Recipe: Apple Cake

When I was pregnant with Lyra I developed a huge craving/addiction to anything that had almonds in it...oh and cinnamon....together, separately, whatever...I wanted it. I still do. I could easily eat a batch of frangipane and not think anything of it...seriously...love the stuff. 

Since I've had Lyra I've spent a lot of time eating bakewell tarts and cinnamon buns. A LOT OF TIME. I'm not interested in making either of those at home...I can't be bothered making my own pastry and most yeasty bakes don't fit into Lyra's schedule at the moment. So I buy, who cares. 

The other week, though, I really wanted to bake something almondy and cinnamony so I slightly adapted an old family favourite and whipped up an appley-almondy-cinnamony-cake. SWEET PERFECTION. 

Apple Cake 

Ingredients 

4 eating apples
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
2/3 cup oil (any flavourless oil)
3 Tbsp milk
1 tsp almond essence

Method

PRE HEAT oven to 180C (fan)
Grease and Line a 23 cm round spring form cake pan

Peel, core and thinly slice apples.
In a large bowl toss apples with 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon.
Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl beat eggs and sugar until combined, add oil and milk and beat until smooth.
Fold flour mixture into wet ingredients, don't over mix.

Pour 1/2 the batter into the cake pan.
Arrange apples in a layer over the batter and spread the remaining batter over the apples. It is ok if the batter doesn't cover the apples completely.

Bake 1 hour or until tester comes out clean.
Let cool completely before taking out of the tin.

Homemade Pizza

Ever since David and I moved in together we have had Pizza on Friday nights for dinner. For the most part we have had homemade pizza, with the odd frozen one and a good amount of Dominos. Actually, since Christmas I have been so lazy and it is fair to say that we have had more than just the ODD frozen pizza. Shame Shame double shame...I know. Anyway, while we were in France in March I started (didn't finish) Swallow This by investigative journalist Joanna Blythman. It is all about the prepared foods industry and all the stuff that goes into making our food.  Sadly (or thankfully) there is a whole section on frozen/prepared pizza and pizza dough...you can imagine...so we are back to homemade pizza on Friday nights. 

Now that Lyra is determined to help prepare EVERY.SINGLE.MEAL I've been letting her make her own pizzas...rolling out the dough, putting on her toppings (usually just tomato sauce and ham) and helping grate and sprinkle on the cheese (which is the BEST bit). 

I don't use a recipe but I do follow these guidelines: 

00 flour (about 3 cups ish, added in 1/2 cup measurement) 

1 Tbsp quick yeast ( Doves Farm yeast is great) 

250ml warm water with 1 Tbsp olive oil added 

NO SALT 

I start by combining 1 cup of flour, the yeast and the liquid until smooth and then just add the rest of the flour 1/2 a cup at a time until I've got a nice smooth dough. 

This dough doubles in about an hour so you can make it pretty much at the last minute. 

Recipe: Banana Peanut Butter Oaty Bites

Lyra loves to help in the kitchen, especially if it involves making HER SNACKS. At 20 months she likes to help measure out ingredients, mix everything up and be responsible for the QUALITY CONTROL. Because she likes to get her little hands into everything ans then straight into her mouth I've been trying very hard to find recipes that are egg free. 

A few weeks ago we got busy in the kitchen and made a large batch of peanut butter banana cookies.  Lyra helped to mash the bananas, measure in the ingredients and lick the peanut butter spoon! 

These cookies are super easy to mix up, they take very little time to bake and freeze well too! 

Banana Peanut Butter Oaty Bites

Adapted from www.engine2diet.com

Makes about 24

Ingredients 

3 ripe bananas

3/4 cup smooth peanutbutter 

3 TBSP honey (or maple syrup if making for a child under 1yr) 

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup all purpose flour 

1tsp baking powder

Method

PREHEAT oven to 180C

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl 

Place large TBSPs of dough onto lined baking sheets ( about 1 inch apart)

Bake 10-15 until golden brown 

Cool on wire rack 

Recipe: Carrot Fritters

Carrots are one vegetable that Lyra is really fussy about, she will eat them cooked in a stew or soup but if I just boil or steam them she won't even try them.  It is like she knows that they aren't going to be soft enough, or just bleurgh...I don't get it.

In a bid to get her to eat more than a couple of pieces of carrot we made some fritters together. For the last week or so Lyra has been helping me make EVERY snack and meal we've had by standing up on her little step stool and chucking ingredients into bowls or onto plates. Having Lyra help me is so much fun, but it really takes a lot of organisation and planning on my part...like I have to think about how much chopping I might have to do, if there is any raw meat or eggs, how long things take to actually cook (patience isn't a trait she has developed yet) and I also have to try to get all the ingredients and stuff out and ready before she pulls the stool over to the counter and climbs up.  

These fritters are great because they don't have any added egg so it doesn't matter so much if little ones feel the need for quality control.  We managed to make the batter for the fritters and fry them with very little difficulty, the hardest part was letting them sit until dinner time (that pesky patience again).  Lyra ate 2 and a half with her dinner of leftover stuffed pepper, and I enjoyed 4 with some salad and couscous. There were 4 or 5 leftover and they tasted great cold the next day.  

Carrot Fritters

Ingredients 

200g grated carrots (or courgettes, or a combination) 

50g grated cheddar cheese

50g plain flour

pinch of ground cumin

pinch of ground coriander 

2 TBSP water 

oil for pan frying

Method 

In a bowl combine veg, cheese, flour and spices and mix to distribute the ingredients. 

Add the water a little at a time until you have a batter that is sticky but not runny. 

Heat a frying pan on medium heat and add the oil. 

Once the oil is hot gently plop TSBPs of the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. 

Fry for 3-4 mins on one side, flip carefully and fry until golden on the other side. 

Remove from pan and place on paper towel to soak up any extra oil. 

Repeat until all the batter is cooked. 

We put ours in an oven proof dish and kept warm in the oven for a couple of hours until SOMEONE couldn't stand it anymore and started crying at the kitchen door. 

Enjoy with some creme fraiche for dipping, or on their own. 

Recipe: Nature Cookies

I have fallen into the black hole that is Pinterest more often than I choose to admit.  Seriously, sometimes I lose WHOLE EVENINGS to browsing PICTURES of food.  More often that not I don't even bother trying out the links to the recipes that have caught my eye, I just PIN for later and move on...and on...and on...and on...and OH MY GOSH! Where did the evening go?! 

Back before Christmas I was looking for protein packed snack ideas for Lyra and ended up pinning about a gazillion energy ball recipes only to discover, upon actually looking at the recipes, that I needed a food processor to make them...something I don't have.  

Then I found the recipe for nature cookies from the Weelicious website (check it out...great food ideas for little ones) and after a couple of tweaks I whipped up a batch of protein packed cookies to keep in the freezer for Lyra.  

The original recipe sounds amazing, but I substituted 1/4 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup butter instead of just 1/2 cup of butter because I wanted a little bit of extra nut protein, and also used maple syrup instead of honey since that is what I had on hand.  For nuts I used sunflower seeds and the basic chopped nuts mix from the Sainsbury's baking aisle, and I decided not to add in the chocolate chips. 

The cookie dough is really thick so I just rolled it into walnut sized balls and pressed those down on the baking sheet. 

These cookies freeze well and defrost quickly. The batch I made are a little bit crumbly, but still manage to get gobbled up pretty quickly. Oh, and without the chocolate chips they really don't taste sweet at all. 

Recipe: Rye Carrot Cake Pancakes

During the week breakfasts are a pretty standard affair in this house...we wake up and have a warm cup of milk sitting on the couch (watching the news, how civilised) and then, once Daddy has left for work, we usually have some cereal, toast and bananas.  At 18 months I don't really feel that Lyra cares what is on her plate...just that there is something on her plate...so I don't push myself to get too creative at breakfast time. 

However, if we wake up extra early I usually use the extra time to whip up some pancakes or french toast.  I often will give Lyra scrambled eggs for lunch or dinner so unless we are all having eggs on the weekend I tend to skip them at breakfast time.  

In reality making a batch of pancakes or a couple of slices of french toast doesn't take THAT MUCH longer than toasting some bread, slicing the banana and letting Lyra's cereal soak in milk for a few minutes. 

If it is just the two of us I half my go-to pancake recipe, which makes about 8-10 small pancakes, and wrap the leftovers and keep them in the fridge for snacks for the next couple of days (they also freeze well).  

I like adding in mashed bananas or berries to the batter, tossing in a handful of porridge oats or oat bran, grating in zucchini or carrots, or even cheddar cheese.  There is also a small amount of sugar, which could always be left out if you don't want to give your child any added sugar.  

Last week I bought some rye flour so decided to use it, along with some grated carrots to make Rye Carrot Cake pancakes.  I smeared them with cream cheese "icing" (just plain soft cream cheese) and topped mine with some flaked almonds. They were delicious and Lyra greedily gobbled up 2 and a half pancakes! 

Rye Carrot Cake Pancakes 

Makes 8-10 small pancakes 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup self raising flour 

1/4 cup rye flour 

2 tsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp bicarb of soda

1/2 cup finely grated carrot (I use my parmesan cheese grater) 

1 egg 

1/2 cup milk 

optional: 

pinch of cinnamon 

pinch of all spice 

Method:

In a medium bowl whisk together flours, sugar, bicarb and spices (if using). 

In a measuring jug whisk together milk, egg and carrot. 

Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, whisk together to combine.  Add a splash more of milk if the batter is too thick, it should be run off a spoon easily.  

Heat a non-stick frying pan and spoon Tablespoon blobs of the batter into the hot pan. Let them cook for a few minutes on one side and then flip them over to continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. 

Let the pancakes cool before topping with a smear of plain cream cheese (and maple syrup if you want). 

Recipe: Smoked Haddock Chowder

Every once in a while dinner time rolls around and I think...oh rats...why am I making this!? I just know that Lyra isn't going to like it.  9 times out of 10 I am wrong and she does like whatever it is that I am convinced she won't. She constantly amazes me with her love of food (wonder where she gets that from) and I can really only name a handful of things she consistently turns her nose up...carrots cooked in any way other than in a stew. Even so I was pretty sure she wasn't going to be all that enthralled with the incredibly smokey chowder I whipped up earlier this week. 

Again, I was wrong...kind of.  Yes, she managed to pick out every single piece of cauliflower and hand them over to me one by one, but she devoured her smoked haddock and potatoes with delight and screamed out MORE MORE MORE. I couldn't help but chuckle while I nibbled on her cauliflower cast outs. 

Smoked Haddock Chowder
Serves 2 adults 2 toddlers

Ingredients: 

1 fillet of undyed smoked haddock

1 pint of whole milk 

a handful of cauliflower florets broken into small pieces 

3 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes 

1 medium leek thinly sliced in half circles 

oil or butter to sauté 

Method: 

In a large enough sauce pan, with a lid, gently heat the milk. Once simmering place the haddock in the milk and poach until the fish is cooked. Carefully lift out the fish once it is cooked, let cool and flake into bite sized pieces. Reserve milk. 

In a large pot sauté leeks in oil or butter until soft. Add in cauliflower and potatoes and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Pour the warm milk that you poached the fish in over the vegetables and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. 

Once the vegetables are soft add the flaked fish and simmer until the fish has warmed through. 

If needed add a splash more milk, or cream. 

For Lyra I used a slotted spoon to drain off most of the milk to reduce any mess.  

Recipe: Beef and no ale Stew

Carrots are one vegetable that I seem to have trouble cooking just right for Lyra...even when I think I have boiled or roasted them to death the centre still seems too hard for her 4 little teeth to bite.  Recently, though, I have noticed that when they are in a stew, slow cooked for hours and super duper soft she will gobble them up like it is no body's business (in fact last night they were the first thing she ate on her plate!).  It is the same with other hard root veg like parsnips (although she likes those roasted) and turnips.  I don't blame her sometimes I can't stomach those either unless they are super soft and drenched in butter, but in a stew they are just...well...different. 

My go-to stew uses this recipe from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food.  It is so simple, just chop and dump the veg, sautee a bit until the onions are soft, chuck in the stewing beef and some flour, mix that all up and then in with a carton of chopped tomatoes and (this is where it is different from Jamie's recipe) 400ml of chicken stock.  Into the oven for about 3 hours and voila! 

I like to mix up the veg and use parsnips, turnips, potatoes, carrots and celery (about 3 cups total chopped) and then 1 onion chopped.  Sometimes I scoop out the veg and meat and divide it up on a plate for Lyra and sometimes I just scoop it all into a bowl the way the adults have it.  Either way she usually gobbles it all up and asks for MORE.  

Recipe: Raisin Scones

Last week I thought it would be a good idea to start baking with Lyra, like actually letting her get her hands dirty instead of just sitting in the high chair listening to me pretend to have my own tv show.  A pal of mine had told me that she had baked scones with her wee girl who is not much older than Lyra so I thought it was about time we tried something like that too.  Scones seemed like a great recipe to start with since she would be able to use her hands to mix up up the dough and the recipe I normally make doesn't have any egg in it so I wouldn't have to been too worried about her taste testing the mixture. 

While she had her nap I measured out all the ingredients and put a towel down on the floorbof the kitchen and then once she was up and awake we were all ready to go.  Lyra helped me tip the flour and baking powder in the mixing bowl, and then put the butter cubes in (after tasting one thinking it was cheese).  She wasn't too keen on the texture of the flour and butter so I ended up rubbing the butter in myself.  We then, reluctantly, added the raisins...after a lengthly quality control process where I had to portion her out her own raisins to EAT.  She helped me pour the milk in and had a good try at mixing the dough with a wooden spoon.  Again...not too keen to touch the dough.  

I patted it out on a cutting board for her and then we used the cutter to cut them out.  Lyra was a big help pushing the cutter down into the dough and managed to pop a few out onto the cookie sheet without any help from me.  

Our oven door gets so so so hot so we let the scones "rest" while we tidied up the kitchen. Once that was done I ushered Lyra into the living room to play while the oven heated up...and then in the scones went.  

They were still warm for our afternoon snack...smeared with butter and some CHEESE cubes on the side! 

I just divided my usual recipe in half to make this batch of 6 scones.  I didn't want to make the whole batch incase they didn't really turn out (and use up all the butter!).  This is a recipe copied and adapted from my mum and uses a mixture of weighing ingredients and scooping cups...sorry. 

Raisin Scones 

Makes 6

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

56 grams butter, cold cut into cubes

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup milk 

PREHEAT OVEN 220C

In large mixing bowl stir together flour and baking powder

Cut in butter until it resembles bread crumbs 

Add raisins and toss to coat in flour mixture

Slowly stir in milk and mix until it forms a dough

Knead lightly a few times until smooth

Pat dough out on floured board until 2cm thick

Cut out scones

Bake on baking tray for 12-14 mins or until golden brown on bottom

Enjoy

Recipe: Courgette and Cheddar Loaf

Every couple of weeks I like to bake a loaf cake to slice up and have in the freezer for snacks.  I usually make a banana bread, or carrot cake...something sweet, but recently I made this recipe for zucchini cheddar bread from the Weelicious website (check it out if you haven't already, it is an amazing resource for meal and snack ideas).  

This savoury loaf is essentially a soda bread and mixes up super quick with no added butter or oil.  The added zucchini is a great way to sneak a bit of veg into Lyra's diet.  I substituted white flour, because that is what I had in the cupboard.  So easy.  

Once completely cooled the loaf slices really easily.  I sliced it into 1cm thick slices and wrapped each one individually in cling film.  Into the freezer they went and now I can just take one out at breakfast and it is defrosted well before snack time.  

Toddler Snacks: Rectangles

2 sizes of rectangle cookie cutters

larger rectangles of pancake

smaller rectangles of banana

spoon of peanut butter

Recipe: The Best Chocolate Cake

This really is THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE, ever.  It is my GO TO recipe, and David's number1 request. 

The cake and "frosting" are Nigella's Devil Food Cake with Chocolate Frosting.  I normally top it with some sliced fruit (to feel more virtuous when devouring huge slabs) or just a dusting of cocoa powder. THIS TIME I wrapped the sides with a combination of plain and cookies n cream Kit Kats, and covered the top with Malteasers. THIS TIME was an extra special occasion...David's birthday. 

Meal Ideas: Homemade Hamburger Helper

The original recipe for this dish is called 5-STAR CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE because it pretty much tastes like a cheeseburger (including dill pickle topping)...awesome right? I came across it on Pinterest the other month while searching for new things to make with a package of ground beef and I immediately thought of the Hamburger Helper Man from the TV commercials of my childhood (who doesn't love a dancing glove).  I can't actually remember if I have ever had Hamburger Helper, I know that I have never made it myself and I'm pretty sure my Mum never made it for us...but I can't be sure.  Anyway, I don't imagine it tastes as good as this does and I'm pretty sure it would take just as long to make as this casserole did...but you do need to buy nice, juicy, tasty tomatoes (although I suppose a tin of chopped would work as well) which makes it more expensive than a box of Hamburger Helper I suppose.  

Recipes: Lentil Bolognese

I am not sure why I have had so much trouble finding a good lentil bolognese recipe.  In the past I think the recipes I have tried have always turned out either too watery or not seasoned properly or just bleurgh.  The thing is, lentil bolognese is a CHEAP way to get loads of good STUFF since red lentils are jam packed with fibre, iron, vitamin b and protein so I would like to actually ENJOY eating it.  

I plan vegetarian dishes for about half of our dishes and something like lentil bolognese, where I can make a pretty decent sized pot for not too much money, is a great way to bulk out my Meal Plan.  I came across THIS RECIPE on the Tesco Real Food site and thought I would try it out...with a few tweaks. 

It was REALLY GOOD, it tasted like Bolognese, it had the consistency and texture of Bolognese, it stuck to and coated the pasta, I will make it again.  

Of course, it is my tweaks that have made it the way it is (yeah...right) so here's what I did: 

LENTIL BOLOGNESE 

Ingredients 

1 tin of chopped tomatoes 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

1 clove garlic, finely chopped, 

150g red lentils, rinsed 

320g jar of Dolmio Bolognese Pasta Sauce (or your favourite brand BUT it needs to be a thick sauce)

1 tsp bouillon powder (we like Marigold Swiss Bouillon) 

good handful of grated parmesan cheese

Method: 

gently fry onion and garlic in a little bit of oil until soft, add lentils and coat in the oil.  

sprinkle in bouillon powder and then add in chopped tomatoes and pasta sauce. 

bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender and falling apart, about 30-40 mins, stirring every 10 mins. 

add a splash of water if it looks dry. 

when the lentils are cooked add in the cheese and good pinch of black pepper and stir to melt the cheese into the sauce. 

serve with your favourite pasta shape. 

this sauce freezes well and also keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days.