Author: Scottish Mum

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Preview Review: The Crackin Egg Co

They think eggs rule, and they wouldn’t be far wrong.  The Crackin Egg Co have taken the idea of hard boiling eggs and added a protective coating to lock in the goodness, and they’re ready to eat.

We tested the sour cream and chive and the salt and black pepper eggs, that are high in protein, rich in omega 3 and only 77 calories each.

the-crackin-egg-3

My first question was the one about eggs being high in cholesterol.  Thankfully, the Crackin Egg Co have an answer for that.

Yes it’s true, eggs are high in cholesterol with a medium egg containing just over half of our RDA, but it’s not all bad. We need cholesterol in our diets to help us produce the acids that help to properly digest fat and keep our cells functioning properly. Too much of anything is a bad thing, but it has been proven that eggs do not adversely affect cholesterol levels in our blood. In fact, eating eggs actually helps to raise the level of good, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and turns the bad, LDL (high-density lipoprotein) from small particles to large. This means fat is mobilised around our bodies more effectively and the bad cholesterol becomes benign. How nice of those cracking little eggs to look out for us.

Where To Keep The Eggs

These are the end of eggs that need to be kept in the fridge.  The special coating means that Crackin Eggs can be kept anywhere, as long as it’s under 20 Degrees C.

the-crackin-egg-2

How To Eat

Our eggs are simply peel and eat, so they’re perfect for lunchboxes.

Our Eggs

The kids were well impressed with my little egg cup that had my name on it.  I suspect if it was an option to buy those egg cups, there could be a nice little run on them.

the-crackin-egg

Where To Get Them

They won’t be on supermarket shelves until June 2015, so keep an eye out for these and for the bright yellow six packs of boiled eggs that would be perfect for school lunch bags.

the-crackin-egg-6-pack

Contact Crackin Eggs

On their new website, or on Twitter. @CrackinEggCo

Thanks to The Crackin Egg Co for our boiled egg samples.

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I May Be A Type 2 Diabetic

After a few weeks of checking my blood glucose levels, it turns out I may actually be diabetic.  By saying ‘may,’ I am more than likely simply underestimating the effect.  My blood sugar readings over the time I’ve pricked my fingers regularly, have been appalling.

Blood Glucose Meter

I know some of you are wondering why I even bothered checking my readings, but when you manage someone else’s diabetes, you do eventually become curious about what your own sugar levels are like.  You mostly know my mum lives with us and has dementia, but she also has diabetes, and I have to control that for her through food, insulin and her tablets.  The exercise part is out of the equation as she can barely walk these days.

My awareness of diabetes had been growing due to monitoring her levels, but one day, around the table, I checked my whole family.  My reading was enough for me to begin keeping watch on my readings, and I am now monitoring one of my children who seems to be sitting on the cusp of pre-diabetes but is still healthy and living within the limits.

There are other symptoms of possible diabetes, which meant I had ruled myself out as a candidate.  The books said that people with diabetes lose weight as they excrete the glucose through urine and not insulin helping it into the body’s cells.  For me, that means nothing.  Lose weight, that’s a laugh.  It was, however the one biggest reason that convinced me that my extreme tiredness after eating especially was more to do with my fibro or sometimes a carb coma if I ate potatoes or pasta.

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Only two of these symptoms applied to me, so I wish I had done something about them sooner.

  •  passing urine more than you used to, especially at night.
  • becoming increasingly thirsty.
  • extreme tiredness.
  • unexplained weight loss.
  • slow healing of cuts and wounds.
  • blurred vision.
  • increased or unsatiated hunger.

The Future

Whatever my results end up being, I know that from now on, I really need to be careful of what I eat and how I live my life.

I bought myself a blood sugar meter, but the meter itself wasn’t expensive, however the lancets and the test strips are quite pricey.  I believe that some areas of the UK don’t prescribe them for people who turn out to be Type 2 diabetes, which is either where I am, or where I’m headed.

In any case, testing several times a day is helping me keep an eye on which foods do what to my sugar levels and it can turn up some surprising results.  If I drink a diet fizzy drink, my sugar levels can go up as much as 1 mmol (the measurement of blood sugar in the UK.)  There may be other factors at play, but as a rule, my favourite diet fizz has to be rationed for me now.

Type 2 diabetes can come on very slowly, which mean we might not even notice the symptoms.  I suspect I have built up to this for a long time, and I might have chugged on for another few years before it became an issue at all, but thankfully, I seem to have nipped it in the bud.

Getting Tested

If you are in doubt, visit your G.P for a test, like I just did.  If it is diabetes, then early diagnosis can reduce future problems.  Your G.P is likely to start with a fasting blood sugar test which will indicate your levels where you have had no calories for 8 + hours.  If you are diabetic, your body will release glucose as a result of fasting and will result in levels over 7 mmol.

The interesting one for me has to be the increase in levels of hunger.  It’s something I’ve struggled with for a decade.  Apparently, in uncontrolled diabetes, where blood glucose levels are high, glucose from the blood cannot enter the cells, either with a lack of insulin or from insulin resistance.  What that means, is that bodies of people with uncontrolled diabetes cannot convert that food into energy.  What happens then, is that your hunger levels rise and simply eating more will not get rid of the feeling of hunger, as it will just top up the already high blood sugar.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that my sugar readings lately are just a blip, but deep down, I know there is more going on and that it’s likely I have had this for years.  Whether I sit at pre-diabetes or full diabetes is my issue, and I suspect I will need more tests, but in the meantime, I have a way of checking where I sit.  That gives me more confidence in controlling what I do in my daily life.

I am very early in this journey, but with the help of my blood sugar meter, I hope to get on top of it, but it will mean many food changes for me.

Find Out More

For more information, visit the NHS or DIABETES.co.uk.

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Looking for something to do in Scotland this weekend? Festival of Museums Events until 17th May 2015

Finding out about our own heritage and background are important to many of us Scots, and although we are taught much of it in schools, I’ve found that my own children’s experience of our local heritage is much weakened in comparison to what my generation learned as children. #FOM2015 Feather Quill Souvenir

As a family, we’ve visited several of the National Trust sites as members for a few years, but now that our boys are older, we’re limited in how often they want to come with us.  Where they haven’t lost interest is in museums, and everywhere we go, my youngest tends to drag us after him.

This weekend is a festival of Scotland’s culture, with much more besides.

#FOM2015 Horrible Histories souvenirIn a way, it’s a good kick-start to talking about our own family roots, wherever we come from.

There are events going on up and down Scotland this weekend, so head on over to the programme to find out if there’s something special for you, or even pick up a souvenir or two.

 

Fraserburgh, Museum of Scottish Lighthouses – Travel Through Time event.

Lighthouse-Museum-Dalek

My kids would have loved this when they were younger.  Actually, I’m not sure kids ever get too old for this.

If ours had all been at home this weekend, I suspect we’d have been taking a trip to Fraserburgh tomorrow afternoon.  Read what the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses has to say about their event.

Watch out for low-flying police boxes!

Our museum has been taken over by Daleks and we need your help to save the museum – and the planet – from extermination! Grab your longest scarf and come along dressed as your favourite Doctor Who character to learn some cool facts about our genuine 1970s Dalek and Doctor Who in general.

Go selfie crazy, fill our Facebook page with Dalek ‘likes’, and win a prize for the best costume! Then drift back in time, meet a lighthouse keeper in his lighthouse, and find out what it was like to live and work at Kinnaird Head. Perhaps you can offer him a sonic screwdriver to fix the light…

Other Events

The annual Festival of Muesums is a nationwide programme of cultural events taking place this weekend.

#FOM2015 A history of scotland, neil oliver

Some of those who are taking part are:

  • Glasgow – School of Art & the Glasgow Style City Walking Tour
  • Dundee – McManus Gallery – Meet a Polar Explorer
  • Edinburgh – Anatomical Museum – A Scandal in Surgeon’s Hall
  • Aberdeen – Zoology Museum

Aberdeen – Tonight – 16th May – Zoology Museum

This is in my neck of the woods.  They will celebrate all things Egyptology with real life desert animals like snakes, scorpions and meerkats.  There will be gruesome tales and the chance to be painted like a pharoah or dress like an Egyptian.

About the Festival of Museums and Museums Galleries, Scotland

Joanne Orr, the chief executive of Museums Galleries Scotland said.

‘Festival of Museums is about igniting imaginations while celebrating Scotland’s wealth of culture.  There is a packed programme this year with lots of extraordinary, surprising and exciting events over three fun-filled days.  So come and see what Scotland’s museums and galleries have in store for you.’

See The Whole Programme

Visit the festival of museums to find out more about what’s on for the rest of this weekend.

Dinosaur Skeleton Souvenir

About the Museums Galleries, Scotland

The museums Galleries, Scotland, are the National Development Body for Scotland’s museums and galleries.  The festival is aimed at all ages and interests, to showcase Scotland’s wide culture.   To find out more, visit their website at www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/about-us

Thank you to the Festival of Museums for the lovely Books and small gifts used as images in this post.

 

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5 Things For Grownups To Do In The Evenings

The days are getting longer and the evenings are lighter, but not yet terribly warm.  With the May holiday weekend on our doorstep, I know that many of us wonder what we can do in the evenings when we’ve put our kids to bed.  Before my blogging days, I used to find the evenings quite frustrating, either spending them reading or watching TV, then suddenly, my evening became awash with new people and friends on the Internet and lots of things to occupy my time.

Having a reasonable Internet connection does make a difference to anything we do, and although ours is not good by today’s standards, it’s positively lightening in comparison to the dial up I had to suffer just a few years ago.  Perhaps, one day, superfast will make it around here.

With kids, we usually end up stuck to the house, unless we can find good babysitters, or a willing relative or two, but it’s just not that easy to sort out, especially at short notice.

I’ve had a look around the Internet for things that look interesting and fun, as an alternative to reading and watching TV.

1 – Scrapbooking

I know some of my readers are well into scrapbooking and it’s something we’ve only just begun to do.  For us, it’s more usually called an adoption story book, but it’s scrapbooking all the same, where we plan to end up with a pictoral trail of my kids journey through life, from birth and adoption, right through to adulthood.  My boys aren’t exactly the most interested in preparing things, so I do plan to get all the pictures and information together so that they can decide for themselves how to put it into simple formats.

Scrapbooking

There are plenty of online websites dedicated to scrapbooking and tips to do it well, so it’s easy enough to find good information to get started.  You don’t need to spend a fortune either, as images glued to sheets of paper put into a plastic wallet does fine on a budget.

2 – Start Your Own Blog

Have you ever fancied trying your hand at blogging?  If you have, you’ve nothing to lose by giving it a go.  We were all new at one point and we all started out with zero readers or followers.  It takes time to build up an audience and most of my readers come through search engines these days, but I do have a nice group of loyal followers who’ve stuck with me over the years.  I love having them around and as a busy sandwich carer of children and elders with dementia, it’s often a lifeline that has kept me sane.

If you want to blog, pick what your favourite thing is.  You might be in the throws of parenting, you might like food, you might even get an interest in scrapbooking and take it further.  Whatever you choose to start off with, make it something you enjoy, so that you can sustain it over the long term.  Your blog will grow and evolve over time.  There are free options on WordPress and Blogger, so you can start off on the cheap while you decide if blogging is for you.  If you’re sure, and you want to fully own and control your content, then simply buy a domain and some webspace and install your chosen blogging software.

3 – Make Christmas Presents

Yes, I really did mention the C word so early in the year.  To make your presents takes time, and you could always use make birthday presents too. We tend to make most of the presents we give to other people at Christmas time, especially for teachers as it saves me a fortune and they appreciate getting something made specifically for them.

The gifts  might not be perfect, but they mean something to the people receiving them.

Pendants Pink and Purple

Last years presents were mainly jewellery for friends, family and teachers.  We made them from resin and used leather and silver as chains for most pendants made for family, with cheaper options for teachers.  You can find out how we made them here.

4 – Make Your Own Games or Crafts

The options are endless with this.  We can make our own versions of most games, but some that I do quite like are the DIY instructions for nifty things on one of the bigger bingo sites.

Bingo Ball

Known as bingo crafts, these are really easy to do at home.  With some glitter, glue and buttons, you can make some lovely items.  They’re easy and fun to do, from Bingo Ball Jewellery, a Bingo Snow Globe, Personalised Bingo Cards, or even make a Bingo Hamper for picnics.

5 – Get Meal Planning

Seriously..  This is one activity that I really need to get to grips with.  I know it can save money by not having waste food in the house and you have the benefit of knowing exactly what you want to order from the shops every week.  We’d all like to spend less money at the tills, and planning is one of the few ways to do this sensibly.

Netmums have some great meal planning downloads, including a six week meal planner you can download and use at home. I’ve just finally downloaded mine, so I need to be moving with this.  One of my goals this year is to reduce my monthly food spending by around £50.  I am hoping that meal planning will see me though with it.

This is a sponsored post.

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10 Dishes To Make With Oatmeal

Let’s face it.  On its own, oatmeal just isn’ t seen as sexy enough for breakfast, but if you really and truly do think that, then you’re missing out on a fabulous food to start the day, and much more besides.  There’s more to oatmeal than just porridge, although porridge is a fine meal in a bowl.

Porridge and Strawberries

I’ve had a scour round the internet for some of my favourite oatmeal recipes, and new ones I’d like to try.

Hamlyn’s very kindly sent me some of their goodies, and I need to get cooking some lovely dishes.  They’ve been making Scottish porridge since 1888, and are pretty well known in my neck of the woods as a go to brand.  The oats are grown and milled in Scotland and recently added sachets and porridge pots to their range of products.  Check them out here.

 

Dishes To Make With Oatmeal

1 – Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

This looks amazing with a lovely deep pink colour with bananas, strawberries and oats.  I wouldn’t use the sugar in this recipe, but I suspect I’ll be trying a form of this quite soon.

2 – Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal from Annie’s Eats

I absolutely love apple and cinnamon together, both as scents for my house, and food to eat.  I don’t yet know what this would taste like, but I’d love to try it.

3 – Boyndie Broth – Oatmeal Soup

A Hamlyn’s recipe and knowing my perchant for soups, it’s one that I’ll very likely try a few versions of.  They say it is a “very economical, velvety and elegant soup which is quickly and easily prepared. The addition of good undyed smoked haddock or smoked salmon makes a good alternative to Cullen Skink.”

4 – My Own Traditional Scottish Oatcakes

5 – Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by Simply Recipes

I think everyone’s grandmother around here used to make cookies or biscuits like these.  I do have to admit to letting my kids lick the bowl though.

6 – Skirlie (Oatmeal Stuffing)

This is a lovely simple recipe and is exactly how I make mine.

7 – My Rhubarb Crumble

Rhubarb Crumble a

 8 – Oatmeal Bread

I wouldn’t have thought of using oatmeal in my bread, so finding this recipe was quite nice.

9 – Chai Oatmeal

A creamy bowl of goodness with coriander, cinnamon and turmeric.

10 – Cuban Style Oatmeal

Blackbeans, green peppers, onions, cumin and more.  A new twist for a full meal.  I’d be temped to add chicken to this.

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Review: Wicked On Tour – Aberdeen until 30th May 2015 #wickedontour #wickeduk #HMT

When our family rocked up to watch the Wicked musical at His Majesty’s Theatre (HMT) in Aberdeen, I wondered if I was the only person in the world who had no idea what would happen.

Voices in the lounge chatted over the bits they liked best and who their favourite characters were.  One lady had even seen it somewhere like Australia I think.

Anyway, when it began, I was actually very pleasantly surprised.

If you don’t know the story, it’s about the ‘prequel’ story of two witches.  The Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West who become unlikely friends.  Obviously, it helps if you know a little about the Wizard of Oz, so that you ‘get’ the little references splattered through, but it does stand alone with a very surprising ending. 🙂

Wicked UK Tour_Emily Tierney and Aashleigh Gray_Photo Matt Crockett_0766_RT

Emily Tierney, the actress playing Glinda was really very funny with her cute and dippy role, playing the ultra popular and chic good witch with impeccable taste in fashion.

The stand out performance for me was Ashleigh Gray, a fellow Scot, who plays the believably geeky and very green Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz).  When she sang ‘Defying Gravity,’ I had goosebumps, prickles and shivers down my spine.  It was that good.  Elphaba was the perfectly dour and distrusting opposite of the bubbly Glinda, and it was amazing how well they acted together.

Wicked UK Tour_Ashleigh Gray (Elphaba)_Photo Matt Crockett_0880_sm_RT

The supporting cast was fantastic, and like the true professionals they are, when there was a wee blip with a bed failing to wheel out for one scene, the two witches improvised so beautifully that I missed it all completely until my husband mentioned it afterwards.

Wicked UK & Ireland Tour_Credit Matt Crockett_5046_Kickline

I also have to mention Carina Gillespie who plays Nessarose for her voice, as singing so well from a seated position must be incredibly difficult, yet she managed to stun with comfortable ease.

At first, I thought it would appeal to girls more than boys as it certainly had a lot of girlie scenes, but there were plenty of boys in the audience who all seemed to enjoy the show.  My youngest came out of there wanting to be the leading man Fiyero, played by Samuel Edwards.

Have a wee peek at the official UK Tour trailer.

The musical has been running for around a decade and a slew of awards world-wide.

The story starts with the two future witches meeting at sorcery school, with lots of opportunities for amazing costumes, lights and staging.  I’m told that it’s a massive production and that we get the full west end effect that rarely happens with touring productions.  It showed.  Glittering, dazzling and absolutely mesmerising.

From where I sat in the stalls, there was a standing ovation from many in the audience for the performance.  I do have to say that it’s one of very few shows I have ever been to where that’s happened.

To sum it all up, all I can say is “Toss, Toss.’  If you want to know what that means, I’m afraid you’re going to have to go and see it for yourself 🙂

When

It’s on at HMT in Aberdeen until 30th May 2015.
Details are here.
Recommended for ages 7+.

Where Does The Tour Go Next

If you want to find out more about Wicked On Tour, visit the website for other venues and dates.

Twitter

Use the hashtags #WickedOnTour or #WickedUK to find out more, or sneak a peek on their Twitter account, @WickedUK
For the Aberdeen Box Office, @apawhatson

I am really pleased we managed to see the show, and would like to thank the Wicked on Tour team for providing us the opportunity to be there.

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5 Minute Meal: Prawn Cocktail With Apple and Cucumber

It doesn’t look the most appetising in the image.

This was thrown together quickly for my mother’s lunch today, and I forgot to pop a little something on the top.  Anyway, she was in a hurry with an empty stomach so it was a quick snap before dumping it onto the table and letting her dig in.  I don’t get the prawn cocktail as a starter thing.  By the time I eat any prawn cocktail, I’m in no position to eat a main course.

Personally, I’d prefer my sauce laid on top of the lettuce and the prawns laid on top of that and not mixed in, but that’s not the way she likes it.  Fresh prawns can be used straight away but frozen ones will need to be thoroughly defrosted first.

Boiled Prawns
Getting vegetables into my elder is almost as difficult as with my children, so I have some chopped up pieces of apple mixed in with the prawns, though they are not actually visible in the image.  A little lemon juice, some tomatoes and cucumber along with the lettuce and she was fed in five minutes flat.

That’s the kind of fresh but quick meal I like.  Faster than fast food!

Prawn Cocktail

Lesley Smith

Prawn Cocktail With Apple & Cucumber

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Appetiser
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g Boiled Prawns - Defrosted if not fresh.
  • 1 Apple - Peeled Cored and Diced
  • 16 Baby Tomatoes
  • 1 Lettuce
  • 1 Cucumber
  • For The Sauce
  • 5 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon Good Tomato Ketchup Not the Vinegary Kind
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Method
 

  1. Shred or place your lettuce in the bottom of your bowls.
  2. Place tomatoes and cucumber in the bowl, along with your apple pieces.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix your sauce ingredients together.
  4. Choose to either layer your sauce above the vegetables and place the prawns on top, or mix the sauce in with the prawn to add to the bowl.

 

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Soup Maker Recipe: Leek, Potato and Garlic Soup

This is my mum’s favourite recipe. She’s not usually keen on garlic, so it was a bit of a surprise to find that she likes this. I make it often and freeze some for her lunches.

Leek Potato and Garlic Soup

Lesley Smith

Soup Maker Recipe: Leek, Potato and Garlic Soup

5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Servings: 4 - 6 Bowls
Course: Soup Maker Recipe
Cuisine: Soup
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g Potatoes Chopped
  • 350 g Leeks Chopped
  • 100 g Onion Finely Chopped
  • 2 Cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
  • 800 ml Chicken or Vegetable Stock or up to the max on your soupmaker
  • 1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Parsley

Method
 

  1. Saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, until the onions are soft.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Stir Well.
  4. Choose the smooth setting.
  5. When the soup is ready, stir through the finely chopped parsley.

 

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Actifry Recipe: Fried Garlic Mushrooms

This is so simple in an Actifry that it’s shameful, well fast and easy anyway with no burning from this end either.

Actifry Recipe - Garlic Mushrooms

Lesley Smith

Actifry Recipe: Garlic Mushrooms

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Actifry Recipe
Cuisine: Accompaniments
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g Mushrooms Washed, Chopped and Dried
  • 2 Teaspoons Rapeseed Oil
  • 1 Clove of Garlic Chopped

Method
 

  1. Pop your washed, chopped and dried mushrooms and garlic into the fryer.
  2. Add your Rapeseed oil.
  3. Select 10 Minutes.
  4. Enjoy.

 

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Is Your Blog Mobile Friendly?

You might or might not have seen the news about Google changing the algorithm to add mobile friendliness to the mix.

Some won’t care, but for most of us, where we land in the search rankings tends to make a difference in how many visitors the great Google sends along to us through natural search terms.

Search terms are what people use to find content they want to read.  If those words come up in a post, then you can easily find yourself on page 1 of Google for those particular words, but the new changes coming into force this week means that if your website isn’t already mobile friendly, ie, if it doesn’t read well on mobile devices, then you could find your website suddenly plummeting down the search engine rankings pages.

Most of us bloggers already know that Google Page Rank will never be updated again (unless Google has a change of heart) so making sure your content is mobile ready is pretty important nowadays.  None of us want to be sent into obscurity for the lack of responsive pages.

Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?

You can find out if your website is Google friendly by checking this link to the Google Mobile Friendly Test.  This is what you want to see, with the text showing that your site is awesome for being mobile friendly.

Google Moibile Responsive

Being mobile friendly is more important than simply the Google recommendations, it’s a way that very large proportions of people now access online content.  You want to make sure they can access yours properly, which includes being able to read the size of text on their screens.

It’s a good idea to check yourself.  A quick look on your Apple iPhone, iPad, or Android Samsung Galaxy, Note, or whatever phone you do have, might give you a good idea of what other people find if they’re taken to your website by a search engine.

Look carefully for whether your text is readable or not and if your website resizes with the different sizes of gadgets that people use.

How Many People Read Your Website Using Google Analytics

If you use Google Analytics, you can go to your dashboard to find out just how many people access your content using mobile devices.  It’s worth looking at.  The simply truth is that from today, if your site doesn’t have mobile optimization, then you’ll lose readers and page views.

You’ll get an idea there about how many people read your website by using mobile devices, but it is worth remembering that if your reader count is low for mobile devices, it could simply be because your website isn’t actually mobile responsive yet and you’re losing potential readers.

Make Website Responsive Suggestions

  • On WordPress, it’s easy if you don’t have a mobile responsive theme already.  You can use the Jetpack plugin and activate mobile responsive in the options.  This option is quick, but you will have the same styling and format as every other blog or website out there that uses this option to go mobile friendly.  It’s not the best idea for being an individual in a crowded webspace, but it does work instantly.
  • Choose a theme that is already mobile responsive.
  • Create a mobile specific website for your website.
  • Have a developer create a responsive theme for you.

Gary Schwartz says that as our pages go mobile friendly, they’ll be recognised by Google when they pick up on it, so if you’re struggling to find a way round it, going page by page is an option.

The easiest way is to use your blog platform options if you’re desperate, but in reality, the best way to have your own individual styling on mobile pages is to have a theme that is already mobile optimized.

Good luck and I hope you’re all mobile friendly going forward.

 

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Quick and Easy Cake

Ok, this doesn’t look the prettiest or the nicest and it would certainly be a bit of an embarrassment for proper foodie enthusiasts who spend hours and hours moulding and modelling their cakes.  I really don’t have time for that kind of cooking so mine is always pretty quick and easy.

Cake 2

This came from the kids wanting something sweet when the cupboards were empty of any treaty stuff altogether.

I have to admit to using a basic sponge cake recipe and simply adding a teaspoon of vanilla to spice up the flavour.  I had to use plain flour as I was out of self-raising and also dumped in a teaspoon of baking powder to make it rise.

The topping is simply a spray can of cupcake icing.  I know, I hear some of you groan with the complete frivolity of it, but it was in the cupboard, just staring at me.  The red balls are just regular old sugar balls and the filling is 400ml of long life double cream that was in the cupboard as a standby and whipped.

Cake 4

Cake

The basic sponge cake is below, but make it minus the buttercream icing and jam for this version.  See what you can make if you don’t have much in the cupboard.

Instead of buttercream and icing, this recipe uses.

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
  • 400ml Double Cream
  • Frosting/Icing
  • Sprinkles

Lesley Smith

Basic Sponge Cake

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Baking
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g Caster Sugar
  • 250 g Butter
  • 250 g Self-Raising Flour
  • 4 Eggs
  • Icing Sugar For Butter Icing
  • Butter For Butter Icing

Method
 

  1. Mix sugar and butter together in a mixer or a bowl until smooth.
  2. Add in the eggs and again mix until smooth.
  3. The final step is simply to fold in the flour until fully mixed through and you've added air with the folding.
  4. Cook in a moderate oven around 160 - 170. You can split the mixture into two tins which should cook in around 35 minutes, but it will take longer if you use one tin and slice the cake as I do. My last cake took nearly 50 minutes to be fully ready and I reduced the heat a little. I use a skewer to pierce the cake and if it comes out clean, I know it's ready. I use cake release spray on my tins, but a good old spread of butter will also help to turn out your sponge once it's cooked.
  5. I slice my cake into two portions, allow them to cool and then fill with butter icing.
  6. I judge butter icing by eye. I put approximately half a block of soft butter into a bowl and then just add icing sugar in small amounts until it reaches the thickness and consistency that I am after. Spreading the icing sugar on finishes the simple cake and then just sprinkle a dusting of icing sugar over the top.
  7. Serve with fruit coulis or sauce.

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Win a Luxury Hamper worth around £200 from Hamlyn’s Oats. Ends 04 May 2015.

Hamlyns of Scotland brand of porridge oats is 50 years old this year.  Their porridge oats and oatmeal are well known around these parts up in Aberdeen as one of the go to brands.

I don’t remember a time in my life when Hamlyns products weren’t on shop shelves, so for me, it’s one of those essential things that tends to get bought regularly.

Hamlyns have offered a gorgeous hamper for one of my readers, which included a Sophie Conran for Portmeirion white china breakfast set for two, a Hamlyns teddy and apron, a hand-turned wooden spurte and the whole range of Hamlyns traditional and instant porridges.

It’s a hamper that anyone would love to own.  It’s worth around £200, and is an ideal way to get to know how versatile oats really are.

Hamlyn's Hamper 650

They’ve also just hooked themselves up on Twitter @hamlynsoats so they’d love to see more of you over there.

When it comes to oatmeal, I tend to be a straight up buy the oats girl, usually pinhead for making oatcakes, or medium for our porridge, although I know many people who prefer a rougher grade for their breakfast dish.

Oatmeal isn’t limited to porridge and oatcakes though.  Up here in Scotland, we made puddings with it, often Cranachan, make skirlie to go with our mince and tatties, and even bake it into cakes. It’s really a much more versatile ingredient that most people tend to realise.

The Giveaway

Hamlyn's Hamper 255

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Rules

– Open to UK Mainland Entrants only.

– 1 Winner will win one hamper from Hamlyn’s, up to the value of £200.
– The hamper will be sent directly from Hamlyn’s to the winner.
– The Scottish Mum Blog is not responsible for your prize and cannot be held liable in any way for non delivery or non receipt at your end.
– Winners will be notified within 2 days of giveaway end. If the winner does not respond within 3 days, a new winner may be drawn.
– The winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter random generator.
– Scottish Mum Blog and Hamlyn’s of Scotland reserve the right to amend, add or withdraw this giveaway at any time.
– Each entry method entitles you to one entry into the draw.
– Closes 04th May 2015 at midnight.