Picnics play a big part in my life – we have one a couple of times a week. I have a pretty bizarre life, due to the fact that both our girls are home educated; I literally never wave them off at the door. Home education is a bag of mixed blessings and the responsibility is sometimes terrifying! But one of the positives is that I do get to spend a lot of time with my girls and one of our favourite moments in the day is lunchtime, as we all love good food and a good gossip. On the days I’m not on Loose Women, I cook something quick and delish, but on the days I’m on the show, it’s a late lunch and picnic time. There’s nothing nicer than having our reading session in the garden (or the park if there isn’t a pile of washing to be done) with a gorge al fresco midday meal.
Currently, we’re really into Vietnamese summer rolls – they’re a lot easier to make than you might think and you can pack them with so much goodness! Simply dip the dried summer rolls in hot water for a few seconds until they soften and then fill them with all the veg you love and roll them up! I fill mine with chicken, chilli sauce, nut butter, carrots, red cabbage and avocado, because I want lots of colour and plenty of food. As I say to the girls: “if there’s a rainbow of colour on your plate, you are eating healthily!” I also pack my homemade flapjacks; Sunbites baked crisps (the girls would flip if there weren’t any crisps) and lots of fruit.
Health trick 1
Dipping sauce for summer rolls
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp water
½ tsbp sesame oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
½ deseeded fresh red chilli (optional)
Put all of the ingredients in a jar and shake. Job done!
Health trick 2
Smooth Ease
I have recently discovered that you can buy chopped, frozen avocado! I use it every day now in the kid’s smoothies. The one I get and love is from a company called Pack’d and it’s supported by the Prince’s Trust, too!
Health trick 3
Easy Chicken Marinade
8 pieces of chicken
2 tbsp of olive oil
Juice of two lemons
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp of sea salt
3 tbsp of za’ater
Mix together and leave in the fridge overnight. Then cook on the barbecue until cooked through.
