I’m full, which is weird! – me

I am trying SO hard to eat well right now, but it’s pretty easy to stray.

Tonight I had a meal that felt really greedy but was actually pretty much as innocent as you can get. This dish uses an amazing pasta that’s available in health food shops and contains only 7.7 calories per 100g. It’s very chewy, which takes some getting used to, but it’s worth it for the lovely feeling of being full without the guilt.

The ‘pesto’ is super easy to make too and uses savoury yeast for flavour and nutrition, liquid aminos for a truly vegan seasoning, while fresh basil, baby spinach and garlic give that classic pesto flavour.

I’m really pleased with the results. If you’re vegan, coeliac, or on the 5:2 diet, this is a perfect dish for those days when you need something filling.

Here’s what to do (feeds one):

Ingredients

• 60g baby spinach (14 calories)
• 1 pack of Slim Pasta spaghetti (16 calories)
• 1/2 tsp olive oil (20 calories)
• 8 tsp water (0 calories)
• 1 rounded tbsp Engevita savoury yeast condiment with B12 (40 calories)
• 1 small handful fresh basil (2 calories)
• 1 spray of Liquid Aminos vegan soy sauce alternative (1 calorie)
• 1/2 clove garlic (1 calorie)

(Calories are estimated)

Instructions

1. In a large pan over a low heat, put the spinach, basil, oil, and garlic and half the water and cook until totally wilted – add the rest of the water if it goes dry
2. Tip into a blender, add the liquid aminos and blitz for a few seconds
3. Drain and wash the ‘pasta’, then cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes
4. Stir the sauce through and serve

Simple, yummy, filling. Will you try it?

Add your #recipeoftheweek

Do you have a recipe to share? Here’s the place you can do it! Pick one from the past week, or any time at all. Meaty, vegan, fatty, low-calorie – all recipes are welcome, just as long as you haven’t linked them up to #recipeoftheweek before.

You share the goods, then I generally go round reading, commenting, Stumbling, Pinning and drooling over everyone’s entries. It’s that simple. So just link up below and let’s share the love.

1. Link up your post using the Linky tool below
2. Add the “Recipe of the Week” badge to your post so that readers can find other great recipes.
3. Take a little time to read and comment on each other’s recipes.
4. Come back next Saturday and we’ll do it all over again.

Enjoy!

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World class music, in a breathtaking location

If you fancy doing something a bit different with your family over the summer holidays, I have a lovely giveaway for you.

How about an evening of world class music in an utterly breathtaking London location that you and the kids can both enjoy?

This month, I’m giving away 4 tickets to an evening at the Live By The Lake concert season, set in the idyllic location of Kenwood House’s grounds by Hampstead Heath.

The winning family will be able to bring a picnic and enjoy an evening of world class music, choosing from Choral Greats, Singin’ In The Rain, Opera Alfresco or Summertime: An Evening of Gershwin. (check out the full programme on the Live by the Lake website).

If you want to win 4 tickets, worth up to £171, here’s what to do…

How to enter

To enter you must:

• Tweet about this competition: “Win 4 tickets to a @livebythelake Kenwood House Picnic Concert worth up to £171 http://bit.ly/18OhOSZ via @amummytoo“
• AND leave a comment below telling me that you’ve done it.

You are also entitled to up to five bonus entries, if you:

• Like A Mummy Too on Facebook
• Like Live by the Lake on Facebook
• Follow @AMummyToo on Twitter
• Follow @livebyThelake on Twitter
• Subscribe by email to the A Mummy Too blog

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close at 11.59pm UK time on 17th June 2013 and a winner will be selected at random.

See the prize draw T&Cs - Disclosure: Live by the Lake is providing this prize for the purposes of the giveaway. No payment was received by A Mummy Too. Please see my review/disclosure policy for more information. Listed on ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Competition Hunter.

What do you want to read tonight? – me

Now that JD can read independently, reading has become even more exciting as he can now choose not only which story to have, but who’ll read it. Here’s what we’ve been reading this month…

Tim, Ted & the Pirates

A short rhyming read by Ian Whybrow that takes you from the story carpet off on a journey of fantasy and back with a splash. It’s packed full of bright, rich illustrations and perfect for preschool pirate fans.

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

The Hueys in It Wasn’t Me

Another piece of genius from Oliver Jeffers, the writer of The Hueys in The New Jumper. I’d class this book as alternative comedy for kids. JD absolutely loves it.

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, it’s available in hardback for £12.99.

Mabel and Me Best of Friends

A tale of friendship, misunderstandings and pliéing rodents, this is a lovely book with gorgeous, scribbly illustrations, a touch of metropolitan chic and an underlying plot that helped me talk about feelings and kindness with my two.

Written by by Mark Sperring and Sarah Warburton and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, it’s available for £12.99 in hardback, or £6.99 when it’s released in softback in July 2013.

Splat Says Thank You!

A simple story of friendship by Rob Scotton, this book allows you to talk with your little ones about what makes a friend a friend. Quirky, fun and a little bit silly, the illustrations should engage little ones well.

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, it’s available in softback for £6.99.

I Heart Bedtime

A cute book about sibling fun and all the faff and excitement that goes with what should be a simple bedtime routine. It all sounds very familiar to us – the characters are likeable and the illustrations are friendly and distinctive, if (dare I say it?) a touch ‘girly’ for JD’s tastes.

Written and illustrated by Clara Vulliamy and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, it’s available in softback for £6.99.

Disclosure: we were sent all of the books featured free of charge for review. No payment was received for this post. All posts are 100% honest.

Dandelions can’t be weeds, they’re beautiful! – JD, 5

The sun is out AT LAST and we’re planning to spend this weekend getting the garden in order.

If you are a fan of gardening (or have a gardening-mad dad who’d like a greenfingered gift for Father’s Day), then I have a nice little giveaway for you.

The lovely folk at www.thevouchergarden.co.uk have given me a £50 National Garden Gift Voucher to share with you, which can be redeemed at over 2,000 garden centres and gardening outlets around the UK including Homebase.

Here’s what to do to be in with a chance of winning…

How to enter

To enter you must:

• Tweet about this competition: “Win a £50 @GardenGiftVouch gardening voucher redeemable at thousands of outlets across the UK http://bit.ly/104fkJJ via @amummytoo“
• AND leave a comment below telling me that you’ve done it.

You are also entitled to up to five bonus entries, if you:

• Like A Mummy Too on Facebook
• Like Garden Gift Vouchers on Facebook
• Follow @AMummyToo on Twitter
• Follow @GardenGiftVouch on Twitter
• Subscribe by email to the A Mummy Too blog

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close at 11.59pm UK time on 10th June 2013 and a winner will be selected at random.

See the prize draw T&Cs - Disclosure: thevouchergarden.co.uk is providing this prize for the purposes of the giveaway. No payment was received by A Mummy Too. Please see my review/disclosure policy for more information. Listed on ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Competition Hunter.

Fun on the outside, organised on the inside!

I really like Babymel bags. They’re as bright and stylish as any standard handbag, but with the added bonus of changing bag functionality. They’re perfect for busy mums, so it’s no surprise that Mothercare have recently snapped up two bags from the Babymel Summer range to stock in store.

The Boathouse Satchel in teal is the perfect size for storing all your essentials, and is equipped with a shoulder strap, a built-in insulated zipped bottle pocket, two large storage compartments, two large internal storage pockets, a wipe clean lining and a changing mat.

The Printed Burst Fuchsia bag has a funky, bright print and comes equipped with an insulated bottle pocket, five internal elasticated storage pockets and a zipped pocket to keep valuables. It also boasts ‘strollerstraps’ – a patent pending invention which allows the bag to be worn as a shoulder bag or securely attached to a stroller, leaving you hands free. This bag also features wipe clean linings, adjustable shoulder strap and a padded changing mat.

To win your choice of either the Printed Burst Fuchsia bag or Boathouse Satchel in teal, just follow the following simple steps…

How to enter

To enter you must:

• Tweet about this competition: “Win a @Babymel_UK summer changing bag or satchel http://bit.ly/10FCh6b via @amummytoo“
• AND leave a comment below telling me that you’ve done it.

You are also entitled to up to five bonus entries, if you:

• Like A Mummy Too on Facebook
• Like Babymel UK on Facebook
• Follow @AMummyToo on Twitter
• Follow @babymel_uk on Twitter
• Subscribe by email to the A Mummy Too blog

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

The giveaway will close at 11.59pm UK time on 14th June 2013 and a winner will be selected at random.

See the prize draw T&Cs - Disclosure: Babymel is providing this prize for the purposes of the giveaway. No payment was received by A Mummy Too. Please see my review/disclosure policy for more information. Listed on ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions and Competition Hunter.

Don’t spill any jam!! – me

If you’re a regular reader of amummytoo.co.uk, you may have noticed a theme in recent posts;  a certain lavender-blue, chequered pattern. That, my friends, is the gorgeous new Lavender Textiles range from Brabantia.

From table clothes, to placemats to tea towels, these are great quality, thick and above all, gorgeous to look at. Oh, and they wash and press well, which is handy when you have a family as messy as ours!

If you love the textiles, you could team them up with the other lavender items in Brabantia’s Get Together range such as beautiful porcelain dinner plates, bowls and cake plates, as well as practical accessories like pan coasters, egg cups and coasters. I’ve reviewed the lavender T4ONE set before, and it goes beautifully with the textiles to create a really bright, fresh feel at breakfast.

Have a look at the whole range on the Brabantia website - I challenge you not to be tempted!

Disclosure: we were sent some textiles free of charge for review. All posts are 100% honest. No payment was received for this post.

Aw, shame. I’m going to need to make lots of yummy pancakes to test this syrup on – me

This week, Clarks sent me a selection of their maple syrups, fruit syrups and honeys, so we thought we’d give them a proper road test with some beefed  up American-style pancakes.

We used no eggs, sugar or dairy in the recipe. Instead, we used soya milk, sweetened the batter with Clarks Fruit Sweet (a syrup made from carob fruit sugars, which has the benefit of regulating blood sugar levels and has 25% fewer calories than sugar), bound everything together with arrowroot, fried with soya margarine and, once cooked, topped with Clarks Vanilla Maple Syrup with Carob Syrup, which is deliciously clean and sweet tasting with the faint smokiness you expect of good quality maple syrup.

If you’d like to make the pancakes for yourself, here’s what to do…

Ingredients

• 300g flour
• 2 tsp Clarks Fruit Sweet
• 8g arrowroot powder
• 500ml sweetened soya milk
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tbsp soya margarine
• 1-2 tbsp Clarks Vanilla Maple Syrup with Carob Syrup

Instructions

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients except the bicarb in a large bowl
2. Stir in the milk bit by bit to avoid lumps
3. Melt the margarine in a large, nonstick frying pan, then pour it into the batter and mix well
4. Stir through the bicarb
5. Heat the pan to a medium-high heat, and cook the pancakes with about 60ml per pancake
6. They’ll need just 45 seconds or so before the bubble on top and brown underneath
7. Flip over, cook for another 30 seconds then transfer to a plate, stacking as you go
8. When all the pancakes are cooked, drizzle with the maple syrup and serve

You can buy Clarks syrups in packs of three on Amazon from £9.99.

Disclosure: we were sent some Clarks syrups free of charge for review. No payment was received for this post. All posts are 100% honest.

Try a simple change of pillows and a throw to change its look without breaking your budget

When it comes to sprucing up the home you don’t need to spend big to make a big impact. It’s the little things that count, and with the right changes in the right places it’s easy to dramatically makeover your home on a limited budget.  Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk) provides you with some simple, budget-friendly ways to revamp your living space to give you some ideas.

A splash of colour

One of the least expensive things you can do for the biggest impact around the home is to make a bold change of colour. Colour is one of the first things our eyes notice when we enter a room, so whether you change just one statement wall or the whole room’s colour scheme, it’s guaranteed to have a big visual impact. Even better, paint is inexpensive, and you can carry out all of the work yourself with a few basic tools. It’s worth taking time over your colour choice, as different tones can affect a room’s mood as well as its appearance – and your own mood too. You might want to try a handy online tool like Dulux MousePainter to help you visualise your room in a range of colours.

Add a little greenery

Houseplants and fresh cut flowers are cheap and cheerful ways to bring instant energy to a room. An empty corner can be transformed with a tall palm, adding vitality, making a room feel more relaxed, and helping to keep the air clean and fresh too. As a less expensive alternative to buying fresh cut flowers every week, try a flowering plant, like an orchid or hydrangea. These are easy to care for, and add a touch of colour and beauty that can be an attractive focal point.

Revamp rarely used space

Many homes have a room that’s overlooked – whether it’s the dining room that’s seldom used, a guestroom, or that cupboard under the stairs. Make the most of your limited budget and use it to repurpose a room so that you really get the best use of it. A few inexpensive shelves and a desk and your under stairs cupboard can become an office, switch the bed in your guestroom for a sofa bed and you’ll create an area that can be used for work, a playroom for children, or even an exercise space.

Accessorize

Home accessories, like throws, vases, rugs and cushions, may be inexpensive little items, but they have the power to completely transform the look of a room. They allow you to express your own personal style and change colour schemes – so, rather than investing in a whole new sofa, try a simple change of pillows and a throw to change its look without breaking your budget.

Freshen up furniture

New pieces of furniture can be costly, so it can pay to use your imagination and work with what you already have. Repainting, refinishing or a change of upholstery is less expensive, but can have just as much impact as a whole new furniture purchase. A fresh lick of paint can update anything from kitchen chairs to chandeliers, while doors, cabinets and drawers can be instantly modernised with a simple change of handles.

Disclosure: this is a sponsored guest post

Mmm, cake – Miss J, 1.5

Sometimes, when I’m sent food to review I think, “How am I going to get through all that by the Use By date???” When I work with Soreen, I often think that at first, but once the kids have devoured a few loaves and friends have happily marched off with a pack each, it’s soon all gone.

And that’s a particular shame when it comes to Limited Edition Chocolate Soreen as it’s only in the shops for a few more weeks. Get yourself to ASDA or Morrisons and grab some. It’s so worth it. The kids adore the chocolate chip malty loaf with a few bits of sliced banana on top. Yum. Miss J seems to think it’s cake but actually it’s only 6.3% fat which isn’t bad at all for such a squidgey, chocolatey product.

I reckon it’s even worth buying extra loaves and sticking them in the freezer. They’ll last three months and you’ll be having a yummy chocolate snack for weeks to come.

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Woohoo, pudding! – me

I went to Blog Summit in Birmingham yesterday to catch up with some blogging friends, which was lovely, but there were biscuits and cakes everywhere and I couldn’t eat any of them! Cue some 11am emergency cake making this morning, and here’s the result: a yummy almond pudding with loads of jam and no eggs or dairy.

Here’s what to do…

Ingredients

• 50g caster sugar
• 50g vegan margarine
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 25g ground almonds
• 8g sachet of arrowroot
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 10 tsp soya milk
• 75g self raising flour
• 4 tbsp jam

Instructions

1. In a microwave-safe cereal bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar
2. Mix in all the other ingredients except the jam until smooth, then level off
3. Microwave on high for 2 – 3 minutes, depending on how good your microwave is – you want it to be just set. If you over cook it, it’ll go dry and stiff as it cools
4. When it seems just set on top, spoon the jam on top and return to the microwave for 1-2 minutes until the jam just bubbles
5. Allow to cool a little so it doesn’t burn anyone, then serve with vegan custard

YUM! Thanks to Mammasaurus for inspiring the flavours in this dish with her Raspberry Bakewell cake.

Add your #recipeoftheweek

Do you have a recipe to share? Here’s the place you can do it! Pick one from the past week, or any time at all. Meaty, vegan, fatty, low-calorie – all recipes are welcome, just as long as you haven’t linked them up to #recipeoftheweek before.

You share the goods, then I generally go round reading, commenting, Stumbling, Pinning and drooling over everyone’s entries. It’s that simple. So just link up below and let’s share the love.

1. Link up your post using the Linky tool below
2. Add the “Recipe of the Week” badge to your post so that readers can find other great recipes.
3. Take a little time to read and comment on each other’s recipes.
4. Come back next Saturday and we’ll do it all over again.

Enjoy!

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