MY DAY TRIP IN THE CITY OF NORWICH

Today I visited Norwich with my husband.  It is my first time to visit this beautiful city full of history.  We took a coach trip and only had 4 hours to spend in the city so we had to scale down our list of places to see and do.  Generally whenever I visit a new city I always make a list of important things I want to see and do.  It will always include a visit to a Cathedral or church, an old pub to either grab a drink or a quick bite to eat and a special place that is unique to that particular city.  So here are my top 3 must see and do in Norwich if you only have a day or a few hours, in our case. 

1.  NORWICH CATHEDRAL

First on my list of must visit is this 900 year old cathedral.  It's full of history that I suggest you take the free guided tour in order to gain a greater insight into this 900 year old building.  Tour starts on the hour from 1100am - 300pm Monday to Saturday, lasting for an hour and departing from the rear of the nave.  Entrance to the cathedral is free but they have a suggested donation of £5 for adult. And if you're not one of these people who enjoys a guided tour, they also have a welcome brochure provided to all visitors so you can explore the cathedral building at your own pace.  Allow 2 hours at least for your visit. For more information you can visit http://www.cathedral.org.uk

My top 3 favourites from the tour are the roof bosses, the cloisters and the ornate wood carvings of the misericords.

The famous green man roof boss

The Cloisters

one of the beautiful wood carvings of the choir seats

2.  ELM HILL

The most famous street of Norwich with its beautiful cobbled street, rows of character merchant's houses, specialty shops and small cafes.  I loved walking along this street, it's like travelling back in time.

3.  THE MURDERERS AND THE GARDENERS ARMS PUB

I like a good old pub with an interesting history to go with it.  This one dates back to 1696.  The trading name is The Gardeners Arms Pub but the pub is famously known as The Murderers due to its grisly and macabre history.  For more information visit their website 

http://www.themurderers.co.uk/#_=_

This used to be an alleyway (The entrance to the Murderers)

Our visit to Norwich was short but sweet but we had such a wonderful time. I hope to visit this beautiful city again.  If you want to know more about the city of Norwich you can visit their website http://www.visitnorwich.co.uk or you can leave me a comment and I will try my best to answer your questions.

Please check out this 40 seconds video clip  of  my visit.

VEGAN AND GLUTEN FREE LASAGNA

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 cup green lentils from M&S
1 can Italian chopped tomatoes from Cook Italian
2 garlic cloves chopped
3 small shallots chopped
1 stick celery chopped
1 carrot shredded
1 bell pepper chopped
2 Tbsp rapeseed oil
1 pint hot water
1 heaped Tbsp vegan bouillon powder from Marigold
Free from lasagna sheets from M&S
half a tub of garlic & herb from Creamy Sheese
vegan mozzarella from Vbites

Method:

Saute garlic, shallots, celery, carrot & bell pepper in oil until softened.

Add lentil and cook for 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and stock (mixing bouillon powder in hot water).

Cook for at least an hour in low heat - the longer and slower you cook the better.

Check the sauce, season according to your taste for me I did not need to add any salt or pepper.

You want the sauce to be nice and thick.

In a 26 x 20 cm roasting tin layer the bolognese sauce, then lasagna sheets, then spread the creamy sheese, then another layer of sauce, pasta sheets, creamy sheese and top with bolognese sauce a thinly sliced mozzarella.

Baked for 30 mins in an 180C oven and further 10 mins on 200C oven to brown the cheese.

Serve hot.  Enjoy!

The bolognese sauce is also perfect for any pasta base like spaghetti, tagliatelle, etc.

Please share your creation on Instagram with a #ChallenJing40

VISIT 40 CITIES IN ENGLAND

As of 2015, there are currently a total of 69 cities in the United Kingdom.  51 in England, 7 in Scotland, 6 in Wales and 5 in Northern Ireland. (Wikipedia)

My challenge focus on visiting 40 of 51 cities in England which I have never visited before.  Here are the list of 51 cities in England:

1.  Bath √
2.  Birmingham √
3.  Bradford
4.  Brighton & Hove √
5.  Bristol
6.  Cambridge √
7.  Canterbury √
8.  Carlisle
9.  Chelmsford √
10.  Chester
11.  Chichester √
12.  Coventry
13.  Derby √
14.  Durham
15.  Ely √
16.  Exeter
17.  Gloucester
18.  Hereford
19.  Kingston upon Hull
20.  Lancaster
21.  Leeds
22.  Leicester
23.  Lichfield
24.  Lincoln
25.  Liverpool √
26.  City of London √
27.  Manchester √
28.  Newcastle upon Tyne
29.  Norwich √
30.  Nottingham
31.  Oxford √
32.  Peterborough √
33.  Plymouth
34.  Portsmouth
35.  Preston
36.  Ripon
37.  St. Albans √
38.  Salford
39.  Salisbury √
40.  Sheffield
41.  Southampton
42.  Stoke on Trent
43.  Sunderland
44.  Truro
45.  Wakefield
46.  Wells
47.  City of Westminster √
48.  Winchester √
49.  Wolverhampton
50.  Worcester
51.  York √

Fun Facts:

*  So what is a city you may ask?  The Oxford English dictionary defines 'city' as a 'large town' or  'a town created a city by charter and containing a cathedral'.
*  In the United Kingdom however, not every city has a cathedral and not all cathedrals are found in the city.
*  Not all large towns in the United Kingdom are officially designated as cities and there are a number of UK cities which are no bigger than an average towns or even villages.
*  There are no specific criteria which automatically grant city status in the United Kingdom.
*  In present times, city status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II.

Source:  http://www.ukcities.co.uk

So join me in discovering new cities in your own country and share it in any of my social media.  Subscribe or follow me so you will have an up to date information of my challenges with a

#ChallenJing40

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First stop on the list will be Norwich.  Blog to follow after my trip.  Please like and share.

Charity to sponsor to follow.

DRESS WITH 40 ITEMS OR LESS IN 40 DAYS

It's been a month since I started going vegan and gluten free for 40 days. I must admit it wasn't easy!  There are days that I wanted to quit but I am still holding on. I kept reminding myself this is for charities.  So please support and help whenever you can. I still have 9 more days to go and I will give you my thoughts and experiences on my next blog once I've completed these challenges. For a week I also took the pledge to go plastic free. http://www.plasticfreejuly.org I also updated my 40 challenges.  So please check my previous blog out.

For the month of August I will be doing a few more challenges on my list. But this blog will focus more on #36 of my challenge, make over my wardrobe and dress with 40 items or less in 40 days.  This is loosely based on Project 333. http://bemorewithless.com/project-333/ 

If you want to join me on this challenge, here are the rules:

WHEN:  For 40 days (It's never too late to start so join in anytime!)

WHAT:  40 items including clothing, accessories, jewellery, outerwear and shoes

WHAT NOT:  These items are not counted as part of the 40 items - wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewellery that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear and workout clothing (you can only wear your workout clothing to workout)

HOW:  Choose your 40 items, box up the remainder of your fashion statement and put it out of sight.

WHAT ELSE:  Remember this is not a project in suffering. If your clothes don't fit or are in poor condition, replace them.  

WHICH CHARITY:  OXFAM

WHY:  Since 2008 M&S in partnership with OXFAM  have been shwopping old clothes to help OXFAM's work to end poverty.  Shwopped clothes are resold, reused and recycled providing clean water, saving lives and re-building communities.  For more information please visit M&S website.  

So join me it will be fun and you will be helping OXFAM with all their wonderful work!

If you want to join me, please leave me a comment here or to any of my other social media and share your experience with a #ChallenJing40  

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Thank you for being so cool and supportive!

VEGAN AND GLUTEN FREE OKONOMIYAKI

I have been wanting to try this recipe out for ages and today I finally cooked this for dinner.   I've searched the internet, watched several videos for some inspirations and learned that there are different types of okonomiyaki.  The only thing that doesn't change on the recipe is the cabbage.   Great way to eat cabbage if you're not a big fan and I got my husband to eat one of his least favourite vegetables which was amazing! And here is my take on the vegan and gluten free okonomiyaki.  Hope you like it! (serves 2)

For the ingredients you will need:

1 cup gluten free plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon milled flaxseed (egg substitute)

3/4 cup hot water

1 packet Clearspring organic brown rice instant miso soup paste (or alternative miso paste)

Fry light cooking spray (I used coconut oil)

2 cups thinly sliced cabbage

1 cup beansprout

1 spring onions chopped

1/2 cup Cauldron marinated tofu pieces

vegan mayo for garnish (substitute for vegan kewpie mayonnaise)

Sweet Mandarin barbecue sauce for garnish (substitute for okonomi sauce)

Roasted Sweet Potato chips for garnish

1.  In a bowl add 1 cup of plain flour and baking powder and whisk together.

2.  In a jug add 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed, 3/4 cup hot water and the miso paste whisk together to combine and set aside.

3.  In a non stick hot pan spray a thin layer of oil and cook the cabbage (in traditional okonomiyaki recipe you add raw cabbage to the batter mix I prefer to slightly cook the vegetables).  Remove the cabbage and then slightly cook the beansprout.

4.  Add the miso liquid to the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is free from lump.

5.  Add the spring onions, cabbage, beansprout and tofu pieces.

6.  Traditionally okonomiyaki is cooked on the grill/griddle but I used a non stick pan.  Spray the coconut oil in the hot pan.  Add the batter mixture to form a size of a pancake, cover with lid while cooking.  Cook both sides until golden brown.

7.  Serve immediately with your choice of garnish on top.  I had some roasted sweet potatoes.  Enjoy!

BANANA AND PEANUT BUTTER PANCAKE

yields 2 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 banana, medium size
1 tablespoon milled flaxseed, I used Linwoods
1 tablespoon milled chia seed, I used Chia Bia
1 tablespoon gluten free oat bran, I used Bob's Red Mill
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, or more if you prefer your pancake sweet
100 ml almond milk, more if you don't like it thick
pinch of cinnamon
coconut oil for frying
yogurt
blueberries
strawberries


1.  Blend the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until smooth (I used my smoothie maker).  Add extra milk if you prefer your batter thin in consistency.
2.  In a non stick pan or griddle add coconut oil over a very low heat swirl the coconut oil around the pan until melted and the pan is well coated with oil.
3.  Add the batter and fry gently until golden brown and flip onto the other to cook.
4.  Serve immediately with yogurt, blueberries and strawberries or any fruit you prefer.  Drizzle with more maple syrup on top.

GOING VEGAN AND GLUTEN FREE FOR 40 DAYS

A week ago I turned 40 years old, an age I was not sure I would reach.  Tomorrow July 1st will be the end of my 6 weeks recovery post hysterectomy.  And I am getting better and better each day.  On my birthday last week I decided to set myself 40 challenges in my 40th year (you can read my previous blog 40 Challenges in My 40th Year). So far I achieved one challenge on my birthday party and the money (£70) went to British Heart Foundation.  Thank you for your generous donation.  So on to the next challenge on my list.  Starting tomorrow July 1st, I will go vegan and gluten free for 40 days, not an easy thing to do and I will need all your help, support and encouragement.  I will set up a just giving fundraising page for 3 charities (as I'll be doing 2 challenges from my list).  The Charities PETA UK and The Vegan Society for my vegan challenge and Coeliac UK for my gluten free challenge.  If you would like to donate you can go to my just giving page.

https://www.justgiving.com/account/your-pages/Janette-Kemp

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Janette-Kemp1
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Janette-Kemp2

You can also follow me on my other social media to see how I'm getting on with a  #ChallenJing40

https://twitter.com/BbJing23

https://www.instagram.com/BbJing23/

https://www.facebook.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/BbJing23

Once again thank you for all your support. Don't forget to leave me a comment on any of my social media and please share and spread the word.  

MY 40th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Thank you to all my family and friends who came and celebrate my 40th birthday despite the lightning, thunderstorm and heavy rain.  It was great to see you all and I had such a wonderful time.  I also would like to thank you all for the birthday cards, wonderful presents and most especially for helping my chosen charity British Heart Foundation.  We've raised a total of £70.  Thank you so much for your generosity.  I also met one of my challenges yehey! (no. 19 buy a complete outfit for £40).  And here's how I did it!

For my cardigan I got ages ago on sale from Primark for under £10 bargain.  

The T-shirt I bought from Amazon  for £4.99 including postage.

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XP65NDU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The skirt again from amazon for £10.99.  Postage is free because I've got an Amazon prime.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00UV7H5F0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The belt was old and I bought on sale but a similar on Amazon cost from £3.99.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-Fashion-Elastic-Stretch-Waistband/dp/B01AN53Y18/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466954287&sr=8-2&keywords=vintage+style+belt

Finally my shoes I also bought on Amazon for £6.99.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AGOU2SO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A total of £36.96!

Once again thank you for all your support so far and for celebrating my 40th birthday with me.  And I am very excited and looking forward to starting my other challenges very soon.  You can follow me on my other social media to see how I'm getting on.

https://twitter.com/BbJing23

https://www.instagram.com/BbJing23/

https://www.facebook.com

Please leave me a comment or suggestions on any of my social media and please share.  Thank you!