Author: Scottish Mum

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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.

 

 

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All I Want To Do Is Sleep…..

Yes, really.  All I want to do is sleep.  This has been me for the last few weeks.  As soon as it gets dark, my brain seems to think it’s time to climb that wooden hill.  It’s not something I’ve been terribly bothered by for a long time, but one of my boys has.

From what I hear, it affects all of us at some point in our lives.  My husband is one of those who is up with the lark every morning, and while I’ve never understood how that is even remotely possible for anyone, I learned to live with my fuzzy head and setting three alarms every day to get up, and always having one at the opposite side of the room, so that I have to get up to switch it off.  If the alarm is beside my head, I have a tendency to switch it off while I’m still in snoozeland.

I wouldn’t exactly call it excessive sleep as such, as if I fall asleep during the day, I end up awake during the night, which is never good, but I am struggling with the dark o’clock heavy eyes syndrome.

What I’ve learned so far:

Potential Causes

Meds and Medical Conditions

I have an underactive thyroid and fibromyalgia, and those tablets do sometimes interact.  Taking the fibro meds at bedtime might be much more beneficial for me.  Perhaps my thyroid has gone out of sync again, but since my review isn’t due for another few months, I’ll just have to suck this one up for a while.

Not Sleeping Enough

Hmmm.  I’m not convinced by this one, but then again, my sleeping pattern is often all over the place.  I have to get up for my mum during the night, and for middler on occasion, as well as chasing down the elder teens and constant lifts home in the wee hours.  Perhaps it’s not surprising that I want to snooze in the afternoon.  I often get three hours, then up for an hour, and back to sleep again.

Hypersomnia

Related to the above, and caused by broken and irregular sleep patterns, it’s possible that it is affecting me more than I realise.   I could on many days, easily sleep for 12 hours if I were able to…..

Shifts

Well, I’m seeing a pattern here.  Not enough sleep at once, hypersomnia caused by irregular sleeping patterns, that exist for shiftworkers, and people with my patterns of sleeping.  It’s almost as if the body is trying to bank sleeping hours with the disruption in my circadian rhythm.

Food

This is a definite no brainer.  Heavy stodge, stews and large meals definitely make me want to sleep.  I’ve never understood those who can eat heavy meals and don’t feel wiped out in the afternoons because of it.

Mental Health

This isn’t me.  Not unless you count stress with a disabled adult and a teen with mental health issues in the house.   Perhaps I need a holiday….  It is a 24/7 job caring for someone who has dementia and is doubly incontinent with full body disability, as well as working on top of it, which often sees me pounding the computer keys at 2am.  I am definitely not depressed, so that rules one condition out.

Sleeping Conditions

My youngest has been told he has insomnia.  I’m not convinced.  Like me, he struggles to get to sleep, but then struggles to wake up.  I think screen time is a problem for most teenagers and if he actually went to bed and switched off his phone, I think he would be fine.  Perhaps I should listen to that as well.

Youngest did have sleep apnea where he would choke when sleeping, stop breathing a little and wake up gasping.  After many tests and different doctors, he finally got diagnosed with kissing tonsils, ie with no space either side of the throat for tonsils to slip into, his would close up and block air getting through.  With a removal of the tonsils, hey presto, his sleep apnea and constant vomiting stopped.

I definitely don’t have narcolepsy, where sufferers fall asleep at all times of the day, it’s more a heavy feeling of wanting to close my eyes and drift off pleasantly.

What Can I Do?

I can’t change some things in my life, such as looking after my mum at all hours of the day and night, and not working isn’t an option, but I do need to be more disciplined with some other things around bedtime, that are just sensible, and would perhaps help others too.

  • I don’t smoke, but if others do, they could try to reduce nicotine before bedtime.
  • Try to chill out before finishing my bedtime routine, ie switching off the TV, laying down my phone and not reading a book.
  • Try and get to bed for a set time.  I know this is almost impossible with my family and work, but it doesn’t mean I can’t at least try.
  • Avoid caffeine for the last hour before bedtime.  I am really going to struggle with this, but given that I struggle to set a regular bedtime, it’s not a surprise.
  • Get back to eating more healthily.  I’ve not been great recently, which sort of goes with the sleep issue.
  • Pinch youngests daylight lamp for evenings.  It’s got to be worth a try to stop me wanting to zzzzz.
  • Try and persuade my GP to test my thyroid levels early.  Not holding out much hope for this one, but you never know.
  • Get outside more in the winter.  I’ve been hibernating recently.  Perhaps this is bad for me…

I suspect anyone reading this is having their own sleep issue, so good luck to all, and it’s time to bring on the longer days.  I’ve had enough of winter..

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Music To Improve Dementia Care

My regular readers tend to know my mum has advanced dementia and also lives with us.  We’re always looking for ways to include her, and at the moment, it tends to work around her need to see children playing.  In a care home, that just wouldn’t happen, so she is best cared for by us, with council carers who come in and help, and some hours we pay for ourselves.  Although my mum does like the radio on, she’s very far gone with her dementia, and struggles to find meaning in music now, other than the simple instant company it gives her if she’s alone in her room while we are doing other things around the house.

Music as Therapy International has launched its #MusicCan campaign promoting the power of music in light of a report published 18 January 2018 by the ILC highlighting the essential role music has to play in the care of people living with dementia.  

Watch the video to see what a difference it can make.

 

 

Music as Therapy International have launched a campaign that highlights how music can help improve dementia care, by celebrating the ways music can improve lives and change the approaches to those in care.   They believe in the power of music to make the most of people’s potential, and helping to overcome issues like disability and trauma, as well as mental illness.

The UK charity has launched a #MusicCan campaign to highlight the ways music can help everyone.

The Alzheimer’s Society reports there are around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, with higher health and social costs than cancer, stroke and chronic heart disease combined.  That’s a powerful sentence when we consider that dementia is often such an isolating disease.

A report Utley Foundation sponsored report has been launched following a Commission on Dementia and Music by the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC), which recognises the wealth of evidence supporting the use of music to improve lives of people living with dementia.

My father lives in a care home, without much in the way of support via music.  Actually, there seems to be little interaction with him as a resident, but he does spend much of his day with the radio on, which helps him as a dementia sufferer, but without conscious management of music as a supporting therapy.   Music is such a big part of lives of most of us these days, and it makes sense for it to be brought under an official banner of treatments and therapies to help those with dementia cope with daily life.

As families and friends, exploring the potential of music to help those who need support can only be a positive thing.  With my mum, it’s a soothing, comforting thing, rather than therapy, but any way to keep reaching out to those who seem isolated is worth trying.

Personally, I think music should be an option for all dementia sufferers.  Granted, there will be some who cannot abide the noise, but as an option, it shouldn’t be discounted.  As carers, if we can show the benefits and improvements to the lives of dementia sufferers with music in their lives, and we talk about it, perhaps we can persuade those who hold the budget strings to make music a more tailored option.  I’ve often witnessed the groups singing hymns, or some man bashing out old war tunes on a past it’s best piano, but I think I need to quote my own mum on this, not long after her dementia diagnosis, when she attended a day centre.

Why do they think everyone over 50 wants to sit around singing hymns all day.  If I want to sing hymns, I’ll go to church on a Sunday.’

The problem is, that when music is considered, I’ve found it as a one fits all attempt.  That rarely works.  Dementia sufferers, like all of us, have different tastes in music.  We shouldn’t think that because they refuse to join a group singing hymns, that they’re not interested in music.

I don’t find music therapy to be a much discussed option for those with dementia.  As with other potential aides, there is usually a limit on costs that can be spent to support our loved ones.  We are often powerless to help with things like physiotherapy, but music is something all of us can take on board as an action.

Anything that can help improve the quality of life of anyone suffering from any health condition is worth a try.  If you are struggling to help someone with anxiety, disability, depression, or any number of other conditions, give it some thought, and see if you can bring some tunes into their lives.  The music should be tailored to what individual people want and need, and actually enjoy.

Find out more at Music as Therapy International 

More about Dementia at Dementia Caregivers

 

 

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Roasted Spiralised Carrot & Feta Salad

Now we’re past the most depressing day of the year, why not have a look at one of the recipes from Aldi, to brighten up the rest of the month.  In the past, I’ve never been much for spiralising, but it does look very good in pictures and on plates.  Happy January.

 

Aldi

Roasted Spiralised Carrot & Feta Salad

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Course: Mains
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Courgettes washed and trimmed
  • 2 Carrots trimmed and peeled
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • Freshly ground Salt and Black Pepper
  • 100 g Feta Cheese crumbled
  • 50 g Walnut Pieces
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/425°/Gas Mark 6.

  2. Spiralise the courgettes and carrots using the ‘thin spiral cone’.

  3. Place in a bowl and add the oil, vinegar and seasoning and mix well.

  4. Spread the vegetables onto a large (or 2 smaller) baking tray and roast for around 7-8 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

  5. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry pan, stirring frequently to prevent burning, then tip onto a plate to cool.

  6. Remove the vegetables from the oven and place in a serving bowl.

  7. Sprinkle over the cheese, walnuts and finally the parsley.

  8. Delicious served as a light lunch or as an accompaniment to grilled meats or fish.

 

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Frightening Christmas Consumer Waste Figures Revealed

This is always a topic worth visiting over the festive season.  I know that in our house, we tend to find ourselves with lots of clutter, and quite frankly, far too much waste for the size of bins we have to put it out with.

A new study has found that we Brits, will  throw out 108 million rolls of wrapping paper, 54 million platefuls of food – and use 189 million batteries over Christmas.  That’s absolutely collossal.

To add insult to that, eight in 10 people admitted they don’t bother to try and justify the huge amount of waste they produce, with six in 10 saying they don’t feel at all guilty about what they throw away over the festive period.

I don’t know about you, but I do feel guilty about the amount of waste.  I see images on TV and news items of our seas full of plastic, and I know that as a smallish island, what we do, is going to have very little effect on the levels of pollution and waste world wide, but every little helps.

GP Batteries commissioned the research, and a spokesman said:

  • Christmas is a time of great celebration, but this can result in a huge amount of waste – many of which we don’t always do the right things with.
  • And it seems many don’t worry about the amount of their Christmas produce that ends up in the bin, despite the nation as a whole trying to do all we can to cut down on waste at other times of the year.
  • Reusing things, such as Christmas Cards or wrapping paper, or using rechargeable batteries are small things to most people but will drastically reduce the amount you end up throwing away.

Findings from OnePoll.com:

  • A poll of 2,000 adults found the nation will also get through more than 40 million rolls of sticky tape and bin almost 100 million black bags full of packaging from toys and gifts.
  • Seven in 10 admit to buying far more food than they need, with two thirds saying at least some of the turkey usually ends up in the bin.
  • The average household will get through four rolls of wrapping paper and throw away seven batteries over the Christmas period
  • A roll-and-a-half of sticky tape will be used per household, while three-and-a-half black bags full of packaging will be thrown out.
  • The equivalent of a whole plateful of food will end up going to waste on Christmas Day, along with another plateful in the following days.
  • An average of 24 Christmas cards will also be discarded once the festive period is over, while 14 per cent will even be binning their fake Christmas tree this year.

And rather than recycling where possible, many simply throw their wrapping paper, packaging and old Christmas cards out with the rubbish.  As a family, we do recycle our paper, plastic and tins, as we’ve no choice.  Our bins are tiny for a six person household with one doubly incontinent elder adult.  The amount of waste she generates is pretty large.

Disturbingly, the poll also indicated:

  • Many aren’t recycling or reusing their waste with one in five admitting to throwing their used wrapping paper into the bin.
  • More than one in four throw batteries into the bin, despite knowing they shouldn’t, while three in 10 still use disposables instead of rechargeables.
  • Others admit to throwing out leftover food rather than trying to use it in other meals and binning cards and packaging instead of recycling or reusing.
  • But one in six often try to justify the amount of waste they produce, with 34 per cent of those believing it’s just part of Christmas.
  • One in five think it’s OK as everyone else does it while 43 per cent believe it is impossible to avoid waste over the festive period.

On a more positive side:

  • It emerged one in ten have had rows with their family because of the amount of waste they produce.
  • As a result, many are trying to cut down on the waste they produce, with 48 per cent turning their Christmas dinner leftovers into other meals in the following days.
  • Forty-two per cent buy a fake tree instead of having to dispose of a real tree every year while a third simply buy less food than usual.
  • Others reuse Christmas cards as gift tags the following year, buy rechargeable batteries and even avoid wrapping presents at all.

A spokesman for GP Batteries added:

These days a battery is for life, not just for Christmas.  A modern rechargeable battery can be used up to 1,500 times and over its lifetime – saving a fortune in cash and waste. Once you go rechargeable you never go back.

Top ten things people have done to try and reduce their waste at Christmas:

  1. Turn leftovers into other meals

  2. Buy a fake tree to reuse every year

  3. Buy less food

  4. Reuse Christmas cards as gift tags the following year

  5. Use rechargeable batteries

  6. Order online but in one order to reduce the amount of packaging

  7. Send e-cards

  8. Buy fewer toys

  9. Order less online to cut down on packaging

  10. Don’t wrap presents at all

Be careful this Christmas, it could do us all the world of good.

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How to Make a Playroom

This is a collaborative post.

When your kids start to grow up and become a little more independent, it can be a relief. As they begin to play imaginatively by themselves, you get a little of your life back, and are at least able to work around the house without needing to care for them every moment of the day.

This time of their lives comes with new responsibilities for their parents though: you need to make sure you they’re safe and stimulated even as they develop the capacity to keep themselves amused and pursue their own games and imaginative life. Today let’s look at some top tips for constructing a play room that will keep your young children safe and entertained.

Creating Space

The first you need to do is clear a space. Whether your play room is actually just a corner of your lounge, a basement, or a whole spare room you can devote the purpose, you need to make sure it’s not also being used for storage. You don’t want to run the risk of your newly strong and mobile child pulling an old box of clutter over on their head and hurting themselves. The whole idea of making a safe play space for your kids is that you’re able to leave them there for short periods and not worry about them!

So start by looking into storage options that let you clear out a room. If you look into byStored self storage you’ll find a well priced solution that also includes free pick up of your items to store so you don’t have to worry about driving them over – an extra advantage when you have a highly mobile and curious toddler to take care of.

Controlling Chaos

One issue of a creating a room for your children to play in is that’s prone to become a disaster area! While you can start teaching them to tidy up after themselves when they’ve finished playing, it doesn’t always go well with boisterous toddlers.

You can try and control the chaos by focusing it on specific areas. Turning one wall into a chalk board your toddlers can scribble on to their heart’s content is a good way to avoid finding original crayon artworks on other walls, or total chaos on the floor.

Similarly, if you cover the crates and boxes you keep your children’s toys and supplies in with thick brown paper, that gives them another safe place to draw, and really make the room feel their own!

One you’ve added their toys, and softened sharp corners with cushions, and other simple safety measures, you’ll have a playroom your children can enjoy to their heart’s content while you enjoy a few little periods of independence each day.

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Olive Oil Buyers Guide by Jamie’s Italian

This is a Collaborative Post.

Deciding which olive oil to buy isn’t always an easy thing to do.  I know I’ve spent time looking at labels and trying to decide which is the best option for me.  In the past, I’ve always tended to go with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, just because it sounded better, but even I know that’s a naive way to make a decision on food ingredients.  I found this infographic intriguing, mostly because it is giving us the information we need, to check on the quality of an oil for ourselves.

I now know that for baking and frying, I’ve been using the wrong oil….which I knew for myself, as I wasn’t happy with it and had switched to Rapeseed for frying, but Extra Virgin for salad dressings, but now I’m keen to try Light Olive Oil for myself for bread making and Pure Olive Oil for frying.  If I’m honest, I had no idea, at all, that Oils had such a large range of flavour options.  I’d be keen to know which brands sit at which taste level.

I’d always presumed that Italy was the largest producer of Olive Oil for us, here in the UK, so it was a bit of a surprise to find out that it’s actually Spain.

Enjoy, and I hope this helps you as much as it has me.

The full infographic which was created by Jamie’s Italian, is a beautifully crafted visual guide to Olive Oil, that not only gives the different types of oil, but also suggestions on cooking and doing the tasting for ourselves.

 

From Visually.

 

 

 

 

 

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What about knives?

Collaborative Post

If you’re a food fan, admit it, an addiction to knives begins to stalk us.  It’s even worse if we’ve had a great knife, lost it, and have never managed to replace it.

I have to admit, that I’d love to be a bit of a knife snob, and I’ve written about different knife sets in the past, however, the loss of my favourite large chopping knife, that cost me £70, way back when I was a student, hit me hard.  I’d cared for, nurtured, and sharpened that knife lovingly for years.  Not only that, but the rest of the knives in my knife roll also went missing during a kitchen refit.  I  have no idea if I threw them out by mistake, or if my hubby did, or if they got lifted.  Whatever the reason for them leaving my home, I’ve sadly missed having them in my life and I can’t even remember the brand.  For the whole set, I know I’d be talking many many hundreds of pounds these days, and it’s just not an option for our budget.

For me, right this moment, it’s all about the vegetable knife.  Mine is incredibly bad.  I did love one that I bought from Tesco years ago, and liked it so much, I bought another.  My middle child used one to open a tin of paint, and snapped the whole top off.  The the other one was the victim of a teenage frying pan accident, where it was left in the pan while it was on, and melted the rubber grip.  When I tried to find a replacement, I couldn’t find one I liked.  I’ve never got on with tattie peelers and much prefer a knife with a small blade, but the ones these days seem to have quite long blades, and are a bit uncomfortable to hold.

Anyway, I think we all get the message, that great quality knives make cooking far easier than heavy blunt lumps of metal, but finding a full quality set for under 200 £ is a mission for all of us.

I’ve had the Edge of Belgravia Precision set in the past, which retails at around £70 at the moment, and while mine still gets a lot of use, although I am now missing the paring knife, as it got removed to go to a fishing trip, and never got returned.  Remind me why I let my hub and teens into the kitchen again !
As much as I love the remaining knives left in this set, I’m again, on the hunt for a vegetable knife…
What I look for:
  • Good quality at a great price.
  • Sharp.  Actually, can I add this about four or five times.  I really dislike buying blunt knives.
  • Comfortable handle.  Not slippery, shiny or metal.  Nobody wants a sharp implement slipping out of their hands like a freshly caught fish.
  • Non rusting.  Perhaps this isn’t an issue these days with modern technology.  Over the years, I’ve thrown out knives due to the start of red rot.
  • Has a knife block that fits on my counter.  I do like the Edge of Belgravia one much more than regular knife blocks where crumbs can gather in the slots.
  • 3″ blade for paring/vegetable knife, with comfortable rubber handle.

You know what, as I wrote this post, I hunted out the vegetable knife I am using, and I’m so ashamed of it, I can’t bring myself to post an image of the battered, half melted piece of metal.

I managed to figure out it’s a Kitchen Devils knife, so I started a hunt for it.

When I checked Lakeland, I found out it has been discontinued, I headed over to Amazon.    Yes, I round my knife, although it’s £8.95, but to be honest, for what it’s worth to me, as a great wee vegetable and fruit knife, I instantly popped 3 into my shopping bag to buy.  1 for now, and 2 to hide for the future, just in case kids and the man decide to use one of them as a fishing wire tool too…..

I don’t know about you, but guarantees on a knife don’t tend to be something I tend to look for, as I never have any idea whatsoever where the receipt is after a few years.  I doubt the Kitchen Devil people would take back my current sad excuse for a veggie knife.

What do you think about when you’re looking for a new knife set?  Happy knife hunting all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Natural Remedies to get rid of a sore throat, including Ginger Tea and Honey Toddy.

You know that feeling when you wake up, with a rattly throat and every swallow feels like broken glass searing down your gullet?  You instantly know you have some sort of a bug or two, or possibly the dreaded Strep throat, caused by the group A streptococcus bacteria.  What do you do now?

Although most sore throats are caused by colds and we can treat ourselves at home, if your throat seems to be Strep throat, see a GP.  Strep throat is contagious, and children are more at risk.  Breathing can be affected and diagnosis requires a throat swab.

For the rest of us, and our gritty sore throat caused by generally being unwell or having a cold, it’s a case of working through the options until we feel better.

Let’s not be shy here.  A sore throat can hurt like the devil, and then some, with every mouthful of saliva causing dread to fill our boots, as we know we have to swallow it.  In the past, I’ve found myself gargling milk, just for the soothing sensation for a few seconds, and there are some natural remedies we can try at home, to get rid of a sore throat.

I’ve spent several decades listening to the elder women in  my family, so I thought it was about time to share their remedies before I forget them.

1 – Salt Water Gargle

This has always been my  mother’s go to.  Every time I’ve been ill, I used to get the evil eye and pointed towards a glass and salt bottle.  Now with her, it wasn’t some scientific salt to water ratio.  She just grabbed a pinch, added it to boiled water and let it cool.    I have dread memories of the gargle and avoided it like the plague, but that’s not to say it was a daft remedy, as loads of people report that it does indeed work for them.  Who am I to argue with that?  This is pretty much what we do, usually every couple of hours or so.

Salt Water Gargle Recipe

  • Add 1 level teaspoon of salt to a small glass of water.
  • Stir until dissolved.
  • Gargle the liquid for sixty seconds if possible, or a minimum of 30 seconds.
  • Spit out the water once you have finished gargling.  Do not swallow.

2 – Honey Toddy 

This one belongs to my grandmother.  She’d add a tot of whisky and make it a whisky toddy though.  My mum, not liking the taste of alcohol, always preferred it without the tipple added.  I’m never quite sure how drinking something that burns on the way down could soothe a sore throat myself.

Ok, for the honey, it is said to help fight infection and help with pain relief, and the sweetness also helps make things taste better.  Check with a doctor or nurse before giving to children.

Honey Toddy Recipe

  • 100ml water which has been boiled and allowed to cool slightly.
  • Add one tablespoon of honey to the water and let it dissolve.
  • 1 slice fresh lemon as garnish and drink.

3 – Ginger Root Tea

This is nothing to do with my family, but as a spice with antibacterial and anti-inflmmatory properties, it might help a sore throat.   You can buy ginger tea ready made, or you can make it yourself as it’s so easy to do.

Ginger Root Tea Recipe

  • Peel a couple of inches of fresh root ginger and add to a pan.
  • Top up with a couple of mugs of fresh water.
  • Bring to boil and let simmer for 10 – 20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.
  • Remove from the heat and add honey and either half a lemon or lime squeezed into the liquid.
  • Stir and drink the fluid.