Fruit, Nut and Seed Bites

I am currently suffering with all sorts of health problems, the doctor has diagnosed me with possible fibromyalgia and I have reduced kidney function so things are breaking all over the place.

On a mission to get healthy and to stop snacking on rubbish I spotted these over on Instagram and decided to give them a go with whatever I had in the cupboard.

I don't have any measurements it is basically a whatever you have in the cupboard kinda recipe and chuck in as much as you like of each thing.

These have raisins, dried cranberries, coconut, flaked almonds, brazil nuts, cashew nuts and some mixed seeds, 1 tsp cocoa and 1tsp of honey, all blitzed together until it becomes a sticky mess.

They don't look that attractive and even less so in ball form but you could put them in a baking tray and cut up if you so desired. Once rolled pop in the fridge to firm up and voila, Nakd style bites of loveliness.

Not only are these a healthier snack but they do seem to fill me up for longer to stave off the cravings till lunch and tea, plus they are really quick and simple.

Overnight Oats

Over on Instagram overnight oats are all over the place and it isn't hard to see why, they are full of fibre and keep you fuller for longer.

I have been adding lots of seeds and nuts for essential fatty acids including Omega 3, including chia seed and then a mix seed sprinkle which has pumpkin, sunflower, linseed and sesame seeds as well as some almonds.

To that I have been adding some cacao and honey and mixing with almond milk, then in the morning adding some raspberries.

I have been using oat bran, this stuff is really finely milled but you could use just your standard porridge oats or rolled oats.

Oatbran, really high in fibre

Add in the mixed seeds

Chia seed and almonds

Add in the almond milk and honey and stir

Leave in the fridge overnight and voila...

Serve in the morning with a few extra seeds or fruit

You can add in what you like, if you fancy dried fruit add this in, banana, strawberries anything goes really.

I really like these cold oats, I do sometimes microwave for about 20 seconds to take the edge of the coldness or take out a short while before I want to eat them. But it is entirely up to you, they are really tasty and I have even got my husband hooked now.

Hello Spring...Out in the Garden

So unless you have been living under a stone or in a part of the country it isn't sunny you will have noticed that recent days have been truly wonderful, sun shining and blue skies with a little bit of a chill.

Perfect weather for being out and about and today as we went to hang out our Pinata Box Bird Feeder we also took the time to look at the garden, the bulbs sprouting, the moss and everything in between.

I think even just spending half an hour in the garden is good for the soul, there is so much to see and as it grew a little colder and darker it was nice to come in and have a lovely hot chocolate to warm those little hands.

First we found this bone, my son thought it was a dinosaur bone and although I hated to shatter his vision I told him it was probably from a lamb (we have a few neighbours who leave meat out for the cats/foxes)

We also found this nest that had fallen out of a tree, my sons face was a picture.

Looking under rocks for bugs we found some little roots from trees and seeds.

We had a look at the moss on the rocks and touched it to see how it felt....furry apparently ;)

I'm not sure how this got here, I am assuming someone made it for their children that used to live here with some fern leaves and concrete.

Next we had a look at the castor oil plant, these leaves are very Jurassic, they are huge so this thrilled my dino loving son.

We also  these found these 'helicoptors' from the ash tree, one had a little root growing from it so this was exciting to see.

And finally we found some gorgeous lichen on the apple tree and a beautiful pink heather which we think look like little bells.

There are some really wonderful things in the garden at the minute, coming into life as the sun starts to heat everything up.

Toddler activities - growing cress

My son has been planting bulbs and seeds at nursery and I wanted to carry it on at home so we decided to plant some cress.

We had some left over from when we did it last year and it is so much fun to see his little face once it has grown.

When we took it out of the cupboard it went from being white in the morning to green when it had been out in the sun for a few hours, it was brilliant!

You will need:
1 x empty butter/margarine tub or something similar
1 x packet of cress
Some cotton wool

1.  Get your bits ready to assemble

 

2. Put the cotton wool into the container

3. Add some water to the cotton wool so it is completely soaked

 

4. Sprinkle the seeds over as evenly as possible (please note this probably won't happen when a child is helping but it's OK)

6. Put the container in a warm dark place, leave for a week and they should have sprouted. Take out and then leave on a window sill.

7. Once it has turned green and is nice and tall, trim and have in egg sandwiches for lunch :)

This is such a simple and cheap thing do do and it really gives children a sense of how things grow, they get to try what they have grown because it is so quick see it happening!

Happy growing!