March 4, 2019.Reading time 16 minutes.
For the entire month of February, I took on environmental charity Hubbub’s #FoodSavvy challenge to try to reduce my food waste within 4 weeks. Did you know that in Norfolk and Suffolk alone up to 113,000 TONNES of food waste goes in the bin? Here’s how you can reduce your food waste too…
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February 17, 2019.Reading time 12 minutes.
Find out how I’ve been getting on with the #FoodSavvy challenge to cut down on food waste in February. I’m sharing my experience so far and the things I’ve been doing to minimise waste this week – maybe you’d like to join me??
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January 18, 2019.Reading time 7 minutes.
Sometimes it’s hard to avoid spending money with corporate companies. They often offer attractive deals and then there’s the fact that many big chains are conveniently on your high street – or on your screen. But, when you’re presented with the choice, here are 4 reasons why you should choose to shop locally…
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January 16, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.
It’s not too late to make a New Year’s Resolution, especially when it comes to personal finances. If your bank balance is still bruised from the festive season or if you just want to make some positive changes to your budget, here are five helpful tips I think can help you save money in 2019…
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November 7, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.
Did you know that on average Brits take just 26 seconds appreciating their recipes before tucking in? That’s probably how long it takes to take your plate from the kitchen to the dining table and pick up a knife and fork. Today’s blog post is all about slowing down and appreciating our meals more, including a delicious steak recipe to get you started…
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October 25, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.
Of course, you want to throw your children an amazing party, but do you really need to spend an arm and a leg to make great memories? There are so many ways to save money without sacrificing fun at your child’s party. Here are a few things to consider when you’re planning for the big event.
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June 25, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.
When your baby makes the big transition to eating solid foods, it’s an exciting time and they should enjoy trying out new tastes and textures. Here’s how to create some delicious homemade dishes for your little one at a fraction of the price of ready-made meals.
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June 15, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.
It’s Fathers Day on Sunday but don’t worry if you haven’t sorted out a gift for Dad – here are 4 ideas for great last-minute gifts that you can make or organise yourself…
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June 13, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.
Next time you get hit by stress, and you crave something unhealthy, try these foods instead and feel instantly better…
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March 23, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.
Do you love creme eggs? Are you a fan of cheesecake? Well today’s your lucky day because I’m sharing a recipe to make a giant creme egg cheesecake for Easter..!
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January 21, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.
When your baby reaches six months old, you’ll probably start thinking about weaning her and introducing those first spoonfuls of food. Here are some hints and tips to make your weaning journey with your baby a little easier:
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December 19, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.
Today I’m sharing some expert advice from i heart Wines to get your guests ‘rioja-ing’ around the Christmas tree (excuse the awesome pun!) I’ve already shared my favourite mulled wine recipe using i heart Rosé earlier this week so that’s one warming festive drink you can tick off your ‘to do’ list! Read on to find out […]
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November 18, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.
Struggling to buy for someone special this year? How about creating a super-personal Christmas hamper? If you plan a few weeks in advance and shop around, it’s likely that you’ll pick up some good bargains, too. You don’t have to be overly crafty to make the hamper look good either. Read on for my step-by-step […]
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October 7, 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.
Most of us have a morning routine. A set of activities designed to get us ready for the day and maximise that precious time between our alarm sounding and us leaving the door. But how many of us have an evening routine? Those regular actions that gets our bodies and minds settled and ready for […]
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June 8, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.
Every relationship is unique, so shouldn’t every wedding be the same? Lately there is a trend amongst couples to have themed weddings that truly reflect their personalities or shared interests, such as Harry Potter or Star Wars themed weddings. These ideas are fun, but what if you’re on a budget? No worries; even one unique […]
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March 1, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.
We all love to party and have fun with our friends and family, but sometimes events can be bit of a chore. We eat the same foods, do the same things for entertainment and see the same faces. Eventually, it’ll just get boring and we’ll probably stop going to as many parties as we used to […]
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January 27, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.
It’s all about the juicing this year. Or at least it is in my household because we’ve got a new juicer! As someone who has never tried combinations of juice before (seriously, orange juice is as adventurous as it got!) I’ve been really intrigued to start reading up on juicing and looking into recipes. There are […]
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August 4, 2016.Reading time 7 minutes.
How are you enjoying the school summer holidays so far? We’ve already enjoyed a few days of sunshine and got stuck into our favourite outdoor activities, such as swimming, walking and going on bike rides. I think that the school holidays is a great time of year for the whole family to make a change […]
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June 10, 2016.Reading time 8 minutes.
Weekends for me are precious. It’s not because I’m working in a job I hate all week long – far from it, I love my work – it’s simply the fact that the world seems to slow down for a couple of days. Weeks whizz by and there never seems to be enough hours in […]
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May 27, 2016.Reading time 8 minutes.
We’re all hoping for a sunny bank holiday weekend right? And what better way to spend the long lazy weekend than with a spot of al fresco dining, eh? I’ve got the ideal recipe for you to try out this weekend; it’s really fast, super-easy and uses just a handful of ingredients that you’ve probably […]
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April 22, 2016.Reading time 9 minutes.
Today’s recipe is a great one for adding a little bit of excitement to your party. If you’re planning a wedding, hen party, birthday or are even gathering together to celebrate the Queen’s 90th at a street party, this little fruity recipe would be a great addition to a glass of something bubbly. Whether you’re […]
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April 18, 2016.Reading time 13 minutes.
I want my life to be cruelty-free. This is something that has been important to me for a while and I’d love to share my passion for the issue with you today. I’m actually rather embarrassed to admit that for all the years of my life leading up to this decision I hadn’t really ever considered it. I […]
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February 12, 2016.Reading time 10 minutes.
Are you taking part in the #WomanKind campaign this month? I’ve been really excited about getting stuck in to this ‘me-time’ project so you might have spotted a few posts over the last couple of weeks about looking great on a budget. If you miss them, here are my posts on starting your new year […]
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May 30, 2015.Reading time 6 minutes.
Well, that was a busy half-term week. My family and I spent the week at my mother’s house doing some major landscaping in the garden. We dug the uneven ground, we laid a patio, we shovelled gravel. We drilled, cut and nailed all week in order to create mum’s dream ‘garden room’, with raised beds, […]
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May 8, 2015.Reading time 6 minutes.
Dancing in the rain, winning money and drinking bubbly. That was the first time I went to a day at the races. It was a really epic event that I’ll never forget and I’m desperate to go again this year so fingers crossed I’ll be able to get tickets to Ladies’ Day this summer. Even […]
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April 19, 2015.Reading time 4 minutes.
Summer is coming, the sunshine beckons, and picnics will undoubtedly be on the menu. After all, a meal outside in the beautiful British countryside is a truly divine experience. I’ve already been enjoying meals out in my vintage caravan during the week and loving every moment of being surrounded by tweeting birds and buzzing bumble […]
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March 27, 2015.Reading time 2 minutes.
With the sun making a welcome appearance this week and Easter just around the corner, I thought I’d get invest in some fresh ingredients to create a delicious spring salad. I searched online and found an excellent recipe for a parma ham, buffalo mozzarella and pea salad called ‘A Taste of Newcastle’ by chef Andrew […]
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March 20, 2015.Reading time 8 minutes.
I’m a rubbish chef. I over-cook food to ‘make sure’ it’s done, my pasta always sticks and I leave pans unattended so they end up burnt. In spite of all my Pieday Friday baking, I don’t always get it right and I’m often disappointed by my own cooking. The problem is two-fold: I have a […]
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January 9, 2015.Reading time 8 minutes.
It’s the first Pieday Friday of 2015 and, rather than sharing a recipe this week, my blog post is inspired by an idea I heard about on the Celebrity Cruises website: the #tasteoftravel. As someone who loves food (I literally wait for meal times to come around each day!) I was very keen to get […]
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December 29, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.
I’ve been making these easy party snacks throughout the festive period and I thought I would share the recipe with you today so that you can make it yourself for any New Years parties you might be hosting or attending! As a guest it’s always a good idea to turn up with plateful of tasty […]
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October 31, 2014.Reading time 2 minutes.
Earlier this month I mentioned how quickly the courgettes in our new veggie patch were growing and that we’ve been eating them continually for a couple of weeks now. Last week’s recipe was for roasted courgettes and this week I’ve decided to include them in a chicken pasta dish. So put your favourite pasta on […]
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October 19, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.
Over the past week I’ve been blogging about staying active during the winter months and I’ve shared healthy (ish) cocktail recipes using cherry juice. In contrast, I’ve also shared a recipe for a cinder toffee coffee cheesecake so for the purpose of this article we’ll just ignore that one..! Actually, I think I’ve got the balance right […]
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October 15, 2014.Reading time 8 minutes.
Creamy sweetness and rich coffee bookended by crunchy caramel flavours. Yes, I think that perfectly describes my cheesecake recipe and I know you want to try it out for yourself! I was inspired to make this cheesecake when my coffee delivery arrived from Pact because the tasting notes of the Finca La Montana Espresso coffee read […]
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September 10, 2014.Reading time 4 minutes.
This week’s theme for The Great British Bake Off (and therefore The Great Blogger Bake Off!) was European cakes so I chose to make that German classic, apple strudel. Or Apfelstrudel if you want to order it in Germany. Although, I have some news for you – it’s not a German recipe. Oh no, the […]
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July 25, 2014.Reading time 2 minutes.
A staple of every picnic, a simple loaf of white bread is essential for making rounds of sandwiches for all the family so why not try baking your own ready for your next summer trip? I’ve been using this recipe for a standard white loaf for years and it’s just so simple – the thing […]
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June 27, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.
I’m writing today’s Pieday Friday post for two reasons: firstly, it’s Glastonbury this weekend and this is a great one-pot campfire recipe for all the family and secondly, it’s because hubby and I visited a Chilli Farm this week and bought a big smoked chorizo that we wanted to try! So yesterday we got out […]
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June 4, 2014.Reading time 7 minutes.
Over the weekend, hubby and I took a trip to Cambridge and it turned into one of those days of eating and drinking in a surprisingly foodie location. Our sightseeing journey around this historical city involved lots of walking, so we were guaranteed to work up an quite an appetite by the end of the […]
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May 16, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.
Are you in need of a private UK-based chef to cater your upcoming event? There are a plethora of chefs to choose from, so how do you choose? Obviously you will want to try to find the best private chef you can but it can be difficult to differentiate them. We hired a private chef […]
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April 18, 2014.Reading time 1 minute.
Here’s an easy but impressive recipe for your Easter roast lunch – mini toad-in-the-hole. These are also great for parties and evening meals so give it a try with this easiest ever batter recipe and let me know how you get on! Ingredients: Chipolata sausages (the long ones, not cocktail sausages), 140g plain flour, 4 […]
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March 3, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.
I’ve just realised that it’s the middle of Fairtrade Fortnight and this means quite a lot to me. Not only am I a fan of Fairtrade and will always choose this option over other products, but it also marks the start of my blogging career. I’ve barely given it a second thought since I left […]
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January 31, 2014.Reading time 4 minutes.
Today is the Chinese new year and 2014 is the Year of the Horse – one of my favourite animals, so I am especially excited about this year and wanted to share some of the traditions and recipes for Chinese New Year. Usually the run-up new year will be spent cleaning the whole house to welcome in a fresh […]
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January 17, 2014.Reading time 6 minutes.
I’m taking a different approach this Pieday Friday and instead of sharing another naughty recipe to tempt you away from your new year health-kick I’m going to discuss ways that you can make your healthy-eating resolutions even easier. You may remember that last week I shared ways in which you can declutter your home and reorganise your […]
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December 2, 2013.Reading time 2 minutes.
Last week I shared my inspiration for creating a pink and red themed birthday party. I usually forget all about my birthday in the excitement of the run-up to Christmas, so this year I’ve made an effort to mark the occasion with a little party in my little vintage caravan. I’ve already shared my inspiration […]
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November 8, 2013.Reading time 4 minutes.
Today’s recipe post is another which focuses on apples. To say that mum had a lot of apples on her tree is an understatement and they all needed using or preserving. As you know, last week I made apple and blackberry jam (here’s the recipe), and a flavoured vodka (which I have tested and it’s […]
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September 23, 2013.Reading time 8 minutes.
It’s the start of a new term, and for some of you, that means a new university, new college and moving away from home. It’s a busy time of year and you’ll be all-over the place, meeting new people, finding your way around and enjoying the fun times that university brings – there’s Freshers week […]
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November 11, 2012.Reading time 2 minutes.
I recently veered off my usual route home and stopped by a local farm shop called Maple farm. I was expecting to find yet another swish ‘farm’ shop with shelves full of £5 chutneys, freezers containing the local butcher’s joints and workers in branded uniforms. What I actually found however was a small barn (in […]
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August 30, 2012.Reading time 1 minute.
Such a simple recipe but a cheap yet filling meal for all the family. All you need is a pack of sausages, any root veg you like and an hour or so to cook it! I began by browning the sausages under the grill and in the meantime I chopped up carrots, parsnips, swede, potatoes […]
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June 22, 2011.Reading time 2 minutes.
I had fun making some treats for my family last night and wanted to share my achievement with you all. Mum had been hinting about wanting a coffee and walnut cake for a while, but she couldn’t buy a whole one to eat by herself and I’d previously made a batch for […]
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