New Discoveries

It's Been a Bad Earnings Month but a Seriously Life Enhancing Month So Far

After leaving my Twitter account dormant for eighteen months I finally decided to take the plunge and get tweeting.  Boy, was it worth it.  It has been surprisingly easy and actually rather nice to talk to complete strangers about all sorts of nonsense.  I have a good feeling that some of those strangers are fast becoming friends.  I heard a quote the other day that Facebook is for the friends you wish you didn't know and Twitter is for the friends you wish you had.  There is some degree of truth in that. Don't worry friends - I love you all.

I've got my fashion goggles on

 I have met some wonderful inspirational Mummy Fashion bloggers.  One lady you may already know is: www.fortynotout.com If you can't get enough of her fashion fabulousity then you will be seriously excited to hear that she has just released a new venture in the form of  her own personal services as your very own stylist.   For knock down reasonable rates she will take the headache out of what to wear and will ensure you find the perfect outfit for your occasion.  Don't just take my word for it, take a look; http://www.fortynotout.com/onlinestylist/ You can even buy vouchers for a friend to try the service - what a fantastic present that would be!

I've also met  a great team of writers who are on a mission to get writing up to 2500 words a day.  http://completeflake.com/2500-words/  It's a challenge issued by the complete flake to get passed that writers block and get writing.  Come and join us! #2500wds  The curious use of hashtags  "#" is almost making sense. I am a great lover of grammar and I like a sentence to be sentence so the challenge of squeezing all that I want to say into 140 characters is against the grain but more fun than a game of Suduko to say the least.  It's fun, give it a try and come follow me if you do on www.twitter.com/abbymansell 

Other New Discoveries This Week


Anyone who has been to our house of chaos will know that I am no domestic goddess any more.  Self employment and working from home means that my constantly being here means that I am constantly making a mess. I have clothing stock piled everywhere and the contributing dust scattered by the fluffy ginger tom cat, the hairy Rhodesian ridge back dog, one large dusty tree surgeon human bean, two long haired medium sized human beans, one smaller human bean who can barely remember to brush his own teeth never mind actually clean up after himself and a small but messy baby bean come toddler means that the cleaning is very hard to keep on top of.  Because of this, I had given up trying to remove the years of limescale that had collected on the bathroom sinks.  I'd scrubbed and bleached and bought limescale remover and tried and scraped till my fingers were raw.  There was no natural remedies prepared to do the job.  So, like every lazy arty type would, I ignored it and let nature take it's course.  Until I discovered Cillit Bang.  My goodness I sound like even more of a corporate whore than usual, but seriously that stuff works.  And pretty rapidly as well.  I no longer have a thick greening layer of hard limescale growing on the sink enamel.  I smile when I go to the loo now instead of mutter and curse.  I have never bought it before, because years back, someone told me it was crap and I don't like listening to adverts because they tend to say anything to make you buy it.  They do though don't they?  I'd much rather take the words of other people and fellow bloggers, they tend to be a bit more honest than the actual advertisers.  Whoever told me it was rubbish - obviously had a clean house already.

Advert:

 Hit The Urban Outfitters Summer Sale (because a Headhuntress has to earn her crust)

Not Such A Good Discovery


The summer months are hectic for us, not just because of the school holidays but because it's major birthday time.  The baby turned one last week and the teen is going to be 14 next month!  Oof.  The baby party was fairly simple, but the teen initially asked for a beach party.  "Sure," I said being all laid back about things as usual.  We've had beach parties before.  They're a doddle.  Just take some food, drink, windbreaks and music, people can chat and go for a swim... Actually, no, on second thoughts.  "Wouldn't you rather just have the party on Southsea Common darling?"

There is no way that I want to be responsible for a bunch of rampant teenagers floating about in The Solent.  How would I explain to their parents that they were fine until they drowned in my care.  No thank you.  Not something I want to be doing.  So - phew - the teen has agreed to an Al Fresco party on Southsea Common. Which will of course be round at our house if the whether is inclement.  Back, to parties round at our house.  I served up a load of bland but healthy tasting snacks for our baby's birthday party, but the teen and I got busy baking and she produced a fine Victoria sandwich for the birthday cake, which was nicknamed "The Giant Cream Tea" as it resembled a massive scone after I had scraped the burnt bits off and smothered it in jam and clotted cream and also some lovely cupcakes which we decorated in icing and those yummy little silver cake balls just for the adults and anyone who was old enough not to go hyper on a glucose induced sugar high.

 Me being the try hard health Mafia mum that I am means that we don't often have sugary snacks and sweets in our house, so the little silvery cake balls were irresistible to us hormonal girls hankering for some sugar.  We must've eaten hundreds of them.  Yummy scrummy.  So you can imagine our dismay a few days after noshing on them at every opportunity that the teen announced that they had pork gelatine in them!  Yuk!  Hurl.  Bleurgh.   After years of being a vegetarian I had just filled myself up with a pile of collegen made from pig bones, connective tissues and intestines.  Nice.  That is the equivalent of a meat eater finding a severed finger in their dinner.   Never before have I wanted a colonic more.  Why do they need to have gelatine in them someone tell me?  It's just sugar!

Pigs bones anyone?

Vegetarian Japanese in Southsea - Yo! Sushi and Sakura | Headhuntress Guide to eating out in portsmouth and Hampshire

•Sakura is the Japanese restaurant on Albert Rd, which has been an instant hit for all who dine there. The majority of the menu is fish based, but I had some veggie dumplings, some veg udon noodles and some perfectly cooked mixed vegetable tempura. Japanese cuisine is so clean tasting and a real treat, there is a little space for prams at quiet times. They offer takeaway but no home delivery as yet.

But what is this?  Competition?  Competition on a conveyor belt no less.  Because Yo! Sushi has landed at Gunwharf Quays. This is fast food at it's very fastest. And oh, how I wish I still ate fish, because the menu has got me salivating!

But for us veggies - there is plenty of choice and it is super affordable too - with Miso Soup only costing £1.00 - yes, one tiny pound and simple avocado and cucumber rolls at only £1.70, the problem will be that you will want to try everything on the menu.  But hey, there is always another day.
So, what to have, mmm, well veg udon noodles are a must as are the Pumpkin Korroke Crispy Japanese breaded pumpkin croquettes with a fruity sauce, yum and the crunchy tofu is perfect because unlike the Age Dashi Tofu at Sakura, Yo Sushi serve their's with a miso based sauce instead of a fish based sauce.  Oh, and don't forget the tempura - it's beyond yummyville.


Oh and just when you thought things couldn't get any better let me tell you something more my friends - they do - HOME DELIVERY!  Woo hoo.  Well, it does cost an extra £3, but it is being despatched all fresh and fabulous direct from Gunwharf Quays.  So get ordering - or pop down to Gunwharf quick sharp.

Love Japanese culture?  Get the look with Harajuku Style

No to Biofuel with Lush Portsmouth - Headhuntress's Best Shopping In Southsea and Portsmouth

I never paid much attention to Lush before as I have a highly tuned commercial filter - and I just presumed that their lovely candy colours and richly scented shops were all the product of canny marketing along with lots of fake perfume and what I supposed was unnatural bath bombs!

So, it wasn't until recently after avoiding the new shiny Lush shop in Cascades like the plague last year, that I discovered just how amazing they really are.  My husband and I were searching for companies in December that do not test on animals.  We were shocked to discover that most of the major cosmetic giants cannot categorically state that they are against animal testing - not even Boots can guarantee that none of their components have been tested on animals!  And we all know that poor Anita Roddick, God rest her, sold her soul when she was bought out by by evil bunny torturers - L'Oreal.  No, I'm not worth it..... And yes, boycott Bodyshop, they might not test on animals - but their owners - where all the money is going - very much do!

To my surprise on the list of cruelty free peeps was Lush.  So, I paid them a visit and was delighted to discover that they had moved on from the familiar bath bombs and squidgy soap and were dealing in lotions and potions for the face and hair now too.  I was an immediate convert, spurred on by the enthusiastic vibrant staff in our local store.




On my first visit I was told by one of the lovely sales assistants that the owner of Lush doesn't even drive a car and is a vegan.  That was me sold.  What great marketing.  Ahem. Filter?  What filter?  Anyways, as I as saying.  I have been a convert ever since and love putting the old "Gorgeous" moisturiser on packed with skin treats such as orange blossom and good oils, safe in the knowledge that no rabbit has had to lose his eye balls for my vanity.

The "Biofuel isn't the answer" campaign is just another in the list of relevant and important issues that  Lush and Lush Portsmouth are bringing to the attention of the public.  It is of course partly great marketing but there are serious issues which can be dealt with with the help of consumers.  Look at Stella, Paul and Linda McCartney's "Meat Free Monday" campaign, where just giving up meat for one day a week can have a huge impact on the planets resources.  What I want to bring to your attention now though is that using palm oil for fuel, glue, cornflakes, chocolate, biscuits or anything is seriously bad news.  It's a cheap resource but it will cost us the Earth if more rain forest is cut down in order to supply the demanding Western world and money making fat cats like Nestle (boycott them too!)

Look in to my eyes....

I am particularly fond of the rain forest in Borneo, it's where my indigenous tribe Bidayuh family live and my ancestors are from  - hell maybe there's a little bit more orangutan in my DNA then most people's and because of that, this issue is very close to my heart.  I am privileged enough to have met rescued orangutans face to face as well as seeing them in the wild and believe me, when you meet them, they have a look of all knowing wisdom, catch their eye and it's like someone is staring right down in to the belly of your soul.  It's a humbling experience. They don't deserve to die so that we can run a few more cars cheaply and buy a pack of digestives for 39p instead of paying more.

 Not only is it cruel and unfair for these endangered animals amongst many other species some maybe not even discovered and named yet to lose their habitat. But the rain forest are like the very lungs of our planet.  Without it we cannot breathe.  The rain forest around the World including the great Amazon churns out life giving oxygen and are responsible for more than 40% of the oxygen in the atmosphere. It is also estimated that if we carry on chopping the rain forest down at the rate that we are doing, then in just 40 years time it will all be gone.  I don't know about you but I quite like breathing.

Watch the video above based at our Lush Portsmouth to see what you can do to help.

What Is The Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Southsea and Portsmouth? Southsea Vegetarian Restaurant Cafe and Takeaway Guide

This is a much needed guide to vegetarian food that tastes good and is worth eating.  Everyone has a different opinion of course, but Southsea and Portsmouth have so many eating establishments to choose from it's hard to know what to go for and when.  It can be tough eating out as a vegetarian as some places only offer a token veggie dish and you can almost guarantee it will contain the one ingredient you don't like.  For me it's red peppers, I don't enjoy them at all so red pepper quiche being my only choice when I'm hungry can put a complete dampener on the day.  For my husband it's mushrooms - he does not like them in any way shape or form, so as you can imagine, eating out with us can be a right pain in the rump steak.  I'm only recommending places that are family friendly, value for money and the food has to be superb or I won't go back there again.

They are also the best places to eat in town for meat and fish eaters too, so they all make a good choice when dining with non-veggie friends and family.

Please feel free to add your comments.

 So, in no particular order:

•Sopranos, for the best Italian in Southsea Portsmouth, head to Sopranos where you will always receive a warm welcome from friendly staff headed by the lovely Sandy and Tommy and the most amazing pasta and pizza dishes ever. Children and babies are always made to feel welcome. It's very popular here though both at lunch times and in the evenings, especially at weekends, so ring ahead and book a table to avoid disappointment.

 There are too many scrummy vegetarian food options to mention, but my personal favourite is the Primavera Penne – £7.65

chunks of aubergine, courgette and onion with a handful

of rocket, all dressed in Napolitana tomato sauce washed down with a Peroni beer. Mm, mmm!

Join their Facebook group for the latest offers and exclusive deals: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=5029484286&ref=ts

www.sopranos-southsea.com

•Spice Merchants, Osborne Road Southsea, have won an award for their healthy creations.

They have the usual vegetarian food options of curry such as veg bhuna, veg khorma, veg tikka masala etc. But they use good fresh ingredients and nice fresh veg instead of the usual sad veggie curry slop which usually consists of some left over potatoes and whizzened grey peas. They have a great selection of side dishes and their breads and popaddoms are always cooked to perfection. They also do a home delivery service, which is fast and handy. I recommend their vegetable dhansak, slightly sour and cooked with lentils served with egg fried rice Indian style.

www.spicemerchants-portsmouth.co.uk

•Jaipur, used to be uncompetitive and overpriced, so even though the food they had to offer was a break from the usual run of Indian style cookery, they never got a look in. Now they have lowered their prices, they offer excellent value and their contemporary cooking is simply delicious. Their vegetarian honey  Manchurian curry is divine, you'll be going back for more as there are so many different veg curries to choose from. They offer home delivery as well as in dining. A great spot for watching Albert Road drift by and enjoying very good vegetarian Indian food.

http://www.itakeout.co.uk/jaipur

•Hong Kong Tea Bar - don't overlook this Portsmouth jewel by thinking it's just some generic cafe. They have a wide array of authentic dishes. Not many of which are vegetarian, but if you ask them, they will create food that is out of this world! Try the aubergine in garlic sauce on ho fun noodles, make sure you tell them you want no meat in it though as this dish traditionally has little pieces of pork in it. Eek! Ho fun noodles are flat fried rice noodles. Yummers. Or ask for aubergine in egg sauce if you like eggs, the egg sauce is made with egg whites and tastes really delicate and delicious. Have this with crispy noodles, naughty, but oh so nice. And if it's a protein hit you are after then, ask for fried tofu in garlic sauce with crispy noodles and Chinese veg. Of course you can always have plain bolied rice if you want to be healthy, but I belive eating out is a treat, so always choose something that I can't cook at home myself.

•Caroles Cafe - if it's the perfect vegetarian breakfast you are looking for then come to Carole's on Albert Rd next to Somerfield. They do an awesome veggie deluxe breakfast with perfectly cooked fried eggs, bubble and squeak, fried bread or toast, mushrooms, beans and the best builders tea all served up with a twinkle and a smile. There's not a lot of room in there so it's a bit of a pain with a pram, but they do breakfast to go and you can be home in minutes with a piping hot plate of sustenance in front of you. It's the home made bubble and squeak that makes their breakfast special. No rubbery Quorn sausages there!

•Chez Choi/Noble House both on Osborne Rd Southsea, do a superb selection of mock meat dishes using fried gluten. They can even recreate mock duck and pancakes and do a really good Kung Po mock chicken dish. The restaurants are both great to eat in, good friendly service, but again with young children it's easier to order take away and collect. Food is ready in around 15 mins from phonecall to collection where as delivery is about 45 mins.  www.chezchoinoodlebar.co.uk/

•The cafe at The Lodge Arts Centre in Victoria Park, central Portsmouth has a great selection of vegetarian light bites and purse friendly meals. From a veggie bacon sandwich to a heart warming vegetable curry and rice. All served in pleasant surroundings, you can dine indoors and enjoy the artistic talents or outside to take in the park's natural beauty. It's easy to forget about this little city gem, just as it's easy to forget you're slap bang in the middle of the city when you're nestled within this lovely park. A great place for children as they can run around to their heart's content, while you sit back and relax amid the lush green surroundings.

•Costa, the coffee is overpriced but it's jolly good and they also offer soya milk options for vegans. The cafes are always busy but the staff are friendly and they seem to be accepting of breast feeding mums. There is a Costa in Palmerston Rd, Commercial Rd and at Gunwharf Quays. My personal favourite is hazlenut latte and the mushroom and emmental flat bread. The perfect veggie light lunch when you've had a hard day on your feet.

•Starbucks serve great coffee, which is ethically sourced. They're a bit thin on veggie options but the cheese and marmite pannini always hits the spot.  My teenage daughter is mad for them!

•Magick Bean Southsea is a great little cafe for popping into on Albert Rd. They do amazing milk shakes and have a good selection of veggie sandwiches and jacket potatoes. They make a mean cheese and baked bean toastie and serve great coffee with an array of flavoured syrups to choose from. Try one of their super hot chocolates (minus the marshmallows of course) or give a super milkshake a whirl with maltesers or mars bars whiizzed up in them for an indulgent treat. She also makes great home made soup and delicious home made cakes. They are alsovery accomadating of breast feeding Mums.

•Porters on Albert Rd, is a great spot during the day for parents. They open at 12 and start serving food around 12.30. They are normally fairly quiet during the day and have plenty of room for prams and babies always enjoy people watching through their big windows. They have high chairs and a modest baby change table but best of all they serve hearty pub grub with some great vegetarian options.
 They make a wholesome cheese and bean burrito with homemade thick cut wedges, a really tasty falafel burger served with chunky chips and a yummy veggie lasagne. There is always plenty of fresh side salad and little extras which make for a satisfying plateful of food for even the hungriest of veggiebums!

•Sakura is the new Japanese restaurant on Albert Rd, which has been an instant hit for all who dine there. The majority of the menu is fish based, but there are some great vegetarian food choices here. I had some veggie dumplings, some veg udon noodles and some perfectly cooked mixed vegetable tempura. Japanese cuisine is so clean tasting and a real treat, there is a little space for prams at quiet times. They offer takeaway but no home delivery as yet.

•La Tasca in Gunwharf Quays offers true mediterranean tasty al fresco eating. Their mezze has plenty of Spanish vegetarian options, go there on a sunny day, sit outside with a chilled glass of wine and you will feel like you're on holiday again!

•Waitrose Marmion Rd, Southsea is not a place to eat, but they deserve a mention for the incredibly sustaining sushi-like vegetarian sandwich wraps you can buy there. Two wraps made of eggs containing spinach, mushrooms, rice like two great big huge pieces of sushi are available for your eating pleasure in amongst the sandwich and sushi section. One of these will keep you going for hours and they are super healthy, much better than the usual veggie sandwich option of cheese, cheese or what else? Oh yeah, cheese. Team it with a rejuvenating Purdey's and you're good to go! It's a brilliant place to shop with friendly staff and lots of vegetarian food to choose from as well as the freshest fruit and vegetables in Southsea.

Totally Tofu

If you're looking to increase your protein intake, boost your heart health, and cut your food budget, try tofu! Tofu is soymilk curd, pressed and packed into a spongy food that's bursting with protein, heart-healthy fiber, and unsaturated fat, as well as vitamins and minerals. And tofu is affordable, especially compared with animal proteins like beef, chicken, and fish. Tofu is so versatile, it's a cinch to incorporate it into your diet! Substitute firm tofu for chicken, fish, or meat in your favorite stir-fry recipes; because tofu has little taste on its own but is very absorbent, it soaks up the flavors of all the foods and spices it's cooked with, leading to a delicious, savory dish! Try blending soft or silken tofu in smoothies, dressings, dips, or desserts like mousse. You can even scramble it for egg-free "scrambled eggs." You can also buy preseasoned or marinated tofu at the supermarket — it's great with rice and veggies for a balanced, healthy, and delicious meal!
If you haven't tried tofu yet, challenge yourself to switch one of your animal-protein meals in the week ahead to tofu. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy it!

A heads-up about soy products in general: Because of the oestrogenlike properties of soy, the jury is still out on whether soy products are safe for women who have a high risk of breast cancer to consume in large amounts. If you are at increased risk for breast cancer because of your personal or family history, choose soy products only in moderation, avoid soy supplements, and speak with your health care provider for specific recommendations.

The greatest tofu dish of all in my opinion is tofu in garlic sauce with Chinese vegetable on crispy noodles.  Pompey vegetarians take note:  get yourself to the Hong Kong Tea Bar on Lake Road, the cafe is basic, but the food is gastronomical, so authentic, it reminds me of being back in Sarawak!  Great value and thoroughly delicious.  This isn't on the menu, you will have to ask for it.  In fact ask for any combination of their dishes, try the ho fun noodles which are flat rice noodles if you do not fancy fried noodles.  These dishes are a little more expensive at £6.50, but you get free tea, Chinese tea or coffee and it's a good substantial amount.  Let me know how you get on.

Veggie Boy

I'm so pleased my whole family are now vegetarian. Well, the 11 year old is lacto-ovo vegetarian in that he has decided to still eat fish. But of course I never cook or prepare fish any more so he is largely vegetarian. It makes meal times so much easier.

At one point a few years ago, I was vegan, my husband was vegetarian and the older children were still meat eaters so I was cooking three different meals at once. But last lent, my eldest decided to become vegetarian too and has stuck to it ever since. I am so pleased that the 11 year old has joined the ranks. He has kept it up for two weeks and he doesn't seem to mind or miss meat. His Asperger's tendencies leave him asking for crab everytime I ask what we should have for dinner which is a but tedious to say the least.

Eating treats has become a bit of a nightmare in this house now that we are all vegetarian.  The thirteen year old and I are currently giving up chocolate for lent and we are avid boycotters of Nestle.  Anyway, this evening we had toffee flap jacks as a treat, so cheap and easy to make with cupboard ingredients, but I added Bonne Mamman confiture de caramel. Naughty but nice.

Ingredients:

Brown Sugar
80g
Butter
70g
Margarine
30g
Oats
250g
Salt
Pinch

Toffee Sauce
As much as you dare!

Golden Syrup
2 tablespoons

1. Melt the butter and the Margarine in a deep saucepan over a low heat
2. add the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of syrup and stir in until you have a brown paste
3. add in the oats, if you find it easier add them in gradually stirring and covering the oats with the paste
4. add a pinch of salt
5. Add the toffee sauce and stir this in until you are happy that all the oats are covered
6. spread the mixture over a non stick baking tray (or a greased baking tray). Smooth over with a knife making sure the mixture is even
7. Place the baking tray onto the middle shelf in a preheated oven (gas mark 5, 220 C) and bake for 15 minutes, checking the progress regularly. Take out when the mixture starts turning a golden brown.
8. Stand for a minute or two, then score the mixture with a knife into you portions
9. Cover the tray with something light such as a few pieces of kitchen roll and leave for up to 6 hours


Preparation Time: 15 Mins
Cooking Time: 15 Mins

Tip: The toffee sauce will make the flapjack chewy, if you want to make it a bit more crunchy then add a few minutes on to the cooking time

Veggie Bubba, vegetarian babies

Bringing up baby to be vegetarian can seem daunting but it really needn't be. Our little one is far from little. I was vegan when he was conceived and only staryed eating dairy again when I was about 14 weeks pregnant. I'm 5 foot nothing and had quite a neat bump compared to when I was carrying bubba 1 and bubba 2. I gained 4 stone with each of their pregnancies and only 28 pounds with the latest babe. So he should have been a little dot, but alas no. He was a whopping 9 pounds 2 ozs and on time. He was exclusively breastfed my vegetarian milk for 6 months and has remained a whopper ever since.

So what do you feed baby once he is passed the fruit and veggie early tasters? It's still important to make sure they are having some protein, but the best diet for babies is high fat and low fibre for some reason, the opposite to us. I give our baby plenty of yoghurt and I mix cheese in with his veggies sometimes. Beans and lentils are great for protein, but one of the best sources is quinoa flakes. It's so easy to add to baby food. Just soak in hot water then add to normal cooking. It's like a grain but high in protein, wonderful stuff and if you stick to the flakes, much more blendable for those early purees.

Be mindful when you are cooking the family dinner, don't add extra salt to your veggies and make extra so that you can blend them up for baby. Courgettes, sweet potato, broccoli and butternut squash whizz up a treat. When baby is older he will really enjoy the family bolognese made with Quorn mince mixed with the spaghetti pasta. Our 7 month old is over 20 pounds, bigger than many one year olds. He is also strong as an ox and has chosen the more difficult army style crawl to regular crawling. He's going to have arms like Wolverine and will probably be taller than me by the time he starts Infant School at this rate!.