Ingredients.
25ml bottlegreen elderflower cordial
25ml apple juice
25ml cranberry juice
ginger beer, to top drink up with
Method.
Shake all ingredients together with ice. Strain into a highball glass and top up with ginger beer. Garnish with lemon peel.
Buy these ingredients.
Ever since Andy and I began keeping bees we’ve been super aware of which plants flower at which time of year. Nature is a clever mistress and bees are provided with different flowers to feast on throughout the year.
Our bees have just begun to stir on warm days are finding food from flowering trees, daffodils and the bright yellow flowers of the local gauze bushes
April showers
Rain and sun. The perfect combination for growing plants. April is the month to get sowing a huge variety of seeds. Many can be sown straight outdoors now. I usually find the mixture of wet and warm weather this month gets seedling off to a great start – but be aware of late frosts and dry spells.
If you’ve been sowing seeds indoors over the last few months you will have some small plants ready for the great outdoors. On warm days put them outside and bring them in overnight. This is called ‘hardening off’ and will save your young plants from the shock of being put straight outside.
Sweetie Darling
April is your last chance to sow sweet peas. These annuals are hugely popular with gardeners of all abilities as they are easy, colourful and wonderfully scented. We usually plant them in specially made baskets with support sticks built in. As they grow we just help guide them onto the framework for stunning results.
Sow your seeds in fertile, well drained soil mixed with seed compost. Put your pots out in an area of full sun and watch them go! Pick flowers throughout the summer for fragrant and beautiful table decorations.
Off with their heads!
Now’s the time to start deadheading. The process of deadheading not only keeps your garden looking fresh and vibrant but keeps your plants producing more flowers for longer.
Have a go now at pansies, primulas and any other spring flowering plants.
And so to bed
Keep an eye on your flower beds. April is a great time to feed and top up with compost to give your borders a boost. Now is also the time to start checking your borders for any plants that are thriving a little too much. Flower beds are about balance so make sure nothing is getting out of control and smothering smaller, later blooming plants.
Also it’s time to start weeding! Everyone’s favourite job. As with most things in life, a little bit everyday will work wonders. Stick on the radio and try and dedicate a bit of time to tidying up your beds. It will transform your garden and keep your flowers looking gorgeous.
So there we have it – a few tit bits to help you out this month. If you’ve never grown anything before, April is definitely the month to get started. Results are fast and impressive – boosting your confidence as a gardener straight away. Try a few pots this year and see how you get on.
Enjoy!
Adam and Andy are writers and smallholders making a living in the Welsh countryside. @AndyandAdams – Facebook ‘Andy and Adam’s’ – www.andyandadam.co.uk
I’ve chosen to touch on just some of the benefits of the following 3 foods due to their simplicity, 2015 food trends, and a smidge of personal preference!
Beetroot
An ingredient and flavour I’ve only recently come to love. I adore the vibrancy and earthiness of this versatile vegetable. If you’ve never had beetroot warm, then check out my Beet-Swede-Bake this edition.
Beetroot is Boron bountiful. Boron is great for sexual stamina (also said to have aphrodisiac qualities), and energy levels in general. A useful ingredient if you suffer from fatigue. Betaine and tryptophans can help promote sense of well-being which could also be useful for people that suffer with depression.
Bold and bright beetroot has also been linked to lowering blood pressure, detox support (via purification of the blood and liver), and anti-inflammatory / anti-cancer properties.
Recent studies and TV exposure suggest that beetroot juice can help us exercise more efficiently if consumed before a workout.
We may well see more of beetroot over 2015 with all kinds of root vegetables set to be a food trend this year, and I’m all for it!
Cabbage
My most favourite food in the world, EVER. An odd choice some may think, but I literally cannot get enough of cabbage. Too many have fallen victim to over cooked mush that can put one off for life. Much like how a lot of people feel about Malibu. My favourite cabbage is the sweetheart- obvi. (flash fried with garlic and soy).
Cabbage is great for your digestive tract, and long established as treatment for stomach ulcers. Also, a good source of dietary fibre and includes anti-oxidant vitamins A & C.
The rich purple colour of a red cabbage screams anti-oxidant qualities. Powered along with anti-inflammatory & glucosinolates, has also linked this vegetable to prevention and even treatment of certain cancers.
With the red cabbage being more than 90% water, it could be useful in weight management for those counting calories.
Most of the cabbage family are a useful ingredient for promoting healthy bones due to it’s high content in vitamin K and manganese.
Chilli
I remember a time when chillies were simply red or green in the supermarkets. Now, we are crazy for the hot stuff, and the range of chillis’ now is extensive (over 200 varieties of chilli in the world!). I do have a trashy tendency at home to use Sriracha in EVERYTHING.
Chipotle has appeared to take centre stage more recently, favoured for it’s fiery, smoky rich kick. Great in mayo! The Ancho chilli and home-made Harissa have also been hits of late. The chilli plans on hanging around being another 2015 food trend, set for sweet & spicy marinades and sauces being everywhere!
Chillis have been found to contain anti-inflammatory properties and are great to incorporate in your diet if you suffer from migraines / headaches as they can help to prevent such occurrences whilst clearing congestion and supporting sinuses.
Interestingly, chilli has had great research results in the effects of controlling insulin levels, which could be utilised by people living with diabetes.
Chilli has also had interesting results in cancer studies, showing that the hot stuff can help prevent the spreading of prostate cancer and lower the risk of stomach cancer.
Serves 1 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 45 mins
These crunchy little balls are roasted in cayenne and brown sugar for a sweet and spicy little pick me up. An interesting and wholesome alternative to the so many salty snacks that are readily available. After you’ve made this the first time you may want to add more cayenne as the recipe accommodates all palettes.
CHICKPEAS – 165g of chickpeas will provide you with the following of your recommended daily intake; 84% manganese (bone production, collagen & skin integrity, blood sugar control and protection against free radical damage), 70% folate (protection from heart disease, can reduce depression, and helps maintain brain function), 64% copper (essential for immune system), 49% fibre ( fantastic digestive support in this dish), 39% phosphorous, and 22% zinc. (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=58 )
Ingredients.
1 can chickpeas, drained and thoroughly dried
1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 tsp dark muscovado sugar
Smoked paprika for serving
Method.
Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6
Hot on the trail of the Video we shared with you the other day comes another wee heartwarming film about what children think of it all. If this doesn’t move those voters who are still sitting on the fence on the issue, then nothing will.
Four in ten Brits have been told they’re boring on at least one occasion, new research has revealed, with London being home to the most boring population in the country.
Rather than white water rafting, swimming with sharks or hand-gliding, most Brits consider getting an unplanned takeaway as their idea of risk-taking.
The study, carried out among 2,000 Brits, found that many see sitting in first class with a standard ticket and booking a holiday before you have the money to pay for it as ‘edgy’.
It also revealed that one in six Brits think eating something past its sell-by date is among the ultimate risks someone can take.
But our tendency to err on the side of caution could be turning us into a country of bores. A massive 38 per cent of people questioned in the survey said they had been told to spice up their lives on at least one occasion, with eight per cent saying they had been told on numerous occasions.
London was found to have the highest proportion of boring people with 47 per cent of people been told they are boring on at least one occasion.
57 per cent of respondents said their social life needs sprucing up the most, more than work life and their relationships. Half of respondents in London said they feel their life needs more excitement which is the same as the national average.
More than a third of people said they didn’t consider themselves to be a risk taker, with only 15 per cent saying they definitely are.
A spokesman for spread betting company, Spread Co, which commissioned the study, said,
“It’s interesting to see what a typically reserved person considers to be a risk.
“Risk after all is completely relative. While one person might not think twice about playing the markets to the tune of thousands, another feels like they’re chancing it by ignoring the petrol warning light.
“That’s why we carried out this study – we wanted to see what the reserved Brit considers to be risky.”
One in six Brits think eating something past its sell-by date is among the ultimate risks someone can take.
Other risks include standing over the yellow line on a tube station platform and driving with the petrol light on.
However, to some, it seems parking in front of a driveway, opening a cupboard or box that says ‘do not open’ and turning up to a gig without a ticket are among the ways to get this excitement.
And when it came to real risks, more than half of Brits said they had never participated in any extreme activities such as mountain climbing and surfing.
Despite ten per cent of people admitting they have driven home after ‘one too many’, only five per cent have hang-glided and eight per cent have been white water rafting.
But risks, no matter how big or small, have got in the way of many relationships with 37 per cent of people having an argument or a disagreement with their partner because of a risk.
“It is interesting to see that many of the answers, rather than being ‘boring’, are classic cases of risk management — as the results of the survey show, many people would consider not wearing a seatbelt or exceeding speed limits as ‘risky’.
However, in the trading world, these precautions are tantamount to risk management: they can’t necessarily stop a car crash but they will at least keep you in one piece!”
Some 43 per cent of respondents said that risks have cost them money in the past, so it could be a case of ‘once bitten, twice shy’ for many Brits.
Spread Co’s spokesman added,
“Traders at the stock market, for example, are frequently confronted with the situation to step outside their comfort zone in order to increase their profit. We therefore encourage people to take calculated risks rather than careless risks, especially when money is involved.”
The Risks we Don’t Take
Risks we Do Take
Austin had introduced the Mini Metro in 1980 with the intention of replacing the much loved Mini. It was more spacious, safer and had much more contemporary styling, perfect ingredients to compete with Ford’s Fiesta and Renault’s 5. Seeing as there were hot versions of both of these, it made sense for British Leyland to go after them with an MG version of the Metro.
The MG Metro was launched in 1982 with a worked over version of the venerable 1275cc A-Series. A cam change, head work and a bigger carb saw 71bhp from the 4 cylinder OHV motor. Clearly this wasn’t enough as in October of that year the MG Metro Turbo was introduced with 93bhp thanks to a Garrett T3 turbo. Lotus even had a hand in the uprated suspension and advanced (for the time at least) boost control.
Metro Turbos were even entered into the British Touring Car Championship in the early 80’s. The race cars had around 200bhp, still from under 1.3 litres, and initially had full works support. Drivers included Tony Pond who would go on to compete in Group B rallying with the bonkers Metro 6R4 and F1 driver Martin Brundle. Although there were no major successes, they often kept up with and beat much larger more powerful machines.
The Turbo was produced until 1990, with a facelift in 1984, the car suffered from problems throughout its life. The main reason why it needed the complex boost control was to lower torque below 4000rpm by limiting boost to 4psi. Above 4k, a controlled boost leak tricked the turbo’s wastegate into rasing pressure to 7psi, giving the headline power and torque figures. This was supposed to protect the standard 4 speed Metro gearbox from eating itself, something which still happened far too easily. Add poor build quality, frequent rust issues and unsurprisingly low residuals into the mix and they are a very rare sight on UK roads.
Although technically a failure, British Leyland should be applauded for trying to produce a fairly sophisticated hot hatch with a limited budget at a very troubled time. It’s a fantastic slice of 80’s retro inside and out with its red carpets, red seatbelts, model-specific alloy wheels and subtle bodykit. Besides, handling by Lotus can never be a bad thing.
The Tipo had been around since late 1988 and was a big step on from its predecessor the Strada/Ritmo, even if it did share the same basic platform (as did the Delta). The boxy styling gave exceptional room inside, it was 70% galvanised to stop the rust bunnies and even won European car of the year in 1989. Sadly what the car was lacking was a proper Golf GTI rival. Fiat produced a lukewarm 110bhp 1.8 litre 8 valve from 1989 and a warmer 1.8 16v with 138bhp from 1991, unfortunately the Tipo was a bit tubby.
Although we don’t think of 1180 kilos (2601 lbs) as heavy for a modern car, back in the early 90s it was positively obese for a smallish hatch. Fiat had no choice but to drop in the 2.0 litre 16 valve lump from Lancia, upping power to 148bhp and reducing 0-60 to 8.4 seconds. As with all the best Italian engines, it looked pretty damn good too. Thanks to a slippery drag co-efficient of 0.31 top speed was 128mph, more than the Golf 16v. Handling was improved with 15″ alloy wheels and uprated suspension, braking was dealt with by all round discs that were vented up front.
To distinguish it from the cooking models, the Sedicivalvole got more aggressive bumpers with a red pin stripe, side skirts, a more open grille and body coloured mirrors. Inside you avoided the questionable digital dash of some models, gaining a smattering of analogue dials instead along with a leather Momo steering wheel and the option of Recaro seats. According to the wonderfully 90’s dealer information video, there was a strong eco push too, the car receiving a 3 way catalytic converter that allowed it to comply with the 1983 American clean air act. Wow.
So it was roomy, pretty well equipped, didn’t rust and was reasonably fast. So why has it been forgotten? For a start it looked a bit too much like the smaller Uno, for seconds the Italians still had a bit of a reputation when it came to reliability and for thirds it just wasn’t exciting enough. Still, if you do fancy one they can be found cheaply. The last one I saw was only £1450. I am strangely drawn to owning one however I fear it could only end one way, expensively.
by Alan Taylor-Jones
Challenges faced by parents are universal from being able to afford everything for your child, a lack of sleep to getting children to eat what you put in front of them.
Researchers from a new study have found nine in ten parents feel they face a series of challenges to bring up their children every day with having enough money at the top of the list.
Dealing with tantrums, encouraging children to work hard at school and do their homework and even getting them up in the mornings also rank highly.
Other hectic events mums and dads face include coping when a child is ill, giving your child what they want without spoiling them and going shopping with the kids in tow.
A spokeswoman for RESCUE REMEDY, which commissioned the research said, ‘’Everyone faces some challenges in their day-to-day lives, but for parents, these can be more difficult than most.
‘’As well as looking after yourself and making sure your day goes to plan, you also have to worry about everything your children do, or perhaps don’t do.
‘’Everything from getting them out of bed and to school on time, right though to making sure they eat the right foods and go to sleep at a decent time and without too much drama can make the average day frantic enough.
‘’But throw in the challenges which are always there, like money worries or whether you are doing the right thing in the way you bring up your children can mean many parents are often strained or tense.”
The study of 2,000 parents found having enough money to afford everything that their child asks for is the biggest challenge faced on a daily basis, followed by dealing with a lack of sleep, having patience and encouraging their children to eat their meals.
Dealing with an ill child came fifth in the poll.
Keeping on top of the chores, encouraging children to do their homework and work hard at school, dealing with tantrums and getting children out of bed completed the top ten. Other challenges on the list include coping with sibling rivalry, knowing how to answer all of their probing questions and toilet training.
Childcare features heavily among the list, with finding and juggling childcare as well as trying to work around an ill child in the top 20.
Other trials faced by parents include managing the school run, getting small children to sleep through the night and dealing with other competitive parents.
Researchers also found 83 per cent of parents feel they experience something challenging about being a parent every single day.
And eight in ten admit being a parent is more challenging than they thought it would be, with another 81 per cent believing it’s only going to get more difficult as their children get older.
But while one in twenty say the newborn and baby stage was the most challenging for them as a parent, a staggering 66 per cent say it’s the teenage years which they found most trying.
As a result of the daily trials and tribulations parents face, 87 per cent have days where they feel there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything they need done.
And almost nine in ten have days where they feel under pressure or strained as they try to juggle everything in their lives.
Despite 88 per cent wishing they had more time to relax a little, the average parent gets just five-and-a-half hours a week – less than an hour a day – to unwind.
One in twenty even claims they feel they never get time to truly relax.
A spokeswoman for RESCUE REMEDY added, “The research revealed an alarming nine out of ten parents face a series of challenges bringing up their child every day.
“Parents have so many roles and responsibilities to juggle and need to feel that they can accomplish all of these, without the underlying feeling that these can at times be too much to handle.
“RESCUE is trying to encourage parents to stop and take a moment out of their busy day with RESCUE REMEDY by their side.”
Being able to afford everything your child needs or wants
Dealing with a lack of sleep
Having patience
Encouraging your child to eat their meals
Dealing with an ill child
Keeping on top of the household chores
Encouraging your children to do all their homework
Encouraging your child to work hard at school
Tantrums
Getting children up in the mornings
Giving your child what they want without spoiling them
Worries about whether you are doing the right thing
Getting your child to eat fruit/veg
Going shopping with children in tow
Getting your child to clean their teeth properly, twice a day
Getting time off work when your children are ill
Encouraging your child to stay in bed at night
Sibling rivalry
Knowing the answer to all of your children’s questions
Finding/juggling childcare
Getting your child dressed in the morning
Getting your baby/child to sleep at night
Getting to work on time after the school run
Getting your children to school on time
Stopping your children from swearing or using bad language
Getting your baby/child to sleep through the night
Toilet training
Tackling bullying
Other competitive parent
Trying to keep your children from spending too much time in front of a computer/TV screens
They emerged at the top of a list of runaway pups compiled from a survey of 2,000 dog owners in Britain.
The breed to land in the ‘runner-up’ spot was the Cocker Spaniel which was followed by the Jack Russell.
While it was the German Shepherd that was found to be the fourth most common breed to have owners worrying.
The study, commissioned by Blue Cross pet charity, reminds pet owners that they have just a year to make sure the pet is microchipped before it becomes compulsory by law on 6 April 2016.
The charity also advises microchipping can help reunite missing pets with their owners after they admitted 1,673 dogs and cats last year because owners could not be traced.
Sarah Bussell, Rehoming Supervisor at Blue Cross said: “Many dogs just want to play and explore but it was interesting to see Labradors came on top for being the most likely breed to run away.
“While they don’t mean to become lost, if they catch a smell or see something exciting in the distance it can be hard to get their attention and call them back to you.
“And if you panic, sometimes they will get scared, so the best thing to do is try and remain calm and encourage them to come back to you with a toy or tasty treat.
“It is important to teach your dog good recall from a young age and also make sure your dog has a tag and is microchipped, to help the chances of you being reunited if they become lost.
“It also means you will be fully compliant with the law with new regulations about microchipping now just a year away”.
Finishing off the top five list of dogs most likely to run away from home or while on a walk was the English Springer Spaniel.
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are also culprits for sneaking off and leaving their owners searching for them.
The average dog owner has had the panic of losing man’s best friend three times already, and six in ten know other owners who have lost their pet as well.
Still surprisingly, one in five don’t have their pet dog microchipped, and half of these owners admit they probably won’t ever have it done.
While having a microchip isn’t currently compulsory, it will be in a year, so those expecting to leave their dog unchipped could be facing a hefty fine.
When asked how much they believed the fine would be, one third believed it wouldn’t be any more than £100 when they’re looking at forking out anything up to £500 in reality.
Dogs wearing a tag when in public, is already the law but only 23 per cent of owners knew this was the case and only half knew the tag must include your name.
While one in six owners are certain that vet details should be included on the tag.
A further third still felt the fine for a dog being without a tag was a small £100 when really they risk facing a fine of up to £5,000 if their dog is not wearing a correct ID tag in public.
Sarah added: “So many animals arrive at our centres as strays but they have clearly been cared for and could be much-loved and much missed pets.
“Dogs like Taters who is just over a year old and came to us from the pound. She is a lovely dog who understands basic commands so someone must have taken the time to train her.
“Her owner could be missing her if she is lost but without a microchip there is no way we can trace them. She’s currently being cared for by Blue Cross until will find her a loving new home.”
TOP 15 DOG BREED MOST LIKELY TO RUN AWAY
1. Labrador Retriever
2. Cocker Spaniel
3. Jack Russell
4. German Shepherd
5. English Springer Spaniel
6. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
7. Border Collie
8. West Highland Terrier
9. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
10. Yorkshire Terrier
11. Boxer
12. Border Terrier
13. Pug
14. Poodle
15. Chihuahua