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This day I love.......

I can remember as a kid always wanting a Mr Frosty for Christmas. In fact it has become a bit of a joke now that I never got one but my sister did. My youngest daughter has also started asking for a Mr Frosty, so who knows for Christmas one year she might have one [secretly for me but don't tell her!]. As well as the Mr Frosty I can remember from my childhood there is now a Mr Frosty Choc Ice maker, this indeed sounded a lot of fun so I was rather pleased to be sent one to review.

The Mr Frosty Choc Ice maker comes with everything you need to create your own choc Ice, with the exception of the food. Here is the great part, your imagination can take over. The moulds are filled with any flavour yogurt you want. You can even use diary free and any flavour to suit your taste. The moulds are then placed flat in the freezer for at least 3 hours, we left ours over night. There is nothing stopping you from adding things into your yogurt, for example fruit pieces or sweets if you wanted to create something extra special. 


The igloo is used in the microwave to melt chocolate. Again the great thing is you can choose whatever chocolate you like, we went for a mix of dark and milk. Pop the yogurt moulds from the tray and dip into the melted chocolate to coat. If you don't want to cover in chocolate you don't have to and instead could use the moulds to make an ice lolly or frozen yogurt lolly. Whilst the chocolate is still sticky add sprinkles and other decorations. The top of the igloo can be used to stand the lolly in whilst it dries, which doesn't take long!



This was not only really easy to make it was also a lot of fun too, both girls really enjoyed themselves. I like that the choice of what to include is up to you. It makes it perfect for those with dietary requirements or allergies as you really are in control of what you use. I can see us using the Mr Frosty Choc Ice maker quite a few times. I am tempted to blend vanilla yogurt, peanut butter and banana together to see if that creates a nice middle before dipping in dark chocolate? The possibilities are endless


We were sent the choc ice maker for review, all words are my own opinion. 
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This year I have been trying to make more of a conscious effort to shop more ethically, or at the very least be more ethically aware. Making little swaps, like buying vegetables not wrapped in plastic, to slightly bigger swaps, using quorn or meat substitutes at home instead of meat. In addition we are trying to reduce waste, by using our compost bin more and grow some of our own vegetables. We have partnered with Suttons, online gardening retailers and advocates of grow your own vegetables, to look at some of the other trends in food and drink this year

Guilt-free alcohol

Alcohol often crops up now and then in our diets, for some more than others. However, we are becoming more health conscious and calorie counting doesn’t go well with a taste for liquor…
But, not to worry, guilt-free drinking is on its way. This new trend allows us to drink and be sociable without consuming extra calories. The low-calorie option amongst alcoholic drinks has been a rising segment for many years and will continue to grow as we increasingly monitor what we eat and drink.

It's already popping up here and there. You might have seen low-calorie beer on the shelves for example. Now, 78% of bars offer cocktails which is up 12% on 2016 — driven by social media and people’s willingness to post photos of their fancy drinks. Zach Sasser, a head bartender, predicts that ingredients such as beetroot juice, kale and pureed carrots will be popular. “Going into this health-conscious age that we live in, I believe integration is inevitable,” he says.

We might see healthier additions included in our cocktails too. In one survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association, 700 chefs were surveyed on what they think the latest culinary trends may be. They said that the relationship between the bar and the kitchen is to become stronger. Can we expect vegetable-infused cocktails in 2018?

Make room for more mushrooms

Scientists have discovered that mushrooms are better for us than we once thought, and it’s down to our ‘adaptogenic’ compounds. These compounds have anti-stress and anti-cancer properties. In fact, Food Navigator found that year-on-year sales of food products that include medicinal mushrooms have risen between an outstanding 200-800%, depending on the variety.

Experts are predicting that the mushroom market will be worth over £37 million in six years. Making its way into the food and drink sector through mushroom-infused coffees and mushroom smoothies, many cafes and retailers are already profiting from the trend.

The use of the mushroom is not limited to foodstuffs either. We can expect to see the ingredient on the labels of our hair and beauty products too. Different species of mushrooms are chosen for their varying properties — for example shiitake mushrooms are known for their richness in antioxidants and high vitamin D content, and the reishi mushroom is selected for its anti-inflammatory properties.

More non-meat eaters

More people are removing meat from their diet in a bid to help the environment. In fact, the number of vegans in the UK has risen by 350% in the past decade — predominantly driven by the younger market, with half of those opting for this diet falling between the ages of 15 and 34. At home we have been adopting a flexitarian diet — primarily vegetarian with meat and fish occasionally.

It’s possible that more plant-based ‘meats’ will be available to us. An example of this is an innovation called Beyond Meat. This could come in the form of burgers or fried food. Expect to see other indulgent food too, such as extravagant vegan desserts.

Smoothies and plant-based workout fuel 

Smoothies were big in 2017, you might’ve noticed an abundance of them on social media. Finely ground tea leaves, matcha and powdered super vegetables such as kale, spirulina and spinach have been popular too — their texture making it easy to add to soups, smoothies and salads. Registered dietician, Abbey Sharpe, explains their popularity: “I think people love a quick way to get in their healthy-eating fix, and powdered substances are seen as an easy way to pack in the nutrition.”

As part of the new craze, it’s likely that we’ll see more plant-based proteins. One of the newest forms of this is pea protein which has many benefits including its neutral taste — making it favourable for regular consumption.

Taking to the gardens

One prediction for this year’s food trends is more people growing their own produce. Brexit is already changing our views on food shopping. In April 2017, one in five said that they were more likely to buy British food after leaving the EU to support the economy. However, this was dependent on pricing, and if prices rise, many will go for cheaper alternatives.

In 2016, we witnessed first-hand the implications of relying on imports. Vegetable prices rose by 6.6% and this was explained by climate problems in Europe which led to shortages in some items. Can we risk facing these soaring prices again? Many think not. Instead, keen and amateur gardeners are heading to their back yards to plant their own vegetable plants and seeds and it’s expected that this trend will continue. 

What are your predictions for healthy food trends in 2018?
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We are a family of peanut butter lovers. Not just peanut butter any type of nut butter. A particular favourite is almond butter. I use peanut butter as a main source of fuel for my long distance runs. I find a peanut butter wrap really helped me for the ultra I ran a few weeks ago. I also love peanut butter and honey in porridge as fuel for breakfast before I even start my run.

In fact I found out a few facts about peanut butter

- Nut butters are high in protein and packed with vitamin E, magnesium and vitamin B6.
- It takes roughly 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of the luscious peanut butter.
- Peanut butter contains no saturated fat and can help lower bad cholesterol.
- Peanut butter is rich in antioxidants.

It is perhaps no wonder it works so well for long distance running!

Given the amount of peanut and nut butters we use a peanut butter maker is the ideal tool in our kitchen. Retailing at £36.99 from find me a gift, we were eager to put one to the test.


First thing to note is there is very minimal assembly and it is very straightforward to follow the instructions to assemble. We could not wait to begin making butter. You can choose whatever oil you like and you fill the orange dropper with oil. Nuts must have no shell in order to work, and the smaller you chop the nut the easier and quicker the process is. Also the process is quieter if you chop them small.  Chopped nuts are placed into the container and you simply switch on. Around every 10minutes you stir the nut guide and that's all there is to it.


Not the best picture in the world but you get the idea.

I actually found the whole process really quick and simple. The machine can be quite loud if you don't chop the nuts small enough, but you would expect that with any 'blender/grinder' type machine.

What I do really like is that it is small for storage so doesn't take up loads of cupboard space, or even work top space and it does look rather stylish too!

It is great that we can now make our own butter, this gives us much more control over what is added to them. Should we wish to add honey or anything to them we can do and we know the ingredients.  This makes it much healthier and also less wasteful too!

This has to be the must have gadget for any peanut butter or nut butter enthusiast out there. We certainly love ours!

This item was sent for review, all words are my own opinion 
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In just over a weeks time I am going to be taking on the Yorkshire marathon, again.  It is fair to say the first time I did this things did not go according to plan.  Still, an achievement completing a marathon and even more so pregnant, but this time that course and I have history.  A history so deep that I am now having mini panic attacks about it, I am not sleeping right and my head is playing the route over and over.  I have worked hard this time, train hard and am fuelling better than I was before.  I would say right, but I still love cake.

Mornings are perhaps the hardest to get breakfast right.  It involves rushing around trying to feed three children and the dog.  By the time I realise it is almost time for school and there is a mad dash to get dressed in time.  Breakfast though is the one to get right.  It is the one that sets you ready for the rest of the day.  The girls go to school on a full stomach, they can concentrate more on their work and not sat thinking about when it is lunch time.  They go to school with breakfast and they have more energy to concentrate and to play at play time.  I notice a difference in me too, I snack less if I have had a good breakfast and I have more energy to fuel my runs too, allowing me to run better.

Quick breakfasts that are healthy and low in sugar are difficult to find.  Ready Brek offers a solution that the whole family enjoy.  Made from wholegrain oats, it is rich in Calcium, Vitamin D and high in oat fibre.  It even has no added sugar or salt, given a bowl of Ready Brek is ready in under 90 seconds it is a quick and healthy breakfast.  


The smooth texture of Ready Brek makes it perfect for the whole family, even Little Man at 18 months enjoys it.  We can vary the taste of Ready Brek to suit our own individual preferences.  My eldest loves hers with honey, my youngest loves strawberries in hers and Little Man loves cinnamon and raisins in his.  


I have added Ready Brek into my banana and peanut smoothies to make it even more filling before I head out on my long runs.  Ready Brek is also versatile as it can be used in cooking.  It can be used in toppings for crumble, with melted butter for the base on a cheesecake or even in cookies to make Oatmeal and Raisin cookies.

See our Ready Brek morning here


This is a featured post, all words are my own opinion 
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The cold wintry weather is making me long for sunnier climates.  To feel the warmth of the sun on my back, watching my children play happily in either the pool or by the beach.   I’ve teamed up with Thomson cruises to bring you my views on cruises and share the reasons why our family loves them.  Going on a cruise allows us to explore and discover new places creating memories together and having lots of adventures.

A cruise holiday offers something different, something a little magical.  Most mornings you wake up somewhere new.  As you sleep the ship moves to a different port, giving you a new place to discover and explore every morning.  A new experience and a new sunrise to watch.  Not all cruises are the same however.  Each company is slightly different and each ship within the fleet differs too, this means you can have a completely different experience with the same cruise company just on a different ship in their fleet.  My desire for some sun has led me to look for a cruise for our summer holidays.  We have a wishlist of places we want to visit and now I need to find a cruise to match them.  I also need to make sure I book the right cruise for us, one which will meet our needs as a family.

Our last cruise took us around the Mediterranean.  We took in some beautiful cities including Rome, Naples, Barcelona and Nice but for our next cruise we are thinking of discovering either the Caribbean or the Bahamas.  The appeal of the turquoise water, and the culture are such an incredible pull that I am looking at different cruise companies and their ships to find one that would suit us.  Of course the long haul flight with three young children is slightly less appealing, that I am also considering a cruise which sets sail from the UK as an alternative.

A cruise holiday is an amazing experience.  We learnt so much from our last cruise, including needing a pirate outfit for pirate at sea day!  Some cruise companies also have formal wear for evening and others have a very strict dress code.  Some however are more relaxed and dependant on what you want from your cruise will depend which company will suit you best.

I cannot wait to set foot on board the ship and look out to sea.  Watching the sunset over the ocean and waking up in a new place ready to create some wonderful memories.



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This time last year I has just had a growth scan and the girls got to see their new sibling in 3D.  I remember that cold drive to the private clinic for the scan, excited to see my baby and the realisation that this was the year baby would arrive.  Now a full year later I have a 10 month old and very soon a first birthday will be upon us.  It also recently dawned on me that as Little Man was born right at the very start of March his birthday is sooner that we think as February is not a full month, well not really, so I might have to start planning very soon!


This past month has been documented daily on our YouTube channel as we undertook Vlogmas.  It has been great watching Little Man grow each day in these videos, and whilst they may not be directly about him he still features in them.  This month has seen Little Man gain a new tooth, so we now have 5 and by the looks of it another on its way.  Little Man has had all the cold and flu bugs going so it has been a very snotty month too.


I now have a climber on my hands, he can climb onto chairs and tables, climb up stairs and basically climb onto or over anything that stays still long enough.  He is super speedy fast in his baby walker and loves whizzing around and opening cupboards!  He does a fantastic three point turn in his walker and loves to chase the dogs and his sisters.  Whilst he can crawl he prefers to walk with objects so will crawl to an item to pull himself to standing.  This past month has been all about working out how to get back down again, and he has now mastered sitting back down after standing up.  It has been so sweet watching him work this out.


Due to Little Man walking with furniture he now has his very own pair of shoes.  This first pair in the photo we had to take back as he refused to walk in them, his current pair he prefers much more and will walk with them on!


As well as walking Little Man is a chatter box.  He wakes up every morning and says 'Hiya' and then starts chatting away and a few days ago he said 'mama' and now I can't get him to stop!  He also loves to blow raspberries and will often answer a question you ask him by doing so, which can be rather comical.  He gains a very confused look when you roll your tongue or stick your tongue out at him, neither of which he can do yet but he is working it out.


Sleeping is not one of Little Mans strong points, but then his sisters don't sleep either.  He does like a nap around 11ish and will nap for about 2 hours but then gets tired around 4/5 and if he does nap then he will not go to bed until around 11, and if he doesn't nap then he sleeps 6-8 ish and then is up until 11!  Either way it makes for an interesting evening.  He gets up at least twice a night and wakes up around 7.30 am every morning demanding breakfast.  I am trying to get him to sleep in his cot but he simply refuses, and then wakes up his sisters who then also refuse to go back to sleep.  


We do have a good routine with Little Man, which is something neither of the girls had.  He eats and sleeps around the same time each day, and he adores his bed time routine refusing to sleep if he doesn't have a bath.  Little Man has started with some patches of dry skin, which is how my eldest eczema started and so I have been using the new Aveeno baby range with him. I met the Aveeno team at Blogfest and they kindly gave me some samples to try.  The Aveeno baby range has been specifically designed for a baby's skin.  Not only does it help to moisturise the skin but it has been designed to cleanse, soothe and protect delicate baby skin too leaving it healthy and leaving Little Man comfortable.  I put some in his bath and he loves making lots of bubbles with it.  After his bath I massage the emollient cream into his skin before putting on his PJ.  He loves this routine and it seems to help keep dry skin under control.


One of the issues I have with Little Man and his sleeping is he does not like his sleeping bag.  He moves to much for a blanket and he gets himself tangled in his sleeping bag.  He likes to move his legs and cannot do this so gets frustrated.  Dry, itchy skin on top of this would mean a very unsettled night so I use the Aveeno cream to help combat this uncomfortable feeling.

Little Man has a huge obsession for water and can be found anywhere there is running water.  He knows where the bathrooms are and will crawl/walk to them and try and open the door.  He gets over excited when he pulls himself up to the bath and does lots of excited jumps, his little legs then try to climb the sides to get in.  Even when the dog is in the bath he still wants to get in!


Little Man now wears size 9-12 month clothes and even some 12-18 months clothes.  At our last health visitor appointment he had regained his birth line, and that is no surprise as Little Man adores his food.  He is fussy that it has to be the same as what we are all eating but other than that he eats most things, including sprouts at Christmas dinner.  


I still find it hard to believe that Little Man has blue eyes, they have changed slightly to a blue/green but given a family of brown eyes it is such an amazing change.  He has such a happy and cheeky personality.  He will spend ages focusing on one toy, rather than playing with multiple toys.  He much prefers to figure out how one toy works before moving on to another.  Little Man seems fascinated with screws and you often find him with his finger working out how to unscrew the screws.  His other fascination is with posting things and he posts his toys down the backs of chairs on purpose.  His pointer finger gets used the most, he likes to point at things, put the pointer finger into things and use the pincer grip whenever possible.  I have a feeling I am going to have to watch him very carefully as he gets bigger!

I cannot wait to see how my beautiful blue eye boy develops over the next month!

To celebrate a new year and the countdown to a first birthday I am giving away a teething ring from Gumigem.  The colour and style will be sent from Gumigem directly, to enter simply follow the details on the widget below. 


Teething Ring
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Am not sure what it is about breakfast or lunch but I always seem to be stuck for inspiration.  Resorting to carbs, carbs and more carbs.  Little Man prefers finger foods and I really want to give him variety and let him experience new flavours, so when I was invited by Piccolo to a lunch date with Piccolo I could not say no.

We arrived in London and were greeted by Alice Fotheringham who is the infant nutrition expert at Piccolo.  Alice is incredibly talented and as we walked through the front door we were greeted with lots of yummy food cooking away.  Little Man was made to feel incredibly welcome and got stuck in playing with all the lovely food toys!


Our starting point was breakfast and with that we began making porridge fingers!  I love recipes that involve non exact measurements as it makes cooking so much easier.  These porridge fingers were so easy to make and helps me to give Little Man something to hold for breakfast that is not toast!


With inspiration for breakfast next it was time to tackle lunch.  For this we made egg muffins, again a quick simple mix it all together recipe and one I can recreate at home.  Little Man however had his own plans.....


He promptly started stealing all the food and eating it, taking a particular liking to the courgettes!


The time simply flew by and my head was brimming with inspiration for our own lunch and breakfast over the next few weeks.  Of course, you cannot cook without preparing your own lunch.  


Safe to say with all this delicious food in front of us there was not one single plate with any food left on it!


Thank you Piccolo for inviting us to lunch and to cook with you.  We had a fantastic time and left full of inspiration [as well as some lovely food!].

This day I love Lunch with Piccolo 
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There were no tricks only treats for our Halloween celebrations this year.  Unfortunately we had left it too late to carve a pumpkin but we certainly had plenty of other treats in store.  Having been on holiday the week before Halloween I had been a little disorganised in terms of costumes and decorations, but thanks to a last minute shop on boohoo.com the girls costumes were sorted on a next day delivery.


I was really surprised as I was not aware that boohoo.com did kids clothes but they have a huge range with everything from everyday wear to clothes for occasions and all at the same great prices and quality as the adult range.  I even picked up some items for the girls for Christmas.  Little Man I wanted to dress up too, but be a little different.  I know many boys dress up as superheros, and as a superhero mad family I could not resist this temptation.  However I wanted to do things differently, so in a world filled with spider man, captain America and Batman, he had to be Robin.  I found his outfit on amazon and could not pass it by.


The girls got changed straight from school but we had a little bit of time to wait for our friends to come over.  We had decided to go together as a group, not only for safety but also it is more fun trick or treating with friends.  Whilst waiting the girls watched their BBC Children in Need DVD.  This kept them occupied whilst I saw to Little Man, as it is full of all their favourite shows. [For more information visit my Facebook page].

We headed out into the cold, dark, spooky night and were very surprised at how quiet it was.  Last year almost every house was decorated but this year they seemed few and far between.  We have a rule of only knocking on houses that are decorated or have a pumpkin so we seemed to visit more streets than last year.  Perhaps it was due to a school night? Either way we all still had lots of fun and returned home with cold hands and buckets filled with sweets.

My eldest daughter made a point of counting her sweets out, 56 in total.  No idea why she wanted to count them but she did.  Little Man loved that he got to stay up with his sisters and enjoyed all the attention from people we passed.

As we had missed out on the run up to Halloween we continued our celebrations on the 1st November.  1st November marks the beginning of Day of the Dead; the Mexican holiday celebrated with festivals, parties friends and mouth-watering food and drink.  Unlike the name suggests it is actually about celebrating life and is an occasion to be joyful.  

The girls were allowed to celebrate with beginning to eat some of their trick or treat sweets, and of course it gave us an excuse to eat Mexican food, which in itself is a cause for celebration.  


We used Santa Maria’s kits to help us prepare a quick and tasty Mexican dinner that was enjoyed by the whole family.  Even Little Man enjoyed his Taco!

There of course cannot be a celebration without chocolate in our house.  My birthday this year happened to fall during National Chocolate week so even before Halloween we had a house full with chocolate.  To aid in our celebrations we melted down the chocolate to make a dipping sauce.  Using different flavour chocolates can create different flavour sauces.  I like to add a dash of lime or ginger into mine, whereas my youngest likes to add sprinkles to hers!  

Using some of the Halloween treats we made dipping sauces and dipped our Halloween treats and some fruit into the sauces.  I even used  my Thomas J. Fudge’s Florentines to dip into the sauce too.

It is safe to say we have had a fun few days celebrating and Little Man has enjoyed his first spooky celebrations!

This day I love treats, no tricks and the day of the dead.





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The slim sleek design of the Philips Avent 4 in 1 healthy baby food maker makes it the perfect choice for any modern kitchen.  The 4 in 1 provides the ability to steam cook, blend food, reheat and defrost food in one compact unit.  

The 4 in 1 provides a unique steaming method to ensure no boiling and equal cooking throughout.  Food is placed in the easy to handle jar and the desired time is selected.


Steam circulates round the jar ensuring an even cook.  

Once cooked the jar is simply flipped over and is ready to blend.  No messing with different compartments, no need to scoop out the ingredients, it is all done in the same jar.  Easy and convenient.  The blend function is a press and hold so food can be blended to your desired consistency.  


I was amazed at how easy the 4 in 1 healthy food maker was to use and at how little mess was created.  It certainly make making healthy baby food easy.  Even better is that the jug and blades are dishwasher safe, making it easy to clean too!


All words are my own opinion. 
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During the week life is pretty hectic.  The girls have various after school clubs on most days and as a result we are often dashing from one place to the other.  The weekends are race days, homework and seeing family which means we never seem to sit still.  I often feel a little guilty that Little Man is having mainly pre made baby food for his meals, whereas with the girls I made the majority of their food.  It really is a time issue as there are not enough hours in the day to cook twice and I no longer have evenings free to prepare meals here.

Babymoov offered me a solution, the Nutribaby.  The Nutribaby has two main components, one blends and the other steams.  Only it offers a lot more than this.  The steamer section is able to defrost, warm up jars of baby food, warm up bottles of milk and even steriliser bottles.  You can do all this whilst the blender is in use, saving time.  

The steam function is really easy to use and the digital time program means timings can be to the minute.  The capacity is great and I was able to steam two pieces of fish and all the veg for our dinner in one go.


The guide gives you recipe ideas along with timings for various food items.  The veg took less time to steam than the fish so I was able to add this tray in later.  This is great for steaming different items, and therefore cooking a whole meal.


I was really surprised at how much the Nutribaby can do.  As Little Man is getting older he is drinking less milk and so the Nutribaby means we can use this for sterilising his bottles, whilst I blend his food, or whilst I make a smoothie for the girls.  The steamer allows me to cook a whole meal for the whole family, which ultimately saves me time.  I can now have less appliances on the work top as no need for a separate steriliser, a separate bottle warmer or even a separate blender or steamer.  


The Nutribaby is also easy to clean as the components are dishwasher safe, meaning I can save time on the washing up too.  This really is stress less weaning!

As for Little Man, I think he enjoyed eating freshly cooked food with the whole family even if the beetroot gave him a purple moustache. 


All words are my own opinion, we were sent a Nutribaby for this post. 
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We were challenged by Philips to swap one take away a week to a take in, and to use their new air fryer to do so. As a family we do tend to rely on the convenience of take away and particularly during the week as the girls have clubs after school and it is usually quicker to feed them on the drive there. Whilst I do try to cook every day it is simply not always possibly and so the take out becomes an option.


First on our list was chicken nuggets and chips. This is perhaps a firm favourite of the girls, so in my mind if the air fryer cooked this well then we were automatically onto a winner. We made the nuggets from scratch and it was actually really easy to do and probably took the same amount of time for the oven to heat up for frozen ones. The air fryer takes 3 mins to pre heat, which is actually very quick.
I was really impressed that no oil is needed, so the nuggets were simply placed in the basket, we fitted in 12, and then straight into the air fryer for 8 minutes. Overall much quicker than traditional cooking methods and they tasted fantastic.


If like we did you want to cook 2 or more items, you obviously need to wait for one to cook before cooking the other. Perhaps this is the only draw back, but it is no different to a conventional fryer or other fryers on the market. We have worked out how to cook the perfect chip, thanks to the handy guide, but are still working out how to get sweet potato chips just right.

Since cooking chicken nuggets we have made curries, meat balls and even chocolate brownies. I love the convenience of making my own chips and love knowing exactly how they have been made, it makes me happier to give the girls chips this way. My eldest has taken a really interest in cooking since we got the air fryer, and often asks to cook with it. Swapping a take out for a take in has never been easier.


As for the cleaning up, it fits in the dishwasher or is very simple to wash by hand. There is no oil so no grease to contend with and most of the time it simply wipes clean. A win all round,

Thanks to Philips for asking us to take part in this challenge, all words are my own opinion 
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This Friday 16th September marks Mexican independence day. Which gives us a wonderful excuse to have a fun filled fiesta packed full of fantastic Mexican food!

We love our Mexican food and with the help of Santa Maria are able to make quick and tasty food. Their kits contain everything needed and quick and simple instructions enabling an evening meal to be ready quickly and one the whole family enjoy together.


A family favourite has to be fajitas, the girls love they can choose how much goes into each one. My personal favourite is burrito. This Mexican Independence Day we will be having Taco along with dips. Taco are a great fun food, the girls think they are having big crisps for dinner. We like to give them a variety of options to put in their taco along with the meat. Both girls much prefer this style of eating.


Whatever your favourite Mexican food, Santa Maria have a range which makes Mexican cooking easier. What will you have this Mexican Independence Day?


Santa Maria provided us with Taco and Fajita kits for Mexican independence day
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Last year the girls reviewed cleverstix and I was surprised at how quick they took to using them. My eldest at 5 is now capable of using chopsticks and both girls still love using their cleverstix. The team at cleverstix have brought out a fork and spoon set which they have kindly sent to us for our honest opinions.

The spoon and fork have been designed for little people in mind. There are no sharp edges, the handles are ergonomic to hold which means children can get the optimum grip and they work with all types of foods. The fork and spoon are made of premium quality high degrade stainless steel and this is evident with the look and feel of the spoon and fork.


My youngest is a very messy eater and she often uses just a spoon because she finds it easier. The spoon and fork set has provided her with confidence to use all cutlery. I think this is partially down to the fact there is less mess at dinner but also that they are comfortable and easy for her little hands to use.

As my youngest is about to enter full time education I wanted her to be confident at school and have the confidence to use any cutlery. The spoon and fork set has given her skills to master swivelling action for eating pastas, and has helped her hand eye coordination. I love watching her confidence develop and this has certainly been the case with the fork and spoon set.

All words are my own opinion 

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The girls love a picnic and with the nice weather the past week we have had a picnic everyday for lunch. I find the girls eat better when it is a picnic. I think they like the choice and variety, and that they can pick and choose items. Everything is kept finger sized and easy to eat, and I think they love eating outdoors on their very own picnic table.

The girls have certain requests for their picnic, they like olives, cucumbers, bite size cheese, crisps, pepper, pickled onions and pieces of sausage. Each cut into bite size chunks and severed in either divider plates or individual bowls. I also like to add different items, dependant on what I have in, or experiment with flavours to see what the girls like.


One of our recent experiments for our picnic has been using primula cheese. Primula cheese comes in a variety of flavours. Perfect therefore for squeezing into bowls and dipping bread sticks, olives, celery or other nibbles into. If you had a little more time to prepare food in advance the girls also really like cheese and corn muffins.

They are really simple to make, and if you think a little like small omelettes. I break 6 eggs into a bowl, add a tin of sweet corn and a squeeze of primula cheese. Mix it all well and place mixture into muffin tray. Bake in oven at 200c for 30 minutes, or until centre is cooked. The girls call these cheese and egg muffins, but they are really bite sized omelettes perfect for snacking and for picnics. You could even change the ingredients to what you have in.

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Am not sure why but my girls seem to wake up earlier during the school holidays than they do for school. They wake up and the first thing they ask for is breakfast. I am not very imaginative when it comes to breakfasts, usually because I am tired and haven't got the functionality at that time to think. I do though want my girls to have a healthy start to their morning, one that is quick and simple and requires minimal thinking.

Ready brek is perfect for this. Made from finally milled whole grain oats, it delivers all the nutritious and healthy benefits of adult porridge but without the lumps. A bowl of ready brek is ready in around 90 seconds in the microwave, making it a quick simple and healthy choice in the mornings.


I also admit to liking ready brek, the smooth constancy makes it perfect for adding fruit, honey or even jam to, giving some variety each morning to breakfast. Ready brek is available in original or chocolate flavour, and we will be looking out for the chocolate having tried original so far.

Ready brek also recently redesigned their packaging to include a warm friendly bear. The girls did ask if I ate the breakfast would I turn into a bear, and this has now become a running joke in our house. The girls find the bear friendly and now ask for the breakfast with the bear on. I know that when school starts again in September the girls can have a warm, filling breakfast ready for a full day at school and one they really like.



All words are my own opinion 
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Little man turns 21 weeks [5 months] this week, and whilst we were advised to start weaning early due to his reflux we haven't started properly yet. I simply have not had the time I want to devote to his weaning due to the summer holidays, although he has had the odd taste of different foods.

With the above said I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and wean Little man during the school holidays, he is beginning to show all the signs of wanting more than milk

1. Little man can now sit for brief periods unsupported and sits with ease with support. He has good head control, which is one of the signs of readiness to wean.

2. He is almost 5 months, and therefore in the right age group for weaning. Whilst the recommended age is 6 months, some babies are ready before although not before 17 weeks/4 months.

3. He has good hand to mouth co-ordination. He is grabbing everything he can reach and putting it in his mouth. This includes food off mine or his sisters plates, toys, and his sisters hair!

4. He steals food!

5. He watches with great intent at us eating and tries to work out how to get the food in his mouth.

6. He has started drinking at least 6oz every hour, and he used to feed every 3 - 4 hours.

7. He is chewing his fist constantly.

8. He has started waking several times in the night and finishes a bottle, whereas he used to sleep through.

I have begun to get things ready to start weaning him. I do a combination of baby led weaning and traditional weaning methods. Both my girls weaned this way and so I intend to do the same with Little Man.

First on my list are cups, spoons, bowls and plates. I have been sent some of the OXO tot range to use with Little man. One of the things I really love about the OXO tot range is that they last all the way through from baby to toddler and beyond. Whilst little man has been sent a divider plate,the girls love using this plate for their picnics. The handy storage bowl with lid is perfect for taking snacks out for the girls as well as good for using for little man and his porridge. The lid has a handy place to level a spoon, and I love that the lid has a place to store food in also.


The spoons from OXO tot have a soft silicon shape making it perfect for little mouths, but the handle of the spoon is a good ergonomically shape for me to hold. We also have a cup from the range which can be converted from first sippy cup to a proper drinking cup and once again the range extends from baby to toddler. Everything is dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning really easy too!

As little man will also be doing baby led weaning we have some rice wafers from kiddylicious to try. These wafers remind me of the texture of prawn crackers, but slightly softer. They are the perfect shape for a little hand to hold and once sucked they dissolve. The wafers are a great way to develop the coordination needed for feeding and as they dissolve help alleviate some of the stress associated with baby led weaning. There are three flavours carrot, berry and banana and little man has not developed a preference to either flavour, instead each one is met with joy and a desire to be eaten.


For his first tastes we are using the new range from Mamia, available at Aldi. These baby food pouches contain 100% organic fruits and veg and the stage 1 is puréed, making the consistency incredibly smooth. They are perfect for feeding when out and about and for giving little man the first taste of foods. At 59p they are also great value. Little man usually has around half a pouch at a time and really loves the different flavours we have tried him with. It is often said the best way to start weaning is with vegetables, rather than fruit, as this can lead to healthier choices later in life and a better acceptance of new foods. The Mamia range is perfect therefore for stating our weaning journey.


As little man gets older, probably in a months time, I will move him from purée foods to those with a thicker consistency. The for aisha range will be perfect for this stage of his development. These baby food pouches contain some amazing flavours and have been developed by a mum, which for me means they have really thought about a baby and their needs. I love the sound of all the food available in the for aisha range with Shepherds Pie my particular favourite. I cannot wait to try these with little man and will be sharing our thoughts on Instagram when we do!


As our weaning journey progresses I will be sharing on Instagram and YouTube, keep up to date with our progress as we share our weaning journey.


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About Me

Welcome to This Day I love.

My name is Leyla, also known as Mum to my 3 humans and dog Mum to J. I have a passion for the outdoors and love to run. I can often be found off road exploring the trails and fells and covering distances all the way up to 50 miles. As a family we love travelling and discovering new adventures, as I try and run around the world!

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