Britmums are running some blog awards and I would like to be considered in the "Tasty" category. If you like or are interested in my blog, I would be very grateful if you would consider nominating me (if not, don't worry!)
Thank you! The link to nominate is here, you can leave the other categories blank or nominate other blogs you like or follow.
Rabu, 29 Februari 2012
Thai Green Fish Curry
Well why not? Ok, I've toned down the chilli but seriously, why not give your child Thai food? After all in Thailand they just call it food...
Ok, so this is toned down version, it won't blow your head off but it is interesting and fragrant. Something creamy too but completely milk free.
Thai Green Fish Curry - serves 1 Mummy and 1 Toddler
Ingredients for the paste:
1-2 cloves garlic
2 spring onions, chopped
Approx 1 tsp worth ginger root, chopped
Half of a mildish green chilli (no seeds)
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of half a lime
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground coriander
Big handful of coriander leaf, finely shredded
1/2 tin of coconut milk
100g White fish fillet, thawed if frozen cut into chunks
4-5 Mushrooms, quartered if large
1/2 tsp cornflour mixed with a little water
Method
Crush and pound the paste ingredients in a pestle and mortar until it forms a rough paste (or you can chop them up in a mini food processor). Refrigerate in a sealed jar if you're going to cook with the paste the following day (it is easier to do that, using a pestle and mortar with a toddler around isn't all that practical.)
The next day, open the tin of coconut milk (don't shake the tin first) and take a dsp of the creamy top stuff and put into a pan (meanwhile put some rice on to cook). Heat until it starts to split. Add in the paste and cook for a couple of minutes. Then stir the coconut milk in the tin and add half of what's left to the saucepan, put the rest in the fridge in a plastic tub, maybe make my chicken curry recipe tomorrow? Bring up to a simmer then add the mushrooms, cook for approx 2 mins then add the fish.
When the mushrooms and fish are cooked (approx 3 minutes), add in the coriander and the cornflour / water mix, stir until thickened and take off the heat.
Serve with boiled rice.
My 21 month old loved this even though it did have a chilli kick to it. Be guided by your child and their likes and dislikes but I would be a bit more adventurous than your average parent. I'm shocked when I see the only kids options in some restaurants are sausage and chips; bolognaise if you're lucky. I was always so disappointed by the ready prepared baby food options too. My son was exposed to hot curries throughout his 9 months gestation and even more for the 13 months I breastfed him so I figure he's going to be an adventurous sort!
If you'd like a more grown up Thai Green Curry recipe, click here!
Ok, so this is toned down version, it won't blow your head off but it is interesting and fragrant. Something creamy too but completely milk free.
Thai Green Fish Curry - serves 1 Mummy and 1 Toddler
Ingredients for the paste:
1-2 cloves garlic
2 spring onions, chopped
Approx 1 tsp worth ginger root, chopped
Half of a mildish green chilli (no seeds)
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of half a lime
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground coriander
Big handful of coriander leaf, finely shredded
1/2 tin of coconut milk
100g White fish fillet, thawed if frozen cut into chunks
4-5 Mushrooms, quartered if large
1/2 tsp cornflour mixed with a little water
Method
Crush and pound the paste ingredients in a pestle and mortar until it forms a rough paste (or you can chop them up in a mini food processor). Refrigerate in a sealed jar if you're going to cook with the paste the following day (it is easier to do that, using a pestle and mortar with a toddler around isn't all that practical.)
The next day, open the tin of coconut milk (don't shake the tin first) and take a dsp of the creamy top stuff and put into a pan (meanwhile put some rice on to cook). Heat until it starts to split. Add in the paste and cook for a couple of minutes. Then stir the coconut milk in the tin and add half of what's left to the saucepan, put the rest in the fridge in a plastic tub, maybe make my chicken curry recipe tomorrow? Bring up to a simmer then add the mushrooms, cook for approx 2 mins then add the fish.
When the mushrooms and fish are cooked (approx 3 minutes), add in the coriander and the cornflour / water mix, stir until thickened and take off the heat.
Serve with boiled rice.
My 21 month old loved this even though it did have a chilli kick to it. Be guided by your child and their likes and dislikes but I would be a bit more adventurous than your average parent. I'm shocked when I see the only kids options in some restaurants are sausage and chips; bolognaise if you're lucky. I was always so disappointed by the ready prepared baby food options too. My son was exposed to hot curries throughout his 9 months gestation and even more for the 13 months I breastfed him so I figure he's going to be an adventurous sort!
If you'd like a more grown up Thai Green Curry recipe, click here!
Senin, 27 Februari 2012
Pork Stew 'Afelia'
This is based on a few recipes but probably the main source of inspiration was a recipe I found on Jamie Oliver's website.
I've adapted this though to be cooked in a slow cooker because I'm lazy and I also like how the slow cooker makes the meat so soft and tender. I took the tomato out of the recipe, it didn't seem to belong but then I'm sure cooking it in a slow cooker is inauthentic too.
Hmm. Big bowl of meat!
Afelia (Greek Pork Stew) - serves two adults, one toddler
Ingredients
1tbsp Olive oil
440g Cubed stewing pork or pork shoulder
1 small onion sliced into half rings
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
2 tsp whole coriander crushed coarsely in a pestle and mortar
100ml red wine
Method
Brown the pork in the oil until well browned. Remove from the pan and put into the slow cooker. Fry the onions in the remaining oil slowly until softened and coloured adding in the garlic after a few minutes. Add to the slow cooker. Put the coriander seeds into the pan and heat until releasing fragrance. Add to the slow cooker then deglaze the pan with the wine. It shouldn't completely cover the meat but add some water if it looks a little dry remembering that very little water is lost from a slow cooker and you can always add more later. Pour into the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours then turn down to low and cook until tender.
I think I might make this with a slightly fattier piece of pork next time. Very tasty but some not too fatty pork belly pieces would be tastier I think as it was a little dry when reheated. Still a success and my toddler son liked it too!
This has been featured in Mrs M's recipe blog party on At Home with Mrs M! Thank you Mrs M!
I've adapted this though to be cooked in a slow cooker because I'm lazy and I also like how the slow cooker makes the meat so soft and tender. I took the tomato out of the recipe, it didn't seem to belong but then I'm sure cooking it in a slow cooker is inauthentic too.
Hmm. Big bowl of meat!
Afelia (Greek Pork Stew) - serves two adults, one toddler
Ingredients
1tbsp Olive oil
440g Cubed stewing pork or pork shoulder
1 small onion sliced into half rings
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
2 tsp whole coriander crushed coarsely in a pestle and mortar
100ml red wine
Method
Brown the pork in the oil until well browned. Remove from the pan and put into the slow cooker. Fry the onions in the remaining oil slowly until softened and coloured adding in the garlic after a few minutes. Add to the slow cooker. Put the coriander seeds into the pan and heat until releasing fragrance. Add to the slow cooker then deglaze the pan with the wine. It shouldn't completely cover the meat but add some water if it looks a little dry remembering that very little water is lost from a slow cooker and you can always add more later. Pour into the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours then turn down to low and cook until tender.
I think I might make this with a slightly fattier piece of pork next time. Very tasty but some not too fatty pork belly pieces would be tastier I think as it was a little dry when reheated. Still a success and my toddler son liked it too!
This has been featured in Mrs M's recipe blog party on At Home with Mrs M! Thank you Mrs M!
Minggu, 26 Februari 2012
Orange Flower Water Panna Cotta
I did promise I'd return to the orange blossom water after making the fruity muffins. There's nothing more irritating than having an ingredient in the cupboard and thinking "I'll use that sometime..." If anything, I think this works better as a use for the orange blossom (or flower) water as it partners it with honey which seems to work so well.
Obviously with honey in the recipe, it's a no-no for kids under 12 months old. If you want an alternative, try my other pannacotta recipe I posted a while back.
Orange Flower Water Panna Cotta - makes 2 for 12 months plus only
Ingredients
90 ml full fat milk
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp orange flower water or orange blossom water
1 leaf of gelatine
125g full fat greek yogurt
Method
Soak the gelatine in cold water until it goes floppy. While that's soaking mix the honey with the milk and orange flower water and microwave until boiling (approx 1 minute).
Check the milk is boiling then add the gelatine and whisk in. Add in the yoghurt whisking in. Pour into small plastic tubs and refrigerate for a few hours or until set.
Either allow your little one to spoon from the tub or turn out (warming in a bowl of hot water to loosen the sides.)
A much more adult flavour than my other panna cotta recipe but still worth trying with your child. If they don't like it then you'll have something tasty to eat. Orange flower water flavour does sing out in this recipe, if you have no idea what it tastes like, imagine eating the fragrance of orange zest in a florist shop!
Orange Flower Water Panna Cotta - makes 2 for 12 months plus only
Ingredients
90 ml full fat milk
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp orange flower water or orange blossom water
1 leaf of gelatine
125g full fat greek yogurt
Method
Soak the gelatine in cold water until it goes floppy. While that's soaking mix the honey with the milk and orange flower water and microwave until boiling (approx 1 minute).
Check the milk is boiling then add the gelatine and whisk in. Add in the yoghurt whisking in. Pour into small plastic tubs and refrigerate for a few hours or until set.
Either allow your little one to spoon from the tub or turn out (warming in a bowl of hot water to loosen the sides.)
A much more adult flavour than my other panna cotta recipe but still worth trying with your child. If they don't like it then you'll have something tasty to eat. Orange flower water flavour does sing out in this recipe, if you have no idea what it tastes like, imagine eating the fragrance of orange zest in a florist shop!
Jumat, 24 Februari 2012
My blog 'award'
Well award is probably overstating things if I'm totally honest. This is just a lovely personal referral from other small bloggers out there to point you in the direction of things you might like. My referral came from Overflowing Laundry Basket. Thank you!
Apparently I'm meant to post some kind of badge to say this is a Liebster blog award but in my ineptitude I couldn't find the code! Anyway, this is all about the spirit of loving and sharing so the point is what should you visit?
So, here are a few other blogs you might be interested in.
Bessies Veggie Food is someone I often have a look at. She's very generous with sharing links to my blog which I really appreciate but also she performs a really valuable service at testing out other people's recipes.
The undercover granny offers some interesting views on life. This post was very interesting, I found it funny but it caused some controversy!
The highly unlikely housewife offers some interesting posts, particularly her recent post on post natal depression.
Fun as a Gran gave me some huge help recently understanding more about food allergies so I could train people in my workplace. This is a really interesting post if you have kids with allergies.
Holly Bobbs also offers some insights as a stay at home mum used to being a career lady.
(There are meant to be some kind of rules about how they should link back to my blog and carry it on. Yeah, if you want to do that I would be very happy and I'd love it if the love was shared but don't feel obliged.)
Apparently I'm meant to post some kind of badge to say this is a Liebster blog award but in my ineptitude I couldn't find the code! Anyway, this is all about the spirit of loving and sharing so the point is what should you visit?
So, here are a few other blogs you might be interested in.
Bessies Veggie Food is someone I often have a look at. She's very generous with sharing links to my blog which I really appreciate but also she performs a really valuable service at testing out other people's recipes.
The undercover granny offers some interesting views on life. This post was very interesting, I found it funny but it caused some controversy!
The highly unlikely housewife offers some interesting posts, particularly her recent post on post natal depression.
Fun as a Gran gave me some huge help recently understanding more about food allergies so I could train people in my workplace. This is a really interesting post if you have kids with allergies.
Holly Bobbs also offers some insights as a stay at home mum used to being a career lady.
(There are meant to be some kind of rules about how they should link back to my blog and carry it on. Yeah, if you want to do that I would be very happy and I'd love it if the love was shared but don't feel obliged.)
Selasa, 21 Februari 2012
Chinese Mushroom Fried Rice for Toddlers
This is my take on a classic Chinese dish made friendly for toddlers and Mummies. This is great because by using egg it means the rice is stickier and easier for early spoon feeders to feed themselves. Also this is a great hidden vegetable (well fungi) dish because it hides the texture of mushrooms which is a common issue. Egg yolks are also one of the few foods to naturally contain vitamin D, mushrooms can also be a decent source depending on how they've been produced. At this time of year vitamin D is vital in our diets especially for kids.
Mushroom Fried Rice - serves 1 adult and 1 toddler, not huge portions though so you may want to make it bigger if you're hungry.
Ingredients
70g Long Grain Rice, inauthentic but I used basmati
90g Chopped Mushrooms, I used chestnut because that's what I had in
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1 egg, beaten
Spray oil
Sesame seeds to serve (optional)
Method
Put the rice in to boil. Saute the onion in some spray oil until softened. Add in the garlic and mushroom and saute slowly until cooked. I found this whole process neatly took until the rice was ready. Drain the rice and add into the mushroom mixture. Add the sauces followed by the beaten egg and mix immediately so the egg coats the rice. Cook until no liquid egg remains.
Sprinkle the dish with sesame seeds if wanted. Allow to cool to a suitable temperature to serve to your child.
Both Mummy and toddler loved this.
I wouldn't suggest this for babies because the salt content is a bit on the high side from the soy but I am starting to ease up a little with my son, especially as he's not allowed cheese at the moment.
Mushroom Fried Rice - serves 1 adult and 1 toddler, not huge portions though so you may want to make it bigger if you're hungry.
Ingredients
70g Long Grain Rice, inauthentic but I used basmati
90g Chopped Mushrooms, I used chestnut because that's what I had in
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1 egg, beaten
Spray oil
Sesame seeds to serve (optional)
Method
Put the rice in to boil. Saute the onion in some spray oil until softened. Add in the garlic and mushroom and saute slowly until cooked. I found this whole process neatly took until the rice was ready. Drain the rice and add into the mushroom mixture. Add the sauces followed by the beaten egg and mix immediately so the egg coats the rice. Cook until no liquid egg remains.
Sprinkle the dish with sesame seeds if wanted. Allow to cool to a suitable temperature to serve to your child.
Both Mummy and toddler loved this.
I wouldn't suggest this for babies because the salt content is a bit on the high side from the soy but I am starting to ease up a little with my son, especially as he's not allowed cheese at the moment.
Minggu, 19 Februari 2012
Sugar Free Double Apple Muffins for babies and toddlers; oh no, not another muffin recipe!
Well yes but this is for a good reason. My son has been unwell recently and has become (hopefully) temporarily lactose intolerant. This has made me realise just how much milk, cheese, yoghurt etc I use in my cooking. For a while at least we're having to cut that out so all the meals I had planned have gone out of the window. Happily though since we started to cut out the dairy, things seem to have improved. On advice of my doctor, I'm going to leave it a week or so then gradually reintroduce dairy and see how it goes.
Anyway, this made me realise that all of the frozen sugar free baking contained milk so I had a go at making some milk free muffins. I'm not going to lie to you, the milk ones are better and there is room for improvement, perhaps a tsp of vanilla extract would help? Anyway, the important judge was my son who'd barely eaten for a week and he said "hmm" and "more" so I think they get the thumbs up!
This experience has given me a small window into the world of people who have to cope day to day with milk allergies and lactose intolerances or any other dietary restrictions. I take my hats off too you. It's a right pain and I have to be honest and say I hope it doesn't last.
Double Apple Muffins for babies and toddlers - makes approx 24 - 30
Ingredients
115g, 4oz Porridge Oats
170g, 6oz Self Raising Flour
1 and a half tsp Baking powder
2 Apples grated (including the skin but not the core)
2 Eggs
200 ml Apple juice
6 tbsp of a mild flavourless oil, e.g. sunflower oil, rapeseed oil
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Mixed spice (I think this is called "apple pie spice" in the US)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180oC, 350F (if you're not using a fan oven you might need it a touch higher).
Mix the flour, oats, baking powder and spices in a bowl. Put the remaining ingredients in a jug.
Grease two to three mini muffin tins with spray oil or brush with oil. The silicone ones are good. Then mix the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until almost combined, don't stir too much.
Fill each hollow with the batter, it is quite wet but don't worry.
Bake for 13-15 mins approx (it took 14 in my oven but my old oven was a bit slower so just check by pressing the tops and seeing if they spring back easily.)
Put onto a wire rack to cool. Keep in a tin / box for 24 hours or do as I do and freeze defrosting either at room temperature or in a microwave (although allow to cool before giving to a child.)
If you're looking for more milk free, sugar free baking, give my flapjacks a go (substitute the butter for a non dairy spread) or make my jalousie, brush with egg rather than milk and make sure the pastry is dairy free. Otherwise for something completely different, I have been making my no sugar jelly for my son too.
Anyway, this made me realise that all of the frozen sugar free baking contained milk so I had a go at making some milk free muffins. I'm not going to lie to you, the milk ones are better and there is room for improvement, perhaps a tsp of vanilla extract would help? Anyway, the important judge was my son who'd barely eaten for a week and he said "hmm" and "more" so I think they get the thumbs up!
This experience has given me a small window into the world of people who have to cope day to day with milk allergies and lactose intolerances or any other dietary restrictions. I take my hats off too you. It's a right pain and I have to be honest and say I hope it doesn't last.
Double Apple Muffins for babies and toddlers - makes approx 24 - 30
Ingredients
115g, 4oz Porridge Oats
170g, 6oz Self Raising Flour
1 and a half tsp Baking powder
2 Apples grated (including the skin but not the core)
2 Eggs
200 ml Apple juice
6 tbsp of a mild flavourless oil, e.g. sunflower oil, rapeseed oil
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Mixed spice (I think this is called "apple pie spice" in the US)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180oC, 350F (if you're not using a fan oven you might need it a touch higher).
Mix the flour, oats, baking powder and spices in a bowl. Put the remaining ingredients in a jug.
Grease two to three mini muffin tins with spray oil or brush with oil. The silicone ones are good. Then mix the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until almost combined, don't stir too much.
Fill each hollow with the batter, it is quite wet but don't worry.
Bake for 13-15 mins approx (it took 14 in my oven but my old oven was a bit slower so just check by pressing the tops and seeing if they spring back easily.)
Put onto a wire rack to cool. Keep in a tin / box for 24 hours or do as I do and freeze defrosting either at room temperature or in a microwave (although allow to cool before giving to a child.)
If you're looking for more milk free, sugar free baking, give my flapjacks a go (substitute the butter for a non dairy spread) or make my jalousie, brush with egg rather than milk and make sure the pastry is dairy free. Otherwise for something completely different, I have been making my no sugar jelly for my son too.
Rabu, 15 Februari 2012
Bean and Vegetable Burgers for Babies and Toddlers
I've been meaning to try making some beanburgers for a while. I don't know what had put me off to be honest, perhaps that 'worthy' feeling of a beanburger kind of put me off and also previous attempts when I was a poor student came up short with them crumbling in the pan unless you fried them in loads of oil which kind of missed the point. Still, after my post on fussy eaters, it got me thinking about different ways to incorporate your 5 a day. This has onions, carrots, garlic and red kidney beans and is baked. All good stuff!
I might experiment with crumbing these too. It's a fact anything in breadcrumbs is instantly more appealing.
Bean and Vegetable Burgers Makes approx 6-10 burgers depending on size
Ingredients
1 Carrot
1 Small onion
1 Tsp olive oil
1 Tsp olive oil
2 clove garlic
1 Tin red kidney beans
60g fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
50g Grated cheddar
Ground pepper
Mild smoked paprika, the mild smokey sort rather than the one with lots of chilli kick (unless that's what you want)
Method
Grate the carrots and onions, saute in olive oil until softened. Add garlic and saute for a minute or so. Add the softened vegetables to a bowl with the breadcrumbs, cheddar, paprika, pepper and add the beans. Get your hands in and crush the beans as much as you can. Leaving some a bit whole is ok but the more you mash, the better they will stay together. You might want to use a food processor to do this if your child is very young and you're doing this as a baby led weaning style recipe. Add in the egg and mix to combine.
Grate the carrots and onions, saute in olive oil until softened. Add garlic and saute for a minute or so. Add the softened vegetables to a bowl with the breadcrumbs, cheddar, paprika, pepper and add the beans. Get your hands in and crush the beans as much as you can. Leaving some a bit whole is ok but the more you mash, the better they will stay together. You might want to use a food processor to do this if your child is very young and you're doing this as a baby led weaning style recipe. Add in the egg and mix to combine.
Allow to sit for a bit to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb a bit of the moisture then shape into patties or whatever you like and put them on some baking paper or greased greaseproof. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Spray with some spray oil and cook in oven at 200oC for 25 mins or until browned and cooked through. Serve in a bun or with some vegetables. Potato wedges might be good here.
Unfortunately as soon as I came up with this recipe and as it was resting in the fridge waiting to cook, my son came down with a tummy bug (so it's unrelated before you worry). It's an inevitable part of growing up, especially as he attends nursery three days a week but still, the last thing he needs right now is something full of fibre.
I have frozen most of these raw and I'll try defrosting and cooking them to see how they go but I did cook one for my husband and I and both of us thought it was successful, even my meat loving husband!
Kamis, 09 Februari 2012
Coping with Fussy Babies and Toddlers
One of the most common things I read on forums is "my child won't eat fruit and vegetables". I've been really lucky with my son that he pretty much eats all of my creations but he does have days where he shuns the green stuff. On Tuesday he even decided he'd gone off carrots which is probably his favourite vegetable. But kids do this, it's normal. Teething, colds, tiredness, a bad mood; all of these can put a child off track. I am no expert but I suspect some problems start because parents stop offering.
I took part in a twitter discussion the other day hosted by @TheFoodCoachRD. I've got no idea whether my suggestions were seen as good ones by a qualified dietitian but one of the suggestions I had was to hide fruit and vegetables. Now, I don't mean "all the time". I think it's really important to offer fruit and vegetables in their natural forms to avoid them being shunned forever but I also see nothing wrong with sneaking in a few fruit and vegetables into meals as an insurance policy either. It's also not a bad idea as you get older. Meat is often more expensive than fruit and vegetables and you can often get a better overall nutritional balance in a dish by adding some fruit or veg.
So here are a few of my favourite 'hidden' fruit and vegetable recipes which have been a success with my son. Most of them are hugely adaptable too depending on what you have in your fridge or cupboard.
1. Mini meatloaves. I've made lots of variations of these. Beef and courgette, Beef and Pepper (capsicum), Beef, potato and apple or Turkey and courgette. I even made some with pork and grated mushroom ones the other day but it was pretty much the same idea so it seemed pointless to post. Basically they're pretty adaptable, take a look what's in your fridge and get going! Including some grated or chopped vegetables, they turn out to be a little softer than meat on their own would be which makes them more suitable for younger babies.
2. Pancakes. Traditionally not great on the nutritional front but if you include some banana, apple or pear, why not? If you think about it they're cooked in a smear of butter and I would serve them plain (no syrup for babies or toddlers). If you ate a slice of toast instead, not only would it have more fat on it but also no fruit so not the worst idea in the world. I also find they're great as a pudding option too which when you consider you're substituting it for a sugary treat, it makes it a pretty good idea.
3. Bolognaise. You can sneak some fantastically nutritious ingredients into a bolognaise. I normally include livers which are great for vitamin A and iron but courgettes, mushrooms and carrots can also bulk out the tomatoey sauce.
4. Mini muffins. There are sweet options like my sweet potato muffins which contain vegetables and dried fruit or why not try a savoury spinach and feta muffin?
5. Pastry tarts. There's a tomato and goat's cheese tart or why not an apple 'jam' tart without the jam? I don't think we should be afraid of stronger flavours like goat's cheese, after all, my 21 month old will happily eat Parmesan on it's own all day if I'd let him (which I don't.)
6. Pasta. Kids love pasta. Generally anyway. There are loads of things you could try but I find a bit of cream cheese and cheddar makes some vegetables a bit more interesting. One of the first recipes I posted was for mushroom pasta and spinach pasta but you could also do salmon pasta; great for omega 3.
7. Haricot bean and mushroom gratin. It's easy to forget that dried pulses (or their canned counterparts) can count towards your 5 a day (for one portion). Great for fibre content and the mushrooms in this dish mean you've ticked two of the 5 off before you even think about vegetable accompaniments.
8. Risottos. A delicious way to sneak in some vegetables and my slow cooker method for butternut squash risotto takes out the stirring.
9. Bubble and squeak; a great way to use up leftovers and my son spits out sprouts if I serve them any other way. He is of course wrong. Brussel sprouts rock!
10. Savoury welsh cakes a touch of slightly wacky inspiration but pretty successful I feel.
So I hope that's given you some inspiration if you're despairing of your baby or child's lack of love for the fruit or vegetable world. Keep with it, most kids go through their fussy stages at some point so I'm told.
In other news, I've been featured in a couple of blog carnivals; family budgeting have featured me in their blog carnival on thrift and Mid 30's life featured me in their blog carnival. It's cool to be featured on other people's sites and I really appreciate other people welcoming me into their internet 'space'! If you've stumbled over here by way of their sites, thank you for reading further and I hope you enjoy!
I took part in a twitter discussion the other day hosted by @TheFoodCoachRD. I've got no idea whether my suggestions were seen as good ones by a qualified dietitian but one of the suggestions I had was to hide fruit and vegetables. Now, I don't mean "all the time". I think it's really important to offer fruit and vegetables in their natural forms to avoid them being shunned forever but I also see nothing wrong with sneaking in a few fruit and vegetables into meals as an insurance policy either. It's also not a bad idea as you get older. Meat is often more expensive than fruit and vegetables and you can often get a better overall nutritional balance in a dish by adding some fruit or veg.
So here are a few of my favourite 'hidden' fruit and vegetable recipes which have been a success with my son. Most of them are hugely adaptable too depending on what you have in your fridge or cupboard.
1. Mini meatloaves. I've made lots of variations of these. Beef and courgette, Beef and Pepper (capsicum), Beef, potato and apple or Turkey and courgette. I even made some with pork and grated mushroom ones the other day but it was pretty much the same idea so it seemed pointless to post. Basically they're pretty adaptable, take a look what's in your fridge and get going! Including some grated or chopped vegetables, they turn out to be a little softer than meat on their own would be which makes them more suitable for younger babies.
2. Pancakes. Traditionally not great on the nutritional front but if you include some banana, apple or pear, why not? If you think about it they're cooked in a smear of butter and I would serve them plain (no syrup for babies or toddlers). If you ate a slice of toast instead, not only would it have more fat on it but also no fruit so not the worst idea in the world. I also find they're great as a pudding option too which when you consider you're substituting it for a sugary treat, it makes it a pretty good idea.
3. Bolognaise. You can sneak some fantastically nutritious ingredients into a bolognaise. I normally include livers which are great for vitamin A and iron but courgettes, mushrooms and carrots can also bulk out the tomatoey sauce.
4. Mini muffins. There are sweet options like my sweet potato muffins which contain vegetables and dried fruit or why not try a savoury spinach and feta muffin?
5. Pastry tarts. There's a tomato and goat's cheese tart or why not an apple 'jam' tart without the jam? I don't think we should be afraid of stronger flavours like goat's cheese, after all, my 21 month old will happily eat Parmesan on it's own all day if I'd let him (which I don't.)
6. Pasta. Kids love pasta. Generally anyway. There are loads of things you could try but I find a bit of cream cheese and cheddar makes some vegetables a bit more interesting. One of the first recipes I posted was for mushroom pasta and spinach pasta but you could also do salmon pasta; great for omega 3.
7. Haricot bean and mushroom gratin. It's easy to forget that dried pulses (or their canned counterparts) can count towards your 5 a day (for one portion). Great for fibre content and the mushrooms in this dish mean you've ticked two of the 5 off before you even think about vegetable accompaniments.
8. Risottos. A delicious way to sneak in some vegetables and my slow cooker method for butternut squash risotto takes out the stirring.
9. Bubble and squeak; a great way to use up leftovers and my son spits out sprouts if I serve them any other way. He is of course wrong. Brussel sprouts rock!
10. Savoury welsh cakes a touch of slightly wacky inspiration but pretty successful I feel.
So I hope that's given you some inspiration if you're despairing of your baby or child's lack of love for the fruit or vegetable world. Keep with it, most kids go through their fussy stages at some point so I'm told.
In other news, I've been featured in a couple of blog carnivals; family budgeting have featured me in their blog carnival on thrift and Mid 30's life featured me in their blog carnival. It's cool to be featured on other people's sites and I really appreciate other people welcoming me into their internet 'space'! If you've stumbled over here by way of their sites, thank you for reading further and I hope you enjoy!
Senin, 06 Februari 2012
Fish Pie for Babies, Toddlers and the Whole Family
There's something about fish pie which is great when it's so cold outside. It's a warming cuddle of a dish.
The observant reader may realise I've posted a fish pie recipe before but frankly it wasn't a great recipe. It was too vague. I have to apologise. You learn as you go on with blogging and it's always difficult to write a recipe for something you've always carried in your head.
Fish Pie - Serves 2 adults and 1 toddler with quantities given
Ingredients
120g Fresh or frozen salmon
150g White fish, fresh or frozen (I use pollock)
3 Potatoes (approx 600 - 700g), peeled
350ml Full fat milk
40g Smoked salmon trimmings (omit for babies as it bumps up the salt)
1 Tbsp Cornflour
70g Vintage or extra mature cheddar
20g Parmesan or Grana padano (or more cheddar)
Method
Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil until soft, approx 22-24 mins.
If you're using frozen fish, look at the pack instructions, chances are you could poach from frozen, if not, defrost them first. Either way, heat the fish in the milk until it is cooked and flakes easily.
Scoop out the fish. Mix the cornflour with a dash of water then pour into the warm milk stirring all the time. Continue to heat until it thickens. Add in half of the cheddar and take off the heat.
Assemble by mixing the flaked fish, smoked fish and sauce together. Pour into a baking dish.
Mash the potato (I use a potato ricer as it guarantees it's lump free). Top the saucy fish with the mash and then put the remaining cheeses on top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180oC for 20-30 minutes (my oven took nearer 20) or until the sauce is bubbling, everything is hot through and it's lovely and golden on top.
This is a dish for traditional vegetable accompaniments. I'm thinking boiled broccoli, sweetcorn, carrots, that kind of thing. Lovely when you're needing warming up after all that snowman building.
The reason I used smoked salmon trimmings is because they are ridiculously cheap from supermarkets. You can freeze them too and they add a lovely smokey flavour without much cost. Also it's great to have the mix of salmon and pollock because both are a source of Omega 3 'good fats'.
To make this baby friendly, miss out the smoked salmon. For young babies who are on pureed food, puree the fish with some potato, sauce, cheese and a floret of broccoli, maybe an extra splash of milk if it's too thick, there's no need to bake it because everything is cooked. For older babies on mashed food, puree the fish with the sauce then add in the mashed potato and mash up some broccoli. As they get even better with texture, you can finely flake the fish and do the same.
The observant reader may realise I've posted a fish pie recipe before but frankly it wasn't a great recipe. It was too vague. I have to apologise. You learn as you go on with blogging and it's always difficult to write a recipe for something you've always carried in your head.
So, I've finally got back round to writing this recipe and I've included some suggestions for babies too if you're going down the traditional weaning route but this is pretty good as a 'mashed' food for older babies too.
Fish Pie - Serves 2 adults and 1 toddler with quantities given
Ingredients
120g Fresh or frozen salmon
150g White fish, fresh or frozen (I use pollock)
3 Potatoes (approx 600 - 700g), peeled
350ml Full fat milk
40g Smoked salmon trimmings (omit for babies as it bumps up the salt)
1 Tbsp Cornflour
70g Vintage or extra mature cheddar
20g Parmesan or Grana padano (or more cheddar)
Method
Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil until soft, approx 22-24 mins.
If you're using frozen fish, look at the pack instructions, chances are you could poach from frozen, if not, defrost them first. Either way, heat the fish in the milk until it is cooked and flakes easily.
Scoop out the fish. Mix the cornflour with a dash of water then pour into the warm milk stirring all the time. Continue to heat until it thickens. Add in half of the cheddar and take off the heat.
Assemble by mixing the flaked fish, smoked fish and sauce together. Pour into a baking dish.
Mash the potato (I use a potato ricer as it guarantees it's lump free). Top the saucy fish with the mash and then put the remaining cheeses on top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180oC for 20-30 minutes (my oven took nearer 20) or until the sauce is bubbling, everything is hot through and it's lovely and golden on top.
This is a dish for traditional vegetable accompaniments. I'm thinking boiled broccoli, sweetcorn, carrots, that kind of thing. Lovely when you're needing warming up after all that snowman building.
The reason I used smoked salmon trimmings is because they are ridiculously cheap from supermarkets. You can freeze them too and they add a lovely smokey flavour without much cost. Also it's great to have the mix of salmon and pollock because both are a source of Omega 3 'good fats'.
To make this baby friendly, miss out the smoked salmon. For young babies who are on pureed food, puree the fish with some potato, sauce, cheese and a floret of broccoli, maybe an extra splash of milk if it's too thick, there's no need to bake it because everything is cooked. For older babies on mashed food, puree the fish with the sauce then add in the mashed potato and mash up some broccoli. As they get even better with texture, you can finely flake the fish and do the same.
Sabtu, 04 Februari 2012
Yoghurt Pancakes for babies and toddlers
...and parents.
A delicious impromptu variation on my previous pancake recipe. The yogurt adds a touch of sourness which is delicious against the syrup but they're also delicious on their own.
Yoghurt Pancakes for Babies and Toddlers - Makes loads
Ingredients
225g SR Flour
1 apple, grated (with skin) leaving the core and any stalk
1 pear, grated (with skin) leaving the core and stalk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g yoghurt
150ml milk
A lump of unsalted butter
Syrup (optional)
Light muscovado sugar (or other brown or white sugar as you prefer)
A sprinkling of ground cinnamon
Water
A knob of butter
Method
Add all the flour, fruit, vanilla, yoghurt and milk to a blender and puree until no floury lumps remain (use a knife to scrape up any lumps if there are any and reprocess).
Heat the pan, then scoop up the butter into a piece of greaseproof paper and rub it over the pan. Pour in some batter until it's the size you want and then cook until the bubbles are bursting on the top before flipping. It takes a bit of trial and error to get the right temperature but I tend to go a little lower than other cooks would as I find it makes the pancake set better.
While you're cooking the pancakes, you can make the syrup if you're using it. I have to apologise because I never measure quantities on this. I normally use white sugar but had none in the house so tried some light muscovado and it was lovely. I normally add some sugar and a splash of water then heat on the hob, add the cinnamon when the sugar has dissolved and then wait until it starts bubbling up in the pan then take off the heat and whisk in the butter.
It might sound a bit old fashioned but I tend to serve Mr and Toddler Mamacook with these (syrup for Mr, no syrup for toddler) then cook the rest and eat some at the end. I know my son likes pancakes because he says "ooh cakes" every time I give them to him. The good thing is they will probably freeze well (not tried them from the freezer yet but all other pancakes I've ever made have frozen well) so you only have to get stuck by the hob once and then have loads in the freezer for snacks, breakfasts and puddings.
I'm really impressed with this recipe. It's not just the overwhelming sweet, sticky, trashiness that pancakes can be, the inclusion of fruit and yoghurt alongside the sweet syrup brings that contrast. I loved it anyway and so did my son. My husband said "yeah it's all good but the syrup overpowers the pancakes".
He is of course wrong.
A delicious impromptu variation on my previous pancake recipe. The yogurt adds a touch of sourness which is delicious against the syrup but they're also delicious on their own.
Yoghurt Pancakes for Babies and Toddlers - Makes loads
Ingredients
225g SR Flour
1 apple, grated (with skin) leaving the core and any stalk
1 pear, grated (with skin) leaving the core and stalk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g yoghurt
150ml milk
A lump of unsalted butter
Syrup (optional)
Light muscovado sugar (or other brown or white sugar as you prefer)
A sprinkling of ground cinnamon
Water
A knob of butter
Method
Add all the flour, fruit, vanilla, yoghurt and milk to a blender and puree until no floury lumps remain (use a knife to scrape up any lumps if there are any and reprocess).
Heat the pan, then scoop up the butter into a piece of greaseproof paper and rub it over the pan. Pour in some batter until it's the size you want and then cook until the bubbles are bursting on the top before flipping. It takes a bit of trial and error to get the right temperature but I tend to go a little lower than other cooks would as I find it makes the pancake set better.
While you're cooking the pancakes, you can make the syrup if you're using it. I have to apologise because I never measure quantities on this. I normally use white sugar but had none in the house so tried some light muscovado and it was lovely. I normally add some sugar and a splash of water then heat on the hob, add the cinnamon when the sugar has dissolved and then wait until it starts bubbling up in the pan then take off the heat and whisk in the butter.
It might sound a bit old fashioned but I tend to serve Mr and Toddler Mamacook with these (syrup for Mr, no syrup for toddler) then cook the rest and eat some at the end. I know my son likes pancakes because he says "ooh cakes" every time I give them to him. The good thing is they will probably freeze well (not tried them from the freezer yet but all other pancakes I've ever made have frozen well) so you only have to get stuck by the hob once and then have loads in the freezer for snacks, breakfasts and puddings.
I'm really impressed with this recipe. It's not just the overwhelming sweet, sticky, trashiness that pancakes can be, the inclusion of fruit and yoghurt alongside the sweet syrup brings that contrast. I loved it anyway and so did my son. My husband said "yeah it's all good but the syrup overpowers the pancakes".
He is of course wrong.
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