Scotland Run and a Run

So went to Scotland to visit the in laws

Now for any of you who have read my blog before you know they live right near Loch Lomond the gateway to the fabulous countryside.

So we always do a lot of the same thing but his time we ventured out a bit more, get me, changing my routine - I shall alert the media lol.

So we went to the Falls of Falloch - such a beautiful waterfall and it's also a short walk from the car park which is great with a little one.

It all seems very mystical I'm surprised I didn't see an fairies or sprites :) 

Also on the way back home got to visit a great pub call The Drovers Inn it's over 300 years old and Rob Roy drank there. 

It's also supposed to be haunted. 

Don't know about the Haunting but it did have some nice spirits, to drink (See what I did there lol).

The bar staff are really knowledgeable and help me pick a lovely Whiskey that was nice and smooth.

It also a beautiful trip trip back through some stunning scenery 

We then headed to the pub Oak Tree Inn in Balmaha for some food. I had a lovely Scottish Smoked Salad and a cheeky wine.

It was so lovely, fresh and tasty and was very nice paired with a Pinot,

They also Dumpling which is kinda like Christmas pudding. Not 100% sure what it was all I know it was yummy and would definitely have it again..

Or the sticky toffee pudding my other half had, honestly I only tasted it so I could report back to you lot - well that's what it told him :) 

As with any trip to Scotland we visited the Loch Lomond Sealife Centre. It's so near to where we were staying and the little one loves it.

Now it's not the biggest sealife centre about, but it does have a great array of sea-life :)

We made the most of staying with the inlaws and got a couple of dining out chances without the little one.

We went lunch at The Balloch House they have a nice selection of wine and also my current favourite tipple Black Cow Vodka but as we were having Italian I paired it with a lovely Rose

We order off their Pizza menu - really reaonably priced around £10 each and they were huge.

Just look at the size of them, I pretended I was healthy and had a salad as a side order, Paul went for Chips

You could tell they were hand made and they tasted divine especially for the price. I left feeling very full.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is visiting that area.

The next day to burn off the pizza calories we visited Loch Katrine where as it was such a nice day we hired bikes - the bike rental for all three of us for the hour was on £21 

It was the first time the little one had ever been on a bike, well in a wagon on a back of a bike (it was really hilly so glad the hubby was pulling him along instead of me lol).

It is such beautiful countryside and the little one just loved it.

Honestly if I could get paid to write I would seriously consider moving up there as he thought it was great as he could just run and run and run.

Unfortunately the demand for dyslexic travel and food writers aren't that plentiful. I have no idea why :) oh well guess I have to stick to the 9-5.

But back to how beautiful it was amazing sky, wonderful mountains and fantastic Loch that make you want to dive in - well that is if it wasn't so cold and you remembered to bring your swim suit 

I could have stayed looking at the water for hours. But the bikes needed to be back.

It was a bit of a flying visit, but no trip to Scotland would be complete without a cheeky night out at Cameron House- it where we got married so has a special place in our hearts.

It also a stunning hotel and it everything you would expect from a Scottish Hotel. tartan on the walls, big roaring fires and a great selection of whisky. Although I had a couple of wines.

We also paired the wine with a couple of snack, a fantastic baked Camembert.

and a ham, Cheese and Bread-stick board (with a couple of cheeky olives.

The perfect accompaniment to a nice cold glass of wine.

The staff and the service is totally amazing as well, they really take care of you.

Also when I say they have a great selection of whiskey's I really mean it.

But I had to head back as I was taking part in a 5k run for Race for Life Cancer Research with a few of my friends.

But it wasn't just a normal 5k it was a Pretty Muddy 5k meaning the course was punctuated with fun obstacles full of mud.

Well apart from the space hopper challenge bit, I haven't been on a space hopper in years but glad I still remember how to do it and didn't totally embarrass myself

So it was lots of fun and I made it through till the end still smiling.

To prove how muddy it actually was here is a before and after picture.

Unfortunetly the white top could not be saved and had to go in the bin.

But the good news is we raised around £1500 which will go to help fund research to help find a cure for this awful disease.

It was also good prep for my Run Disney Half Marathon that is coming up in November super excited and super scared all at the same time, fingers crossed I can get round - will keep you posted. 

Christmas and the Low Fat Pizza

Hi Guys

so after the inactive (by ways of cooking) active (by ways of everything thing else) last week I managed to get back in the Kitchen yay.

Well not after going out to look for some decoration and coming across this rather creep snowman.

The little one was less than impressed lol.

I had time to make a lovely low fat "Cauliflower and Sprout Based Pizza" okay not as doughy as a normal pizza which I do adore - mmmm Dominos 

But if you trying (mostly in vain, like me) to loose weight especially before the festive season. As I know we'll all say no, I'll be good and won't go mad and then by new year you've realized you have eaten enough to feed a village for a year and drunk enough to fill in the local swimming pool you won't fall to far into your pit of regret. This is a healthy alternative.

A really simple and fun thing to do - good for gluten free and with a few tweaks to topping can even be a vegan meal (Although as my version contains topping of Egg, Cheese and ham definitely would need them removed lol)

So to make the base it very easy just get a Cauliflower and some sprouts:

Prepare them for cooking, Don't know why but my mother always says when you cook sprouts you need to put a cross in them and as the old adage goes "Mother Knows Best" so I do it too.

Cook in water now normally if you were having these as a side you would cook them for 15-20 minutes depending on how soft or firm you wanted them but for the pizza base I would say 25 minutes to get them nice and soft for mashing.

Once cooked drain the veg thoroughly then mash together. (some people add an egg to this mix to get them to bind better, but I find it works well without it.)

Prepare a baking tray line it with baking parchment and add some spray oil

Then add the mixture to the paper spreading it then and even and trying to shape it into a circle. I know mines a bit cack-handed but I am dyslexic and dyspraxia I find fiddle stuff sometimes difficult.

doesn't matter too much as when you put the topping on it will look awesome.

So you need to place that in a 200 degree oven for around 18-20 minutes - till the sizes start crisping up.

Once that's done take out of the oven and leave to cool. Then you can choose and add your topping - anything you want it's up to you.

I added:

cheese, Peppers, Tomatoes, chilies, Prosciutto and an egg.

I fried of the peppers a little first as I find they cook better.

Then for the Pizza I add a Tomato Puree and spread it evenly across the base.

Then you can arrange the topping in anyway you see fit.

then back in the oven at 180 for around 12 minutes.

What you are left with is a yummy low fat and healthy Faux Pizza.

Honestly it is so filling I had this over 3 meals as it was so big.

even something fun to do with the kids as, as soon as you have the base you can let them go mad throwing the topping on. I use to make french bread pizza with my mum when I was young and it was always one of our favorite meals.

So glad I got time to do some cooking this week as we still in pre moving hell. I hate all this stuff as there are so many forms to fill in and people to contact and anyone reading this who is dyslexic knows that form are a big pain in the pants. coupled that with the added stress as there are legal documents and you want to make sure they are filled in exactly right.

But the more stressed you get the worse your dyslexia gets. I really hate the process hopefully in years to come they might make it easier for us lot. but until then I'll go back to pulling my hair out and quadruple checking then getting my mum to check everything I do.

Couple this with the little ones new hobby of putting his toys down the loo ~(UK Slang for toilet) would show you a picture but I didn't think it was seemly putting a pic of the Bog (Another UK slang for Toilet) on a blog about food - somehow I don't think they go. This also cause further distress and he was not happy that I wouldn't let him have the toys back straight after I removed them from the toilet. Evil Mummy wanting to wash them so they were clean lol...

Thank goodness I am off to the Netherlands for a break this weekend, it can't come soon enough.. That does mean however that next week's blog will be full of fun, food and fantastical stories of our antics lol.

Giggles and Guzzles at the Kent County Fair

So this weekend we had a fab time at the Kent County Fair.

for those of you guys who don't know what this is, it's really a show and a celebration of all things Kent.

And considering Kent is the Garden of England there's a lot of Farmers, Fresh Produce and Outdoor type things.

We tried to get down there early but due to the traffic! Thank You Operation Stack - where they close the motorway because the crossing to France is scuppered. It to do with Strike action and some poor illegal immigrants getting them self killed trying to make it over to the UK all very sad and all very stressful. And definitely one I think the politician need to sort out!!

Any who we got there and in an unlikely English even the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

We proceeded straight to the "Food Tent" which was one of the areas selling food in the show.

Full of all kinds of tasty noms.

My first stop was to Ballymaloe Country Relish and their offers of a free taste sample. I got a bit of brown bread, cheese and the relish on top. It was nom-arama I am not the biggest fan of relish but this was Tasty with a capital T so I got myself a pot. I thinking open sandwiches with a mature cheddar and a bit of the relish on top a perfect summer snack.

we then popped by Grasmere Farm  to stop make a stop for our breakfast.

I had a bacon buttie (Sandwich) as you can see from my 1st July post, I do love my Bacon. Think I might have to start rating all the bacon butties I try and give them a score out of ten. This would defiantly have a high score for the bacon although the roll was a bit plain. My husband opted for a pork burger which he said was fab. We both had lovely fried onions to top them off. We where two satisfied customers.

Also we weren't ignoring the little one he had breakfast at home so he was nice and full enjoying his sippy cup of water while we ate. Offered him some of it but he seem content just to have a drink. (But he is a bit of a fusspot when it comes to food and as we can see doesn't get that off his mummy) To be fair to him he has improved and will have a few more things to eat we are getting there slowly but surely. Toddlers eh lol :)

We then past a lovely tractor display on our way to see Titan the Robot a mechanical man who provides laugh and fun for the children.

When we came last year the little man was only 10 months and he didn't like him at all this year he seemed more curious and definitely wanted to see what was going on. Also helped Paul had him lifted up high so he was at eye level which helps . (good tip if you taking the little ones to theme parks to meet characters as it makes them less afraid of them if they are not being towered over)

We then made it to the highlight of the day for my little one the John Deer exhibition. my son loves, no scrap that, is obsessed by wheel so when he saw the huge ones on the JD Tractors he was in Heaven.

Think he would have spent all day there and made one of the wheels his home if we let him.

But we moved on to have a look round some more of the stalls and took in some of the Animal exhibitions and shows that were going on.

By this time we met up with the folk and we went in search of a coffee for them. I don't like coffee and I being slightly strange for an English person can't stand Tea either, shock horror I know.

as we where looking for a lovely place to sit and rest our feet we came across a 4 piece band playing some 1920/1930 music, all very "Downton Abby" and they drew quiet a big crowd.

After a drink and a chat we split off again to look at things around the fair. The little one had fallen asleep so we headed for the Produced in Kent Area. I got a little distracted by the Pub on Wheels a great idea where a van that pulls out into a bar can come to your events.

I stopped for a Vodka and coke before heading on.

We found the produced in Kent area just at the start of the Spitfire fly over.

We had to stop and watch that. currently we live on what used to be an old WW2 airfield and was home to many spitfires.

They are such amazing machines and they noise they make is astonishing beautiful.

As it was the 75 year to the day since the battle of Britain which help to stop use being invaded it brought home that just a relatively small number of brave men climbed into these machines and lots of them didn't make it back to give us the freedoms we enjoy today. I got a bit teary at this point :)


when it had finally flew off into the big blue. I headed back to the food there was so much on offer. I got a bit giddy trying all the favours and sight and was  bit of a bad blogger got so caught up chatting and tasting my camera phone was an after though. I would say it because I'm new to this but 43 post in (bad me).  I did get a few shot of some of the stalls.

And I picked up some Amazing  Ashmore Chilli cheese which I did snap while waiting for them to cut my slice.

With the baby still asleep we quickly darted into the antique market section, as him running about in there would have been akin to a bull in a china shop lol. so we had a quick look round and came across a great light stall Beauty From Decay

It was fabulous what he could do with old machine part and Army paraphernalia. We had a chat and found out he makes it all himself in his workshop. I loved them and will be saving up my pennies for one as when we move I getting a workshop shed and ones of these could take pride of place. I love talking to artist especially ones as passionate as he was you can see the love, sweat and tears that go into making it.

We dragged ourselves away as we were meeting the folk again for a late Lunch. Hubby as he was Hungry needed something STAT so we got a cookie for him.

He also tried a Cricket from the bug selection stall, he said they tasted okay. Each to their own.

I decided against bugs and found a lovely local Wine seller Hush Heath Estate  Balfour

We had a fantastic lunch thanks to Gypsy Joe's Pizza  which consisted of a Rustic and a Game Feast Pizzas. Which were cooked on site by a proper Pizza oven on a back of a van. Apologies the pic of the stall is a bit rubbish the red arrows were flying over when we ordered and then the Pizza arrived and I got bogged down in eating.

I preferred the Game Feast over the Rustic but as my dad a bit of a pizza bore only really like cheese and tomato we had to have one of those.

Although if it was just me eating on my own I like the look of their  "Spicy Bad Boy" offering. Hopefully I will catch them at another event in the local area.

So as I was saying when we where waiting on our food we saw a wonderful display by the Red Arrows.

And not to take away anything from the Red Arrow as it was one of the main reason we went on the Friday as we knew they would be performing and they performed so well. I think I had a more emotional connection to the Spitfire, I suppose it was just thinking about what those brave guys did in just such a small plane.

Cant believe how good they are its like a mad Roller coaster in the Sky. Especially went the blue and the red trails were looping I could have been standing next to Dragon Challenge in Universal Studios.

It brilliant that these planes are 40 years old and they can still perform such dazzling feats of aerial acrobatics. Don't think I could fly with them though might make me feel a bit queasy lol.

As a post flyby treat I got myself some Churros form the Don Churros, Churros & Chocolate Stand.

Deep fried and very tasty, although I think the ones I had Stateside last October had the slight edge over these one. But very good so if you ever see the stand and you enjoy a Churro I would give it a go.

As we took our last bites after 2+ hours of being asleep the little one woke up so we took him  (after a quick snack for him) to see the horse which he wasn't too impressed about think he might be like his mum. I like Horses as an animal and wish them no harm but not too keen on getting on one. Especially as when I was little I got on one and it bolted nightmare and totally scared for life.

So as he wasn't impressed with the real thing we took him too to the fair ground an let him go on the carved merry go round horse which he did enjoy. It was an beautiful only carousel with a pipe organ belting out old tunes as the horse spun faster and faster.

The restored ones are works of art which are great to interact with.

We let the little one have a couple of goes on the other rides including some scaled down swings which he enjoyed and some cars and because they had a steering wheel think that might have been his favourite.

As it was gone 4pm having got there at 10am and both feeling very weary and slightly sun-burnt. We religiously topped up he little ones sun cream and kept him covered if we only thought of that for ourselves doh.

So verdict a great show, just wish we had more time there, it was over 3 days but we only got to go to one. Next year will definitely be going for two days. One day with the little one for lots of fun and second day a proper adult look around which will include a lot of food and maybe a cheeky drink or two..