Healthy Eating.....

 

About 6 odd weeks ago I told all you lovely peeps out there about a new book I had purchased.... remember? If not - look HERE It's called  I QUIT SUGAR, it really is a very interesting book full of fact that make the mind boggle! I came across her next and in my opinion better book called - I QUIT SUGAR FOR LIFE! Once again it is packed with great tips and facts and a load more recipes! Recipes that over the last few weeks I have tried out.....  

 

Now to be honest with you when I read that my body did not need sugar to function - I was intrigued as to weather I could actually go for a day let alone life without a sugary coffee, or a chocolate bar packed full of sugar..... But I am always up for a challenge and things in this book just made me think, so what's a bloggy girl to do..... Yes try it out! 

 

First off I ditched the sugar in my coffee in the morning, it wasn't too difficult, I don't take sugar in my tea so easy! . Then I tackled  breakfast, which is my best meal of the day.   

 

 

First up - CARROT CAKE PORRIDGE!. I was really not sure about this but boy is it good, and so easy to make. You chuck everything in a jug and blitz it - I used a stick blander. Pour it into 2 containers and pop it into the fridge over night! Add some full fat yogurt and coco nutty granola and apply to mouth! Peeps it is yummy different but yummy so much so that I am eating it every second morning AND(please note the shouty capital AND) it keeps you full for ages.

 

Second up - A CHOC COCO MUGGIN!. A what? a muffin in a mug! and it take 2 minutes to make! SERIOUSLY!! Made with coconut, coconut milk and cocoa it is a yummy little morsel, Very chocloatey which totally satisfies my chocolate in the blood thing!

  

Third up - CUPCAKES! Mmmm Little Madame asked for cupcakes, I had seen these and decided to try and swing them by her! Not so much! they have loads of Stevia powder in them and they honestly just did not live up to 'normal' cupcakes. The texture was good they looked good but to a little peeps mouth they were not her favourite. I on the other hand did not mind them at all!

Fourth up- PAELO BREAD! Which in meal all in one, it contains ham, baby marrows/courgettes and cheese. and smell ultra good while baking -  two slices had me full up for the day!

Fifth  up - Peanut Butter and Jelly Breakfast Whip! - Full of oats and peanut butter and frozen strawberries. This was yum but did not keep me full like the other breakfasts did. Also really easy to make and one batch makes two breakfasts  

Sixth up -NOT-QUITE-APPLE -CRUMBLE-MUFFINS! These are the nicest of all the 'cake' things I have tried! They are quiet sweet and very filling too. The nut crumble on the top is really good! did I mention that you can freeze almost all of these recipes, this is a winner for me! I like that you can just pop one in the microwave and you have a little something yummy for tea!  

Seventh up -(yes I know you cant count like that) Butter Biscuits! They are buttery and crunchy and snap when you break them in half. Bliss with your tea or coffee. Not too sweet but definitely moreish!
 

Finally -  CHOCOLATE! YES Peeps,  I made chocolate, dark and bitter and totally delicious. You didn't think I could live with out chocolate did you? I thought chocolate was a real mission  to make but apparently not! will be making all my own dark and delicious stuff from now on!

  

Now a few things I have learn with this exercise.....

 

NO 1. Stevia is GROSS!!! 

NO 2. Xylitol is not much better!

NO 3. I have discovered Rice Syrup and this seems to me to be the best bet if you are trying for that sweet tooth thing!

NO 4. Eating like this can be very dear - however in saying that I think that we are a bit behind in the whole food/ organic thing here in deepest darkest Africa! We have only just got 2 aisles of 'health food products' at our local pharmacy and  health shops are extremely pricey! So Yes it is DEAR!

 

However....

 

NO 5. Every single recipe is VERY easy to make!(And you can freeze)

No 6. I feel loads better and have not had a sugar slump in about 5 weeks!

No 7. In the on going battle with my rear end(and I threw away my scale last birthday - it was my present to myself! ) I find my jeans are looser and my skin looks better!

No 8. I feel calmer over all  and I know this will sound really odd but much healthier and cleaner on the inside!

So to round this healthy foody post off. I am enjoying the sugar free eating. I cannot say that I will never eat a slice of cake with icing, a bar of chocolate or a sticky sugary pudding again...... But I certainly feel better and that's what counts in the long run - How you feel and right now I feel super HEALTHY !! xxx

Baby Ripples......

Gosh, Peeps, I have had so many friends having babies just recently! I kid you not when I say there are 6 ..... And then yet ANOTHER one of my dear friends announced a few months ago that she was in the baby way.....Now  I have made so many  Baby Owl Toys that I could not face making  yet another so I really had to put my thinking cap on..... but nothing - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

 

However as with many things I do,  late one night I thought about a unfinished blanket..... or WIP(work in progress ) as I  like to call anything unfinished!(And I have many WIP's)  I had started this ripple blanket a while ago, but I never finished it! It was a difficult pattern and I had struggled with it and eventually put it away. But I had also JUST started my hooky journey, so I think I can be forgiven for shelving it.

 So I went in search of it..... and there it was lying under a pile of yarn in a drawer!

 

Now my friend Gem, did not know if she was going to produce a girl child or boy child.... This blanket was 3 shades of blue. Beautiful Blue that reminded me of the ocean on a bright summer day, tranquil and serene!   ..... The ripple pattern also undulates like the waves in the ocean.....Boy, am I being poetic today! I decided that even though it  might be a little girl I would  use it. I would simply add a pink border to it and some flowers on the bottom - I thought that was actually a VeRy CleVeR idea....

The Ripples somehow seemed easier this time, I was using Lucy from Attic24's pattern and now that I am few years down in my hooky journey, it was easier to understand. The stitches were simple, 4 trebles then a decrease across 2 stitches then 4 trebles and  increase across 2 stitches.... simply put it is a hill and valley type of thing, increase on the hill decrease on the valley...... understand? Well it does seem a bit odd when I read it back but Lucy writes patterns in an easy manner so pop over and try it out.

The Valley(Decrease Stitches)

The Hill(Increase Stitches)

I cannot lie and say I never made any more  mistakes, I pulled out a few rows  and even totally mixed the colours up on one occasion!(my first hooky tears!) But soon  the pattern became almost cathartic and repetitive - I almost became lost in the pattern not thinking about anything except repeating and repeating.........

Suddenly  it was looking gorgeous and although the first 20 rows of ripples had been more of a gentle curve than a ripple,  it was looking really ripply. I was happy. I kept rippling and soon it was all done.

 

 

A few days later very happy Gem told us that a Baby...... GIRL was to bless them.
 

   

 

  A pink border  of single crochet was dully added and it looks really sweet and girly.... 

 

 

 

 

I hooked up a little garden of flowers(Flower pattern to come - as it is my own)  and added them along the bottom, with stems and leaves.(I doubled up my yarn to chain the stems as it makes the stems thick and looks better)

 

 A pretty white Butterfly flitting across the blue ripples.

The Finished Blanket - Not A great Picture  - Sorry!

 

The blanket was all done. The different coloured flowers, green stems and leaves really break up the blue, and it will be perfect for this soon to be born  little girl! The baby shower was a riot..... A house full of wonderful, loud and gregarious family and friends, writing down blessings and wishes for little Grace's future! And I do have to say with a family like this.... She is already BLESSED ....xxx

 

PS:: Can not wait to meet her.....

Row Row Row Your Boat......

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

 

 

It seems like many moons ago that we were on our annual oversea's holiday, it fact it was only 7 weeks ago - Time sure flies when you need to pack up your home and move...... 

 

The main part of this years holiday was spent on a boat! Yes you hear me correctly a boat, a lovely luxury boat the pottered along at 5 mile an hour( that was the speed limit) At this stage of the post I want to say that LSO is the best travel agent a family could ask for! He trawled the interweb for hours finding the best route and the best boat he could. We were worried that Little Madame would be bored... But far from it she thrived on the boat, she had a wonderful time and let me tell you why.... NO TV, NO INTERNET and VERY LITTLE CELL RECEPTION! It was idyllic, relaxing, quiet and above all else we spend time together..... As always a few picture to tell the story

 

:: Our luxury Boat - A lounge/dining area,2 bedrooms, a galley(Kitchen), 2 bathrooms and deck....


   

 

:: Mooring Spots were full of relaxed happy ( in some places inebriated) people.... 

:: We stopped to look at beautiful old ruins and churches....

 

:: We saw gorgeous homes, with green lush gardens that beckoned for us to come in .... 

 

:: We took long walks in leafy country lanes....(Well...we walked - one of us carried...)

:: Little Madame and I sat on river banks and chatted to regal swans....

 

 

:: We crocheted, won 40 pounds playing lotto, loomed and caught fairies in wine glasses.... 

:: Saw interesting plants and seeds....

:: Saw breath taking, still sunsets.....

 

:: And lay for hours watching clouds pass by......

 

::Went under impossibly low bridges, that had me holding my breath....

:: We picked blackberries and apples, and ate them still warm from the summer sun....

:: We saw  grand manor houses and  quaint windmill homes....

 :: Sailing boats gently passed by.....

:: Ancient castle walls still stood and fragile poppies grew on battle fields.......

 

:: We moored at old pubs and sipped icy beers........

 



 

:: While Little Madame played ball with a friendly dog....

  

 

 

:: We went to Bewilder Wood and played amongst the trees......

  

:: Little Madame was a "London Girl!'.....

 



 :: London was wet and sunny all in one day...... 

 

 

:: Kensington Place, my favourite place....... 

 

 

:: We packed with heavy hearts...... 

 

Very heavy hearts because this holiday was just that - a HoLiDaY and I would HIGHLY recommend cruising the Norfolk Broads to anyone! It is an idyllic, relaxed and wonderful getaway. I was so relaxed and happy, that I do have to admit, I was teary when we got off the boat. ( Barnes Brinkcraft - is the name of the boat company) A few days ago... LSO asked Little Madame where she wanted to go for our holiday next year.... Yes!!You guessed it - 'Back to the boat PLEEZZEE papa!' came the immediate reply, I cant argue with that as a matter of fact....I am off to pack my bag.....xxx

 

 

Pretty Please Peeps....

I have a favour to ask of all you lovelies out there in blog land......

Its not a huge favour but it is one that would benefit me and my little blog! Could I ask you please to join and follow me, if you look down the right hand corner of my blog there is a followers button. Could you all please follow me, now I can hear some of you saying that you already do, however, if you see my posts on Facebook and follow the links.... you are not following me on Blogger( my Blog provider) I am wanting to start using Ad sense and start a little Etsy shop and I NEED more followers in order to qualify ,so  I am  being told!

So Pretty Please Peeps....Could you all follow me! ( all you get is a pop up on your news feed to say I have posted!)

Thank you all in anticipation....xxx

Bits and Bobs From The Last 3 Years!

Renovation Nation ...... Part 3

 

Weeks 3,4 and 5 have sort of merged together into one very long round of visiting the  wreck that was once our home......In between the rain! It has sometimes just pitter pattered down and sometime come down in buckets! The last few weeks when I have gone to look I have honestly felt despondent again, so much still to do.......  

  

 

The roof has taken ages.......  

 

The lounge wall came down......

 

We have plug points.... 

 

The ceiling went up....

An old door was for sale....(loads of rubble got taken away)

 

The patio was on its way to being complete.....

  

 

Old windows were taken out and new ones put in....

 

 

And suddenly.....

Suddenly things started to look better.....

Paint was chosen, cornicing went up, doors were made good and floors were laid...... 

 

 

And we even have our back garden back......

 

The garden is a little worst for the wear, but with ALL the rain it should be good as new in no time at all. So things are looking better all round, it is amazing what a HUMASSIVE difference a few days can make. I think we are into the home stretch now and to say I am SuPeR excited would be an understatement......xxx