I want something healthy for breakfast with seeds...

...and no wheat, is what Andy said to me a couple of week ago!

Sadly my hubby isn't the greatest at eating breakfast, but in order to get himself on the right track he's decided that a flapjack and a smoothie would be the way forward, so I went about finding a simple recipe I could knock up each weekend that would give him his daily flapjack, and here's what I found at http://www.healthy-magazine.co.uk/

Makes 8-10, takes 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

75g unsalted butter or polyunsaturated spread (I used Bertolli Light)

125g runny honey

25g demerara sugar (I leave this out and they taste sweet enough)

250g rolled (porridge) oats

a handful of seeds (I use pumpkin and sunflower seeds)

a handful of chopped ready to eat dried fruit (I use apricots or berries)

 
Method

1. Butter or grease a 20cm (8in) square loose-bottomed baking tin. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/fan 160˚C/gas 4.
2. Put the butter, honey and demerara sugar (if using) in a small pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
   
   
   

   

   
   
3. Measure the oats into a large mixing bowl (with seeds if using). Pour on the honey mixture and mix together well.
4. Press the oat mixture into the prepared baking tin, levelling the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
   
   

   

   Before baking

   
   

   
   

   
   

    
   

   

   After baking

    
5. Cut through the flapjack while it is still warm to mark out between 8 and 12 fingers or squares. Leave in the tin on a cooling rack until completely cold, then transfer to an airtight tin or container to store.
   
   

   

Andy decided he didn't like them with both fruit and seeds (I did though!) so I alternate, one week seeds one week fruit - I've left him in charge of smoothie making...oh my poor blender!!

An adventure in the west

Hello All,

Today's morsel is about a little trip I took a few weeks ago to see Donny & Marie in Cardiff - yes, I did say "Donny & Marie in Cardiff"!

I have never been ashamed of the fact that from the age of 9 I was pretty besotted with the dreamy Donny Osmond.  I had tons of posters up in my bedroom and avidly watched The Osmonds cartoon on a Saturday morning, so when the opportunities arise, I do like to go along and see the still dreamy Donny doing his thing in concert and this time was no exception.

To tie in with this special treat I went and stayed with my friends down at Langtry Country House as they'd take taken the weekend off so we could have some girlie time - actually, we had a mini Christmas and it was fab!  We had a home made Chinese buffet for Christmas dinner, followed by a homemade 'flaming' Christmas pud, it was scrummy!  I would post a photo, but all you can actually see is a blue flame, which to be honest could have been attached to anything!

To make our trip to Cardiff that little bit more worthwhile (as if D&M weren't worthwhile enough!), we made a bit of a day of it and booked in for Afternoon Tea at the Pettigrew Tea Rooms, which are the dream of a lovely chap called David, who has a great blog called 'I Want to Bake Free', it was one of the nicest Afternoon Teas I've had for a while. 

 

We were greeted by David and shown to out reserved table, good job we booked as they were turning people away the whole time were were there because they were full!  Waiting for us on the table was a selection of mis-matched vintage crockery, all neatly set out and ready to be used. 

We ordered a full Afternoon Tea for 3 and waited with great anticipation and very hungry tummies.   We could order a variety of 5 different sandwich fillings and they must have all been made fresh as we did wait a little while for them, but once they arrived they were just great!  Served on a tiered cake stand all nice and neat with a lovely fresh scone each on the top plate. 

Once we had finished the delights on the cake stand it was time to to choose one of the many delicious looking cakes from the cabinet, so as is my way lemon drizzle was my choice and it definitely lived up to its image!

If you're ever in Cardiff you really must check out the great place and David's blog - I can't wait to go back!

http://www.pettigrew-tearooms.com/

Throughout 2013 I'm hoping to get my act together and post some more recipes - so watch this space!

Take care for now.

Mandy x