Yoghurt and Raisin Porridge Balls – BLW Recipe

Kicking it off with our first baby led weaning recipe of 2018! Yoghurt and raisin porridge balls:

Ingredients

• 100g of oats
• 25g of raisins
• Approx 4 tbsp of full fat plain yoghurt

Method

1. Put the oats and raisins in a bowl
2. Add the yoghurt gradually until you have a thick lumpy mix
3. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and roll in your hands
4. Repeat until all of the mixture is used up
5. Put in the fridge for a few minutes
6. Serve

This recipe came about because we needed to go shopping but we always have these things in the kitchen.

Honestly, Tabitha picked the raisins out first and made a right old mess but she enjoyed herself even if I didn’t enjoy the clean up.

As always, I love to hear from you if you recreate any of my recipes.

Chantelle x

Vegetable Fritters – BLW Recipe

Another Friday, another takeaway for mum and dad but I am afraid little Tabitha you have to eat something else random that Mumma is going to come up with from the sad end of week contents of our fridge and then share for the world to see. That review, wildly downplays this next recipe as Daddy said they were delicious and proceeded to finish off the leftovers… now that you´re a little more interested let´s get on with the recipe:

Ingredients

• 100g of Plain Flour
• 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder
• 2 Eggs
• 4 tbsp of Whole Milk
• Olive Oil
• 1 Carrot (Grated)
• 1/2 Red Pepper (Chopped)
• 1/2 Tin of Sweetcorn (drained)

Veggie Fritters in the Pan

Method

1. Start by sifting the flour and baking powder into a bowl
2. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs and the milk
3. Whisk together gradually until your batter is smooth
4. Add the carrots, pepper and sweetcorn and combine until mixed
5. Heat a large frying pan with some olive oil
6. Once the oil is hot place a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the pan
7. Push down lightly and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden
8. Repeat until all of the batter has been used
9. Once the fritters have cooled slightly, they are ready to serve

Cooked Veggie Fritters

These were most definitely a hit in our house and not just with the baby, they were super quick to make and to be honest you could add any veggies that you have available at the time, making this a super versatile recipe to keep to hand on the days when you lack inspiration.

As always, I would love to hear from you if you use this recipe and I always like to hear new ideas too!

Chantelle x

Tuna, Sweetcorn and Egg Muffins – BLW Recipe

Last time, I might have admitted to feeding Tabitha takeaway (100% true) but sometimes our takeaway choices do not work so then I need other options for her dinner. Normally a takeaway
means I do not want to cook (read cannot be bothered) and therefore need a simple solution for her dinner that basically isn’t bread which is my normal go to for a lazy meal.

This time, the inspiration came from a tin of tuna that has been sat in our cupboard for a while and I’m currently trying to have a cupboard clear out, what I came up with for Tabitha (whilst I ate a falafel kebab) was tuna and sweetcorn egg muffins and here is how I made them:

Ingredients
Half a tin of tuna
Half a tin of sweetcorn
6 eggs
Black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C (not fan assisted)
2. Grease a muffin tin (with butter or oil)
3. Mix your drained tuna and sweetcorn together in a bowl
4. Divide this between each of the holes in the muffin tin
5. Then mix your eggs in a mug and whisk gently
6. Add a little black pepper and pour over the tuna and sweeten evenly (this should make 12)
7. Allow to stand for a couple of minutes before placing into the oven for 15-20 minutes
8. Keep an eye on them and once golden and slightly ‘puffed up’ they are ready
Take out of the oven and let them cool, until you can touch them
9. Then take out of the tray and serve if you wish
10. Any extras can be left to cool fully before being kept in the fridge for 2-3 days

This made 12 muffins, when I make these again I will probably half the recipe as they only lasted 2-3 days in the fridge and as much as I gave them to her for as many meals as possible over those 2 days, she only ate 6 of them (2 in each sitting) and I actually got the impression that she liked them best when they were still warm as they were eaten a lot more enthusiastically the first time, but they are also easy to serve cold too.

This recipe is also super versatile and you can add whatever you fancy in, I’m thinking peppers and spring onions!

Let me know in the comments if you would like me to try another version of these for you.

Chantelle x

Banana Cake Recipe with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

From time to time I do actually get  little bit of time to do some baking, more often than not, when we have black squidy bananas! I have made this recipe more than anything else since Tabitha was born and it is pretty fool-proof so should you have to comfort the crying baby or get distracted cleaning up some spit up (random daily events of a mother) the cake can handle 10 extra minutes in the oven, which makes it the perfect cake right? Here is how you do it:

Ingredients

• 285g of Flour
• 1 tsp of Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 110 g of Butter
• 225g of Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 4 Bananas – Mashed
• 85ml of Buttermilk
• 100g of Chocolate Chips
• 120g of Crushed Walnuts

Banana Cake

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C (Fan)
2. Start by sieving the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and set aside
3. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy
4. Add the eggs, mashed banana and buttermilk to the mixture and stir thoroughly
5. Then fold in the flour mixture until mixed well
6. Then add the walnuts and chocolate and stir in
7. Grease a cake tin, line the base with baking paper and pour in the mixture
8. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until risen and brown
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving

It is delicious every time I make it and I love the fact that it does not need to be frosted or iced because if it did, it might just not get done in this household.

Please remember that this one is not baby friendly! But let me know your favourite (non-baby friendly) cakes in the comments below.

Chantelle x

Banana and Raspberry Oatcakes – BLW Recipe

As well as eating what we eat, I do like to prepare some easy and healthy snacks for Tabitha, especially ones that can be kept in the fridge for a few days, that way I have something to grab if I do not have enough time to cook, or it is a sunny day and we decide to eat in the park, or if your husband is hungry and sniffing around for snacks! This recipe is foolproof and a firm favourite in this house.

Ingredients

• 2 Bananas
• Rolled Oats (the amount varied dependant on the size of the bananas)
• Raspberries

Banana and Raspberry Oatcakes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan assisted) and grease a muffin tray with butter
2. Mash the bananas into a bowl
3. Add the rolled oats until the mixture begins to clump
4. Dish up equally into your greased muffin tin
5. Pop 2 raspberries into the top of each and push down so they are in the mixture
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until golden
7. Take out of the oven and allow to cool before serving

They are great to eat slightly warm and will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let me know if you try this recipe out at home and if your little ones enjoy them!

Chantelle x

Banana Pancakes – BLW Recipe

So you may have noticed a lack of baking, or activity whatsoever on the ol´blog. As it turns out, having a baby does take up all of your time! There has been a touch of baking, some cupcakes and brownies here and there but nothing blog (or even photo) worthy.

However, 2 months ago we started to wean little miss, using baby led weaning (so no puree) we started with veggie sticks and fruit but as she gets more used to this we wanted to experiment with some more tastes and textures. I do not want to give her processed food as much as possible so have been researching recipes for things I can make myself. We have started simple, but I thought that I would share the things I make here for other baby led weaning mums, so here is my first recipe for 2 Ingredient Banana Pancakes: 

Ingredients

• 1 Egg
• 1 Banana

2 Ingredient Banana Pancakes

Method

1. Mash the banana in a bowl
2. Add the egg
3. Whisk together but keep some of the banana lumps
4. Then heat a little oil in a frying pan
5. Let it get really hot before adding a tablespoon of the mixture
6. Fry for roughly 2 minutes on each side until golden brown
7. Remove and place onto kitchen roll to allow any oil to soak away
8. Once cool cut into strips and serve

Note: This recipe makes 6 but you can double or triple, I make extra and keep them in a sealed tub in the fridge for a quick meal the following day.

I hope you like this type of recipe, keep checking back for more (I hope).

Lemon Cupcake Recipe with Fondant Decorations

I had some fondant icing in the cupboard that was about to go out of date and I couldn’t just let it get thrown away so I had to do some baking. After a look through the shelves I decided on Lemon Cupcakes with Fondant Decoration:

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• 100g of Sugar
• 100g of Butter
• 1tsp of Baking Powder
• 1/2tsp of Bicarbonate of Soda
• 100g of Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 5tbsp of Lemon Juice

For the Buttercream Frosting (used a glue)

• 75g of Icing Sugar
• 35g of Butter
• 4tbsp of Lemon Juice

For the Decoration

• 75g of Blue Fondant Icing
• 75g of Yellow Fondant Icing

Lemon Cupcakes with Fondant Decoration

Method

1. Start by making your cupcakes by preheating the oven to 180C (Fan) and putting your cupcake cases into your tin
2. Cream the sugar and butter together in a bowl until smooth
3. Sieve in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and flour and mix until crumbly
4. Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk until you have a smooth and even cake batter
5. Then evenly pour your cake mix into your cupcake cases
6. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes until golden
7. Set aside and allow to cool
8. Once cool you can begin the decoration
9. To do this, start by making the buttercream
10. Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add the butter and lemon juice
11. Whisk together until smooth and fluffy, set aside
12. Then you can roll out the fondant icing on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar and cut any shapes you like
13. Once this has been done you can put the cupcakes together
14. Dollop a teaspoon full of the lemon buttercream onto each cupcake as glue for the fondant that then goes on top, as I used 2 thin layers of fondant icing I also used the buttercream between these to make sure they stuck together, but you can do this however it suits the decoration you have created!

Note: This recipe makes 12 cupcakes

These Lemon Cupcakes with Fondant Decoration were light and fluffy and looked kind of cool. But I definitely think I need to invest in some more crafting tools for cake decorating as I used a cookie cutter and it was a little on the large side.

So if you have any product recommendations, please let me know!

Banana, Chocolate, Walnut and Marzipan Muffin Recipe

Somehow we end up with quite a lot of brown bananas in this house, to some, a waste, to me, time to make Banana Bread again! But this week I felt like doing something a little different, so with the help of my usual, what is in the baking cupboard I decided on Banana, Chocolate, Walnut and Marzipan Muffins. And here is how I did it:

Ingredients

• 285g of Flour
• 1 tsp of Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 110 g of Butter
• 225g of Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 4 Bananas – Mashed
• 85ml of Plain Yoghurt
• 100g of Dark Chocolate Chips
• 100g of Crushed Walnuts
• 100g of Marzipan Chunks

Banana, Chocolate, Walnut and Marzipan Muffins

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C (Fan)
2. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and set aside
3. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is smooth
4. Add the eggs, mashed banana and yoghurt to the mixture and stir thoroughly
5. Then fold in the flour mixture gradually until it is all well combined
6. Then add the chocolate, walnuts and marzipan and stir to spread through the mix
7. Grease your tin, I used my cupcake tin without cupcake cases to make individual muffins
8. Then evenly pour in the mixture
9. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until risen and brown
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool
11. Then enjoy!

Note: This recipe made 20 muffins

Quite honestly there is not much to say, this recipe is pretty foolproof and results in yumminess every time and these Banana, Chocolate, Walnut and Marzipan Muffins were no exception! I am already looking forward to my next lot of brown bananas!

Cottage Pie Recipe made with Swede Mash

This recipe is one I have been making for a while now, I have finally perfected it so thought it was time to share it on my blog. It is a little bit different in that it is savoury but I do cook a lot more than I bake, even if my cooking is usually a bit more dull. I think this one is a little bit more interesting and maybe of interest to you so that is why I am sharing my recipe for Homemade Cottage Pie with Swede Mash with you:

Ingredients

• 250g of Beef Mince
• 2tbsp of Oil
• 1 Onion
• 2 Carrots
• 50g of Peas
• 1 tsp of Oregano
• 1 tsp of Paprika
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tbsp of Tomato Puree
• 250ml of Gravy (I use Bisto and not my own!)
• 1 Large Swede
• Knob of Butter
• Splash of Milk

Homemade Cottage Pie with Swede Mash

Method

1. I always start by chopping the carrot and onion into small chunks and setting aside in a bowl with the peas as this makes it easier as you cook
2. Then fry the mince in the oil until it is brown
3. Add the oregano, paprika and season with salt and pepper as you like and fry for a further minute
4. Then add the vegetables and turn down to a low heat, put the lid on the pan and allow to simmer for 5 minutes
5. Pour in your gravy and add the tomato puree and stir
6. Allow to simmer on a low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring intermittently
7. Whilst this simmers you can cut up your swede into chunks and put it on to boil, this normally takes 30 minutes
8. Once your mince mix is cooked, pour into an oven dish and level, set aside to cool
9. Back to the swede, once boiled drain and tip back into the pan
10. Add the butter and milk and season with salt and pepper as desired
11. Then mash until smooth
12. Evenly spread across the top of your cooled mince, then using a fork drag the swede back and firth creating grooves, this will help it to brown in the oven
13. The cottage pie can be left to cool then refrigerated until later if you want, or it can be cooked right away
14. When you want your cottage pie, preheat the oven to 200C (Fan) and cook for 15-20 minutes, until hot through and crisping on top

Note: I like to serve mine with baked beans! What about you…?

I love this twist on Cottage Pie as my Homemade Cottage Pie with Swede Mash is a little healthier and I think the sweet flavour of swede makes it yummier.

Do you have any twists on a classic that you like to make?

White Chocolate Cornflake Nest Recipe with Dark Chocolate Drops

I have been baking a lot this week and when I am in the mood I just cant stop, however I am sometimes hindered by a lack of ingredients. So this recipe for White Chocolate Cornflake Nests with Dark Chocolate Drops is based on ‘stuff I had leftover in my cupboard’ which is sometimes the best way:

Ingredients

• 200g of White Chocolate
• 200g of Cornflakes
• 75g of Dark Chocolate Drops

White Chocolate Cornflake Nests with Dark Chocolate Drops

Method

1. Start by putting your cupcake cases into your tin (12)
2. Then melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water (or a microwave if you have one)
3. Once the chocolate has melted, take off of the heat but leave over the boiling water
4. Add the cornflakes gradually whilst stirring to ensure that they all get covered in chocolate
5. Then divide evenly into your cupcake cases and gently push down
6. Sprinkle the chocolate drops over the top of each
7. Place into the fridge to set for 1 hour
8. Once set, enjoy!

Note: This recipe makes 12  nests

As always these White Chocolate Cornflake Nests with Dark Chocolate Drops were super easy to make but they are always super yummy so who cares?  (no one, if you were unsure), and the plus side, I still have some cornflakes left….