Kinder Kitchen Recipes - easy meals for babies, toddlers and young children

2011-12-04T19:30:00.001Z

Biscuit Decorating classes

Edible Christmas Tree Decorations

Join me with your children for some festive fun to decorate biscuits to hang on your Christmas Tree

Each class is structured and:

all biscuits are homemade
all equipment and ingredients are included
gift bags and ribbons are provided to package biscuits
are ideal Christmas pressies

The Arts Depot, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley:

11am on Monday 5th, 12th and 19th December

St John’s Parish Centre, Friern Barnet Road, N11 3BS:
3.45pm on Friday 9th and 16th December

£8 per session

Please contact Natasha on 07734 054 649 to book your child's place

Today' nutritious kids meal recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Eggless all rounder muffins

2011-12-02T18:04:00.001Z

Eggless all rounder muffins

These are great for breakfast, lunch, a snack or tea with a large glass of milk. Easy to make, nutritious and loved by all!

Ingredients:
120g butter at room temperature
40g sugar
250g self-raising wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 bananas, mashed
2 apples, grated
1 carrot, grated
50ml milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 C/gas mark 6

1. Place 12 muffin cases in a muffin tin
2. In a bowl mix the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk for a couple of minutes
3. Next add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, vanilla and milk and mix well for a minute or so. Lastly add all the other ingredients and mix well.
4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin case. (The cases should all be around 2/3rds full) Bake in the oven for around 20/25 minutes

Suggestions:
You can add all kind of ingredients to the basic muffin mixture. If making just savoury, leave out the sugar and add maybe some grated courgette and parsnip.

Comments please

2011-11-30T15:31:00.001Z

Hi there
I hope you are enjoying my blog and use my recipes when you have the time!
I would love to get as much feedback from you as regards to the recipes and advice I put up on here. Your feedback is really valuable to me as I am then able to change, add, amend where necessary and really provide you with practical solutions to all your needs when cooking for you and your family.
Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy cooking
Natasha

Today's nutritious kids meal recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy cabbage pesto

2011-11-29T12:48:00.001Z

Easy cabbage pesto

This is a great alternative to basil pesto and very healthy. Cabbage contains so many nutrients (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_nutrients_are_there_in_cabbage) and mixed with the below ingredients is very yummy added to freshly cooked pasta. A sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan on top will be a winner with little people's taste buds and they won't even be aware of the goodness they are getting.

Ingredients:

8 leaves of cabbage, cooked in boiling water for 4 minutes until tender
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
A handful of pine nuts
Olive oil to loosen

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients into a food processor apart from the oil
2. Turn the processor on and add the oil slowly until you have reached the right consistency
3. Warm it up just before serving and add it to freshly cooked pasta

Today's nutritious kids meal recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy garlic bread

2011-11-28T13:58:00.001Z

Garlic sliced bread

This is are really quick alternative to shop bought garlic bread which is costly and full of preservatives. You can used fresh bread, pitta bread or packaged sliced bread - whatever you have at home. Children love to mix the ingredients together and spread on the toast and it is a perfect accompaniment to pasta, pizza or just as a snack. Garlic is also so good for you too! For the older taste buds a little salt and pepper can also be added.

Ingredients: (makes 4-6 slices)

4 tsp unsalted butter
1 clove garlic (add more if you like it really garlicy)
Leaves from 1 thyme stalk
Wholemeal sliced toast/bread

Method:

1. Add all the ingredient into a bowl apart from the bread
2. Mix thoroughly
3. Spread onto a slice of bread
4. Place the sliced bread under a medium grill until golden brown

Today' nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy vegetable fingers

2011-11-11T19:53:00.001Z

Easy vegetable fingers

The hardest things about these, is the peeling of the potatoes. Honest! You could put any vegetable in with the potatoes. Just add a little poached fish and you have the perfect fish cakes. My two children love these. My little boy who has more often than not refused to eat anything green just eats the broccoli and peas without really knowing.

Ingredients:

For the filling;
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ mug tinned or fresh sweetcorn
½ mug of peas
4 or 5 broccoli florets

For the coating:

1 egg, beaten lightly or milk
½ mug of breadcrumbs
Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes until soft. Allow to cool in the fridge. The cooler the potatoes the easier they are to form
2. Cook the peas, sweetcorn and broccoli (chop up in small pieces). Allow to cool
3. In a bowl, pass the potatoes through a ricer or mash with a potato masher and add all the other ingredients
4. With your hands, mix all the ingredients together and then shape into small patties, balls or fingers, coat in the egg/milk and then breadcrumbs and fry in a little oil until the outer edges are crisp

Serving suggestions:

To add a little more crunch and nutrition, you could sprinkle some sesame seeds into the breadcrumbs.

Kinder Kitchen Biscuit Decorating Classes

2011-11-10T19:57:00.001Z

Biscuit Decorating classes (from age 2)

Arts Depot, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley

Mondays @ 11am

£7.50 per session

Come and join me with your children at the Arts Dept onMonday’s to decorate homemade biscuits. Next week’s theme is ‘animals’. Myclasses are creative and fun and allow your children to develop their artisticside. You get to take home the biscuits you have decorated to share withyour family.

Please call Natasha at Kinder Kitchen on 07734 054 649 tobook your child’s place

Today's nutritious recipe Kinder Kitchen - easy yummy beef stew

2011-10-20T00:30:00.000+01:00

With the weather taking a turn, it is now time to start thinking about hearty stews for the family to tuck into during the cold autumn and winter months. A mum friend asked me for a recipe for her slow cooker. This recipe can also be cooked in a casserole/oven proof dish too. It is easy, delicious and nutritious and hardly takes any preparation at all. You can make double the amount and freeze the amount left over for another cold day.

Yummy Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 parsnips, chopped into bite size pieces
2 carrots, chopped into bite size pieces
500g braising steak, cut into bite size cubes
1 tin of tomatoes
400ml stock (vegetable or beef)
1 tbsp plain flour
Pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160 C

In a casserole/oven proof dish fry the onion in a little oil for around 5 mins. Then add the beef and fry until it is brown all over. Now add the garlic and after a minute the flour (this will thicken the sauce)
Next add the tinned tomatoes, carrots, parsnips and lastly the stock and simmer for a couple of minutes not forgetting to stir ensuring all the ingredients are well mixed together. Add pepper to taste.
If placing in the oven, place the lid on the dish and cook for around 2 1/2 hours
If using a slow cooker, place all the ingredients into the cooker and set it on the desired setting. I usually go for the slowest and longest as the meat comes out wonderfully tender.

Serve with mash, couscous or rice. You wont feel the cold after eating this, I promise you!

Kinder Kitchen Cooking Classes - Biscuit and cake decorating

2011-10-18T13:21:00.000+01:00

Cooking with yourchildren

Biscuit and cakedecorating classes (2yrs +)

In a relaxed and fun environment my biscuit andcake decorating sessions allow children:

· to developtheir artistic and creative sides

· to develop asense of accomplishment

· to learn aboutthe basics of cooking and different ingredients

Each class is structured and:

· there is adifferent theme each week

· all cakes andbiscuits are homemade

· all equipmentand ingredients are included

· along with arecipe card, each child gets to take what they make home with them to sharewith their mummy and daddy

Sessions are held inthe Café @ The Arts Depot, North Finchley

Biscuit and cakedecorating

Monday, November 7th, 14th, 21st,28th at 11am-12 noon (£7.50)

Edible Christmas treedecorations (great Christmas presents!)

Monday, December 5th, 12th and 19^that 11am-12 noon (£8)

pleasecontact Natasha on 07734 054 649 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 07734 054 649 end_of_the_skype_highlighting to book your child’s place www.kinderkitchenrecipes.blogspot.com

ALSO HOLD COOKERY PARTIES FOR CHILDREN 3+ IN YOUR HOME

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy individual apple crumbles

2011-10-17T09:30:00.000+01:00

These individual apple crumbles are so quick and easy to make and your kids will love to help you make the crumble topping. You will need 4 ramekins or small oven proof pots.

Ingredients: (Makes 4)

2 cooking apples, peeledand diced

2 tbsp sugar

A pinch of cinnamon

60g plain flour

30g butter

20g sugar

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C

1. Place theapples, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan with the lid on and simmer the apples for 5 minutesuntil the apples start to break up

2. For thecrumble, put the flour, butter and sugar into a bowl and rub together until themixture resembles breadcrumbs

3. Place theapple mixture into individual ramekins and sprinkle the crumble mixture on top

4. Place in theoven for around 10 minutes or until the crumble has nicely browned and the apple mixture is bubbling

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy fish cake fingers

2011-10-15T17:11:00.002+01:00

I call these fish cake fingers because they are fish cakes shaped into fingers. Your children will love to make these with you although be prepared for a bit of a mess. Of course you can shape them into any shape you wish. They are a meal in one and always a winner when we have little guests for tea.

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
300gfish, skinned and boneless
½mug of peas
¼pint of milk

1bay leaf

1egg, beaten
½mug of breadcrumbs

Pepperto taste

Method:

1. Boil thepotatoes for 15 minutes until soft and allow to cool

2. Poach the fishin the milk with a bay leaf for 5 minutes, remove and leave to cool

3. Simmer thepeas for 5 minutes, remove and leave to cool

4. Pass thepotatoes through a ricer or just mash and place all ingredients in the fridge for 30 minutes

5. Once cooled, mix all the ingredients together and then shape into cakes or fingers, coat inthe egg and then breadcrumbs and fry in a little oil until crisp.

Serve with a salad or freshly steamed broccoli or peas.

2011-09-29T15:39:00.000+01:00

Hi all. In conjunction with my blog, I am now holding cookery classes in the North London area. Please read my flyer below and contact me should you require any further details. Thanking you! Natasha

Children’s cookeryclasses

Helping your child to develop a love affair with food

In a relaxed and fun environment my cookery classes helpchildren from 2 yrs understand

the basics of cookery, reveal how fun cookingand baking are, whilst promoting healthy eating

and a sense of accomplishment.

Each session lasts an hour, recipes are prepared fromscratch and your child takes the dish and

recipe card home with them. These sessionsare especially great at helping fussy eaters to like

their food.

Savourysample dishes:

Cheese & carrot muffins

Pizza bites

Courgette tarts

Home made fish fingers

Sweetsample dishes

Individual apple crumble

Individual rice pudding with fruit

Cup cakes with butter icing

Courses are held at various venues in North London and a set of 6 sessions costs £48

pleasecontact Natasha on 07734 054 649 for more details

www.kinderkitchen.org.uk

NOW ALSOHOLDING COOKERY PARTIES FOR CHILDREN 3+

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy celery, leek and tomato sauce

2011-09-28T21:31:00.001+01:00

Like most children I know, my two love pasta with tomato sauce with a sprinkling of cheese on top. Tomato sauce is easy to freeze and stores in the fridge for a good couple of days. Just tinned tomatoes can be a little boring and to make sure my two get their 5-a-day I add other ingredients to the sauce and then blend it all together so that they are unaware of what is actually in the sauce.

Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery, washed and sliced
1 large leek, washed and sliced
2 tins of canned plum tomatoes
2 tbsp of tomato ketchup (optional)
1 clove of garlic, crushed (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Method:

Fry the onions, celery and leek in a little olive oil on a medium heat for 10 minutes
Add the crushed garlic, tinned tomatoes, ketchup, salt and pepper
Place a lid on the pan and allow to simmer on a low heat for at least an hour. (The longer you leave it the better it will taste) Remember to stir occasionally so that the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Before serving, blend it with a hand blender or in a liquidiser.
Poor onto pasta and serve with a sprinkling of parmesan or your choice of cheese

Hidden goodness!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy cheese muffins

2011-09-23T13:46:00.000+01:00

These muffins are easy to make, can be as nutritious as you wish them to be as you can add little extras and your children will love to help you make them. They are great for breakfast, a packed lunch box, a snack or served with a bowl of soup.

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
80g butter, melted and cooled
150g grated cheese (cheddar, masdam, gruyere)
230ml milk
Pinch of salt and pepper (optional depending on age of child)

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 C/gas mark 6

Place 12 muffin cases in a muffin tin
Sieve the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper (if using) into a bowl and stir in 120g of the grated cheese
With a hand held whisk or electric one, beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add the milk and butter and whisk everything together until well mixed
Now with a spoon stir this mixture into the bowl with the flour in and mix well
Spoon the mixture into the muffin case. (The cases should all be about 2/3rds full) Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the muffins
Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown

Kinder Kitchen packed lunch ideas - potato salad

2011-09-21T08:10:00.001+01:00

I overheard a couple of mums at the school gate discussing ideas for packed lunches, so I thought that I would post a couple more ideas up as also requested by a couple of friends.

My two haven't yet mastered potato salad but varying it and adding things your children like it could be a winner, and healthy too! It can also be a meal-in-1 by adding protein and vegetables.

Packed lunch potato salad

Method:

Wash and then boil baby, new or salad potatoes in boiling water until soft (for extra nutrition you can keep their skins on)
Allow to cool and then cut into small child bite size pieces
For a simple version of this salad add some mayonnaise, finely chopped red onion (optional) and thinly sliced fresh mint

Further suggestions:

Mayonnaise with sliced bacon and green peas
Salad cream, chives and sweetcorn
Natural yoghurt mixed with mayonnaise (healthier option), finely chopped chicken breast and cucumber

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - fussy eaters

2011-09-19T17:29:00.001+01:00

Well, although I eat nearly everything, both my children don't. My son has never eaten an egg or baked beans, my daughter rarely eats rice or couscous. I am lucky as they have healthy appetites but I have to be inventive and clever at the same time. Carrots get grated into homemade hamburgers and pasta tomato sauce gets blended prior to serving so they don't recognise the celery or leeks I put into it. Below are some tips to help parents/carers with fussy eaters. I'd love to hear from you with any of your tips and tricks so please post them up on here or on my Facebook page.

Try and sit down with them as a family as much as possible. Even if you are eating different food to them, they will look at what you are eating and sometimes want to try what you have – and may even like it. This is how I realised that my little boy likes biryani rice although his sister won’t touch rice at all
When possible get your children to help you prepare/cook the meal. If they are too young, beside you, they could make pretend food with some play dough or even play at doing the washing up in the sink
Try and vary their meals as much as possible – not every day but once a week at least – even changing how you serve potatoes gets them used to different textures – mash, roast, boiled, oven fries, sautéed
Kids like sauces. They can find it hard to chew dry food. Try to serve a sauce with their food as much as possible. Even try condiments once in a while such as mayonnaise and ketchup and even plain yoghurt to ensure the meal is not so dry
Try to limit snacks and sugary drinks between meals. Young children will only eat well when they are hungry
If they refuse to eat a meal, don’t immediately replace it with something they like. Let them sit at the table for a while and try again, say, ½ hour later. Children will eat when they are hungry but they can use it against you and try to demand something that they do like. They are not silly!

Kinder Kitchen packed lunch ideas

2011-09-08T19:49:00.002+01:00

As many children go back to school this week after the summer break, many mums I speak to find it difficult to think up varying packed lunch ideas. My daughter starts school nursery next week and I will need to send her in with a packed lunch on a couple of those days, so it has got me thinking.
Many of us will turn to a sandwich (ham or cheese) straight away and although our children need the carbohydrates they get from bread, it nonetheless clogs up their system like it does our own, and too much bread long term is not good.
So below are some ideas for different packed lunches. If you have any ideas please post them on my facebook page or on my blog page, as this is really an issue that mums are faced with nationwide!

Chicken legs roasted in olive oil with thyme and garlic
Chicken breast roasted and sliced
Rice cake sandwiches with hummus
Plain yoghurt sprinkled with raisins
Dried apricots
Homemade sweet potato crisps

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - banana and honey toast

2011-08-23T07:41:00.000+01:00

Both my children refused to eat what I served them last night. Well my four year old said yuck and my younger one followed suit - great. Not having been shopping for a couple of days, I did not have anything to hand apart from toast, banana and honey.

Banana and honey toast

2 pieces of toast
1 ripe banana
Some runny honey

Method:

1. Toast the bread
2. Spread a thick layer of the ripe banana over the toast like butter
3. Spread a layer of honey over the butter

Delicious. Reminds me of my years at Uni ;-)

Kinder Kitchen children's party recipe - easy gingerbread biscuits

2011-08-18T14:25:00.000+01:00

A friend recently asked me for an easy recipe for children's biscuits, as she wanted to do some baking with her boy. I made these last christmas and they were a winner in that my daughter loved making them, in a sealed container they stayed fresh for at least a week and are delicious for children and adults alike.

Easy gingerbread biscuits

Ingredients:
100g soft butter
110g caster sugar
225g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
2 tsp ground ginger
A pinch of salt

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for a couple of minutes until pale in colour. Then with a wooden spoon, beat in each ingredient separately - the egg, flour, baking powder, ginger and salt giving it a last good mix to ensure all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
3. Remove from the bowl and form the mixture into two balls, cover in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. Flour your surface and with a rolling pin roll each dough ball out to a thickness of around 2cm and using any shape cutter (gingerbread man, star, animal, heat, circle) cut out your biscuits.
5. Place them on a greased baking tray or one lined with baking parchment a small distance apart.Use all the dough up by re-rolling it until it is mostly all gone.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and take them out of the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Suggestions:

For a more festive flavour, you could add a pinch of ground cinnamon and ground cloves when adding the ginger.

Kinder Kitchen weaning recipe - easy sweet potato and lentil puree

2011-08-11T14:32:00.000+01:00

A mum recently contacted me via my facebook page asking for recipes for purees for babies from 6 months old. Below is a great little recipe to start your baby off on. In my experience, babies love sweet potatoes as, like their name, they are sweet, very delicious and also extremely nutritious.

Easy sweet potato and lentil puree

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato (200g)
50g ready to cook lentils, washed and drained
Chicken/vegetable stock or water

Method:
1. Peel and chop the sweet potato and place it in a saucepan with the lentils
2. Add stock or water so that the potato and lentils are just covered and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes. The potato will cook first so you just need to check that the lentils are soft. Should the stock/water all evaporate add a little more liquid although the final mixture should be quite thick
3. With a hand blender or a folk, mash the potatoes and lentils to a puree and once cooled serve

Suggestions:
If you can't get hold of any sweet potatoes you could use a butternut squash or any other squash instead

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy peasy apple crumble

2011-08-10T20:45:00.001+01:00

Well, I spent the day at a friends who has an apple tree in her back garden. Lucky, lucky her. Well, I couldn't resist to pick some apples and make a delicious easy apple crumble. Here is the recipe.

Easy peasy apple crumble

Apple mixture
6-8 apples (any sort - cox, pink lady braeburn, cooking apples - basically any apples you can lay your hands on - taste a little first and the more sour the apple, the more sugar you will need)
3-6 tsp sugar (if you are using dessert apples that are sweet you can leave the sugar out)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Crumble mixture
120g plain flour
60g butter, cut up into small cubes
60g sugar (you can always lessen the amount of sugar you use if your child is very young)
Pinch of salt
A handful of oats (optional)

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C
1. Prepare the apples by washing and peeling them and cutting them into 1 inch pieces. Place them in an oven proof dish and add the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon (optional) and mix them altogether well
2. For the crumble mixture, sieve the flour into a bowl and add the sugar, butter and salt and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (stir in the oats now if adding)
3. Add the crumble on top of the apples and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes depending on how deep the dish is (to test when it is done the apple mixture will either bubble around the edges or the crumble will have sunk slightly due to the apples losing their density)
4. Serve on it's own or with ice-cream or custard

Naughty suggestions

For a delicious adult version add a tbsp or two of calvados to the apples before adding the crumble mixture

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy baby friendly banana cake

2011-08-07T21:11:00.003+01:00

I posted this recipe on here two years ago and I bake it often, especially when I have some overripe bananas in the fruit bowl. This recipe is a winner with babies, children and adults alike. Great for an afternoon snack or dessert and so quick and easy to make.

Baby friendly banana cake (from 9-12 months)

Ingredients:
4 oz butter or margarine
2 oz sugar (the original recipe has 4 oz but i feel this is too much for babies and small children - the ripe bananas add a lot of sweetness themselves)
7 oz self raising flour
2 eggs
2 large or 3 medium, very ripe bananas mashed with a fork
2 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Heat the oven to gas mark 4; 180C and grease a loaf/cake tin
1. Mash the bananas with a fork
2. Whisk the butter and sugar together for a couple of minutes and then add in the eggs, vanilla essence and bananas and whisk for another minute
3. Now add the flour and when fully mixed scrape the mixture into the loaf/cake tin and bake for 40 minutes on gas mark 4; 180C and then lower the temperature to gas mark 2; 150C and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Yummy additions:

If there is no history of a nut allergy in the family, you could add 50 grams of ground hazelnuts or almonds to the mixture. For chocolate lovers, you could add 150 grams of finely chopped bits of chocolate to the mixture.

Kinder Kitchen weaning tip

2011-08-05T14:11:00.000+01:00

I really enjoyed weaning my first child although I know a lot of my friends found it stressful - partly because they did not know where to start or enjoy cooking for themselves let alone the responsibility of weaning their baby onto solids.

There is so much in the press about a healthy lifestyle. 5-a-day, we must eat green vegetables, no salt, etc etc. Our mothers and fathers brought us up very differently and I know I was given what my parents were having although it was blended up to a puree. Sometimes I feel that because of all the so called 'good' advice we are losing our instincts as parents and fear that we may do something wrong - when 99.9 times of 100 we are not. When my second child came along I did not have the time to cook separately for him all the time so he did get a lot of what we were eating - he is a healthy toddler who enjoys his food although I do need to hide the odd veg or two!

A great way of your little baby getting its nutrients is to mix baby rice or baby pasta with vegetable stock (from 6 month or earlier if you wish) or chicken stock (recommended from 7 months). I made one stock a week, kept some of it in the fridge and stored the rest in the freezer in small pots that I could take out when needed. On the issue of steaming, I believe that if you are cooking some fresh vegetables for your baby/child that is good enough and not to worry too much about steaming them.

Cooking for your children should not be stressful and if you need any advice or help with any aspects of weaning I am here to help so please get in touch.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy blackberry and lemon sorbet

2011-08-04T21:02:00.000+01:00

Well, since I started making my own sorbet, I can't stop. It is not only tastier and healthier as there are no additives, I can't believe how easy it is. Some of my friends say - 'well you say it is easy' - but it is like anything, once you have had a go a couple of times it becomes second nature. This recipe is great as it gives the kids an extra boost of vitamin C because of the lemons.

Blackberry and lemon sorbet

Ingredients:
1 punnet of blackberries, washed
Juice of 2 1/2 lemon
150g sugar
150ml water

Method:
1. Start by making the syrup. In a saucepan, place the water and sugar and simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved
2. In a blender or with a hand blender, blend the blackberries and lemon juice together. (you can pass this mixture through a sieve should you wish to have a smoother finished sorbet)
3. Once the syrup has completely cooled, place in a plastic tub with a lid and place in the freezer. With a folk, every hour or so give the mixture a stir to get rid of any ice crystals until the sorbet has fully frozen.
4. Serve and enjoy

Suggestions:
If you feel the sorbet is a little too lemony, just add less of the juice.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy banana and carrot muffins

2011-08-01T20:54:00.004+01:00

Well, believe it or not I have never been much of a baker. Yes, I make cakes and apple pies and have made the odd biscuit and brownie, but savoury cooking has always been my strength. I want to change this now, although my waistline may disagree. A fellow mum Louise gave me this recipe which I have lightly tweaked. And yes, there are more than 6 ingredients but all needed here!

Easy banana and carrot muffins

Ingredients:

75g melted butter

125g caster sugar

1 egg

2 large ripe bananas, roughly chopped
2 large peeled, grated carrots
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
A pinch of salt
200g plain flour

Method:
Turn on the oven at 180 degrees

1. In a food processor or a bowl and an electric whisk, beat the sugar and egg for a minute or two. Now add the butter, bananas and grated carrot. Whisk well.
2. In another bowl sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and baking powder. Slowly incorporate these ingredients into the banana mix.
3. Once well mixed, distribute evenly into muffin cases and cook for 25-30 minutes until they are golden brown.

Suggestions:
These are great for breakfast, a tea time snack or for a children's party. These can be also great for babies from 9 months. You could replace the sugar with one or two grated apples. Enjoy!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy vegetable stock

2011-07-29T14:00:00.003+01:00

These days I seem to be constantly making stock. It is so handy to have in your freezer or fridge (it will last for a good couple of days in the fridge). You can add it to sauces, to make soups with and like my idea yesterday, boil pasta in.

The reason for me setting up this blog originally was that there are a) not many cookbooks out there with baby and toddler recipes and b) the ones that are out there (in my opinion) use too many ingredients and take too much prep and cooking time. I have tried to keep the ingredients down to 6 for most of my recipes with only 4 straight forward steps to follow. This hasn't always been possible. When making vegetable stock, you need a couple more ingredients that 6, so excuse me, but the end result is delicious and nutritious.

Easy vegetable stock

Ingredients:

2 sticks of celery

2 carrots

1 onion

1 leek

6 peppercorns (optional - for babies under 1 year it is best to leave these out)

1 bay leaf

A small handful of parsley stalk

1 garlic clove, unpeeled

11/2 litre water

Method:

1. Wash the carrot, leek and celery sticks and chop them all into equal pieces and place in a large saucepan
2. Peel the onion and cut into quarters and add this with all the other ingredient to the saucepan
3. Bring to a boil and then allow the ingredients to simmer for an hour with the lid off

4. Pass everything through a sieve and allow to cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

Kinder Kitchen nutritional tip - pasta cooked in vegetable stock

2011-07-28T17:24:00.000+01:00

My little boy as you may have read before is not eating his 5 a day! Apart from feeding him vegetable soup packed with every vegetable in my fridge (which wierdly he has eaten mostly without objection), I have started to cook his pasta in vegetable stock as this way he gets his nutrients without even knowing it. I just add a little extra stock to the pasta once cooked so it is not too dry (although you do not need to do this) and add some of my favoured grated parmesan cheese. This is also a great little recipe for finger food weaning as pasta is easy for your baby to hold and they get goodness at the same time too. My vegetable stock recipe to follow!

Kinder Kitchen nutritional tip - Parmesan cheese

2011-07-26T08:02:00.001+01:00

Parmesan cheese is a brilliant addition to any meal. Children not only love the taste but it is packed with nutrients (protein, calcium, phosphorus and important mineral salts), it is also easily digestible and a completely natural food. Certain nutritionists say that it is the perfect food for a growing body. Sport dietitians also recommend it to athletes. Happy grating!

Kinder Kitchen children's party recipe - strawberries dipped in chocolate

2011-07-23T16:44:00.001+01:00

It could not be easier. During the summer months when strawberries are abundant, tasty and not too expensive to buy, this is a great idea for a BBQ or a dessert at a children's party. Nutritious, tasty and easy all in one.

Strawberries dipped in chocolate

1 punnet of strawberries
1 packet of dark/milk chocolate
2 tbsp water

Method
1. Remove the strawberries and wash them under running water. Dry them with a tea towel
2. Fill a saucepan up half-way with water and bring to a boil. Once boiled, turn the heat down and allow the water to simmer
3. Break the chocolate up into small pieces and place them in a bowl along with the water. Place the bowl over the simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring constantly.
4. Turn the heat off, remove the bowl from the saucepan and dip the strawberries into the chocolate. Place the strawberries onto some baking parchment and once the chocolate has hardened, keep refrigerated until you serve.

Serving suggestion
For an adult version, pop a spoonful or two of your favourite liqueur into the melted chocolate e.g. Brandy, Cointreau

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy home-made hamburgers

2011-07-16T20:03:00.002+01:00

We had a BBQ today - yes it was raining but we would rarely use our BBQ if we relied on sunny weather. My kids love grilled meat and home-made hamburgers are perfect for the kids served in a burger bun and a slice of tomato.

Easy home-made burgers

Ingredients:
1 pack beef mince 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

1 finely grated carrot

Any herb of choice

Preparation:

1. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well together either with a spoon or your hands
2. Wet your hands (this prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands) and form 6-8 burgers
3. You can grill them on the BBQ or in the oven. 3-4 minutes on each side is sufficient depending on thickness
4. Serve

Serving suggestions:
It is nice to use lamb mince instead. Adding a little thyme is great with lamb. If you want to add onions and garlic to the mince, it is best to fry these for 5 minutes first so that they do not taste raw once the burger is cooked.

Kinder Kitchen nutritional tip - fruit sauce

2011-07-11T11:33:00.001+01:00

My one year old is going through a fussy stage and won't eat much fruit. Therefore as it is the season for ice cream, I blend any really ripe fruit ( e.g. mangoes, peaches, pears) with my hand blender and pour a helping over a small scoop of ice cream for dessert and he laps it up happily.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - African butternut squash

2011-07-09T07:53:00.005+01:00

Because a lot of you who visit my blog are new, I wanted to revisit some of the recipes I put up on here a couple of years ago. It is not me being lazy, but there are some lovely little recipes that you might want to try but may have missed.

This one is great for babies from about 9 months to a year to get them used to garlic and ginger and the butternut squash is a very sweet vegetable and very good for you. It is great for young children and adults alike as I eat this regularly with BBQ'd meat and salad.

African Butternut Squash (5-8 portions depending on age of child)

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger (amount dependent on age of child)
1 crushed garlic clove (amount dependent on age of child)
Fresh pepper
2 tablespoons butterA pinch of chilli flakes (optional - generally for the adult version)
Preparation:
1. Pierce the butternut squash a couple of times with a knife and place in a microwave for 8 minutes on a high heat (alternatively place in the oven for 20 minutes at 180ºC)
2. Remove from oven and carefully cut the butternut squash into half, removing the seeds. Score the flesh with a knife.
3. Mash the garlic, ginger, pepper and butter together with a folk (plus the chilli flakes if you are adding them) and spread it onto both sections of the squash making sure all the surfaces are covered with the seasoning. Place the sections together and cover in foil.
4. Cook the squash in an oven for 45 minutes on 180ºC .

Once cooked allow to cool for 10 minutes in the foil and serve.

Serving suggestions:
Serve on its own, with meat, fish, rice or salad.

The benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a great aid for colds and coughs, digestion and constipation.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - lemon and mango sorbet

2011-07-08T20:12:00.000+01:00

I love ice cream, and as a result, so do my children. I have now started making sorbet and can't believe how long it has taken me to learn as it is really quite easy. Making your own is great as you can control what goes into it and your children get something nutritious too.

Lemon and mango sorbet

Ingredients:
3 very ripe mangoes (The Indian ones you get from a Turkish/Indian shop are the my favourite)
175g sugar
175ml water
Juice of 1 &1/2 lemons

Method:
1. Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the sugar to form a syrup, allowing it to dissolve fully in the water. Allow to cool completely
2. Peel and stone the mangoes. Blend to a puree in a food processor (you can use a hand blender should you not have a processor) and add the lemon and sugar syrup.
3. Add to an ice cream maker and following manufacturers instructions or pour into a plastic container and place in a freezer. Take it out and stir with a folk every hour until it has completely frozen.

Enjoy with your kids or when they have gone to bed, place a scoop in a glass of something sparkling. Delicious!

Kinder Kitchen breakfast idea - easy cheesy omelette

2011-07-07T09:29:00.003+01:00

Most kids love eggs and they are great for breakfast or when you want to make a quick nutritious snack. In this recipe I use parmesan cheese as my two love it's flavour and it is also very good for them.

Easy cheesy omelette

Ingredients:
2 eggs beaten
A little butter
Grated parmesan
Chives or parsley (optional)

Method:

1. Warm the butter in a frying pan and add the beaten eggs (and herbs)
2. Cook for a minute or two and when the eggs are starting to solidify on the bottom add the grated parmesan
3. Either turn the omlette over so it cooks on the other side or what i do for pure ease, place the frying pan under a grill and let the top half cook. This way the omelette fluffs up nicely.
4. Cut into strips and serve

Suggestions:
Adding herbs to food as early on as possible will get your children used to their flavour and seeing green in food.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy chicken in cheese sauce

2011-07-06T20:57:00.000+01:00

I am really tired today and had prepared nothing for kids to eat and needed something extra easy for them so I made them my easy cheese sauce with chicken and pasta.

Easy chicken in cheese sauce

Ingredients:

Chicken fillet (breast, thigh, leg)

Tbsp butter

Tbsp flour

150ml milk

Grated cheese

Fresh thyme (optional)

Salt (optional)

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and fry in a little oil and once cooked put to the side

2. In a separate pan, on a low heat add the butter. Once melted, add the flour and stir in

3. Now add the milk slowly (and thyme) getting rid on any lumps and then some grated cheese (as much as you want - obviously the more you add the cheesier it will be)

4. Now add the chicken to the sauce and add to cooked pasta.

Suggestions:

You could add fish to this sauce although would not need to cook it prior to adding to the sauce - just let it cook in the sauce for 5 minutes after adding. You could eat this sauce with potatoes, rice, couscous - anything you have in your cupboard!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - leftover roast lamb, boiled potatoes and peas

2011-07-04T18:00:00.004+01:00

I often cook roasts and always have some meat leftover. I have used freshly boiled potatoes as roast ones are never leftover in my house. Here is a simple way of serving leftovers to your kids.

Ingredients:

Some leftover lamb

2 potatoes (not peeled) or leftover roast potatoes

Half a mug of cooked peas

Olive oil

Leftover gravy

Method:

1. Cut the potatoes into small chunks and boil them for around ten minutes so that they are just underdone

2. Cut the lamb into bite size pieces

3. When the potatoes are ready, drain them and add some oil to a frying pan. Add the lamb and potatoes and allow to fry for a couple of minutes

4. Now add the cooked peas and the left over gray and serve

You can use chicken, beef or any other meat and vegetables you have leftover. You can always make a quick gravy with a stock cube.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy tomato sauce for pasta

2011-07-02T19:14:00.002+01:00

I am currently on holiday and in a wok I have just made the easiest tomato sauce, ideal for pasta. Healthy and delicious and quick all at the same time.

Ingredients:
1 large (2 small) really ripe finely chopped tomato (the ones you usually get in a Turkish shop)
1 clove of crushed garlic
A squeeze of tomato sauce (ketchup!)
Olive oil

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a wok or the like
2. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and garlic
3. After a couple of ,minutes add the ketchup and cook a further 3/4 minutes stiring occasionally

serve with pasta and a sprinkling of cheese.

Kinder Kitchen breakfast idea - greek yoghurt with mango and honey

2011-06-26T08:13:00.005+01:00

My daughter has finally had enough of shreddies for breakfast. At one point that is all she would eat. So I can start being adventurous. Mango is always a winner with her!

Today she had greek yoghurt, fresh mango and honey. (tinned mango is also good)

Kinder Kitchen breakfast idea - readybreak with raisins and honey

2011-06-24T08:07:00.000+01:00

Readybreak with raisins and honey

I find it difficult to vary my childrens breakfast everyday so I will sometimes try and give you inspiration in the mornings with breakfast ideas. Please post your ideas too as I find breakfast is the one meal that many of us mums struggle with.

Today Louis had readybreak with raisins and honey and gobbled it up happily!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy leek and potato soup

2011-06-23T12:33:00.000+01:00

Of all the soups I make, this is an easy one and one that my kids love. This recipe makes enough for all the family with lots left over. I usually freeze some and the rest can be kept in the fridge for a good couple of days.

Easy leek and potato soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic (crushed or grated)
1 lb (pound) leeks (2-3 depending on size)
1 lb (pound) potatoes (3-4 depending on size)
1 pint stock (vegetable or chicken)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ pint milk

Method:

1. Wash the leeks and potatoes and slice both into small chunks. Add the butter to the pan

2. Add the potatoes and leeks and cook them with the lid on for ten minutes (allow them to

sweat) on a low heat stirring regularly

3. Then add all the other ingredients (apart from the milk) bringing it to boil and them simmering the soup until the vegetables are all tender (20-30 minutes)

4. Add the milk and cook for a further 5 minutes

5. Before blending add any more seasoning (salt and pepper) if needed

Suggestions:

Serve with toast and a sprinkling of sesame seeds

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy courgette and chocolate cake

2011-06-22T21:01:00.004+01:00

Now, most of the recipes I put up onto my blog are simple and healthy. This is simple to make but maybe not the healthiest. This is something for us mums but the kids will enjoy too. Not only are you getting your chocolate fix, but your children are getting some greens at the same time. The sunflower oil ensures that the cake is very moist.

Easy courgette and chocolate cake

Ingredients:

120g butter (room temperature)
125ml sunflower oil
250g caster sugar
3 eggs
130ml milk
350g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
5 tbsp cocoa powder
500g courgettes, grated and peeled
1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1. Grease or line a 20x35cm baking tray with parchment and set the oven to 190 C / Gas mark 5

2. Mix the butter, oil and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs one by one and then the milk until mixed thoroughly

3. Now sift the flour, baking and cocoa powder into the mixture and fold in. Add the courgettes, vanilla and spoon into greased tin. Bake for 40 minutes. If still a little wet cook for 5 minutes more

4. Serve warm and enjoy!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Natasha's easy and delicious salad dressing

2011-06-20T12:27:00.009+01:00

I love salad. In fact, life without salad for me would be a very miserable one. During the summer months, I will eat salad with most meals. My two little ones haven't quite yet got the taste for it but I do try now and again giving them a little salad with my dressing hoping one day they will love it as much as me!

Natasha's easy and delicious salad dressing

Ingredients

120ml cider vinegar

200ml olive oil/vegetable oil 1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp sugar1 tsp mustard
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Place all the ingredients into a jar. Place lid on jar and shake well

2. Pour over your chosen salad and enjoy!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy drop scones with strawberries

2011-06-19T08:59:00.003+01:00

Easy drop Scones (+ 1 year)
When I get the time, we all like to eat fresh drop scones for breakfast. I am always saying that things are easy but these really are. You literally put all the ingredients in a bowl, mix and cook in a frying-pan - your kids will love them!

Ingredients:
A small mug of self-raising flour
A small mug of milk
2 eggs
A pinch of salt (optional)
Some strawberries
Honey

Preparation:
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. If you do not have an electric whisk, a hand-blender does the job just as well. Leave to rest for ten minutes. Small bubbles will appear in the mixture. These are air bubbles
2. Place a little oil or butter in a frying pan on a medium heat and pour a little of the mixture in3. Check the underneath and when light brown flip over and cook the same amount of time
4. Serve with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of honey

Suggestions:
You could also serve with golden syrup and any other fruit you wish

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - banana and avocado mash for babies

2011-06-18T07:46:00.007+01:00

Ripe avocado

Banana and avocado mash (+ 6 months)
Both my children loved this meal as babies. It is easy, nutritious and delicious all in one and the avocados add a creaminess to the meal which babies love.

Ingredients:
1/2 a ripe banana
1/4 or 1/2 a ripe avocado
2 tablespoons breast/formula milk

Preparation: 1. Peel banana and remove avocado flesh from it's skin
2. Place the banana and avocado in a bowl with the milk and mash with a folk to a smooth consistency
3. Serve

Suggestions:
You could add boiled water to the fruit if you preferred. This is also a great spread for bread.

Nutritional values:
Avocados contain many essential nutrients including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - milkshake for toddlers

2011-06-17T08:06:00.013+01:00

Berry delight

My one year old is not drinking his milk at the moment so I am making him daily milkshakes so that he gets the milk he needs to help him grow.

Ingredients:
A handful of strawberries
A handful of blueberries
Half a banana chopped
Some milk

Preparation:
1. Wash the fruit and place in a container with the banana. Add enough milk to cover the fruit and blend with a hand blender.
2. Add milk dependent on the consistency you want your milkshake to be.

Suggestions:
You could add a spoonful of honey to make it a little sweeter

Kinder Kitchen nutritional tip - sesame seeds

2011-06-16T10:59:00.002+01:00

Sesame seeds

My kids love home made fish fingers or chicken breast in breadcrumbs. I like to add sesame seeds to the breadcrumbs as they add a lovely nutty flavour, give the coating more of a crisp and are very nutritional.

Nutrients: Source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, dietary fiber, manganese, copper

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy vegetable soup

2011-06-13T10:41:00.007+01:00

yummy green soup

My one year old will not eat vegetables with his meals. He throws anything green in colour on to the floor. To make sure he gets his weekly nutrients I make a soup containing lots of goodies.

Easy vegetable soup

Ingredients:
1 onion
2 sticks of celery
2 peeled carrots
2 peeled potatoes
Half a head of broccoli
A teaspoon of butter and oil

Chicken or vegetable stock

Preparation:

1. Wash the vegetables and chop them up as small as possible
2. Add the oil and butter to a saucepan and add all the vegetables apart from the broccoli.
Cook them with the lid on for 15 minutes on a low heat
3. Now add the broccoli and enough stock to cover the vegetables and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are soft
4. Blend with a handblender and serve

Serving suggestions:

My two children love cheese so I grate some cheddar or parmesan onto the soup which they love.

Handing hints:

You can add any vegetables that need using up to the soup and play around with the amounts you use. The butter usually gives the soup a creamer taste. To this soup I added kale which he lapped up with no complaints ;-)

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - couscous for toddlers

2011-06-05T10:31:00.003+01:00

A great way to jazz up couscous and get your little one eating a varied diet is by adding items you would not necessarily think of. Most children like apples and raisins so why not add grated apple and a handful of raisins to some prepared couscous. If a little dry, add a drizzle of olive oil to the couscous. You could then serve this with chicken drumsticks, fish fingers or anything of your choice.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - children's banana and peach milkshake

2009-06-25T08:24:00.004+01:00

Again an easy and delicious recipe where you can use fruit that is over ripe and needs using up.

Banana and peach milkshake (from 1 year old)
Although if you use breast or formula milk you can give this to your baby a lot earlier on. Just make sure the consistency is not too thick and leave out the honey.

Ingredients:

1 banana
1 peach
Some whole milk
A spoonful of honey

Preparation:

1. Place the banana, pitted peach and honey in a high rimmed container. Add a little milk at first and with a hand blender mix the ingredients together. If the shake is too thick keep adding milk until you are happy with it's consistency.

Suggestions:

You can add any fruit to the shake that you wish - strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, pear (needs to be very ripe) - basically any fruit your have lying around. To make the shake a little more nutritious and thicker you could add a handful of oats. Plain yoghurt is also a good substitute to milk.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - the joys of a juicer!

2009-06-24T07:28:00.005+01:00

As you may have read, my daughter has become one fussy terrible two. Her terrible two's kicked in early (at around 18 months) and with them came a number of other issues. I fished out my juicer that I hadn't used in years and decided to try her on some freshly made juices using a mixture of vegetables and fruit. A break through. She now gets a good number of vitamins without knowing what she is actually drinking.

Ingredients:

An electric juicer
1 stick of celery (can be increased once they are used to the taste)
2 medium carrots
3 apples (you can add more if you need to disguise the taste a little more)

Preparation:

1. Wash, peel and core the fruit and vegetables. (you do not even need to peel them if you dont want to but just give them a really good wash beforehand)
2. Add to the juicer
3. Serve

It is as easy as that. Cleaning the juicer is the hardest part.

More recipes to follow..........

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - mash with fish and sweetcorn for babies

2009-06-22T14:58:00.003+01:00

Well, my daughter has decided not to eat anything green in colour. One vegetable that she does eat at the moment is sweetcorn. Hence, I have been adding it to a number of dishes. Mash with fish and sweetcorn was eaten without any problems - mostly because she couldn't pick the sweetcorn out one by one as it was stuck to the mash. What a mum has to do!

Mash with fish and sweetcorn (from 9 months upwards)

Ingredients:
2 potatoes
1 tablespoon sweetcorn
100 grams boned fish (cod, pollack, salmon, haddock – any fish your child likes or any fish that is on special offer)
75 ml formula/whole milk (after 1 year use cows milk)
Black pepper

Cook:
1. Wash and peel the potatoes, and boil under soft (15-20 minutes). Then empty the water from the pan and mash the potatoes.
2. Cook the fish on a low heat in the milk for 10 minutes. Once cooked remove the fish from the milk and remove the fish’s skin and throw away.
3. In the saucepan with the potatoes add the milk, fish, sweetcorn and a little black pepper, mix thoroughly and heat through for a couple of minutes on a low heat.
4. Serve once cooled.

Additional suggestions:
A great thing to add to this dish is a boiled egg which has been finely chopped. Instead of using normal potatoes you could always use sweet potatoes although they only need to be boiled for ten minutes or so until soft.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - kids treat - chocolate shredded wheat

2009-06-17T09:35:00.004+01:00

Chocolate shredded wheat (from 12 months) – makes 18 cakes

Ingredients:
2 packets of Milka chocolate
5 large shredded wheat
6 tablespoons of boiling water
18 fairy cake cases

Cook:
1 Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl and add the water.
2 Place with bowl containing the chocolate into a pan of freshly boiled water. Keep stirring the chocolate until it has completely dissolved. Should the mixture be a little too thick add another couple of tablespoons of water.
3 Now crumble the shredded wheat into the mixture and stir until all the wheat has been coated in chocolate
4 Spoon a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the fairy cake cases and place in the fridge for the chocolate to solidify.

Additional info:
Milka is a great first chocolate for your babies to try as it does not have many bad ingredients in it. It does however contain nut sources so be careful if there is a history of nut allergies in your family. This recipe is also a great one to make with your child once it is a little older – just be careful when melting the chocolate over the boiling water.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - pitta bread pizza bites

2009-06-14T09:21:00.003+01:00

When you are in a hurry and have a little tomato sauce in the freezer along with some frozen pitta bread these are so quick and easy to make they are a god send!

Finger foods - pitta bread pizza bites (from 9 months)
Ingredients:
2 pitta breads
½ tin of plum tomatoes
½ finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Some fresh or dried herbs for the sauce and to top the pizza with
6 slices of finely sliced mozzarella or 2 tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese

Cook:
1. First, make the tomato sauce by frying the chopped onions in a little oil for 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, puree and herbs and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes. With a hand blender puree into a paste.
2. Now toast the pitta breads in a toaster on a medium heat for 2 minutes.
3. Spoon the tomato sauce onto the pitta breads and then place the cheese on top and finish off by sprinkling some herbs on the cheese.
4. Place under a grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese is bubbling

Suggestions:
Slice into fingers and serve as a main course or a finger food snack
You can always double the quantity of tomato sauce to keep in the fridge (up to three days) or freezer to use at a later date.
You can add all kinds of toppings to these pizzas – ham, sweetcorn, spinach, fresh tomatoes, pineapple – basically anything that does not need to cook and can just be warmed up under the grill.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Chocolate Oaties

2009-06-11T10:20:00.001+01:00

These are a great snack and a winner at children's parties. They are yummy and nutritious at the same time.

Chocolate oaties (from 12 months)

Ingredients:
100g butter at room temperature
100g sugar
1 egg
75g self raising flour
100g rolled (porridge) oats
30g cocoa powder
50 grams chopped apricots or dried cranberries or whole raisins

Cook:
1. In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy. Then whisk in the egg. Now add the flour, oats and cocoa powder and finely chopped fruit.
2. On a greased baking tray (or on baking paper), spoon a teaspoon of the mixture onto the tray and flatten slightly remembering to leave at least 3cm between each oatie.
3. Place the tray into an oven at 180°C/ gas mark 4 and bake for 12-15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before placing on a cooling rack.

Suggestions:
To keep fresh, place them in an airtight container or in the fridge.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - fruit coulis/sauce

2009-06-05T10:57:00.005+01:00

I bought a couple of punnets of fruit the other day and beacuse the raspberries and blackberries were still a little sharp in their taste my daughter spat them out. So I decided to make a coulis/sauce with them and add them to her favourite foods.

Fruit coulis (from 9 months)

Ingredients:
1 punnet raspberries
1 punnet blackberries
2 tablespoons icing sugar

You can add any other fruit/berries to the mixture (strawberries, kiwi's, blueberries etc). Per punnet add a spoonful of icing sugar but of course you can leave this out if you wish. This is a great receipe to use with fruit/berries that is on speical offer at the supermarket as it does not matter if they are a little bruised and starting to wilt.

Cook:
1. Place the washed fruit and icing sugar into a high container
2. With a hand blender whiz all the ingredients together
3. Refrigerate immediately

Serving suggestions:
You can serve the coulis with ice cream, plain yoghurt, pancakes, porridge – basically wih any food your child likes. If you do not want the pips in the sauce, pass the coulis through a sieve.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - cheats homemade tomato ketchup

2009-06-04T08:29:00.005+01:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my 20 month old has all of a sudden decided to become a fussy eater. One thing she seems to still relish is tomato ketchup. In order to make it a little more tomatoey and nutritious I came up with this cheats recipe.

Cheats homemade tomato ketchup (from 12 months)

Ingredients:

1 tin of good tinned plum tomatoes
2 heaped tablespoons of tomato puree
2 heaped tablespoons of tomato ketchup

Cook:

1. Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and cook for around ten minutes
2. Once cooked, blend the sauce together with a hand blender

Serving suggestions

You can serve this with most foods. I even like to eat it too. My daughter loves to dip her food into it and it is ideal to serve with finger foods - broccoli and cauliflower or homemade burger and fat chips.

Your comments please

2009-06-02T08:41:00.002+01:00

I'd love to hear what you think about the recipes and tit bits of advice posted on this blog. Please either write on the blog or send me an email just to let me know your thoughts, improvements or what you would like to see added to this blog.
Thanks!

Today's Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - adding foods to cereals

2009-06-01T14:20:00.004+01:00

Breakfast cereals are a great source of vitamins. Most have been fortified with the most commonly needed vitamins - calcium, vitamin A and D, iron etc. Porridge is one of the healthiest cereals to give your children.

Porridge
- Cook small pieces of apple in the porridge
- Add half or a full mashed banana once the porridge is cooked

Because I do not eat diary products I cook my porridge with water. This takes a little getting used to especially if you are used to cooking porridge with full fat milk but it can be a much healthier alternative. However, do not substitute water for milk when your baby is too young as it will need all the milk it can get early on. On the other hand, should your child be lactose intolerant this is a great breakfast. A less healthier and sweeter alternative is eating cereals with fruit juice which is not advisable for young babies and toddlers due to tooth decay, but nevertheless an option.

Fruit
Adding any seasonal fruit to breakfast cereals is a great way of your child having a healthier start in the morning. Currently strawberries are in season and hence they are not too expensive. By adding a couple of strawberries cut into quarters, blueberries, raspberries or clementine segments will add flavour to any breakfast. It will also not make it so boring. Varying the cereal from day to day is also a good idea in order to keep our little one's interested.

N.B. When choosing breakfast cereals try and go for the wholegrain option wherever possible and also try to find ones that have not had too much sugar or salt added to them.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - aubergine dip for babies

2009-05-28T15:06:00.003+01:00

Aubergine dip (from 6-8 months)

Ingredients:
1 aubergine
½ onion
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon tahini paste
Juice of ½ lemon
Optional: tablespoon of olive oil

Cook:
1. Wash the aubergine and place in the oven at 180°C for 40 minutes. Remove and leave to cool for 10 minutes
2. Now remove the flesh with a spoon from the skin (it should come away easily) and place the flesh with all the other ingredients into a bowl
3. Mash together with a folk or blend once or twice with a hand blender

Suggestions:
Serve on it’s own, with bread or as a dip with carrots and celery.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - homemade baked beans

2009-05-26T11:35:00.007+01:00

My daughter is nearly 20 months old now and being the keen cook that I am I have cooked for her most days. That is just me and i certainly do not advocate that we all do this! My philosophy is that we do what we can and my recipes are just available to you all to make the cooking process a little easier.

Anyway after 14 months of cooking for her what do you know. She has become a fussy eater. One thing I have learnt from this experience is that no matter how many different foods you introduce to your baby/ies, no matter how may homemade meals you make - there may come a time when they just get fussy and that is just how it is and you can't blame yourself. Well so I am telling myself. Anyway at the moment she loves three things: baked beans, pasta with tomato sauce and pizza. I decided the other day to make my own homemade baked bean sauce and served it with pasta and it was a success. You just use the basic tomato sauce recipe (although i have varied it slightly below) and add a tin of cannelloni beans to it.

Homemade baked beans (from 9 months)

Ingredients:

1 tin of tomatoes
½ medium onion
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon mixed herbs/teaspoon of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon of oil
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup (helps to sweeten the sauce although you do not need to add this)
1 drained tin of cannelloni beans

Preparation and cooking:

1. Add a teaspoon of oil to the saucepan and add the finely chopped/grated onion and crushed garlic. Fry on a low heat for 5 minutes
2. Add the tin of tomatoes, mixed herbs/thyme and ketchup and some black pepper
3. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes and then add the tin of beans and cook for a further 10 minutes
4. Stir the mixture a couple of times and once cooked remove from the heat and serve with pasta, on toast or just on it's own.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Apple and prune puree

2009-05-15T13:14:00.001+01:00

Apple and prune puree (from 6 months)

Ingredients:
4 apples
6 dried prunes
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
A little water

Cook:
1. Wash and peel the apples, remove the core and cut into small chunks
2. Place the apples, prunes, cinnamon and enough water so that the fruit is sitting in about half an inch of water into a saucepan and place it’s lid on
3. Cook the fruit in a low heat for 10 minutes
4. Once cooked puree with a hand blender and leave to cool

Suggestions:
For babies at the weaning stage this is great on it’s own. I find this a great cure for constipation in older children. Spoon over vanilla ice cream or add to plain yoghurt or serve with pancakes.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Mauritian aubergine

2009-05-14T14:24:00.003+01:00

My daughter absolutely loves this meal. My partner is Mauritian and his mother serves up the most wonderful tasting vegetable dishes - more to follow. I serve it with freshly cooked rice. It is quick and simple to make and very easy to eat as the vegetables are nice and soft. Should you wish to puree the vegetables after cooking, it is best to remove the curry leaves beforehand.

Mauritian aubergine (from 6-8 months)

Ingredients:
1 medium aubergine
1 tomato
1 small onion
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 crushed clove garlic
15 curry leaves
A little water if needed

Cook:
1. Peel and chop the onion finely. Fry the onion in a saucepan for 5 minutes
2. Meanwhile wash and chop the aubergine and tomato into small squares
3. Add the garlic, ginger and curry leaves to the onion and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the aubergine and tomato. If you find the vegetables sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a little water. Do give the dish a stir every five minutes or so.
4. Place the lid on the pan and cook on a low heat for 20-25 minutes

Suggestions:
Delicious served with rice, with pitta bread or cold as a salad.
For smaller babies it is best to remove the curry leaves otherwise they are fine to eat. You do not have to add all the ingredients and can leave either the ginger, garlic or curry leaves out if you wish.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Carrot, lentil and coriander puree

2009-05-13T12:44:00.005+01:00

Carrot, lentil and coriander puree (from 6 months)

Ingredients:
175 grams carrots
175 grams potatoes
1 teaspoon ground coriander (you can always just add ½ teaspoon at the beginning)
50 grams ready to cook lentils
½ pint formula milk

Cook:
1. Wash and peel the carrots and potatoes and roughly chop
2. Place all the ingredients into a saucepan, with the lid on and bring to a boil.
3. Then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, until the lentils are nice and tender (Check every now and then that there is enough liquid in the saucepan and top up if need be with milk or water)
4. Once cooked puree with a hand blender and leave to cool

Suggestions:
This meal is ideal for freezing or will keep fresh in a cold fridge for up to 3 days - just remember to reheat it thoroughly.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Green pea and spinach puree

2009-05-12T16:09:00.002+01:00

Green Pea and spinach puree (from 6 months)

Ingredients:
100 grams frozen peas
100 grams spinach leaves
2 tablespoons breast/formula milk

Cook:
1. Wash the spinach leaves and add them with the peas to a pan of boiling water and then simmer for 3-4 minutes.
2. Remove the vegetables from the water and add 2 tablespoons of breast or formula milk and blend together into a smooth consistency. You can always add a little more milk to make the mixture wetter.

Suggestions:
Adding a pinch of nutmeg or some fresh parsley will make this dish a little tastier.

Nutritional values:
Iron-tastic!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Chicken and parsnip puree

2009-05-11T08:22:00.003+01:00

Chicken and parsnip puree (from 6 months)

Ingredients:
300 formula milk
350g parsnips
114g chicken breast

Cook:
1. Wash and peel the parsnips, and chop into small pieces
2. Slice the chicken into small slithers
3. Add the chicken, parsnip and milk into a medium sauce pan and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes
4. Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender or pass through a metal sieve

Suggestions:
You could always add a bay leaf or a little thyme or parsley to the mixture to get your child used to different flavours. A grate of nutmeg would also add something different to this dish.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Baby friendly banana cake

2009-05-08T13:12:00.004+01:00

This recipe is a winner with babies, children and adults alike. Great for an afternoon snack and so quick and easy to make.

Baby friendly banana cake (from 9-12 months)

Ingredients:
4oz butter or margarine
4oz sugar
7oz self raising flour
2 eggs beaten lightly
2 large or 3 medium, very ripe bananas mashed with a fork
2 tsps good vanilla essence

Cook:
Heat the oven to gas mark 4; 180C and grease a loaf tin
Mash the bananas with a sturdy fork
Cream the butter and sugar together and add in the eggs
Now add the mashed bananas and the flour.
Scrape the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes on gas mark 4; 180C and then lower the temperature to gas mark 2; 150C and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Yummy additions:

If there is no history of a nut allergy in the family, you could add 100 grams of ground hazelnuts or almonds to the mixture. For chocolate lovers, you could add 150 grams of finely chopped bits of chocolate to the mixture.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Gnocchi with cheese, butter and herbs

2009-05-07T13:21:00.004+01:00

Gnocchi with cheese, butter and herbs (from 9 months)

Ingredients:

50 grams gnocchi
1 tsp butter
2 tbs grated cheese
Fresh or dried mixed herbs (if fresh – great with finely chopped sage, parsley or basil)

Cook:

1. In a saucepan, cook the gnocchi in boiling water for 2 minutes or until they rise to the surface of the boiling water. Drain and set aside
2. Depending on age of your baby, it is best to cut the gnocchi into two or three pieces
3. In a frying pan, fry the herbs in the butter on a low heat
4. Add the melted cheese and the cooked gnocchi
5. Once the cheese has melted, remove and allow to cool
6. Add a little fresh pepper if your baby likes it

Kinder Kitchen Cooking Tip - Italian Gnocchi

2009-05-07T13:16:00.002+01:00

Gnocchi are Italian potato dumplings and a great alternative to pasta. My little girl absolutely loves them and they are a great source of energy and they fill her up. You can find packets in the dried pasta section of the supermarket or some places will sell them refrigerated. The dried packets are great as a cupboard staple as you can add just about anything to them and they are ready in just two minutes!

Kinder Kitchen Nutrition - vitamins and minerals

2009-04-17T15:27:00.006+01:00

List of key minerals and vitamins

There are a number of vitamins and minerals vital for your child to maintain a healthy diet. Below is a list of a number of these and an explanation of how they help the body.

Vitamin A: Growth, healthy skin, boosts immune system

Vitamin B: Helps digestion, healthy nervous system

Vitamin C: Growth, healing of wounds and helps fight infection

Vitamin D: Helps with formation of bones

Vitamin E: Helps with cell structure

Calcium: Bones, teeth and growth

Iron: Healthy blood and muscles. Children will lack energy and feel run down if they lack iron in their diet. Red meat is best source of iron.

Thiamine: Essential to help the body process carbohydrates

Niacin: Helps overall body function, healthy liver

Folic acid: Healthy red blood cells

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Grandma's dahl

2009-04-16T12:45:00.006+01:00

Today's recipe is a great way of introducing different flavours to a baby. This is a great recipe to feed a baby from 9-12 months. You could feed your baby garlic, ginger and cinnamon on their own before adding all three to a dish so as not to overwhelm them.

Grandma’s dahl (from 9-12 months)

Ingredients:

45 grams of lentils – washed (please refer to the instructions on the pack)
½ medium onion, finely chopped
½ clove of crushed garlic
½ tsp of ginger, finely grated
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation and cooking:
1. In a medium saucepan, fry the onion, garlic and ginger in a little oil for a couple of minutes on a low heat
2. Add the lentils, one mug of water and the cinnamon
3. Cover the saucepan, bring to a boil and then simmer with a lid on for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Serve with rice, boiled potatoes, on top of jacket potato or just on their yummy own.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - using scissors instead of a knife

2009-03-21T09:36:00.003Z

Scissors are a great alternative to knives when chopping herbs, the fat off bacon and ham, anchovies, sun dried tomatoes and spring onions or any other foods that you think off.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - rice pudding for babies with pear

2009-03-20T16:49:00.006Z

Rice pudding (from 9 months plus)

Ingredients:
30 grams of pudding rice
300ml milk
Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
4 grates of nutmeg
A grated pear
A drizzle of honey (+ 12 months)

Preparation and cooking:

1. Place the rice and milk into a saucepan
2. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the cinnamon, nutmeg and grated pear and place the lid on the saucepan. Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes or until cooked (check on the rice and give it a stir every five minutes or so.
3. Serve on its own once cooled and drizzle a little honey on top (honey should only be given to babies over one year old)

Please note : you can also cook the rice in the oven – but this takes 2 hours – just follow the instructions on the packet.

Nice little add ins to rice pudding are:
Dried apricot, prunes, figs
Spoonful of jam
Mashed banana
Plum compote

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - basic vegetable stock

2009-03-18T07:57:00.004Z

Basic vegetable (suitable for babies from four months plus)

This is my basic recipe for vegetable stock. Of course, you can add anything you wish to this including a number of fresh herbs such as thyme and parsley. It is a great way of using up vegetables that are going off and need using up. Instead of just using the liquid, you could just get a hand blender and blend the ingredients once cooked into a delicious soup. A swirl of rapeseed oil before serving will give it a really nutty flavour.

Ingredients:
¼ medium swede
2 sticks of celery
2 carrots
1 onion
4 peppercorns (optional - for babies under 1 year it is best to leave these out)
2 bay leaves
1 litre water

Preparation:
Wash the carrots and sticks of celery and peel the swede then chop them all into equal pieces
Peel the onion and cut into quarters.
Add this and all the other ingredients to a saucepan.
Add 1 litre of water.

Cook:
Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer gently for up to 1 hour.

Refrigerate once cooled.

Serving suggestions:
Add other vegetable such as peas, broccoli, spinach to make a vegetable soup. Add the stock to sauces, to rice dishes, lentils.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - Rapeseed oil

2009-03-17T12:46:00.003Z

Rapeseed oil is a great alternative to olive oil. Also known as canola oil, it contains both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a ratio of 2:1 and is second only to flax oil in omega-3 fatty acid. Canola oil's proponents claim that it is one of the most heart-healthy oils and has been reported to reduce cholesterol levels.

Today's nutritious Kinder Kitchen recipe - apple pancakes

2009-03-16T11:35:00.002Z

Apple pancakes

Ingredients:
1 egg
I heaped tablespoon of plain flour
Half a mug of milk (maybe a little more depending on consistency)
A little butter
1 apple, quartered and thinly sliced

Preparation and cooking:

1. Whisk the egg, flour and milk into a smooth consistency
2. Heat the pan until hot and add the butter
3. Add enough of the pancake mixture to cover the bottom of the frying pan. Add the sliced apple on top.
4. When browned turn and brown the other side. Serve straight away.

Serve once cooled. To make the pancakes a little sweeter for a treat you could add a drizzle of honey over it (honey though should only be given to babies 1 year and above)

Instead of adding the apple to the pancake in the frying pan, if you have some apple or pear puree left over you could add it to the middle of a plain pancake and roll it together.

Today's nutritious Kinder Kitchen recipe - Okra with tomatoes and thyme

2009-03-15T08:37:00.009Z

Living in London allows me to use ingredients from all around the world. I love okra (ladies fingers) but do not cook them enough - well hardly ever. I bought a tin of them in Tesco's the other day and thought I'd add them to the basic tomato sauce recipe whilst adding a little fresh thyme. It is delicious.

Okra with tomatoes and thyme (9 months +)

Ingredients:
I tin of okra or 10 fresh okra/ladies fingers
1 tin of tomatoes
½ a medium onion chopped finely
1 small crushed clove of garlic
1 tablespoon of ketchup (for children over 1 year old)
1 tablespoon tomato puree
4 sprigs of fresh thyme or a tablespoon of dried thyme

Cook:
1. In a saucepan, fry the chopped onion and crushed garlic in a little olive oil for five minutes
2. Drain the okra in a sieve and chop up into small pieces. Add these to the onion and garlic.
3. Now add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, ketchup and thyme.
4. Cook on a low to medium heat for at least 20 minutes. or until the okra is soft.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with rice, couscous, pitta bread, grilled meat or fish.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - ways to jazz up yoghurt

2009-03-14T07:48:00.008Z

Buying individual pots of yoghurt can be expensive so I generally buy the 500ml pots of plain yoghurt and add things to it for my little girl. It is also a healthier option as it does not then contain so many of the additives that potted yoghurts have.

There are so many ways of making it more tasty. Here are some examples: (9 months plus)

Add half a passion fruit
Peaches
Strawberries
Blueberries
Mashed banana
Grated apple
Stewed pear
A teaspoon of jam
A teaspoon of honey (over one years old)
A teaspoon of Nutella (over one years old)

N.B when the baby is still quite young you can just mash everything up instead leaving the fruit whole or cut into small pieces

Today's nutritius recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy lamb kebabs

2009-03-13T07:57:00.011Z

Lamb kebabs (1 year +)

These are so easy to make and so delicious. Remember this is just a guideline and you can add anything you wish or replace any of the ingredients with your own take on the recipe. Fresh mint is also a lovely accompaniment to this dish.

Ingredients:
300 grams of lamb mince
1 heaped tsp of paprika (optional)
½ a medium onion chopped finely
1 small crushed clove of garlic
Thyme from 6 sprigs or a tablespoon of dried thyme
Fresh black pepper

Cook:
1. Fry the onions and garlic in a little oil for five minutes
2. Add the cooked garlic and onion to all the other ingredients in a bowl. Mix together well making sure all the ingredients have blended well together
3. Take 10 skewers (metal or wooden – n.b. if wooden, remember to soak them in a bowl of water for 10 minutes before putting them under the grill otherwise they could catch fire) and mould the meat mixture onto the skewers until they resemble sausages
4. Grill for 15 minutes, turning regularly or until cooked all over

Serving suggestions:
remove the stick and serve on their own as finger food, with fresh tomato sauce, rice, salads, vegetable mash or in pitta bread with yoghurt.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - anything with a sauce

2009-03-12T07:55:00.003Z

I have found that babies and toddlers love sauces. Dry food can be quite difficult to chew but with a sauce it goes down a lot easier. My daughter definitely loves her food with sauces. To prevent you from making a fresh sauce every day, once a month make a large pot of tomato sauce, cheese sauce, chicken stock/gravy and anything else you like to make and divide it into individual batches and freeze it. When you need to use it take it out, allow it to defrost and heat up properly.

Other sauces to freeze:

Pesto
Bread sauce

However, most babies/toddlers love yoghurt and having a tub of plain yoghurt in the fridge is also great as you can add a spoonful with a lot of dishes.

Kinder Kitchen finger food - eggy bread fingers

2009-03-11T08:12:00.001Z

Eggy bread fingers

Ingredients:
2 slices of bread with their crusts cut off
1 egg
30ml formula or cows milk
Butter

Preparation and cooking:
1. Slice the bread into fingers
2. Beat the egg and milk together
3. Dip the bread fingers one by one into the egg mixture coating both sides
4. Heat some butter in a frying pan and fry the bread fingers on both sides until brown.

Serving suggestions:
Serve on their own or with baked beans.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - steaming vegetables

2009-03-10T12:23:00.002Z

When cooking vegetables steaming is the best method to retain the nutrients. You can buy steamers that rest on the bottom of the saucepan. A cheaper way is using a sieve or a colander. Always remember to place the lid on the saucepan otherwise it will take forever to cook your veg. Although this is the best method for retaining nutrients boiling vegetables in little water is also fine. The fact that you are cooking them fresh is the most important thing. Don't beat yourself up for not steaming.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - basic tomato sauce

2009-03-09T08:37:00.004Z

Basic tomato sauce

Ingredients:

1 tin of tomatoes
½ medium onion
½ garlic clove
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
1 teaspoon of oil
A little water

Preparation and cooking:

Add a teaspoon of oil to the saucepan
Add the finely chopped/grated onion and crushed garlic. Fry on a low heat for 5 minutes
Add the tin of tomatoes, mixed herbs and a little water. Add some black pepper
Cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Stir the mixture a couple of times during this time
Once cooked remove from the heat and serve.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with pasta, roast potatoes (patatas bravas), as a sauce with meat or fish. This sauce is also the base for spaghetti bolognaise.

Tip: if you would like to add a little sweetener to the sauce, a tablespoon of ketchup is perfect for doing this.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - freezing meals

2009-03-08T12:08:00.004Z

Many of the recipes you will make will make enough food for 3 or 4 meals. Although when you freeze food and then reheat it, it will lose some of it's goodness, it is wise especially during the week when time can be tight to have meals to hand in your freezer.

Once the food is cooked and has cooled (within 1 1/2 hours) freeze the meals into individual portions that can be warmed up at a later date. Just be careful that you reheat all food properly. Allow the food to defrost overnight or use a microwave.

Guidelines regarding how long food lasts in a freezer differ although the main consensus states between 8 and 12 weeks maximum.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - egg fried rice with peas and tofu

2009-03-07T12:23:00.003Z

Egg fried rice with peas and tofu

Ingredients:
50 grams basmati rice
½ onion cut finely
1 egg beaten
1/2 small crushed garlic clove
½ a mug of peas
125 grams tofu cut into small squares

Preparation and cooking:
1. Cook the rice and peas separately and allow to cool
2. Fry the onion and garlic in a little oil in a frying pan for a couple of minutes. Add the tofu and cook for a five minutes.
3. Now add the beaten egg and allow the egg to scramble.
4. Add the rice and peas and mix together for a couple of minutes.

Serve once the dish has cooled slightly.

Tofu

Tofu is made in much the same way as cheese, except that it is made from soya beans rather than milk. It is entirely plant-based. Nutrition-wise, tofu is in a league of it’s own. It is a complete source of protein, being one of the only food products that provide all eight essential amino acids. It contains no animal fats or cholesterol, is low on sodium, contains few calories, and is easy to digest. It is also an excellent source of iron and Vitamin B. And because calcium sulfate is used in the manufacturing process, it is a worthwhile source of calcium.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - substitute for breadcrumbs

2009-03-06T08:29:00.003Z

If you always forget to buy breadcrumbs or are forever running out, have some cream crackers in your cupboard. Put some into a freezer bag, get your rolling pin out and bash away. Once crushed, these work just as well as breadcrumbs and you can store the crackers at the back of the cupboard.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - cheesy omelette with mushroom

2009-03-05T07:50:00.008Z

Babies and toddlers love eggs. Omelette's are a fantastic source of protein and anything else you add to the eggs. It was all my daughter ate over Christmas when she had the flu.

Cheesy Omelette with mushroom

Ingredients:

1 egg beaten
A splash of milk
3 small mushrooms finely sliced
2 tablespoons grated cheese
A little butter
Black pepper (you may not want to add pepper to your child's food until they are a little older although I added it to meals when my daughter was about 8 months)

Preparation and cooking:

Heat the butter in a saucepan and fry the mushroom on a low heat for 5 minutes
Add the beaten egg, a little black pepper and mix in well with the mushroom
Now let the omelette set and add some grated cheese to the top
Fold the omelette in half and cook for further 2 minutes.

Serve once cooled. Do not worry if the omelette turns into scrambled egg. It is the taste that counts. Over time you will perfect the omelette.

You can replace the mushrooms with tomatoes, onions, peppers - basically anything your child likes - just remember they need cooking first before you add the egg.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - sugar substitute

2009-03-04T08:43:00.001Z

To sweeten a meal instead of using sugar why not grate an apple into it.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - vegetable fritters

2009-03-03T07:45:00.003Z

Vegetable fritters

These are so simple to make and taste really good.

Ingredients:
¼ red pepper chopped into small pieces
1 small leek chopped finely
1 grated carrot
1 heaped tablespoon self-raising flour
1 beaten egg
Fresh pepper

Preparation & Cooking:
Wash the vegetable. Fry the leek and red pepper gently in a little butter for 10 minutes
In a bowl, add the flour, egg and a little fresh pepper to the grated carrot
Add the cooked leek and red pepper to the carrot mixture and stir well
Heat some vegetable oil in the frying pan and add a heaped tablespoon of the batter and press down with the back of a spatula
Cook the fritter for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.

Serve on their own, with a cucumber and yoghurt dip or a fresh tomato salad. You can use any vegetables really in these fritters. Just cut them small enough and cook the ones first that need a little longer cooking time. Sweetcorn fritters are also a favourite.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - tasty vegetables

2009-03-02T08:01:00.002Z

This can be a tricky one, where children and vegetables are concerned. But there is an easy way to make vegetables a little tastier and that is by simply adding some butter (preferably unsalted for the under twos) and a little pepper once the vegetables are cooked. You could also use a little powered vegetable stock (1 teaspoon) in the cooking water which I find tends to make the vegetables a little sweeter once cooked. A great one is the Swiss Marigold Bouillon which is available widely in the UK and abroad too.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Cheesy Semolina

2009-03-01T10:47:00.001Z

Cheesy Semolina (1-2 portions)

Ingredients:
30 grams semolina
280 ml of whole milk
Grated parmesan cheese/cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

Preparation & Cooking:
Add the semolina to milk in a saucepan and bring to boil
Simmer for 20 minutes (refer to cooking instructions on the pack)
When ready add grated cheddar/parmesan cheese to taste and a swirl of rapeseed oil/olive oil

Allow to cool slightly and serve.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - tinned tomatoes

2009-02-28T09:08:00.005Z

Although I do not agree with spending over the odds when buying food (especially if it is going to end up on the floor), there are some food items that you should spend a little more money on and one of these is tinned tomatoes. If you buy the cheapest range they tend to be very watery and lack flavour. It is also better to buy whole plum tomatoes rather than chopped as the tomatoes will have retained more of their flavour and goodness. Tomato sauces will taste so much more delicious.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Fish in tomato and thyme sauce

2009-02-27T09:27:00.004Z

Fish in tomato and thyme sauce

Ingredients:
200 grams white fish
½ small onion
1 crushed clove of garlic (optional - reduce amount if child under one or just getting used to the taste)
1 tin of plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1 tablespoon of ketchup
A few sprigs of fresh thyme or a teaspoon of dried thyme
Pepper to season

Preparation & Cooking:
Chop the onions and in a saucepan fry with the garlic and thyme gently in a little oil
Add a tablespoon of tomato puree and ketchup. Cook gently for another 5 minutes
Add the tin of tomatoes and add some pepper
After 15 minutes add the fish cut into squares into the sauce
Cover the saucepan and simmer for another ten minutes.

Serve with freshly cooked rice.

Kinder Kitchen Cooking Tip - Leeks

2009-02-26T08:14:00.002Z

Part of the onion family, leeks are a great alternative to onions in recipes. They are milder than a normal onion and add that extra little flavour to any dish.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Tasty red split lentils

2009-02-25T08:16:00.003Z

Tasty red split lentils

Ingredients:
100 grams red split lentils
½ small onion
1 bacon rasher sliced thinly (optional - do not use if your child is under one due to bacon's high salt content)
1/2 crushed clove of garlic
1 carrot finely chopped
Chicken or vegetable stock (if not fresh a teaspoon of powdered stock or 1/4 cube of stock and water)

Preparation & Cooking:
Wash the lentils thoroughly (follow instructions on the packet) and soak for 10 minutes.
In a saucepan, fry the onions and garlic gently for 5 minutes.
Add the finely sliced bacon and chopped carrot.
Now add the lentils and enough stock to cover all the ingredients and a bit more.
Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. Check regularly so that there is enough liquid for the lentils to cook. Add more stock if need be.

Serve once cooled. Serve on it’s own or with rice.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - Celery

2009-02-24T08:06:00.000Z

Celery is a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients - potassium, Vitamin C, fibre, Vitamin A, calcium and protein. What more could you want from a single source?!

Add celery to soups, stocks and sauces to enhance the flavour of the dish.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Basic Chicken Stock

2009-02-23T12:21:00.001Z

Basic chicken stock

Ingredients:
3 chicken thighs (with bone and skin on)
2 sticks of celery
1 carrot
1 onion
6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
750ml water

Preparation:
Wash the carrot and sticks of celery and chop into pieces
Peel the onion and cut into quarters. Add this and all the other ingredients to a saucepan. Add 500ml of water.
Cook:
Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer gently for up to 1 hour.

Refrigerate once cooled.

Serving suggestions:
Remove the chicken from the bone and slice up into small pieces and serve as a soup (adding pasta or rice to the soup). Add sweet potato and sweet corn to the chicken stock for a deliciously sweet and wholesome soup. You can also add the stock to sauces, to rice and lentil dishes.

For babies from 6 months old, you can just add baby rice for very nutritious meal. Don't however forget to remove the peppercorns before serving!!

Celery
Celery gives the stock a wonderful flavour. It is also a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients - potassium, Vitamin C, fibre, Vitamin A, calcium and protein. What more could you want from a single source?!

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - Grating onions

2009-02-22T08:25:00.000Z

If you find it difficult to slice onions finely, you could also use a grater to grate the onions. This can be much easier and give you the same results.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - African Butternut Squash

2009-02-21T15:13:00.001Z

African Butternut Squash (5-8 portions depending on age of child)

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger (amount dependent on age of child)
1 crushed garlic clove
Fresh pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Preparation:
1. Pierce the butternut squash a couple of times with a knife and place in a microwave for 8 minutes on a high 2. heat (alternatively place in the oven for 20 minutes at 180ºC)
3. Remove from oven and carefully cut the butternut squash into half, removing the seeds. Score the flesh with a knife.
4. Mash the garlic, ginger, pepper and butter together and spread it onto both sections of the squash making sure all the surfaces are covered with the seasoning. Place the sections together and cover in foil.
5. Cook the squash in an oven for 45 minutes on 180ºC .

Once cooked allow to cool for 10 minutes in the foil and serve.

Serving suggestions:
Serve on its own, with meat, fish, rice or salad.

The benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a great aid for colds and coughs, digestion and constipation.