Why Pay More for Hot Chocolate?

I recently ran out of hot chocolate and was surprised to find out just how easy it is to make a really delicious hot chocolate, using just milk, sugar and Cocoa. This particularly appealed to me, because I don't get on well with dairy and try to avoid it if I can. The shop-bought hot chocolate I was used to was one you made with water, so the milk was already added. Not only does this mean you have to suffer the dairy content, but also, like all processed foods, there are lots of other ingredients too that aren't strictly necessary. Take this example from Tesco. This is a list of ingredients for their Value hot chocolate;

Space Age Strawberries; Making Fruit Exciting for Children!

My daughter has been the big sister to a fussy eating younger brother for years and during that time she has come up with lots of fun ways to encourage him to try new foods. I don't know why she is so good at it, I think it's partly the imagination of youth and partly the fact that she is close enough in age to him to still remember what it was like to be suspicious of food! Her latest invention is a novel way to jazz up some strawberries. This simple recipe makes them more appealing to little, and bigger, picky eaters and it involves a product I am a huge fan of. It's not especially cheap, contrary to my normal food posts, but it does last a long time, as a little goes a long way. Dr Oetker Shimmer Spray is so much fun, your food will never be the same again! 

My Captured Moment: Easter; Collecting Easter Bunny Treasure

A Picture Says a Thousand Words

I really want to do more with my photography. I feel the blog would benefit from better quality photos and I actually really enjoy taking them. I also need an excuse to walk more, as it's one of the best exercises for me and it's free! If you are going to walk and you don't have anyone to go with, I think it helps to have a prop. Dogs are great, but a bit of a commitment. After all, they are for life, not just for walkies. So, the next best thing is a camera. I find if I have something to focus on, I walk further without even realising and it doesn't feel like exercise.

The Toothbrush Truth with Toilettree!

I am a bit fanatical about dental health, as I am not actually a fan of the dentist, so I was very interested when Toilettree got in touch to ask if I would like to review their electric toothbrush, with (and this is the best bit, in my opinion!) a free travel electric toothbrush! How inspired is that? I hate having to switch back to a manual toothbrush for travelling and the beauty of this one is it has a cap, so you don't have to throw a wet toothbrush in your luggage, to get covered in fluff and other stuff! I was a little unsure how I would get on with a new electric toothbrush, as I have used the same brand for a long time, but I'm actually really pleased with it.

Remembering Jack: The Final Chapter

For those of you with a really good memory, you may remember how myself and my friend Lisa had a great deal of support from a lot of amazing people in order to raise £2,000 for Addenbrookes Hospital. We started the fundraising to honour the memory of Lisa's beautiful son who lived just two days. If you would like to, you can read the original story here. Lisa recently travelled to Cambridge to hand over the cheque and meet some of the wonderful staff who do such a brilliant job looking after some of the most vulnerable of the hospital's patients. There follows a short post from Lisa, who wanted an opportunity to thank everyone who made this possible, so I will leave the final word to her.

Shared Parental Leave

Shared Parental Leave is a new initiative being launched by the government in April this year. Following the birth of a baby, it allows parents a lot more flexibility to care for their new offspring together. This is something I wholeheartedly agree with. In principle. I think the idea that parents can be equally involved in the care of their child is long overdue and will go some way towards reflecting the 21st century position in this country; where it's near impossible for the average family to survive on one income and it's by no means unheard of for the woman to earn more than the man.

Win £50 Cash with Cheesestrings!!

Two things I love, one is competitions, the other is putting things in my son's lunchbox that I know he will eat. It's getting more and more complicated to organise packed lunches for school these days. There are different rules about what is considered healthy enough. Some schools will only allow products with a certain percentage of fat and sugar, others will only allow certain types of products, for example no sweets or chocolate. Now, this part I agree with. There are plenty of healthier choices, but what matters most to me is that my son eats. I worry about him getting hungry and I get really fed up sending him to school with a good lunch, then unpacking most of it when he comes home again!