Mini meatballs with polenta: Hungry to happy challenge

Cooking challenges are my favourite type of competitions. BritMums are running a Hungry to Happy Linky Challenge until 21st of June, which is "all about easy-to-prepare, versatile meals for kids that turn cheeky monkeys into satisfied angels in minutes."
When you had a busy day playing with your kids, gardening or running in the park, you come home and want to cook something that you can serve fast, without much hassle.

I have bought Richmond sausages in the past, but this was the first time we tried Richmond Mini Meatballs,
"bite-sized pork meatballs that are quick and easy to prepare as part of a hassle-free meal in just 8 minutes."
Everyone who applied got their voucher for a pack of free meatballs.

As my husband is Italian, I tend to cook a lot of Italian dishes. I can make my own meatballs (and in fact a couple of years ago my recipe for the meatballs has won me the first prize at Aldi's British Beef competition, you can read all about it in my old post My Photoshoot for Aldi).
Nothing can beat the taste of the homemade meatballs, but you do need time to make them properly.
What if you are all starving and want to serve something quickly? One of the solutions is to keep a pack of Richmond Mini Meatballs in the fridge.

I have tried one and decided that it does need a bit of jazzing up. These meatballs are child-friendly, so they do not have any strong flavours or spices in them. But of course, you can always add the flavours you fancy.
We tried the mini meatballs with spaghetti and polenta.
While spaghetti is very popular with the British, polenta is a neglected step-daughter, and that's totally undeserved. It is such a versatile product (I use it often in baking).

 Mini Meatballs in tomato sauce with polenta
Ingredients:
1 pack of Richmond mini meatballs (4 servings)
3 big tomatoes
1 garlic clove
a handful of olives (I used the olives in olive oil and lemon zest dressing)
2 celery stalks
2 tbsp olive oil
polenta express (about 50g dry polenta per person)
fresh basil (a few leaves)
1tbsp tomato passata
salt, pepper
1tsp butter

Slice the celery stalks and tomatoes and add them in a big frying pan with the olive oil and chopped garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, add a bit of water to the pan. Add the tomato passata and season, stir in some chopped basil leaves and olives and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook under the closed lid for 5-7 minutes.
In the meantime boil the water and pour it over the polenta. Pour the water steadily while whisking the polenta, it has to be quite thick. I use the polenta express which is ready in 5 minutes (have a look at the Italian brand Polenta Valsugana, available in Waitrose, for example).
You can actually make it quite thick, and once cooled down, cut into slices which you can grill or fry. Or make it the consistency of the mashed potato, on the soft side, without slicing.
Add the butter and stir well.
Serve the polenta with the mini meatballs and the sauce.
And how about making a funny face on your polenta circle to make it more appealing to your kids (cut the nose and eyebrows from carrots and use olives for eyes)?
All this won't take you more than 20 minutes altogether, that is including the chopping and cooking, or even less, if you make the polenta while the sauce is cooking with the meatballs.

Another variation:
Mini Meatballs with spaghetti
If you're not sure about polenta, a dish of spaghetti would definitely be an all round pleaser. Who can say No to a plate of spaghetti?
Cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce as above, and serve with spaghetti. Decorate with the basil leaves. Grate some parmesan on top (never-ever use the cheese dust that is sold as an already grated parmesan, it is truly an insult to the beautiful cheese).

This dish takes about 20 minutes to make, so it's another quick and easy meal option.

If you have any leftovers, why don't you make a funky sandwich for your tot for breakfast?

Toot Toot sandwich
Ingredients:
2 slices of white bread
butter
2 slices of cucumber
4 meatballs
2 toothpicks
Butter the slices of bread and put together. Cut out a shape of a car with a knife. With the toothpicks attach the "wheels" of meatballs on both sides. Cut out the crescent shapes fro cucumber and place above the wheels. Draw a window with a bit of tomato ketchup.
"This is a funny car, Mama", said Eddie. "Is it a car for Pontipines?" Well, why not (for those of you who don't watch the CBeeBies, these are small peg-dolls from In the Night Garden).
Don't forget to remove the toothpicks once your child starts eating.

This post is my entry to Happy to hungry linky challenge on BritMums sponsored by Richmond Mini Meatballs.

NaturePaint giveaway (NOW CLOSED)

 You might have seen the recent  report released by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on 5th June titled Chemical Exposures During Pregnancy which advises pregnant women to "avoid paint fumes" in order to minimise risks to their unborn child. I know there was an indignant outcry among some media pundits that the state is infantilising women as it gives too much advice about what to do and what to avoid during the pregnancy. And while I am not an advocate of a nanny state, avoiding any hazardous materials makes a total sense to me.

Even when I was not pregnant, I had a fumes' poisoning years ago, when I stayed in the office when they were repainting the windows. It started with a headache and ended with sickness. Not a laughing matter.

And if there is an alternative to toxic paints, why not give it a try.

I have recently reviewed NaturePaint (read my post Eco-friendly with NaturePaint to see how we decorated the bedroom and painted the Elmer mural), and my little man's bedroom looks great.

NaturePaint is formulated as a patented dry powder and is made from only natural and non-toxic ingredients, giving off no harmful fumes at all.  It is the only paint produced in the UK certified to be completely free of harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and is completely safe for pregnant women to use. 

Since many paint companies choose not to disclose what is in their product, it is difficult for consumers to understand the potential risks.  Unlike other paint companies, NaturePaint is happy to disclose all of its ingredients and consumers can check for themselves at NaturePaint site.

Using NaturePaint to decorate a home, including children's rooms, is the simple way to follow the sound advice from the Royal College.

Available in 63 colours for just £19.95 for the equivalent of 2.5 litres from www.naturepaint.com.  Also available from John Lewis, House of Fraser and B&Q.

NaturePaint have kindly offered a prize for one of my lucky blog readers - 2 kilos of paint in the colour of the winner's choice.

If you would like to win this prize, please fill in the Rafflecopter form.
T&Cs:
Only the first step is mandatory: all you need is answer the question by leaving a comment.

The question: which NaturePaint colour would you choose if you are a winner? Please have a look at the range at NaturePaint. You don't have to decide now, you can change you mind later.

All the other steps are optional, you don't have to do them all. All it takes to win is just one entry.
Only one entry per person is allowed (however, you can tweet daily and do a bonus click entry daily as well to increase your chances).
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only.
Once the Rafflcopter picks the winner, I will check if the winner has done what was requested. I will contact the winner, if they do not reply within a week, the prize will be allocated to another person.
The giveaway will close on 3 July 2013 at midnight (at the start of 3rd).
Good luck!

Thank you to all entrants!
The rafflecopter has picked the winner: see the name below.
Big well done, Jayne! Please let me know which colour you want to choose.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Daddy Pig, our hero

"Mama, should I jump in some mud?" is Eddie's phrase of the day, he keeps looking for some mud in the garden to jump in, but to his regret after a week of sunshine, we cannot find any mud or puddles. Eddie is a big fan of Peppa Pig & family. And who wouldn't be? 
To celebrate Father's Day Asda stores nationwide offer an exclusive Daddy Pig product range (from 3 June to 17 June 2013) which includes the most amusing Champion Pig DVD (£5) and My Daddy book (£5.99) - for kids, and a wide range of merchandise for Dads including Father's Day cards, gift wrap, cufflinks, ties, hankies, PJs, slippers, mugs and more.

And though I cannot quite imagine my husband attired in Daddy Pig pyjamas and slippers, he is more than happy to watch the DVD and read a book together with Eddie.

Daddy Pig is a star in the world of Peppa Pig. As you know, he's a bit of an expert on everything. He somehow reminds me of Brian Blessed in Blackadder, with his infectious uproarious laughter.

And he comes up with the most memorable quotes (maybe he can also have a book of his own quotes like Karl Lagerfeld, only with a much nicer personality).

I totally subscribe to his world outlook: 

"Ah! What a nice day for doing... nothing!" (which reminds me of another great philosopher, Winnie the Pooh).

"Thank goodness I don't have to exercise, I'm naturally fit!" or when his kids mention his big belly, he says "That's all pure muscle".

"Champion Daddy Pig" DVD features 10 fun-packed piggy tales:

Champion Daddy Pig

Secret Club

The New House

Basketball

Horsey Twinkle Toes

Naughty Tortoise

Shadows

Mr Fox's Shop

The Blackberry Bush

Mummy Rabbit's Bump

as well as an extra bonus episode "The Royal Fairy Picnic" (Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom).

This delightful DVD will keep your little ones glued to the screen and will make them jump along with Daddy Pig and Peppa.

Eddie is always excited when he spots his favourite little piggy in the bookshops, toy shops or clothes. He and Peppa share the same cheeky smile and mischievous personality. 

"My Daddy" picture book shows our favourite characters, as Peppa lists all the things she loves about her Daddy.
This amusing book will make you smile (and maybe nod as well if you recognise your partner in it). You will go aww when Peppa says "My Daddy reads about very important matters... But I know that bedtime stories are his favourites" and won't be able to suppress a giggle when Peppa says: "My Daddy says he likes to keep in shape ALL of the time... But his favourite exercise is lifting the remote control" (Does it sound familiar?)

Daddy Pig DVD and My Daddy book are a lovely present for your little piglets to share with their Daddy Pigs.

P.S. We received the DVD and book for the purposes of reviewing, all opinions are Eddie's and mine. 

Zingy pork with pak choi

This recipe is inspired by Helen from Fuss Free Food blog. When I say "inspired" I want to acknowledge that I have borrowed the idea but haven't followed the original recipe precisely, as I'm not the biggest fan of kale, and I'm afraid my version is more calorie-laden. But if I haven't seen Helen's video link on Twitter for Zesty Coriander Pork, I would not have been inspired to try it. 

Zesty Pork with Pak Choi

Ingredients:

500g pork

2tbsp Special Selection Soy Sauce

1tsp Tabasco

1 garlic clove

pak choi (a bunch, not sure about the weight)

1tbsp brandy

15g fresh coriander, chopped

1 lemon (juice+zest)

2tbsp olive oil

1tsp grated ginger

If you carefully watch Helen's video, she has coated pieces of pork in coriander and lemon zest mixture. I confess I tend to cook my pork for longer, so coating in advance wouldn't quite work for me, as the coriander would have been burnt.

So, what did I do? I stir fried the cubed pork in the wok with the olive oil and brandy until well browned on both sides, and then started adding all the other ingredients: grated ginger, soy sauce, Tabasco, chopped garlic, lemon juice and zest and cooked for a few minutes more before adding the pak choi and fresh coriander. I added a bit of water and covered the wok with the lid, so that pak choi would wilt. 

Serve the pork with the jasmine rice or noodles. The flavours were amazing: zingy and fresh. I have used the Amoy Special Selection soy sauce. Tabasco was the substitute for the fresh chili. I actually do have a pot of fresh chilies in the greenhouse, but when I was cooking this dish, it was bucketing outside and I didn't feel like running through the garden to fetch a fresh chili.

If you are counting the calories, visit the original recipe on Helen's blog (see the link at the top of my post).

Books for preschoolers from My Little Big Town (giveaway NOW CLOSED 27 June 2013)

I have recently reviewed a set of books for preschoolers published by My Little Big Town (see my review The Monster Book of Numbers and The Monster Book of Colours for little monsters). These cheerful colourful books educate and entertain at the same time. My little man loves anything monsters-related, so these books proved to be a big hit with him.
My Little Big Town has kindly offered a set of three books for one of my blog readers.

If you would like to win this set of jolly books, please fill in the Rafflecopter form.
T&Cs:
Only the first step is mandatory: all you need is answer the question by leaving a comment.
All the other steps are optional, but you don't have to do them all. All it takes to win is just one entry.
Only one entry per person is allowed (however, you can tweet daily and do a bonus click entry daily as well to increase your chances).
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only.
Once the Rafflcopter picks the winner, I will check if the winner has done what was requested. I will contact the winner, if they do not reply within a week, the prize will be allocated to another person.
The giveaway will close on 27 June 2013 at midnight.
Good luck!

Many thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. The Rafflecopter picked the winner.
Big well done, Chris!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vanilla Chai from Tea India

When it comes to tea, I have my old favourites which I must have in a permanent supply, but I am also thrilled to discover a new tea which warms the cockles of my heart. I've recently come across a new hot drink from Tea India - Vanilla Chai, and immediately fell in love with it. And it's not just me. My little man Eddie loves it too.
My regular blog readers might remember my review of teas from Tea India posted back in November (A lovely cuppa tea with Tea India). Last time I have tried a different variety of chai, it was Cardamom Chai.

Vanilla chai is very pretty when served in a thermo glass by Ozeri

Tea India says:
"We’ve blended the finest teas with deliciously sweet, comforting spices and natural vanilla flavouring to create our very special Vanilla Chai.

Already winner of a Gold Great Taste award, this delightfully rich and creamy blend has the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
We’ve combined the traditional spices of cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, ginger and black pepper to create the perfect blend for an afternoon pick me up or evening indulgence"

I have offered this chai to a few friends, and everyone commented positively.

You might enjoy Vanilla chai with milk or without. Milk makes the drink more mellow, and hides the tingly note of the black pepper which is much more pronounced if you do not add the milk.
The overall taste is a good quality black tea with spices, warm cinnamon, zingy ginger, sweet vanilla, exotic cardamom. All the flavours are balanced really nicely.
I like to add a small teaspoon of honey to my chai.

I was lucky to receive several recipe cards with my tea. One of the recipes was called Spicy Black tea cookies. I loved the recipe but tried it with Vanilla chai instead of the black tea, and they were absolutely delicious, crunchy, buttery and with a lovely spicy twist.

Tea India is going to release the recipes on the Tea India Facebook page over the next few weeks/months. These inspiring recipes were created by talented Ravinder Bhogal for Tea India.
If you'd like to bake the same cookies and discover what other delights you can cook, you'll have to visit Tea India on Facebook.

Just believe me they were appreciated by my guys and friends. I love adding tea to baking, but have never done biscuits with tea before, and was very pleased with the result.

If you haven't yet tried the beautiful range of chais and tea from Tea India, visit Tea India Facebook and request your free samples (search for free Tea India at the top of the page just below the big header).

I have received Vanilla Chai (as well as Black tea) from Tea India for the purposes of reviewing, all opinions are mine.

Sweet potato cupcakes with yogurt frosting (reduced calorie recipe challenge)

Sweet potato cupcakes with yogurt frosting
Ingredients:
300g sweet potato, cooked and mashed
150g light brown sugar
2 eggs
170g fat free Greek style yogurt (I used Chobani raspberry yoghurt)
30g ground almonds
1tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla extract
150g self-raising flour
1/2tsp cinnamon
90ml olive oil
icing sugar + plain Chobani fat free yogurt for frosting
freeze-dried strawberries for decoration
raspberries, blueberries (optional)

Cook the sweet potato in water (cut into quarters), once cooked, take it out of the pan, let it cool, then mash with a fork in a big mixing bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, ground almonds, baking powder, yogurt and mix well, add the flour and olive oil, mix well again.
Pour the cake mixture into the cupcake/muffin paper cases and place the filled cases in the oven preheated to 180C on a tray. Bake for about 25 minutes, check with the wooden skewer that they are cooked through.
Take the cupcakes out and leave to cool.
Make the frosting by mixing the plain Greek style yogurt with the icing sugar (I have used the Chobani plain yoghurt).
Spread over the cupcakes with a spoon. Decorate with the berries of your choice or freeze-dried strawberries.


Typically I bake almost everything with butter and would have used the soured cream frosting. Using the oil and fat free yogurt in the cake batter as well as the fat free yogurt for frosting makes it a calorie reduced option. Plus using the sweet potato, I added less sugar than usual.

Eddie wanted to participate, so I let him mix the cake batter and also fill in some paper cases. I only had cheap muffin paper cases from Waitrose which won't hold anything, even when double-layered, so the cupcakes got rather wide in the middle.
They look funny but taste great. The yogurt in the batter makes them moist and flavourful, the sweet potato adds the sweetness, so that you can use less sugar.

Here is my mini-cook, eating one of the cupcakes while sitting on his haunches, without waiting for the icing to be added. Well, I suppose we had to try it before decorating, didn't we?

Adding my recipe to lovely Verily Victoria Vocalises blog linky #PoCoLo.

Turkey alla cacciatore

To prove that turkey is not just a meal reserved for Christmas, BritMums and Lean on Turkey have challenged the foodie bloggers to come up with the quick recipes using the turkey meat. My dish has been inspired by the Italian recipe. Traditionally "alla cacciatore" is cooked with chicken or rabbit, but turkey works perfectly well in this recipe.  Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. It is prepared with tomatoes, herbs, onions and wine.

Turkey alla cacciatore
Ingredients:
500g turkey (diced breast fillet)
25g dried porcini mushrooms
2tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
half a glass of red wine (if you are using a slow cooker, then top it up to half a bottle)
1 tin of plum tomatoes
1 tin (400g) pinto beans
1tbsp plain flour
a handful of olives
a handful of fresh herbs (sage, thyme, mint, chives, rosemary)
1/2 garlic bulb
1 bay leaf
a few ladlefuls of chicken stock or water (a chicken stock cube should be enough)
salt, pepper

Cooking time: 30 minutes (excluding the soaking time and veg prep)


Start by soaking 25g of dried porcini mushrooms in freshly boiled water, just pour over the dried mushrooms and let them soak for about 15 minutes. If you are short of time, skip the porcini soaking stage and just dissolve a cube of porcini stock (for example, Italian brand Star porcini stock cubes are available in all good supermarkets. Mind you, they are pretty salty, so you would need to adjust the amount of salt you are using accordingly).

Place the diced turkey in a very deep frying pan and fry for about five minutes together with the finely sliced onion and celery, then add the sliced carrot and chopped herbs.
Add the garlic cloves whole (you don't have to peel it, just divide the cloves).

Add the tomatoes, olives and chopped porcini. In a small bowl mix a tablespoon of plain flour with the porcini liquid (add one spoon at a time) until you have a smooth runny paste (it will take about 4 tbsp of porcini liquid). Add the paste to the pan, then the rest of the porcini liquid, plus the bay leaf. Add the red wine and chicken stock (your turkey/veg mix should be covered with the stock or hot water). Bring to the boil, then cook on low for about 15 minutes. Add the pinto beans just before serving to heat them through. Season well.
Serve with a nice chunk of bread to mop up all the juices.

Typically I would cook this stew on very low for about an hour and a half, and then add more wine, but you can make it in half an hour.
I love the porcini mushrooms, they bring a wonderful flavour to all kinds of dishes and works really well with the turkey.




This post is my entry for BritMums’ Summer Turkey Recipe Challenge” (link removed as expired).
For more turkey recipes visit the Lean on Turkey site.

Some like it hot, some like it cold: Moderna double-wall thermo glasses by Ozeri

My collection of cups, mugs and other drinking vessels has a new addition - a set of four beautiful Moderna double-wall thermo glasses from Ozeri. I always fancied having a set of thermo glasses for serving hot drinks, as it reminds me of the long train journeys in Russia. The trip from my hometown to Moscow would take 22 hours by train, and in those 22 hours you should expect to be served hot tea at least 3 times a day (and of course, you can top it up as many times as you like through the day). The tea comes in a glass which is sitting in a metal holder with a handle. And though Moderna glasses look completely different, they made me think of long chats over a cup of tea on the Russian train.

What does Ozeri say about their own product?
Moderna glasses are" made of durable, heat resistant, mouth-blown borosilicate glass of the finest quality, the MODERNA belongs to the Ozeri Artisan Series of award-winning handcrafted drinkware. Borosilicate glass is stronger than common glass, shatter-resistant, and with the MODERNA's double-walled design, it offers the ultimate insulation to maintain drinks at their ideal temperature.
The MODERNA's opposing mouth-blown dimples make for a natural and effortless grip. Each glass is made to keep your hands cool even with your hottest drinks, and free of condensation with your chilled beverages. The patent-pending MODERNA is great for coffee, cappuccinos, hot or iced teas, cocktails, frozen beverages and much more. Each set contains four handmade 8 oz glasses designed for lifetime use. The MODERNA glasses are completely dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe, and ship in an elegantly printed and carefully packaged box with a 1 year warranty."

What did we think about the product?
First of all, the glasses do look very durable (a must in a house with two kids who are not very careful handling the kitchen things).
Love the cute dimples on the sides. The design is very elegant, modern-looking and boasts the combination of two sides: it is practical and stylish at the same time.

I was amazed at how cool the glass feels when you pour the hot tea in it. The double walls protect your hands from the heat, but keep the drink at the right temperature.
Perfect for a hot drink (see the very top photo, with hot chai in a glass).
And as perfect for a cold drink with ice (though I haven't yet tried to put them in the freezer, but I have an idea of making the individual ice cream portions, using the glasses)

Great for any beverage of your choice. I can see myself using these glasses extensively for all sorts of drinks: tea, coffee, latte, chai, iced tea, cordial, juice or an alcoholic cocktail if that's what you fancy.

You will be able to  find Moderna double-wall thermo glasses by Ozeri and other products by Ozeri on amazon.

P.S. I received these glasses for the purpose of reviewing, all opinions are mine.

Chocolate polenta cake

On the last trip to the garden centre I got a couple of croissants for my guys, and a slice of a dark chocolate cake with the cream cheese frosting for myself. Sasha quickly polished his croissant and started working on my cake. So I decided that the next cake I'd bake would be done with the dark chocolate. I was taking risks with Sasha, as he loves my cakes but only if they are done in a certain way. My guys love my orange polenta cake, and I was wondering if I could add a few changes to the recipe they enjoy so much. And thus today's cake was a chocolate polenta cake.

Chocolate polenta cake
Ingredients:
4 eggs
200g caster sugar
200g butter
100g polenta
100g ground almonds
100g gluten free plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla essence
1 orange (zest +juice)
1 lemon (zest)
3tbsp Greek style yogurt (I used Chobani yoghurt with blood orange)
100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces and melted
icing sugar + freshly squeezed orange juice for the icing

Zest the orange and lemon and add the zest in the big mixing bowl. Add the eggs, caster sugar, orange juice, baking powder and beat well. Add polenta, ground almonds, gluten free flour, vanilla essence, yogurt and mix well. Add the melted butter and chocolate, mix well again.
Pour the cake mix in the cake tin and put in the oven preheated to 180C for 45 minutes.
The cake is ready when the wooden skewer comes clean.
I usually tip the cake out of the tin when it is still quite hot, though the general consensus is you should wait until it is cool. But we like to eat the cake when it is still warm.
Mix the icing sugar with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange and pour over the cake, then dust the cake with the icing vanilla sugar.
I suppose it would be lovely with a proper chocolate frosting so next time I will try to do that.

Well, what can I say? My dear husband said Simon Cowell's phrase which I actually cannot stand "I didn't like it, I loved it". Sasha was very excited when I was mixing the ingredients and couldn't wait until the cake is out of the oven. He demolished a big slice in 60 seconds.

If you liked this recipe, you might like to see the recipe for Orange Polenta Cake.