Lorraine Pascale's Blog, page 12

Essex's Kitchen Rules!

It was Essex versus Wales in the first ever My Kitchen Rules UK Grand Final.

The final course of the contest saw Lorraine and Jason Atherton put on their judging hats to choose their My Kitchen Rules Champions.

The two remaining teams were challenged to prepare six different elements in just 90 minutes.

Despite the curveballs of the challenge, including the pairs being separated for the starter, Danny and Kev managed to keep it together and claim the trophy for Essex.

‘They pulled it out of the hat just when it mattered,’ says Lorraine. ‘In my mind it was the best man on the day who won this competition’

Danny and Kev are the first ever My Kitchen Rules winners and Lorraine thinks the boys could have a good career ahead of them.

‘If they continue to improve the way they have been improving then they could go far,’ she says.

Watch Lorraine and Jason share their thoughts on the final here.

‘I would not have been able to rebuild my life without her’

Despite coming to terms with the loss of her husband and father, Joanne Watkins’ mum still found the strength to support her daughter through her own loss. Here Jo explains why her mum is the most inspiring person she knows.

Can you tell us about the difficulties you mum has faced in her life?

My Mum and Dad were married for 33 years when my Dad died of Motor Neurone Disease having been ill for a very difficult two and a half years. The shock of finding out you or a loved one has this illness is beyond words and the devastating effect it has is heart breaking.

My Mum was my Dad's primary carer which led to her having to give up her very much loved job as a teacher in the school she had worked at for over 20 years. Throughout the whole time my Dad was ill my Mum never once moaned about anything or felt sorry for herself. All she wanted to do was make the situation as easy and stress free for me as she could, always putting my Dad and I first and ready with a hug or a smile.

How has your Mum coped with losing your Dad?

Watching my Mum’s heart break at my Dad's funeral was one of the hardest things I've ever done. She relied on him for everything and I could never convey how proud I am of her for being so strong and brave. She's learnt to do jobs in the house, use the internet, keep my Dad's beautiful garden going; all the things he did in our house.

During my Dad's illness my Mum's Dad, my Grandpa, also passed away and this was a huge loss to my Mum as they were extremely close.

During that time I met my boyfriend Gareth, who was as fantastic a man as my Dad. My Mum also adored him and he was such a strength to us both when my Dad passed away.

What losses have experienced in your own life?

Six months after my Dad passed away, on my 29th birthday in March 2010 I sadly suffered a very difficult miscarriage. This was another very difficult time for Gareth, my Mum and I so soon after my Dad had died, but as always my Mum carried me through it, always being there any time of the day or night and ensuring above everything I was ok.

In June 2010 Gareth was diagnosed with Leukaemia. I can’t describe the shock as he was the most physically fit person I had ever met, always in the gym and eating healthy. Over the next few months Gareth stayed in Salford Royal Hospital enduring two horrendous rounds of chemotherapy and again I cannot put in to words how truly awful those months were.

My Mum lives in Gloucestershire so I was unable to see her a great deal during that time because all my time was taken up with being in hospital with Gareth. Sadly Gareth passed away aged 31 on the 26th September 2010 and his funeral was on the one year anniversary of my Dad dying.

How did your mum help you through this difficult time?

Without the love, support, guidance and help of my amazing Mum, who had lost her wonderful husband of 33 years only 12 months before, and was still grieving heavily, I genuinely don’t know where I would be today. I most certainly would not have come to terms with Gareth's death in the way I have. She was very close to Gareth too so his death was a huge loss to her as well, but she has never once stopped putting me first or helping me get my life back on track.

She is such a positive upbeat person, always has a smile on her face, always doing everything for everyone and never puts herself first. She is the most inspiring person I have ever met and I am beyond proud of how she copes every day without my Dad and for the support she shows me constantly.

I don’t know anyone who has had such a difficult year as we did together and I would not have been able to rebuild my life without her.

My Kitchen Rules: Grand Final preview

This week it’s Essex versus Wales in the My Kitchen Rules Grand final.

Danny and Kev take on Emma and Phillip as they battle it out to become My Kitchen Rules champions.

In the kitchen, tempers flare and dreams slip away as the curveballs of the challenge come into play.

The pairs are separated for the first course, leaving one team member to sort the starter alone, before being reunited for the main. This time, though, they have to prepare six different elements in just 90 minutes.

Whipping up a dessert is the last hurdle, and with baking queen Lorraine looking for absolute perfection, even the smallest mistake could see the finalists' My Kitchen Rules experience end in (ahem) cake-tastrophy.

My Kitchen Rules continues Thursday,9pm on Sky Living.

Watch the preview here

Mum's kitchen rules!

Mum really does know best, especially when it comes to cooking! Even once we’ve left home, nothing provides us with quite the same comfort as the food of our childhood.

To celebrate Mother’s Day Lorraine wants you to share a family recipe passed down to you by your mum. In return Lorraine will be giving away one signed copy of A Lighter Way to Bake.

For your chance to win, simply tweet @lorrainepascale a photo of a homemade dish from your family’s cookbook including #MumsKitchenRules, Lorraine’s favourite family dish will win.

So whether it’s a slice of mum’s homemade Victoria sponge or her Sunday roast, send Lorraine a photo of your family feast with #MumsKitchenRules, and the best tastiest treat will win!

The competition will launch on Thursday 27th March with a tweet from Lorraine, and run all weekend until Monday 31st March when she’ll close it with another. Only entries submitted in that time and including #MumsKitchenRules will be accepted - so dig out that family cook book and send in your snaps!

Follow Lorraine on Twitter.

Catch up with the latest from Lorraine’s Sky Living show, My Kitchen Rules.

Buy your copy of A Lighter Way to Bake here.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE #MumsKitchenRules PROMOTION

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE ENTERING THE PROMOTION

The Promotion (defined below) is to be hosted on Twitter at ‘@lorrainepascale’ but shall be announced via Lorraine Pascale’s official website.

The Website: http://www.lorrainepascale.com/ (the “Website”) is the official website of Lorraine Pascale. The Website is currently hosted and maintained by James Grant Media (UK) Limited trading as James Grant Digital (“James Grant Digital”/ “us”/“we”/“our”) and the Promotion is also promoted by James Grant Digital. Our registered address is 94 Strand on the Green, Chiswick, London, W4 3NN United Kingdom.

Terms and Conditions: By entering the Promotion you accept, without limitation, modification or qualification, that you will be bound by the following and that this is the case notwithstanding any subsequent acknowledgement by you of these Term and Conditions:

a) These Promotion Terms and Conditions;

b) The Website Terms and Conditions accessible at http://lorrainepascale.com/terms-and-...

c) The Twitter Rules accessible at https://support.twitter.com/articles/...

d) All applicable laws, regulations and guidance including but not limited to Part 8 of the Advertising Standards Authority CAP code regulations.

These Terms and Conditions may be subject to change at the sole discretion of James Grant Digital.

Interpretation: Please note, any phrase in these Terms introduced by the term “include”, “including”, “in particular” or similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding that term.

Specific Promotion Details and how to participate:

1. The Promotion: You can participate in the Promotion via Twitter on the Website, we intend but do not undertake to run a skilled promotion to be called #MumsKitchenRules (the “Promotion”). The Promotion will be announced via the Website and will then run via the online social media platform Twitter. It will require participants to upload a photo of a dish they’ve made following their mum’s recipe to Lorraine Pascale’s Twitter feed: ‘@lorrainepascale’. Please note the Promotion is run independently of Twitter and is not in any way associated with the social media platform.

2. Promotion Period: The Promotion will begin on Thursday 27th March 2014 via an announcement on the Website and will end on Monday 31st March 2014 following the Promotion closing tweet (the “Promotion Period”). We will continue to accept Promotion entries until the end of the Promotion Period.

3 Specific Entry Requirements: Entrants can enter the Promotion free of charge via Twitter. In order to enter this Promotion, entrants must comply with these Terms and Conditions and the Specific Entry Requirements specified below:

a) Be at least 18 years old;

b) Be resident in the UK;

c) Be a Follower of @lorrainepascale on Twitter and send @lorrainepascale a photo of their #MumsKitchenRules dish, which they have cooked following their mum’s recipe, on Twitter during the Promotion Period. All entries must include ‘@lorrainepascale’ and ‘#MumsKitchenRules’ hashtag;

d) Entrants may only submit one entry each and shall not post duplicate or near duplicate entries under the same Twitter account. Nor shall individuals submit multiple entries under multiple Twitter accounts;

e) The Promotion is only open to those who are not (and whose immediate family members or those living in the same household are not) employed by us, or any company within the James Grant Group or any employee of Boots, or any of our or their parent companies, subsidiary companies, affiliates, or advertising or promotion agencies;

f) Agree to our judging criteria. The following judging criteria shall be used for the Promotion: One winner will be selected by Lorraine Pascale at her sole and absolute discretion. There will be only one winner. The odds of winning depend in part on the number of eligible Entries received but ultimately depend on Lorraine Pascale’s favourite choice of #MumsKitchenRules photos. The winner will be contacted by @JGGMedia via Twitter within seven (7) days of the end of the Promotion Period; and

g) The winners must respond to notification from @JGGMedia that they have won within twenty four (24) hours to still be eligible for the Prize.

Entrants acknowledge that only entries which fulfil all of the requirements set out in these Terms and Conditions (including all the Specific Entry Requirements above,) (“Entries”) will be valid and entered into the Promotion.

4. The Prize: One winner will receive a signed copy of A Lighter Way to Bake (there is no cash alternative to the prize). The prize or a reasonable equivalent will be posted to the winner once their address has been supplied to @JGGMedia via Direct Message on Twitter. The prize winner agrees that their names may be made public in association with the Promotion if reasonably required.

5. Copyright: All copyright and all other intellectual property rights in and to any and all photographs submitted as entries to the Promotion shall be exclusively owned by or assigned to James Grant Digital for the whole term including any renewals or extensions. Entrants acknowledge that James Grant Digital has the right to edit, copy, alter and use in any way the submitted photograph as it may reasonably require. James Grant shall have the express right to use any photographs in publicity materials online or otherwise during the Promotion Period and following the end of the Promotion Period.

Introducing some Inspiring Women

I love hearing from people about the things they are cooking. Dishes they have whipped up, cakes they have baked and culinary questions to cooking conundrums. Aside from cooking communication, I read a lot about peoples journeys in life, obstacles they have faced and they strength at over coming them. So last month I asked my Twitter followers to tell me more about their inspiring and/or life changing stories and to share them with me online.

From newfound strength and hope following bereavement, trauma or illness to energising creativity and huge life lessons to name but a few, the responses I received were overwhelming.

I know from personal experience that through reading other peoples life challenges, it has most certainly helped me deal with the vicissitudes of daily life, so I hope that you too can get some inspiration from reading these stories too.

Thank you so much for the wonderful women who sent their stories to me and I am really happy to be able to share as many of these as I can with you here on my website.

‘Happiness will be found again’

Following the loss of her premature baby daughter two years ago, Hayley Hovey was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Since then she has overcome her illness and is providing strength for other people suffering from cancer and bereavement.

How old were you when you were diagnosed with bowel cancer?

I'm 34 and was diagnosed with bowel cancer two years ago. I'm now clear of cancer but have had to overcome (and still am) massive hurdles.

Can you tell us how you were diagnosed?

The way I found out my illness was due to giving birth to my 13 week premature daughter and losing her at 4 weeks old.

Watch Hayley’s film for Bowel Cancer UK's charity 'Never Too Young' campaign

Hayley's Story from Bowel Cancer UK on Vimeo.

How has life changed since you discovered your illness?

I've made what has been the most difficult few years of my life into a message of hope by helping people who have been diagnosed with cancer or lost babies, that life can indeed and will continue.

Happiness will be found again.

I wrote a blog documenting my journey with chemotherapy and radiotherapy and how I felt being diagnosed with bowel cancer aged 32. I also opened up about how it feels to be a bereaved mother - it was very much a therapeutic experience to write down how I felt…

Read Hayley’s blog here.

Hayley featured as a WOW Woman of inspirational in November 2012.

Find out more about the work of Bowel Cancer UK here.

‘My beautiful little girl gave me inspiration’

Samantha Pearson lost an astonishing eight stone in three and a half years and now she dreams of inspiring other women who need a helping hand.

Determined to get started, Samantha set up her own blog and explains how setting up small goals can help kick-start your weight loss journey in an exciting and positive way.

Can you tell us a bit about your weight-loss journey?

Over the last three and a half years I have lost eight and a half stone. This has most certainly changed my life for the better although I am still getting my head around being 'slim'.

What made you want to lose the weight?

My beautiful little girl Lilly gave me inspiration to get started, I wanted to be healthy for her.

I have decided to start a blog about my experiences and I love it!

Writing down how I feel now and how I felt being bigger certainly helps. My dream eventually is to start a career in the wellbeing/health industry and to help others be happy with who they are, their lifestyle and nutrition.

You say you’d like to inspire other women, but who inspires you?

Someone in a shop can be really happy, friendly and chatty and that inspires me to be more like that. Someone cooks something amazing, I want to do that! Someone dresses beautifully; I’m going to dress like that!

I think pretty much all my friends and family have inspired me in one way or another, with their kindness, love, strength and also weaknesses.

I think we can learn so much from one and another and only when I started to process the word ‘inspiration’ in my little whirlwind head, I thought actually that’s not so cringe and it’s pretty amazing! I hope I do inspire people in the same way people do with me every day :)

What do you hope to achieve with your blog?

My dream is to help people with losing weight but to be happy and excited about doing so.

Do you have any inspiration advice for someone wanting to start their own weight-loss journey?

Setting small goals and achieving them was what worked best for me. First it was a size 20, then a 18 (which opened up my shop selection from just New Look and Evans) then a 16, then 14 and so on. Each target hit was a massive confidence boost and made me feel fantastic.

I still do this now, but more with exercise, for example, I started out last year doing prime mover ( a fantastic fitness app) that entails moving up in levels and each time I moved up, I felt great. Or doing 25 sit ups, then 50, then 100.

So to sum up my little outburst, let’s all have a great big group hug (it is nearly valentines after all!!) and inspire each other!!!

I have so many stories of people close to me in my life who have truly been inspirational and I genuinely believe in being inspired by others :)

Read Samantha's blog here.

‘I am forever grateful’

Victoria Tremlett was born with the genetic condition Cystic Fibrosis. After four years on the waiting list for a lung transplant, Tor explains why she’s campaigning for more people like you and me to become Organ Donors.

Can you explain the effect that Cystic Fibrosis has had on your life?

I was born with the genetic condition Cystic Fibrosis (a disease that clogs the lungs and other organs with mucus) which dictated a lot of my life but didn't make an impact until my late teens.

By then I was becoming more and more breathless, struggling to walk to college just down the road and going back and forth to my hospital to try and find something to support my lungs. By the time I got to 19 I was struggling badly.

I had taken my first part time job as there was no way I could physically go to Uni. A month or so into my job as a SEN teacher assistant I felt very ill. I was off work for a couple of weeks and was determined not to let them down.

As I made my way to the school my body was like I had lost all control. After stumbling the five minute walk I collapsed on the pavement outside the school. I was taken to hospital, placed on oxygen and given IV antibiotics. I was horrified, yet so weak I just wanted to sleep and let someone else take the responsibility; it was as though I had woken up in a different body. I could no longer control it, something had changed and I instinctively knew it wouldn't change back.

I wasn't ignorant when it came to my health and my illness and knew what the next logical step would be. I asked my team if I needed a lung transplant. They held out for a few months but eventually agreed that I did need one.

So what was the next step to getting a transplant?

I was assessed and on the waiting list within 6 months. However I had a very long wait due to the lack of donors. I waited four years for my call and by this time things were bleak. My lung function that had previously taken a battering was reduced to 19% - the size of a coke can.

My hospital couldn't make me comfortable, I used oxygen 24/7 and a wheelchair to leave the house. The most basic things like dressing, washing, brushing my hair, walking 10 steps to the bathroom were impossible for me and I relied completely on my wonderful mum.

I had also been placed under hospice care, although I didn't need them to tell me I couldn't carry on much longer. They told my mum in the September I wouldn't see Christmas. Then on October 10th 2011 I received that life changing call.

I received lungs in a 10 hour surgery and after a rocky recovery I am doing well.

What are the complications you have to cope with after a transplant?

There are many complications after transplant which still limit what I can do, but my life is changed immeasurably for the better thanks to a person I will never meet who saved my life. I am forever grateful!!

What has life been like since your transplant?

Since my transplant (and during my wait) I campaigned a lot to promote organ donation, on TV, radio, papers, magazines. A year after my transplant I walked a half marathon which no one thought I would complete, raising funds for my hospice and the hospital which cared for me.

I graduated last year with a 1st in Literature from the Open University (a degree I started from home while I waited for transplant and honestly never thought I'd live to graduate).

I have opened my own baking business and love to cook and eat now which was a huge issue when I felt so tired and sick. It’s amazing to think how my life has changed, it may not be perfect but I'm here and alive!

Read Tor’s blog here.

‘Living my life for ME, not for M.E’

Vikki Cook was diagnosed M.E/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in October 2012 after struggling to recover from a series of different illnesses. After leaving her job in May 2013, coeliac sufferer Vikki decided to channel her love of baking into a newfound energy, and an exciting new culinary project. Today she is gearing up for the launch of her own baking business…

Can you tell us about how your diagnosis came about?

My story starts, I suppose, with a vicious bout of flu that hit on Boxing Day 2010. After narrowly avoiding hospitalisation with it, I recovered, but came down with terrible fatigue-type symptoms around 2 weeks later. My symptoms grew worse over a week at work, and I was diagnosed with post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS).

I spent a month off work, needing almost full-time care as I struggled to do anything more than get myself to or from the bathroom in our little flat. But over time, I slowly recovered.

Then, six months later, shortly after we'd married and moved to a house, disaster struck when I caught chicken pox. Again, a few weeks after I recovered, the fatigue came back. In the end, I was off work for 3 months. Unfortunately this time, I didn't make a full recovery and in October 2012, I was finally diagnosed with M.E/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It's something I'd previously believed was an invented illness of self-indulgence, but I know differently now.

How has the condition affected you and what are the symptoms?

In total, I've been ill for three years, varying from days where I can go out and be almost 'normal' to days where I struggle to get up the stairs without help. On the bad days, I'm riddled with a total physical exhaustion, feverishness and chills, sore throats, painfully swollen glands, breathing difficulties, short-term memory loss, noise sensitivity and a feeling as though I'm vibrating all over (not as fun as it sounds!!).

What triggered your lifestyle change?

When I finally had to leave my well-paid job in May last year, I was terrified of what would happen. But having been such a keen baker for so long, and a coeliac, I threw myself into experimenting with it - really having fun. After a few months, something in me changed. I felt a little better but more than that, I felt real hope. Hope that I could get better, but also that if I didn't, maybe I could still do something great…

Tell us about the exciting developments this year!

In January, I opened my own business, The Buttercup Bakery. I passed my hygiene certificate, I registered as a business with the local council and I got myself ready to go. I'm not well enough to visit markets yet, but I have my very first stall booked for 14th March and I'm utterly terrified and incredibly excited all at the same time! I may not be a huge success... I may not even be any kind of success! But my illness has shown me how awful life can be sometimes, and I'm determined that whatever happens from this point onwards, I'm living my life for ME, not for M.E.

My story, I'm sure, won't be as inspiring as many of the others out there, but I need all the luck I can get, so please send some my way!



Read Vikki's blog here.

Gingerbread pancakes with Parma ham & maple syrup

These delicious pancakes from Fast, Fresh and Easy Food are a tasty treat this pancake day.

"Major brownie points are awarded to anyone who goes the extra mile on Sunday and rustles up this breakfast dish. If you prefer to have the pancakes plain, then just omit the cinnamon, ground ginger, lemon zest, vanilla and sugar; this plain mix can also be used for your Yorkshire puddings."

Serves 4

Equipment

Large bowl

Zester

Large frying pan

2 baking trays

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour

3 tbsp soft light brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

Pinch of salt

½ lemon

½ vanilla pod (or a couple of drops of

vanilla extract) (optional)

300ml semi-skimmed milk

1 medium egg

Sunflower oil

12 slices of Parma ham (or bacon)

To serve

100ml maple syrup

100g sour cream or half- or full-fat

crème fraîche

Method

Preheat the oven to 110°C, (fan 90°C), 225°F, Gas Mark ½. This is to keep the pancakes warm, as they are cooked in batches.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt into a large bowl, give them a quick mix and make a well in the centre. Finely grate the lemon zest in. Split the vanilla pod open, scrape the seeds out and add them too (or vanilla extract, if using). Then gradually pour the milk in bit by bit, stirring all the time to give a smooth mixture. Beat the egg in well and set aside.

Put a drizzle of oil into a large frying pan on a medium heat and cook the Parma ham (or bacon) for 2–3 minutes on each side until nice and crisp. Then remove with tongs and drain on kitchen paper. Tip onto a baking tray and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Leave the pan on the heat, but reduce it to low and add a little bit more oil if need be. Then spoon in four dollops of the pancake mix (to spread to about 10cm wide). Leave to cook for 1–2 minutes until golden, then flip them over and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Slide them onto a baking tray and put in the oven to keep warm. Then repeat with the remaining mix to give 12 in total.

Once you have made all of the pancakes, divide them between four plates. I like to pile the Parma ham high on them, drizzle with the maple syrup and serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche.