Quick Reads

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Dating in Your Dwelling: How to Cope with Socially Distanced Dates

*This post was written in collaboration with date Aberdeen singles.

With certain locations going back into lockdown, it can be a worrying thought that a second national lockdown is on the way. Although the rules only state you are allowed no more than six people at the moment, this could all change if the number of Covid-19 cases increases. Many people chose to put relationships on the back-burner during the lockdown, but now that we are faced with the prospect of more restrictions, people are trying new ways of dating to save being lonely during these worrying times. Luckily, there are several tips I can give to you for dating during a lockdown. 

Find a date online

The first thing you will want to do is find a date. Free dating sites like Aberdeen dating site are a great start when you want to find like-minded singles in your area. Because there is noting much else to do during a lockdown, it is likely that there will be an increased number of users on certain dating sites. One of your main priorities for online dating should be to ensure that you have an up-to-date profile and up-to-date profile picture. 

More time for talking

Some people might not be comfortable meeting up with strangers during a pandemic, and let’s face it the rules are pretty confusing. This gives you a great excuse to keep the talking stage going for a bit longer than both of you would usually be used to. If feel safe and you would like to, you can take your messaging to another level by swapping social media or even numbers. Sometimes it can be best to extend the talking stage as you will already have things in common to talk about and “in” jokes to start a conversation. 

Think of some original dates

So you have got to the point where you have used a local dating site like www.dateaberdeensingles.co.uk and you have found someone you enjoy speaking to and would like to date. The trouble now is, where on earth can you go on a date? Although pubs and restaurants are open, they need to be booked quite far in advance if they are popular ones, and this again depends on your level of comfort with going to public places. Remember that everyone is at a different stage in the pandemic and ensure you are in tune with the needs of your date. If they are living with someone vulnerable it is unlikely they will want to go anywhere busy. Thankfully, there are some things you can do that do not put anyone at risk, including:

  • Skype dinner dates where you talk and order a takeaway
  • Nice walks (as long as the UK weather plays the game)
  • Picnics in the park
  • Skype or zoom quizzes, which are a great way to get to know someone

With all of the different technologies available today, you can still date fairly effectively during these uncertain times. And if you do meet the person you end up marrying during the Covid-19 crises, imagine what a great story that will be to tell!

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Five Fun Food Facts About Me

The worst place I have ever eaten is…. Tangier in Morocco.

My friend and I went on a holiday to Marbella. We both had really good jobs at the time so we stayed at the Melia Marbella Banus which was one of the most luxurious hotels I have ever stayed in. On the spur of the moment we decided to book a day trip to Tangier as we had never been to the African continent. It was AWFUL. A friend went to Morocco, specifically Tangier and his pictures of it were lovely. not sure where we got taken but we then went to this marketplace for lunch and the chicken was pink in the middle, the soft drinks were actually OUT OF DATE and the cous cous was all watery and plain. We had got up at 5am and had no breakfast, and I usually eat everything but even I couldn’t eat this. It wasn’t until we got home around 10pm we ate food. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE cous cous uasually.

My favourite food in the whole world is… Fried chicken.

Or if you want to be particular about it, Jollibee Fried Chicken that you can get in the Philippines. As I proved on my vlog, it IS more fun in the Philippines, and the food is good too. If the Philippines is my favourite country, Jollibee is my favourite take away. There is one in Earl’s Court I can get to in my lunch break and they have just opened one in Shoreditch. Do you know what my big secret is to frying chicken? I use a REALLY GOOD WOK.

The food I would cook to impress someone is… Coq au Vin.

Coq au Vin is a French chicken stew made with red wine. To put my own little twist on, instead of using a whole chicken on the bone I do a chicken breast for each person. Not a huge amount of effort goes into making it but it is delicious! If you want to cheat though, you can buy the sauce.

The place I like best for eating out on holiday is…. The Philippines.

You guys must be so bored of all of the content about travelling to the Philippines but I obviously just love it don’t I? The cuisine there is a mishmash of a few things. You’ll find elements of influence from America, Thailand, Spain and many others. They have a huge Korean cuisine and Australian cuisine markets out there too.

One food I hate but everyone else loves is...Mayonnaise. 

It is absolutely grim and if you like it you are a wrong un.

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Socially Distanced Dating: Keeping up With the new Rules

*This post was written in collaboration with Date Cumbria Singles

The lockdown has been a stressful time for all of us, and now that things are starting to ease off a bit, we’re having to roll with some changes to our new normal. I’ve been single all through lockdown and one nice thing is that there is a guy I have been speaking to for nearly the whole thing. We’ll see where it goes but you very rarely get to talk to people that much before they pressure you into a meeting. And that’s what I love about dating. Say for example you are in Cumbria dating site, you find a nice guy on their site, you are not too sure but he wants to meet. Well, the only place you can go from there is meeting or stopping talking, there is no in-between. Coronavirus has given us the gift pushy boys on internet dating don’t want to: the gift of time. So what are my tips and ideas for dating during Aunty Rona’s reign?

Watch a film 

The most recent advice was to not gather outside in groups of more than 6, so a big step back basically. What this says for the local Cumbria pubs and Cumbria cinemas, anybody is yet to guess but it certainly does look like dating in the outside world is a going to become a “no go” again at least once. How do I mean watch a film? Simple. Put the same film on at the same time and watch it together so you can talk about it. That’s about as close as you can get during a pandemic. 

Getting to know you quiz

This is probably one of my finer ideas. Even if you find someone you do like chatting to, keeping the conversation alive through an entire pandemic can be challenging. Talking every day is great and it is exciting but eventually, you might run out of things to talk about. Challenge each other to write 10 “getting to know you” questions in advance and set up a call the answer them for each other. You can have things like “what was your favourite lesson in school?” and “what item of clothing did you LOVE as a child?”.

Make use of GOOD dating sites

Not that I will name any names, but be honest “swipe style” dating sites are not something I think will lead to long-term love. Websites like datecumbriasingles.co.uk have got a bit more about them (I think) when it comes to finding people that are matured and possibly looking for something long-term. If you are into dating just for fun then plenty of sites will help you there, but look into the sites that ask a bit more about you if you are looking for love. If someone takes the time to make a detailed profile they sound like they would be interested in something more than a one night stand. If you are on a short-term wavelength there are plenty of “adult fun” websites you can use for that too.

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Crisps Rated From Best to Worst

*this post contains affiliate links

Crisps are not just a snack for me. They are an entire way of life. I feel as passionately about certain crisps as men do about football. So that is why I have decided to give myself the authority to bring you the ultimate crisp list.

Pickled Onion Monster Munch

I did nearly bump these down because they are not very social crisps. I never feel comfortable eating these around people though. Ultimately, I decided no matter how unsocial or tongue-hurty they are, they are still worthy of the top spot. The Flamin Hot ones naturally share the top spot, and the Beef ones are not even really worth mentioning.

Tangy Toms

The only reason Tangy Toms haven’t clinched the top spot is that they are so rare. Tangy Toms are like that elusive fish your Dad just KNOWS is in the lake but can’t ever catch. Sometimes you can get them down the Aldi or the Poundshop, and other times they are not spotted for months on end. I’m not sure why they do it but it’s been a great marketing ploy because when they do appear, my Mum, buys five bags. I’m not sure who to blame their rarity on, but if I had to hazard a guess I’d say the Illuminati.

Doritos

Any crisp brand that has their own brand of salsa as well is always going to get a massive thumbs up from me. I mainly prefer the Chilli Heatwave flavour, then Cool Original then Tangy Cheese, despite being an overall cheese lover. I love Cool Original with the hottest salsa. And yes, would you have guessed it, I still have the cheek to wonder why I have tongue ulcers.

Hula Hoops (Any Flavour)

The thing I love about Hula Hoops is how sturdy and dependable they are. You can leave a Hula Hoop in your mouth for thirty-five minutes and it is not going ANYWHERE. The only issue bumping Hula Hoops down a bit is that they are so enjoyable but there are only about five in a pack. What a mug off. Although I have written “all flavours” anyone who likes ready salted should NOT be trusted.

Pickled Onion Space Raiders

Pickled onion features heavily on my list because it is an awesome crisp flavour. However, the flavour isn’t enough on a Space Raider. Again, the hot space raiders second only the pickled onion ones and anyone that likes BBQ/Beef is a weirdo. 

Salt and Vinegar Squares

Another crisp in the tongue-hurty category. But so worth it.

McCoys (Any Flavour)

McCoys are another crisp that is in the sturdy category. Good, dependable crisp, well-worth a purchase. Any flavour McCoy is acceptable, but guys what I am going to say about ready salted?

Pringles

I used to LOVE them, but to be honest they are neither here nor there. A very “nothing” crisp. Shit. 

Skips

Minging. Make my teeth itch.

Ready Salted Walkers

Most boring crisp in the whole world.

If you enjoyed this article, feel free to swing by my Ko-Fi page to buy me a coffee for £3.00.

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My Daily Diet

Over the last few months I have been having a bit of a health overhaul and have started taking healthy eating really seriously. The main thing I noticed was how hard it was for someone vegetarian to try and jump on the health bus – because so many websites and blogs advocate things like lean turkey mince as healthy options. As someone who doesn’t even like meat substitute products I find it really hard to make balanced meals, so I thought I’d share with you how I have managed to lose half a stone.

Start the day right

I start my day with some hot water with honey, lemon, turmeric and cayenne pepper. If I don’t get a chance to have this at home I’ll grab a hot shot from Pret. Hot water with honey and lemon is a great kickstart to your digestive system and we all know cayenne pepper is. Turmeric however, has been proven to have loads of health benefits not only physically, but for your mood as well. Fair enough it does taste a bit spicy, but it will actually make you feel quite energised if you drink it first thing.

Breakfast

For breakfast I have poached egg and mashed avocado on brown toast. I know that is incredibly cliche, but it really does give you a balanced breakfast. If you are calorie counting be careful with your avocados though – sneaky little buggers have loads in. Obviously doing all of this before work can be quite the hassle, but if you have a microwave at work you can poach eggs in it and have breakfast when you get there. All you need to do is crack them into water in a cup with a splash of vinegar and put a plat on top and microwave them for about a minute. They are not perfect – but they do.

Lunch

 

Vegetable sushi. All day, every day. I love the stuff. For me, the best one is the M&S one. I’m not fussy though, I love it so much I will literally get it from anywhere. Obviously it would be amazing if I had time to pop off to Yo! Sushi every time I want lunch so somethings supermarkets have to do.

Dinner

I absolutely hate meat substitutes like Quorn, so as a veggie that leaves me with a seriously small amount of options. Usually I’ll make a vegetable curry. I love vegetable curry because you can put anything you want in. I often put potatoes in – they get a bad reputation thanks to unhelpful sayings like ‘no carbs before Marbs’ but they are actually really good for you. If you want to be super healthy you can use brown rice. One of my most amazing discoveries recently was Coyo Coconut Yoghurt. This is easier than putting in coconut milk and yoghurt separately and it is dairy free so you can use it if you are vegan.

Drinks

My one downfall is coffee which I know I drink too much of. Aside from this I am really good and manage to get through at least a couple of jugs of water a day. I only let myself have one Diet Coke a day unless I’m out and about of the evening, where I may go mad and treat myself to a fat Coke.

Alcohol

I gave up alcohol a couple of months ago. Obviously it’s a bit of a drastic weight loss action but it really has helped. I appreciate not everyone is going to ditch the wine just to lose a few pounds or be healthier – but at least cutting down will help a lot as there are just so many hidden calories in alcohol.

Snacks

Luckily for me, I don’t actually like chocolate. So the good thing is – I haven’t had to give it up. One thing I am a bit terrible for is crisps. I do eat healthy snacks like fruit and Edamame bean pots through the week but I do treat myself of a weekend. I am a firm believer that if you just diet and diet forever without any treats this is what makes you stick to it less, so if I do want something I know isn’t good for me I’ll just work harder at the gym that day.

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How To Lose Weight Like A Pro

Scales

As I stepped off of the scales during my gym induction, I tried to work out where it had all gone so wrong. I’m a vegetarian and I can’t stand meat substitutes so my diet consists of a lot of vegetable based meals including at least one daily dose of vegetarian sushi. When I mentioned this to the personal trainer at my gym he asked me how much alcohol I drink.

Erm. A lot?

The nail was firmly hit on the head. Despite the fact that I live on vegetables and walk from Fenchurch St to Bank and back every single day, I was unwittingly drinking about 5000 extra calories a week. You really don’t need to be a big drinker to fall into this trap. Even that one glass of wine a night adds up to about 2100 calories if you do it every day. I know how shoddy my willpower is. If I were to say I’ll only drink now and again, now and again will become more and more often until I fall back into my old habits.

So I overhauled my life. I gave up alcohol, joined the gym and downloaded MyFitness Pal to track my calories. It’s now been six weeks and these small changes have worked in a big way – I have so far lost half a stone. It can seem super, super daunting when you start your weightless journey so here are some tips on how to be successful.

Think about giving up alcohol

If the thought of giving up alcohol absolutely horrifies you – then you are probably one of the people that could benefit from a break the most. You don’t need to give up alcohol forever, but having a clean break from it when you start your weight loss journey will changes your relationship with it enough to help you to make more sensible choices in the future. If you really are intent on losing weight then feeling headachy and hungover on weekend mornings is not going to help you motivate yourself to go to the gym and the junk food you will be tempted to eat certainly won’t help either. You could even change your mind about it so much that you decide drinking just isn’t for you now that you lead a more healthy lifestyle.

Make small changes to your daily routine

As Miranda Hart says, the simplest key to losing weight is to eat a bit less and do a bit more. The ‘do a bit more’ part is actually achieved quite easily. So you may not have time to go to the gym as often as you would like to, but there are definitely ways you can up your physical activity. Get off the bus a stop before you need to. Go on a walk for your lunch break. Take a trip to the toilets on the other side of the building. It all adds up.

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Treat yourself when it comes to joining a gym

There are plenty of inexpensive gyms around nowadays but if I have learned one lesson it is that you really do get what you pay for. My gym cost’s me £50 a month but it has a swimming pool, a sauna and a steam room and the staff create a personal fitness plan and help you track your journey. For one thing the lure of a sauna and steam room after my workout really gives me a push to exercise harder and also I don’t track my swimming as exercise on my calorie counter so it all adds up as a little bit extra. If you cannot afford to join a gym that has the little extra’s take your time and ask for a tour of all of your local ones in your price range. You don’t need to jump into a decision just because the first gym you look at is nice and affordable.

Have a cheat now and again

I would absolutely go crazy if I couldn’t ever eat crisps again. The same with pizza. Sometimes you just need a little bit of junk food and that’s more than ok. I have found my main triggers for wanting to eat food that I know is terrible for me is when I am anxious or when I am ill. Luckily neither of these things occur very often – so when they do I treat myself and eat whatever I want. It is near on impossible to put on weight in one day so if you do have a day where you feel a bit rubbish and want to eat everything in sight just get back on the wagon the next day. Obviously you can’t let a little cheat day outweigh the diet days but you would go crazy if you didn’t eat a little bit of what you fancy every now and again.

Find an exercise you like

Just because you don’t like Yoga it doesn’t mean that you are not going to be successful with exercise. There are so many fad exercise plans around like high intensity work outs but not every single thing works for every single person. Find a routine that you like and won’t get bored of that mixes up a bit of cardio and weights. I actually don’t mind spending 40 minutes on the treadmill for the pure fact that my gym’s treadmills have Netflix and it’s an episode of Gossip Girl. After that I do a few weights circuits and it works out perfect for me.

Don’t Skip Meals

I’m terrible for eating breakfast. It takes me so long to be hungry I literally forget. Unfortunately this isn’t a good weight loss plan. Your metabolism needs to keep working to keep working, if that makes sense. So because lunch is usually my first meal of the day, I’ll eat dinner and then snack afterwards on something healthy. This way I’m still getting my three meals – I’m just having them all later. Eating little and often is a proven method to keep your body healthy and happy.

Monitor your portion sizes

My worst habit is inadvertently making enough food for 387 people. Although we save a lot for lunches etc it is still massively tempting to pile my plate really high when I overcook. the worst offender for me is mashed potato. I literally love mashed potato so much I’ll easily get through a serving fit for 2 people. When I realised this I actually realised that all of my portion sizes were on the large side. The thing is – as humans we will just literally eat what is put in front of us without question. This means that no matter how small or large your portion size is you will put it away without thinking, so decrease it by a bit and see how it goes.

 

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Things I’ve Learned About Dieting

Just over a month ago I decided enough was enough with being incredibly unhealthy. Getting a weigh in for my gym induction was a massive eye opener, and I couldn’t believe someone as genuinely vain as me had let themselves go so much. Not only did I decide to diet and exercise, I also completely gave up alcohol (have done just over a month so far without murdering anyone – yay). Being completely honest I LOVE drinking, so I was expecting this part of my new healthy living to be the hardest. When it came to it – I actually found dieting to be the hardest part. There are a few little things I have learned along the way, so hopefully they will help anyone else who is just starting their healthy living journey.

You can’t cheat

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I know, I know, it’s terrible right? So I have learned by using My Fitness Pal that you can’t cheat on your diet and still actually lose weight. Life is so unfair isn’t it? Even that one little sweet adds up in the grand scheme of things, and the less you track of your daily calories the worse you will feel when you jump on the scales. It sounds cliche but if you are going to cheat the only person you are cheating is yourself. Remember to be strict about what calories you are eating and stop using excuses.

Alcohol counts for a LOT of calories

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Guys, I can’t stress this enough after putting the ‘lot’ in capital letters – you really do not realise how many calories you are drinking.  There are 496 calories on average in a bottle of prosecco. Two of those on a night out and that’s 2/3 of your calories intake for the day. You really don’t realise how much those couple of glasses of wine per evening can add up. Cocktails are also a serious offender when it comes to hidden calories. There are loads of low fat options like gin and slimline tonic, but even then drinking alcohol puts you in a seriously unproductive pattern when it comes to being healthy. We’ve all woken up hungover and eaten the world right? No one is saying you need to completely give up, but you might be surprised at the effects if you do give it a try. Once you give up completely you stop the pattern of wanting a drink as a ‘treat’ and honestly – you really do not fancy having one. When you do decide that you are going to have a treat and have a glass of prosecco you will find that because you haven’t drunk alcohol for a while you really will drink less.

You can’t just cut out a food group

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“No carbs before Marbs” has been drummed into us since the very early days of TOWIE. Yes, cutting out carbs will make you lose weight – but only in the short term. You simply cannot cut out a food group entirely to maintain a sustainable diet. Your body relies on the different food groups to perform different tasks so even though you might lose weight, cutting out a food group entirely can give you symptoms like bad skin and tiredness. Again, this is where I like to use My Fitness Pal as it tells you the percentages of each food group you have already had and need to have to remain on target.

You actually have to exert yourself during exercise

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I know right, this is total BS as well isn’t it? So it turns out you can’t just walk at a slow pace on the treadmill for ten minutes a couple of times a week and still lose weight. Actually exerting yourself is the only way you are going to manage to burn off enough calories to allow you to actually eat anything during the day. Obviously this is horrifically bad news but the good news is once you have been at it a couple of weeks your body will totally toughen up and you won’t feel like crying in the middle of every gym session.

You need to put more thought into food

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Becoming vegetarian has made me have to put a lot more thought into food – but dieting as well has made it like a military operation. Prior planning is your friend while dieting. If you prepare yourself lovely nutritious meals the day before, or you are least have an idea of what you are going to make, then you will be less tempted to get fast food or food that is quick to cook and incredibly bad for you. If you are really busy during the week why not set aside some time one weekend day to complete your meal prep for the week? Remember you can freeze literally more or less anything so even if you need to make ten or fifteen meals to se you through the next week or so you can always make them last.

It’s ok to fall off the wagon

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Do you know what my biggest diet fail is? It isn’t the evenings, it isn’t a savagely addictive craving for chocolate, and it isn’t hangovers – it’s being ill. Yes unfortunately when I am unwell although I still crave things like soup (seriously show me someone who doesn’t love soup when they have the sniffles), I also crave things like huge amounts of mashed potato, pie and anything else that is generally terrible for you in large quantities. A couple of weeks back I had a cold which inevitably went to my sinuses. For the first couple of days I tried my hardest to not comfort myself with food mainly because I wasn’t feeling up to exercise. After the first couple of days I stopped being so strict with myself and had a couple of days tucked up with my fluffy blanket eating pure crap. No, you can’t do this all the time, but if you fall off of the wagon now and again the worst thing you can do is give up entirely. Just get back on the health kick the next day you are feeling up to it. Trust me a couple of larger servings of mash isn’t going to hurt if you are feeling in need of some comfort food.

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Andi Walker Pop Up – Riverside Inn, Chelmsford

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I must admit I am always on the go. This is great (although tiring), but it does mean sometimes I reply to emails about blogging events way into the future and forget about them until nearer the time. A nifty trick I have now is to add them to my calendar straight away with an alert a couple of days before. So you can imagine how exited I was when and alert popped up on Monday to remind me that I GET TO EAT ALL THE GOOD FOOD THURSDAY.

Andi Walker was a semi finalist on the 2015 Masterchef which isn’t an easy feat when you see the talent on the show. His pop up at the Riverside Inn has quietly been making waves since it opened a few months ago and it isn’t unlikely to call up for a table and find it fully booked. Andi takes over the top floor of the venue from Thursday to Saturday every week and offers a 6 course tasting menu for £39 per person. One of the things Andi has the incredible ability to do is to take a few ingredients that are in season and turn them into something amazing. After a bland experience at Reids Bar in Billericay last weekend, I was looking forward to trying some great food. I don’t know about you but cooking things like a roast and a fry up petrify me because everything happens at once, and not only did Andi cook for a huge amount of people at this event, but he also made sure myself and my guest had vegetarian options.

The tasting menu was compiled of 6 different dishes. Each dish was made from ingredient’s that are currently in season and everything was put together beautifully.

Course 1 – Leek Bhaji’s and Artichokes

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I did take my notepad but unfortunately it is a bit awkward to sit at the table writing in a massive £14.99 Paperchase number. This means you need to forgive me for not remembering exactly what was in the artichokes. The leek bhaji’s were pretty unforgettable though. When I do dare to treat myself to an Indian onion bhaji’s are my absolute go to but the only thing I don’t like about them is the fact they can be terribly greasy. The leek bhaji’s Andi made were light and fluffy and he succeeds in compiling dishes that are the perfect amount of food. After all ,there’s nothing worse than going home after a meal feeling like a potato with arms, legs, and a face.

Course 2 – Sourdough Bread with Marmite Butter

Legend has it I was born with a jar of Marmite which I was eating from the jar with a spoon on the way out. That was a lie – but I do love the stuff. I’ve had everything in Marmite flavour but I have never tried Marmite butter. There were a few people at our table who were less than fans of Marmite (love it or hate it right?) and even they loved the Marmite butter. This is something I am absolutely going to try and make at home. The creaminess of the butter manages to negate the harsher flavours of the Marmite so you get a little bit of an experience of the flavour without it being overwhelming.

I didn’t get a picture of this course because I wanted to eat it so badly.

Course 3 – Salt Baked Celeriac with Apple Mustard and Pickled Onions

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I’d never had celeriac before. I mean, I probably have but not in an ‘I remember what that tastes like’ kind of way. The ingredients for this course were so simple but the mustard and pickled onions really livened up the taste of the celeriac. I also enjoyed the crunch the apples and the onions provided which balanced out how soft the celeriac was. The only downfall to this was that because I love mustard I got over excited and ate too much in one go which is why I couldn’t finish the dish. Unfortunately I am slightly like a 5 year old and if I like the food I will just continue to eat it regardless of how hot or spicy it is.

Course 4 – Mushroom Risotto with Goats Cheese and Granola

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If there is one thing I love – it’s rice. You can imagine how thrilled I was that the vegetarian main course was risotto. The mushroom risotto served for the main was so sooth and creamy and it was almost like eating silk. The goats cheese was a wonderful addition and as a cheese fan I wholeheartedly advocate adding cheese to anything. The interesting ingredient for me was the granola topping. Again, like the celeriac dish, it just gave that bit of texture to an otherwise smooth dish. I really enjoyed this one but by now I had started to get full and there was no way I was going to run out of room before I could sample the chocolate torte.

Course 5 –  Chocolate Torte with Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Caramel and Peanuts

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Usually I am not a dessert fan but this one blew me away. I tend to prefer savoury over sweet but peanuts and peanut butter will always hold a soft spot in my heart. Andi came over to explain each dish personally and the peanut butter only had two ingredients in it. Madness! how can something taste that good with only two ingredients?! The chocolate torte was delicious. I’ve had a lot of chocolate torte experiences in my time. You could say I am a chocolate tart. Some good, some bad, and some a little bit strange. This was one of my favourites. Dessert tends not to be my favourite because it is heavy and stodgy and I dislike the idea of basically being rolled to the car after dinner. Andi Walker’s was perfect. It was light and airy and tasted like a little chocolate cloud (I am aware they do not exist – but let’s face it they should).

Overall the dining experience was wonderful. Very Berri PR are an incredible company to work with and possibly one of the most friendly PR companies I have ever worked with. One of the other huge benefits to the evening was meeting Claire from Club Forty. She is in the going sober club as well (although she has done a lot longer than me) and it was lovely to be on a table with someone as interesting and fun to talk to as her and her partner, as well as Zoe from Very Berri.

I’ll be booking up to go back here as soon as possible after my holiday in September, and if Chelmsford isn’t too far for you I would really recommend getting down there while And is still there. Be quick though – after the glowing reviews of the press event start appearing I am sure Andi will be getting quite booked up.

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Tips For Giving Up Alcohol

At one time or another we have all sworn off of drinking after a heavy night on the gin. I personally have woken up countless times to no recollection of what I have done and who I have offended and wondered if it was all really worth it. Recently, I have given up alcohol for good – and reading other peoples blogs on this has made me realise I am part of quite a large club. So whatever the reason there are a few things to make it that little bit easier if you decide to go teetotal.

Don’t view it as a punishment

For the longest time I saw not being able to drink alcohol as a punishment. My mindset was “why me?”. I always wondered why it had to be me that suffered from medical conditions and had to take medication that meant I really shouldn’t drink alcohol, especially when all of my friends were able to drink without issues. But then one day, something just changed. I joined the gym, I started eating healthy and even though it has only been a couple of weeks the thought of putting something as bad into my body as alcohol is severely unappealing. I changed my mindset from “Why shouldn’t I drink alcohol?’” to “why should I?”.

Replace it

I met an amazing lady at a blogging event called Claire (from Club Forty) who has done incredibly well and given up alcohol for months and months. She said she tends to eat a bit more chocolate now, and I must admit I have had a few more treats than I should on a diet, but do you know what guys, you CAN. Alcohol has so, SO many empty calories in it, so it you want to enjoy a Dairy Milk when you would have been drinking go for it!

You could also think about replacing it with something healthy. I have got massively into traditional Chinese tea since I gave up drinking. I get all of my tea from Mei Leaf in Camden, and I have even gone as far now to get a Chinese tea set. I even had a camomile on a recent dinner with the girls, and I may have looked a bore but I spent £1.50.

Put the money away you would have spent on alcohol

As well as clocking up the calories, alcohol is mega expensive. It isn’t outrageous to spend £50 – £100 on a night out – especially if you live in London. Every time you go out, calculate how much you would have spent on alcohol and put it in a pot somewhere. Then when you hit a milestone and and buy ALL the make up’s.

Make your intentions known

If you have good friends and family they will understand you want to give up alcohol and won’t give you too much aggro about it. When people ask me why I am giving up alcohol and meat I point them in the direction of Lucy Watson. Now if I look REMOTELY like Lucy Watson by giving up alcohol then I will not drink for the rest of my life.

Make it part of a larger lifestyle change

Ok, I’m not saying you need to become a Buddhist. But if you are giving up alcohol you are probably doing it because it is good for you. If you mix up the giving up alcohol with a few healthier choices when it comes to food your body (especially your skin) will start to love you for it. Most of the benefits of giving up alcohol will start to appear after around a month but one of the main ones for me I noticed a week in was my sleeping pattern. I’d started to sleep incredibly well and then wake up ACTUALLY feeling refreshed in the morning. In the past I would wake up and think “dear God how many hours until I can go back to sleep?”.

Enjoy it

Giving something up that isn’t good for you isn’t a negative thing. People tend to forget that alcohol is a poison and many of the effects it has on your body are due to your liver frantically trying to filter it all out. Once you get going, the thought of a hangover will terrify you and you will be loving life getting up early and actually having your weekend days back.

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Tetley Super Green Tea Sunshine With Lemon And Orange

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You know you are getting older when you start getting bang on the herbal teas. I tend to favour a bit of Chamomile now and again because it helps me calm myself down a bit and not murder any commuters on my journey to and from work. I do also like Green Tea but I must admit the taste isn’t my favourite. 

When Wildcard PR got in touch and asked me if I wanted to try the new Tetley Super Green Tea sunshine With Lemon And Orange it actually came at a time when I was looking for some new tea to try and give me a little boost without living on coffee all day, which as much as I know is bad for me, I still do because isn’t that what you are supposed to do as an adult?

One thing that has always put me off Green Tea is that I am not a massive lover of the taste. I mean I don’t mind it but it wouldn’t be my first preference if there were other options available. The lemon and lime in the new Tetley tea give the tea a lot more of a fresher flavour and the actual Green Tea flavour is a little less strong than ‘straight up’ Green Tea.

The great hook of Tetley’s newest addition to their herbal tea’s is that it has vitamin D in it. 23% of the daily allowance no less. Vitamin D is essential to healthy skin, teeth and bones, and humans tend to get it from sunshine but not humans in the UK considering we get about one day of sunshine per year. So a few cups of this a day and  you will reap the benefits of vitamin D without having to even think about supplements or consciously adding it to your diet.

I also found that having a couple of cups of this per day gave me a lot more energy and not just a little boost like coffee, but actually enough energy to stop me falling asleep on the tube or the overground on the way home. If like me you are a lover of all things tea I would 100% recommend popping down to your local supermarket and getting some of this for your drawer.

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