who cooks a LOT and uses a fair amount of dishes/pans for each meal I was astonished to find that I was saving myself nearly 700 hours a year just by not doing the washing up by hand.. And just think of the benefits to my sensitive hands too 🙂

Oh and it saves money too of course. Over £200 in fact. I easily cook a minimum of 50 meals a week. I normally cook at least two meals each day at home for four of us.

And of course there is the issue of water. Saving approximately 600litres per week. Wow.

Does that surprise you? I wonder how many people thought along the same lines as I did and I wonder how many more people would buy a dishwasher if they knew?

Onto the washing machine..

I always knew that washing clothes at a lower temp was cheaper and obviously a bit more ‘green’ but I didn’t think about the fact that washing machines have improved so much over the years and also a lot of the washing powders have built in stain removal now meaning you can wash at 30 or 40 now and have pretty much the same results as washing at 60 would have given you a few years ago. Good to know.

One washing machine tip is to run a very hot wash every now and again to avoid a musty smell from occurring when you wash frequently at lower temps. I tend to put in a load of towels for a hot wash once a month to combat this.

I hope this informations has been helpful. Do you have any extra tips for helping to save energy and water around the home?

Here are a final few bits of advice:

*When you go shopping, take a reusable bag with you.
*Don’t leave appliances on standby
*In the kitchen, when cooking, keep lids on pans as much as you can, to reduce heat loss.
*Don’t keep the fridge or freezer door open for longer than necessary.
*Cook meals in bulk.
*Only boil the amount of water you need.

*This post is in collaboration with Happier Homes.

Simply Sweet Cookies

August 13, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 7 Comments

Tonight knowing that it was biscuit week on The Great British Bake Off I made sure I had some cookies in the oven before I even thought about sitting down to watch. I had massive cake envy all through last weeks episode and I had NO cake to eat. Not making that mistake again.

I made a very simple cookie recipe which had just a few adaptations to my standard fail safe make in my sleep basic cookie recipe.

It turned out SO well that I wanted to share it with you tonight.
It’s simple. Takes less than 5 mins to prep and about 12 minutes to cook.
Not many photos I’m afraid as I didn’t think I wasn’t going to share it but it’s easy and tastes delicious.

Oat & Chocolate cookies

You will need:

100g softened butter
75g of soft brown sugar
175g of self raising flour
50 grams of porridge oats
45ml of golden syrup
75g of milk chocolate chunks
3tbsp of whole milk

Preheat oven to gas mark 3.

Cream your butter and sugar together before adding your remaining ingredients and stirring to combine. Dollop spoonfuls onto a greased baking tray. Bake until lightly golden ( about 12-14 minutes) Makes approximately 12 large (ish) cookies.

They taste to me exactly as cookies should. A combination of soft, chewy and chocolate with the added texture of oats.

I’m joining in with The Great Bloggers Bake Off 2014

And Tasty Tuesdays with Honest Mum

The Big Feastival 2014

August 13, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 1 Comment

In just 3 weeks Alex James will open up his beautiful farm in the Cotswolds to food and music family festival goers.

The weekend of music and food indulgence, which runs from 29-31st August is the brainchild of Alex James and Jamie Oliver with a heady mix of delicious foodie treats and a wide selection of music. There is also an array of children’s entertainment and delicious food stands, there will be something on offer for all of the family.

We first attended the festival in 2012 when Izzy was nearly 1year old. So much has changed for us as a family since then. We have a new addition in Chloe who is now 9 months old and Izzy will be nearly 3years old when we attend this years festival. You can read about our experience here

Izzy at The Big Feastival 2012:

Yes we are going again! Woo. We have been invited as special guests of AEG who are festival sponsors. AEG will be present throughout the festival offering a fantastic variety of features for all ages that will focus on food and cooking, with a particular emphasis on steam and healthy, flavoursome food.

Some of what AEG will have on offer at The Big Feastival:

The AEG Family Kitchen will host family foodpairing cookery classes using the latest AEG induction hobs for parents and children (8 years +) . This will take place on the AEG mobile academy, which is fully equipped with the latest AEG steam and induction appliances.

The AEG Family Kitchen Garden: making raw food dishes. This feature is perfect for younger children and accompanying parents. Daylesford vegetable & fruit boxes will be available on benches in the garden area where families can create their own food pairing recipes together by following a simple AEG family food pairing guide. This workshop will combine fun and education allowing parents and children to learn about nutrition, natural ingredients and food pairing. Social media will be integral to sharing this with our online community

The Big Feastival is a fantastic combination of music and food with a big dollop of family fun thrown in.

What we are looking forward to:

AEG are joining up with Dayleford Organics to hold steam and induction classes cooking simple, family suppers such as chargrilled chicken with bulgar wheat.

AEG Big Kitchen: I’m looking to watching demos from Jamie Oliver, Gennaro Contaldo, Gizzi Erskine and more live on the main AEG cooking stage.

Music: music from the likes of Jamie Cullum, Levi Roots, Fatboy Slim and The Cuban Brothers plus lots more.

Family Fun: From the Little Dudes Den to Justin Fletcher and Mr Bloom as well as the Disney Roadshow, Roald Dahl museum and much much more. It’s going to be so much fun – I can’t wait to see Izzys face when she realises we are at a festival again.

Are you going to this years festival? Would be lovely to see some of you.

It’s Snuggle Weather

August 12, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 1 Comment

The last few days when the rain has been torrential and the days have been a lot greyer it’s been perfect snuggle up in soft blankets weather.

I quite like the arrival of Autumn. Don’t get me wrong by April I am yearning for Summer but Autumn with its log fires, mugs of hot chocolate and bowls of comforting casseroles. I like it. Also maybe it’s because I’m not 100% comfortable with my post baby shape but I’m more of a jeans and jumper girl than a short shorts and cropped top one.

I’ve got a super soft fleecy dressing gown which just envelopes me in warmth and I love to just wrap myself up in it and watch the rain against the window. When the weather isn’t great it doesn’t feel as lazy to still be in your pyjamas at 3pm does it.. Not to me anyway.

What if your every day clothes were as soft and comfy as your pjs? Wouldn’t that be nice? I’ve been taking a look at the cashmere jumpers over on the Woolover site. It’s the 25th birthday of Woolover this year – HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Woolover was founded in 1989 and now 25 years later has over 750,000 customers all over the world who they have supplied with their classic and contemporary knitwear. With over 160 styles available you are sure to find something to suit your taste.

I liked this style the most:

Soft, slouchy and unisex too. Plus a bit of a steal at just £30.00. There are lots more to choose from and some lovely lambswool cardigans too:

Go and have a look for yourself!

*This post is in collaboration with Woolover.

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