Author: Scottish Mum

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Review: Nerf Hyperfire

As part of Hasbro Toy Tribe, we’ve received a lovely new toy to try, the Nerf n Strike Elite Hyperfire Blaster, for ages 8-16.  Currently £49.99 from Toysrus.

We’ve already got one Nerf, with precious few foam darts left, so getting this to try was very well received by my boys, and even my teen had lots of fun with it.  Our existing Nerf is teensy in comparison, and the Elite Blaster was in demand when they saw how fast the darts are when the trigger is pressed.  I have to admit to getting a very real satisfaction from shooting it myself, as the foam darts went ping, ping, ping against the wall.

Nerf Hyperfire 2
The box was a fairly big size, which would go down well for a present, I think.  And unlike many presents, inside wasn’t a huge box with something teensy at the centre.  The length of the box was fully needed. One of the biggest disappointments my kids have faced over the years with toys, has been opening a box to find hardly anything inside.

Nerf Hyperfire 4
Nerf Hyperfire 3

Hasbro says:

Take aim with the HyperFire blaster and challenge opponents with ultimate speed! It’s the fastest motorised Nerf dart blaster, unleashing 5 darts per second to rain down a deluge of darts onto targets! With its 25-dart drum, this Nerf N-Strike Elite blaster brings impressive firepower to the battle. It fires darts up 90 feet (27 meters). Press the acceleration button, pull the trigger, and let the rapid-fire action begin! Comes with 25 Elite darts.

Believe me when I say, those 25 darts are fast.  My kids are already pushing to get more darts so they can do a rapid load and fire.   It takes four D batteries, which are rather large round ones. Luckily we had some for a torch that hub was planning to renew batteries on, so we pinched them.

Putting it together was easy enough although my teen helped middler to get it all working.  The box had sat for a full day before I got to it, and he couldn’t concentrate on anything until it was opened and set up, but had to wait until I picked up my camera from the motorhome, where I’d forgotten to take it home from, and charged it up.  Very bad timing to be forgetful!

Nerf Hyperfire 9
Thankfully, it comes almost completely built, with only the dart chamber and the batteries to be inserted.  With the size of batteries, I’m guessing this will last for a fair time, which is a bonus.

Nerf Hyperfire 8
The dart chamber is circular, and you pop them in the top.  It’s quite easy to do.

Nerf Hyperfire 6
From there, it’s press one of the two triggers to get the Hyperfire ready, and press that firing trigger, then watch the darts fly……  Very easy set up, and very easy to use.  It’s proved to be a very popular addition to our household.

Nerf Hyperfire 7
Thanks to Hasbro for the review Nerf n Strike Elite Hyperfire Blaster.  Currently £49.99 from Toysrus.

To see more of the top Nerf guns at the moment, make sure you have a look at this top list from My Kid Needs That.

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Snack Recipe: Stuffed Mushroom with Protein Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

We were sent a pack of Protein Cheese to try, and I first used it to make a lovely wee snack, which isn’t high in calories, nor in fat or carbs, which is always good for us diabetics, or for those watching our weight, as well as just wanting something a little different.

Protein Cheese, by eatlean, seems to be new on the market, although we had our sample for a while before I opened it.  At first, I found it a little strange-looking, as it seemed slightly translucent, but how it looks, doesn’t affect how it tastes.    With 37g protein and only 3% fat in every 100g, it’s a good option.  It’s also suitable for vegetarians, and made in the UK, using milk from the UK.  I’ve even spotted it in my local supermarket recently, so it’s becoming more well-known.

These mushrooms with cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, would even make a great tasting raw food addition as a starter or party nibble.

Mushrooms Protein Cheese 2

Each Single Mushroom Snack.

  • 32 Calories
  • 4.6g Carb
  • 0.4g Fat
  • 1.8g Protein
Lesley Smith

Stuffed Mushroom with Protein Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 5 Mushrooms
Calories: 160
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g Mushrooms centre stalk removed and slightly hollowed out.
  • 3 Sun Dried Tomatoes sliced, or 25g.
  • 30 g Protein Cheese grated.

Method
 

  1. For this, I used regular sized mushrooms, and not large ones, although the big ones would do fine too. I got 5 mushrooms for my 100g and slightly hollowed them out.

  2. I used sundried tomatoes from a jar, and washed mine thoroughly before using them. I wanted all the oil off them.

  3. Place some cheese in the mushrooms, then popped some sun dried tomatoes on top, before adding a few more strands of cheese on top.

  4. Pop your snack into the oven around 180 degrees for 15 minutes.

 

 

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Konjac Flour: Pasta and Rice with only 8 calories per 100g… Surely not!

This is seriously my first try with those pasta and rice replacements, the Konjac Flour ones, that are mainly water.  With 8kcals per 100g of drained rice in the version I just tried, its a serious way to reduce calories for those who watch their carbs like me.   How bad could it be?    It only has 0.1g Carbohydrate per 100g.  That’s almost zero calories for a lot of food.

This is rice shaped konjac noodles, not actual rice itself.  I think I expected a more ricey texture and shape, and that’s where I failed at the outset.  The product doesn’t try to pretend it’s something that it’s not, but I did misread the label and half expected a rice like texture.  I’ve left my image until the end, in case it hits you the same way as it does me.

What are Konjac Noodles?

Well, they’ve been hailed as a dieter’s dream.   There are several brands, mostly around noodles.  barenaked rice, Zero Noodles, Slim Rice / Slim Noodles / Shirataki Noodles.   They’re all made of the same thing.  The Konjac plant is a red flower with one leaf, and a long spike, that’s grown in Asia.  Most noodles will come from and be imported from China.

It’s generally known as a starchy tuber, that is processed into glucomannan flour, which is then used to make the noodles.  The rice I have, actually looks like pasta, but far too much like squiggly little worms for my eyes to come to terms with.

Although they’ve been around in Japan for years, they’ve only recently been gaining popularity over here, and I can’t believe I’ve gone all this time without even ever hearing about them.  It all started when I spotted a pack in Sainsburys and picked them up to read the pack.  My first thought was that it was a con, and complete rubbish.   Some people know these as water noodles as they’re so high in water content, which probably explains why they actually taste of nothing until they’re mixed with other ingredients.

The generic Google bumf says these noodles are to fill us up, or to bulk out our food.   I do love pasta, and I miss it now that I rarely eat it, so finding something to replace that would be perfect, but Sainsbury didn’t have the pasta version, so the rice it had to be.

The rice/noodles contain 96 per cent water and less than 4 per cent glucomannan fibre.  I checked reviews, and there were so many positive ones, I thought I’d give it a go.  I already had my “barenaked rice,” to try them out, but wished I’d gone for the proper pasta versions and ordered online. The rice is just tiny rice sized pieces of the larger pasta versions.

There were also as much negative reviews as there were positive, so I was a little cautious from the outset.  Complaints included a fishy smell when the packet is opened, to the rubbery texture when it’s eaten.  So here goes.  I added it to a mix I make frequently for myself, with Dolmio Light Sauce and peas.

Konjac dolmio light

My Ingredients

  • 1 Pack konjac noodle rice replacement – 250g drained. (20 calories)
  • 50g Peas.
  • 200g Dolmio Light Sauce. (78 calories)
  • Salt.

My Cooking Method

Step 1

On opening the pack, the fishy smell was there.  I put my rice into a sieve and ran it under cold water for a couple of minutes, and the smell was gone.  In truth, the smell was no worse than buying fresh cod or haddock and getting it home, so it didn’t smell half as bad as the reviews said – to me – anyway.

konjac barenaked rice 2

Step 2

Cook the rice on the hob for around 8-10 minutes, with a little salt.  I didn’t want to take the chance of the fishy smell still being there.

Step 3

Sieve off the water and rinse through again.

Step 4

Return the hob, add the peas and Dolmio sauce, heat thoroughly.

Result

To be honest, it didn’t soak up the Dolmio like rice does, and it looked pretty awful in the bowl.   Eating it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but as rice, it slides down and the texture is more rubbery than rice.

It didn’t replace my rice craving, but it did fill my belly with a couple of spoonfuls.

I think the fact my dish looked more like little worms in my Dolmio put me off, and I might prefer this rice in a stir fry.  The taste wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, so I’m prepared to try it out with some different dishes, and one that doesn’t look like squiggly worms when I’m eating it.  

I couldn’t finish more than two small spoons of this, but it’s given me ideas, and I think I could tolerate it better as a proper pasta dish, where it doesn’t look off-putting in the dish.  Actually, I might not even notice it isn’t real pasta at all, as it has a similar mouth feel to pasta for me, but slightly more rubbery.

How it looked was what stopped me eating it, rather than how it tasted.  It didn’t taste terrible at all.  It took on the flavour of the Dolmio very well, so although it isn’t a true replacement for rice, it does reduce calories going into the belly.  I couldn’t cope with it as a rice replacement, but as a pasta one, I think Konjac and I will get on very well.

See what I mean below…  Little worms.  I just couldn’t…  It’d be much better in a stir fry for me I think, but if the appearance doesn’t put you off, it could be a very good bulking agent for other foods indeed.

Konjac barenaked rice featured

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Losing a bunch of weight.

Pink Tape Measure

It’s no secret to my readers that I’ve lost a bunch of weight recently, and I’d still like to lose around a stone more, but I won’t worry too much about that.  I’m still heavier than where I started at the
beginning of all this blubbery inflation, but I fit into UK Next 8 and 10 clothes mostly, with the odd 12, so I’m happy with that. I know I might not be able to keep it up, but for now, I’m in control of my weight.

What I have been most surprised about, was the amount of people who constantly ask me how I’ve done it, as if there’s some sort of magic wand around that melts fat off.  When I tell people what I’ve done, they begin to lose interest, then some even turn round and say something dumb, like,

‘no really, what else did you do?’

Or they assume that now my thyroid is in a better way, that the fat dissolved itself away.  Now I know having thyroid issues helps with weight gain etc, but losing it isn’t any easier for us than it is for the rest of you when it’s sorted out.  My thyroid being in sync now might stop me adding to weight, but it does nothing for losing what’s already there.

It’s simple really.  Just CICO.  Honestly, all other diets work on basically the same principle.  Eat less calories than you expend, and you will lose fat.   CICO is simply calories in v calories out.  I don’t believe in the real plateau either.  It’s impossible to eat more and lose weight as such.  Nobody living in a real starvation mode will retain their fat for a sustained level of time, and three or four weeks of the scales not moving, is not starvation mode.

Weight loss isn’t linear.  

Just because you eat 1200 calories a day, most people won’t lose 2lbs a week, every week, forever.  Some weeks you might lose 3lbs, some 4, then maybe some at 2lbs, a week or two here and there of half a pound, and maybe a couple of weeks gain one or two.  And boy, does it get demotivating for the scales not to move at all for nearly two months.  Yep, been there, but eventually, if you stick with it, the downward trend begins again.

The closer to goal we get, the longer it takes to shift.  It’s a journey, not a fast track to skinny blingdom.

Losing weight should be about health first, and the weight on the scale way down on the list.  In second and third place, I prefer to look at fitness, endurance and before the scale, even how my clothes fit.

That’s my view, and you’re welcome to disagree with me.   My clothes still don’t fit as well as I’d like around my midriff, and that’s why I’d like to lose a bit more fat, but on the whole, I’m happy enough with the rest of me.

You can’t outrun a bad diet?

Hmmm, well, I see this all the time on the internet, yet it’s possible that it’s completely wrong too.

Certainly, you can’t outrun a diet where you take in far more calories than you burn off by running.  And given a mile roughly equates to around 100 calories, then a fairly long run won’t even make up for a pig out session in front of the TV with a good sized pizza.

What you can do, with exercise, in increase the size of the CICO calorie deficit, which means you can eat a little more on those days.  If your daily target calorie count is around 1400, and you run for 6 miles, you could technically eat 2000 calories that day and still be in a modest deficit of calories.

Some diets are better than others.

Of course they are, but some are absolute tosh.  Any weight loss diet has to have you eating less calories than you use up in a day.  Whether you count in points, pounds, kcals or packets, it all adds up to the same.  I’m not a fad of diets that replace the calorie with a fancy name, and it isn’t any way to help someone maintain their weight when they’ve finished losing it in the first place.  If you find something healthy that works for you, then go for it.  Otherwise, learn portion control and nutritional value of foods and work it out for yourself.  I learned that I’ve spent much of my life with far too little protein.  I’ve fixed that.

There’s no easy weight loss method.

Losing weight sucks, big time, but if you’re determined and ready for it, nothing will stop you.   Good luck to anyone on a journey, and I hope you feel as good about yourself as I do for what I achieved over the last year.

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Recipe: Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding using Hamlyn’s Scottish Oatmeal

Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding 1300

Halmyns LeafletAlong with a few fellow bloggers, I had the opportunity to appear in a leaflet for the Scottish Royal Highland Show this year.

Hamlyns of Scotland, who commissioned the leaflet, kindly gave me permission to post my recipe on my blog too.  Here it is, the front cover of the leaflet, which apparently went down very well, and the recipe and images from making sticky toffee pudding with some oaty goodness in it.

I think I might even try replacing all the flour with oatmeal at my next attempt with this.  The consistency might be different, but as I love the nutty taste of oatmeal, I suspect it would go down very well here.

Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding 8 650

Ingredients

For the pudding.

  • 200g Medjool Dates, stones removed.
  • 100g Self Raising Flour.
  • 100g Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal.Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding - Hamlyns Oatmeal 650
  • 150ml Boiling Water.
  • 2 Teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda.
  • 2 Eggs.
  • 100g Butter.
  • 2 Tablespoons Black Treacle.
  • 150g Demerara Sugar.
  • 100ml Double Cream.

For the toffee sauce.

  • 350g Golden Caster Sugar.
  • 100g Butter, cubed.
  • 500ml Double Cream.
  • 1 Tablespoon Black Treacle.

Method

For the pudding.

  1. Chop the dates into small pieces. Put them into a bowl and pour over the boiling water and set them aside.  Leave them to soak in until everything else is done.Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding - Add Dates Mashed Into Water 650
  2. Put your oven on, to around 170C/160C (Fan).
  3. In a mixing bowl, add your flour, oatmeal, bicarbonate of soda and sugar, and stir it around. Melt your butter so that it’s easy to mix in, and add it, along with your eggs and black treacle.  Mix by hand, or use a low setting on a mixer, to ensure the mix isn’t handled too roughly.  When the pudding mix looks slightly curdled, add in the double cream and fold it in by hand.  Don’t worry about the texture.  At this point, it might resemble batter more than pudding mix.  Just remember, that it isn’t a cake mix and doesn’t need lots of air added.  Using a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl is a good idea.Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding - Mix Ingredients 650
  4. Mash the dates into the water, then pour it all into the bowl with the rest of your ingredients. Again, fold in by hand.  The mix may look curdled, but it’s fine.
  5. Grease your baking tins and pour the mixture in. I used two moulds.  One traditional round pudding mould and a flat one for the family to tuck into as soon as our toffee pudding was ready.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pudding is cooked.

For the toffee sauce.

  1. In a thick bottomed pan, add the sugar and butter with around three quarters of the cream, then slowly bring to the boil, stirring all the time.
  2. When the sugar is dissolved, add the black treacle and bring the mix to the boil, letting it bubble for a minute or two at the most.
  3. Take the sauce off the heat and beat in the remaining cream. Your mix will be a gorgeous toffee colour, and look lovely and glossy.Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding - Toffee Sauce 650

Combining the pudding and sauce.

Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding - Pour Toffee Sauce over and Leave to Soak 2 650

  1. Slide a knife or spatula around the edges of your cakes, and slide them out of the tins if possible. If a little of the cake sticks to the bottom, its fine.  Just use your spatula to scrape it out and pop it on top, then use a knife to smooth it out.  The pudding is gooey and it will repair easily and can even be slightly moulded if needed.  Toffee sauce is going on the top, and it will hide any slight imperfection.  If in doubt, wait until your pudding is cooler before attempting to remove it from the mould.
  2. Pour a little toffee sauce into the bottom of your moulds. Replace your pudding, letting it sit in the toffee sauce, then pour some more on top.  Keep aside around one third of the toffee sauce for serving.
  3. If you’ve left the pudding overnight to soak up the toffee sauce, it will be more sticky and gooey than if eaten immediately. If you want to heat the pudding up before serving, that’s fine too.
  4. Enjoy on its own, or with a little yoghurt and strawberries.

Oaty Sticky Toffee Pudding 1 650

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Soup Maker Recipe: Cream of Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup

Sweet Potato and Tomato 1200

Lesley Smith

Cream of Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup

5 from 4 votes
This works fine for me, but you know your own soup makers and what the limits will be. Change the amount of ingredients to suit your machine. Check your instructions if you are not sure.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Servings: 4 -6 Bowls
Cuisine: Soup Maker
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g Sweet Potato peeled and chopped.
  • 200 g Onion peeled and chopped.
  • 100 ml Cream or Milk.
  • 400 g Tin Plum Tomatoes.
  • 2 Knorr Chicken Stock Cubes.
  • Salt and Pepper to taste.
  • 1 Level Teaspoon Ground Ginger.
  • 1 Clove Garlic crushed.
  • 1 Teaspoon Butter.
  • Water.

Method
 

  1. Method A

  2. Add all ingredients to the pot, crumbling the stock cube in, and stir well.

  3. Top up with water to below the maximum fill level and above the minimum fill level on a 1.6litre soup maker.

  4. Make sure the lid is on tight.

  5. Select the smooth setting.



  6. Method B

  7. Saute the onions, ginger and garlic in butter.

  8. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, crumbling the stock cube in, and stir well.

  9. Top up with water to below the maximum fill level and above the minimum fill level on a 1.6litre soup maker.

  10. Make sure the lid is on tight.

  11. Select the smooth setting.

 

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4 Classic Kids’ Meals with a Grown Up Twist

Collaborative Post

You might not have the best memory of school dinners, but there’s just something about classic kids’ food that’s comforting. Probably because kids’ food uses simple, straightforward ingredients, we don’t muck about with it. Warm and squidgy beans and mash just melts in your mouth, chicken nuggets come in handy bite sized pieces and jelly and ice-cream is marvellously moreish (and low-fat if you go easy on the ice-cream). It’s good food so why should it just be for kids?

Stovies-with-Beans-5702

If you’re one of those parents who feels guilty about swiping a few chips off the kids’ plates at tea time, why deprive yourself any longer? If London can have cafes selling chocolate covered cereal to adults then we can definitely learn a thing or two from classic kids’ meals.  Check out these ideas for a grown up twist on the mini meals.

Homemade beans on toast

Did you see Dragon’s Den earlier this year when an entrepreneur secured investment for his grown-up baked beans company? If this is a sign of times to come then it’s time to jump on the bandwagon now and they are not as hard to make as they sound, they just take time. Regular tinned beans are usually made with haricot but pinto work well too and you can even mix in chickpeas. This is a helpful article with links to various recipes but the secret to the best grown-up baked beans has to be chorizo. Thinly sliced on top, it makes for a delicious protein packed lunch.

Fish fingers and chips

Anything with chips goes down well with children and adults alike. While a fish finger sandwich has been a common feature of many gastro-pub menus for a while now, fish fingers and chips is a crowd pleasing evening meal for the whole family. Make your own simple fish fingers by cutting boneless white fish into strips, before rolling in breadcrumbs seasoned to your taste (try oregano with a touch of salt). Bake in the oven for 20 minutes along with McCain easy oven chips and serve with salad and lemon.

Macaroni cheese

Macaroni cheese is great option for meat-free Mondays and certainly not just for kids. Try experimenting with different cheeses, for example fontina, Taleggio, Gruyere, even Camembert. Go for a Mexican inspired mac and cheese by adding diced green chillies and a teaspoon of chilli powder, or bulk up the pot with diced pumpkin – the sweet flavour goes really well with cheese.

Mediterranean Spag Bol

You can make this Spaghetti Bolognese recipe with Quorn mince as well as minced beef. Although spag bol is always a family favourite, this recipe is more suitable for adults because it’s packed with fresh tomatoes, herbs and olives. To make the sauce you need to set up a pot with tinned tomatoes, fresh sliced cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, a glug of red wine and as many black olives as you like. Cook the spaghetti al dente and finish with a shaving of Parmesan. This one is too delicious for the kids!

Apart from the beans, which you might want to leave for the weekend, all of these meals can be made in half an hour! They are also a good way of introducing children (or teens) to new ingredients like olives and stronger cheeses by presenting them to cautious foodies in a familiar way. Have a go next time you’re craving your favourite comfort food.

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Race for Life 2016 – Aberdeen – 10K – Done

Well, it came and went, and I finished it, running all the way….  For a new runner, I can’t even begin to say how chuffed I was at the finish line, although the last couple of K were quite tough for me to keep running, especially after pulling a muscle at around the 8k line.

We rocked up around 9am, to see lots of women making their way to the side of the Ice Arena, where there was a stage set up for everyone.  As usual, when I’m doing anything, there’s a complete lack of photographs to show me doing it, as my nearest and dearest aren’t the best at taking photos for me.

Race for life 2016 10k 4

I raised £262 for my run, which I was happy with, given that my circle of real life friends is pretty limited these days.  As a carer, I don’t get out terribly much any more and I really have to thank everyone who donated from the bottom of my heart.  I gave a show of strength against cancer for my mother in law, who was taken too soon, both my mother and father who are cancer survivors and my friend, who is about to start her second fight against the disease.

I’d no idea what to expect, and half thought I’d be the only old huffer on the route, but I had nothing to worry about.  I’d done some training, and although the furthest I’d gone before this was 8k, I was hoping to get to the finish in one piece.

There’s a group warm-up at the beginning, but as an older runner, and one who used to be very unfit, in hindsight, it wasn’t enough for me.   If I do this again, I’ll do my five minute walk beforehand, to ensure my leg muscles are ready for getting feet off the ground.

Race for life 2016 10k 3

Before setting off, nerves gathered in my stomach, but once we were in the starting area, they eased off as he began to hike it up the little hill from the field to the beach boulevard.  It was a fairly easy route, but I’d expected it to be completely flat, which was a little misleading, as at the Bridge of Don end of the route, it’s a slow climb back to the level and flat run for the rest of the way, right to the roundabout beside the Beach Ballroom, and back to the Bridge of Don route for a full second cycle of running.    It’s effectively 2 rounds of the 5k circuit.

Water was handed out at around the 5k mark for us, and with only around 600 entries for the 10k, our route was very pleasant indeed, after the first kilometer, when people began to find their place and the crowd opened out.  There were some cancer uk supporters helping to chivvy us along and it did raise a smile, as in general, running is quite a lonely pursuit.

Starting off, I went too fast for me, but not at all fast for many others.  I think it was the need to find a bit of space to run in, and when that happened, I settled into a steady pace, getting around half way in around 32 minutes, which is ultra good for me.  At that point, I realised I had to do it all again, so I slowed down more and took longer for the second half of my 10k.  I’m new at running, so pushing it would have been daft.

In the second half, I suspect I could have speed walked/partially run in cycles and been faster, but my goal was simple…  Just to finish and still be running, from beginning to end.  And I did it, as my show of strength against cancer.  It affects us all, so if others can go through chemo, pain, uncertainty and misery, surely I could finish a 10k, somehow!

I’ve run at the beach before, but the pavements are definitely easier to run on than the road, which has a fair few stretches of uneven tarmac.   The pavements were reserved for the general public, so running on the road it had to be.  Apparently, I ran past my family and never saw them at all.  With my headphones in and music blaring into my ears, I think I had no idea what anyone else was doing, for almost all the time.

By the end stages, I heard my app get to around 8k, and I signed in relief.  I still felt ok, and my legs were fine, then I landed awkwardly on a rough patch of tarmac and slightly pulled a muscle.  Determined to keep going, I sort of hopped for a few steps until it eased, then slackened off my pace a bit more.  Keeping my legs going was all I cared about at that point.  9k was announced in my ears, and I knew I’d finish it by still running.  It was slightly disheartening to hear 10k announced, and realise I still had to go from the roundabout to the finish line, so in total, my app told me it was 10.44km.

I was about 75-80 minutes, not counting the forgetting to switch off my app when I’d finished, and it added on a few extra minutes where I walked over to meet my sister in law who was running the 5k after me, and my boys.

Race for life 2016 10k

Race for life 2016 10k Dog Tags

I’m chuffed to bits about finishing it.  Time was never a goal for me at this point, but distance was.

ps:  Remind me never to let anyone take a picture of me mid step again!

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I cut my expensive Hoka Clifton 2 running shoes – yes I did!

Before I say any more, this isn’t sponsored.  I bought and paid for my Hoka’s, and yes, I cut them……

I know, nuts right?  Especially considering they cost me £100.  To see the slit when I’m wearing them, you have to know it’s there.  If you look closely in this pic, you can see it on the right shoe.

Hoka Clifton 2

It’s hardly noticeable at all really.  But makes a huge difference to wearing them.

Hoka Clifton 2 (e)

They’re like pillows on my feet, and running with fibro isn’t the easiest thing in the world.  I get pain, and it’s not nice pain in most shoes I’ve tried so far, and when I saw Hoka running shoes, they reminded me of my well worn Fitflop clogs for the soles.  Anything that reminds me of Fitflop soles has to be good.  Well, that’s the plan.  I wanted to hate these, so that I could find something that didn’t look so much like clown shoes, but sadly, I’ve had to become a fan, and the colours are mostly just eye wateringly offending.  These aren’t too bad, but still bright.

So, with my credit card out, I scratched my chin, and duly bought a size to match the Saucony ones I already had.  This finding the right shoe can be expensive.  After my first run in the Clifton 2, I got a blister at the ankle behind my heel with the cuff, but that sorted itself out after a couple of more sensible short runs to break them in.

Then the problem started.

My right foot felt incredibly cramped, and after a little run, my little toe was squished against the side.  My toes would start to go numb and I had to stop every five minutes to stretch my foot and ease off the numbness.  I couldn’t return them as I’d worn them outside, and I didn’t want to either, as I struggle with forefoot cushioning in my right foot, which is the foot I have the biggest problem with.

A quick search online, brought up other squished toe runners with the same issue, as Hoka shoes seem to run quite narrow for women, even many men too.  Some online people mentioned cutting a slit at the side, to give that extra couple of millimeters needed for comfort.  Specifically, I came across Stephanie, a Hoka Cutter, who’s an awesome ultra marathon runner, and her blog is quite funny too.

Who’d have thought it – me – taking a blade – as a destructive force on an item that cost over a ton…..  I’m am established Hoka cutter now too..

Slightly glowing with the thought of completely destroying something that cost so much of my hard earned dough, I tried to poke a hole with a normal kitchen paring knife.  Not to be recommended.  Almost sliced my finger off.

I duly gave up and sent the hub for his stanley knife.  Needless to say, he huffed and puffed, but finally gave in and slit around an inch, which seemed to help, then I tried a run, and found I needed another half inch at least.  I decided to widen the slit myself, but this time, lady luck wasn’t on my side, although I did manage to avoid my fingers.  The errant slit went slightly upwards into the plastic, and I spent a few minutes in frantic regret, but it’s totally relieved the pressure, although it’s a very untidy cut.  After another 30k on the shoes, the slit hasn’t widened or torn any either.

Hoka Clifton 2 (c)

Forgive the wonky slit, I’m a novice at mutilating my shoes!!!

Hoka Clifton 2 (d)

That’s if you don’t count the elasticated ballerinas that I cut the elastic on, and made them fit my feet perfectly.

The Result

  • I don’t have to spend more money on a bigger pair of Cliftons in a size that would swamp my left foot, as the Cliftons are long enough for both feet.  I will however, order men’s next time round, as women’s are a B width, and men’s are a D.  Newbie Hoka running shoe buyer mistake.
  • The toes on my right foot are doing a happy dance now they have freedom and no pressure, with no numbness.
  • I’m convincing myself that it’s impossible to spot the slit in the shoe unless you know it’s there.  Humour me on this!
  • It’s like finding the holy grail of comfort.  I don’t want to run in anything else, really, everything I try now, feels like I’ve got blocks of cement on my feet.  But.  I have a perfectly good pair of Sauconys to wear out.  They might become my walking trainers, as they’re also plush, but harder under foot than the Cliftons.
  • The bouncy pillows might slow some people down, but I’m a slow runner anyway, so comfort wins out over speed for me.  I’m a plodder.
  • I’m wearing shoes that mean people expect me to be a better runner than I am.  Laugh at me, go on, it’s ok.
  • Don’t buy shoes with the express intent of butchering them….really…..unless you’re me, and you’d do it again.
Hoka Clifton 2 (b)

When these babies wear out, I’d love to try another different pair with even more cush.  I wish Hoka would make their shoes more foot size friendly with softer uppers, but hey ho.  I’ve worked around it.  Will I always be a Hoka cutter?  Who knows, but I wish their uppers were as good as their soles…

My absolute dream shoe would be Saucony Triumph ISO2 Upper, with the Hoka Clifton 2 sole.  Wishful thinking. 🙂

 

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Charity: Are you brave enough to let your child style you for a day on 10th June 2016?

I often get asked to help publicise events for charities, and I do pick some to share with you all, especially where I think they’re relevant to much of my audience.   The UK’s largest breast cancer charity asked me to write about a new fundraising event they have coming up in a few days…

Style a Child 1

The Very First Styled By a Child Day, is on Friday 10th June 2016.  

What that means, is having some fun with your child, and letting them give you a makeover, which they’ve styled in their own taste, after rooting through your wardrobe.  And you remain like that for the day.  It could be a fun challenge for some of you.  I remember one of my boys doing my make up when he was three.  Going on the school run like that, would have raised some eyebrows, for sure.  Mine are too old for this now, but many of you might enjoy getting involved.

Style a Child 2

Why?

To raise money for Breast Cancer Now, and help fund research into the disease, to help them achieve their aim, that by 2050, nobody will die from breast cancer.

How?

Style a Child 4

Let your kids choose your clothes, accessories, and even make-up, if you’re brave enough to let them.

Family and friends, as well as relatives and neighbours might be tempted to sponsore them, in a bid to see you look silly for a day.  Who knows, your child might send you out looking like a supermodel with a ballgown for a day.

This is the first year of the event, so they’re encouraging signups for the day on 10th June.

Themes – Some Ideas from Breast Cancer Now

Fashion face off – up the style stakes and challenge your friends, family or mums on the school run to take part and see which kid-adult team can create the wildest look for the most donations. Marks out of ten, please!

Strike a pose – so we promised you’d only have to dress up for a day, but we never promised there wouldn’t be proof you’d been styled by a child! Strike a pose and ask your nearest and dearest to pay for photographic evidence… or even a profile picture.

Kid’s catwalk – invite friends and family over in their own stylish creations and strut your stuff for the kids in a living room fashion show. Fundraising never looked so good.

Relive your childhood – throw a kids party… for adults! The kids are in charge of your wardrobe, so why not let them plan the party? Swap coffee and cake for party ring biscuits, balloons and party bags.

Finger foods of fun – secretly wish your lunch box was still full of sausage rolls and strawberry jelly? Let the kids pack your lunch for a day and indulge in the lunch of your youth, guilt-free! Then donate the money you would have spent on your grown-up lunch.

Do a dare – why should the kids have all the fun? Adults can get silly too by making a list of (very) public places to send you in the outfit… Whether it’s the local shop, the office or even your favourite restaurant, prepare to be dared!

Dare to let the kids choose what you wear? The challenge is simple: for one day only, the kids are in charge of your wardrobe.

Whether you’re a model mum, designer dad, a gran that can or an auntie with attitude, sign-up to look funny for money and help fund research that will save lives.

For more information or to sign up for Styled by a Child visit – http://breastcancernow.org/styled

Social Media

Support Styled By a Child on social media, encouraging everybody to get #StyledbyaChild – tag @bcnow_scotland on Twitter.

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Recipe: High Protein Frozen Mango Yoghurt

This is something I tend to make quite frequently, with differing amounts of fruit, to change the taste.  I’ll add others as I get time to.  I quite often forget to take pictures, which I should get better at.  It’s fab for adding protein, especially where it’s missing in anyone’s diet.  I can’t persuade my mother to eat meat now, unless it’s cold, and I’m hoping to find a version of this that she’ll eat, but I’m not there yet.  #fussyelder

Two of my boys love this style of dessert, especially if I add a few sprinkles on the top, like this one, or some chocolate shavings, or mix a little fresh cream through it before serving.    This recipe could easily be split into two, as it’s rather a large serving.  I often have something like this for breakfast or lunch.

Cut the carbs by using berries.

Mango Frozen Yoghurt Main

Lesley Smith

High Protein Frozen Mango Yoghurt

My preference is for Skyr, because of the silkier taste but today, I had Fage, Total 0% in the fridge, which has similar properties in the plain, with slightly different protein amounts from Skyr.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 1
Course: High Protein
Cuisine: Dessert
Calories: 195
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 170 g Fage Total O% Yoghurt see summary above
  • 150 g Mango chopped.

Method
 

  1. Take one or two chunks of your mango and keep it to one side. Add the rest to a blender, with the yoghurt, and blend until it reaches a consistency you like. I prefer mine not to be completely smooth, but we all have different preferences.

  2. Add the mixture to an ice cream maker if you have one (and use it) or if you're like me today, I popped it into a freezer proof plastic tub and let it chill for an hour, then took it out and stirred it before putting it back.

  3. I like to leave mine for around 4 hours, then stir briskly, before it's totally set. I like that consistency. If I make for the kids, I'd add a touch of cream at this stage and mix it in well, then pop it back for another hour. The larger portion you make, the longer it will need to be in the freezer for.

  4. Use the mango set aside to decorate the top, and add sprinkles for some lovely colour, or to make the dessert look impressive on the table.

 

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Is taking your children on holiday during term time acceptable?

Sponsored Guest Post, by Michael Todt of Lending Works

It’s the subject of hot debate at the moment – should parents be allowed to take their children on holiday during term time? Given the prohibitive costs of travel and accommodation, there will no doubt be many families weighing up the cost of the £60 statutory fine against the premium of going away during school holidays, which can sometimes be as much as 115 per cent. It can thus be a big money-saver, depending on the itinerary, destination and length of the trip – which is why tens of thousands of families willingly absorb the penalty.

Of course, the goal posts have now shifted completely with the recent High Court ruling which went in favour of a father who refused to pay his fine. The man, who lives on the Isle of Wight, was a former law student, and argued that even with the six days his daughter missed, she still had sufficient or ‘regular’ attendance to meet the minimum requirement implied by the Education Act.

A game changer?

Some have hailed it as a breakthrough and a precedent for other parents to exploit. However, it’s important to note that judges who cleared him of his fine still haven’t laid out a clear definition or minimum of what ‘regular attendance’ actually is, so it would be wrong to assume that holidaying during term time won’t result in a fine in a general sense.

It’s a thorny issue, and people argue strongly on both sides. Certainly, I’m a big believer in the importance of school attendance, but it’s easy to understand the other side of the argument whereby certain families simply can’t afford to go away during school holidays, or even get leave from work during that time.

The value of family holidays

outdoorkids4

What is certain is the very importance of holidays themselves, and it’s good to see that there is at least some sort of fightback against the rising costs families are facing. I found it shocking that nearly 1.5 million families in the UK can’t even afford a single day out together, let alone a holiday which involved putting heads on different pillows in terms of accommodation elsewhere.

There are specific organisations and charities like the Family Holiday Association which help struggling families out by organising day trips and holidays. For the rest of us, an increasingly popular option is taking out a loan. Given that interest rates are now pretty low on personal loans, and they are pretty quick and easy to get, it’s not a great surprise that more than 1 in 5 Brits use some kind of finance to fund their holidays.

Of course, the important thing to establish before going down this route is whether the repayments are affordable, and that they aren’t going to apply ever-more pressure onto your household finances – otherwise the whole idea of going on holiday could prove to be self-defeating in terms of R&R!

Deciding what to do

Every family’s individual circumstances and viewpoints are different, and deciding the best course of action is very much down to personal choice. Some are starting to favour ‘staycations’ as a means of avoiding the wallet-draining costs of going abroad altogether.

Either way, as far as possible, do what you can to ensure there is at least some sort of getaway in the pipeline for the family. Holidays shouldn’t be seen as some sort of elite privilege. In the busy lives we lead, they’re a vital way of maintaining sanity, and, more importantly, a way to build lifelong memories that can mould families together. So make some plans and give yourselves something to look forward to – you all deserve it!

Disclaimer:
The Scottish Mum Blog is in no way affiliated with or to Lending Works.  Any agreement you make is between yourself and Lending Works.  The Scottish Mum Blog and authors are not responsible for any outcome, legal or otherwise, as a result of an agreement you make with Lending Works, in any form.