Cherry yogurt smoothie April 05 2018, 0 Comments

I love having frozen fruit in the freezer to make smoothies whenever I want and it saves so much waste too. 

Ingredients:

12 frozen cherries
2-3 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
10-12 blueberries
100g natural yogurt

squeeze of lime

Optional Extras:
1 tsp chia seeds

Method:

Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. 

The above ingredients will make approximately 2 servings in our 140ml pouches 

Great for adults and kids!!

Carrot and Courgette Cheesy Bites April 04 2018, 1 Comment

These tasty cheesy bites are brilliant for a snack or for lunch or even breakfast. Perfect for weaning, toddlers or even older children.

Ingredients - makes 12-16

2 large eggs beaten

200g grated carrot and Broccoli (total weight)

100ml water

80g Mature Cheddar Cheese

80g Oat Flour (or blitz 80g of oats)

Making the Bites

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C

Add the grated veg into a microwaveable bowl with 100ml of water. Add a plate on top and microwave on full power for 3 minutes.

Drain the vegetables and allow them to cool a little then place them in the center of a clean cloth. Squeeze the water out so the vegetables are quite dry.

Mix all the ingredients together in another bowl and then spoon onto a baking sheet on a baking tray and press down to create little patties. You can also use a cookie cutter to help create shapes. The mixture doesn't spread much.

Bake for 12-16 minutes until the edges are crispy

These will keep in the fridge for 48 hours or you can freeze once cooled.

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Kiwi, Pineapple and apple Green Smoothie March 28 2018, 0 Comments

This refreshing smoothie is a beautiful light green coloured smoothie bursting with Vitamins so a great option if your little ones don’t like a really dark green smoothie. The pineapple keeps it refreshing and tropical!  A good source of dietary fibre, healthy fats and Vitamin C.  It tastes delicious too! 

Ingredients:

1 ripe Kiwi’s peeled
100g pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)
1 small/medium apple
Half a small avocado

5-6 cm chunk cucumber (skin on)
40-60ml liquid (water, coconut water or apple juice)

Optional Extras:
1 tsp chia seeds

Method:

Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. 

The above ingredients will make approximately 3 servings in our 140ml pouches or 2 servings in our 200ml pouches.

Great for adults and kids!!

No Sugar Fluffy Pancakes February 13 2018, 0 Comments

This is my go to pancake recipe to make lovely fluffy no sugar pancakes for the kids. I am happy to eat these as they are or with fruit and maple syrup on top. I like using Greek yogurt in pancakes and can't help but throw in a few Chia seeds to boot!

Ingredients

1 large egg

110g self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

75g greek yogurt or natural yogurt

75ml semi skimmed milk (or other milk)

1 tsp chia seeds (optional)

1 pinch salt (optional)

10ml olive oil + more for the pan

Making pancakes

Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and use a hand blender to mix together. Allow the mixture to sit for 15-20 minutes if you can. It should be quite a think mixture.Pop a frying pan on a medium heat and add a small dribble of oil. Use a brush or kitchen roll to spread it around the pan or use an oil spray if you prefer.

Once the oil is hot enough, pour or spoon some of the mixture into the pan. I like them small. cook until the underside is golden brown and the top stars to bubble a little and then flip over to cook the other side until it's also golden brown. You can also make mini sized pancakes to take out as snacks in our reusable snack bags.

Serve with fruit, maple syrup, lemon & sugar or your favourite spread! My daughter loves jam on hers! 

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Healthier Chocolate mini muffins January 26 2018, 0 Comments

These are super healthy Chocolate muffins. They are NOT sugar free as where's the fun in that! They are a cake after all but they do contain a good chunk of avocado and some Omega 3 rich Quinoa Flour. 

Muffin Ingredients - makes 12-16

2 large eggs

1 weetabix

1 medium avocado (flesh only obvs)

1 tbsp olive oil

60g Quinoa Flour*

60g Self Raising Flour**

2 and a half tbsp cocoa (just do 2 if you don't want it quite so dark)

4 tbsp honey (60ml)

2 tbp Sugar 

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarb of soda

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

chocolate chips - I used some milk chocolate ones to contrast with the darker cake.

*this should work with other flours too. I really wanted to use Quinoa flour due to it's Omega 3 and protein content. 

**replace self raising flour with another flour to make these Gluten free. My first attempt was all Quinoa flour and they didn't raise as much but I will try this again and update!

Making the Muffins

preheat the oven to 180 degrees C

Throw everything apart from the choc chips into a large bowl and then mix together with a hand whisk or pop it in the food processor.

Line a cupcake tin with paper cake cases and spoon in the cake mix. Add a few choc chips on the top of each

Bake for 15-20 minutes

How long these stay fresh for or if they freeze well hasn't yet been tested. They keep being eaten before I can test. Do let me know what you think!!! 

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Banana, strawberry, spinach and avo Smoothie August 12 2017, 0 Comments

A super healthy smoothie bursting with Vitamins and antioxidants as well as iron and healthy fats. Recipe with thanks to @Baby_led_weaning_club on Instagram.

Ingredients:

1 medium banana
150g strawberries
handful spinach
half a small avocado
40-60ml liquid (water, coconut water or apple juice)

optional extras:
1 tsp chia seeds

Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. 

The above ingredients will make approximately 3 servings in our 140ml pouches or 2 servings in our 200ml pouches.

Great for adults and kids!!

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Orange, Mango and Pineapple smoothie August 12 2017, 0 Comments

This recipe was loosely copied from an Innocent Smoothie but I found it lacking in actual blended fruit so we now make our own version. I have also added avocado to provide some extra healthy fats.

Ingredients:

1 small ripe banana

40g pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)

40g Mango chunks (fresh or frozen)

Half a peach (or a few frozen slices)

150ml orange juice (freshly squeezed or store-bought juice)

Half a small avocado (1/4 of a larger avocado)

optional extras:
1 tsp chia seeds

Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. 

The above ingredients will make approximately 3 servings in our 140ml pouches or 2 servings in our 200ml pouches.

Great for adults and kids!!

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Chicken Avocado and spinach Puree June 16 2017, 0 Comments

I love this combination of ingredients in a salad or on a sandwich. This baby puree is full of antioxidants and vitamins and has a good portion of Iron which is important for your baby after 6 months. If you are baby led weaning this would be lovely on toast or as a dip especially if your little one isn't yet enjoying the texture of chicken as a finger food. 

This is a super nutritious puree ideal for after first tastes. 

Ingredients

1/2 large avocado

70g cooked chicken breast or thigh*

1 handful spinach (about 20g)

50ml baby's usual milk or whole milk

remove the avocado from the skin and chop up roughly and place in a small bowl. Roughly chop the chicken and add to the bowl. add the spinach and the milk also to the bowl. Using a stick blender blend the ingredients until smooth. 

*This is great to make when you have some chicken leftovers but if you want to start with raw chicken just chop up into 2cm thick slices and add to a small frying pan. Add 1cm depth of water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently with a lid on for around 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Leave to cool a little before adding to the other ingredients and blending.

I serve this cool but you can also serve it warm.

Divide the puree between 2 - 3 pouches depending on your baby's appetite.

Keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours or in the freezer for 1 month.

7 months+

Kiwi, Pineapple and Mango Green smoothie June 11 2017, 0 Comments

This summer smoothie is bursting with Vitamins and antioxidants. A brilliant source of dietary fibre, healthy fats and Vitamin C.  It tastes delicious too!!

Ingredients:

1 ripe Kiwi’s peeled
100g pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)
100g Mango chinks (fresh or frozen)
half a small avocado

handful of spinash leaves
40-60ml liquid (water, coconut water or apple juice)

optional extras:
1 tsp chia seeds

Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.

The above ingredients will make approximately 3 servings in our 140ml pouches or 2 servings in our 200ml pouches.

Great for adults and kids!!

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Home-made nut & seed bars June 21 2016, 0 Comments

My husband and I love nut bars but they are expensive and full of sugars so we've been experimenting with this recipe for a while now. This usually makes enough for a weeks worth of nut & seed bars for the both of us....feel free to mix up the ingredients and experiment for yourself!

30g Butter / margarine / coconut oil (whatever you prefer - we use flora)

60g peanut butter

100g honey

75g Pumpkin seeds

50g Sunflower seeds

20g linseed seeds

10g sesame seeds

10g chia seeds

50g chopped almonds (or chopped mixed nuts)

30g Rolled oats

30g Rice crispies / puffs

15g Amarynth Puffs (optional - found in Whole Foods)

Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees

Gently heat the Butter, peanut butter and around 3/4's of the honey in a pan until it's liquid. Turn off the heat.

Add the other ingredients bit by bit and mix in until they are all coated.

Add the rest of the honey as needed. 

Line a mini loaf tin with grease proof paper (see photo above - I usually cut the paper into long strips to use for multiple bars and then cut in between after cooking). Fill each hole with the mixture. Press down with the back of a spoon so the mixture is tightly packed and even.

Place the loaf tin in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. You don't really want them to brown - just heat enough to hold the bar together.

Allow to cool before lifting each loaf out of the tin using the paper. Keep in an air tight tin and try not to eat them all at once!

We find that these really help to keep us from snacking.

Enjoy!

Salmon Fish Cakes May 12 2016, 0 Comments

My kids adore these fish cakes and I love the fact that they are eating so much salmon. The great thing with tinned salmon is that it's currently reasonably priced and it still contains all of it's goodness and Omega-3 fats.  I try to make something with potato the day before I make these so I can use leftover mash for them.

1 tin salmon (pink or red) (I usually remove the harder bones and dark skin)

1 small potato peeled, cooked and mashed

1 tblsp Philadelphia or other soft cheese (I like to add a little finely grated cheddar cheese too)

2 eggs beaten

breadcrumbs (1-2 slices of bread)

2-3 tblsp plain flour

black pepper and parsley is optional

In a bowl mash the salmon and potato together and add the Philedelphia and half of the beaten eggs (i.e. 1 egg). Also add any of the seasonings at this point. Once well combined, take a spoonfuls of mixture and roll into balls. flatten each ball to half an inch 

To make the breadcrumbs you can add slices of bread into a warm oven for 10-15 minutes, wait to cool and then add to a blender for a few short blasts.

To add the breadcrumbs first coat each fish cake patty in flour, then dip into the beaten egg and then dip into the breadcrumbs.

Shallow fry in a light olive oil until golden brown.

serve with salad or veg. We like them with pea and soya bean puree, the kids version of mushy peas!

super red smoothie May 05 2016, 0 Comments

I love using beetroot in smoothies. The colour is just amazing and it's so healthy and full antioxidants. You can taste it's earthy flavour in this smoothie but it's not overpowering so it's great for kids. This recipe is also low in sugars and could also handle a few spinach leaves thrown in if you fancy!

Ingredients:
1 small cooked beetroot (I use the ready cooked ones NOT in vinegar)
5 strawberries
1 apple peeled and cored
half a small avocado
squeeze of lime + 40-60ml liquid (water, coconut water or apple juice)

optional extras:
1 tsp chia seeds

Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.

The above ingredients will make approximately 3 servings in our 140ml pouches or 2 servings in our 200ml pouches.

Great for adults and kids!!

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