TIGs Blog

Surprise weekend away

Posted by TIG on 10:09 pm in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

TIG’s mums very special birthday is this Saturday! Ideas have been conjured up, preparations have been made and the TIG family are all set for a fabulous weekend away. We have planned a surprise birthday weekend for TIG’s mum jam-packed full of great ideas that I can’t wait to share with you.

Today the mystery of the birthday weekend started to unveil for TIG’s mum! There was a surprise delivery to her workplace. This was a beautiful bouquet of flowers thanks to Gerts Florist with a mysterious message and a poem on the reverse.

TIG’s mum knows she is going away for the weekend, but doesn’t know where, so I wanted to give her a few clues. Just enough to get her excited and to have a rough idea what to pack, but not enough to reveal all!

This special delivery was received with shock, and amazement, mainly that I was a poet and she didn’t even know it….!

As the birthday weekend surprise is revealed you can read all about it here! Stay tuned to find out where we are going on our mystery weekend away…

Have you ever surprised anyone?
Share your surprise ideas here…
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Crystal Maze is Back

Posted by TIG on 5:42 pm in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

Yesterday I heard the most amazing, exciting, unbelievable news….Crystal Maze is back!

I think I have watched every episode of the epic 1990’s game show Crystal Maze at least twice and I used to make the TIG family play the board game (very much against their will!) at least once a week until they sold it at a car boot sale without me knowing!!

If you are too young to remember, Crystal Maze was a cult British adventure game show where contestants attempted to complete physical and mental challenges across four themed zones in order to collect crystals, then attempt to win a prize from the Crystal Dome!

This time however, Crystal Maze is coming back with a difference. The organisers are keeping the finer details very much under wraps, however, this illustration teaser  was released yesterday by the very talented illustrator  Dan Evans (@Dan_Draws).

The organisers have said ‘The legendary game show is back! But this time we all get to play!’ Instead of the Channel 4 show each week hosted by the flamboyant Richard O’Brien in his large leopard skin fur coats and leather boots the new Crystal Maze is being described as a ‘live and immersive interactive experience’ in the centre of London.

Interested? You can register here. I have already registered and today I received an email saying that the response they have had is astounding! From midnight this Saturday they will be launching their crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo. This will be our opportunity to help make The Crystal Maze a reality and get our tickets to enter the maze!

What are you waiting for? Get your fluorescent 90’s tracksuits out from the back of your wardrobe and register your interest for the chance to have your experience in the Crystal Dome!

Register your interest here: Crystal Maze Sign Up
Follow updates on Twitter: Crystal Maze HQ

Update 20/06/15: The Crowdfunding is now live! Find out more and the different tickets you can purchase here.

Share your likes and dislikes of Crystal Maze here…
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Live Below the Line Challenge Diary

Posted by TIG on 5:34 am in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

Pudding was Apple and Blackberry Crumble with natural yoghurt once again, but it is still really tasty, – definitely one of my more successful ideas!

So, at the end of day 3 I have no fruit or vegetables left and the only main ingredient I have is pasta, which will now be my lunch and dinner for the next two days. This is not going to be easy.

 

Day 4:

Day 4 and my body had just about adjusted to the lack of nutrients…and chocolate! The headaches had gone, but I was still struggling to stay awake. Breakfast was once again one of the highlights of the week – natural yoghurt and warm blackberry compote.

 

For lunch I finished off last night’s pizza, which was pretty tasty considering. However, for dinner I had pasta and tomato sauce which was probably by far the least satisfying main course, and the thought of that being my lunch and dinner for the next day really hit me hard.

The worst part of day 4 had to be the weekly pub quiz. Tap water in one hand and quiz sheet in the other! It was not until half time when the challenge really began…they brought out the free chip butties! Despite these being free I didn’t feel it would have been in the spirit of the challenge to have any – so I painfully watched team mates eat my share. I think the lack of chip butties must have affected my quiz performance as we were a long way from winning!

 

Day 5:

 

I made it! Day 5 has arrived. What better way  to end the challenge than going back to basics for breakfast…porridge. This was followed by pasta and tomato sauce for lunch and for dinner, tomato sauce and pasta! Psychologically, today was by far the hardest, but it was in fact the first day that I felt hungry, and actually had an appetite, yet I struggled to eat all of the pasta as it was just so bland. Friday night is often ‘dine out’ night, which may have had something to do with my appetite coming back! I have approximately 3.5 digestive biscuits left, 1 apple and a little bit of porridge and flour…not sure what I can do with that but I’ll figure something out!

 

This week has been particularly hard because of the headaches, the tiredness even more so, and the lack of food choices that I definitely take for granted. Poverty traps people, it has controlled the quality and quantity of the food I’ve eaten. Not only that, this challenge has also dictated my social life – I didn’t have the energy to go to  the gym, I couldn’t eat out with my friends and family and I’ve really struggled to stay focused enough to write about this challenge – let alone do it! I’m so glad to have completed it though – it has been quite a tough lesson, but I have certainly learnt a lot about the struggles that face those who live below the poverty line. I only had to get through 5 days – for others it’s just a way of life….

 

This week I have been raising money and awareness for the great work that Farm Africa does. What I love about Farm Africa is that it is very different to most charities. They don’t give handouts, or quick fixes, they help farmers grow their families out of hunger permanently. Farm Africa believes that Africa has the power to feed itself, they work directly with farmers to help them unleash their potential to feed Africa’s people. They offer pioneering techniques that boost harvests, reduce poverty, sustain natural resources and help end Africa’s need for aid.

 

Please give generously to help put an end to extreme poverty. I’ll leave you with this video taken in Uganda. Farm Africa taught Robinah and her group new ways to farm their land and provided them with disease-resistant seeds to help their farms flourish. Robinah and her fellow farmers were so thankful to Farm Africa, they greeted the Farm Africa staff with this song which translates to ‘Thank you Farm Africa’. Show your support and help more people like Robinah escape from a life of poverty.

You can follow my Live Below the Line updates on Twitter, Facebook or stay tuned on thatideasgirl.com.

Are you Living Below the Line this year?
How is it going for you? Any side effects yet?
Why not share your experiences below…
 comments so far

Live Below the Line Challenge – Recipes

Posted by TIG on 6:36 pm in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

Here are my really quick, easy and cheap Live Below the Line recipes. Even if you’re not taking part in the actual challenge, why not give them a go and save some pennies. I will be adding more inspirational recipes throughout the week.

Jam tarts

Cost: 36p (3p each)
Serves: 12
Ingredients:

• 12 teaspoons of jam, 8p (28p from Lidl)
• 255g plain flour, 7p (45p Lidl)
• 140g baking fat, 21p (39p Lidl)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5
2. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the margarine until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
3. Add the water tablespoon by table spoon until it is a moist dough
4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut the pastry out into circles
5. Grease a bun tray and press the pastry into the tray
6. Spoon the jam into the pastry
7. If you have enough excess pastry make smaller pastry lids and place on top
8. Bake on Gas Mark 5 for 12-15 mins
9. Take out of the oven and leave to cool

Apple & Blackberry Crumble

Cost: 42p (7p per serving)
Serves: 6
Ingredients:

• 3 apples, 21p (Small donation, Greengrocers)
• 100g plain flour, 9p (45p Lidl)
• 50g baking fat, 8p (39p Lidl)
• 50g oats, 4p (39p Lidl)
• Blackberries (Free, picked wild)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4
2. First, you need to prepare the apples. Half fill a large saucepan with water, and peel, core and chop the apples into 1-2cm chunks. Place them in the saucepan to stop them from ruining.
3. Drain all of the water from the saucepan, add another 2 tbsp of water, and place on a medium heat on the hob. Stew until the apples become mushy. Once mushy, put the apples into an ovenproof dish.
4. Place the flour and oats in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and use your hands to mix everything together until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Pour this evenly on top of the stewed apple.
5. Place the crumble in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Don’t worry if the crumble doesn’t looked cooked properly, it most likely is!  

Roasted Vegetable Curry

Cost: 57p (19p per serving)
Serves: 3
Ingredients:

Curry:

• ‘Not so fresh’ vegetables, 28p (Local greengrocers)
• 1 x 500g jar of curry sauce, 20p (Premier Discounts, small shop in Holmfirth!)
• 1 tbsp oil, 1p

Tortillas (makes 4):

• 200g flour, 6p (45p Lidl)
• 150ml warm water
• 3tbsp olive oil, 1p
• 1 tsp salt, 1p

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7
2. Prepare the ‘Not so fresh’ vegetables and place into a roasting tin, add the oil, then toss the vegetables to coat.
3. Put the prepared vegetables into the oven for approx. 45minutes, until the vegetables are soft and slightly browned.
4. Warm the curry sauce in a pan, then add the roasted vegetables and stir until fully coated.
5. For the tortillas combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
6. In a measuring jug mix the (luke) warm water and oil together and add to the flour.
7. Stir together until all ingredients are well combined and form a dough. On a floured surface, knead the dough for 2-3 minutes.
8. Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll each one out individually. Aim for each tortilla to be a similar size to a dinner plate, the dough will shrink back a bit when it is resting.
9. In a large frying pan warm a teaspoon of oil and cook each tortilla for 1 minute each side on a medium heat. Each side should just start to brown on any raised areas.
10. Relax and enjoy this very tasty and cheap curry!

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Cost: 36p (18p per serving)
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 225g flour, 6p (45p Lidl)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1p
• 60g butter, 9p (39p Lidl)
• 150ml water
• ‘Not so fresh’ vegetables, 14p (Local greengrocers)
• 100g Ragu sauce, 4p (20p, Premier Discounts, small shop in Holmfirth!)
• 1 tbsp oil, 2p

Method:

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5
• Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour the milk into the bowl and mix to a soft dough.
• Knead the dough and roll out into a large circle about 1cm thick. Place on oiled/buttered baking tray.
• Add whatever toppings you like.
• Bake the pizza in the preheated oven until the crust is golden, about 20 minutes.

P.S. I am putting myself through this challenge to support the great work that Farm Africa do. What I love about Farm Africa is that it is very different to most charities. They don’t give handouts, or quick fixes, they help farmers grow their families out of hunger permanently. Farm Africa believes that Africa has the power to feed itself, they work directly with farmers to help them unleash their potential to feed Africa’s people. They offer pioneering techniques that boost harvests, reduce poverty, sustain natural resources and help end Africa’s need for aid. Please give generously to help put an end to extreme poverty. 

You can follow my Live Below the Line updates on Twitter, Facebook or stay tuned on thatideasgirl.com.

Do you have any Live Below the Line ideas and recipes?
Why not share them below…
 comments so far

Live Below the Line Challenge – 1 Day to go…

Posted by TIG on 2:35 pm in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

With 1 day to go, I have finally done my weekly shop for the Live Below the Line challenge.

I have been planning this for the last couple of weeks, doing Supermarket price comparisons and earmarking the lowest, ready to spend a morning driving round and picking up all the bargains! However, on second thoughts, how relevant would these methods be to those who really do live below the line? I decided to challenge myself and try and buy everything I needed within walking distance of my home. So off I set, with my shopping bag in one hand and £5 in the other, to see if this would be possible.

The small country town of Holmfirth is about 25 minutes away from where I live, and has several small businesses, including bakers, butchers, a discount store, a Coop, recently a Lidl, and a market – but would their prices be low enough for me to be able to eke out my £5? Fortunately I don’t like tea, coffee or alcohol, but I definitely have a craving for sweet things – particularly chocolate!

My first port of call was to the Saturday market, hoping that as it was nearly the end of the day, there may be some bargains to be found on the fruit and veg stall. When I found that it wasn’t there at all, my heart sank! This was not a good time for the fruit and veg man to go on holiday!

I then ventured to the bakery, where I discovered that they had a half price bread section of yesterdays bread – it felt like I had hit the jackpot! However, the prices were still too much for me to afford. As I was leaving, I saw a bin liner full of bread rolls, fruit scones, olive and sunflower breads. I asked the lady behind the counter what this bread was for….and she replied “for the pigs” – she then went on to say “if you want any, just help yourself”. This was two day old baking, that was going to be fed to the pigs. I had absolutely no idea that there was so much perfectly edible bread going to waste, when there are so many people struggling to pay for food on a daily basis. I took a modest sized sunflower loaf and a bread roll, but felt that I should still make a small donation of 20p.

I then carried on to Andrews the greengrocers. Looking at the produce I knew that I wouldn’t be able to afford very much, and thought that maybe I should wait until I got to Lidl. However, I asked Andrew, the greengrocer if he had any damaged or old stock that he could let me have at cheaper prices. I was surprised to find that he is not actually allowed to sell goods that are not up to a required standard – even if sold at a lower price. The stock that he can’t sell, that is out of date, or damaged, generally has to be thrown away. How sad to see so much food wasted, when there are many people who would be glad to have even that. Andrew proceeded to fill 2 bags with a mixture of fruit and veg, and I had to stop him from giving me more! Saying that, a lot of the fruit and vegetables had clearly passed their best and anyone who knows me will know that I rarely eat anything a day past it’s best before date, so this will still be a challenge! I gave the greengrocer a donation of £1.50 for the two bags of ‘goodies’.

So far, so good – although I will officially be eating food that should have gone to the pigs – sorry pigs!

It was then on to ‘Premier discounts’ – this shop has probably been open for the last 10 years in Holmfirth and I have never ventured in. It has now become my NBF! Digestive biscuits for 19p – that is less than 1p per biscuit, and well-known brands of ragu and curry sauce for 20p a jar – an absolute bargain! Although perhaps best if I don’t think too much about the date of 2014 stamped on them!

Finally a short walk to the Lidl store to stock up on some much needed staples. This was my first shopping experience in Lidl and I couldn’t believe the low prices. Here’s a run down of my total shop…

I am going  to use the remaining 23p to factor in smaller items such as salt, pepper, oil, and spices. I will work out the cost of each item per gram and budget proportionally…sadly probably not enough left for a chocolate bar!

P.S. I am putting myself through this challenge to support the great work that Farm Africa do. What I love about Farm Africa is that it is very different to most charities. They don’t give handouts, or quick fixes, they help farmers grow their families out of hunger permanently. Farm Africa believes that Africa has the power to feed itself, they work directly with farmers to help them unleash their potential to feed Africa’s people. They offer pioneering techniques that boost harvests, reduce poverty, sustain natural resources and help end Africa’s need for aid. Please give generously to help put an end to extreme poverty. 

You can follow my Live Below the Line updates on Twitter, Facebook or stay tuned on thatideasgirl.com.

What would you spend £5 on?
Are you taking on the challenge this year?
I’d love to hear about your experiences.

Share below…
 comments so far

Live Below the Line Challenge

Posted by TIG on 4:47 pm in TIGs Blog | 2 comments

A few weeks ago I decided to take up the Live Below the Line challenge. From 27th April – 1st May, thousands of people all across the world will come together to unite against extreme poverty. The challenge is quite simple, spend no more than £1 per day on food and drink for 5 days. This is a fantastic challenge to really raise awareness and to challenge myself and others to think differently about extreme poverty and the choices we make everyday.

The problem is…I absolutely love my food, usually I probably spend at least £30 on food for 5 days. I’m automatically drawn to the Tesco Finest, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference and Co-op’s Truly Irresistable range. I would go for quality over quantity every day of the week, which makes this challenge so much harder! I also play sport at least four times a week so my calorie intake has to be pretty high to be able to maintain my energy levels. The realisation of this challenge has just set in….this is not going to be easy!

Live Below the Line have teamed up with some of the best charities in the country whose work is vital both in making sure we fight extreme poverty through our actions in the UK, and that we support people to lift themselves out of extreme poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries. By doing this challenge I am raising money for Farm Africa. I had never heard of this charity before so I was really keen to learn more about the work that they do.

What I love about Farm Africa is that it is very different to most charities. They don’t give handouts, or quick fixes, they help farmers grow their families out of hunger permanently. Farm Africa believes that Africa has the power to feed itself, they work directly with farmers to help them unleash their potential to feed Africa’s people. They offer pioneering techniques that boost harvests, reduce poverty, sustain natural resources and help end Africa’s need for aid.

With your help, Farm Africa can provide families with goats that will provide milk to feed their family and to sell at the market, meaning they can build a brighter future for their children. Don’t just take my word for it, Michael Palin is also a great supporter of the charity…

For more information on Farm Africa and the incredible work that they do visit www.farmafrica.org.

Could you live on just £1 a day? Why not take the challenge yourself to live below the poverty line and join Team Farm Africa to help put an end to extreme poverty. If you don’t fancy the challenge then why not make a difference and donate to such a good cause, every penny counts www.livebelowtheline.com/me/thatideasgirl.

With just two weeks to go, it is time to start the menu planning….wish me luck!

You can follow my Live Below the Line updates on Twitter, Facebook or stay tuned on thatideasgirl.com.

Are you taking on the challenge this year? Have you done it before?
I’d love to hear about your experiences and any top tips that could help me!

Share below…
 comments so far

Creme Egg cheesecake recipe

Posted by TIG on 6:21 pm in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

Now this is an epic cheesecake packed full of creme eggs! This is the perfect Easter treat to wow your friends and family with and I have just added the finishing touches to mine. As you can probably tell I’m certainly not the neatest of bakers but the proof is certainly in the tasting! And wow this is one delicious cheesecake…the diet starts tomorrow!

This recipe is so easy to follow, if I can do it then so can you! Here’s a few handy hints before you get started:

• If you can’t find mini Creme Eggs to use inside the cake, you can just replace them with large Creme Eggs (I did this and it worked a treat).
• The Creme Eggs are easier to cut if you’ve stored them in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up
• Allow yourself enough preparation time; the cheesecake requires a minimum of 3 hours chilling in the fridge
• This cheesecake will serve at least 8 – it’s huge!

You will need:

• Disposable piping bags for a really neat chocolate drizzle on top (as you can tell I didn’t have one of these!)
• 7″ cake tin with removable bottom

Ingredients:

For the base

• 300g chocolate digestive biscuits
• 150g unsalted butter

For the cheesecake

• 600ml double cream
• 150g icing sugar
• 560g cream cheese (2x 280g pots)
• ½ lemon (just the juice)
• 267g Mini Cadburys Creme Eggs (3x 89g bags – unwrapped and cut into quarters)

To decorate

• 3 Cadburys Creme Eggs
• 150g white chocolate
• 75g milk chocolate
• Yellow gel food colouring

Method

• Finely crush the biscuits
• Melt the butter, mix in with the crushed biscuits and press into a cake tin with removable bottom
• Beat the double cream with the icing sugar until it forms soft, floppy peaks
• Very gently fold the cream cheese, lemon juice and chopped mini Creme Eggs into the cream until everything is combined – you can add more lemon juice if you prefer a stronger flavour
• Top the biscuit base and level out
• Leave to firm up in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight
• Remove from the tin by running a slim, sharp knife around the edge and popping it out
• Melt your milk chocolate, allow to cool for 5 minutes and then drizzle over the top
• Melt your white chocolate, allow to cool for 5 minutes and drizzle half over the top
• Colour the remaining half of the white chocolate with a little yellow gel colour and drizzle over the top
• Unwrap and cut the remaining Creme Eggs in half – sit on top to decorate

Happy Easter to you all …
A huge thanks to Netmums for the inspiration and the delicious recipe.
You can read the recipe reviews and extra tips on Netmums.

How do you eat yours?
Have you tried this epic cheesecake recipe?
Post your photos and comments below…
 comments so far

Valentine’s Giveaway

Posted by TIG on 9:00 pm in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

IT’S COMPETITION TIME!

WIN 1 of 10 Sock Sets for Couples

It’s February already and we’re getting all loved up with the launch of the ChattyFeet socktastic Valentine’s Giveaway!

This week the lovely guys at ChattyFeet sent me 2 sets of ‘couples’ socks, for myself and Tig’s boyfriend to take on a test run as an early Valentine’s treat. So we put our best foot forward…..and fell ‘head over heels’ in love……with the socks! The quirky characters came alive on our feet, as we kicked off our shoes and let our imaginations run wild! They are enormous fun, and a really unique and clever gift idea for Valentine’s Day. Just think of the ‘selfies’ you could send to your friends! These socks have now become the talking point of our dinner parties, business meetings, blog hangouts and my nephew finds them hilarious! Read my full ChattyFeet review here.

So what about the competition…?

You could win one of 10 ChattyFeet couples gift sets (which include 2 pairs of socks – one for him, one for her!) and there are 2 different ChattyFeet couple gift set designs up for grabs…

the loved up Danny & Sandy

…or the mighty and powerful
Commander Awesome & Venus

How do you enter?
All you have to do to win your very own ChattyFeet couples gift set is enter the Valentine’s giveaway. This is a free prize draw, so simply enter your details and you’re in with a chance to receive a free couples sock set in time for Valentine’s Day.

Good Luck TIG fans x

(Don’t forget to share it with all your friends and family 🙂 )

P.S. Keep an eye out on my Twitter and Facebook this week as the ChattyFeet couples set out on their ‘sole’ searching mission to find love in time for Valentine’s day!

A few t&c’s…

• The competition ends midnight Saturday 7th February 2015
• The lucky winner will be chosen on Sunday 8th February 2015

I apologise for the really bad sock puns in this post!
Hit me with your best…
 comments so far

A ball pool for adults?

Posted by TIG on 9:23 am in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

I have just heard of the most amazing interactive art installation. I’m probably a little late to the party but this is one that I had to share. It is called ‘Jump In!’ and it’s running until February 13th 2015. West London creative agency Pearlfisher have opened up their gallery space and have invited you and I to join them in an experience that promises to be a seasonal creative recharge! (I’m pretty sure we’re all in need of one of those!!)

So what actually is it? Watch this genius video to find out >

Now, who doesn’t love a ball pool! Here we have a mindblowing 30-person pit full of 81,000 white balls that has been created to ‘promote the transformative power of play’. As well as the perfect way to relax, have fun and let off some steam the play is thought to aid creative thinking. Apparently Pearlfisher received over 3,000 emails requesting booking after the word got out!  The ball pit has attracted masses of individuals, groups and even corporate businesses for team building exercises, business meetings and away days.

A few more details…
Jump In! is at Pearlfisher Gallery: 50 Brook Green, W6 7BJ
Open Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm
Email jumpin@pearlfisher.com to reserve your place (however, I’ve read a few articles saying it’s fully booked – fingers crossed they extend the installation a little longer 🙂 )
And…for every person who takes the plunge, Pearlfisher are donating £1 to the charity Right to Play.
Oh and it’s absolutely free to go!

Has you been?
I’d love to hear about your experience, comment below…
 comments so far

Images: Pearlfisher and Time Out London Blog

Mug cake challenge

Posted by TIG on 4:03 pm in TIGs Blog | 0 comments

I received this fantastic mug cake recipe book for Christmas and I had this great idea that I would challenge myself and all the TIG fans out there this week with making a different mug cake recipe from the book every day for a week.

The week was certainly challenging, but it was really good fun and got people of all ages joining in. It turns out I have some extremely creative followers – the mug cakes that were created last week were original, creative, yummy, funny, overflowing and quite unique! You can read my full book review here.

Here’s a montage of just some of the fabulous mug shots from the week. A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the mug challenge. I am now on the lookout for ideas for my next challenge – any ideas? I think it needs to be exercise or healthy eating related after all this cake!