Category Archives: Recipes

Christmas – the one time of year I actually enjoy baking with my child

01 Monday Dec 2014

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When I was pregnant with my first daughter I imagined cosy afternoons in the kitchen with my child, whipping up a batch of fairy cakes and sausage rolls. I’ve always enjoyed baking and my love of the kitchen comes into its own around this time of year.

But then I experienced the reality of baking with a toddler: every square inch of kitchen surface covered in flour, smashed eggs on the floor and, ultimately, a tantrum because the cakes can’t be eaten IMMEDIATELY – they actually need to go in the oven first. (Sidenote: that CBeebies I Can Cook show has a lot to answer for, cooking with kids is NEVER that easy.)

Baking with kids

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Five easy pumpkin recipe ideas

27 Monday Oct 2014

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Pumpkin carving

We are big fans of Halloween in this house. In fact, this time of year is one of our favourites – log fire burning, crisp autumn walks and cosy nights looking forward to Christmas. Halloween sort of signals the beginning of that delicious period of anticipation for us.

I’ve carved a pumpkin every year since Frog was tiny. In fact, even before she was born I used to buy a pumpkin and carve it, before lighting a candle inside and putting it in the window. The picture above was taken when Frog was around 15 or 16 months old (before anyone chastises me for leaving a baby near a lit candle – it was moved out of her reach as soon as this photo was taken).

Anyway, one thing I’ve learned over the years is that pumpkins have a lot of flesh. And, if you’re not careful, once you’ve carved your pumpkin you can end up throwing a heck of a lot of it away. In keeping with the Organix #NoJunk Challenge I thought I’d share some of our favourite recipes for the bits of the pumpkin that could end up in the bin. These are tasty, delicious and – most importantly – healthy. Plus, our four year old loves them as much as we do.  Continue reading »

Packed lunches for parents who have better things to do

01 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by in Recipes, Weaning and eating

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When my daughter started pre-school last September the thing she was most excited about was her lunch. Ironically, this was also the thing I was least excited about. Making a packed lunch regularly was never going to make it to the top of my list of favourite things to do with my time.

pre-school

This is her this time last year, on her first day at pre-school. The night before I’d made her a packed lunch to take with her. It was my first foray into the realm of lunchboxes and it’s fair to say I didn’t enjoy making it. Call me a bad mother, but I think there are SO many things more exciting than putting together a packed lunch. Continue reading »

My School Meal Memories

28 Thursday Aug 2014

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I can still remember my first day at school. I was almost a whole year older than Frog will be when she starts school, having been born at the other end of the academic year. But I was still nervous, gripping my mum’s hand tightly on the short walk up the road.

As we sat on the floor for registration our new teacher asked us who was having school dinners. I had my lunch money in a special coin holder. I’d been given it on a family holiday to North Wales on a day trip to Anglesey Zoo. It was bright red and had a cord that went round your neck. My shiny coins clinked as I walked to the front of the classroom and handed the cash over. “Bring it in an envelope with your name on tomorrow,” said my teacher.

I wasn’t too bothered about school dinners. I can remember soggy pizza and semolina and being told to “eat it all up” by stern dinner ladies. We didn’t have the “clear your plate rule” at home, so it all felt a bit… scary. My prevailing memory of school includes packed lunches made lovingly by my mum, often including notes or stickers. School dinners became a rare occurrence, and I was OK with that.  Continue reading »

A beach picnic

04 Monday Aug 2014

Posted by in Family, Recipes, Seasonal

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Beach picnicHave you ever noticed your child eats more and is open to a wider variety of food when they’re eating in a different environment? This is definitely the case with my own four year old.

She’s not fussy when it comes to food, but lunchtimes often seem to be a bit of a battle. I think it’s a mixture of tiredness, boredom about what she’s eating and an eagerness to get on and play. But when we have a picnic she’s almost always more interested in what’s on her plate.

When Organix asked if I was interested in taking part in their next #NoJunk Challenge it was a big yes – all I had to do, they said, was go on a picnic. I was keen to prove that picnics can be a great time to introduce kids to new foods, so I said yes. Yesterday, we put that theory to the test.

We’re on holiday in Cornwall at the moment, staying in a beautiful corner of the county called Crantock, just on the edge of Newquay. Crantock Beach is a huge sandy beach, with a lagoon area perfect for little ones to splash about in. It’s also the perfect spot for a picnic. Continue reading »

Changing habits – the No Junk Challenge

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by in Family, Health, Recipes

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Healthy eating

We like food in our house. Food is right up there with sunshine and holidays, as far as we’re concerned. We also rather like cooking, and the odd bit of baking too.

When Frog was tiny we went down the Baby-led Weaning route. She’s always been fiercely independent and wouldn’t even let me put a spoonful of medicine in her mouth, so the thought of battling with purees terrified me.

This means that Frog has always eaten what we’ve eaten. The idea of cooking a separate tea for her and then cooking again later in the evening did not appeal to my lazy side.  Continue reading »

A solution to the witching hour cooking problem

23 Thursday Jan 2014

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What’s your worst time of day as a parent? For me, it’s that dreaded period between 4pm and 5.30pm. The so-called “witching hour”.

In our house, witching hour goes something like this: I get the ingredients out to start cooking tea. Frog wants milk. I get her milk, to keep her out of the way while I cook tea. I chop up a carrot. Frog wants chocolate. I say no. Frog has a tantrum. I attempt to finish up chopping said carrot while heating oil in the pan. My phone rings. I need to send an urgent work email. Frog is still having a tantrum. The carrot is still waiting to be chopped. Continue reading »

My cure for feeling sorry for myself

25 Thursday Apr 2013

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Easy chicken noodle soupThe sun is shining, everyone’s enjoying themselves outside and I’m… ill.

I’ve been feeling sorry for myself all day today with blocked sinuses (ow) and a constantly streaming nose. Although I don’t remember my mum making me chicken noodle soup when I was poorly as a child, I do remember her making other soups. There’s nothing like the feeling of comfort from a homemade soup, even if it hasn’t been made by your mum.

Yesterday we had roast chicken with salad for tea. As I was feeling pretty rotten, I started off making a chicken soup for the following day, but ended up abandoning it in favour of my bed at 5.30pm. Continue reading »