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