Rachel's Organic Greek style bio-live yogurt with coconut

I had to laugh when I sat down to try out this yoghurt from Rachel's with Madhouse Daddy Mike and guest reviewer Madhouse Grandad, because it reminded me of the Three Wise Monkeys. "Yuck, Greek style yoghurt", I cried. "Yuck, coconut yoghurt", Mike cried. "Yuck, bio-live yoghurt", cried Grandad. I dipped three teaspoons into the pot (to save on the washing-up if none of us liked it !) then we reluctantly put the spoons in our mouths and all three of us simultaneously said "oooh that's really nice, I'll have a bowlful" !

After polishing off the whole pot (accurately described as containing 3 x 150g portions), I went off to investigate what exactly we'd just devoured ! The website says : "At Rachel’s we’re dedicated to creating gorgeously pure tastes. Our Greek style bio-live yogurt with coconut is a stunning combination of extra thick, rich and creamy yogurt blended with organic coconut pieces and the finest organic creamed coconut. The result is a uniquely delicious, textural treat - one for all the senses to savour ! Enjoy on its own as a tasty snack or dessert or mixed with your favourite fruits or cereals for a sumptuous breakfast. Why not try as a dessert accompaniment or ingredient? Or even in savoury recipes, like curries, for a tropical twist?"

It's a gorgeously creamy, decadent yoghurt with a pronounced but not overpowering coconut flavour that tastes totally natural. After all the festive overeating, it seemed really light and refreshing and I think it would make a lovely alternative to custard on Christmas pudding or apple crumble. I'm sure it would be absolutely delicious to make a healthy fruity smoothie (or a not at all healthy pina colada-type cocktail !) too.

100g provides 156 calories, which is quite a lot for a yoghurt (as I'm used to eating 0% fat-free yoghurts) but as a delicious dessert, it's not bad at all. It also contains gut-friendly bacteria, which is an added bonus : "Made simply and with care using only the finest organic ingredients so that it tastes gorgeously pure our Greek style bio-live yogurt with coconut contains the health-giving probiotic cultures Lactobacillus acidophilus & Bifidobacterium to help improve and maintain a healthy digestive system." After all the food we've consumed over the past couple of days, I'm sure our stomachs will be grateful for that !

Three people came to this yoghurt expecting to not like it at all and we were all pleasantly surprised, so even if you're not keen, you should give it a go. It's delicious and different to any other yoghurt or creamy dessert that I've ever tasted before. I'll definitely be buying it again !

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £1.89 for 450g

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Rachel's My First Yogurts

Activia Pouring Yoghurt

Yeo Valley Organic Little Yeo's yoghurts

Asda's Great Stuff range for kids - great healthy snacks and meals

Hipp Organic Stage 3/4 Baby Tray Meals

As I mentioned in my recent review of Ella's Kitchen baby food, 17-month-old Pierre has recently started turning his nose up at shop-bought baby food because he wants to eat the same thing as us at mealtimes. That's great news most of the time, but if we're eating something very spicy or a bit unhealthy, I'd rather he had a nutritious, perfectly balanced shop-bought meal. As we're over in England for our traditional festive visit, it's also really handy when we're out and about to have something that Pierre can eat on the go. It was therefore perfect timing for testing out the two stage 3/4 baby meals that Hipp kindly sent to us.

I absolutely love the heart-shaped tray, not just because it is ultra-cute and gives you the idea that you're giving your little one some love as well as a balanced meal, but also because the shape makes it really easy and comfortable to hold on to at feeding time. We tried two recipes, "Squiggly Spaghetti with Tasty Tomato & Mozzarella Sauce" and "Wholesome Vegetable & Chicken Risotto".

 

As you can see from the photo, Pierre absolutely loved both of them and wolfed them down without a second's hesitation ! I love the fact that you can see big tender chunks of vegetables and that the ingredients are guaranteed organic and GM-free. The taste and texture is very close to home-cooked food which probably explains why Pierre doesn't turn his nose up at them ! This is great news for mums who like to give their babies the taste of home-cooking - according to a nationwide survey carried out by Hipp to gain the views of the modern day mum, 87% of HiPP mums say that their toddler mostly eats the same as the rest of the family. The generous 260g portions offer more than enough for a hungry baby, but both big sisters are always happy to finish off any leftovers !

The trays are really convenient because you can use them in the microwave so they're ready in just one minute. I'm not at all surprised that they won an award in the 'Best Toddler Food' category in the Practical Parenting Awards and I'll definitely be stashing a few in the cupboard for when I'm in a rush or if I need a healthy (and tasty) meal on the go.

You can follow Hipp on Facebook and make sure you join the Hipp Baby Club for advice and free sample opportunities.

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £1.30 for 260g

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Ella's Kitchen - Organic Stage 3 Baby Food Pouches

Plum Organic Superfoods for Babies - First Weaning Starter Pack

Organix Baby Food and Children's Snacks

John Crane 100 piece Wooden Train Set

This summer, inspired by a fabulous summer photography competition on the John Crane blog, we made a "Where in the world is Jenny Woodenmum ?" blog and had great fun taking the Pintoy family on holiday with us and photographing them in unusual and exotic locations. We found the whole thing hilarious and it really kept the girls entertained during the long summer holiday, so it was just the icing on the cake when we won a fantastic selection of John Crane wooden toys for our efforts ! The first toy that we pulled out to look at today was the 100 piece wooden train set.

Even before Pierre woke up from his nap, Madhouse Daddy Mike was busy studying the plans and setting up the track. I detect an unfulfilled boyhood dream of having a wooden train track here ! The pieces slot simply together to create an intricate track with a raised bridge, level crossing and loops. I have played with Brio wooden train sets in the Early Learning Centre before now and this train set compares very favourably, being just as sturdy and easy to use.

It also comes with a wide selection of buildings, people, trees, signs and animals which allow you to create a whole mini world, allowing great scope for creative role play. We're at the grandparents' at the moment for Christmas but as soon as we get back home, Jenny Woodenmum and the rest of the family will be doing a spot of trainspotting and having walks and picnics in the countryside near the railway tracks ! Hours of fun and imaginative play guaranteed !

5-year-old Juliette (not to mention daddy !) had great fun setting out all the little figures and buildings and pushing the trains around the track so they could run down under their own steam from the top of the bridges. Juliette even had a bit of a learning session with the magnets, realising that the magnetic carriages would only join together one way round, being replused the other way around.

When 17-month-old Pierre (in his cute little Santa suit !) woke up from his nap, he instantly crawled over to investigate and squealed happily as he pushed the trains around the track and across the carpet.

The fact that there are two complete trains meant that Juliette and Pierre could both play happily together with no squabbling, which is a huge bonus for families with more than one child !

The only very slight negative point is that it will take up quite a lot of space, so we'll have to have a big reshuffle in the bedrooms to make enough room for it. We noticed on the John Crane website that they do actually sell a brilliant table for laying out the train set, which would make it much easier to move it about (for hoovering the bedroom, for example), but it's very pricey so we're having a think about that one at the moment !

This is a fabulous train set that will be played with for many hours and is sturdy enough to be handed down through the generations, unlike the modern flimsy plastic train sets. It's also more environmentally friendly to get back to old-fashioned wooden toys - and there's not a flashing light or electronic noise in sight !

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £49.99

Other reviews you may be interested in :

John Crane PinToy Woodenmum Family

John Crane Little Cottage

Miffy Wooden Farm Playset

Ella's Kitchen - Organic Bakey-Bakies

I have to admit, my initial reaction when I opened my first bag of Bakey-Bakies was that they looked like a piece of cardboard ! I like to taste new things I offer to Pierre though, to see what tastes he likes or doesn't like, so despite their unappealing appearance, I took a tentative nibble. Yuck ! I didn't like the taste or the texture at all. But they're clearly not designed for adult palates so what did Pierre think ? Well, just have a look at the picture below - he loved them !

So what are they exactly ? Well, behind the adorable name "Bakey-Bakies" are organic wholegrain oat crackers that Ella's Kitchen describe as "crispy and crunchy snacks made just for little people whose new teeth need a good chomp and whose little mouths need tasty, real foods to tickle their taste buds! All they contain is 100% organic baby food goodness of yummy ingredients snugly baked into yummy little crackers."

They're much healthier than grown-up crisps or crackers and Pierre loves them. I also love the fact that they don't make loads of crumbs so I'm happy for him to eat them as a snack on the go in the car or pushchair. They come in two varieties, "apple, raisin 'n' cinnamon" and "cheese 'n' spinach". They contain some really wholesome and sometimes surprising ingredients, including organic wholegrain oatmeal, organic apple, spinach and raisin purees and organic rosemary extract.

They're perfectly-sized for little fingers so they're ideal snacks and weaning foods for little tots aged 12 months plus. You get four mini-bags in a pack, each containing 12g which sounds tiny but goes a long way.

star rating : 4/5

RRP : £2.49 for 4 x 12g

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Ella's Kitchen - Organic Stage 3 Baby Food Pouches

Rachel's My First Yogurts

Organix Baby Food and Children's Snacks

Boots Baby Organic Orange Flavoured Rice Cakes

Ferrero Collection

"Oh! You better watch out,

You better not cry,

You better not pout,

I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Santa Claus is coming ... to town! "

Yes, Christmas Eve is finally here ! Kids all over the planet will be getting all excited and hanging up their stocking before bed awaiting a visit from the jolly old booted-and-red-suited man and his reindeer !

So what will you be leaving dear old Santa this year ? In our house, it's always a mince pie and a carrot for the reindeer but I think this year, we might start a new tradition and leave him a Ferrero Rocher. I'm sure he'll appreciate it much more after all those mince pies in other people's houses !

Luckily, there will still be plenty to go round because those lovely people at Ferrero have been spoiling me rotten this festive season. As well as creating the gorgeous personalised Christmas card which has been adorning my blog sidebar and making it look all Christmassy all month, they sent me a box of Ferrero Collection to sample.

Like most people, I already know and love the classic Ferrero Rocher chocolates and they are a traditional part of our Christmas fayre, ideal for noshing in front of the telly on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day and sharing with the family. The individual wrappers and rustly gold paper always make me feel that they are the height of luxury and decadence and they always seem extra special and impressive as Christmas chocolates. The combination of crunchy whole roasted hazelnut, creamy gooey chocolate filling and nobbly chopped hazelnuts and cholcolate coating is deliciously rich but also seems quite light, thanks to the crispy wafer part. Even when you're stuffed out on turkey sandwiches, Christmas pudding and mince pies, there's always enough room for a Ferrero Rocher (or two or three !).

However, the other two varieties in the Ferrero Collection were completely unknown to me, so I couldn't wait to try them.

Ferreo Rondnoir is described as a "darkly sensual journey through crispy wafer and indulgent creaminess towards a pearl of rich dark chocolate at its heart". If you imagine a non-nutty, smoother, more intensely chocolately Ferrero Rocher, you'll be pretty close. Lovers of dark chocolate will probably prefer them to the classic Ferrero Rocher. Even as someone who isn't keen on dark chocolate, I still really like them.

The final delicacy in the box is the white chocolate offering called Ferrero Garden, described as a "delicious mini speciality filled with a delicate creamy centre, wrapped in a fine wafer shell and covered in a dusting of coconut". The box defines it as a crisp speciality biscuit with coconut filling containing half an almond. It's a more delicate flavour which seems lighter in the mouth but I think they'd become sickly more quickly than the milk and dark chocolate varieties.

They look gorgeous all nestled in the box in alternate rows of gold, silver and bronze foil but you could also take inspiration from the fabulous Ferrero Rocher Christmas tree I blogged about earlier in the month and create a funky pyramid as a centerpiece for the Christmas dinner table.  You might like to know that a video of the Covent Garden stunt has gone live on YouTube now at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ZhjzL5Aeg.

Either way, have a Ferrer-y Merry Christmas and don't forget to leave a couple out for Santa tonight !

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £8.49

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Merry Christmas from Ferrero

House of Dorchester Luxury Chocolates

Burnt Sugar - "Making the world a sweeter place" !

Chocolate Craft - The Alresford Chocolate Company Christmas Pudding Truffles

Rachel's My First Yogurts

Until they kindly sent me a pack of their 'My First Yogurts' to review, I didn't know Rachel's Organics made baby yoghurts. Each pot in the 4-pack contains 90g which seemed quite a lot, compared to my usual baby yoghurts, but Pierre loved them so much, he finished each pot off in record time and still wanted more !

The yoghurt is thick (so it doesn't keep dribbling off the spoon !) and tastes really fruity and natural. The four flavours - raspberry, banana, strawberry and mango - are easily recognisable. They don't taste as sweet as Pierre's usual baby yoghurts because they contain no added refined sugar, but he loves them even more than his normal sweeter variety. On their website, they explain : "We understand how important it is to know that your baby's first foods are pure and natural. These thick fruit yogurts are made simply and with care; organic wholemilk yogurt is blended with smooth fruit purée and sweetened only with organic fruit juice concentrate".

The yoghurt is suitable for babies aged 4-6 months (but 17-month-old Pierre loves it !) so it is ideal as a first weaning food. As the label proudly says, it's a natural source of calcium, full of organic goodness with nothing artificial. I also love the fact that they contain probiotic cultures to help your child maintain a healthy digestive system. Just for taste alone, I'll definitely be buying them again.

 

Pierre may look all sad in this photo but it's because I stopped feeding him to take the photo so he's patiently (or possibly impatiently !) waiting for me to give him another spoonful !

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £1.80 for 4 x 90g

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Asda's Great Stuff range for kids - great healthy snacks and meals

Yeo Valley Organic Little Yeo's yoghurts

Activia Pouring Yoghurt

Ella's Kitchen - Organic Stage 3 Baby Food Pouches

Pierre has tried loads of different baby food brands since he's started weaning, including several organic ones, but when I opened the Seriously Comforting Cottage Pie (with a pinch of cinnamon) pouch from Ella's Kitchen, this is the first time that I have actually said that it looks totally homemade. Looks, smells and even tastes, which I can vouch for because I had a quick taste myself, which shows how appetising it looks, even to a grown-up ! It has less salt than an adult palate would usually be used to but apart from that, it tastes exactly like my homemade cottage pie which I find really reassuring. (Apart from the added cinnamon, which I'm not too keen on, but Pierre didn't seem to mind !)

Now aged 17 months, Pierre has actually started turning his nose up at a lot of shop-bought baby food because he wants to eat the same food as us. Sometimes that's not possible though, either because we're in too much of a rush or because we're eating something too spicy or unhealthy ! I was amazed to see that he wolfed down his cottage pie with no resistance at all, but having seen the large chunks of carrot, peas and sweet potato, I'm hardly surprised.

The packaging says it's "nicely chunky 'n' lumpy" and shows a cute "teeth are made for chewing" logo, as well as the impressive Soil Association Organic seal of approval. The pouches - which are really practical because you can heat them in the microwave - are a generous size so Pierre didn't finish off the entire pouch. Both big sisters volunteered to finish off the rest of the plateful though (and even wanted to try it before he had finished) !

The other recipes available for the stage 3 toddler age range (10 months plus) are Super Scrummy Salmon Risotto (with a pinch of cheese), Totally Cool Caribbean Chicken (with mangoes) and Perfectly Pleasing Tomato-y Pasta (with plenty of veg). The recipes appeal to Pierre but also to mums and dads, because they are packed full of nutritious organic ingredients with no hidden nasties. They are certainly the most similar to homecooked food that I have found in shop-bought jars or pouches.

Huge thumbs up from the whole family, not just Pierre !

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £1.67 (on Ocado)

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Boots Baby Organic Baby Food (& Current Boots Offers on Baby Products)

Organix Baby Food and Children's Snacks

Oxo Tot Toddler Feeding Equipment

Plum Organic Superfoods for Babies - First Weaning Starter Pack

New Year Detox advice from Philip Weeks - expert on natural medicine, master herbalist and traditional acupuncturist

I know, I know, we haven't even had Christmas yet but let's face it, quite a lot of us will be desperately trying to shift those extra-Christmas pounds (if not more !) by the time the New Year rolls around. Detox sounds like a good place to start to me so here is some advice from Philip Weeks, expert on natural medicine, master herbalist and traditional acupuncturist. Philip offers advice and natural remedies on a range of ailments, including coughs and colds, back pain and period pain, and I'll be bringing you lots of words of wisdom from him over the coming months.

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Natural medicine is based on the principle that in order to be healthy and well you need to work with the body's natural processes. This includes the intake of nutritionally rich food and to encourage the excretion of toxins. It also based on the understanding that we are more than our physical processes, but that our thoughts and feelings in turn affect our well-being.

The promotion of detoxification is one of the fundamentals of natural medicine. There are foods and recipes that can help the excretion of toxins that build up in all of us.

Foods that promote detoxification are those that are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants have all kinds of health benefits and can help protect us from certain disease. One type of antioxidant is called polyphenol, which has been shown to have heart protective effects as well as anti-cancer properties.

These include

Berries, especially blueberries, raspberries, cherries and blackberries.

Other foods which include walnuts, olives, kale, spinach, prunes and raisins.

A detoxifying and antioxidant smoothie recipe could be:

1 handful of blueberries

1 handful of raspberries

1 banana

1/2 cup regular yoghurt (or soya)

1 cup milk (or soya)

1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients until you produce a smooth consistency. Drink as soon as its made to preserve all the nutrient goodies.

 from Philip Weeks - An expert on natural medicine, a master herbalist and traditional acupuncturist

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Firefly Tonics - natural energy drinks

Jala Super Juice Pomegranate Drinks

Yumberry

Mile High Aviation Juice Drink

Simply Hibi hibiscus infusion drink

Learn to sing like a popstar with top tips from celebrity vocal coach Yvie Burnett

The girls will be over the moon because we've just been offered the chance to review two new singalong games for the Wii, Disney Sing It Party Hits and Disney Sing It Family Hits. I just have to get my hands on some microphones and they'll be strutting around like Hannah Montana belting out their Disney classics ! The review will be online soon but in the meantime, here are some top tips from celebrity vocal coach Yvie Burnett, well known from The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. 

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Learn to sing like a popstar with top tips from celebrity vocal coach Yvie Burnett, and the two fab new karaoke games from Disney, Sing It Party Hits and Sing It Family Hits. To make sure you impress your family and friends this Christmas with your Disney Sing It performance Yvie Burnett has provided some top tips on how to warm up your vocal chords to hit those high notes just like your favourite popstar.

We caught up with Yvie to find out if she will be chilling out for Christmas and what what her tops tips would be for some karaoke fun over the festive period.


Yvie, how has your year been?

It’s been pretty hectic, especially the last few months, but it’s been a lot of fun working with some great talent that I think we will see a lot of next year.

Were you excited to see Matt Cardle win?

I was happy for Matt – he was a well-deserved winner and was consistently good.


You work with lots of chart-topping singers like Katy Perry and Nicole Scherzinger, who would be your dream student?

I’d love to work with Justin Bieber, not just because my daughter loves him, but because he is at the age where his voice is changing and I think it would be fascinating helping him with the transition in his voice. In fact I’ve just been singing along to Justin on the Disney Sing It Party Hits game.


What’s it really like to work with Simon Cowell?

I’ve worked with Simon for years, and got to know him really well. He has always been great to work with - very charming, supportive and the first to say well done when someone has performed really well.


What plans do you have for Christmas?

I will be spending it with my family - we always end up playing games on Christmas day, and the Disney Sing It games will keep the whole family entertained.


What’s your favourite Disney song?

I love singing away to ‘A Whole New World’, it’s my guilty pleasure!


What top tips do you have for anyone wanting to play karaoke games such as Disney Sing It video games this Christmas?

Whenever you are singing it is all about the performance – as much as hitting the right notes. Make sure you are enjoying the song and smile throughout – as it will help you stay in tune and really have fun. So pretend you are a true popstar


What is the best way to warm up the vocal chords?

The best thing to do is sing a song you like whilst moving around a bit – to help you relax. So march around the room whilst singing a Disney classic and it will really help loosen up your vocal chords.


What plans do you have for 2011?

I’m heading to LA in the New Year to work with some exciting singers there, and of course there is also the new series of Britain’s Got Talent to look forward to.



Perfect for all the family to enjoy this Christmas, Disney Sing It: Family Hits features 20 beloved songs and videos from popular all-time classic Disney films including Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book as well as contemporary favourites from films like The Princess and the Frog, The Lion King, Aladdin, Cars and more.

Get the party started this New Year with Disney Sing It Party Hits, featuring 30 chart-topping songs and music videos from favourites including Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Jason Myraz, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson and more.

Disney Sing It Party Hits and Disney Sing It Family Hits are available on Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 now.

Kids make a difference in the real world with "Coins for Change" on Disney’s Club Penguin

9-year-old Sophie absolutely loves the Club Penguin website. If you don't know anything about it, it's an online world for kids (and sometimes their parents when they've been sent off to bed but shhh, we won't tell Sophie about that !) where you create and customise a penguin, then go around, discovering new places, playing little games and undertaking challenges and missions. It's all great fun and to keep you motivated, you win virtual currency for all of these actions, which you can spend in the boutiques on the island.

But Christmas is a time for giving and this year sees the 4th annual "Coins for Change" operation on Club Penguin. From December 17th to December 27th, your little penguins can waddle up to the "Coins For Change" area in Club Penguin and vote for their preferred cause (Provide Medical Help, Build Safe Places, or Protect the Earth), using the virtual money they have earned.

I just told Sophie about this and she said "Oh, I've been giving them loads of money, but I didn't know it really helped people in the real world for real". (How many times can you say real in one sentence ?!) Well, yes, it isn't just one more fun thing to do on Club Penguin. Your virtual currency is converted into real money by the lovely people behind Club Penguin (otherwise known as Disney Online Studios !) who use the votes made in the virtual world to divvy up a $1 million donation to charitable causes, such as Warchild, Free the Children, Wildlife Conservation Network, Partners in Health, Children’s Surgical Centre and Rare.

Now that I've told Sophie that, she wants to go and give them even more of her virtual money ! The final results will be revealed on 4th January, when kids will find out how much each charity got and see that their actions, however small, do make a difference in the real world.

If your kids want to get involved, just go and sign up and start amassing money by playing the games. I don't know if I'm really allowed to share this with you or not (!) but on the December Club Penguin newsletter, they actually gave out a code that will credit your penguin with 500 coins (just put the code DECNLR10 here - it will come up in French but you can change the language afterwards !) so if that works, you can instantly go and make a donation at the Coins for Change booth !

Help spread the word by tweeting : Kids make a difference in the real world with #coinsforchange on #clubpenguin : http://reallykidfriendly.com/coinsforchange

Other blogposts you may beinterested in :

 The Travels of Wiglington and Wenks Virtual World - fantastic free educational online game

 Christmas Gifts in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity

Build a Bear Workshop - Pudsey Bear & Blush Bear for Children in Need

Humanitarian gifts for the holidays

Seriously Good Sauces for a Seriously Good Cause : Comic Relief