Do you remember how holidays used to be? READ MORE
Chocolate sandwich biscuits
Do you remember how holidays used to be? READ MORE
Pink, pink, pink. What do we think of pink? I remember loving my one posh pink dress as a child. It had a fairytale hill scene appliqued on the front in pink gingham. But the pink dress was for best. Pink was special.
And in my early adulthood, when I was flying the feminist flag highest, pink was a colour I hated. I raged at the army of pink aimed at little girls; pink domestic drudgery toys, pink dress up uniforms for lower paid jobs than the boys, pink clothed Barbie’s with pneumatic breasts and corset tortured waspish waists. If you’d have asked me, I’d have said pink stinks. READ MORE
I made these to be sold at the school sports day. We’re raising money. Well, we’re always raising money aren’t we? It’s what Mums do. READ MORE
I wish I were one of those women who stopped eating when under stress. You know the type – those who eat like a bird, pick at a few carrots. They have snake hips and a slightly worried expression all the time. They talk about their ‘nerves’ a lot.
I am not that woman. READ MORE
Well, it’s still National Picnic week. Have you had a picnic yet? I think we can extend the deadline to include this weekend if you’re pushed for time.
A good picnic must have food that is both fun and delicious in my humble opinion. You can’t just pack up a standard cheese sandwich and expect everyone to get in the picnic mood. That won’t do at all. People expect excellent and imaginative sandwich fillings, some form of crisps and of course a scotch egg, a slice of pork pie, fresh berries (ie/’fun’ fruit) and a cake or flapjack of sorts. (I have never knowingly under-catered).
Did you know it’s National Picnic Week? Now let’s not be all British and moan about the weather. I personally don’t give two hoots about how sunny it is when it comes to eating al fresco; I have been known to pack up warm soupy picnics for snowy sledging trips after all.
If the kids are crying that it really is too rainy then a carpet picnic is a perfect British alternative. Here are my ‘rules’ for a successful indoor picnic:
It’s half term, by today (it being Wednesday) the kids are probably starting to itch for something parent-inspired to do. I say put that Prittstick away! Save that jigsaw for tomorrow and instead get them making their own (and your) dinner. These three recipes provide lots of short term concentration span activities. There’s breaking an egg, there’s crumbling feta cheese, there’s measuring out herbs, there’s scrunching and shaping koftas. No time to get bored, oh no.
Then in the 20 minutes they take to cook there’s shredding (with supervision) vegetables, mixing up coleslaw and blitzing hummus. If your kids are anything like mine they love the opportunity to press the buttons of grown up kitchen equipment. Obviously, watch them like hawks. I know I don’t need to say that but I feel duty bound, in a Mum like fashion.
You can watch the recipe being made on ITV’s This Morning by clicking here.
These crunchy meatballs are seriously moreish. Delicious served with homemade tomato sauce for dipping the meatballs in. Now if you don’t have a picky eater then huge bow to you. I have been blessed with one picky eater and two little chaps who will try pretty much anything. As I am not a woman who wants to cook more than one dinner, but I do want Mr Picky to eat well, this hidden vegetable tomato sauce has become a firm favourite. You can watch the recipe being made on ITV’s This Morning by clicking here.
Someone asked me for a variant on my refined sugar free banana flapjacks. Well I have always been one to respond to polite enquiries, so here they are. Apple and pear flapjacks no less. As they’re (refined) sugar free, baby Lawrence, 11 months, has been chowing down on them with aplomb. At first he wasn’t so keen. I think he was missing the banana flavour, but now he’s all about the apple & pear variety. He bangs his high chair when he sees one about to be unleashed.
I’ve been meaning to put all my weaning recipes in one place, but, well I’ve been busy weaning. Lawrence is now 9 months old and eats pretty much what we eat. I have been asked many times since he was born whether I follow baby led weaning or the purée method and quite honestly I’ve mostly been avoiding the question. It’s just so political.
But here’s the answer; I do a bit of both. Or, strictly speaking, I offer purées with finger foods before quickly progressing to very lumpy purées with finger foods and then just finger foods. So Lawrence has always had a bit of what we’ve had. Unless we’re eating salty, honeyed food doused in booze. (For current guidelines on what you can and can’t feed babies take a look here).
Here are a few of Lawrence’s favourite things:
I think these may be my favourite creation since I began weaning my babies. My youngest son (and his mates) really like them. But please manage your expectations if you’re planning on having a bite. These are refined sugar free. Powered by dried fruit and banana only. So if you’re used to cupcakes, Mars bars and/or ice cream then these will taste decidedly un-treat like. But then you don’t have the unsullied palate of a baby. Recipe here.
This is one of those purées that makes the house smell divine. Lawrence loved it as a first food but now he won’t go near it. He’s not into purées now he’s a big boy don’t you know. So the little bag of ice cubes I had left in the freezer made a delicious courgette layered bake along with a grating of parmesean for Mummy and Daddy. Recipe for the purée is here.
We all enjoy a homemade bread stick in this house, not least when they’ve been coated in grated cheese before baking. I reduced the salt by half in these before making them for Lawrence to eat. If you do this remember that salt inhibits rising. As in, your bread sticks will rise super fast with less salt. Recipe here.
We all love this. It’s tasty, cheesy, veggie rich comfort food. It makes an excellent spread/dip when blended as well as being really good in it’s non mushed up format. Recipe here.
Lawrence finds this easy to hold and is a big pea fan. I personally love a Spanish omelette for the fact they help clear the fridge of odds and ends of vegetables. Recipe here.
I fashion these into croquettes as they’re easier for Lawrence to hold. Recipe here.
All the boys love pancakes, Lawrence especially. They’re very easy for him to shove into his mouth. They’re also very easy to spread with various nutritious dips and spreads. Hummus is a fave. Recipe here.
Anything with parsnip is a big yes here. So these are popular. I serve them with scrambled egg. Recipe here.
This is NOT authentic. I repeat, this is NOT authentic. But it is tasty and it is easy, so it’s a favourite in our house. Recipe here.
Great for the family, especially loved by babies. I like any recipe where I get to bung it in the oven and forget about it. Recipe here.
Remove the salt and off you go. Add any other flavourings you (or your baby) fancy. Recipe here.
Easy to hold, easy to chew on and incredibly moreish. I dare you not to try and snaffle one off your little one’s plate. Recipe here.
I like to think of this as a baby version of apple pie. Without the sugary pie crust. It fills the kitchen with a sweet orchard smell and is loved by Lawrence. Also good mixed with natural yoghurt. Recipe here.
Call them fritters, call them pancakes. Whatever you want to call them, they’re a big hit with babies. They freeze well too. Recipe here.
Take a look here for advice and tips on weaning including a little video I made with Organix.
There’s a whole chapter devoted to feeding kids in my book Recipes from a Normal Mum, out now… on Amazon, The Works, at Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets.
Holly Bell 