Help For The Homeless

We are asking for your help!

As the weather appears to be getting even colder, our thought's turn to the homeless. The people who spend every minute of every day on the streets.

We want to help, we are asking you to get in touch with us, to tell us about any homeless shelters or charities that you may know. We are happy to donate some of our delicious soup to a charity dedicated to helping the homeless. It's only small gesture but hopefully it will get them through, or help them to get through a cold and bitter night. Of course, each pot needs hot water adding to it which is why this would suit a soup kitchen or any shelter that has kitchen fascities. We are asking for your help because even if we check online they don't always give you this information.

Any thoughts anyone?

Do You Want To Build A Snowman?

The snow has both its ups and its downs, of course the ups being the kids can have hours of outdoor fun making their very own Olaf. And the downs, well the fact that it literally does take hours… in the freezing cold. Can you think of anything worse than a standing in the cold with numb fingers and toes? We can… and that's standing in the cold and being hungry! Well… that is why we are here to help, whilst the little ones are off making snow angles and maybe your partners are too, why not indulge yourself with a warm pot of Tomato and Basil soup whilst you supervise. It'll keep the hunger at bay as well as warming your hands. No need to thanks us, that what we are here for.

Maybe...Porridge Is The Answer To A Longer Life?

It is said that if you start your day with a bowl of porridge or even a a slice of brown toast it is quite possible that you could be eating your way to a healthier and LONGER life!

We question it too… but just a small amount of wholegrain food in your daily diet will lower the risk of you dying, to put it bluntly - especially from heart decease.  Research conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health In Boston, US, is believe to be the first to institute to look into whether eating wholegrain foods including brown rice, corn and quinoa has an impact on a longer life spam. Are you thinking how? Well, apparently they can reduce the risk of heart disease by a compound called avenantramide, which can stop fat from forming in the arteries.

It sounds good doesn't it? Eat porridge. Live longer. Why wouldn't you? So check out our delicious AND healthily porridge range here!

Weekend Tips Worth Trying!

As you all loved the pervious post about the healthy bake off, we have decided to give you a few more healthy tips that you can try out this weekend!

Here we go...

1. If you add mashed bananas and/or berries to your cookie recipe you can add colour, texture and even flavour which means you can replace the sugar in your recipe.
2. Im sure you know that peanut butter is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat compared with butter, so why not us peanut butter instead?

So this weekend you have no excuse not to try these healthy substitutes. 

A Treat For Everyone...

October is here and we all know that it means one thing... Halloween!! Even if you're 13 or 33 we know that everyone looks forward to the endless amount of unhealthy treats. Well... here is a slightly healthy recipe (it's not very healthy at all)  that you should love! Don't believe me, you'll have to try it out - wont you? 

Let me introduce you to our  "Oaty Moments"

What you need...

• 200g/7oz butter, softened
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g/9oz self-raising flour
• 140g/5oz oats
  
  
  
  
  What you do...
  Preheat the oven to about 180C/200F and make sure you line the baking tray with greaseproof paper. 
  Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until it is light and fluffy.
  
  
  Then you should beat the egg until it is well combined, stir in the vanilla and flour until well combined. 
  Separate the dough into 12 equal pieced and roll the ball s in the oats then put them on the baking try. Gently squash the balls with the palm of your hands.
  
  
  Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until they are a golden brown. 
  
  
  Get the kids or the better half to do the washing up whilst you put your feet up and enjoy your oaty moments. 

Nutty Chocolate Oaty

Are you taking part in The World's Biggest Coffee Morning for Macmillan on the 26th of September 2014, or know someone who is? These Nutty Chocolate Oatys are the answer to all of your worries... the tasty and easy to make oatys are a favourite among the Hopper Team...


What you need...
100g  salted butter
3 X pots of Grasshopper Cane Sugar Porridge - Hopper pot
450g  rich dark chocolate
150ml  double cream
150g  almond nuts (chopped)
150g  hazelnuts (chopped)

What to do...
Start off by melting the butter in a pan. Add the oats and cook for three minutes. Then transfer to an baking tray that will fit in your fridge.

You should then place a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the chocolate and cream to the bowl and leave to melt for 15 minutes without stirring.

Add the almond nuts and hazelnuts to the oats and stir.

When the chocolate has fully melted, give it a little stir and then pour over the oats and nuts. Fold the chocolate through and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

When set, break into pieces by hand, serve and enjoy these tasty snacks!

Homemade Granola- what's not to love?

Are you a kitchen goddess? Well get your apron on... you're going to LOVE this recipe! Even if you're a man, let your inner-goddess shine, you have no excuse not to try this!

This granola recipe is one that all the family can get involved in (maybe not the animals - if you have any) 

Your ingredients -

125ml of maple syrup
2 tbsp of honey
1 tsp of vanilla extract
3 pots of coconut and date porridge oats
100g of flaked almonds or chopped 
100g of dried berries (find them in the baking aisle)


Method - 

First, make sure you preheat your oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
Then you should mix the maple syrup, honey and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Once they are fully mixed together- add the 3 pots of coconut and date porridge oats and mix well.

Add the granola to two baking trays and spread them evenly... bake these for 15 minutes. Then add the almonds and dried berries to the mix and bake for another 10-15 minutes. 
Once golden brown remove from the oven and leave on the tray to cool down. 


And voila, you have some delicious homemade granola!

Porridge for gold!

Firstly, we would like to say congratulations to Laura Trott on winning her gold medal! Well done, you've done us proud!
When asked what her secret was she said "I've been living of porridge". So we have decided to give you are Golden Oaty recipe containing porridge oats, so that you to can win gold (in the kitchen maybe)

Golden Oaty Crumble:

Ingredients:
3 eating apples
2 Bramley apples
350g of blackberries, you can use frozen if they are not in season!
100g of Demerara sugar
1 pot of cane sugar porridge
175g of plain flour
140g of soft brown sugar
185g of butter

What you do:

1. Before you do anything, preheat the oven to 170 degrees.

2. Core and quarter the apples, then put half of them into an oven dish and sprinkle with half of the Demerara sugar. Ad d the blackberries to the dish and cover with the remaining apples.  Put the rest of the Demerara sugar onto the apples. 

3. For the crumble topping,  pour the flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar and the porridge oats. Cut the butter into small squares and add them to the mixture. Rub it all together with your fingertips until the mixture has the texture of breadcrumbs. Lay the crumble mixture on on top of the fruit.

4.  place your dish into the oven and leave for around about 40 minutes, you will know when its ready its it will be a lovely golden brown colour.

Im sure this will go down a treat, you could even add some ice-cream or custard!

A few ideas to keep you occupied...

We are in for another week of glorious weather, and we have come up with a few penny saving ideas....

1. With the Commonwealth Games fast approaching, why not take advantage of this. You and your friends could form your own "teams"or even with your children. The only things you really need is space and room to perform these activities, and of course a medal for the wining team! If you are feeling really adventurous you could make your own tally board, and let your competitive side come through.... who knows.... you may be the next athletic representing Wales or England... it could be a possibility!

2. Let your creative side flow... here at Hopper HQ every time we go on a adventure we always make sure that we have our camera in hand to take advantage of every selfie opportunity. Take a trip down to your local sculpture park and get creative... this is the best way to take the pictures. Don't worry about looking daft or silly, everyone has jumped onto the selfie bandwagon... I'm sure you have secretly!

3. Let your kitchen goddess flow, even if you are a man. There is no excuse, put your apron on and get your grasshopper oats out. This recipe will blow your mind.... and I'm sure you have these hiding in the back of your cupboards!!

Its flapjack time!!!!

All you need is:
250g of Grasshopper cane sugar oats
125g of Butter
125g of Brown suagr
3 tsps of golden syrup

You could even add a few cheeky chocolate pieces if you have a sweet tooth.

The method:

1. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse them until they are fully mixed, but make sure you don't over mix them as the oats will lose there texture and become a mushy mess.

2. Lightly grease a medium sized baking tray with butter, and then place all of the mixture into the tray.

3. Use the back of a spoon to press the mixture evenly into the corners, then section them up to how you would like... big pieces or little its your choice. Personally, the bigger the better!!

4. Finally place your yummy flapjacks into a pre-heated oven at 180 and bake until golden brown. This is usually between 15 to 20 minutes.

So..... there you go 3 easy cost effect ideas that can fill your weekend or even your week!!

Fan Friday

So it fan Friday and we have received some great pictures this week from different hoppers out and about with there Hopper Pots.

Here is our favourite picture from this week, taken by Olivia Whitworth on her lunch break.

Keep sending in all you great snaps from this week, and you might see your picture posted on The Grassy Daily! 

Did you know... (4)

So, Summer is coming... and we are all probably on a crazy rampage to shift the extra weight! Well look no further as our porridge can help!!

Even though the warmer weather is here and Summer is approaching, don't let it stop you from tucking into a delicious pot of porridge. The oats we use are all natural, which makes them 100% natural so they are the perfect breakfast solution, especially when on the move.

Half Term Adventures!

Keeping the kids entertained over half term can be quite a struggle... especially as the weather has taken a downward spiral!

Don't let the rain stop you from heading on adventures - grab your wellies, coat and an umbrella and you're ready to head out into the great outdoors. Whether you're thinking of hiking up a hill, exploring the local countryside or visiting a farm... just get the kids outside and into the fresh air, just remember to keep your bellies full, as you don't want any angry/hungry kiddies throwing a tantrum. 

Take Grasshopper with you, our delicious soups will help keep you warm and fill you up when hunger calls! Our petite Hoppers are perfect to fit in your backpack without taking up too much space - remember to take along a flask of hot water so you can tuck in whenever you want!

Picnic Perfect

The sun is shining, the temperatures are high, this calls for one thing... a picnic.

With the weather being so glorious, it would be silly to miss out on the sunshine! Whether you make it a family affair or strictly friends only, getting together and laying on the grass with food and drink is a great way to relax, have fun and soak up the sun.

You know what the perfect picnic food is... a delicious pot of tomato & basil soup.

The 125 Countdown

Psstt... did you know for a limited time only our Hopper Pots will be on offer! 

Today all of our Porridges, Soups and Noodles in Hopper form will be available for only £7.50 (normally £8.75) - working out at £1.25 per pot!! What's the catch you say... well there is no catch, but you do have to be quick as this discount is only available for 125 minutes! 

The 125 countdown begins at midday today... but don't forget when you hop to the website, you need to enter HOPPER125 at the checkout.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Offer only available on the Hopper Pots.

• Discount code HOPPER125 must be applied at the checkout.

• This is only available on the 14.05.14 between the hours of 12:00pm - 14:05pm.

• Only available on the Grasshopper website.
• Postage & packaging charges still apply.

Did you know... (2)

Did you know that porridge can help fight osteoporosis?
Grab a pot of our delicious oats and tuck in - a great way to keep your bones strong and healthy!

Did you know... that porridge can improve your sex life!

That's right... porridge oats can boost libido by helping to re-balance testosterone and oestrogen in the body. Testosterone drives sexual desire in both sexes. Men with low testosterone levels go off sex!!

Have you had your oats today?!

Mothering Sunday!

On Sunday it's Mothering Sunday... a day to pamper and treat your mum, for all the nice things she has done! But how will you be treating her this weekend?

Well, look no more... we have a couple of tricks up our sleeves that can help put a smile on your mums face! 

• Pamper Days

You can take your mum to a day of pampering at a beautiful spa, to help her unwind and relax. But this can end up being rather pricey, so spend the day with your mum at home while doing face masks, foot rubs, pedicures and manicures... all in the comfort of your own home, or your mums home! 

• Adventurous Walks

All mums are different... and if your mum is more outdoorsy, then put on those walking boots and get outside! Take in the brisk fresh air and head out on a walk around the local woods or lake... or jump on a train/car and explore a nearby village filled with walking tracks waiting to be explored! 

• Breakfast in Bed

You don't need to be a chef to treat you mum to breakfast in bed... especially when we make it so easy for you. Grab a delicious pot of our porridge, in your mums favourite flavour of course, and just add in hot water... make it extra special by putting it on a tray with a little flower and a glass of cool iced water with a slice of lemon, or a lovely cup of tea! 

• Movie Evenings

Some of us don't have the luxury of having work off on Sundays... so make the most of your evening by spoiling your mum by having a lovely evening watching her favourite films. But don't binge out on junk food, grab a pot of our noodles instead, which are super tasty and healthy! Even better, all you need to do is just add hot water into the pot - so you won't miss any of the exciting parts when the film is on! 

Looking for something tasty?

If you're looking for something tasty... then look no more!

We've got you covered here at Grasshopper... simply dive onto our website and see what delicious goodies we have to offer, and even better you can get free postage and packaging on ALL orders when entering code vip03 at the checkout.

Be quick, as this offer does end on Monday 31st March!

The countdown to summer is on!

The countdown to summer is on... and before we know it we will all be jetting off on our holidays! It's an exciting thought, until you realise you're running out of time to get your body beach ready. 

Exercise and diet are essential... regular workouts will help you not only lose weight but tone up, where eating healthier/dieting will help you drop the pounds. 

Regular exercise is key. Not all of this has to be done in the gym, you can do it in the comfort of your own home with a fitness DVD, or if the weather is fine a jog in the local park will also work! Get yourself into the outdoors... exercising the park will get you out into the fresh air, plus it's free.

Eating the right foods can be a tough one. We all like to indulge in chocolates or biscuits, but it's always the case of "just one more" - let's be honest, it's never just the one. Cutting back your calories is a great way to lose weight, simply restrict your calorie intake and choose healthier foods that are filling... our Hopper Pots do just that! They are small in calories but big in taste and flavour. So, instead of going to the local sandwich shop, have a delicious pot of our soup instead! 

What are you waiting for... the countdown has begun! 

Did ewe say free shipping?

That's right... across the month of March we are offering free postage and packaging on all orders. All you need to do is head to our website, stock up on our delicious, nutritious pot wonders and enter VIP03 at the checkout... easy peasy!