It's not surprising when you start to add up all of the calories in all of the dishes, mains and sides, that people in the UK and other Western countries take in by eating Christmas lunch alone we are talking at a massive amount of caloric intake, for just one meal, not to mention the whole day through . . .  as the feasting begins in the morning and continues on up into the night!   I have tried to come up with a few sides this year that won't break the calorie bank, and yet are still delicious and which feel luxurious.  This Skinny Sprout and Carrot Gratin I am showing you today is one of them.

Well, the big day is just five days away. Is everyone all ready? Are all your gifts bought and wrapped? Cards written and sent?? Food ordered, puddings, cakes and pies baked?  We are now down to the crunch!

I've recently been sent some tasty savory nibbles which would be fabuous to serve with drinks at any Open House Parties or Get-togethers you might be throwing over the upcoming Holiday period.  I am running out of time and with my recent illness I have decided to tell you all about them at once.  I hope you will all forgive me!  I just want to tell you about them before you finish up all of your holiday food shopping!

 

Dell'Ugo Focaccia Italiana in two flavours . . .  Cherry Tomatoes & Basil Pesto, and Goat's Cheese & Red Onion.  These light and airy breads are like nothing currently on the market, definitely NOT dense, stodgy or greasy, they even have the traditional baker’s thumb impression on the top!

These are lovely warmed and then cut into little squares, just the perfect size for nibbles with drinks or on finger food tables or appetizer trays.

 Dell'Ugo is the longest established fresh pasta brand in the UK, creating delicious and innovative pastas since 1929. These amazing Focaccia Italiana come in three flavours Goats’ Cheese & Red Onion, Mixed Olive & Tomato and Cherry Tomatoes & Basil Pesto.

Dell'Ugo products are available in Waitrose, Wholefoods, Costco, and online at Ocado.




Wonderful Pistachios from California are perfectly seasoned for a delicious flavour with a satisfying crunch. Sun-ripened and 100% naturally opened, Wonderful only offer the largest available nuts that are equally roasted, without added oil.  This is due to their unique rotary roasting technique.


Wonderful Pistachios not only taste delicious, they are also a great all-natural, healthy snack alternative to fully enjoy while relaxing with friends and family or just by yourself. And above all, they are great fun to crack open!



Wonderful Pistachios are available in four tasty flavours:  Roasted Unsalted, Roasted Salted, Salt and Pepper, and Sweet Chili.  I am awfully fond of the Salt and Pepper ones myself and I have to say our Mitzie is just fond of Pistachios full stop!

 

Wonderful Amonds are a delicious bite sized snack.  Harvested exclusively in their California Orchards they also come in several flavours.  Roasted and Salted, Blanched and Roasted Natural.   I was sent the Roasted and Salted, which make the perfect drinks nibble.

These products are available at grocery shops throughout the UK.



 
Indulge in some Christmas magic with this new sweet and spicy Limited Edition Gingerbread popcorn from Butterkist. Perfectly popped with a deliciously warming flavour they're the perfect way to share the festive spirit.  I really like this, and at 103 calories per delicious 25g serving, it's not a bad snack.  High in fibre and whole grain.  Deliciously gingery this would make the perfect snack for all your holiday movie viewing.  (Let me say, that it can pack a bit of a wallop as some of the pieces are quite, quite gingery.)

 

 Why not treat the children to a Candyland Sweet Champions Tin over the holidays?  This 500g tin contains an assortment of some thirteen different children's favourite sweeties, and I sare say a few adults love them as well. There is a little something here for everyone and every sweet taste.  Available all over the country at a variety of retailers.



While you are at it why not pick up some stocking stuffers.  Candyland  Fruit Salad Chews and Wham Originals in 108g and 105g packets, perfectly sized for stuffing into stockings.  I have seen them in all the shops selling for about £1 each.   Made with natural flavours and colourings.

Well here we are on the last Saturday before Christmas.  Hasn't the time gone by quickly. There was ever so much I had planned on cooking this month to show you, but alas, circumstances and time have just not allowed for that, and I have to say in all honesty, the shingles have also put somewhat of a damper on that for me.  Oh well, there is always next year and I do have a couple of days that I might be able to catch up, but making no promises!  Today I wanted to show you these fabulous Cranberry and Pinenut Biscotti I baked last weekend!  I don't know about you, but I just love LOVE biscotti, and these ones are especially festive!

I was recently sent a new cookbook to review,  The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook, written by Rosanna Pansino, the creator and host of the most popular baking show on youtube.  The Nerdy Nummies is quirky, charming and fun, featuring the recipes behind Rosanna Pansino's celebrated, one-of-a-kind creations.

I was recently sent all of the ingredients to create a delicious Christmas Holiday Dessert from the people at Carte D'Or.  Christmas Pudding Sundaes.  Because of my diabetes, desserts are pretty much off the menu for me, but there is nothing at all to stop the Toddster from enjoying all the desserts he wants.  Life just isn't fair sometimes!

I was going to make a shepherd's pie with the leftovers from the roasted lamb the other day but instead I decided to make a hash, but not just any kind of hash . . .  a Lamb Samosa Hash!  Lamb is a common filling used to make Samosa's and so I thought why not make a hash which incorporates the flavours which go into a Samosa and all I can say is  . . .  GREAT CALL on my part, because it was fabulous!

 

Living here in Chester we are situated right on the border with Wales.  In fact right now they are harvesting their leeks on the farms which surround the housing area where we live and the air smells just gorgeous.   The Welsh are known for their leeks, but they are also known for a lot of other deliciousness as well!   Today I want to tell you about a fabulous online Shop which delivers Welsh Food right to your door called the Bodnant Welsh Food Centre.     I was asked if I would like to try some of their products and I was quite happy to do so!

I was recently sent some tea to review from the people at Bellevue Tea.  I had specified that I only drink herbal blends, however I was sent both Green and black Breakfast Teas, so I have been unable to try them myself, but I am able to tell you about them.  (As a Latter Day Saint, we don't drink regular tea or coffee, but only herbal blends.  It's a tenant of the Word of Wisdom which is a health law we live by.)

Bellevue Tea is an independent, expert tea company based in London, bringing thirty years' expertise and exerience at the heart of the tea trade to deliver first class products and service.

Bellevue Tea know virtually everything there is to know about the tea business, from plantations around the world, via producers, brokers and tasters to the current trends and tastes of tea drinkers here in the UK.  They know how to source the very best teas and infusions an their carefully packatged tea bags and carefully sourced leaf teas will add value to any retain environment, caterer or cafe.

Twas the night before Christmas
and all through the house . . .
not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse!
The children were nestled,
all snug in their beds . . .
While visions of sugar plums,
danced in their heads . . .

"A Visit From Saint Nicholas" by Clement C Moore, has long been a favourite Christmas verse of many. I had a little Golden Story Book, beautifully illustrated, of the poem when I was a child, and one year I memorized the whole poem to recite during our local village's Christmas Pageant.



I can still remember how excited I felt about that . . . I did put my whole heart and soul into it. 'Twas a wonderful experience indeed! I was no Shirley Temple, but I did my best.

 I do so hope that you won't laugh too much at what you see here today, and that you won't take one look and decide these aren't for you, coz if you do you will be missing out on something really special.  These cookies are fabulously delicious.  Presentation has never been my strong point . . .  and these just prove my point!

We are having a special broadcast of the First Presidency's Christmas Message at our chapel on Sunday evening with a "Munch and Jingle" afterwards.  I thought these Peanut Butter Balls would be the perfect thing to take.   Everyone always loves these.  They aren't low sugar for sure, but I won't be the person eating them so it's all good.  It just more for those who can eat them.

 I was really excited to receive this latest cookery book, Ferment Your Vegetables, by Amanda Feifer.  My sister has been fermenting for a long time now, making her own kraut and kim chee, etc. and I have been very keen to try it myself, so I was really interested in this book!  I confess that I have been a bit afraid to try my own in the past, but with this book, I feel quite confident that I can do so safely!

Fermented vegetables are a great, healthy addition to anyone's diet. Abundant in probiotics, enzymnes, vitamins, minerals, and more, research continues to reveal the many ways that these foods positively contribute to our well-being. From kimchi and sauerkraut to pickles and kvass, fermented foods have been part of the human diet for millennia and are rightfully reclaiming their place at our daily table.

Yes, that looks like a Thanksgiving Turkey guy up there sitting on top of a cheese ball.   I know  . . .  you are probably asking yourself right now what the heck is a Thanksgiving Turkey guy doing sitting on a cheeseball after Thanksgiving!!  Here's my answer.  I am having serious issues with my left arm right now.  In short, I am in a lot of pain with it.  I've been given some tablets to take, but I made the mistake of reading the paper insert that came with them . . . .