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Fun Family Activities For Days Off In Scotland

Finding activities for your family to do on your days off can be quite difficult when you’ve lived in the same place for a while. If you live in Scotland or are planning on visiting soon, then you’ll find that there are a lot of outdoor activities that you can take part in. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the fun family activities that you can do in Scotland. Make sure to keep reading if you’d like to find out more.

(Collaborative Post)

High Ropes 

Our first activity that your kids will love is a high ropes course. You’ll find that there are plenty of high ropes courses across Scotland with most of them being hosted by Go Ape! High ropes courses will teach your kids to be brave and they’ll love the adventure of the day. There will be swings, high jumps and much more. Don’t worry about the safety aspect as they’ll be harnessed in.

Kayaking

If your family like a bit of adventure, then they’ll love going kayaking in Scotland. There are loads of lochs and bodies of water that you can do this on and you’ll have the best time doing it. If you have kids that are quite young, then you’ll find that you can actually get tandem kayaks where two people can be together. This will help you and your family get closer to nature and you’ll bond at the same time. Make sure to check out bestkayaks.reviews if you’d like to find out more about what kayak to purchase for the activity you’re going to be doing, for example fishing kayaking or sea kayaking.

Mountain Biking

Another great activity that you can enjoy on your day off with your kids is mountain biking. If your kids love cycling, then they’ll love this new take on it. There are plenty of mountains in Scotland that you can take them up and if they are too young to ride a mountain bike then you could invest in a trailer. This activity is really fun, and you’ll love getting some amazing views and taking in the fresh air. Make sure to try out mountain biking if you want to try something new.

Rock Climbing

Although you might want to get out and explore the outdoors with your family on your day off, the weather does not always permit it. The great thing about rock climbing is that you can do it both indoors and outdoors, so you won’t have to cancel your day out because of the weather. You’ll find loads of rock climbing centres in Scotland and your kids will love climbing the colourful walls while they are harnessed in. Makes sure to consider this activity for your next day off.

Final Thoughts

There are loads of different activities that you can enjoy when you take the time to do your research.  Make sure to get out and enjoy the adventure in Scotland when you have your next day off. You’ll be able to spend time with your family and enjoy yourself.

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How to Make Easy Spaghetti Carbonara – Cheaply – £2.50 – Feed up to 8 People

My special needs boy needs help with making meals, and one day, he’ll likely have to try and make his own, and on a budget.  For this, I kept the ingredients light, and it was to feed 7 people, although we could easily manage 8 small to medium bowls with these ingredients.  The price…..   We kept it low.  20p for Tesco 500g spaghetti, £1.99 for 2 jars of Carbonara sauce from the Co-op, which fabulously, actually has real bits of ham in it, and a creamy sauce.  It’s the best version I have used for this.

Count the milk and butter, and we are at around:

  • £2.50 to feed 8 the basic carbonara.
  • Plus garlic bread from Tesco Hearty Food Range at 32p each x 3 = Optional 96p for three baguettes.
  • Total £3.46 for Spaghetti Carbonara and Three Garlic Baguettes.

Easy Spaghetti Carbonara

Lesley Smith
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Mains, Pasta
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g Spaghetti
  • 30 g Butter
  • 2 Jars Carbonara Sauce Co-op
  • 2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 200 ml Milk

Instructions
 

  • Very simply, just bring the spaghetti and salt to the boil, and simmer until the right consistency for your palate. My boy likes it soft, and other like it al dente, so choose your favoured options by the instructions on the packet you buy.

  • Drain the pasta, rinse with boiling water and drain again.

  • Return the pasta to a pan and add the carbonara sauce. Heat and stir until thoroughly hot.

  • Add butter, stir, then add milk until your carbonara reaches your desired consistency.

  • Serve with garlic bread.

 

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Easy Ways to Make Your Back Garden More Attractive

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If you have a home with a large garden, it’s a waste to let it go unattended, especially if you have kids around. There are plenty of things you can do to give the space a lift if you’re feeling creative, and the good news is, most of these things don’t even have to cost a lot! All it takes is having a good plan of what you want your garden to ideally look like, knowing who the right contractors for each job are, and perhaps setting aside a little time for your family to take a break while things are underway.

New Plants  

By far one of the easiest ways to give your garden a whole new look is to consider a new arrangement of plants. A good landscaper can help you quite a lot with this, although you can probably do a large part of that job on your own if you know how to do your research online, and also know what resources you have available.

Make sure that you approach this in a tasteful way though – don’t just plant a bunch of the most expensive bushes you can find and call it a day! Try to have some harmony between every element in your garden, and plan ahead so that everything will be easy enough to maintain in the long run too. If you’re not sure how that works, it’s best to leave this part in the hands of a professional familiar with the field.

Attractive Fences

Garden fence panels can allow you to create an attractive setup for your garden boundaries whilst also ensuring your privacy. Rather than sticking with the usual plain fence panels that came with the house, why not go for more decorative fence panels sold by companies like Fencestore? You can find a wide variety of fence panels online at Fencestore’s website. These range from picket fences to the more traditional feather edge fence panels, so choose something that goes well with the garden design you envision.  If you do not have a budget that will stretch to new fence panels just yet, a simple lick of paint can bring a new lease of life into your garden.

Outdoor TV

Keeping a TV outdoors is becoming a more and more popular trend among many homeowners with a large back garden. It makes sense too, especially for those who like to socialise with their neighbours on a regular basis and enjoy throwing the occasional grill party. With a proper outdoor cover, your TV can safely be kept outside the house even during harsher weather, giving you a lot more freedom in how you spend your evenings with the family during those hot summer nights. The only thing you’ll have to think about is making sure to insulate the power cords and other exposed electrical components, but the rest is very easy to set up when you’re working with the right company in the field.  Make sure to also keep any electrical appliances away from any sources of water and ensure there are no hanging wires creating a trip hazard.

Grill Tent

Speaking of grill parties, why not take things to the next level with a classy tent that your guests can use in hot and cold weather alike? Having a good grill in the first place is of course important, but if people feel uncomfortable while eating those tasty burgers, you’re reducing your chances of seeing them at your next party. A good tent can cost surprisingly little if you buy it from the right supplier and know what your requirements are and setting it up is a piece of cake with most modern models.

Keep in mind that you may have to take the tent down during periods of extreme weather, especially if you live in a place with stronger winds, so it’s best to spend some extra time searching for a model that is easy to take apart in those cases.

Lighting can also become an issue if you want to spend some time outside in the tent late into the evenings, so try to come up with an energy efficient solution that will allow you to keep the whole place attractive to guests while also not costing you too much.  For example, it would be a good idea to invest in solar powered lights that also have a movement sensor for the added bonus of security throughout the night.

Swimming Pool

It might cost a bit more than your typical garden renovation, but a good swimming pool can make all the difference in those hot summer periods when the entire family is sweating from top to bottom. It’s not impossible to do it yourself, although it requires very specialised skills and is far from your typical DIY project – not to mention the kinds of tools involved in the job!  It might also be a good idea to coincide the construction period with a family getaway since it is obviously not an overnight job.  An unusable garden in the summer holidays means the kids will be stuck indoors which is not something you want to contend with.

The good news is, quality professionals are not hard to come by, and if you already have your specifications prepared and ready to present, you should have a relatively easy time getting in touch with a company that can do the job properly for you. Something else to keep in mind in case you’re constructing a pool is the average price of water in your area, as sometimes the initial construction turns out to be the lesser evil in terms of what you’ll have to pay.

As you can see, it all comes down to having a few good ideas about what you want to do with your garden and knowing what professionals you can get in touch with to execute those ideas properly. As long as you have your budget in order and take the time to research your local market for the different services you’re about to use, you should have a great time refreshing your garden and turning it into an even more attractive place for the whole family – and possibly some of your favourite neighbours!

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How to make the ultimate chip butty.

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Winner winner, chip-butty dinner

“Daaad! What’s for dinner?”, the kids yell from the other room. It’s been a long, busy day and you’re just not up to cooking a full-on meal. You’ve no energy left. You’re up for something with minimal effort; a good measure of comfort food. Pizza? Nah. Stir fry? Nah. Chip butty? Now who could resist? Surely a winner for the whole family, right? And quite frankly, what tantalises the tastebuds more than a satisfying chip butty in crusty soft bread, coated with lashings of your favourite sauce? Your mouth is watering at the thought. And the best part is that it takes no more than 10 minutes to prepare and around half-an-hour to cook (depending on how well done you like your chips). Yes, winner winner, chip butty dinner it is.

Getting started

Okay, it’s time to get to work and dig out the spuds, get the oven on, track down those herbs and spices and that loaf of bread. Let’s make this a chip butty to remember.

Starting with the potatoes. Give them a good rinse and peel them. If the kids have a particularly sweet tooth (and which kids don’t?), throw a few sweet potatoes into the mix. As well as bringing some brightness to their butty, they’re brimming full of key vitamins, including A, C, E and K. They also cook faster than white potatoes too, which means you’ll be tucking in in no time.

Now, how do you like your chips – a little chunky? Chop them about a finger-width wide. Want a bit of fun? Chop them into shapes – the kids will love them. Or carve them into letters to spell out your kids’ names; they’ll love the personal touch. If the kids love veggies and you have some spare, carrot and parsnip chips taste great and will add an earthy, flavour-packed sweetness to the butty.

If French fries are more your style and you are short of time but are still craving a great butty, get yourself a pack of McCain’s French Fries and the kids will never know the difference. You can still add the herbs, garlic and spices to make the butty one to remember.

It’s now time to get the oven on and up to temperature. Gas Mark 6 or 200°C should do the trick.

Before they’re oven ready, you’ll need to par-boil the potatoes for around 5 minutes (slightly longer if chunky) in boiling water. Once the potatoes are par-boiled, strain and dab slightly with kitchen roll, then place on the tray and drizzle a little cooking oil over them. They’re now oven ready.

If chips are too bland for the kids, why not spice things up a little before popping in the oven? Those herbs in the cupboard? Give them a whirl. Sprinkle on mixed herbs – oregano, rosemary or garlic granules. Even a subtle shake of chilli powder will add extra heat and spice to give your butty an extra kick. Yummy.

Cooking the chips

Don’t forget to set the timer for 35 minutes because those beauties will cook quickly. Once in the oven, don’t forget to check your chips every 10 minutes or so. Give them a gentle shake a few times to ensure they cook well on all sides.

They’re almost done. The house is filled with the aroma of chips!

The butty

Now to the bread: some like it firm; some like it soft. Choose the kids’ favourite bread and mix things up a little. Try a half wholemeal and half white, or if adventurous try a baguette and see who has the longest bite. Tiger bread is great and chopping it into inch-thick slices makes the butty a monster meal ­ wait until you sink your teeth into that beauty!

Don’t forget the condiments; will it be ketchup, brown sauce, mayonnaise, or malt vinegar? Or a bit of everything? Have them close to hand and apply liberally.

It’s now time to butter the bread choosing your favourite spread; be generous and make sure it covers the bread. Or if you’re feeling creative, drizzle over a little olive oil instead, adding a delicious fresh, zingy flavour.

Scatter the chips on your bread, leaving the butty open to spell out the kids’ names in chips, this way you’ll be the best dad!

Winner winner, time for dinner!

Now time to tuck into your delicious feast. Enjoy the greatest chip butty ever made!

If your chips weren’t a winner, why not nip out and try McCain’s French Fries, cooked from frozen and oven ready in 14-16 minutes ­ your kids will never know the difference!

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Pressure Cooker: Tomato, Cucumber and Rice Soup

Choose to have your soup chunky or smooth.  It’s all up to you.

Pressure Cooker: Tomato, Cucumber and Rice Soup

Lesley Smith
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Soup
Servings 4 -8

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g Leek chopped
  • 100 g Rice uncooked and washed
  • 300 g Cucumber peeled and chopped
  • 2 Teaspoons Salt
  • Tin Butter Beans drained
  • 2 Tins Tomatoes
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 2 Chicken Stock Pots or Stock Cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons Rapeseed or Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Litre Water
  • Optional for blending up to 300ml Semi Skimmed Milk

Instructions
 

  • Sauté the leek with the vegetable oil. I use an Instant Pot, so use the sauté function, however it cooks fairly quickly, so keep an eye to make sure the leeks don't burn.

  • Add salt, broad beans and chicken stock pots to the sautéed Leeks. Mix continually with a wooden spoon for about a minute.

  • Add the rest of the ingredients to the pressure cooker, and use the soup function, or cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.

  • When ready to serve, choose to leave chunky, or blend until smooth. The soup will become very thick as it is blended, and you can optionally add more water or semi skimmed milk, a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

  • Serve with crustless bread and butter.

 

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High Protein Strawberry and Avocado Puree

High Protein Strawberry and Avocado Puree is suitable for those choosing a high protein diet, or the elderly where there is a need to get protein rich food in their diet, and where they cannot chew or swallow solid food. With 12g of carbs in each 120g recipe, there is also 163 calories per portion, and is a high calorie food.

Note:  This post contains an affiliate link.  These are marked by an asterisk next to them.  If you buy anything from using these links, I will receive an ambassador commission, which lets me keep this blog running.  The price is not altered for you in any way.  

As a Froothie Ambassador, I used my new Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender * to make this soup.  It does need a suitable blender for making soup this way, but with my one, the soup was smooth and very rich, despite being loaded with sweetcorn, which is usually very difficult to blend.  Read my review, or find out how to get one for yourself here. 

High Protein Strawberry and Avocado Puree

Lesley Smith
4 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course High Protein / Puree
Servings 4 x Servings
Calories 163 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g Strawberries hulled and chopped.
  • 200 g Avocado peeled and diced.
  • 2 Heaped Spoons Strawberry Protein Powder.
  • 1 Tablespoon Water.

Instructions
 

  • Add all your ingredients to the mixer.

  • Blend for 30 seconds.

  • Pour into small glasses or dishes and put into fridge for 2 hours.

 

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Blender Tomato & Sweetcorn Soup

This tomato soup is speedy, fills all those tomato soup boxes, and with only a few minutes in the blender, there is a piping hot bowl of soup.  To make raw soup, it does need food that is suitable for blending and not leaving a bitter aftertaste in the way that the onion family does, but it makes for a fabulously speed option when needed, especially when you have someone like my mum living at home, who pretty much has soup every day, and sometimes multiple times a day.

Note:  This post contains an affiliate link.  These are marked by an asterisk next to them.  If you buy anything from using these links, I will receive an ambassador commission, which lets me keep this blog running.  The price is not altered for you in any way.  

As a Froothie Ambassador, I used my new Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender * to make this soup.  It does need a suitable blender for making soup this way, but with my one, the soup was smooth and very rich, despite being loaded with sweetcorn, which is usually very difficult to blend.  Read my review, or find out how to get one for yourself here. 

Raw Tomato and Sweetcorn Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes (800g)
  • 1 Tin Sweetcorn (300g)
  • Teaspoon Salt
  • Teaspoon Ginger
  • Teaspoon Mixed Spice
  • Up to 200ml Double Cream (Optional)

Method

I use the Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender.  This is a very simple recipe that needs very little preparation at all.

Step 1

Add ingredients to the blender.

Step 2

Choose the soup setting which blends for around 6 minutes.

Step 3

Serve with fresh bread and butter.

Find out more about the Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender on the Froothie website *

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Raw Strawberry and Banana Ice Cream Recipe

Note:  This post contains an affiliate link.  These are marked by an asterisk next to them.  If you buy anything from using these links, I will receive an ambassador commission, which lets me keep this blog running.  The price is not altered for you in any way.  

As a Froothie Ambassador, I used my new Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender * to make this ice cream.  It does need a very efficient blender to be able to pound frozen fruit together well, in a way that leaves us with creamy ice cream.  Read my review, or find out how to get one for yourself here. 

I’ve tried making ice cream like this several times, and once had a wee gadget that did the job, but broke very quickly.  It just was not powerful enough to pulverise the frozen fruit on a regular basis.  I’ve found that adding banana to any fruit, gives it the taste of ice cream, and sometimes a little avocado thrown in can help as well.

Raw Strawberry and Banana Ice Cream Recipe 

Ingredients

  • 350g Frozen Strawberries (optional – remove the green stems before freezing)
  • 250g Frozen Banana (peel the banana, and slice before freezing)
  • Optional – 4 drops of Madagascan Vanilla Essence

Method

I use the Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender.  This is a very simple recipe that needs very little preparation at all.

Step 1

Mix the strawberries and bananas and add the optional vanilla essence if desired.

Step 2

Add the fruit to the blender jug.

Step 3

Do not choose a vacuum setting for this, as you will need to use the tamper tool to push the fruit down the jug while blending.  Use the pulse function for 30 second increments, until you achieve the consistency you desire.

Step 4

Add the ice cream to a bowl, or a tub for putting in the freezer.  To use from the freezer, leave out for 10 – 30 minutes, then stir well to achieve the ice-cream texture.

Step 5

Serve with chopped nuts, flaked almonds or chopped dates.

Find out more about the Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender on the Froothie website *

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Froothie Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender Review

As a new ambassador for Froothie UK, I’ve had the lovely opportunity to try out one of the newest gadgets in their range.  I’m letting you all know about the fabulous Optimum Vac 2 Air Vacuum Blender.

I know, some of you will have some questions as vacuum blending isn’t a term that is commonly used for in home blending.

Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  These are marked by an asterisk next to them.  If you buy anything from using these links, I will receive an ambassador commission, which lets me keep this blog running.  The price is not altered for you in any way.  

What is vacuum blending?

It’s very much like ordinary blending, but with the vacuum ability, the air is removed, to reduce the risk of oxidation, which is especially great for fruits and vegetables.

Oxidation

When we blend food, the chemicals are exposed to the elements, otherwise known as oxygen.  The food changes colour and starts to break down, very much like a peeled banana or apple starts to turn a brown colour when left open to the air.  When fruit and vegetables begin to turn brown, they also begin to lose their value as a nutritional source.

Find out more in this video from Froothie, which is a fabulous way to picture it.

And a little more about the vacuum abilities of the Optimum Vac 2 Air Vacuum Blender.

I made my first smoothie with the Vac 2 in the morning and popped it in the fridge for later, which was great, as later that afternoon, I was still able to go back and drink it.  With my old blender, it changes colour so much, that I end up pouring the smoothie down the drain and making a new one.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), said:
“Vitamin C is destroyed by oxidation, and is the vitamin most easily lost during processing, storage, and cooking.”

So, what do I think?

Optimum Vac 2 Air Vacuum Blender *

It’s big.  Not too big, but solid, and comforting that it will be up to the job for many years to come.  It’s like the daddy of my current blender from a different brand, which if I’m honest, is just not up to the job.  I’ve used my new gadget a few times, and it’s been fabulous.  I’m looking forward to sharing my recipes with you all, and my raw ice cream recipe will be the first one I post with this fabulous gadget.

I’d been thinking about buying an all signing all dancing blender for a while, but it’s not easy to decide on which brand, as it’s a commitment purchase.  Now I have this one, I won’t be looking any further, as the vacuum function is incredible.

The main points are:

  • Easy cleaning Froothie Blender * with clear cleaning instructions in the user manual.
  • 4 preset functions, which are:  Smoothie, Veg & Fruits, Nuts, Soup & a Pulse function to choose your own.  Find out more on the Froothie UK website *.
  • High speed settings from 1-8, with a Pulse option for blending thick ingredients or for cleaning.
  • Vacuum setting for use with the Smoothie & Veg & Fruits preset functions.
  • Heavy duty tamper tool for easier blending and mixing.
  • Choose between traditional blending or vacuum blending.  Soup and Nuts settings are not suitable for vacuum blending.
  • Smoothies and blended fruit are smoother and more creamy looking, and look better for longer if the lid is kept on the blender.  It’s easy to make, pop in the fridge and enjoy later.
  • It’s a one jug does it all blender, which is 2 litres.  That’s a lot of blending potential.
  • It’s noisy.  If you’re not used to a high speed blender, be prepared for the sound.  It’s a powerful blender *, with a 2238W motor, to tackle the toughest of blending tasks.

How to get one:

  • Currently, the Optimum Vac 2 Air Vacuum Blender has a RRP of £499.00.
  • There is a short time promotion on, with the blender currently available for £389. This is at the time of publication of this post. 
  • Click through from my affiliate link*
  • You also get a 30 day money back guarantee, which includes return postage, plus 5 years warranty as standard.
  • Access to expert support team.
  • 0% finance could be available on purchases of £299 or more, spread out over 6 months with a 10% deposit.

Recipes

Raw Strawberry and Banana Ice Cream

 

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It’s not just babies who get meningitis….. #24youhavethepower

Sponsored by Pfizer

When my boys were little, and they started running a fever, one thing always popped to the front of my mind when they got to that unresponsive state that young children can go into while they’re ill.  With a glass, I’d stand there pressing it lightly on anything that resembled a spot, yet not really knowing what I was looking for.  All I knew was that meningitis was a very dangerous thing indeed for children, and something I needed to keep an eye out for.  In this post, I’m partnering with Pfizer to spread the word about meningococcal disease.

As a young adult, I didn’t ‘get it,’ that signs of meningitis are actually far more than a purple rash that doesn’t go away when lightly pressed to glass.  I think it was when I read about Victoria Beckham being diagnosed with viral meningitis in 2000, that I really took note and started to research more.  I’d been convinced that meningitis only really affected young children, with very rare instances of adults affected.  At that point, I learned about the difference between bacterial and viral meningitis, and how bacterial meningitis is the more serious of the two.

The difference:

  • Viral Meningitis

Symptoms such as headache, feeling sick, being tired and sensitive to light.  Symptoms usually clear up within a few days.  I suspect most people with this form would think they had a very bad cold or a flu, and are unlikely to know they’ve had viral meningitis.

  • Bacterial Meningitis (e.g meningococcal disease)

Meningococcal disease is an illness caused by the bacteria, Neisseria meningitis.   Even with treatment, death can occur as quickly as 24 hours after symptoms first show, or the disease can cause long-term disabilities.

The bacteria can be spread by kissing!!!!

Busy public areas, such as schools, theatres, cinemas, music festivals as well as being close to family and friends, can spread the disease, by actions as simple as sharing a cup or coughing.

Apparently, in the UK, up to around 1 in 5 adolescents carry the bacteria that can lead to meningitis.  They can carry the disease without showing symptoms themselves, but if the infection spreads to the brain through the bloodstream, the symptoms can become apparent.  That’s an incredible statistic when you think that at school, there might be up to around 30 kids in a class, and potentially, around 6 of those carry the bacteria.  Around 1 in 5 of my friends have blonde hair, which is incredible given that we’re all over forty…..but you know what I mean.

Adolescents

My boys are all at this age now.  Teenagers embarking on the first part of their lives without their parents around at all times, keeping an eye on everything and everyone they come across.  I watch them with their friends, laughing and capering, watching movies – 20 to a bedroom, while passing round the family packs of crisps and sharing bars of chocolate and bottles of juice.  What is that with teenagers these days, where they swig from the cola bottle and pass it along to their friends!!!  I’ve seen my boys sitting at the table with friends, where they’re all eating burgers, or pasta, or whatever I’ve put on to feed the hordes of growing boys, and there’s always one or two who polish off the leftovers from their friends’ plates.

I look at that behaviour differently now, knowing that kissing, socialising in groups and sharing eating and drinking utensils can spread the disease.  I also know that telling a bunch of teenagers that they’re potentially putting themselves at risk, is as likely to change their behaviour as my chances of winning a lottery that’s rolled over for a year…

What Can We Do?

#24youhavethepower is a social media programme designed to educate us.  If you would like to find out more information about meningitis and vaccination, please visit www.24youhavethepower.co.uk

As parents, adults and adolescents, we do have the power, to learn more, to know what to look for, and how to take the best precautions we can.

Vaccinations

I believe vaccination is one of the biggest advances in medicine for our species.  It’s incredible that we can protect ourselves and our kids from some devastating diseases by little injections.  The research involved is life changing for us, and has even eradicated diseases in the UK, like smallpox and polio.  There are Meningitis vaccinations available for babies, teenagers and students too.  My boys did receive the MenACWY vaccine at school in S3, although it took a little persuasion for my middle boy to go through with it.

For me, it was worth persuading my boys to receive protection from a devastating disease, however it’s up to you, as readers to source the information, read the facts, and make your own mind up for your families.  As parents, all we can do, is make an informed judgment call.  Use this post as a means to research for yourself, talk to your GP, and make your own conclusions.

Know the Symptoms

Don’t wait until someone you know has the condition to find out more.

  • Early symptoms can be mistaken for colds or flu, such as fevers, aches and pains, feeling nauseous and vomiting, headaches and confusion.
  • More rare symptoms show up as a rash, stiff neck, aversion to bright light, and being confused.  Not everyone will have these symptoms.

If you suspect someone has meningitis, get immediate medical help, as it is vital for survival.

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Authentic Massaman Thai Curry Recipe from Chef Sanguan Parr at Nipa Thai

Songkran is the annual festival which takes place over three days during the traditional Thai New Year, this year falling on Friday 13 – Sunday 15 April 2018.  Throughout Thailand there are celebrations, festivities and plenty of food; all culminating in a momentous country-wide water fight!

In the run up to Songkran, Sanguan Parr, Head Chef at Nipa Thai in London, has shared her recipe for Massaman Gai (Yellow Thai Chicken Curry). A popular but classic recipe from the Southern region of Thailand, the curry is simple to make but guaranteed to impress – the perfect dish for your Songkran celebrations!

Recipe: Authentic Massaman Thai Curry

Author: Head Chef Sanguan Parr at Nipa Thai

Ingredients (to serve four):

  • 2 Chicken breasts
  • 600ml Coconut Milk
  • 2 tbsp Roasted Peanuts
  • 5 Small Onions; sliced
  • 4 Medium Potatoes; cubed
  • 3 tbsp Massaman Curry Paste
  • 2 tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 3 tbsp Palm Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Tamarind Juice
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 1 piece Roasted Cinnamon; 1cm long
  • 5 Roasted Cardamom Pods
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Method:

Step 1: Cut the chicken into chunks, around 2 inches in length.

Step 2: In a wok, heat the vegetable oil, curry paste and 200ml of coconut milk. Keep stirring over a low heat until fragrant.

Step 3: Add the chicken to the wok, turning frequently so all the meat is covered in sauce.

Step 4: Pour in the remaining 400ml of coconut milk and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Add the cubed potatoes, roasted peanuts, onions, fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind juice, bay leaves, cardamom and cinnamon. Keep over a low heat to simmer until all the ingredients are tender.

Step 6: Remove from the heat and serve with steamed white rice.

Throughout Songkran 2018, Nipa Thai will be offering its traditional menu. Nipa Thai is open from 5pm-10.30pm, Monday-Sunday.

Nipa Thai, Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY

Tel: 020 7551 6000 or www.niparestaurant.co.uk

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The Single Use Plastic Debate – Are We Killing Our Planet?

There’s lots of news going around about single use plastic and how we need to protect the environment and our oceans.  I totally agree with that, although I doubt anything we do will counter the plastic coming into the oceans and landfill from China and India, but still, every little helps.  Are we killing our planet with laziness in the single use plastic debate?

I don’t like to see this, or far worse pictures I’ve seen in the media.

The point of this post though, is that I am struggling.  As much as I try, I forget to take reusable bags to supermarkets quite frequently, and then have to buy more, but I never throw mine away after the one use.  I used to reuse them as dog poo bags, and I often reuse them now as bags for my mums bits and bobs that need binned.

I’m old enough to remember the days when plastic packaging was non existent to very low.  My grandmother used to have a shop in the days before supermarkets kicked them all out of business, which sold all sorts from fruit and veg, to canned goods, juice, sweets in jars, cheese, meat and more.  All the packaging for people to take away was paper, and she had lots of different paper bags of different sizes and strengths.    She even had net bags made of string for potatoes.  We haven’t always had nets just for oranges, and they weren’t plastic.  Cereals were in big dispensers and dispensed into their own tubs by weight, or measured into a paper bag for people to decant into their containers at home.  The cheese was wrapped in grease proof types stuff, and in it went to a paper bag.  Sweets were weighed and measured into those crinkly bags, and if someone forgot their shopping bags, they were given a box to take their things home in.  There was almost zero waste, as boxes stock arrived in almost always ended up with customers.

We had our fizzy juice in glass bottles that were always given back for a couple of pence, and the same went for milk bottles.  No tetra packs, plastic, polystyrene or plastic in sight.  I lived this stuff.  I know how to live plastic free, yet in my home, we have plastic bottles of fizz, plastic bottles of milk, tetra packs of juice, microwaveable meals, and almost every bleeding thing seems to come in a plastic wrapper.  There’s absolutely no need in this life, ever, to use a plastic microwaveable meal tray, and yet we do use a bloody shed load of the stuff weekly.

I even eyed up my roll of cling film last week with an evil glare.  How much of that stuff does damage in a day around the world?  That’s not to mention the nappy sacks for mums pads, the pads themselves with plastic backing and the oodles of packs of wet wipes we use on a monthly basis, all going into the bin.  And that’s not to mention crisps and biscuits, just how much packaging do they take up?  I can’t even think about things like packs of tomatoes, apples, neeps, cucumbers, all wrapped so neatly in their plastic poison.  As much as possible, I try to avoid those now, but instead of paper bags to put them in, we’re offered yet another little plastic bag.

It’s all down to cost, and sadly, cost does indeed matter.  We can avoid some plastics, but I’m struggling to figure out how to get round lots of it with a disabled elder, and five others, as well as a pet to throw out rubbish for.  I’ve found biodegradable nappy sacks that don’t cost the earth, but there’s no bloody alternative for the plastic backed pads and adult nappies and their packaging that we go through so much of.  We go through so much that we even have to have an extra bin to fit it all in, and then we still have to take more to the tip ourselves as the bins get chocka.

I can’t persuade the kids at their age to avoid plastic fizz, and to be honest, I don’t want to.  I like my fizz of choice.  The soda stream alternatives are great, but too expensive and the gas isn’t the easiest to get swapped out for the canisters.  If they were available at my local shop, it would be a no brainer, but as that option isn’t available, we end up grabbing plastic bottles instead.  There seems to be no alternative to it until manufacturers make changes to how they supply, and they are always looking at the cheapest option which is single use plastic.

It’s disappointing that butchers, bakers, and fishmongers are addicted to the stuff too.  I bought burgers yesterday from a fresh meat outlet.  They were wrapped between plastic sheets, and stuffed into a plastic bag that was sealed with a plastic tape.

My grandmother would be turning in her grave.

I’ll keep cutting down where I can, as I think we all have a responsibility to try and help reduce the damage caused by our selfishness as a world population, but alas, I suspect that this is a battle we are going to lose sooner rather than later.  Our oceans seem to be broken.  Our beaches are being trashed.  We’re told our food sources are being poisoned.

As I said, every little helps.  The little I do won’t help much, but it makes me feel a tiny bit better, but also guilty that I don’t do more.  That’s a project I need to work on more.

I want to keep seeing this on beaches.  I just need to do more.