Cooking up a treat with celebrity chef Simon Rimmer & One Products

I love reading other people’s blogs and often find myself In awe at not only the bloggers talented writing skills but their domesticated flair

There are some fabulously creative bloggers out on the blogosphere, many of them showcasing their show stopping foodie creations stunningly presented in some flawless images. I’ve always been honest when stating, as much as I am able to cook, I’ve never been one to make stunningly presented dishes, ingenious creations or well followed & recreated recipes! Something normally happens, that or I just don’t have the time, therefore sticking to what I know best. As for baking, well I’m simply what some would describe as a cake from the packet kinda momma, though I actually love cakes & desserts and always promise myself that I’ll brush up on them creative baking skills!

I do however blog the topic of food every now and then! This is often for one of the following reasons, I’m reporting  a close encounter with the London Fire Brigade, writing about chocolate either the complete lack or over indulgence of the stuff, or I’m reviewing a yummy supermarket buy!

So, you can only imagine my surprise when I received an invitation to come and cook with celebrity chef, Simon Rimmer (BBC Something for the weekend)! Ok, had someone called in a prank, nominated me for my yummy imaginative creation of chicken nugget surprise, as that’s all time will permit these days! Maybe it was something like that “Can’t cook won’t cook” show!

Actually, it was none of the above, you see Simon Rimmer would be demonstrating a few of his mouth watering creations and then myself and a few other lovely bloggers would recreate them under Simon’s watchful eye! The idea of this foodie get together was not only for the benefit of gaining some cooking skills or learning a new recipe or two, but also to learn about a brand that in-till now, I sadly had no recognition of.

‘One Difference’ is a brand like no other, a brand that has been created to actually make a real difference to others!

Seriously, I’ve never known it possible, yet there is a brand that actually does all that it does to benefit others! Producing a range of products only to donate 100% of its sales profits to charitable causes! Sounds, a tad far fetched doesn’t it?

Let me elaborate, One Difference, brings us a range of everyday essential products, One Brand’ that are sold via major retailers across the UK and internationally, to fund humanitarian aid projects across rural communities in Africa.

We were lucky enough to meet the brands director, ‘Duncan Goose‘ an inspirational man who shared some information on the brand and what it stood for. Products include the launch of, the ‘One Clever Loaf’ two unique varieties of sliced bread, due to launch later in the year! Through the sale of One Clever Loaf within the UK, start-up bakeries in Africa are funded to generate income for families as well as providing food for the communities they serve.   

Another product is that of ‘One Good Egg’ produced by selected British Lion EU certificated organic farms across the UK. These are three range, organic eggs RRP £1.99 with 100% profit being used to fund community egg farming projects in Africa. Communities are provided with hens, equipment and even training in hen husbandry, in order to provide protein rich nutrition for families, and a sustainable source of income!

One Good Egg’s are sold nationwide and are available from Tesco, The Co-operative and Ocado

Other products consist of, One handwash, One water, One toilet tissue, One Porridge, One Water and One plasters.

Duncan is also raising awareness for the HIV crisis in sub-Saharan Africa and is therefore donating much needed funds for life saving HIV programmes in developing countries, through the sale of the brands ‘One Condoms‘ with 100% profit going into the programme. They even sell glow in the dark condoms (which I thought was worth sharing, what with it being Valentines night and all that) 🙂 

Maybe I was actually invited for my eagerness to raise awareness for worthy causes as opposed to my talented kitchen skills, cough…cough…

Whatever the reason, I was pleased to be a part of it, and whole heartily impressed by not only the quality of these products (we used the eggs and bread within our dishes) but also what these guys stood for and the amazing difference they are making to the life’s of others.

On arrival at Battersea London, Simon was just gearing up to get cooking, some fabulous tips were given as he demonstrated how to create 3 dishes with the use of One Products. These were dishes I’d never even considered making at home (well, until now)! I could see the benefits of the day unfolding and actually felt pretty inspired to throw on my apron and get going.

Simon demonstrated 3 stunning dishes before we teamed up with another blogger and  recreated one ourselves (at least this way I wouldn’t be solely to blame for any kitchen mishaps or dodgy food)! Actually, all went to plan, we recreated, Chorizo Scotch Eggs with a Pepper Chutney and despite the fact I hate eggs, preferring to munch on just the sausage meat, I think it came out splendid. 

Before this great event came to an end, it was lovely to be able to sit and eat the dishes we had created along with a pudding Simon had put together, plus the welcome addition of some crisp rose wine and a good chat with some lovely bloggers.

To finish off, One Difference presented us with a beautiful woven basket containing some lovely One Products! We also got to keep the apron (to my little man’s delight).

I really did enjoyed the day, meeting celebrity chef, Simon Rimmer, the inspirational One difference director, the lovely PR team representing the brand and of course the great mix of fellow bloggers attending on the day. The greatest part was, not only did I take home some new skills, a new found sense of creativity, but also the discovery of a new brand that do this amazing thing of changing peoples lives!

When now shopping for bread and eggs, it will be great having the knowledge that the money made from my purchase will help change a families life… How amazing is that!

Please pop back tomorrow when I’ll  share the recipes of what we made on the day! Check out the images below for a tasty treat of what’s to come.

Related articles

• Cooking With A Celeb Chef (mummyofmanytalents.wordpress.com)
• Something for the Weekend could be resurrected by ITV (guardian.co.uk)
• 8 Social Networks For Foodies (socialmediapearls.wordpress.com)

A great 2011 for A boy with Asperger’s

A boy with Asperger’s 2011

At the beginning of the year I wrote a two-part post covering all the stuff that had happened during 2010 (yes, seriously this took two post and most of it was nothing but bad happenings). So, looking back through 2011 and realising just what an amazing year’s blogging I’ve had, I just had to do it all again.

So here it is, the busiest year on the blog so far, A boy with Asperger’s 2011

January: Not the best month to be honest, we finally get that all important statement of special educational needs for Little man, only toilet paper would have been worth more. Nonetheless we fight to the depths of the earth and it’s amended later in the year and thankfully contains everything he needs thanks to those all important independent assessments & reports.

February: We finally get some good news, which I document in the post, “The end of a chapter” The mainstream school in-which Little man used to attend finally holds up their hands and we get that all important apology in writing, we therefore settle on the Disability discrimination case only weeks before the tribunal hearing. Another great high to February was the invite I received from Cadbury that saw me and a friend attend an excellent Adult only event (no not in that way) we actually tried to set world records doing normal household chores with a twist (making a bed, unravelling toilet rolls and more besides). This was also the month that I got to interview Colin an adult with Asperger’s who had a very interesting message for Mr Cameron.

March: This was a terrible month, the month that saw my eldest Little man (AKA, A boy with Aspergers) get punched in the stomach by a much older youth of eighteen, while playing at the park with a friend and his mother. Little man was just ten at the time and had said “The wrong thing” to a group of older kids, you can read the post “How could that hurt my little boy” for the full story. March was also the month I shared my concerns on the pending Green paper in the post “Aspirations or clever financial alterations”

April: I’m contacted by the lovely Anna Kennedy in regards to her ‘Autism and bullying’ campaign, as a result of this little man appears in an ITV news report which I wrote about in the post “Little man’s television debut” which was perfect timing, what with it being autism awareness month. I also highlight how appearing on the television went to his head a little resulting in him asking everyone and anyone “Do you know who I am”

May: It was this month I wrote one of my favourite post to date “I’m no Vicky Pallord” I also discover that I’m nominated for a Mad blog award shortlisted in two categories, “Most inspiring blog” & “Blogger of the year”

June: Brings with it a fresh start for the Little man when the local LEA crave in before yet another tribunal, agreeing his place at his independent special school for children with autism and aspergers. This was also a really exciting month in the world of blogging, I was featured in two local papers, making front page news in “The Southlondon press” with the Headline “Mum sets blogging standard” & I was also featured in the “Newshopper” both highlighting the news that I had become a finalist in the Mad blog awards 2011. I also got to attend my first ever Cybermummy (blogging conference) and with it the blog received it’s first ever sponsor Londontown.com who paid for me to stay in a beautiful hotel on the night of the conference.

Nonetheless, although the above is all fabulously exciting, June was also a very emotional & overwhelming month, what with Little man adapting to his new routine and little sleep, it resulted in me writing this very open and honest post “falling apart”

July: This was the month I started the Santa’s little helpers feature resulting in me working with some pretty spectacular brands, we were also invited to the multimedia screening of Mr Poppers penguins in London’s , Leicester Square. Alice-Sara brings her friend who are both  excited by the odd celeb spot. In the middle of the month me and the children attend the Pandemonium festival in Northampton to celebrate the release of kung-fo panda 2 as VIP guest of Cadbury. The children get to test the new mini games, Harley becomes obsessed by the panda himself and we eat lunch next to the ambassador of china (Yer, I was praying that Little man didn’t treat the guy and his family to a demonstration of a meltdown, “Asperger’s style”)! Myself and Harley my youngest also attended the Boots bump to Baby event in London’s beautiful Haymarket hotel where Harley took a shine to the lovely Rachel Stevens and the boots clothing range (from the pic below who would think his only 18 months here). July is also the month I treat readers to an up-date on the amazing progress Little man is making at his new school.

August: A busy yet crazy month as I celebrate the publishing of my three page article in the SEN publication (please check it out by clicking HERE if you haven’t already). Myself, youngest Harley, sister and her daughter get invited to the tots event of the year, “The lollibob” where we go VIP and the kids have a blast meeting the likes of Bob the builder, Peppa pig and Ben and Holly from the Little Kingdom.

August was also the month that saw chaos unfold in the devastating London riots. I organised a Lewisham riot cleanup on twitter with the use of the hash tag #lewishamriotclean and from then on everything went a little mad, what with being interviewed for the BBC breakfast show by Gabby in the back of a taxi on the way to Lewisham following a sleepless night due to the sounds of rioters looting the supermarket directly across the road. Then as myself and Little man (yes, he cleaned Lewisham too) stood in Lewisham with a dust pan and brush waiting for fellow locals who I’d rounded up with the help of social media to join us, I’m shocked to discover the BBC are there to greet us. Yes, they interviewed me and followed my progress throughout the day, I later cringed watching myself on the 6pm news, in a report that seemed to go on for ever. My use of the quote “Lewisham is cleaner than usual” following the councils own operation seem to be something of a hit and spread across the papers and internet like wide fire! The images of Little man clearing up outside JD Sports still melt my heart and make me mighty proud.

 

August saw us working with some great brands, Micro Scooter & Meccano to name just a few. Little man also has great fun testing sensory toys this month and I try to raise awareness for child mental health by opening up and writing “Just a Little girl”

September: This is a month that holds some great memories for me, not only did myself and some of the other Mad blog award finalist find ourselves invited to TKMaxx London’s flagship store to choose evening dresses and accessories for the for the Mad blog awards ceremony but I also went on to win ‘Most inspiring blog 2011’ at the awards itself, which was held at the fabulous Talk-Talk experience centre in London’s Soho. Not only did I win, get to meet a host of other fab bloggers but I also experienced a great working relationship with my mad blog awards sponsor ‘OptiBac Probiotics‘.

With all the above going on I really don’t know how I managed to squash in one of my most popular post on the blog to date, “How well do you really know your child’s teacher”

October: was a month that saw the blog working with some pretty big brands such as Sainsburys & Argos, I make two local papers again having been interviewed by the SouthLondon Press and the Newshopper on winning a Mad blog award! Little man takes over the blog, (well, kind of, he finally says how he feels in his first interview, for the blog) where he talks about his Asperger’s, discrimination, bullying, feeling different and acceptance, click Here to read.

November: I’m delighted to become a judge at the BBC Christmas ideal home show for the face of Argos competition which was an amazing experience. I’m invited to lunch by Sainsbury’s at the BBC NEC Winter food show where I also get to watch a live Master chef cook off, I have a great time and meet some awesome people at Liberty’s London when I attend a charity event and I also start working with the wonderful ‘John Crane’ and ‘When I was a kid’ check out the post ‘Joining Forces‘!

It was in November I wrote the post “Merlin’s Magical wand helping children benefit from the magic, well that is unless they have autism” which had 2,000 hits within a few hours and is the busiest post of 2011!

December: The last month of ‘Santa’s Little helpers’ I therefore launch the ‘Santa’s Little helpers, the big christmas countdown’ we feature loads of fantastic competitions with awesome prizes up for grabs. I also get invited onboard P&O ferries to take a trip from Dover to Calais alongside the lovely “Romanian mum where we shop till we drop, and to end such a fabulous year’s blogging, I’m lucky enough to be invited by the fabulous Tots100, to it’s big Christmas party at Butlin’s Bognor Regis where myself, friend and children get to stay in the beautiful Ocean hotel, though Little man finds the change a bit hard to bear.

Wow, there it is, what a year!

There’s been some massive ups and as you can expect one or two downs (what do you expect, this isn’t a fairy tale you know!) But you have to admit, it’s a massive improvement from 2010 that sadly along with 2009 saw much stress and heartache, which just proves, you never know what’s lurking around the corner!

I really do hope that ‘A boy with Asperger’s’ has provide readers with smiles, laughs, entertainment, inspiration, awareness and more!

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all my amazing loyal readers
We love yer!