Scratch Fresh Meal Kits

Scratch Fresh Meal Kits are a NEW and BRILLIANT idea!

I would aim Scratch meals at a target market are young professional people, but I am not young or particularly professional ;) and I love them!

The idea is that people do not have time to cook from scratch any more, with the prices of fresh goods rising by the day people tend to buy pre-prepared meals and just zap them in the microwave.



This is fine, microwave meals contain some good ingredients and some companies are trying to make them more healthy, they are convenient but .... still not necessarily good for you!






This is where Phil Pinnell (@Phil_Pinnell ) and top chef Michel Roux OBE combined their knowledge and love of good food to launch Scratch!






Scratch Kits contain all the fresh ingredients to cook a meal for 2 people.  The range of kits consist of:
Green Thai Chicken Curry
Singaporean Crayfish Noodle Laksa 
King Prawn and Chorizo Paella
Makhani Chicken Tikka Massala
Tagiatelle Pistachio Pesto


Each meal takes on average 8 minutes to make, from start to finish ... which for 2 people is quicker than zapping to pre-packed meals.  You can see, feel, taste and smell each ingredient as you physically have to put it into the pan - so there are no hidden extras or surprises either.




The meals are simple to make ... and if you are a complete numpty Scratch have even provided video tutorials to help you along :)

Each meal has their own page on the website http://mealsfromscratch.co.uk/ to assist you with choice and preparation.   You can check ingredients  cooking times and what equipment you may need (saucepan, wok, etc...).

We tried out the Makhani Chicken Tikka Massala, I bought 2 packs as there are 3 of us and this was plenty.
I would say for 'big eaters' one pack may be a little too small for 2 people and you may wish to top it up with some nan breads or other bits.

I combined both packs into one pan and it cooked through lovely.  The instructions were clear and the fragrance while cooking was divine.  From opening the packets to serving was around 10 minutes, there was no preparation involved as all ingredients were ready to throw in the pan.

We liked them - I am not sure if we would purchase them regularly, but I would definitely invest in them if I was having friends over for dinner after work.  They were tasty but quick to make.

For more information please visit: http://mealsfromscratch.co.uk/
Available to purchase from Waitrose.

https://www.facebook.com/mealsfromscratch
https://twitter.com/Phil_Pinnell
https://twitter.com/scratchmeals

DermaSalve

DermaSalve

DermaSalve is the first ever moisturising cream with NO known irritants.
The range contain NO Alcohol, Parabens, Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Lanolin or Derivatives, Fragrance, Beeswax, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate or Propylene Glycol like many other skincare, baby and moisturising companies use in their products.

Instead Dermasalve products contain natural oils such as Jojoba, Aloe Vera and Wheatgerm to moisturise and soothe skin then add in Antioxidents to improve skin condition.

My favourite product so far is their HAND CREAM.  The cream comes in a very large 200ml pump tube, where one pump of cream is more than enough to moisturise and soothe tired cracked hands.

The cream is brilliant white which looks clean and fresh.  The cream can be smoothed over delicate areas of your hands quickly and is very easy to apply.

This is where my description becomes difficult.... the cream almost has a waxy feel, your hands get very moist but not sticky and you can feel a slight waxy surface. I applied the cream, massaged it in, then wiped my hands on a paper towel as my hands felt very wet.  My hands felt very smooth, slightly waxy but comfortable, almost like a good quality barrier cream.

So far I am most impressed with the skin around my fingernails, this usually cracks and is quite sore - I have applied the cream once a day for the past 3 days and the skin is less inflamed and sore - so I am very happy.  The rest of my hands are obviously smoother too, but its my nail area I am really happy with.

Last Sunday I got sunburnt (because I am silly and didn't apply sunscreen!). My arms even nearly a week later are still a little red even though I have been applying body butters and aftersun all week. 

I decided to try DermaSalves BODY CREAM on one arm to see if it improved my skin and red complexion.
The cream is a little thinner compared to the hand cream, it is also a more creamy colour.  The body cream soaks in almost instantly and again isn't sticky.  It does leave the waxy feel but its more of a moistening feel rather than a barrier cream.
After 3 days the skin on my right arm is less red than my left.  I have still applied creams to my left but the DermaSalve seems to have soothed the redness and made it turn brown quicker.

It states that a little goes a long way, however I found that it soaks in quite quickly and so I did need to apply quite a big blob to cover the whole area that I wanted to cover.   If you apply this after a bath or shower then I think the water on your skin will help spread it out more evenly....on sore sunburnt skin my skin just sucked it up!

Finally I was sent the BABY & INFANT CREAM to try.  I thought initially it was a nappy salve, but its more of an all-over body cream.  It is bright white and the same consistency as the body cream, but when you apply it it goes very wet as you smooth it round.
My immediate impression was not good, but then I realised that on a wiggly babies skin you will need it to feel wet in order to spread it all over without catching or pulling at their delicate skin, so I can understand why it goes wet until it soaks in.  The cream does disappear quite quickly into the skin and for this product a little blob does go along way.  Again it is a pump dispenser so easy to select how much you want to use.



All creams smell of nothing!  Well there is a 'cream' smell but I couldn't pick it out or give it a name.  My skin is moisturised, I have had no irritations or unpleasantness from any of the 3 different styles that I have tested.

For people with skin complaints I would suggest DermaSalve as a brand to try, they are light and non-greasy and contain nothing that can aggravate your condition.  Each application can last up to 12 hours and you can feel and see improved skin condition.




For more information please visit: www.dermasalve.net

Badge It!

Badge It! returns by popular demand after calls from the craft loving public to reintroduce this much loved toy. Released in the UK in 2003, over 1/2 million makers were sold in the first year and Badge It! picked up the ‘Creative Toy of the Year’ award. Now with craft making experiencing a surge in popularity Badge It! returns.

The Badge It! maker has got quick, simple, no-mess badge making all buttoned up!  Make unique, high quality metal badges in seconds of your favourite pop star, footballer or pet. The award winning design makes creativity simple as there’s no glue and no mess. You can use photos, pictures from magazines or your own drawings to make the badges you want. 

So get creative, and wear your badge with pride!

This week Emma (age 12) has created badges using the colourful badge templates supplied, then using these as inspiration has created her own on the computer, printed them and made them into her own unique badges using the machine and badge blanks.  

She has created badges by cutting out small parts of her teen magazines, overlapping them slightly (they can't be too thick) and then pressed them into blank badges.  They actually looked quite snazzy!!

You can easily buy refil kits for the Badge-It machine from leadning toy shops, argos, amazon and some supermarkets.  So the design skills and processes are endless.

For more information or to purchase Bandai toys please visit:
www.bandai.co.uk
www.facebook.com/bandaiuk
www.youtube.com/bandaiuk
www.twitter.com/bandaitoysuk

Techpet offer

SPECIAL OFFER! DOWN FROM £59.99 TO £20!

Bandai’s TechPet, an app based toy with the addition of an iPhone or iPod Touch, was originally £59.99, and is now better than half price at only £20 at The Entertainer for a limited time only. Don’t miss this chance to get hold of one of the hit toys of this summer!

TOP TECHPET FEATURES

 Powered by a free app from iTunes, the TechPet can perform tricks tail, sing and dance!

TechPet can respond to your voice and hand commands. Just put TechPet into ‘Trick mode’ and speak or gesture the set commands to make TechPet come to life

When in ‘Sitting pose’ TechPet can be used as a personal music player using the built in speaker and can even shake its head to the music!

 The more you interact with TechPet the more you discover. Raise TechPet’s level to unlock over 100 new tricks, items and looks to customise your experience

 TechPet can communicate with other TechPets, too! Watch them sing and dance together and also check their compatibility with a friendship test.

To purchase TechPet for £20 go to 

http://www.thetoyshop.com/Electronic-and-educational-toys/Robotics/Tech-Pet-Interactive-Puppy/p/512266

Harumika

My review of Harumika 'Belly Dance' Designer Dress Form Set.

By Emma Guest age 12.

I always wanted to be a fashion designer, and now with harumika I can! 

I didn't need glue or tape, just the things which came with the box! It was easy to use and I ended up playing with it for hours on end. 

The Harumika set gave me something to do this week during the May school holidays as there was nothing good on the TV.  The set came with different cut out fabric but I could also use my own or buy more from local shops in different colours!

I think 9-12 years old would like it most due to how it looks, it looks like its for older kids more than young kids aged 6-8.  I am not sure if younger kids would really know what to do with it, they prefer drawing and colouring in rather than actual fashion designing.

I liked to use the accessories provided and then find bits of fabric from other Harumika sets that I got for Christmas to update the designs that I had made or change them completely.  The Belly Dance set came with one model to use, but by combining a few sets I had quite a fashion catwalk going on.

The sets are mess free and easy to use, they are also easy to tidy up but I would suggest getting a box to put all the bits of fabric and models into to keep it altogether.   Different Harumika sets have different things in them, they are easy to collect and all work with each other.

I think Harumika are good for school holidays, Birthday and Christmas gifts or something to save your pocket money for.

You can buy the sets from all leading toy shops, Argos and some supermarkets.  Priced between £10-£35 depending on which set you buy.

www.bandai.co.uk

www.facebook.com/bandaiuk

www.youtube.com/bandaiuk

www.twitter.com/bandaitoysuk

Diono Super Mat Deluxe

Super Mat Deluxe

The Super Mat Deluxe is a very clever product.  Do you find that when you put your child's car seat into your car you end up marking the seats?  When you go to sell the car the new owner can instantly see that you have had a car seat in due to marks on the upholstery?

The Super Mat Deluxe is made from individual panels of high density foam that contour to any vehicle seat, these protect the upholstery from permanent indentations.

The mat is also non-slip which means it also stops the car seat from slipping about - which is more safer for your child and assists putting the car seat into the car.

The mat features a really handy fold able changing mat in the front pocket, so no more fumbling about trying to find a changing mat, plus you can change your baby before leaving the car.

You can also use the front pocket to store small items such as tissues, travel packs of wet wipes .. or even travel sickness bags for older children!

The mat is very strong and durable, I have pulled it and twisted it and it is very sturdy yet folds easily to store when it is not required.  The Super Mat Deluxe can be used in any car with any car seat, it has also been crash tested so you know it is extremely safe to use.

Luckily it is also washable :) which is very very handy.

I am impressed by this product and I am surprised it hasn't been thought of before.  A very handy mat the have!

Retail price is £24.99

Available from: Amazon, Kiddicare and Halfords.

http://www.diono.com/

Fruush

I have been asked to review a new innovative product called Fruush.

Fruush is essentially a bottle cap that flavours your water.
It does this using an innovative system developed by a Swiss company called Vicap. There is a small amount of concentrate in the cap, and when the cap is pushed down it pierces a small piece of silver foil releasing the concentrate into the water.
The original two flavours were raspberry and hibiscus, and lemon and elderberry. The most recent flavours produced are mango and new detox, a healthier flavour aimed more at the female market.

I have tried the Mango variety.   I received a wide necked bottle and a bottle top that contained the flavouring inside it.  All I had to do was fill up the bottle with water, peel back the protective cover on the bottle cap, screw it on and then when ready push a red tab at the top of the drinking cap.
The flavour then came out into my water, I gave it a shake and it was ready :)

The flavour was perfect, my husband tried it and liked it .. my daughter after a taste decided that she liked it and drank the rest!

The idea is good, its simple and easy to use.  The design of adding your own flavour to plain water appeals to young and older people, particularly teenagers and people who visit the gym or take part in sports.

One minor flaw for me is that the bottle top is very wide and it will not fit onto regular shop bought water bottles.  As bottled water is generally cheaper than pop it is a good concept to keep in your bag for when you need a drink, you can just buy a bottle of water and add your own flavouring without having to cart around a bottle of squash or a whole bottle of drink with you.  However with the top being larger it will not fit.

The reasons behind Fruush's larger neck size is .....

• USE WHENEVER, WHEREVER.
  

  easy.
  Just screw on one of our caps to a standard size (38mm) bottle, hit the red button and watch the fun begin. Get ready to shake things up.
• VITAMINS WITHOUT PRESERVATIVES.
  

  healthy.
  All our natural concentrates contain Vitamin B6, putting punch into the water without the need for preservatives. Be healthy, with fruush.
• WAVE GOODBYE TO LANDFILL
  

  eco.
  By keeping the same bottle and only using up caps, fruush saves a huge amount of plastic waste. Go green, go fruush.
• SHAKE THINGS UP
  

  fun.
  Put the fun back into staying hydrated. We make drinking water something you want to do, not need to do.

So to be fair, if you are reusing a bottle and not buying new all the time, you are helping to go green.  I can see the reasoning behind the larger neck, especially too as it requires a larger top to hold the cordial inside.

The young designers behind Fruush are taking part in a Young Enterprise competition.

Young Enterprise is a European-wide competition that attempts to get young people between 16 and 18 into business. Young Enterprise is also recognised as a charitable organisation.

Over the course of a year a team, consisting of around 15 members from that school, have to first come up with a product idea. They then look to produce, market, advertise and ultimately sell that product. Teams are required to hold fundraising events at the start of the year, for example we had a quiz night for parents and teachers.
In the middle of the year teams go to Trade Fairs in their local area, where prizes are given for best sales pitch, best product, best stand, and best overall business. Team Spinnaker won best product in the Kingston Trade Fair.
In the summer term the competition really begins starting with qualifiers to the regional final, which we just won this week.

Then after numerous rounds the UK puts forward a few teams to the European Finals; two years ago this was won by another team from St. Paul’s School called Team Summit.

I wish Team Spinnaker the best in the competition - it is a great idea, it works well and appeals to a wide range of ages.  Good luck !!!

For more information or to support these youngsters during the competion - please visit the links below:

sales@teamspinnaker.com

www.teamspinnaker.com

www.fruush.com

www.youngenterprise.org.uk

Twitter: @drinkfruush

               @teamspinnaker