Twirly whirly

I bought a new toy!

It's a vegetable spiralizer and it's got all the Fergies in a right old spin*

*it really hasn't, but it is good!

I gave the spiral treatment to some courgette and sweet potato, and tried two methods of cooking them.

Method 1: Oven baked

Please excuse the bogging tray... But I popped these on some foil and seasoned with salt to help dry out the water, garlic and chilli flakes, and a little bit of EVOO.

Result:

They burn quick, so be vigilant. But they came out lovely and sweet and crunchy.

Method 2: Pan cooked

Tiny bit of oil, bit of seasoning, 5 mins or so...

Result: lovely and soft but with bite, you could add any sauce etc. I just served them with some mackerel but would like to try with some Parmesan.

Boldly into March

No wonder mumsnet rejected my initial entry to be in the blogger's network! 'Give it at least six posts, eh pal?' They suggested. 'Huff puff!' Said I, insulted.

So back on the wagon, for a quick brain dump to get me back in the swing!

This wee hunk has been unwell, which has obliterated an entire week, but he's a good bit better now and has even penned his first novel, complete with marketing blurb on the back:

I've been trying to get back out running, but a runner I am not.

Not likely to set the world on fire, but we'll see how it goes, remember I'm a lifter... Check out the shoulders now!

In bargain corner, I got an Enrapture totem styler for £18 in Home Bargains, full review to follow...

Right, nut screwed. I'll be back. Honest.

Friday round up

Oh the CHEEK of me! This has been sitting in drafts for almost a week! My excuse is that I've been playing around with photoshop again to try and learn some tricks to help with my shocking photo layouts... As you can see I'm no further forward, so any help greatly appreciated!

This week I discovered this Crack-in-a-jar. Best served from a plastic spoon whilst standing in the kitchen for calorie reduction...

Lotus Spread - I wish I'd never found this...

I also got a massive coldsore, to which Father in Law gave me this gadget...

And to be fair, it's nearly gone already...

Sunday roundup...

Sunday Roundup! What a great idea! The hope here is that It will be a great prompt/excuse to make sure I keep updating the blog as regularly as possible!

So this week:

My baby Robin turned four. Four years ago this little awesome guy was lifted aloft from my spliced open stomach! I also had to enrol him for primary school.  This has made for an emotional week, I've cried in secret a lot.  I've cried at the telly, I've sobbed into tiny socks and I've blubbered at work.  But I made a CAKE. An epic pintrest worthy cake, as requested it had smarties, fingers and a JELLY SNAKE! I'm rather proud, but I ate a lot of it...

I organised my bra drawers.  They now resemble a saucy filing cabinet.

I caught an epic episode of Jeremy Kyle... Words fail me.

Finally, the quest for good hair continues, with a trial of Enrapture's heated rollers.  My Sleepin training meant I applied these to my dry hair in record time.  After 30 mins... I'm really rather impressed!

                                 

Of coconuts and smoothies...

Coconut water.  Have you heard? It's all over instagram.  That means I want in on the action.  I'm not buying it though. I'll make it.

Off to YouTube, to work out the best way to extract the water and harvest the flesh.  The carving fork got officially stuck in the holes, but a teaspoon was our saviour.  We had to then go smack it on the back doorstep - The neighbours have seen it all by now thankfully... Popped it into the oven 200 degrees (do macs have a degree symbol?) for 15 minutes and it came out warm and soft, and stripped from the husk (?!) nicely,

Whizz whizz, frozen Mango and soem berries, protein powder, coconut water and almond milk... with coconut to munch on.

Kate's very berry protein smoothie

New Nikes.  Make going to the gym even easier!

Smoothie time! Protein, frozen berries, banana and berocca.  As I've said before (I think) using frozen fruit or berries give shakes a thick milkshake consistency, and really help to fill you up. I like to have one for breakfast or after a strength training session.                                                                                                                               I am having a lot of problems trying to get my layout to look halfway decent, with my tall iphone photos and blogger preview that doesn't do as it is told! Do bear with me!

Vita Liberata Self Tan Lotion

I do love a tan.  Davey does not love a tan.  I've resorted to soem underhand tanning tactics in the past. Mainly getting a spray tan after work, coming home a darker shade of teak and telling him it was Dove gradual tan I popped on this very morning...

He never falls for it, and rolls his eyes and tell me I stink of teabags and all sorts, but I simply cannot bear to be pale.  I'm not just naturally pale. I'm transparent, veiny and almost blue..

                                       

As I never let myself get to this stage, my before picture still has a little hint of last tan... 

The tan itself is a thick dark brown lotion that dries pretty quick so you have to act fast.  Don't stop for streaks until you've covered your desired area.  Then buff with quick strokes afterwards with a mit of choice.  I like the 3 in 1 mit from Home Bargains.  I must must write about this wonderful place another time - I'll get siri to remind me...

                                       

Instantly you have a great colour, even before developing.  I've been known to slick on a quick layer in the morning

Not bad.






















Next morning and after showering I'm more than happy with my odour-free, streak-free and lovely tan. A little goes a long way and for £23 for a big bottle, I'm a fan!

Sleepin Rollers

I'd like to say my hair and I got on.  We don't.  It's fluffy and wispy but thick and tuggy.

I eagerly wait for the day the spiral perm comes back into fashion, as that was truly the only style mt hair could cope with day to day.

I'm going to set up a google alert for 'spiral_perm_dead_cool_now' and I still have my retro fit skull crushing diffuser at my dad's house for that day.

But until that day I will buy anything that claims to make lovely hair easier. Cue the Sleepin rollers. countless positive reviews and a great deal on amazon (I got the full set and a hairdryer hood for £9 on amazon - I think this may have been a pricing mistake!)

They are easy to pop in to damp washed hair, I also plopped on some argan oil, which my drysee hair loves to drink up like a thirsty desert.

A row in the top section, and work down from the sides.... voila

'Goodbye Sleepless Nights - Hello Beautiful hair' - is the claim... So, how did I sleep? Frankly, awful.  I feel asleep as per Kate standard, watching Columbo with Davey, but I reckon I woke every 2hrs or so with the velcro scratching my <ahem> generous ears and scalp. The rollers invaded my dreams and I found myself dreaming of having my head caught in a breadbin... however that could also be the lack of white carbs recently...

Robin thought they were absolutely ridiculous and began clawing them out of my hair straight away.  One bonus I have to mention is that on a work morning I am usually found tapping snooze at least 6 times... with these bad boys I was desperate to be on my feet again and got ready.

So.  they slip out easily, and a head tip upside down and shake...

TraLAAAA! Huge hair! with a curl at the bottom.  It really was just like after a blow dry.  I got plenty of positive comments throughout the day, which usually on hair wash day is a flippy flimsy mess...

When I use them again, I'll fashion some sort of protective wingnut ear cover and see how I get on...

Protein smoothie with kale...

Operation Kale continues! This morning I mixed kale, frozen mango chunks, water, berocca and SmartTec Diet FX vanilla protein powder.

Quite a job for my basic mixer, and I did nearly obliterate a chopstick trying to press it down (not recommended) 

I did intend to add a banana, but forgot to put it in... I'm smart like that.  I might try again and add some almond milk and coconut water next time for more supercharging, but this filled me up until lunchtime and was honestly delicious!

Very nice indeed! - Zingy and fresh, 174 calories and 18g of protein. 

Kale - 130g

vitamin K1180.1%

 vitamin A590.2%

 vitamin C71%

 manganese27%

 copper22.2%

 vitamin B610.5%

 fiber10.4%

 calcium9.3%

 potassium8.4%

 vitamin E7.4%

 vitamin B26.9%

 iron6.5%

 magnesium5.8%

 vitamin B15.8%

 omega-3 fats5.4%

 phosphorus5.2%

 protein4.9%

 folate4.2%

 vitamin B34%

Let me explain...

Tots - incorrect really, I only have one, I'll write about him here.

Shots - I think I go out drinking about three times a year, I'll probably never write about that here.

Squats - I do actually do squats, with weights, and I get my husband to check you can't see my bum hole through my Capri tights... Pure class. I will write about this here, because I used to be fat as can be and everyone loves a weightloss blog eh? 

Culottes - never owned a pair. Ever. But wanted to allude to the fact that I will write about clothes.

Kale...

According to Instagram, kale is the most magical super food in the world. Ever.

Double checked this with Davey who confirmed that in all good apocalypse stories the survivors are keen to harvest Kale. Excellent.

I searched high and low and finally found this bag of joy in Morrisons in Shawlands.

Baking tray, garlic infused oil and salt. Oven at 180, for ten minutes.

Tadaaaa! Really nice, super nice. Crunchy, salty and garlic-y (well duh) recipes online suggest 'serving as an alternative to potato chips for a real conversation starter!' Well yes I can believe that, but I don't imagine that conversation would be most complimentary!

Try it, zombie food!