If you are looking for a warming and hearty recipe for all the family this Winter I have a great easy to make recipe for you today, my hearty sausage casserole. This post is in collaboration with Schwartz, the go-to food company that produces herbs, spices and recipe mixes to add that authentic taste to your cooking.



For this hearty casserole, the ingredients are easy to source, and you don't have to worry about finding the individual herbs and spices as you have the casserole mix. You can make this by the book, by following the instructions on the back of the packet or put your own twist on it.

Ingredients

1 sachet Schwartz Sausage Casserole Recipe Mix
450g (1lb) sausages
1 Spanish onion, sliced
2 tbs tomato puree
100g (4oz) button mushrooms, halved
100g (4oz) frozen peas
1 large carrot chopped
1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
300ml (½ pint) cold water




Method

1. Fry sausages well until browned all over in 1 tablespoon of oil. 

When looking for decoration and renovation tips you will often see plenty of articles detailing how to make the most of a small space but very few seem to focus on the reverse problem, what to do if the space is too big! Having more space than you need in your bathroom can make the room feel sparse and unwelcoming so here are 5 tips to help you fill the void.

Choose statement fittings

Check the reviews
It is important to check out broadband reviews to see which providers get the best feedback from their customers. The last thing you want to do is go with a provider and then find out that they have awful feedback and poor customer service - you won’t have any confidence in going to them if you have a problem. How a company treats its customers and rectifies its mistakes is always an important consideration when it comes to signing up for a company.

There are many companies to choose from - Virgin Media, Sky and BT are the leading providers but there are other companies who offer broadband including energy companies and mobile phone companies.

What type do you want?

Now we all know the term broadband but did you know there are multiple different types of broadband you can have. The most popular is fibre broadband which is available to 19 out of 20 UK homes and businesses. Unfortunately, there are still some homes that cannot access fibre broadband so an alternative such as ADSL or satellite is required. Consider mobile broadband too.

Research which broadband types are available in your area before then opting for a company that is the right type for you. When choosing, check out the satellite internet upload speed being offered if you regularly upload images and videos to the internet. You want a fast speed for this.

Merry Christmas! Yes I know it's early but before long Christmas will be here and we will all be panic buying for gifts for loved ones. I'm making a conscious effort this year to cut the cost of Christmas by not buying unneeded gifts, buying in sales, making presents and entering competitions to win presents. Christmas is just not worth getting into debt for. 

Talking of entering competitions, Have you ever done this? I have won many prizes entering competitions in my time, including weekend breaks away, a TV, an IPAD, gift vouchers, a games console and a number of hampers. It's a lovely feeling when you are told you've won a fantastic prize that's for sure and even nicer when you get the gift in the post! 

Today on my blog and in the run-up to the big day, I have teamed up with some fantastic bloggers to help bring you the chance to win a delicious hamper to enjoy or gift this December. These hampers are filled to the brim with delicious treats such as  Mince Pies, Wine, Biscuits, Chocolate, Popcorn and so much more! 



So who has teamed up to bring to you this prize? These amazing bloggers below.

Diary Of A Jewellery Lover |Just Average Jen |Being Tilly's Mummy | Miss Tilly and Me | Don't Cramp My Style | Rhian Westbury | Dungarees and Donuts | MissLJBeauty | Melanie's Fab Finds | A Testing Time | Pretty Core | Futures | emmadrew.info | Mrs Pinch | Lisahh Jayne | Life in a Break Down | Simply Saving | UK Lifestyle Hub | UK Bloggers 





So how can you be in with a chance of winning one of the two hampers as pictures above? Well, all you need to do is let us know using 8 words or more the following: What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and who will you be spending it with? Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It won't be long until it's Chrismas and then the New Year's resolutions will be in full swing. I don't know about you but every New Year my resolutions always seem to revolve around health and fitness, generally trying to eat healthier and get more exercise. 



One exercise I enjoyed when I was younger was badminton and I'm looking to play it more in the future. Did you know that there are several health benefits of playing badminton regularly? Let's have a look at what they are, and if you read to the end you will also get a chance to win a badminton set!

Improves reflexes, co-ordination and flexibility. 

Badminton is a sport where you have to move quickly and hit a fast-moving shuttlecock. This improves your reflexes and over time your co-ordination. Flexibility is also improved as you have to use your racket to hit high shots and low shots and move your body more than you have in a long time.

Great for your heart and lungs

The physical benefits of sports are well documented and badminton is especially great for your heart and lungs.  All the running around makes your heart beat faster and improves your lung capacity. Physical exercise like this on a regular basis will lower your blood pressure too. 

Can help you lose weight

Due to the number of calories burnt off per hour, over 450, badminton can help you lose weight, reduce cholesterol and keep you within your BMI, which is great for your overall health. 

Reduces stress



Exercise is well known to help you reduce stress levels. Concentrating on a sport like this will help you 'zone out' and make it difficult to think of anything else. After all the adrenaline of the physical exercise, the endorphins released will help you will feel relaxed and have a greater feeling of well being. 

Improves your mood and sleep

As mentioned above taking regular aerobic exercise like badminton will give you a greater feeling of well being and this, in turn, will improve your mood. Physical exercise like this will also improve your sleep, and you will feel better rested.

Increases social skills and maintains friendships

You need a partner to play badminton and it's a cool sport to play with friends or acquaintances if you join a badminton club. Playing with new people will increase your social circle too and you get to create new bonds as well.




So as you can see there are many health benefits of playing badminton. If you are looking to take up this sport, I have a great competition for you today. You can win this Asahaway starter set, from Badminton HQ, comprising of a pair of durable steel badminton rackets and a shuttlecock, suitable for beginners. Priced at £20 it is a great value set and would make a perfect Christmas gift.


Entry is easy via the Gleam app below, and once you are registered all it takes is a click on a button to enter. While you are here don't forget to enter my big Christmas competition too where you can win all your Christmas presents!
Good luck.

Win a badminton set

London is a big, bustling, frothing city full of life. Sometimes, though, you want to leave it behind and find a bolt-hole out in the countryside where you can relax and unwind. 

Just in the United States, an approximate 28.8 million Americans could benefit from hearing aids. However, many of these folks either can’t afford hearing aid technology or are in denial in terms of how well hearing aids might suit them.

For those who do opt for hearing aids, they often find that these incredible devices are life changers. Just from gaining back some of their hearing, they’re able to avoid common misunderstandings and better engage in conversations with loved ones. With proper hearing, one gains more independence.

But are hearing aids right for you? Read through these hearing aid facts below to discover if they’ll meet your expectations and if they are the appropriate treatment for you.

1. Hearing aids can’t cure hearing loss. 

There are so many ways to travel, and one which is exciting and has many advantages is cruising. It's not just a way to get to your destination, it's a holiday in its own right.  With all the facilities onboard some of the cruise ships, you don't even have to leave the ship if you don't want to.  There are plenty more advantages too. Let's have a look at the main advantages of a cruise holiday and why they are so popular in this day and age. The ease of all-inclusive

The digital revolution has opened up many doors for us, and plenty of them have been positive. For example, I now work from home when in the past I wouldn't have been able to. With the creation of the internet and devices like smartphones, we literally have the world at our fingertips - so why does it also feels like we have the world on our shoulders? Digital platforms such as social media has allowed us to reconnect and stay in contact with friends and loved ones in what feels like a more intimate fashion that ever before. It has also bombarded us with perfect images of other peoples curated worlds which can sometimes feel overwhelming and create insecurity - even if deep down we know many of these images are filtered to the max and edited beyond their original composition. I mean, how many times have we met someone in person that we have mainly been following on the internet and realised they don’t have the airbrushed perfect skin or are much older than we have been led to believe?

FOMO - Fear of Missing Out 

Knowing the reason behind your anxiety can really be effective in managing it. Many of us have faced the signs and symptoms of anxiety, whether writing an exam or when interviewing for a new job. Some of us find it difficult to stop feeling anxious in seemingly ordinary situations, leaving a lasting effect on our quality of life. So, it is very important to figure out what is going on and why you are feeling so anxious. The fantastic thing about our brain is that it can rewire itself all the time; this is called neuroplasticity.

By making some very simple but not easy lifestyle changes, you can literally boost your brain’s ability to help heal itself and reduce your anxiety forever. Another thing to remember is that with or without medication, you will have to make some lifestyle changes. One of the most critical changes will be to change your diet; there are certain foods that can alleviate your anxiety, and there are some foods you need to avoid because they can worsen your symptoms. Below are three simple lifestyle changes that I have discovered that can help with anxiety.

Exercise at least five times a week 



Whenever you can exercise as much as you can. Thirty minutes of exercise five times a week has been shown to help anxiety and depression, according to Anxiety UK, a national registered charity. Exercising has amazing effects on the brain as when you start exercising your blood flow will increase, and your brain will be filled with oxygen-rich blood and nutrients. Exercise also produces more neurons in your brain, so it stimulates the production of new brain cells. The best time to exercise is early morning, as when you begin your day with exercise it is said your mental capacity for handling stress nearly triples. The reason is that our brain recognizes exercise as a period of stress, heart rate increases and the brain kicks into a fight or flight mode. As a defence to this supposed threat, the brain starts producing chemicals that can help in alleviating anxiety.

Exercise is also known to help you feel better, and the positive mental effects of exercising last almost the entire day. Starting the day with a moderate exercise session leads to better diet choices, a faster metabolism, more energy and a sense of accomplishment. Morning rituals help people dealing with anxiety. This can be any physically stimulating activity, a trail run, an aerobics class, or even a brisk walk with your dog. Just get out of breath and have fun! Keep up to date with health advice on the NHS website and sites such as Rolling Paper which has board-certified physicians.

Cut back on coffee and caffeinated drinks



The problem with coffee is that it contains caffeine and consuming more than a cup or two of strong coffee in a day is a known cause for anxiety. Drinking too much coffee can worsen your anxiety over a period. Caffeine can create all kinds of body sensations that resemble a panic attack — consuming more than the recommended limit of coffee can create heart palpitations, tremors, sensations of anxiety, and nausea. Caffeine is also known to trigger panic attacks.

The way our body metabolizes coffee is partially based on our genetics. Coffee can be a silent cause of your anxiety, and for those of us who like to start our morning at the local cafe, this can be a tough habit to break. In this case, try substituting one cup for a herbal tea such as chamomile known to be calming, for example, or swap one caffeinated cup for decaffeinated. One thing worth mentioning here is that your morning routine can easily set the stage for the rest of the day. It may be easier for you to cut out that first cup than it is to cut out the second one. You should consider cutting back on coffee but also keep track of the caffeine content in other drinks like chocolate and all the energy drinks.

Yoga and deep meditation can help manage anxiety 


There are many meditation techniques in yoga. If you find yourself in one of the emotional spaces that make you feel anxious, one thing that can help is yoga and meditation. Yoga is filled with numerous activities that coordinate breathing with an empowering movement of the body, developing strength on the inside as well as the mind. So get practising meditation techniques. You will need that inner meditational strength to dig yourself out of that dark emotional anxiety that causes depression.

Dealing with anxiety is not easy, but you can help manage it. Other than medication and talking therapies, these three simple lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your anxiety. You must be aware that anxiety is not dangerous in itself, it may feel like terrible things are going to happen, but actually, nothing will happen. So help yourself, try these lifestyle changes and see if they work for you. I wish you a happy and prosperous anxiety-free life, and I hope you enjoyed reading my experiences that helped me with anxiety.