The 'Sweat Training' Diet

We can already hear the gasps of horror from our readers! The 'Sweat Training' Diet is something fairly new to regular people. But for Athletes and mainly Boxers - it's been used for years.
The goal is to cut down your water retention rather than fat, so good for a quick fix if you have a Wedding/Birthday etc coming up. But not good if you're expecting it to last more than 48 hours.

The idea is that you exercise doing intense workouts - wearing a lot of clothing and a 'sweat suit' (we used bin bags, after a lot of research it's essentially the same thing but doesn't cost an arm and a leg). You work out and sweat A LOT. You then don't drink fluids for an hour after exercise, don't shower and continuously dry yourself off to avoid your body absorbing any water.

This is one hardcore diet but we hate to say it - it does work. After just one, one hour intense exercise (wearing the bin bag, two pairs of jogging bottoms, 2 t-shirts, a hooded jumper AND a beanie heat), our Office Manager had lost 5 pounds. BUT alas, it doesn't last long! You can fit into that dress for one evening but you'll struggle to get it off if you decide to eat or drink!

In essence this is great every now and again if you have something big planned, but definitely not something to do long term.

Next we are looking at the notorious 'Lemon Detox'. 3 days of Pepper, Lemon Juice and Maple Syrup. Yummers.

Stay tuned for more diet and exercise tips/avoidance from NeighbourBlog!

The NeighbourBlog Team

Summer time Swimwear body?

So Summer is just around the corner, and the one thing that most of us are fretting about? Having tot ake off our layers of Winter clothing!
A massive 67% of Brits start a diet in the Spring ready for their Summer Holiday (online poll 2013).
So we at NeighbourBlog have decided to run a few tests about the Good, the Bad and the downright ridiculous.
So keep an eye on here daily for our thoughts on the different diets we will be trying out!

Fancy us testing out a diet before you do? Tweet us @NeighbourBlog with one you would like to have one of our team try out!

The NeighbourBlog Team

A 3 Course meal that's great for Summer Entertaining, plus it won't break the bank!

3 Courses by NeighbourBlog

Summer is a time for entertaining our friends, now this is usually accompanied by wonderful food. But it can get expensive trying to put together a whole 3 course meal. So we've done the hard work and come up with one that won't break the bank, plus is impressive AND easy (we tested it).

So we have a delicious starter, followed by a hearty main and a desert that is sure to win anyone over. Enjoy Neighbours!

Prosciutto wrapped Figs - Starter

Ingredients:-

Ripe figs

Balsamic Vinegar

Prosciutto

Shavings of Parmesan

Rocket Leave

Cut the figs into either halves or quarters. Get a griddle pan hot and add Olive Oil, sear the figs until blackened. Wrap in the Prosciutto and serve with the Parmesan and Balsamic Vinegar on a bed of Rocket. 

So simple but will impress your guests and it tastes fantastic.

Stuffed Chicken Breast - Main

Ingredients:-

125g Ball Mozzarella, torn into pieces 

50g Cheddar Cheese, grated

1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

8 pieces Streaky Bacon

Few torn Basil Leaves

Make a small slit in the side of the breast, big enough to stuff the ingredients into. Next smear in the mustard, then add the ingredients above apart from the bacon.

Next wrap the chicken in the bacon strips, if it isn't holding that easily you can always secure it with cocktail sticks. Then bake in the oven on around 180c/200c for about 20-25 minutes until cooked all the way through. Serve with new potatoes and greens.

Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream Sundaes - Desert

Ingredients:-

50g Peanut Butter

100g Dark Chocolate broken into pieces

200ml Whole Milk

300g Caramel

4 brownies broken into chunks

50g Peanuts or Peanuts

4 Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream

4 Scoops Chocolate Ice Cream

Put the pieces of chocolate and 100ml of the Milk into a saucepan on a low heat. Put the Caramel, Peanut Butter and 100ml of the Milk into another saucepan. Stir both frequently on a low heat until they have thickened and become a sauce.

Then layer away in Ice Cream glasses and serve straight away! 

The NeighbourBlog Team

How do you make yours?

Another day another debate at NeighbourBlog HQ. Today's is how to prepare a Cream Tea! Jam or Cream first? This is a debate that's been going on in Devon and Cornwall for years. We always thought it was Jam first, but the look of horror on our Devonian Office Managers face proved otherwise! However you make it, there is no denying they are delicious. So on that note we have added in how to prepare a good Cream Tea (and an amazing excuse just to try them). This recipe is courtesy of BBCGoodFood (we love them, we really do).

Ingredients:-

350g Self Raising Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
85g Butter cut into cubes
3 tbsp Caster Sugar
175ml Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Lemon Juice
1 Beaten Egg to glaze

Strawberry Jam and Clotted Cream to serve.

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.

Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Put a baking sheet in the oven.Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife – it will seem pretty wet at first. 

Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. 

Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. 

By this point you’ll probably need to press what’s left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four. Brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top.

Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/fan140C/gas 3) for a few mins to refresh.

We think Cream first.

Tweet your ideas to us at @neighbourblog and tell us how you prepare yours! 

#sconedebate

The NeighbourBlog Team

Spring Time

During Winter, all you want to do is snuggle on the sofa under a blanket, with a cup of Tea and a good book. Now this is wonderful, but Spring is just around the corner and it's time to come out of hibernation London! And what's best to get you feeling in the mood? Spring Cleaning! It's time to pack away anything to do with Winter (yes the Christmas Tree should probably come down now) and get ready for the Sun, who hopefully remembers the UK this year.
Now we at NeighbourBlog HQ aren't exactly thrilled with the prospect of cleaning, so we've scoured the interwebby and asked all of our Mum's for tips on how to make it as pain free as possible. Here is what we found...

The Closet

We can already hear the sighs of woe. When you were younger it was Monsters in the Closet that terrified you, now as an adult it's the sorting of the clothes that terrifies you. But we promise this CAN be easy. But you must promise to stop being so attached to the mini skirt you bought at 18. We're all grown ups now. We can't wear it EVER again. Winter has been and gone though, so you aren't going to need the Jumper with the giant reindeer on the front are you? Take out all of your 'winter' clothes and clean them, then use your suitcases under the bed and put them in there until they're needed again. This will open up space in your closet for all of our wonderful summer outfits. Next, organise. Split your clothes into sections. Work, Beach, Everyday, Party. Stick to the sections and your life will become so much easier.

Throw, Throw, Throw

Do you REALLY need that fish in a sombrero from your Mexican holiday in 1999? No. You don't. It can be difficult to part with such things though, we do understand! But storage isn't the answer! Getting rid of old junk is actually amazingly liberating, plus you can earn money from it too. 'Yard Sales' are huge across the pond in the USA. Your neighbours come and take a snoop at all the junk that has been living in your home then buy it! But you can also put things on eBay or Gumtree. 

Clean out the Fridge and Defrost the Freezer

Don't worry, we can and we will help you get through this task. As gross as it may be. That one time you tried to make Hummus and the Tahini Paste is still at the back of the fridge? Bin it! Clear the fridge, bin anything you know you won't use and take all the shelves out, give them a good scrub in the sink and disinfect your whole fridge. The freezer too is a good one to defrost, we all know that hidden microwave meal isn't going to get eaten. Be ruthless.

Deep Clean Carpets and Rugs

It's never a good sign when you have to move furniture to remember what colour your carpet is. You can easily rent a carpet cleaner or hire a pro. You'll be amazed at how much cleaner the room will look just by doing this. Plus, it will smell awesome.

Clean the Curtains

The best way to do this is obviously a Dry Cleaners, but if you don't want to fork out then a steam cleaner is amazing at giving your curtains a new lease of life. You can pick them up pretty cheap now, splash out a little extra on the scented cleaner that you mix in with the water and it'll be so very worth it.

Replace Batteries

Go round and replace all the batteries in your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide detectors, then test test test!

Use Back Up

Use your resources!! Make a game out of cleaning for the kids, things may not be top standard but you'll get through things much quicker.

Expired? Retired!

Your medicine cabinet could probably do with a good clear out too. Check the expiry dates on them and throw them out if they are even just a day out.

Do it Yourself

Spring is the perfect time to get on with the little things that have been bugging you since last year. If you aren't so handy you can always hire a pro. But there's nothing more satisfying that doing it all by yourself.

Refresh your Bed

We all know there's nothing better than freshly washed sheets. But do one better in Spring. Flip your mattress, give your bed frame a good clean, and buy some new sheets. Clean your mattress topper and your pillow covers too, when you get into bed that night you will be thanking NeighbourBlog. 

We hope our tips will make your Spring Clean a little less painful! Anything you think we missed? Let us know! Tweet us @NeighbourBlog and let us know your Spring Cleaning Hacks!

The NeighbourBlog Team

Mother's Day

With Mother's Day fast approaching, we at the NeighbourBlog office thought we would give everyone a little help when it comes to treating your Mum. 

After many years of experience, we have concluded that the best way to get Brownie Points is making her Breakfast in Bed. Complete with a fresh pot of coffee and hot milk (or tea!). This will keep you golden all year.

Possibly the best breakfast of all time is Eggs Benedict (We think so anyway). So here is our recipe for this awesome breakfast. Plus, it's fine to use ready made Hollandaise Sauce, but if you are feeling brave (or if you're a really good cook) then we've included the recipe for it below too. 

2 SUPER fresh eggs (poaching an egg strikes fear into the hearts of many but a fresh egg does wonders)

1 English Muffin

2 Slices of Smoked Salmon

Few Sprigs of fresh Dill

6 tbsp Hollandaise

- Bring a pan half filled with water to the boil.

- Toast the muffin on each side and butter.

- If using ready made Hollandaise, then heat according to the instructions on the pack. 

- Now for the poaching of the eggs (stay calm). Once the water has boiled, turn the heat on the pan down to the lowest possible setting. Crack the egg into a cup, and gently slip it into the water. Put a lid over the pan and leave for 5 minutes, once the whites of the egg are cooked, remove it using a slotted spoon and drain well. (This is our go to method every time, it really works!)

- Next, top the muffin sides with the Salmon first and season (a little lemon juice on it is wonderful too).

- Next add the eggs on top of the salmon and then the Hollandaise. 

- Garnish with Dill.

- Act smug to Mum for making it.

Now for our Hollandaise (we accept no responsibility for it going wrong, we can't make this either... This recipe is courtesy of BBC Good Food.

125g Butter

2 Egg Yolks

1/2 tsp White Wine Vinegar

Pinch of Salt

Splash of Ice Cold Water

Lemon Juice

Cayenne Pepper

Melt 125g butter in a saucepan and skim any white solids from surface. Keep the butter warm. Put 2 egg yolks, 1/2 tsp tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and a splash of ice-cold water in a metal or glass bowl that will fit over a small pan. Whisk for a few minutes then put the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk continuously until pale and thick, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the melted butter, bit by bit until it’s all incorporated and you have a creamy hollandaise. (If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.) Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little cayenne pepper. Keep warm until needed.

Keep those Mum's happy! 

(Don't forget it's this Sunday 30th March!)

The NeighbourBlog Team

Pub Quiz!

Summer time is ideally a time for Pub Quizzes in a Beer Garden. So we here at NeighbourBlog thought why not write our own Pub Quiz? With a little competition involved for our users....
Answers can be sent to our Office Manager at Charlotte@Neighbourblog.com

Now NO CHEATING! The person with the most correct amount of answers will be able to choose a topic for our blog next week! The answers will be published when we have picked a winner! So what are you waiting for? Thinking caps on!

Q. Which female politician was the Prime Minister of Australia between 2010 and 2013?
 a.  Rosemary Foot
 b. Sharon Knight
 c. Julia Gillard

Q. Paraguay has borders with Brazil, Bolivia and which other country?
 a. Peru
 b. Argentina
 c. Columbia

Q. Which actor was the first to play Doctor Who?
 a. Patrick Troughton
 b. Tom Baker
 c. William Hartnell

Q. Which band recorded the Soundtrack to Highlander?
 a. Queen
 b. Simply Red
 c. The Human League

Q. From which plant is Tequila made?
 a. Cactus
 b. Sugar Cane
 c. Blue Agave

Q. If I shake together 35ml of Tequila, 20ml Cointreau and 15ml of Lime Juice, what do I have?
 a. Margaritas
 b. Tom Collins
 c. Cosmopolitan

Q. On a London Underground Map, what line is coloured Pink?
 a. Central
 b. Hammersmith & City
 c. Metropolitan

Q. How many spots are there in total on two dice?
 a. 44
 b. 40
 c. 42

Q. What does NATO stand for?
 a. Northern Atlantic Treaty Organisation
 b. National Association for Trout Overfishing
 c. NeighbourBlog Allows Treats in Office

Q. Which hunter, according to Greek Mythology, was placed among the stars by Zeus?
 a. Lelantos
 b. Orion
 c. Artemis

Enjoy our Quiz and Good Luck!

The NeighbourBlog Team

OK, so I'm the Office Manager at NeighbourBlog, and I managed to get tasked with the wonderful experience of testing out online dating and online dating apps. Now I was going to review the apps at first, but I mean in all honesty, once you know how to use it, they’re all pretty much the same.
So I've come up with a few different things that I found to be true when online dating…

It’s like looking for a job.

- You find one that you REALLY like.

- You try and make your profile stand out so they will notice you.

- You’re not really sure when or if you should follow up.

- Sometimes they ignore you, and you don’t know why.

- It’s hard not to take rejection personally.

- You try and tell yourself something else will come up, and you carry on smiling. Inside you’re like this –

- Then one comes along and starts talking and you’re like this!

- You plan your outfit.

- You get nervous.

- You MUST make a perfect first impression.

- When one talks back to you it’s the greatest thing ever.

- And then you are glad the others didn't work out.

- Because this one rocks.

So in essence the whole experience was horrifying. But the PEOPLE you meet are pretty interesting. I've managed to narrow it down to the different types of guys you come across when Online Dating.


- The guy who doesn't know how to take things slowly.

- The guy who thinks he's way too good for you, but is on a dating site..?

- The living proof that chivalry is most certainly dead.

- The anti-commitmentphobe

- The guy who wants to get noticed for his ‘personality’

- The guy you once dated and now have to face again.

- The nice middle aged couple that want to ‘care’ for me

- The one that’s clearly lying about their age

- The guy that writes in Bingo

- The mean guy

And lastly, to conclude my wonderful experience of online dating. I give you a list of things you should NEVER EVER EVER message ANYONE when online dating. EVER.

1. I want to love you.
2. We would make awesome kids.
3. You look like my ex.
4. You’re way too cute to be single. What’s wrong with you?
5. How many have you slept with from here?
6. My wife would love you.
7. You aren't my usual type, I go for classically beautiful.
8. Are you smart or lying?
9. I've got a third nipple, wanna see?
10. Can I pay you?
11. My ex always used to say…
12. You sound like my Mum
13. You’re face makes me want to cry with happiness
14. I'm not looking for anything serious
15. Can I come to your house now? (3am)
16. I don’t like pizza
17. Do you go on a lot of dates?
18. I'm about to go on a trip that lasts 587 years
19. How many dates does it take to sleep with you?
20. I have 30 children possibly more!
21. I think Miley Cyrus is misunderstood

7 Quick, Cheap and Easy Recipes to make this week

Another week closer to Summer, but also a week before payday! So we at NeighbourBlog have come up with 7 meals to make this week that won't break the budget. Plus they taste great!

Tuna Sweet Potato Jackets

Ingredients:-

4 Sweet Potatoes

2 Cans tuna, drained

1 Red Onion, thinly sliced

Juice of 1 lime

6 tbsp Mayo

Handful of Coriander, finely chopped

Prick the potatoes with a fork, wrap in tin foil and bake in the oven for around 35-40mins at 180c.

In a bowl mix together the tuna, onion, mayo, lime juice and coriander. 

Then serve on top of the potatoes.

Fish Cakes

Ingredients:-

600g Potatoes

2 x 120g can of sardines or salmon

4 tbsp chopped Parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

6 tbsp mayo

1 tbsp seasoned flour

4 tsp olive oil

Cook the potatoes until tender. Coarsely mash the sardines/salmon and mix in 3 tbsp of the parsely and half of the lemon juice.

Meanwhile, mix the mayo with the remaining Parsley, lemon juice and seasoning. 

Drain the potatoes and mix in with the fish mix, shape into 8 patties and dust with the flour.

Heat the oil and fry each side for around 3-4 minutes each. Serve with the mayo and enjoy!

Spicy Sausage Pasta

Ingredients:-

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Packet of 8 Pork Sausages 

1 large onion

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 chilli, finely chopped

400g can of chopped tomatoes

300g fusilli pasta

Heat the oil and fry the sausages, onion and garlic. Stir in the Chilli and the tomatoes whilst you cook your pasta.

Drain the pasta once al dente and mix in with the sausage sauce, serve immediately. 

Honey and Mustard Chicken Pot

Ingredients:-

1 tbsp Olive Oil

8 Bone-In Chicken Thighs

2 Onions, diced

350g Parsnips, cut into strips

300ml Veg Stock

2 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard

2 tbsp clear honey

Few sprigs of Thyme

Heat the oil in a pain and brown the chicken, once done set the chicken aside and add in the onions until softened. Put the thighs back in and add the parsnips. Then mix into the stock the honey and the mustard, pour over the chicken and add the Thyme. Transfer to the oven for 30 minutes at 180c, serve immediately. 

Chinese Style Beef

Ingredients:-

3-4 tbsp Olive Oil
Thumb size piece of ginger, chopped finely
6 Garlic Cloves, crushed
5-6 Spring Onions, chopped
1 Chilli, finely chopped
1 1/2 kg Braising Beef, diced
2 tbsp seasoned flour
1 tsp Chinese Five-Spice
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp Dry Sherry
4 tbsp Soy Sauce
500ml Beef Stock
Bok Choi

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large stewing pot, add the garlic, onion, ginger and chilli. Once softened, add the beef, flour, oil and brown off the beef. Heat your oven to around 150c.
Then add the five-spice, sugar and sherry. Pour in the soy sauce and stock, and bring it to simmer. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven, cooking for around 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Serve with steamed Bok Choi and Rice.

Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:-

200g Carton Passata
Pack of 5 Flat-breads
1/2 Bag fresh or frozen Spinach (frozen is much easier)
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
3 Balls Mozzarella, torn into chunks
5 eggs
Fresh Basil
Parmesan Shavings

Heat oven to 200c.
Spread passata evenly across the flatbreads, add the spinach, garlic and mozzarella. Create some space in the middle and crack an egg into the middle of each pizza. Season and put in the oven for around 7-8 minutes, about 6 minutes into cooking, add the Basil and Parmesan shavings. Enjoy!!

Tuna Pasta Bake

Ingredients:-

600g Pasta (Shells or Rigatoni work best)
50g Butter
50g Plain Flour
600ml Milk
250g Cheddar, grated
2 cans tuna, drained
330g Can of sweetcorn, drained
Seasoning

Heat the oven to 180c, boil the pasta in salt water for 3mins less than the time indicated on the packaging.
In another pan, melt the butter and slowly stir in the milk. Take off the heat, and add all but a handful of the grated cheese, and stir in until it becomes thick.
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, mixing in the tuna and sweetcorn. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the leftover cheese, season and bake for 18-20mins.





So there you have it, 7 cheap and cheerful meals to keep you going through until Pay day. Enjoy!

NeighbourBlog