I've gone a bit muffin mad recently! However, if I can encourage you to try one savoury muffin recipe; try this. This is the business. An obvious flavour combination inspired by spanakopita but in a soft, squishable muffin which is easy for a baby or toddler to eat.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Quesadillas - ok for adults, 12 months plus or baby led weaners
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
The joy of bread
Recently I've had my eyes opened to just how tasteless most of the bread we eat in the UK is. A craft bakery bread is a truly fantastic thing.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Yoghurt Panna Cotta - ok for babies (if allowing a small amount of sugar)
I must apologise for the lack of posts, this week and weekend was a busy one.
Anyway, my son is gradually cutting back on the breastfeeds. We did drop the morning one only to reinstate it due to teething. Still, it won't be long all working well and I do worry about the lack of dairy in his diet sometimes. He's no longer a fan of yoghurt. It used to be that he'd happily eat plain yoghurt or one of my flavoured varieties but no longer. He doesn't like the commercial ones (I did try) and so I'm a bit stuck on the dairy front.
Anyway, my son is gradually cutting back on the breastfeeds. We did drop the morning one only to reinstate it due to teething. Still, it won't be long all working well and I do worry about the lack of dairy in his diet sometimes. He's no longer a fan of yoghurt. It used to be that he'd happily eat plain yoghurt or one of my flavoured varieties but no longer. He doesn't like the commercial ones (I did try) and so I'm a bit stuck on the dairy front.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
My son is 1! (And cheese scones!)
Hi all! I can't believe it! My son is 1 year old!
This time, last year, I was sat in my lounge thinking "why won't the contractions get closer together?" and getting frustrated (our birth centre had told us to wait till they were 3 mins apart.) Luckily we decided at about 3pm that they were getting stronger so it was worth going in. We got there at 3:30pm to find I was 10cm dilated and my son was born at 4:15pm in a birthing pool with gas and air.
Oh if I could go back to me sat in that lounge. What would I say? Maybe "don't be worried about the birth but the sleep deprivation is a killer!"
Anyway, worry ye not, I intend to continue blogging with child friendly foods and I will keep thinking on suitable foods for babies as well as my little toddler!
This recipe I have to admit I adapted from one I found on the internet but I can't remember where I found it so sorry, if this is your recipe, I nicked it! Please comment and I'd be happy to acknowledge the source! It would be suitable for adults or babies who are on finger foods (or baby led weaners). There's a small amount of salt from the cheese and some sodium from the raising agent in the flour but probably not excessive.
Cheese and Herb Scones - Makes Approx 10 - 12 depending on size
Ingredients
8oz Self Raising Flour
1 and a half oz Unsalted Butter
1 tsp chopped herbs (I used thyme)
2 oz grated extra mature cheddar
1/4 pt full fat milk
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Rub the butter and flour together until they resemble breadcrumbs. (You can do all of this in a food processor btw.) Stir in cheese and herbs. Add enough milk to come together as a dough, you won't need it all so add it slowly. Kneed briefly then press or roll out into a layer about 1.5cm thick. Cut into pieces either using a cutter or cutting into sticks (which younger babies particularly might find easier.) Brush with some of the remaining milk* and bake for 12-15 mins until risen and brown.
Good for snacks or as part of a lunch as an alternative to sandwiches.
* For older children and adults it might be nice to add an additional sprinkle of cheese onto the top at this point.
This time, last year, I was sat in my lounge thinking "why won't the contractions get closer together?" and getting frustrated (our birth centre had told us to wait till they were 3 mins apart.) Luckily we decided at about 3pm that they were getting stronger so it was worth going in. We got there at 3:30pm to find I was 10cm dilated and my son was born at 4:15pm in a birthing pool with gas and air.
Oh if I could go back to me sat in that lounge. What would I say? Maybe "don't be worried about the birth but the sleep deprivation is a killer!"
Anyway, worry ye not, I intend to continue blogging with child friendly foods and I will keep thinking on suitable foods for babies as well as my little toddler!
This recipe I have to admit I adapted from one I found on the internet but I can't remember where I found it so sorry, if this is your recipe, I nicked it! Please comment and I'd be happy to acknowledge the source! It would be suitable for adults or babies who are on finger foods (or baby led weaners). There's a small amount of salt from the cheese and some sodium from the raising agent in the flour but probably not excessive.
Cheese and Herb Scones - Makes Approx 10 - 12 depending on size
Ingredients
8oz Self Raising Flour
1 and a half oz Unsalted Butter
1 tsp chopped herbs (I used thyme)
2 oz grated extra mature cheddar
1/4 pt full fat milk
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Rub the butter and flour together until they resemble breadcrumbs. (You can do all of this in a food processor btw.) Stir in cheese and herbs. Add enough milk to come together as a dough, you won't need it all so add it slowly. Kneed briefly then press or roll out into a layer about 1.5cm thick. Cut into pieces either using a cutter or cutting into sticks (which younger babies particularly might find easier.) Brush with some of the remaining milk* and bake for 12-15 mins until risen and brown.
Good for snacks or as part of a lunch as an alternative to sandwiches.
* For older children and adults it might be nice to add an additional sprinkle of cheese onto the top at this point.
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Restaurants and No Added Sugar Sweet Potato and Sultana Muffins
I understand the world is not as excited about my son as I am, I really do. I was never a 'baby person' before I had a child but for the second time in recent weeks I had lunch out and felt a 'frosty' atmosphere from a member of staff.
The reason is that my son drops a lot of stuff. He can feed himself with his hands now but you know what restaurant high chairs are like, they never have a tray (and if they do, it's rarely one you'd want anyone to eat off) so there's nothing for him to rest the food on and so he drops it, then thinks "this is fun..." So I was moving the food out of the main walkways so it didn't cause an accident as carefully and discretely as I could but it seemed to be as soon as we started trying to feed our son, all the waiting staff in the restaurant seemed to want to hover in the general area.
I was so frustrated. The restaurant had chosen to place us where they did and they can't expect a baby to eat neatly surely? There were plenty of other tables in quieter areas. I have no idea why they sat us where they did.
So by the time our food arrived, our son started to calm down but I was on edge and didn't really enjoy it. It was so annoying.
I can understand it's annoying and potentially a health and safety hazard for the waiting staff but you don't have to make the parents feel bad and point it out. There are discreet ways of dealing with it. It made me want to very publicly breastfeed him instead. I can't imagine that would have made them any happier.
Anyway, on with the recipe. Apologies for the lack of visual delights, my camera has gone to silicon heaven, may he rest in peace. Hopefully we will be back to normal service soon. - Yay! Finally attached a (bad) photo!
This recipe hasn't got any bicarbonate of soda in it and I don't know if I'm particularly sensitive to the flavour but I find the ones with bicarbonate of soda have a slight salty astringency which I find unpleasant. Certainly I'm more keen on the flavour of these but they aren't the most beautiful looking; the lack of sugar makes them a little pale but the flavour is good.
No Added Sugar Sweet Potato and Sultana Mini Muffins (made approx 10-12)
Ingredients
100g Sweet Potato, grated
2 eggs
4 tbsp milk
100g sultanas
2 tbsp vegetable oil
150g SR flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 - 220 degrees centigrade.
Mix the egg, sweet potato, sultanas, milk and oil. Put the flour and spices in a bowl then add the wet mixture mixing (don't overmix). Put a generous dsp into cupcake cases and bake for 15-17 minutes or until cooked (check to see if they spring back when pressed on the top.)
(Freeze well.)
Quick tip; the flavour is better and they taste sweeter somehow if you grate the potato finely. I have a medium 'microplane style' grater which I use but I found if I used a coarser one, although they were still nice they weren't as good.
The reason is that my son drops a lot of stuff. He can feed himself with his hands now but you know what restaurant high chairs are like, they never have a tray (and if they do, it's rarely one you'd want anyone to eat off) so there's nothing for him to rest the food on and so he drops it, then thinks "this is fun..." So I was moving the food out of the main walkways so it didn't cause an accident as carefully and discretely as I could but it seemed to be as soon as we started trying to feed our son, all the waiting staff in the restaurant seemed to want to hover in the general area.
I was so frustrated. The restaurant had chosen to place us where they did and they can't expect a baby to eat neatly surely? There were plenty of other tables in quieter areas. I have no idea why they sat us where they did.
So by the time our food arrived, our son started to calm down but I was on edge and didn't really enjoy it. It was so annoying.
I can understand it's annoying and potentially a health and safety hazard for the waiting staff but you don't have to make the parents feel bad and point it out. There are discreet ways of dealing with it. It made me want to very publicly breastfeed him instead. I can't imagine that would have made them any happier.
Anyway, on with the recipe. Apologies for the lack of visual delights, my camera has gone to silicon heaven, may he rest in peace. Hopefully we will be back to normal service soon. - Yay! Finally attached a (bad) photo!
This recipe hasn't got any bicarbonate of soda in it and I don't know if I'm particularly sensitive to the flavour but I find the ones with bicarbonate of soda have a slight salty astringency which I find unpleasant. Certainly I'm more keen on the flavour of these but they aren't the most beautiful looking; the lack of sugar makes them a little pale but the flavour is good.
No Added Sugar Sweet Potato and Sultana Mini Muffins (made approx 10-12)
Ingredients
100g Sweet Potato, grated
2 eggs
4 tbsp milk
100g sultanas
2 tbsp vegetable oil
150g SR flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 - 220 degrees centigrade.
Mix the egg, sweet potato, sultanas, milk and oil. Put the flour and spices in a bowl then add the wet mixture mixing (don't overmix). Put a generous dsp into cupcake cases and bake for 15-17 minutes or until cooked (check to see if they spring back when pressed on the top.)
(Freeze well.)
Quick tip; the flavour is better and they taste sweeter somehow if you grate the potato finely. I have a medium 'microplane style' grater which I use but I found if I used a coarser one, although they were still nice they weren't as good.
Sunday, 1 May 2011
'Quiche' frittata for babies
I don't feed my son many eggs eu naturelle and I worry he's getting enough protein some days as he suddenly decides he doesn't like something he's had before (beef stew has been receiving less than glowing reviews of late).
