Vegetarian Mince Stroganoff

This is a delicious veggie alternative to the gorgeous beef dish. Serve with rice or pasta for a filling evening meal.

Frugal Friday: Meal Plans

I get home, ask the Mr "What's for dinner?" and get the shoulder-shrugging response of "You tell me!".

Fashion Break: Studded Leather Biker Jacket

I blame Jess of Feeling Stylish for making me want this jacket, she looks great as a grungy biker chick! This fulfills all my bad-girl wishes, my love of 90's and my hope that one day someone will take me for a ride on a motorbike, and I'll be just like Stephanie Zinoni...

ASOS Studded Leather Biker Jacket - £150 at asos.com

Girls and Rugby

My husband plays rugby. It's violent, muddy and tough. You have to be incredibly fit and incredibly strong to do well. So you might think I'm crazy when I tell you I've just signed up my five year old daughter to the local team.

Ashleigh is your typical little girl - she loves pink things, peppa pig, pink things, hello kitty and pink things. She's a real girly girl and she cries when she scrapes her knee.

Last weekend I hauled her off to Sports Direct to find some rugby boots. Fail - They don't sell junior rugby boots. That's fine, we can get football boots and change the studs. Ashleigh was more interested in them making her sound like a pony than whether they fit, but some blue and orange Nike's (the only ones wide enough for her boat shaped feet) seemed to be her favourite.

We spent the afternoon in the park running in the new boots. We passed the ball, ran with the ball, dodged through cones and practised scoring tries. She loved it and can't wait to train for real this coming Sunday.

The thing is, everyone I have mentioned it to has been shocked. "A girl? Playing rugby?". Some have even questioned whether it's cruel to get her into such a sport.

But what alternatives are there? Dance? She's about as co-ordinated as a drunken stick insect. That also rules out gymnastics. For girls there are almost no sports options at this age. They're encouraged to draw and write and read and paint and cook, not to get fitter and stronger, not to be part of a team.


So how about everyone stops being so sexist and just let my little girl enjoy what she enjoys, gender stereotypes can be pushed aside for now.

Magazine wishes

I'm not a big reader of magazines, mainly because I'm not really fashion savvy like some people. Every now and then I fancy reading something light, entertaining and inspiring. My feet drag me towards the magazine rack and that's where the disappointment rears its head.

Grazia, Company and Elle are flanked on one side by gossip mags and on the other by wedding, hair and craft ones. Occasionally you'll find a lonely copy of Zest tucked in amongst the diet tripe, but in general there is nothing fitness related. Glance at the "men's magazines" and you'll see scores of magazines devoted to sports, health and fitness.

I'm jealous. I'd like to find an inspiring read with a new power boot-camp I can do at home, a great arm workout for strength and shape, protein rich diets and awesome new kit. I don't care if Titts McGee from TOWIE got a pejazzle or what Shanika from X Factor has a secret crush on the Honey Monster.

So come on magazine bosses create something worthwhile for a change. Something to inspire and empower rather than degrade and belittle. Please?

Review: Bude Surfing Experience

On my fantastic two-week camping holiday we stopped off in Bude for a bit of UK Surf action. The welcome from Scott and Mike was warm, friendly and energetic. Being a family of four was no problem, and they were even able to accommodate our little 5 year old. There were about 15 of us in the group and once everyone was suited up (little kids in wetsuits look so adorable!) we walked down to the beach, collecting boards on the way.

Scott from Bude Surfing Experience

Veggie Sausage Stuffing

Roast dinners can be tough when you're cooking for a vegetarian. Often the meat will just be replaced with stuffing, which is yummy, but doesn't really provide the required protein. So, yesterday I came up with a delicious vegetarian sausage stuffing. I used Linda McCartney sausages, but I think it would work well with others. Enjoy!

On yer bike!

Running the 3 miles to work each morning is just not feasible - I'd get there for sure, but I'd smell pretty bad for the whole day. So I've started cycling. 3 miles there, 3 miles back. That's SIX MILES every day. Being a cheapskate I refuse to buy myself a bike so am using one I found in my parents' garage, one originally bought for me when I was 14. Half a life ago.

It's a bit too small for me, and only has 10 gears but for me, it's perfect. It turns out cycling is way easier than running! I go 3 miles in no time! I can get up half an hour later than if I was getting the bus to work, I'm saving money, reducing my carbon footprint (do people still care about that?!) and getting regular exercise too.

That's not to say it's actually easy, oh no. By Saturday night, after six days straight of biking I was cream crackered. I have no idea how I can fit a run into my week at the moment. Legs of jelly don't cope well walking across the garden let alone a run!

So, whilst my body learns to cope with a whole new form of exercise the running has been moved to the back burner. I'll be concentrating on core and arm strength when I can and, hopefully, next time I run I'll have found some extra speed from the extra leg muscles I'm accumulating!

Why is everyone watching you...?

I've had a stark reminder this week of one of the scarier realities of the modern world. There really is almost nothing you can hide from...

I'm Baaaaaaack!

I know, I know, I've been gone aaaaages! I have a great excuse though, I was on a lovely camping holiday with my family. I'll share some proper stories about that in the coming weeks, as well as all the usual gubbins you've come to expect of me.

For now, I'm off to do lots, and lots, and lots of writing.