Author: Scottish Mum

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What’s The Alternative to Vet Prescription Charges?

Looking at the receipt from the vet nearly made my eyes water.  They prescribed 5ml of drops for my old girl for possible glaucoma today, at a price of £51.02 for the meds.  I pretty much choked, said that the dog would have to get put down at this rate as I wasn’t willing to get into debt for her monthly drugs.

I know, pouting doesn’t suit anyone over the age of 8 – I sounded ridiculous.

I paid the extortionate fee and fumed while I waited to pick up a child.  I checked the Internet to see if there was a human version and thankfully the same drug is used for humans.  That meant a phone call to my local pharmacy.  They charge £11.45 on a private prescription for it.

So – £8.50 for the prescription and £11.45 for the drops (the chemist make a profit at this rate remember.)

A total of £19.95 from the chemist over the road from the vet.

The vet wanted £51.02, so that’s a whopping £31.07 more than the local chemist.

So, breaking it down, the vet wanted £31.07 pure profit + the £8.50 script and say £3 for the profit the chemist would have made.  I know it’s probably more, but it’s a conservative estimate.

In total, off a teensy bottle of drops, the vet wanted to pocket £42.57 at least.  Probably slightly more.  That doesn’t even count the £26 for a consultation to get the drops in the first place.

It’s daylight robbery.

Vet Prescription 1

I looked at Lloyds online and they were even cheaper for it at £7.85 so I would probably go that route if this ends up a  long-term prescription.    And at £7.85, Lloyds make a PROFIT.

If these figures aren’t making you sit up and take a look at your pets meds, they should.  Most medicines won’t be so over inflated as these drops, but you could save a pretty penny over a year if your animals are on long term scripts.

I’ve heard people saying vets have to pay more to get them in, but I don’t believe that.  A large vet won’t be charged more than a dispensing pharmacy for animals than they would be for humans, or they should be telling people to go and get their scripts filled elsewhere to allow the animals to get the treatment they deserve.

No wonder so many animals are going without treatment.  If people don’t realise they can ask for the human version where possible, they are being fleeced right royally.   It’s not fair and it’s not right.  It’s also not usually the fault of the vet we see in practice as they normally are just charging what they’re told to charge, but if we don’t talk with our wallets, they’ll just keep on overcharging us.

If the vet prescribes you something for your animals, check it out before paying.  My vet had the good grace to refund me the £51.02 and give me a script that I could walk across the road and get filled.  Talking to the pharmacist, she is surprised that  they don’t get more prescriptions from people going to the vets, given that there are 2 vets within a short distance,.  I would imagine most people are like I was and don’t realise that many pet prescriptions can be filled at a chemist or online human or animal pharmacy for much cheaper than we pay at the vets.

For the next script, if she needs more, I will ask for a few months on one script so that it works out even cheaper.

We all need to get smart with our pets meds.

pocolo

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How to make a quick uncooked strawberry sorbet with stevia.

A sorbet recipe gives a lovely and light ice cream substitute and doesn’t show that it only a blend of strawberries and sugar or sweetner.   I believe they used to be used to cleanse the palate between courses in earlier centuries, but sorbet now tends to be used in place of ice-cream, or as a gorgeously light and tasty alternative on a hot day to cool us down.

To make them, it just involves freezing fruit, water, sugar and on occasion lemon juice to help it keep for longer.   Recipes tend to recommend frozen strawberries, but I prefer mine fresh as the sweetner takes care of any lack of sweetness in them.

Strawberries

I decided to give my new stevia sweetner a try out in this version as I wanted the calories to come only from the strawberries themselves.  Stevia is quite expensive so it’s something we have to think about carefully before adding to our food as a cooking ingredient.  I used an ice-cream maker and the consistency was perfect for us.

When you freeze this, it will take a while but because the sugar isn’t cooked, the consistency if it is frozen too long or overnight will be like an ice pole with the water content forming larger crystals.   If you are using it after a long time in the freezer, take it out so that it can defrost enough to be pliable.  If you want a smoother, creamier version of sorbet, you will need to cook the sweetner into a syrup, but this did the trick for me.  It all depends how you like your sorbet.

Lesley S Smith

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe with Stevia Instead of Sugar (Simple, Uncooked Version)

If you add an egg white, the sorbet will be slightly creamier. I prefer the slushy strawberry ice without the egg.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 - 8
Course: Appetizer
Calories: 31000
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 heaped tablespoons Stevia I used Tesco Sweet
  • 750 g Strawberries Hulled
  • 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 150 ml Water
  • 2 tablespoons Vodka/Wine or Gin Optional

Method
 

  1. I used the very fine stevia which didn't need heating up, but if you use the granulated kind you would need to melt the sugar in the water and bubble it for a few minutes and then leave it to cool down.



  2. With the fine stevia, I added it with the water and lime juice to the strawberries which were pureed. Mix it up in a blender for several minutes until you have a smooth mix. Some might prefer it to be put through a sieve at this point, but I just use mine as it comes out of the blender.

  3. You can taste the mix here to see if it is sweet enough for you. If it isn't sweet enough, simply add a little more stevia, whizz it around for a while, then taste once again.



  4. Chill the pureed mix in the fridge for an hour and put it in the ice-cream maker for 20 - 30 minutes, or until it turns to a thickening slushy consistency.

  5. Simply add it to a container and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving.



  6. If you make it without an ice cream maker, put your mix into a container and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours, then take it out and put it back into the blender to whizz it up again. Then simply put it back into it's container and to the freezer once again for another couple of hours.

 

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Sneaky Pamper Days: Canine Hydrotherapy

What’s that’s I hear you ask.   Canine hydrotherapy???  Well, it isn’t for me, nor for the kids, but my old and blind lab still has a huge passion for life and still wants and needs exercise, lots of cuddles and some fun to go with it.  She deserves a little pampering in her old age.

Hydrotherapy 2

Her favourite activity used to be splashing around in water and swimming whenever she got a chance.  She is very wary of water now as she can’t see the shore and tends just to paddle close with the lead on to guide her back in.  She no longer runs as she can’t see where she’s going, so I looked around for a way to get her a swim sometimes.

I was a bit wary of taking her to a hydrotherapy centre as I’d not heard any reviews, good or bad about them, and there seemed to be plenty videos on YouTube that looked as if it was a good thing for elderly or infirm animals.  They swim in the warm water and so are not given such a shock at being in the pool.  I really just wanted it to get her in the water, but they are doing a programme to strengthen her legs and she now looks better than she’s looked in a few years.

It was with a little trepidation that I took her to try it out.  She was very nervous of the scales so we agreed to leave those until the end.  When it’s time to go now, she tries to knock me down to get into the car to go there, and then her legs do the Elvis shake until she gets into the pool for that swim.

They are really good with her and for her first session, there were 4 of them around the pool calling encouragement, help and praise all the way around.  Now she is used to it and knows where to find the ramp, she often chooses to just ignore it and keep going around and around.  They sometimes put the jets on and she tries to find them.  I think the noise reminds her of rivers with running water and she seems to like that.

Hydrotherapy 3

The best bit for her is the spa at the end where her old bones get a well deserved massage, then an quick shampoo and blow dry.

Hydrotherapy

I do find it a bit pricey so I think it’ll be limited to once a fortnight or less going forward, but her legs are moving in her sleep again as her dreams are obviously happier now and she’s happier in herself for getting a swim.  Who said blind dogs shouldn’t go and do things.

Here is her in action on her first visit when there were plenty staff round the pool giving her encouragement.

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Review: Tea, Powercuts and 1940’s Musicals

I was brought up on cups of tea from my grandmother while the snow trickled down outside and power cuts ruled, or on other days we watched 1940 movies on the TV. I can imagine that those occasions happened very much less often than I remember them, but as in the way of memories, we cherry pick the ones that mean the most to us for whatever reason.

I’ve never really understood putting in milk before the hot water in either tea or coffee and I can’t see the fascination for the American version of Iced Tea.

To me, tea should be hot and with plenty of flavour. Fond memories of dunking digestives and adding the milk in breakfast tea AFTER the tea is masked in a giant teapot was the preference in our house.

Tea India offered some lovely teas to try and although I’ve not been much of a tea Jeannie recently, I did used to really enjoy a cuppa. I thought it would be a good idea to get some in for summer as tea always sounds and feels much lighter than coffee on hot days.

Tea India 3

Although Tea India is a new tea, they have three authentic Chais and a black tea blend, created with more than 70 years of blending experience to get to this point.

Tea connoisseurs will certainly enjoy these and Chai blends tend to be exotic and aromatic for an unusual alternative to the teas we usually have in our cupboards.

There is a Facebook promotion, You & I and a Cup of Chai, which gives you the chance to try a selection of the Tea India blends for free. You will receive the award-winning Black Tea, Masala Chai, Cardamom Chai and Vanilla Chai. If you want to try it for yourself, go to Facebook to enter your details.

Tea India 1
My big box is black tea which goes down well on all occasions.

Tea India 6

The one I really wanted to try was the Masala Chai, which describes itself as spicy, warming and reviving. Containing black tea, ginger root, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves and star anise, it seems a great tea for a cold dreich day up here in Aberdeen.

I could really taste the cinnamon and as a cinnamon fan, that went down a treat. I could actually imagine the Masala Chai getting a little addictive around here.

There are also:

Vanilla Chai

Comforting, light blend of the finest teas with sweet spices of cinnamon, cardamom and natural vanilla flavouring offers the perfect balance of sweetness and spice, ideal as a delicious evening treat or afternoon pick-me-up.

Cardamom Chai

For a truly distinctive tea experience, Tea India’s Cardamom Chai blends premium tea leaves with exotic, aromatic cardamom. An authentic Indian ingredient, used in many traditional sweet and savoury dishes and to flavour hot drinks, cardamom seeds are often seen as a symbol of hospitality. In true Indian tradition, this invigorating blend is a real treat for the senses and will put a spring in any tea lover’s step!

Black Tea

This 100 per cent black tea has a high Assam content for a robust, golden flavour. Tea India’s signature blend, it has been sourced by the master blender, who grew up in Assam, north-east India. His innate knowledge of creating the perfect blend, using only the top two leaves and the bud of the Assam tea bush when the tea is at its freshest, ensures a superior cup of reviving tea every time.

All Tea India blends are ethically sourced based on the Ethical Trade Initiative.

Tea India 4

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How to Cook Quails Eggs: Hard and Soft Boiled

Quails eggs are easier to cook than we think, and because they are so small, the cook very fast.  They make the perfect sized eggs to go with salads and side dishes and taste creamy and light.

Lesley Smith

Quails Eggs – Soft and Hard Boiled

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Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Course: Snack
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Quails Eggs
  • Boiling Water

Method
 

  1. For Hard Boiled Quails Eggs: Place Quails Eggs in boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold tap and peel off shells to serve.
  2. For Soft Boiled Quails Eggs: Place Quails Eggs in boiling water for 2.5 - 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold tap, and peel off shells to serve.

Notes

Don't overcrowd the pan, though 12 quail eggs will happily sit on a medium sized pan with enough water to cover all the eggs.    Make sure your eggs go into boiling water and a slotted spoon is best for putting them in and taking them out with the least damage to the eggs.
Cool the eggs down under water to be able to peel the shells off.  The shells can be tricky to remove, so take your time with them.

 

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Fresh Home Made Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

When I walked into Lidl and spotted their ice-cream maker, I did think about it.  I’ve had ones before that people have given me as presents, but usually such a faff to use that I end up just passing them off to other people. This one was electric and after the huge success I had with their slow cooker, it wasn’t such a thought to buy another machine from them.

The bowl should go into the freezer for 24 hours before, but I got away with putting mine in the freezer and putting on the super freeze function.  It says to put the mix when made up into the fridge for 4 hours too, but if all the ingredients come straight from the fridge, I don’t see the need to do that apart from keeping it to have the ice cream completely freshly made for an evening meal.

If you do buy one, don’t do what I did and put your ice cream back in the freezer while it’s still in the machine bowl, or if you do, use a soft scraper for the sides as I put mine in our freezer and scraped the side of mine with the ice cream scoop.  I used a three yolk mix but it was too much.  The 2 yolk mix is definitely enough for the 1 litre tub the maker comes with.

It was delicious and absolutely zero nasties or unpronouncable ingredients in it.

Fresh Home Made Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

This recipe is adapted from the Silvercrest Ice Cream Maker Recipe Handbook.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Egg yolks
  • 7 fl oz Low Fat Milk I used semi-skimmed.
  • 7 fl oz Whipping Cream I used double cream and whipped it.
  • 1.5 oz Icing Sugar
  • 300 gg Strawberries

Method
 

  1. The egg yolk and icing sugar needs to be mixed together. Don't be temped to use a balloon whisk as the egg yolk will stick to it. The mixture will be bright yellow when it is properly beaten together.
  2. Add the cold milk to the egg and icing sugar and mix it together. It will look like a buttermilk mix when it's done.
  3. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks and add it to the egg yolk and icing sugar mix. It took so long to mix to smooth for me, that I put it through a sieve to finish it off.
  4. Puree the strawberries and stir it in until it looks evenly mixed.
  5. Save the mix until about 45 minutes before you want to serve it, or use the ice cream maker to pre-make it and then freeze for later. It will take approximately 40 minutes for the ice cream to be ready and then it is simply serve, or freeze for later.

 

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Scottish Raspberry Cranachan (Cream Crowdie)

Raspberry Cranachan is the traditional Scottish dish.  It’s one that I do like, but not too often with the calorie count in it.

Cranachan

It’s traditional, it’s Scottish and with raspberries it can be quite tart.   You can reduce the sweetness of the added sugar by using more fruit and leaving out the honey.  Some people prefer much less oatmeal in their cranachan.  Add it slowly until you have enough for you.

Lesley S Smith

Scottish Raspberry Cranachan (Cream Crowdie)

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g Oatmeal
  • 50 g Honey
  • 4 tablespoons Whisky
  • 1 pint Double or Whipping Cream
  • 500 g Raspberries

Method
 

  1. Toast the oatmeal in a frying pan until it reaches a nutty consistency. Leave to cool.
  2. Whip cream until it reaches soft peaks, but it still pliable.
  3. Fold the oatmeal, half the raspberries, honey and whisky into the cream. If you whip it in, the consistency will not be light and fluffy.
  4. Fill serving dishes and finish with some fruit on top. Serve immediately. If it is left too long, the oats will go soft.

 

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Guest Post: Dealing with Link Requests / Sponsored Posts as a Blogger

This guest post comes from Hannah who blogs at Mummy Macaroni and is also an online marketer who knows what she’s talking about.

SEO

————————————————-

Most bloggers will be familiar with receiving link requests from other websites. Usually link requests are emails from PRs or SEOs who represent their client in that they are trying to gain exposure for their clients business, or more specifically, their clients website. If you’re not sure whether you’ve come across an SEO, they usually send an email along the lines of:

“Dear blogger,

I am contacting you on behalf of my client, “www.clientwebsite.com” who specialises in children’s products.  I’d like to provide you with a guest blog post about the benefits of children’s products, which would be completely unique and add value to your readers.  I’m happy to make a payment for this post being published, all that I would ask in exchange is for you to include a link from the words “children’s products” from the post to my client’s site www.clientwebsite.com which is how my client will benefit.”

Now I think it only fair to explain who I am and why I am writing this post for Scottish Mum. I am, what is known as “an SEO”.

I prefer to be known as an online marketer as SEOs often get a bad name, particularly SEOs who send emails like the one above.

Why am I writing this post for Scottish Mum?

The reason I’ve got an interest in writing for this blog is because I have recently become a “mummy blogger” in my spare time as I’m currently 7 months pregnant and when I came across this blog, I was pleased to come across someone who is keen to provide blogging advice to other mummy bloggers and help educate the community about things like PageRank and other SEO related topics because I feel it important for both bloggers and SEOs to understand each other if they’re going to work together.

Whether you started blogging because you love writing, are passionate about your subject or are keen to make money from advertising, I’m sure that most of you who care about the quality of your blog and what your readers think won’t even entertain an email like the example above, and why would you?

Purely for cash?

If that’s your sole aim then great – you’re attracting requests from people willing to pay.  Ideal right?

On the other hand, what if you are keen to make a bit of money from your blog but feel a bit uncomfortable about posting an article that is poorly written, too promotional or written in a style completely different to your own writing style that has gained you a good following of readers whose respect you don’t want to lose by publishing such as piece?

Well for one, if the content sent to you is of this poor quality, this is more likely to come from an SEO who sends an email like the above, the ones that give SEO a bad name within the blogging community.  Not all SEOs are “bad” though, and there’s lots that bloggers can gain from working with them, whether that be money, more traffic to your site or more followers.

The good news is, that these things can still be gained without simply publishing a poor post they’ve sent you.

Here’s my tips on ensuring you benefit from working with SEOs without having to jeopardise the quality of your blog.

1. Be picky about the companies you collaborate with.
You might be approached by some SEOs representing random companies who have no relation to the topic of your blog or who you don’t feel comfortable mentioning on your blog due to their reputation or products they sell. For example, as a mummy blogger, I probably wouldn’t want to collaborate with an estate agent, as I don’t think they could offer me something that would benefit my readers.  Keep the content on your blog relevant to your readers and only work with companies that are related.

2. Establish what the brand really wants to gain from you.
Sometimes an email approaching you for a guest post, or a sponsored link or product review can be unclear in stating exactly what the brand want to achieve through your blog. If you’re approached by a PR, they may be looking to build brand awareness through getting in front of your readership and followers, or they may want to promote the benefits of a new product with the help of your influence and opinion.

SEOs are more likely to want a “follow link” to their brand’s site to help that website rank higher in Google.  The best thing to do is ask them what they want – they’ll realise that you’re not just a naive blogger and will more likely respect the fact that you care about the quality of your site which in turn makes you more valuable to them.

3. Understand your options.
Once you’ve established what the PR or SEO wants from you, you need to think about how you’re going to give them that. If you’re going to accept payment for publishing an article that links to the company, or you’re accepting a product in exchange for reviewing it then you should state that the post is sponsored to make it clear that you have been paid or asked to do so. You also need to make sure any links in such posts are “no follow” if you don’t want to risk breaking Google’s guidelines.

Brands who are looking for increased exposure or brand awareness through your readers should be happy with this and you’ll be happier being honest with your readers and complying with disclosure laws.  SEOs however, are after follow links, so they won’t want you to add the no follow tag or label the article as ‘sponsored’. It’s up to you whether you publish the post as sponsored without adding the no follow link – you won’t be breaking any disclosure laws but you will risk losing PageRank on your site. Losing PageRank shouldn’t affect your site’s rankings in Google but it will likely make your site less attractive to other SEOs who are willing to pay you for a link as this is one of the factors they look at when looking for potential sites to get links from.

You don’t always have to go with their suggestions so if you don’t want to publish a guest post without labeling it sponsored then don’t do it, but don’t just turn away the opportunity either. Try asking yourself what you can gain from the collaboration and be creative in suggesting something different.

Ask yourself why you would naturally write about that brand, or naturally link to them. Build a relationship with them, research their products or services and find out if they have something worth linking to. Perhaps the company has experts in child safety for example, and you could provide your readers with some great insight into child safety by interviewing an expert.

Final Thoughts

Working with SEOs and PRs can be rewarding so don’t always be so quick to dismiss their requests.  The most important thing to remember is that you only do what you’re comfortable with.  If someone asks you to publish something and you’re not sure whether you’re allowed or will get into trouble with Google, then run it past someone (like Lesley aka Scottish Mum) who can help keep you right.

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Review: The Nutribox

Nutribox offered to send a wee box of delicious nutritious snacks to try.  The snacks come boxed and straight to our doors.   They have a healthy eating approach to living and they only want to have snacks that are both nutritious and tasty to send out to their customers.

Nutri Box3

All the snacks are gluten free and suitable for vegetarians which means they are suitable for most of us.   There are two options when ordering, ie to have a full box or a mini box to try some of the snacks, or to give as a gift.

We tried the mini nutri box but not the vegan one.

There were mixed reactions from the kids as to the taste of some of the snacks, but the red chilli cashews and the brownie were very popular indeed.

Nutri Box Chilli Cashews

Nutri Box Brownie

I like a piece of chocolate, but I’d have to say I’d give the chocolate bar a miss as it just wasn’t to my taste.

Nutri Box2

All boxes come with a mix of energy boosting dried fruit and nut mixes, energy bars and raw ingredients.  At first when I looked at the price of the boxes, my thoughts went to how expensive they seemed to be, but when I priced some similar items in supermarkets and online stores, the price seemed to make much much more sense as the retail price of raw ingredients and snacks like these seems to be very high.

We all enjoyed some of the snacks, but I’d have to seriously think twice about signing up for an online monthly box.  The easy cancellation option makes it a good option for a gift and I may send one to a friend later in the year as I think this would be perfect as a present.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a Nutribox Mini for Review

 

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Fillet Steak, Bag Roasted in Red Wine

Using roasting bags is a relatively new find to me. I’ve usually roasted in tin foil, but have found that roasting in a bag actually gives me a much better texture and taste.

Fillet Steak 7

It actually doesn’t look like much on a plate, but it tasted absolutely heavenly. I’m not quite sure how else I would ever cook a fillet again, as this has spoiled me rotten. Our fillet steak came from Andrew Gordon Butchery and Fine Foods as does most of the meat on this blog nowadays. It’s always easier to have a successful meal when we start with great ingredients.

The addition of red wine made me a little nervous when I was making it, but I needn’t have worried. I’d love to try it in stout another day. The piece of fillet was gorgeous, and I think that’s what made me nervous about cooking such a great piece of meat this way, but for us, it was amazing.

Fillet Steak

Lesley Smith

Fillet Steak, Bag Roasted in Red Wine

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 5 - 6
Course: Mains
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 800 g Fillet Steak
  • 5 Large Carrots Cut into batons.
  • 3 Large Onions Sliced in strips.
  • 100 ml Red Wine
  • 500 g Tomato Passata
  • 1 teaspoon Rainbow Peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Clove Garlic

Method
 

  1. This is so easy to do. Simply rub the pepper and salt evenly into the fillet steak.
  2. Put the passata and wine into the roasting bag first, and then add the other ingredients one by one. Gently hold the neck of the bag and allow the contents to mix and coat the vegetables.
  3. Add the fillet steak to the bag and gently move the ingredients around until the fillet steak is fully covered by the ingredients.
  4. Pop in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees c for approximately an hour. If you like your meat well done, leave it for 1.5 hours and check on it. If you wish to thicken your gravy, pop it in a pan and reduce or thicken it for a few minutes until it reaches the texture you prefer.
  5. Serve with mash, bread, rice or salad.