Monthly Archives: June 2012

by | June 27, 2012

Sensible Snacking for Kids & Wise Yoda!

Hi everyone! I hope you’re having a great week so far :)

I had lots of fun this afternoon with the kids at my ‘Wednesday Workshops’ (the little Buddhist meditation classes I teach at our local primary school). After a beautiful meditation on ‘the kindness of others’, I thought it’d be fun to watch one of my favourite Star Wars clips.

 

When it ended, I asked them if they’d learnt anything from watching it. Their hands shot up in the air and they started reeling off the lessons they’d learnt including…

  • Never give up (even if you’re finding something difficult or have already failed in your first few attempts)
  • Don’t get distracted
  • Control your mind
  • Believe in yourself
  • Size doesn’t matter

All that wisdom from watching a 5 minute clip of Yoda! Just imagine how wise they’ll be after they’ve watched all six Star Wars films ;)

After watching the clip, we had great fun making paper fortune tellers and filling them with Yoda quotes and kind messages.

[Source]
Think you the relationship between Master and Padawan is only to help them?
Oh, this is what we let them believe, yes! But when the day comes that even old Yoda does not learn something from his students – then truly, he shall be a teacher no more.

 

WIAW – Sensible Snacking … Lil’ L Style!

 This month, the lovely Jenn over at Peas and Crayons has set ‘Sensible Snacking’ as the theme for our weekly ‘What I Ate Wednesday’ foodie parties. I think this is a great theme as it’s all too easy to reach for the junk snacks when we’re feeling a bit peckish. 

For me, the most important thing is making sure that Lil’ L has snacks that are going to sustain his energy levels. On weekdays, he has a morning snack at playtime and an after-school snack. I try to make sure that these snacks contain whole foods, complex carbs and minimal sugar so that his energy levels don’t peak and slump. I also want encourage him to develop healthy snacking habits for the future.

Now that he’s older, I involve him in the decision making about his choice of snacks. Here’s a run down of some of his current favourite snacks (all of which he’s eaten in the past week).

Morning Snacks

 

  • 2 seeded flatbread crackers with bean pate or houmous filling (his number 1 current favourite snack)
  • 2 wholegrain rice cakes with yeast extract (these taste like the Marmite rice cakes but they have the added bonus of being wholegrain)

  • 2 sesame wholegrain rice cakes with St Dalfour Strawberry spread or Manuka honey filling (the honey was a gift from his grandma!)

  • Packet of wholegrain mini biscuits with no added sugar or salt.

After School Snacks

 

  • Roasted pistachios nuts (salt free). 

 

  • Almonds and sunflower seeds roasted in a tiny amount of low-salt soy sauce (recipe here)

 

  •  Apple cinnamon pancakes with chopped pecans, ground linseed and a drizzle of maple syrup. 
    I make pancakes every Sunday and Lil’ L likes to have the leftover pancakes on a Wednesday before his swimming lesson (warmed in the microwave).

  • Wholemeal choc chip or almond cookie.

We also make a fruit smoothie after school. This week, he’s made smoothies with different combinations of pineapple, blueberries , banana and strawberries, non dairy milks and yoghurt, and chia seeds for an omega-3 boost (the seeds are completely obliterated in a high speed blender, so you don’t even notice them).

We’re always on the look out for new snacks, so do let me know if you have any suggestions.
If you have kids, I’d love to hear what their favourite snacks are.
And equally importantly, what’s your current favourite snack?

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone! :) xx

 This time last year: Sugar Free Jam Tarts

 

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by | June 25, 2012

Weekend Highlights – Spray Painting, Bike Riding & Roasted Vegetable Risotto (with Recipe!)

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend :)

We managed to fit in lots of fun activities this weekend, starting off with a trip to the library on Saturday morning where Lil’ L returned his book and came out with another seven! You can guess who ended up carrying those round Bath. Luckily he had lots of books to keep him occupied while we went for coffees in Neros ;)

I’m still getting a real kick out of how much Lil’ L is enjoying reading.  In addition to the library books, he’s also currently reading a chapter of Lemony Snicket to us every night and, on his own, he’s reading Philip Pullman’s ‘The Subtle Knife’ (both books that he picked up from the charity shop for a couple of pounds each).

 

In the afternoon, after a quick visit to a local village fete, Lil’ L and his friend T did some stencilling and spray art with M in our garage.

T did a space-inspired picture, while Lil’ L sprayed an underwater scene with a scary looking fish!

On Sunday, it actually stopped raining for a few hours and the sun came out. We decided to grab the opportunity to go out for a bike ride along the Kennet & Avon Canal.

 To make it more interesting for Lil’ L, we said we’d cycle to the Angel Fish Cafe at Limpley Stoke for lunch.  That sure got him moving!

 Both the boys fancied baked beans on toast but we were surprised to find that the Cafe only served white bread. No wholemeal, no granary, no seeded bread.  That’s no good! Bike riders need big chunky doorsteps of wholemeal granary bread to refuel them, not thin anaemic white slices ;)

Lil’ L asked if he could have an ice cream for dessert. I told him he could have one at the Canal Boat Cafe in Bathampton (back where we started our journey). This was a sneaky move on my part to make sure he peddled fast rather than dawdled all the way back. It sure worked ;)

We’ve had an unbelievable amount of rain lately but, on the plus side, the countryside is looking beautifully lush and green!

The muddy bike bottom really isn’t a good look is it? I’m so glad I’ve finally had mudguards fitted to my bike.

 The face was pretty muddy too (and chocolatey!)

And look at those legs!

 Back home, Lil’ L headed straight to the shower while I made the most of our sunshine and did a little gardening. I was amazed to find that we’ve actually managed to grow some strawberries that haven’t been eaten by a slug … or snail … or blackbird!

And look what else I came across… a beautiful shimmering blue damselfly taking refuge on Buddha :)

 He stayed there for ages!

After a great day out, I cooked us a large pan of roasted squash and red pepper risotto. It was very yummy indeed. Unfortunately, Lil’ L isn’t a huge fan of risotto (he isn’t keen on the texture of Arborio rice) but I pre-empted any negative comments by serving it with some toasted wholegrain tortilla segments. He then proceeded to tuck in with enthusiasm, piling the crispy tortilla high with the risotto, and ate every last grain!

I often find that the addition of a ‘bready’ side dish, like a flat bread, tortilla, or piece of garlic bread can transform a meal for Lil L. I wonder if this is the same for all children?

At the weekend, I made the risotto with an old packet of Arborio rice that needed using up. Next time I make the risotto, I’m going to try the Riso Gallo 3 Grains Risotto Rice which consists of Italian Rice, Spelt and Pearl Barley. As this rice contains wholegrains, it will have a lower GI than regular white risotto rice, as well as other nutrients such as Iron and B Vitamins.

With the butternut squash and red pepper pieces, our risotto did look quite pretty. I also added some peas to add more colour and lovely nutrients :)

 Here’s how I made it:

 

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Risotto

Serves 4
Preparation: 10 minutes 
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
400g / 14oz / 2 cups of Arborio rice (or wholegrain equivalent)
1 litre (1¾ pints) hot vegetable stock
300g / 10½ oz / 2 cups butternut squash, cut into small slices or cubes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
60g / 2oz / ½ cup peas
27g / 1oz / ¼ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas 6.
  2. Place the butternut squash, red pepper, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 cloves of crushed garlic in a roasting tin and mix well. Roast for 25 minutes or so, until the vegetables are cooked.
  3. Gently heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and 2 remaining crushed garlic cloves, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rice and mix well to coat it in the oil.
  4. Now you have a choice… you can add the stock the authentic way … one ladleful at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful … or you can do what I do… which is simply to pour all the stock in at once, bring it to the boil then cover it and gently simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes I stir in the peas and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally until the rice is tender. I’m sure the ‘authentic’ way is the best way to cook risotto, but I find that pouring in all the stock at once works fine for us. The risotto turns out creamy with a little ’bite’, just how risotto should be. Anyway, please choose whichever method suits you best ;)
  5. Once the rice is cooked, mix in the roasted butternut squash and pepper pieces. Serve in warm bowls with a garnish of toasted almonds.
  6. This risotto is delicious served on its own, or with segments of toasted tortilla. 

Have a great week everyone! :) xx

This time last year… Glastonbury!

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by | June 20, 2012

Father’s Day Highlights & WIAW

Hi everyone! I hope you’re having a great week so far!

Firstly, I’d like to say a big THANK YOU for all your kind birthday wishes. They really made me smile :)   Well, I’ve been 40 for a week and a half now and I’m glad to report that I’m still feeling as young as ever. Long may it continue!

Secondly, HAPPY BELATED FATHER’S DAY to all the Dads out there.  I hope you all had lots of fun on Sunday!  

I thought it only right that M should decide how he’d like to spend Father’s Day.  After all, the day was ‘his’ ;)  Here’s what he chose to do….

- Mountain bike ride in the morning… followed by a lunch of creamy spiced parsnip soup

- Trip to an open day at Crofton Pumping Station to see the oldest beam engine in the world in action (such a boy thing to do!)

 

- Visit to the market town of Marlborough for coffees and a browse round the Oxfam shop (we all bought a little something ;) )

- Art session with Lil’ L where he taught Lil’ L how to stencil and spray paint (it was his first time!)

- And, to finish off the day …  an evening meal at our favourite Indian restaurant, Rajpoot.  

Even though we did lots of activities, the day was really chilled and M said he loved it … and that’s the most important thing!

WIAW – Time I got partying!

Yesterday, I actually managed to photograph a days’ worth of meals.  That hasn’t happened in a while!  It’s WIAW time :)   Let’s get partying!

Breakfast
On warm days, such as yesterday, we’re enjoying a simple bowl of cold oats, made with Alpro Almond or Soya milk, and a sprinkling of chopped nuts, linseed and goji berries.  We’ve been using the Mornflake Superfast Oats which are so fine that they can be served straight away, without the need to soak them in milk overnight. 

I was surprised how enthusiastic Lil’ L is about this simple breakfast.  For the past couple of weeks, he’s asked for it most mornings!

Lunch
For their packed lunches, M and Lil’ L had seeded bagels filled with bean pate and some slices of red pepper on the side.  The lunch looked so good that I decided to have it myself too :)

I rarely buy shop-bought pate but this Redwood Beanfeast Pate is absolutely delicious!  It contains 7 different types of bean and 4 different types of seed, so it’s packed full of goodness.  It’s available from Holland & Barratt and Asda, and also online from Redwood and Goodness Direct.  It costs around £1.58 and will easily serve us for 4-6 lunches, so a pretty good value purchase!

Dinner
For dinner, we had one of our absolute all-time favourite meals… roasted squash and black bean enchiladas in a lightly spiced tomato sauce.  Such a simple meal to make and so tasty!

This meal is delicious served warm or cold, and Lil’ L loves to take the leftovers for his lunch the next day.  Recipe coming soon!

Dessert
- Creamy strawberry banana chia smoothie
- Piece of orange and almond cake

Drinks
Me: Hot lemon & water, Clipper organic nettle tea, Twinings cherry & cinnamon tea, apple & mango juice, 1 black coffee, lots of water

Lil’ L: Innocent apple & mango juice, Innocent apple juice carton, water

Snacks
No snacks for me today. 
Lil L: sesame rice cakes with manuka honey; oatmeal & raisin cookie 

I always make sure that Lil’ L has two snacks available each day – one for morning playtime and one when he gets in from school.  I always try and give him tasty, nutritious snacks that are going to nourish him and give him lots of slow release energy.  Since June is the WIAW month of ‘Sensible Snacking’, next week I’ll give a rundown of some of Lil L’s current favourite snacks.

Have a great week everyone! xx

This time a year ago…. Samosas and St Catherines

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by | June 11, 2012

Me and My Blog are 1 Year Older

Today, my blog is officially one year old! :)  I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed blogging this past year.  I know my posts are a bit random at times, but I’ve really valued the opportunities I’ve had to document all those special little moments in life that I’d normally forget.  

Something that isn’t forgettable though is the fact that yesterday was the end of an era for me.  Yep, I said goodbye to the 30s, and (slightly begrudgingly) turned 40.  I’m still in shock that I’m actually that number now.  I still feel so young at heart! 

I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to all my beautiful friends and family for making my birthday so special.  I had the most amazing (long) birthday weekend, which started off on Thursday night with a trip to Dorset to see my mum, sisters & niece.  On Friday, M and I went to stay at the Carey’s Manor Spa Hotel in Brockenhurst.  I absolutely loved spending some quality 1-2-1 time with him, chilling out in the spa and drinking jasmine tea in the Zen Garden :)

On my actual birthday, we decided to take a quick trip to London to visit the Kensington Roof Gardens open day. The Roof Gardens, which cover an area of 1.5 acres, are hidden on top of the old Biba department store.  There are over 100 trees, three distinct gardens, a stream and, unbelievably, a pond with flamingos and Mandarin ducks!

Here are a few shots we took at the Roof Gardens, including my obligatory birthday shots ;)

 

 

When I was at the Roof Gardens, I realised that they were right next door to Whole Foods and the Saf Restaurant, which are housed in the old Barkers building.  Obviously, we had to visit both before heading home ;)  

Lil’ L was totally in awe of the chocolate aisle in Whole Foods.  It’s so neat and colourful isn’t it? 

We ended up buying a bar of the ‘Seed and Bean Organic Coffee Espresso’, which was on special offer.  It was totally lush!  One of the best shop bought chocolate bars I’ve ever tasted :)

After gawping at all the beautifully displayed food aisles in Whole Foods, we headed up to the Saf restaurant.

We ordered a few savoury dishes to try and, while we waited for them to arrive, Lil’ L looked for Wally ;)

The menu had changed since I last visited Saf and, to be honest, I preferred the savoury dishes on the old menu, but the desserts were as amazing as ever!  I had the white chocolate jasmine tart with cacao nib crust, caramelised apricot sauce and espresso syrup.  Oh my gosh this was good!  The waitresses delivered it to me with a lighted candle and rendition of ‘happy birthday’!

Next time I visit Saf, I think I’ll skip on the savoury courses and just work my way through the dessert menu instead ;)

Well, the first couple of days of being 40 have been wonderful.  Long may it continue!

Have a wonderful week everyone :) xx

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by | June 6, 2012

Jubilee Weekend Highlights

Hi everyone! 

Wow, that has got to be the longest weekend I’ve ever had… it lasted from Friday (when Lil’ L had a TD/INSET day off school) through to Tuesday (our bonus Bank Holiday for the Jubilee).  We had such a good time, and managed to fit in lots of fun activitites.  Here are some of the highlights…

On Friday, we planned a surprise trip to Legoland.  It was only when we turned up at the car park that Lil’ L realised where he was going.  He was overwhelmed by the whole experience and it was a joy to see him getting so much pleasure from it :)  

Fortunately, I’d managed to use Tesco vouchers to pay for the entry, so it only cost us £23 in tokens rather than £120 in real money!

After Legoland, we popped to Surrey to visit Nicky, Sophie and Amelie.  It was so good to see them!

Unfortunately, Jubilee Sunday was a very rainy day for our local street party.  Nevertheless, we joined in the celebrations, before heading to the Bathampton Mill.  Here we took up residence on a comfy sofa and watched the Jubilee River Pageant streaming live on their TV, whilst drinking coffee and eating chilli nuts :)  

[Source]

On Monday, we visited Southmoor, near Oxford, where Lil’ L took part in a Falconry Experience (a Christmas present from his aunt & uncle).  He’s really interested in birds of prey at the moment, so this was a great present for him.  He really enjoyed the day!

In the afternoon, we visited Oxford city. I loved walking round the old university buildings.  M & I could actually smell old books as we walked past one of the libraries!

I wish I had a lawn like that! ;)  

On Monday night, we watched the Solsbury Hill Jubilee Balloon Glow.  We had the perfect viewpoint from The George car park in Bathampton.  It was a truly magical experience!

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On Monday night and Tuesday morning, from the comfort of our sofa, we watched the Diamond Jubilee Concert, which took place just outside Buckingham Palace.  Gary Barlow & team sure did an amazing job at putting this spectacle together.  

I asked Lil’ L to name his top three favourite performances and he picked a great selection..

- Tom Jones singing Delilah (that guy just seems to get better with age!)

 

 - The Commonwealth Band, brought together by Gary Barlow.

 

- and Madness… performing ‘Our House’ on the roof of Buckingham Palace.  Amazing!

 

 And finally, on Tuesday, we went to see the Jubilee Bath Illuminations. 

They should illuminate the Weir all year round.  It’s looks magical!

It was a fantastic weekend.  One we’ll remember for a very long time to come!

Lil’ L has got the rest of the week off, so the fun will continue for us :)   I hope you all have a great week too xx

 

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