Halloween Makes

Halloween Biscuits

115g Butter, softened
75g Caster Sugar
1 Free Range Egg Yolk (the white can be frozen)
2tsp Milk
200g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
500g pack Ready to Roll Icing
Raspberry Jam

(Food colouring if required)

Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 baking trays with paper.  Beat the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until combined.  Stir in the egg yolk and milk.  Add the flour and mix to make a dough.

Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick.  Cut out biscuits using ghost shape cutters or any other spooky shapes you have.  Place on baking trays and bake for 12-15 mins until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

(If required, mix a little food colouring into the icing).

Roll out the icing and cut out shapes to match your biscuits, cutting out eyes and mouths so the jam can ooze through (I used the end of a pastry brush).
Spread a layer of jam over the biscuits and carefully place the icing on top, pushing it down gently.

 Pumpkin Carving

 

Draw your design.  We decided on Scooby Doo this year.

Slice off the top and scoop out the flesh. (You could save the seeds and dry roast them.  Everything else can be composted).  

Mark out your design with a skewer (or, ideally, a special pumpkin carving tool).

Cut out the design and smooth the edges.  Brush the exposed flesh with lemon juice to preserve.

Place a small candle or tea light inside and pop the top back on.

We also made mini lanterns using persimmons.

These taste pretty good after they've been lit!

Don't forget to compost your pumpkin once you've finished with it.

It's National Chocolate Week!

So why not try some of these...

Garam Masala Chocolate Bark

150g bar good quality plain chocolate
(at least 70% cocoa)
1 1/2 tbsps Garam Masala
2 tbsps dessicated coconut
1 1/2 tbsps flaked almonds

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of boiling water.
Lightly toast the Garam Masala in a frying pan then stir into the chocolate.  Lightly toast the coconut and almonds.
Spread the chocolate onto the greaseproof paper with the back of a spoon or a palette knife and sprinkle over the almonds and coconut.  Chill in the fridge until set.  Break into chunks.


Chilli Chocolate

200g good quality dark chocolate
(at least 70% cocoa)
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
100g chopped nuts (eg. pecans, hazelnuts, almonds etc.)
1 tbsp seeds (eg. sunflower or pumpkin)

100g mixed dried fruit (eg. cranberries, raisins)

Preheat oven to 200C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.  Toast the chilli, nuts and seeds in the oven for about 5 mins until everything is shiny and smells great.  Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water.
Mix half the chilli, nuts and seeds into the melted chocolate and spoon onto the lined baking tray.  Spread out using the back of a spoon or a palette knife.  Sprinkle over the remaining chilli, nuts and seeds.  Chill in the fridge until set.  Break into chunks.


Chocolate Pops

100g white chocolate
100g milk chocolate
Dried fruit (eg. cranberries, raisins etc.)
Dessicated coconut
Lolly sticks (I use Asda's own)

Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Melt the white chocolate and milk chocolate in separate bowls.
Put several spoonfuls of each on each tray and spread into a small circle.
Use teaspoons or piping bags to make different patterns of chocolate (milk on white, white on milk).  Sprinkle over some fruit and coconut.
Push a lolly stick into each and spread the chocolate to cover the end.
Chill in the fridge until set.


Sheena x  

Lunch Box Ideas

It's back to school time so I thought I'd give some suggestions for some cheap and healthy lunches that the kids will love.
Some will require preparation in advance, but there are also some last-minute fixes for less-organised mums and dads!

LUNCH

MUFFIN PIZZA (Quick Fix)

1 English Muffin
Tomato Puree
Cheddar Cheese or Mozzarella, grated

Topping ideas:  Tuna and Sweetcorn, Bacon and Courgette, Ham and Grape, Chicken and Olive.

Halve the muffin and spread the two halves with tomato puree.  Sprinkle with cheese and cover with a topping of your choice.  Sprinkle over a little more cheese and grill until lightly browned and all the cheese has melted.

BOREKS
To make 4

4 sheets Filo Pastry
100g Feta Cheese
50g melted Unsalted Butter
1 heaped tsp Raisins or Sultanas
20g Flat Leaf Parsley
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven 200C.
Line a tray with baking paper.
Crumble the Feta into a bowl and stir in the Parsley and Raisins.  Season with Pepper.
Take 1 sheet of Filo Pastry and brush it with melted butter.  Fold in half lengthways.
Put 2-3 tsps of the Feta mixture on one end and fold the Filo into a triangle, brushing with butter before each fold.
Place on the tray and bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Leave to cool before wrapping.
Pop into lunchbox with some cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks.

BIG DIPPERS

Variety of Dippers
eg.  Carrot Sticks, Cucumber Sticks, Broccoli Florets, Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced Peppers, Celery Sticks, Breadsticks, Rice Cakes, Oatcakes, Rice Crackers, Cheese Straws, Tortilla/Pitta Chips (slice a tortilla or pitta and bake in oven until crisp)

Dip
eg.
Moroccan Houmous
1 Onion, finely sliced
1 x 400g tin Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Olive Oil

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 10 mins until soft and golden.  Add the garlic, cumin and coriander cook for another minute.  Put into a food processor with the chickpeas and 50ml water and blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary.

Smooth Sardines (bear with me, it's delicious and a great way of sneaking Omega-3 into their diet, which if studies are to be believed may help with concentration)

1 x 125g tin of Sardines in oil or spring water
75ml Natural Yoghurt
1/2 tsp Dried Coriander
1 tsp Thai 5-Spice Mix
1 tbsp Lime Juice

Drain the sardines (if you have dogs or cats they love the drained juices!) and tip into a food processor or blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  If you don't have a processor, mash the sardines well with a fork before mixing with everything else.

Peanut Butter (Quick Fix)

2 tbsp Peanut Butter, crunchy or smooth (I use 'Whole Earth' as it has no added sugar)
1 tbsp Cream Cheese or Cottage Cheese

FRUITY RICE

Cooked and chilled Rice (or couscous/quinoa)
Sliced Spring Onion
Sliced Celery
Halved Red and Green Grapes
Juice of 1 Orange

Mix together and put in lunch box with an ice pack to keep it cool.  Rice should not be reheated.

CHEESY CORN MUFFINS

Sweetcorn is unusual in that it
retains its antioxidants and actually
gains health benefits when cooked

To make 12

Olive Oil                                                          
200g can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed          
100g Frozen Sweetcorn                                  
250g Self-Raising Flour                                    
1 tsp Baking Powder                                        
1 tsp Curry Powder or Paste                              
bunch of Chives                                                
100g grated Cheddar Cheese                          
2 Eggs                                                              
100ml Milk                                                      

Preheat the oven to 200C.  Use a little oil to grease a muffin tray. Mash in a bowl to lightly break up.  Cook the sweetcorn for 3 mins in boiling water.  Drain and mix with the chickpeas.
Put the flour and baking powder in a large bowl with the chives.  Mix with the cheese, chickpeas and sweetcorn.  Beat the eggs with the milk and curry powder and add to the other ingredients.  Stir until combined.
Put into the tray and bake for 15 minutes.  Cool in tray.

SWEET THINGS

FRUITY YOGHURT (this contains a lot less sugar than bought fruit yoghurt)

Natural / Greek Yoghurt mixed with your choice of fruit purée

eg). Lemon Curd, Fresh or Frozen Fruit (Cherries/Raspberries/Blueberries/Blackberries/Rhubarb) cooked with a little sugar, water and cornflour in a saucepan until soft and juicy with a thick sauce.

RICE PUDDING WITH MERINGUE (Quick Fix, if using tinned rice pudding)

Tinned or home made rice pudding mixed with fresh strawberries/jam and a crumbled meringue nest.

GRAPES AND CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE (Quick Fix)

Red or Black Grapes, halved
Cream Cheese
Ground Cinnamon

BANANA FLAPJACK

2 Ripe Bananas
100g Porridge Oats
Handful Raisins/Sultanas
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Maple Syrup/Honey (optional)

Combine ingredients and shape into as many rounds as you can on a lightly greased baking tray.  Flatten them slightly, then bake in an oven preheated to 200C for 10-15 mins until golden and crisp on top but still chewy in the middle.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve with a little jam if liked.

If Only I'd Known About...Part 2

Motherhood by  Stanisław Wyspiański

The second thing I wish I'd known is that breastfeeding does not necessarily come naturally.  You have to learn how to do it, and there are organisations who can help you.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I joined an online birth club - a group of women all due around the same time who could provide advice, support and  shared experiences.  One of the ladies I 'met' there has since started her own blog and campaign to dispel some of the myths surrounding breastfeeding and provide another online community for advice.

You can find her blog here.

If only I'd known about...Part 1

There are many things I know about now that I wish I had known before I got pregnant.

The first is a book called 'The Yummy Mummy Pregnancy Cookbook'. I got a copy of this recently from a library sale (a great way to pick up cheap books - I'm lucky in that my Mum works at a library so I get first choice!)
It provides helpful advice for pregnancy nutrition (including foods to get you through morning sickness), maintaining a healthy weight and recipes that I still use now.  I thoroughly recommend it.

Spicy Lime and Mayo Corn

 Great as a barbecue side, these also make a healthy snack.

We tucked into ours at work!

TO SERVE 6 AS A SNACK

3 Corn Cobs
1 Lime
Mayonnaise
Parmesan Cheese, grated
Cayenne Pepper
Olive Oil, if frying

Cut the cobs in half and boil in water for about 15 - 20 mins.
Remove from the pan and barbecue, grill, or griddle in a little oil until nicely charred or browned.
Drizzle with mayonnaise and sprinkle with finely grated lime zest.  Squeeze over some lime juice and finish with a pinch of cayenne pepper.  Enjoy!

Smiley Orange Jellies

These jellies are very cheap to make and fantastic for packing into a picnic - they sit very well in a tub and you don't need a spoon to eat them!


TO MAKE 20 JELLIES
Takes 30 mins using freezer

5 medium naval oranges           1 x 135g packet orange jelly

Carefully cut the oranges in half and gently squeeze  some of the juice, taking care not to ruin the skin.  Scrape the remaining flesh into a bowl (don't  throw it away - it will go very well in a chocolate pudding or smoothie and you can freeze it!)

Using the orange juice make up the jelly in the microwave using half the liquid recommended on the packet.  If you don't have a microwave you will have to heat the orange juice for it to dissolve the jelly.
Sit the orange skin halves in a muffin tin to keep them steady and pour the jelly in right to the top.

Pop them in the freezer for about 15 mins (or refrigerate for longer) until set.  Trim the orange halves so the skin is level with the jelly, then slice in half again with a sharp knife.  Done!

25 Handmade Gifts Under

Great blog post I 'Stumbled' upon.

25 Handmade Gifts Under

Homemade skincare

My skin is very sensitive and prone to redness and there are very few products that help (and unfortunately the ones that do cost a small fortune). I have always hated the idea of putting chemicals on my skin anyway, so I though I'd have a go at making my own treatments.

Sugar and Oat Body Scrub


Demerera Sugar
Porridge Oats (I use Asda Smart Price)
Olive Oil
Milk


The amounts don't really matter, so long as you use just enough oil and milk to soften and loosen the scrub - the sugar shouldn't dissolve.
Rub over skin as part of your cleansing routine.

The sugar and oats act as exfoliator and the milk and oil soothe and moisturise.

Keeps well in the fridge for up to 24 hours - after that it becomes too soft.

Turmeric Moisturising Cleanser

(to make 1 treatment)

1 level tbsp Natural yoghurt

1 level tsp Runny honey

1/2 heaped tsp Ground turmeric

Mix together into a loose paste.  Rub onto skin after washing and rinse off well.

Yoghurt acts as a soothing cleanser and honey moisturises.  Turmeric is known to ease redness and also acts as a very light exfoliator.

Keeps well in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

*Be warned - this is best used in the bath or shower as it will stain clothes.  If you don't usually wear make-up it is best to use this at night as it may also leave your face tinged slightly yellow.  Towels may also suffer!


Lemon and Rosewater Toner

Lemon Juice
Rosewater


This works well in the little travel spray bottles you can get from places like Boots. Simply mix 1 part lemon juice to 3 parts rosewater and spray lightly onto skin.

Rosewater is an anti-inflammatory and astringent while lemon juice lightens skin, reducing scars and redness.

*Be careful not to use too much lemon juice, as the acid may do more harm than good to your skin if not watered down sufficiently.


I've been using the Turmeric and Rosewater treatments every day for about a week now and the improvement is definitely noticeable.  Angry red spots that had refused to back down in the face of the usual acne treatments have shrunk right down and the scars I have from previous acne have gone from purple to light pink.  And it is much kinder to my skin, the environment and my bank balance.  Success!

Sheena x

Plectrum Holder Necklace

My husband just gave me a lovely surprise - a Plectrum Holder necklace made from a recycled spoon from 'Hairy Growler Handcrafted & Recycled Jewellery'.  Hopefully he is making his way through my 'wish list'!

Guacamole

Just discovered this stop motion film - so clever!  I love the 'diced' ingredients.




Sheena x

Trying Something New Part 2

I realised that our tea on Sunday provided the perfect opportunity to test out the quinoa.  We were going to have citrus turkey with broccoli and rice, but since I remembered the night before to get the quinoa out to soak I was able to use it in place of rice.

And it worked brilliantly.

CITRUS TURKEY WITH 
BROCCOLI AND QUINOA 
to serve 2 adults and 1 child


Soak 100g quinoa in 1 tbsp natural yoghurt and 450ml warm water overnight at room temp.


Sprinkle 3 turkey steaks with a light dusting of cornflour.  Fry until golden and cooked through then put to one side.

Nathan certainly enjoyed it!

Put 1tsp of honey, 1 tbsp fresh grated root ginger and the juice of 1 orange in the frying pan and fry over a low heat.  Mix 1tsp cornflour with 1tbsp cold water and add to the frying pan, stirring constantly.  Fry until syrupy.  Peel and segment 1 orange and 1 pink grapefruit (unfortunately I couldn't get one of these and had to use segments from a tin of grapefruit salad in juice, which didn't work as well) and add to the frying pan along with the turkey steaks.  Heat gently until warmed through, then sprinkle with chopped chives.


Meanwhile, chop florets from 1 broccoli and steam or boil, covered, in a little water for 5-10 mins.
Boil the quinoa, covered, in the soaking liquid for 20 mins before draining in a fine mesh sieve.  Put it back in the pan with the lid on and leave to steam until ready to serve.  Fluff a little with a fork.

Serve and enjoy!

Sheena x

Trying Something New

I got a new cook book from the library the other day - Renee Elliot's 'Me, You and the Kids too'.  I had seen a couple of recipes from it in a free health magazine I picked up at our local health food store and thought it looked pretty good.  (If the recipes are successful I'll definitely be buying it as it will be a great help when we have another baby).
The only problem I've found straight away is that some of the ingredients necessary for the recipes can only be found in specialist stores and are therefore pricey.  Renee Elliot is an advocate for organic whole foods, which is great, but not exactly affordable for everyone.
However, I would love to start adding some of her suggestions to our diet (though I'll have to be sneaky or Mike will refuse to eat them - he's 25 and I have yet to cure him of his fussy eating!), and I'll have to be careful that it doesn't take us over budget.
So, first thing I did was check out her list of 'wonderfoods'.  Most of them are already staple parts of our diet  - apples, avocados, broccoli, garlic, nuts, oils, sardines, seeds, yoghurt.  Others I had seen in the health food store but wasn't sure how to use them and some I didn't have a clue what they were - amaranth, kefir, kuzu, miso.  I may eventually get around to finding them, but it really isn't high on my list of priorities, and I have a feeling they're going to be too expensive anyway.
I decided I'd nip to the health food store and grab a couple of the ones I'd seen - buckwheat (for anyone who is on a gluten-free diet, the name is misleading and it is actually related to rhubarb) and quinoa to begin with because she says that they contain magnesium, which should be great for my migraines, and I shouldn't have too much difficulty using them.  500g of each cost me just over £2 for the buckwheat and £3 for the quinoa (I used 'Tree of Life Organic' for both), so it was more than I would generally pay for porridge oats or rice, but I shouldn't need to use as much of them.

I haven't used the quinoa yet (I'm probably going to put Renee Elliot's 'Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes' on our menu board for next week as a way to introduce it to Mike), but the buckwheat was a definite success for me and Nathan.

BUCKWHEAT PORRIDGE

I soaked 60g of buckwheat at room temperature overnight in 1tbsp of natural yoghurt and 310ml of warm water*, as suggested in 'Me, You and the Kids too' (this ensures that you get the best of their nutrition).  I also got out a handful of frozen blueberries to defrost to go with it in the morning.
*I think next time I will use at least part milk, as I prefer a creamier taste to my porridge.
The next morning I put the buckwheat and liquid in a saucepan and brought it the boil before simmering for 25 minutes.  This gave a texture similar to rice pudding.  I also put a chopped apple in another pan with a little water and stewed it for a while before mixing in the blueberries and a small pinch of ground cinnamon.
As the buckwheat wasn't as creamy as we like, and also to make the meal more economical, I then made up a small amount of Ready Oats (Asda's own brand) with milk, in the microwave.  I then mixed half of the buckwheat porridge into this (I put the rest in the fridge to do the same the next day) and mixed in the fruit.

Delicious and extremely good for you, and I wasn't hungry until gone 11 o'clock, which is amazing for me!

Sheena x

Fantastic Snacks

I must confess that I often eat out of boredom.  I'll be sat at my desk while Nathan naps or plays by himself and I constantly need something to pick at.  This used to be cake or biscuits, but recently I have started making snacks that are healthier but just as tasty (with a sneaky small chocolate or sugar fix to satisfy my cravings).  I also put some in a small tub for Nathan for him to eat while we're out shopping or running errands and, for such a small snack, they keep him quiet for a while.

All ingredients can be used in varying amounts depending on your preference, but be warned - only make a small amount at a time as they are very moreish and you may end up eating more than you intended!

BANOFFEE  MIX

Dried banana chips, chopped (I use 'Whitworths')

Mini fudge or toffee pieces 

Pecans, chopped

STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE

Dried banana chips, chopped (I use 'Whitworths')

MOVIE MIX

Dried strawberries, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')

White chocolate drops

Flaked almonds

MOVIE MIX


Plain popcorn (I pop my own from raw kernels)
Pecans, chopped
Toffee or fudge pieces or sauce
Melted plain chocolate mixed with a little veg oil and milk

CHOCOLATE ORANGE MIX

Orange infused raisins (I use the 'Nakd' range)

Dark chocolate drops

Hazelnuts, chopped


APPLE CRUMBLE MIX


Dried apple, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')
Cinnamon spiced raisins (simply sprinkle with some cinnamon)
Oats and crushed ginger biscuit mixed with a little melted butter then lightly toasted in a frying pan

MINT MIX

Mint infused sultanas (these are harder to get hold of, so I just soak some sultanas in some mint oil for 10 mins or so)

Dark chocolate drops

Flaked almonds

FIG ROLL MIX

FIG ROLL MIX

Cinnamon spiced sultanas (simply sprinkle with some cinnamon)

Dried figs, pureed and made into balls before rolling in sesame seeds

Sponge fingers, chopped

PINA COLADA MIX

Dried banana chips, chopped
Dried pineapple, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')
Coconut flakes
Pistachios, chopped


CHRISTMAS MIX

Cinnamon spiced orange infused raisins (I use the 'Nakd' range then sprinkle with cinnamon)

Dried cranberries

Honeyed almonds

SUMMER MIX

Dried strawberries, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')

Dried cherries, chopped (I use 'Urban Fruit')

Yoghurt coated fruit chips

More ideas would be very welcome!

Sheena x

Your Money or Your Life?

I had never really given much thought to my eating habits.  As a child I simply ate what was put in front of me and my options for snacks were limited to what was already in the cupboard.  I may have complained when I was given food I didn't like, but it's nutritional value didn't even enter my head.  Food was food, and as far as I was concerned there was a limited amount of choice and only the sugary stuff was really worth eating - all other food was eaten only in order to get pudding.  I started to take more of an interest in cooking after I cooked a meal with my then boyfriend (now husband), Mike, when we were 15.  It was a simple Bolognese but I was still surprised when it didn't come ready-made from a jar.  I was still using the ready-made sauces my mum bought, but I started adding frozen vegetables and basic herb mixes.  It wasn't much, but I found cooking became much more fun.  When I left home to live with Mike at age 20 I still didn't really notice that there were more aisles in the supermarket than the frozen foods and the bakery, but we cooked together and dining became more of a social experience.


Then I had my son and I was given a book that changed my life.

I will be eternally grateful to the former colleague who gave me a copy of Amanda Grant's 'Baby and Toddler Healthy Eating Planner'. It was a real eye-opener.  I only wish that I had read it before I got pregnant - I cringe when I think of some of the processed, sugar-crammed nasties I was eating.  I didn't have the worst diet in the world but there were basic foods I didn't know existed.  I was literally having to search the internet before going shopping because I wasn't sure what aubergines looked like!  There were so many flavours and colours and textures.  There were new herbs and spices I could add to fresh ingredients to enhance their taste.  There was a whole world of food to explore and I had the perfect opportunity to test everything - a baby.
I had struggled to breastfeed for 4 months and was feeling guilty for giving him formula top-ups and not being able to continue to provide him with the best nutrition (see If Only I'd Known About..Part 2).  This was a chance to redeem myself.  I would make sure I gave him fresh, nutritious, home-cooked food and I would make sure that I could teach him to enjoy cooking and eating well.

Nathan making Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Had I suggested to Mike that we completely change the way we cook and eat without the excuse of our son, I'm sure I would have been met with more resistance.  Not that there hasn't been a significant improvement in the quality of our meals - it's just that Mike hears 'healthy' and thinks 'rabbit food' (and this is still the case every time I try something new and he asks what we're having and I don't mention meat or cheese - he usually ends up eating the lot with no complaints!)
Another concern was cost.  I was sure that a healthy lifestyle would mean an unhealthy bank balance.  It's hard to compare our food bill as a couple to our food bill as a family (especially since Mike eats enough to feed 2 adults), but I know that I can keep the cost down enough to easily justify the change.  Our food is more exciting, tastier, fresher and good for us.  So, I have created this blog in order to inspire others to do the same.  After all, what's more important - your money or your life?


Sheena x