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Festival Cooking

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We are off on our first festival holiday as a foursome next week and although we are excited its a little daunting too. Having to pack everything we need for everyone. Then having to think about food too..

There is a pretty amazing food line up at this years Camp Bestival so we will definitely be partaking of those delights some of the time but I’m on maternity leave so I do actually have to be a little thrifty for the most part.

Which means we will be cooking a lot of our meals in the festival fields.

Now Camp Bestival has a great set up in all of their standard, glamping and campervan fields with designated cooking areas and washing up areas but not every campsite or festival will have that.

A pop up or collapsible wash bowl is really handy:

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Cooking in the outdoors especially with children and tents around can be dangerous so I’m loving the idea of this Flameless cookbox from e-outdoor.co.uk

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It uses a water activated heat pack and is even safe to use INSIDE your tent. Brilliant huh?

Our first two years at Camp Bestival we used a traditional camping stove and made meals such as frittata and omelettes along with the usual camping staples of bacon, beans and sausages.

We normally take a flask to fill up with boiling water in the morning and use throughout the day if we want a cup of tea.

And we always take a small milk pan to make hot chocolates to have just before bed:

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I will be writing a post this weekend about all the meals we plan to cook at Camp Bestival and also the ways in which we will be cooking it so look out for that.

What are your campsite specials? Are there any meals you always make when at festivals?

*This post is in collaboration with e-outdoor.

Food Hacks. #1

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The online world is full of hacks at the moment. Life hacks. Technology hacks and most important ( to me anyway ) food hacks.

Hacks are ways of cutting corners, saving time, doing brilliant things in ways you hadn’t thought of before and using gadgets for things you don’t normally use them for.

This particular one has been spinning around Pinterest for a while.. I’ve no idea where it originated but I read about it on a A Healthy Slice and as I love that blog I will credit her 😉

Shredded Chicken in a Kitchen Aid ( or any stand mixer)

You will need:

A kitchen aid or similar ( I use an Andrew James stand mixer which is awesome)
Cooked chicken breasts or thighs ( I used thighs which had been cooked in sous vide)

If the breasts are large cut in two. Thighs are fine whole. Place in food mixing bowl using the attachment shown in my image and turn on low until shredded. Easy peasy.

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It’s super simple but saves so much time.

I used my shredded chicken to make a sandwich filler adding The Garlic Farm mayonnaise, mild curry paste and some mango chutney. Was delicious.

What are your favourite food hacks?

Foodie Round Up – March

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This month has been just a bit lovely when it comes to foodie goodies.

I’ve been sent quite a few lovely things to try out and I’ve bought some nice stuff myself too.

First up:

Metcalfes Skinny Topcorn:

I’ve recently become a member of the #topcorntribe which has to be one of the best tribes ever. Every month I will get a gift box of Topcorn to sample and tell you all about.. And it’s pretty amazing corn.

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These are the flavours it contained:

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There was more than one of each flavour but we may have ..ahem..eaten some rather quickly.

It feels like such an indulgent treat but they are really low in calories so you don’t feel guilty. I’ve developed a bit of a thing for the sweet n salt flavour. The chocolate crackle feels very naughty and the Wasabi has a lovely kick.

Next..

Bahlsens Pick Up biscuits

I’ve reviewed theses on the blog already so I won’t go on but they are devilishly moreish.

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Jordans Country Crisp – strawberry

I was sent these to create a recipe out of but I’m ashamed to say they didn’t last long enough.. Myself, my OH and Izzy devoured theses in a matter of days and they are sweet and crunchy and well just really good.

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I am however planning to buy more this week and I’m thinking.. Flapjacks?

Degustabox

I will be reviewing this later in the week so I won’t spoil it but so far it gets a big thumps up. Milkshake..chocolate tea and nachos.. What’s not to love?

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Schwartz

We have been sent a lovely pile of goodies from Schwartz and I’ve been loving trying them out. I’ve never been disappointed in a Scwartz product and I find them excellent value for money too. We also got some extras in our Degustabox so that’s a bonus!

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I think I’ve been a little bit spoilt this month.. What will next month bring?

* Products have been gifted in exchange for a review.

She’s A Little Foodie – Plum Baby Review

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Izzy loves food. She will try anything and my family always laugh at her favourite foods such as olives and peppers.

She generally eats what we eat and you all know how much I love to cook so she has a pretty varied diet which can sometimes mean that buying ready made food or easy prep meals isn’t easy as she doesn’t like the bland tastes.

Luckily there are brands such as Plum who know that some children really like exciting meals and so we haverecently been happily reviewing some of their product range.

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Dishes like this:

Moroccan Tagine

and

Jerk Chicken

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Snacks that I can give her without feeling guilty about what she’s eating such as:

Fruit nibbles which Izzy calls her sweeties:

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Apple, spinach and kale wafers.. We shared these out with friends at a local playgroup and children from 1-5yrs old thoroughly enjoyed them.

We can breakfast on the go with fruit pouches which have the added bonus of quinoa and yoghurt included.

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Her absolute fave was the Purple Carrot and Blueberry version which she devoured even with a mouthful of chicken pox when she was feeling really low.

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Everything she has tried she has loved which I kind of expected as we have always been Plum fans..I mean have you tried their Lemon Chicken? … Drool.

As a parents sometime making food choices can be so hard and you can end up feeling guilty for lots of reasons .. You know the ahhh how much salt is in this or WHAT are those E numbers? And even is this tasty enough.. I mean would I want to eat it?

Choosing Plum products cans make these choices a little easier although deciding between the Tagine and Jerk Chicken could cause a problem 😉

*We were sent these products free of charge for the purpose of this review.

Monthly Foodie Round Up

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Each month I receive products to try out or I buy new products that catch my eye in the supermarket .. or TKMaxx!

These are the foodie bits we have enjoyed this month:

Jungle Dogs

These were more for Izzy than for me but I must admit to having a sneaky taste 🙂

So what are Jungle Dogs?

JUNGLE DOGS ARE MADE FROM ALL PORK, WITH NO MECHANICALLY-RECOVERED MEAT, THEY CONTAIN MORE MEAT THAN OTHER LEADING HOT DOG BRANDS. SMOKED WITH NATURAL BEECHWOOD & CONTAIN NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS OR FLAVOURS

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Sounds good but what do they taste like? Well Izzy gobbled them down and she’s a proper foodie so it’s a big thumbs up from her and myself and her Dad had a taste too and we enjoyed. You get the proper hotdog flavour that always reminds me of fairgrounds and childhood but its so nice to know that you are feeding your child a decent product. Sausages are notoriously low in actual meat percentages (especially hot dogs) but these are higher than any other brand.

They microwave in just 50 seconds making it a really easy tea time treat.

We loved these and will certainly be buying in the future.


Ryvita Cracker Bread

We were sent two packs to try, cheese and black pepper.

The black pepper were my favourite by far although we did enjoy the cheese too. I liked them topped with soft cheese and cherry tomatoes or cucumber. Izzy enjoyed them spread with flora and my OH liked them with hunks of cheese. This will become a regular addition to my shopping list..especially at a lovely 19cals 😉

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Safari Chakalaka Chilli Sauce

What is Chakalaka?:

Fresh and zingy with a hint of spice. Our Chakalaka sauce is based on a traditional African vegetable dish of the same name. It can be added to pretty much anything to bring some African sunshine into your life.

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It’s a medium heat sauce and is great added to creamy sauces to give them a bit of a kick, we have also used it to marinade chicken and my OH likes a drop of two in his sandwiches. It’s not too hot but definitely has a bit of a zing!

Safari are an event catering company who you will always find at the best food festivals and they have now started selling their famous sauces and marinades online. Definitely worth a look at their site

Drop Dead Chocolates – Salted Caramels

I drooled over some pictures of these on Twitter for quite a while and I was very lucky to be offered some to try as they are divine. Bitter sweet dark chocolate, buttery caramel and sea salt crystals on top. Yes. I’m a fan. Drop Dead Chocs make letterbox friendly gift boxes of chocs that you can tailor to suit your taste.

*Products were gifted for the purpose of this review.

Money Saving 2014 Part 1 – The stock take

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It’s not a resolution as such but every year I make the effort to save money. This year I need to be even thriftier than usual as for a good chunk of it I will be on maternity leave and earning a lot less.

As always I will be sharing my tips with you.

The first thing I recommend that you all do is take stock. Literally. I did this last year and it really worked so well for us. I emptied my food cupboards, gave them a good clean and repacked them but whilst doing so I kept a tally in my notebook of exactly what was in there. You could keep your results in your notebook or stick in sheets inside your cupboard doors. This year I have my new pantry so I MUST be more organised. I have no more excuses,

For example:

3 X cartons of passata
2 X tins of chickpeas
3 X pasta twists

Etc etc

You can them amend whenever you use something so you know when to replenish.

I then did the same with both my fridge and freezer. When I had finished I sat down and meal planned for the following month. I was pretty amazed at the time to realise I had enough food in my house to feed us for 20 days with just a minimal fresh food spend of £20 per week for the remainder of the month. Crazy huh?

From then I did a big shop (approx £90-100) at the beginning of each month followed by weekly fresh food only shops of £20. I saved lots of money and I found that by meal planning we were all eating better meals and wasting less. I hate waste. When I got pregnant and had really bad morning sickness it all went a bit wrong and I stopped most of my frugal ways but I am determined to do better this year.

I am going to use my slow cooker more to free up my afternoons and evenings but also so I can use cheaper cuts of meat along with the mountains of chickpeas and butter beans I seem to have accumulated.

Tomorrow I will write up the results of this years stock take and the meals I plan from it as well as my new weekly shopping budget.

I will continue to share my money saving ideas and any tips you have are gratefully received.

Join me. Save some pennies.

Giovanni Rana Review

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I’ve been lucky this month, I’ve had some really lovely foodie products sent to me to taste and review. One of these products is Giovanni Rana filled pasta.

For those of you haven’t yet heard of the brand here is some background info for you:

For over 50 years, Giovanni Rana has been recognised as a symbol of good taste and quality products, creating fresh pasta for people to enjoy at home since 1962.

Giovanni’s own culinary journey began as a young boy whilst working in his family’s bakery, taking care of the production and the distribution of bread. With the gradual movement of women into the workplace in the late 50s, however, Giovanni recognised that women increasingly had little time to make fresh pasta at home. Sensing an opportunity, the then baker began crafting hand-made pasta in his own kitchen, using the very best ingredients to create a diverse variety of flavours. With his skill, technique and “obsession” for quality, he perfectly replicated homemade Italian pasta.

His products quickly became “Italy’s Most Loved” and today Giovanni Rana is a trusted source of delicious, classic Italian dishes, which can be easily prepared in the comfort of the home kitchen. His passion for authentic Italian taste, careful attention to selecting the best ingredients, unique preparation and years of experience has set the standard for pasta.
www.rana.it/uk

I knew these were being sent out to me a while ago and while I waited we saw some on offer in our local supermarket so we bought two different flavours to try( Chicken & Rosemary Ravioli & Selected Italian Cheeses Ravioli) they were truly delicious. I was pretty excited to receive some more and we received two new flavours: Cured Ham & Cheese Tortelloni & Gorgonzola & Crunchy Mellow Walnut Ravioli I think my favourite is the cured ham and cheese but we have really enjoyed trying all four flavours. Perfect for a light lunch or as part of a main meal. We ate them lightly tossed in butter or olive oil but you could also try with an accompanying sauce.

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There are lots of good offers currently on in various supermarkets and I really think if you love pasta you will love this.

* I was sent this product for free in exchange for a review.

A few of my favourite things…

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I should make this clear up front that this is not a review..or a paid for post.

Sometimes I just like products. Normally food related products.

I’ve decided that every few weeks I will share with you some of my favourite products of the month, if they have been sent to me for a review it will be clearly stated but for the most part they will just be things I have liked to munch.

This month there are four things which I have loved:

First up:

El Rey Pimento de la Vera ( sweet smoked paprika)

I was given this as a gift from my other halfs dad a while back and I LOVE it. The smell of it, the look of the tin and the incredible smokiness that comes from a small teaspoon in a paella or chorizo stew is just fabulous. I can’t recommend this enough. It will become a store cupboard staple I assure you.

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Next are two products from the same company..

Lotus biscoff biscuits:

I’ve had these on several occasions accompanying my hot drinks at lovely local cafes so when I saw a pack of them on sale at Morrisons I HAD to buy them and they are delicious. They have a thin crunchy texture and a gorgeous flavour.

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Lotus biscoff spread:

My mum has raved about this for months after trying it when on holiday in the summer and since then several twitter friends have made me desperate to try it so when I FINALLY found it in Sainsburys earlier this week I made the inevitable purchase and very glad I did. Delicious on toast or straight from the jar. Sweet, buttery..caremelised indulgence.

And finally …


Cottage Delights Oak Smoked rapeseed oil:

I found this on one of the random shelves you get at the till in TKMaxx and I will be truly gutted if I can’t find it again. If you see it buy it. It was reasonable priced (about £2) and the smallest amount gives such a lovely taste. I am a big fan of all things smoked anyway but this is the kind of oil you want to dip your finger in just to taste.. Better with homemade flatbreads though.

If anyone knows of an actual stockist of this oil please share.

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Apologies for the poor quality of the photos.. It was a rather quick decision to write this post and so I just used my phone. Plus my camera is packed ready for the hospital!

I hope you manage to try at least one of my favourite things.

A Christmas Hamper Review

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Sometimes as a food blogger you get some pretty cool review opportunities. A few weeks ago I was offered a Christmas hamper to review … Um YES please.

So this showed up last week:

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It contains:

Cabernet Sauvignon Klippenkop Coastal Region South Africa 2012 37.5cl
Chenin Blanc Klippenkop Robertson South Africa 2012 37.5cl
The Original Cake Company 2″ Square Top Iced Christmas Cake
Matthew Walker Classic Christmas Pudding 100g
Just Chocolates Divine Chocolate Selection 65g
Crunch Craving Roasted & Salted Cashews 55g
Four Anjels Classic Shortbread Biscuits 100g

So far I may have munched my way through the shortbread – ”twas divine.

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I’ve crunched my way through the cashews and I reluctantly shared the chocolate selection with my other half. I’m saving the pud and Chrismas cake for the weekend and unfortunately the wine has to wait a few more weeks until baby 2 arrives.

Would make a nice present for the inlaws or a good friend 🙂

The hamper retails for £35.99 and I’d say that’s a pretty reasonable price. I’m quite frugal by nature so I am more likely to make a hamper normally than buy one but for convenience and to save all the hassle of wrapping it up etc this is ideal. I especially like the pretty basket – a lot of hampers these days seem to come in cardboard boxes which I think spoils the overall effect.

One big plus point for me was the information leaflet that came with it explaining how everything could be recycled.

You can order this hamper or look lust after lots of others by clicking here

* I was sent this product for free in exchange for an honest review.

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