Going Ape for these plant-based snacks

This post is part of the Ape snacks x Mumsnet partnership As a family we are always trying to make small, healthy changes to our daily lives, one's the kids will approve of that are easy to implement and sustain. While I am vegetarian, not vegan, I do try and bring as many plant-based meals and treats into our daily lives as I can and with such tasty snacks such as the new Ape Puffs which come in three different flavours, including Really Cheesy which has recently been awarded the Mumsnet Rated badge. We spend a lot of time outdoors so taking food with us is key for helping keep those hangry moments to a minimum, as well as being the more budget-friendly option for a family day out. I always put together a well-balanced pack with some water, fresh fruit, maybe a sandwich or two and some treats such as a pack of crisps or cereal bar - this will usually keep us going for a few hours and the same can be said when it's raining outside and we decided to have a bit of an......

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Hamper Gift Ideas for Vegan Loved Ones

Stuck for a perfect Christmas gift for your vegan friend or family member? With more and more people being conscious of the provenance of their food and their buying choices in general, being vegan or ethical no longer means that you have to miss out. We think that an ethical hamper is a perfect present. Just upcycle a basket, box or bag and fill it with goodies like the ones below: Key Ring Ok, it’s not exactly edible but we don’t think that any self-respecting vegan should leave the house without their vegan keyring . And this one is pretty spectacular. You’re welcome.  Vegan Chocolate You don’t have to break the bank with specialised vegan chocolate to make sure that your gift is cruelty-free. Although you are, of course, welcome to if you so desire. Lots of mainstream dark chocolates are free of animal fats; just double-check the ingredients. After Eights, for example, are vegan, but other After Eight products contain milk.  Vegan-Friendly Wi......

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Larmer Tree Festival 2019 Review

*I was provided with tickets in exchange for an honest review of Larmer Tree Festival Larmer Tree Festival has been on our festival bucket list ever since my eldest came onto the scene in 2010 so we were really excited to finally be able to tick it off this year. For those who don't know Larmer Tree festival, started in 1990,  is a three-day music, comedy and arts festival that takes place yearly at the beautiful Larmer Tree Gardens and is known for being very family-friendly. While Larmer Tree isn't as small as The Big Retreat Wale s we went at the start of summer, the fact it's capped at 5000 festival-goers means it's still really manageable with young children. This year they had a stellar line up with artists such as Kate Tempest, Gomez, Josie Long and family favourites such as Andy and the Odd Socks. I do have to be honest though and say when we attend a festival as a family we usually just play it by ear and not schedule the day too much as children ......

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The Big Retreat Wales 2019 - Review

*Promotional Review Post If you have visited my blog before you may already know that not only do we love to travel but we also love camping at festivals over the summer and we kicked of this summer season with a real corker that was The Big Retreat Wales , which in my opinion has one of the best locations, in West Wales. Before I get in too deep about our time at the festival I would like to explain a little bit more about The Big Retreat as it's not what you would normally expect, in a good way. The Big Retreat otherwise know as The Feel good festival, is all about getting active, wellbeing and also finding space to relax and enjoy the moment. It's a weekend to try new things, connect with other like-minded health inspired peers and soak in the West Wales landscape. Now you may be thinking that a festival that focuses mainly around health, wellbeing and fitness activities wouldn't be that family friendly but you couldn't be more wrong and here is why ......

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11 Of My favourite foodie spots in London

Living in Cardiff means I am only a 2hr train from central London, making the English Capital an accessible and easy destination for day trips, weekend breaks and work events and luckily I get to visit on a fairly regular basis. This, of course, means I have a variety of favourite foodie spots from family-friendly dining to cocktails, coffee on the go to brunch and breakfast spots. In collaboration with SquareMeal, the UK's best-known restaurant, bar and venue website that offers unbiased reviews and an easy to use booking system, I thought I would share my favourite foodie places in the Capital city. Breakfast and Brunch La Boheme , Soho Located in the heart of Soho, Cafe Boheme, a very cool and chic long-standing French establishment that has been going for 25yrs and serves up some of the best french toast with Chantilly cream and rhubarb around as well as pastries and cold-press juices and is somewhere I love to have an indulgent treat when I'm in that part of ......

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Letting my kids do my makeup with Cosmetify

*In Collaboration with Cosmetify I have a pretty straight forward and simple makeup routine, in fact on most days when I am doing the school run I go out with little more than some foundation or BB cream , concealer (to hide those day eyes) and some lip balm. Of course when I attend a work event, special occasion or drinks out I make more of an effort and certainly have a safe go-to look with my favourite red lipstick. I think on reflection, I have just become a little stuck in my ways because I'm time short at the moment and it's easy to forget that makeup should be fun and to experiment with it a little more. So I was really excited when Cosmetify got in touch and asked if I wanted to do something super fun which involved choosing a few new makeup items and getting the kids to be creative, on me, I thought why not and needless to say the kids were onboard! For those who don't know who or what Cosmetify is, it's a website that brings together all th......

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Being Vegetarian in a Vegan World

Veganism, once considered a niche market, is now very much mainstream thanks to a considerable increase in Brits opting for a plant-based lifestyle in recent years which is a really positive move forward not only for Vegans but also Vegetarians. Being someone who loves good food seeing so many options choices with new products seemingly coming out every week is amazing and it's easier now then ever to cut down meat from your diet. A survey by comparethemarket.com confirms that there has been an incredible 700% growth in the last two years, with more than 3.5 million British people now identifying as vegans. With 7% of the population now enjoying a vegan lifestyle, and a further 14% following a vegetarian diet, now is a great time to consider starting a vegan business as their is clearly a market out there. Why is Veganism on the rise ? Well besides the flock of celebrities converting to the Vegan way of life as well as the abundance of mouth watering images found daily o......

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Food and so much more at The Big Welsh Bite

  Earlier this month was the The Big Welsh Bite, an annual Welsh Food festival held in Pontypridd Park each year and while we of course expected loads of great food there was also a whole lot more on offer. So my eldest and I set off with our bikes on the Taff Trail to Ynysangharad Park to find out more and of course tastes a few local delights. The last time we went to the Big Welsh Bite was when my eldest was a toddler and the new lido had yet to be built so I didn't really know what to expect this time around. Despite the on and off heavy showers in between moments of warm sunshine, it was wonderful to see such a good turn out for an event that helps showcase local and independent food and homemade goods. As we had planned our day to arrive around lunchtime so our first thought was to find a bite to eat, after having perused what was on offer we started out with a Vegan Oreo milkshake made with almond ice-cream and it was amazing! We followed this up with a wood f......

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