Sweet Couscous with Sultanas

An alternative to the rice pudding recipe here, not as rich but ok and quick to make.  This was inspired by a recipe in 365 Recipes for Babies Toddlers and Children.  

Can I encourage you to grow your own?

I have one of the tiniest gardens in the world and this year I've hardly done anything in it, what with being a tad busy with my son but it surprised even me just how bountiful my garden has been despite the lack of care and attention.

Sugar Free Little Ginger Cakes

Well I suppose they're really no added sugar ginger cakes as there's sugar in the fruit but using fruit purees is a method I've heard of (and used) before to cut down on sugar in cooking, it also normally means you can cut down on the fat too as the fruit puree adds a lot of moisture.  


Slight warning, these may look a bit ho-hum but they're slightly addictive when warm.  They might not make it into your little one!

Potato Pancakes

It is the life of a blogger to permanently feel guilty for not posting.  Well, sorry it's been a while.  I've been cooking old favourites at home like apple and sultana muffins and bolognaise so new recipes have been a little thin on the ground.  


I came up with these though as a way of using up an extra jacket potato I'd cooked thinking "I'll make something for pumpkin".

Very well received by my son.  I thought they were a little bland and may experiment next time adding some cheese but they would be great finger food for little babies.

No Added Sugar Mousse

I'd had the idea for a mousse in my mind for a while which is probably where the fool idea came from.  I didn't really want to use cream though; yoghurt is healthier and has the benefit of the good bacteria for my son's gut so I wanted to use that.  Although I am a chemist in my former life and have worked for years in the food industry; having my son has made me more wary about the ingredients I chose or chose not to give him.  I don't know what you all think but have a look at a packet mousse next time you're in the supermarket and see if you would prefer the three ingredients in my Juice Mousse!

Blackberry Fool for Toddlers

It seems that every year the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness gets earlier.  Nothing says 'autumn' to me like wild blackberries (brambles).  It is the novice forager's joy.  What I didn't know until very recently is that there are lots of varieties of wild bramble, obvious really I suppose considering you can still find the fruits in October.

Scrambled Eggs for Babies and Toddlers

I would hesitate normally to include such a simple recipe but if the numbers of people who buy ready meals and ready prepared children's foods are anything to go by, perhaps there is a lack of knowledge and / or fear that eggs are not nutritious or should not be eaten in large quantities.  It used to be recommended to eat no more than 2-3 a week because of the cholesterol content but it's been found in recent years that the kind of cholesterol found in egg doesn't really impact your cholesterol levels in your blood.  

Rice Pudding for Babies and Toddlers; a lesson in health and safety...

I have gone through hours of research, three attempts and a burned hand for this recipe.  If someone tells me it's not healthy (look, I know) then frankly I will put my burned fingers in my ear and go "la, la, la" until you shut up!!!  Ok, it contains cream but it also only contains natural sugars.  

Meatloaf For Babies and Toddlers

I've been bumbling around thinking about making the little pumpkin some mini meatloaves for a while.  I'd not found a recipe though I was happy with so I've come up with my own.

The result?  Went down well with pumpkin, he ate maybe two of them which is a decent sized portion (I had offered more and then I realised as I was offering half a mix, it was probably more of an adult sized portion than a child one).  I'm not sure the recipe is perfect yet.  I think there is some room for improvement but certainly an acceptable and well received result.  You could serve for older kids with some tomato ketchup.

Apple and Sultana Jalousie for Toddlers

I had some puff pastry which needed using up after making the tomato and goats cheese tart and so came up with this recipe.  It's a bit like a strudel but there are two reasons I wouldn't make a proper strudel for babies; one is I don't have the time nor inclination to make proper strudel pastry (which isn't filo btw, drives me nuts when I see something called a strudel when it's made with filo pastry) and also the result is somewhat firmer and so a bit more difficult to eat for your average child without molars.  Puff pastry although not soft, crumbles easily making it more melt in the mouth.

Although I've only suggested it's for toddlers, there's no sugar in this recipe so I'll leave it up to you whether you'd offer it to a younger child.  No idea how well it will freeze but my gut feel is I'll defrost in the fridge then warm through in the oven before cooling down to a safe temperature.

Tomato and Goats Cheese Tart

A variation on the tomato and brie tart but I've got a photo this time and another puff pastry recipe coming up so I feel justified to post again.  I also love a recipe which has 4 ingredients and yet tastes like so much more.

Salmon Pasta Salad

I guess this is for grown ups but there is really no reason why toddlers can't have it or younger if they're ok with tangy flavours.

Salmon and Broccoli Pasta Recipe for Babies and Toddlers

It's very difficult as a mum either not to become one of the smug "look at little Jemima and her amazing musical skills" as said child shakes a rattle in a not especially musical way "I have her signed up for her grades already..." or not to become one of those people who end up hating on all the boasty mums.  Huh.

Cauliflower Cheese

If you've been a reader from the start you may have a certain sense of deja-vu, however, as is life with these things, you start a blog, you start writing and develop and hopefully improve. Then months down the line you read your initial posts and think "perhaps they need a little work..."  I have occasionally gone back and revised things; sometimes including photos but to make wholesale revisions seems a bit pointless as if I'm honest the earlier threads are barely read by anyone including me so it would only be pandering to my sense of being a perfectionist.