Thursday 12 December 2013

No more milk please!


A few weeks ago my son, now 2.5 years old was struggling with a cold. Now that winter is upon us in London, I was prepared for the fever, coughing at night, runny nose and of course the crankiness that a cold brings on. This lasted a few days, and what he wanted to eat and found easy to eat was soft foods and his favourite tipple, warmed up milk. I was happy with him eating something rather than nothing, and drinking milk rather than being dehydrated. However, what this lead to was a serious case of constipation.

Some children go to the loo every other day, while some go even a couple of times a day. Both are considered healthy. But something was a miss when my little one didn't got for 4 days in a stretch. He also became exhausted and found it painful to go to the toilet. Eventually he did go after having lots of soft pear and syrup of figs. But this really was the worst case of constipation he had faced.

My daughter on the other hand has never, ever had this problem. And I realised that she doesn't favour milk the way my son does. They were being fed the same meals so what was the problem? This made me want to assess his diet. I knew his milk intake had to be lowered as he was definitely having close to 3 glasses of milk and often favoured milk over his food.

So I did a food diary for a week. The first day of the food diary looked something like this:

Weetabix with milk for breakfast
2 bites of banana
quarter bagel
rice and yoghurt (vegetables and lentils discarded)
biscuit
half an orange
stir fry noodles with prawns (baby vegetables discarded)
2 glasses of milk

Not only was he having a lot of milk and mostly all carbohydrates, his portion size wasn't great. In fact if he was hungry he would fill himself with milk which meant no fiber to ease his bowels.

So step one was omitting the milk at every other time of the day except at breakfast with his cereal. He was having yoghurt so this made up the 2 glasses of milk which toddlers should be having daily. He wasn't allowed milk any more but watered down juice and just plain water was happily accepted.

His appetite didn't change straight away but 10 days later it gradually grew and his appetite doubled! Cutting down his milk portion has made way for him to feel more adventurous with his food and hungry during meal times. His bowel movements have improved and so far no constipation. I also have to keep on top of offering more water throughout the day. I am now offering more fruits at snack times, and pear is still his favourite!

So to keep on top of your child's constipation:
offer plenty of water throughout the day
offer fiber (avoid bran), so fruit/lentils/veg
check your child's food intake- too much carbohydrates or dairy?
and finally offer syrup of figs or prune juice to help your child

Message me if you need any advice spicesformysweets@gmail.com

January baby/toddler weaning classes begin 6th Jan for 5 weeks
Indian cooking classes for moms begin 8th Jan




Monday 28 October 2013

New ventures in eating and cooking


The last 6 weeks has left me occupied with my two children and the business of settling each of them into school and nursery. My son went from having mama 24/7 to a few days of nursery away from me and his precious big sister. This was a significant change for him and I welcomed the balance of mama time and nursery time. He had much to look forward to such as the different stimulation varying from the cool music teacher with his guitar to eating together with the rest of the children on small tables and chairs and might I add, without any help! I was curious how this last task would pan out as my boy generally has ants in his pants. After several weeks into the process, I was happy to learn that he sat with the rest of his peers and was having seconds as well! And this has of course had an effect at home, as he is able to sit longer than usual.

My daughter is slowly settling in at reception (also known as kindergarten) and she has had some days where she has had school lunches and other days when she and I have lunched together. On the days that she is at home, her appetite has almost doubled and I am so pleased with this. As a baby she was a small eater and its only over the years that her desire for food has grown. And now it seems that being at school has only expanded her tummy!

So now I will start my classes once she has fully settled, and this will be towards the end of November and I will update my blog, Facebook page and website www.spicesformysweets.com with dates.

In the mean time I have done some interesting talks, one has been for a local clinic specialising in alternative therapies. I spoke about the beneficial uses of spices and baby food and offered some pureed samples for clients to try, one of course was my favourite butternut squash puree with roasted cumin and steamed plums puree with star anise, black peppercorns, cinnamon and clove.

Then this weekend I did a cooking demo at a quaint shop that sells spices by the weight. It was a fantastic experience where I demonstrated how to cook tadka dal (tempered lentils) and Bombay aloo. I was so high on adrenalin after the class and got so much positive feedback. I hope to do some more classes here in the future!



Thursday 3 October 2013

The Summer of Food and an Autumn of Cooking

I am feeling rather creaky after two months of not writing on my blog and I have to admit the break has been refreshing. The family and I were away in India over the summer months and it was a new adventure being in the motherland during the post monsoon, mosquito season. The children enjoyed all the Indian delights of paani puri, kulfi, and roasted corn with lemon and salt. The fruits in season were the succulent custard apples and sweet pomengranates and the children ate these both in fruit and ice cream form!

For me, it was a time off from cooking and I solely focused on indulging on food at any opportunity! I relished every bite of my grandma's cooking from the area of Sind, lollas with maaki for breakfast to sai bhaaji for lunch and gosht dubalroti for dinner.

Then there was the Goan food we tried which has strong Portugese influence, a couple of  that stuck out for me was the pork vindaloo which used sugar cane vinegar. I ate this with small bread rolls to mop up the vindaloo sauce. It was just wow! Then there was a seafood stew, with a mellow gravy and bits of prawn and crab floating in it. Again, very very nice. Then of course the street food, I had my sev puri and bhel puri. Indian food aside, there was also some fantastic Chinese meals, sushi and pizzas. But I have to say my all time favorite was eating sharing platters with cocktails amongst close friends. I think it was the best combination of good conversation and food!

Since coming back to London, we have been busy settling the children into both school and nursery. The much needed mommy-time is somewhere in the distance till they both settle and in the mean time its been non stop cooking (surprise surprise!). After Indian food overload, the children were happy to come back to a more balanced diet of pasta, stir fries and of course home cooked Indian food. I tried after ages, a moreish bean curry. To my delight, my daughter enjoyed it the first time so much that she demanded it again for lunch today! And with the cold weather setting in, its perfect!




So here is my recipe for a moreish bean curry. I used 2 cans of black eyed beans and 1 can of butter beans (or giant baked beans as I like to call them)

3 cans of beans
half a large onion
3 garlic cloves grated
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 tspn cumin powder
1 tspn coriander powder
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
1/2 tspn red chilli powder
salt to taste
handful of finely chopped coriander

1.  Sweat the onion on low heat along with the grated garlic and ginger in a tablespoon of oil.
2. After 7-8 mins, the onions will be translucent. Now add the dry spices and cook for a minute.
3. Add the can of tomatoes and finally the beans (you can discard the water).
4. Add two cups of water and simmer on low heat for 45 mins.
5. Add the coriander right at the end and stir through.

Serve like a soup with some crusty bread on the side, or with boiled rice and yoghurt.


Monday 5 August 2013

Summer Highlights


So this Wednesday will be the last 'Spices for my Sweets' workshop for the summer. Its been such a fantastic last few months. The last set of workshops in particular was a real highlight for me. Not to say other classes haven't been as good, its just that the whole reason why I wanted to do these classes was finally achieved. After the block of 5 classes,  mothers confessed that the class had profoundly changed them- that they were more able, more confident and empowered to take charge of their family meals. They had moved from being nervous and shaky in the kitchen to planning menus and practising in the kitchen. Some moms emailed me pictures of the food they produced and their children eating it as well!
For me this was the heart of the matter for me- to touch one mother like that was more than enough! The five workshops had become a journey for many, and at the last class some were sad to say bye and even exchanged phone numbers. I hope the classes continue to give mothers this sense of achievement!

Some new movements have taken place, I did two home workshops with a couple of lovely mommies and their cheeky 6 months olds. Their diets were strictly vegetarian and over two classes, they learnt how to make 8 baby meals. Not only did the moms learn recipes, they also learnt many cooking tips and how to manage the business of cooking fresh food every day for their wee ones. A great experience for me, and I am happy to offer this service to other moms in their homes.

I will be taking a break now for some travel time, and will resume classes in October. Spices for my Sweets will as usual be on a Wednesday at 10 am at my home in North London, the first class will start 2nd October. The mothers only class, A Taste of Something Spicy will begin in October as well, this time on a Monday evening at 830 starting on the 7th. Once again you can email me on spicesformysweets@gmail.com.

Some new ventures will commence in the Autumn, including offering educational talks and cooking demonstrations and offering weaning classes in collaboration with other groups. Watch this space!

I wish everyone a wonderful summer!


Wednesday 10 July 2013

Sweetcorn Chicken Soup


Loved especially by my hubby and my children, I would like to share with you an all time classic, a sweetcorn chicken soup recipe. My version has a few add ons, using sesame oil, slivers of ginger and spring onion.

I hope you enjoy it!

For a family of 4 and suitable for babies 12 months +


1 425 gms can of creamed corn
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1/2 cup of finely chopped boneless chicken
1 tablespoon of light soya sauce
1 white of an egg
4-5 slivers of ginger
1/2 finely chopped spring onion to garnish
salt and pepper

1. In a pan, add a tablespoon of sesame oil, the ginger and the chicken and fry for a minute.
2. Now add the creamed corn and the same amount of water to the pan.
3. Next add the soya sauce and season with salt and black pepper.
4. Now take a fork and lift small forkfuls of egg white and drop into the pan. Continue till all the egg white has been dropped. Now mix with a spoon, the egg white will cook and you will see white threads.
5. Simmer for another 10 mins on medium heat. When serving add a tablespoon of sesame oil and chopped spring onion.

My 2 year old will be having this for lunch :)


Monday 1 July 2013

Big School


Last week my husband and I met the staff at my daughter's school which she will be starting this September. I was sitting in the school hall, clutching a handful of papers and feeling so small amongst the other 100 parents. How will my tiny, barely 4 year old daughter  feel when she enters her new school? I felt anxious and excited at the same time, for both her and I. I can still remember the day she was born and her cry when she took her first breath and now my kitten was about to start reception. The time had crept up on us.

The school was aware of our worries, and I, like all the parents there was keen on getting my baby settled in a positive way. Amongst learning how to dress herself for PE and getting to school on time, my little one has to learn how to eat in a cafeteria amongst her class mates. She will have a choice of school lunches which would mean holding a tray and deciding what meal she would like, along with a choice of salad and dessert. It all seems like too many choices for a 4 year old and perhaps a little complicated? What if you like both the broccoli and cheese and the chicken pie? But then change your mind after seeing the fish fingers on your friend's plate? Could you skip lunch and just have dessert? Too many choices!

Now what has slightly stressed me is the readiness of my daughter and if I dwell deeper the readiness of me to let go of her. Suddenly on a very conscious level there is a deadline looming in September to make her able and ready to tackle the business of school. And what I find most difficult is her eating her meal. She is very good at finishing her plate and has a good appetite but she can, if left to her own devices, take over an hour. How will she be able to eat her meal at lunch time? I can just imagine her socialising and then remaining hungry for the rest of the afternoon! I know it's typical of a mom to worry about this and I guess I will be worrying about other things she will have to cope with (without mommy there to give her a helping hand) but I guess that's the whole point of school? It's about her falling down and getting up, dusting herself off and giving it another go. We do have a few more months (thank god!) before she starts and much growing up for both mommy and her to do.

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Mediterranean Vegetables and Pesto Tart


Today has been a super chaotic day. My cleaner cancelled on me last minute! Arrgh! I really didn't need this what with the dishes piled in the sink from last night, sheets needed changing and the usual hoovering, mopping and dusting that had to take place. I was really missing my 'the cleaner has come and sorted my inner and outer chaos and now I feel at peace for maybe 2 hours' feeling. It really feels like a session of therapy once she has left my house shiny and new. So on top of cleaning the house in shifts- shift one was before the morning activity, shift two after my son's nap, shift three after the afternoon activity and shift four is still due, after the kids have gone to sleep. Where was the time to cook dinner? The kids and I had gone for an afternoon activity where they made scones. It was so lovely to see them in their aprons and hats and flour all over their faces! My kids just love cooking! This is what it's all about, having fun and getting stuck in there! Having been inspired by that experience, I decided the kids and I would make dinner together. I came up with something healthy, quick and where the kids could get involved. So we made a roasted vegetable tart with a pesto base baked with parmesan cheese. Accompanying this was a bowlful of rocket salad, some olives and anchovies.

So for a family of 4 and there will be some left overs for lunch tomorrow!

1 shortcrust pastry pack
1/2 a jar of green pesto sauce
thinly sliced vegetables:
aubergine
courgette
yellow peppers
cherry tomatoes
mushrooms
grated parmesan cheese
oregano
olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Roll out your pastry and then trans

fer to a greased/floured baking tray
2. Turn the oven to 200c
3. Spread the pesto all over the pastry sheet
4. Now add the sliced vegetables
5. Top with parmesan, oregano and salt and pepper
6. Sprinkle with olive oil and bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until crispy and golden

Enjoy!


Monday 10 June 2013

A Week of Appreciation

This week was a week of new beginnings for me. It started off with glorious sunshine which seriously improves my state of mind! Lots of fresh air, trips to the parks and eating ice cream was welcomed by both the children and I.

Spices for my Sweets started June workshops and it was special as all the moms and babies were brand new. Some moms had their wee ones, barely 6 months old and were keen to learn about purees and including spices in their meals. Another mom was pregnant with her second baby and due in a few months. She was interested in learning new recipes. Then there was another mom who wanted to move her little one from puree foods to chunkier textures. Everyone who came had something unique that they wanted to gain from the workshops and I hope that in the next 5 weeks they will not be disappointed.

I demonstrated red masoor lentils with steamed courgette and a pinch of turmeric for the 6 month old babies and a butternut squash with sage risotto for the 9 month olds.

On Friday night, after dropping my children off to my mother's, my hubby and I attended the Kensington Mums Exhibition in Chelsea. It was a fantastic evening lead by Dina tributing to mothers. There were photos of mothers holding small chalkboards with words on it to sum up what we felt about motherhood. We had to complete the sentence " I am a mother and a ..." I chose the word 'fulfilled' and I truly mean it! Though there are days where I want to pull my hair out, overall life doesn't have as much meaning or depth till you have children.




Then we watched a video of all the one minute clips of 40 mothers put together. Each mom spoke of the joys, sorrows and transformation motherhood has had on them.



I met so many wonderful moms- moms who are now artists, bloggers, working and studying but all as a result of having their little ones. I left the evening with a goody bag and a cupcake, which I saved for the kids.

The week rounded off with feeling immensely appreciated by my moms in the class, from my hubby and from my children.

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Spain

The family and I got back from our holiday in Spain, and if I'm honest it was a mixed bag for me. When one thinks of Spain, images of the sun, sand and sangria come to mind. However, the reality was that my 2 year old got off the plane with a tummy bug and fever and that just equalled disaster from the word go.

My 4 year old on the other hand was fine with her routine being stretched, i.e late bed times, eating at obscure times and not napping was part of the holiday excitement. I can honestly say that it gets easier the older they get. But my son, found his system very affected. He was tired most of the time, even though he would catch up with naps through the day and didn't take to the local food either which made for a very cranky child! He had lost his appetite due to the tummy bug and all he could keep down was milk and strawberry yoghurt. Luckily by the end of the trip his appetite increased but his moodiness didn't.

It made me reassess whether next time we should stick to our usual plan of renting a serviced apartment that way I could cook and the children eat better and at their times. The last time we went to Miami, my son was still nursing and my daughter was over 2, and having a kitchen really helped. Eating restaurant food for a week just didn't work. By the end of the holiday I have to admit we were all craving home cooking. The minute we plonked our suitcases in the living room, I ran to the kitchen and cooked us dinner. My son breathed a sigh of relief as he scoffed down simple yet familiar yellow lentils with rice!

On a positive note, Spain had many wonderful foods on offer and the wedding was truely a gastronomical affair. I was able to capture some beautiful photos below that I'd like to share...

Quail Eggs

Cheese, Cheese and More Cheese...

Fried Egg and Asparagus on a Bed of Crispy Chips

Salami and Olives

'Gula' or Sautéed Eels on Quail Eggs

Sunday 12 May 2013

Food for the Soul

Last week was a culinary adventure for me. I was contacted by Nadine, a Jewish mommy to teach an Indian cooking class for strictly Kosher moms at her home. The aim was to teach some easy recipes and raise awareness and funds for a cause close to her heart - The Duchenne Foundation, also known as muscular dystrophy. This was a an exciting opportunity for me, and for the first time I was teaching and cooking outside my kitchen for 10 ladies and for a charity event and to top it off, in a strictly Kosher home!

Now let me explain what a strictly Kosher home entails. First of all, all food had to be ordered and brought into the home. Though I have cupboards full of spices which I was happy to bring to the class, none of them could be used. All the Indian spices were had to be new and opened in her  home. I couldn't bring any of my spices, not even the dry red Kashmiri chillies which I had to source at the last minute as she couldn't find it in her local grocery store. Naturally all the chicken and lamb were bought from a Kosher butcher adhering to their strict guidelines. Meat and diary are not mixed either, so marinading meat in yoghurt which is typically done or having a cucumber raita on the side was a definite no-no.

After all that was bought, I was introduced to her large kitchen which had two sinks, one for meat and one vegetables. Then the utensils, pots and food were to be kept in another area and not mixed. It was a true education for me! Not to mention slightly stressful!

In the end, I cooked a simple chicken curry, spicy minced lamb with peas, french beans stir fried with mustard seeds, curry leaves and garlic and cumin rice.


The ladies enjoyed themselves and were pleased to learn something different, I hope to run more classes like this in the future!

Then on Friday, I took part in the Kensington Mums motherhood exhibition, where moms met to discuss their views on what motherhood means. 45 moms were involved in this project, and it will be showcased at Beaufort House in Chelsea in June. We had to write on a blackboard a word to complete the sentence ' I am a mother and...' I was torn with what word would encompass exactly how I felt. Motherhood has effected me more profoundly than I ever thought it would. In the end I decided to complete my sentence with 'fulfilled'. We were videod for a minute about this and I really got in touch with how crucial it is to find that balance. Since I was a little girl, I have desired to be a mother. But motherhood isn't just about bringing up children, which I only learnt after having my two. I had this fixed view that you finish university and use your degree to find a job. However, then you have children and this isn't always possible. How do you bring up children and do something productive and find that sense of self again? Is it even possible? It is through my kids that Spices for my Sweets began, it is these little people who have given me that sense of equilibrium and have restored me again and I am grateful for this.



After a wonderful morning with the other moms, I strolled down to Books for Cooks which is a cosy bookshop in Portobello solely selling cookbooks and at the back they have an experimental kitchen. I had the most wonderful lunch by myself and I relished every single minute. On the way back, I went into Jamie Oliver's Recipease which is a kitchen concept where chefs were demonstrating to students. It was a feast for the eyes! I finished the day picking up delicious pastries for my kids
and husband as a big thanks, as really, I owe it to them. I got on the tube back to my children and was looking forward to seeing them again, what a day it had been! My heart was full of joy!



Tuesday 7 May 2013

BBQ babies


With the weather being this gorgeous, the kids and I have stopped many of our usual afternoon activities such as soft play, indoor swimming and even doing play dates at friends homes. Whats the point I say? We hardly get the sun in London, so why not go outside and play? And this weekend, we had our first BBQ of the year and it was fantastic. The paddle pool was spent with the children submerged in it all day and taking their breaks of corn on the cob and ice cream while drying off on the grass. For me, it was the perfect day! (of course the tidying up afterwards was a definite downer, but then when is tidying up ever fun?)

Food wise, I came up with some different ideas for the children and this was super fun for them to eat. Now I know with all the fun in the garden, it is hard for any toddler to sit still and eat. So the trick is to make several things for them to munch through the day. We had mini hamburgers with beef, garlic and rosemary, potato salad using full fat greek yoghurt, corn on the cob boiled and then roasted for that charred flavour and fruit kebabs with melon, strawberry and grapes. The grazing went on all afternoon and by dinner time they were famished! 5 hours of the sun and paddle pool really worked up an appetite.

Today the weather has promised us another sun filled day and I will be yet again in the garden with my kids. I wait all year for days like this, and life just couldn't get better! Have a wonderful day!

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Eating al fresco


So its finally here?! The sun has finally arrived in London. And believe me this year we have had a cruel winter, its been a long and tiresome 5 months and we are long over due some sunshine! So its 6 am wake up times (since even the black out blinds are really not doing their job properly), wearing a t-shirt (but with a jacket close by in case of cloud cover) and lots of trips to the park. The days are definitely longer but my kids and I couldn't be happier. Its amazing how the weather can make a distinct difference to one's disposition.

Sunshine = play time but it also means eating all those fun things outdoors such as ice cream and fruit lollies. My daughter's purpose, besides the sand and swing in the park, is to have a picnic in the park. It doesn't matter if we are sharing a punnet of strawberries. She just loves to remove her shoes, sit on the picnic blanket and munch in the sunshine. And who doesn't? Often I like to carry small snacks to the park such as vegetable sticks with humous, or small sandwiches, chopped up mango and pineapple and so on.

On a number of occasions I have taken a picnic lunch but my kids are so distracted that they tend to graze rather than eat anything substantial but then i just forget about it and take them home for dinner where I will know they will eat properly after a day out in the park.

So last week, the kids and I made borek, which is a savoury Turkish pastry. We rolled out shortcrust pastry, cut squares and stuffed each one and sealed with egg wash. I popped them in the oven for 10-12 mins and they turned out crispy and flakey. My kitchen was a mess at the end, what with the kids covered in flour, bits of feta cheese and egg, but it was a fun activity to do and the best part was sitting on the table together munching on our boreks! We made two kinds, one  stuffed with spinach and feta and the other with garlic mushroom and cheddar. This is definitely another item to add to the picnic basket! The best part was that it was the perfect snack and my hubby and I had it later on for dinner with a large salad.

Enjoy the sunshine!



Thursday 11 April 2013

Pressure Cooker vs the Slow Cooker?



It seems like everyone is talking about how fantastic slow cookers are.  I kid you not, but every day a mother has told me how it's time saving, all you have to do is to just throw in leftover vegetables and meat and produces the most amazing flavours.

So of course, I have been tempted, what with my cousin all the way in California posting pictures of delicious blackberry porridge that she wakes up to at 630 am all deliciously warm and cooked for her. I decided I just had to look into it! I spent much of yesterday evening researching the pros and cons of a slow cooker.

It seems pretty straight forward to me, do some light frying of onions then transfer into the cooker, bung all the vegetables and meat in there and leave it to slowly cook for 8 hours or less. This seems like the perfect answer to all working parents out there right? Nothing like sticking in all the ingredients at 6 am and then leaving it on low setting and arriving back at home with a hot meal ready. No more chopping at the end of a long day when all you want to do is eat and put your feet up. And this is perhaps a godsend once you have kids? A comfort meal of lamb stew all ready at 6 pm with some crusty bread? Hell, you even have time to open that bottle of wine and enjoy a glass?!

So now I'm working from home and am toying with the idea whether this gadget suits my lifestyle. I am not away for 8-9 hours, would this suit me? We also tend to eat chicken and seafood at home rather than lamb or beef, so again would I use the slow cooker? I do love the idea of the rich flavours that are produced after many hours of slow cooking. I mean for soups or chillis this would be perfect right?

Now I am a die hard pressure cooker fan. I use it for lentils, chicken, meat, soups and even pasta. You cannot beat a pressure cooker when it comes to time efficiency. Chicken curry is made from beginning to end in less than 30 minutes. In fact this morning I made a chicken curry with channa dal (lentils) and butternut squash and want to share the recipe with you. I will be serving it for dinner this evening so the spices will be soaking in the gravy and I really can't wait to try it! Now if any one out there wants to try it in their slow cooker and tell me how the results were then please do share!

So for a family of 4:

8 pieces of chicken leg and thigh ( I find breast too dry)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
1/2 cup channa dal washed and soaked
1 large white onion
1.5 tspn grated ginger
2 garlic pods grated
2 tspn cumin seeds

1 tspn coriander powder
1 tspn garam masala
1 tspn turmeric powder
chopped coriander to garnish
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 green chilli chopped

1. In the pressure cooker, add 3 tblspns of oil and fry the cumin seeds, green chilli, onion, garlic and ginger.
2. Keep stirring till the onions are browned. Now add the chana dal (removing the excess water)
3. Add the chicken, salt and pepper.
4. Add the coriander powder, garam masala and turmeric powder and stir for a few minutes.
5. Now add water till it fills half your pressure cooker.
6. Turn the flame to medium heat and allow 2 whistles, then switch off the heat. Once the air has completely come out, open the cooker and add the chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with steamed rice.



Friday 5 April 2013

Feeding the Indian Mama


This week has been a roller coaster of highs and lows. It started off fantastic with having an 8 page recipe feature in Mother and Baby India magazine (April 2013). Copies are only available in India and I am getting my hands on a copy asap to share it with all of you! That has kept me on a high!

Followed by a wonderful weaning workshop on Wednesday, Spices for my Sweets. It was a new set of classes where we cooked lentils with steamed courgette and an aromatic beef stew using root vegetables.  It really felt special as there were many new moms, new babies and and lots of cooking!


Sadly it went down hill from there as I picked up a nasty viral flu and the doctor recommended plenty of rest and no anti biotics. Rest? Like other moms I was thinking how on earth would I rest with two toddlers? No chance of that happening right? But luckily, the grandparents had them for two days so I could just rest and catch up on sleep. I have been battling a blocked nose prior to the viral flu for two weeks, and that was part of the problem as to why it was lingering on. I know how important rest is but it's easier said than done. I think making that time for yourself is very hard and I need to learn to put some time aside for myself. Today they children are both by my side and I feel so relaxed, rested and so so happy that they are with me. A few days ago I was left feeling frustrated and physically drained and now I am as good as new.

So its not just about feeding the little ones, but feeding yourself--the carer as you have the most important job in the world. And by feeding I mean, putting good stuff into your body by resting, taking time out and of course eating good wholesome food. Staying positive, fresh and well is a priority so that the kids can benefit from that energy. Have a super weekend!

Monday 25 March 2013

Choc Chip Cookies with Orange Zest


I hardly do any baking, but once in a while it's a group activity with the kids. The suggestion from my daughter was initially strawberry cookies, but since we didn't have all the ingredients we settled on easy peasy chocolate chip cookies, but with some orange zest (that was mom's contribution!).

It didn't take even 10 mins to prepare and the results were more like madeleines in texture rather than crispy chewy cookies. Not sure if this is a bad or good thing? So this was our baking attempt today. Mixing and sticking in the oven while we ate our lunch. Then cooled down and ready to eat as soon as lunch was over. Was perfect timing!

So for 10 cookies:
75 gms light brown sugar
75 gms soft butter
1 egg
150 gms self raising flour
choc chips
zest of an orange

1. Mix the sugar and butter together
2. Add in beaten egg
3. Now sift in the flour, choc chips and zest.
4. Put the oven on at 180, and grease a baking tray. Drop small spoonfuls on the tray and bake for 10 mins.



Enjoy!

Tuesday 19 March 2013

Ants in my Pants!


My son, who will turn 2 years old in a couple of months is becoming a handful at the dinner table. I have spoken about this a few entries ago and its reached the point now where he is obviously hungry but finds sitting at the dinner table a challenging task. So to recap, we moved house 5 months ago and in the previous place we had one of those high chairs that fitted into our slim dining table. We purchased a new dining table for the new place which is a lot thicker than the last one which has resulted in the high chair not fitting and becoming redundant. I adopted the approach that he is over a year and a half and should be able to sit with all of us on the table together. We have a farm house style dining table with benches and stools where he sits propped up on cushions. However he is not restrained and he feels he can walk off at any time. I did bring lots of books and this helped a lot, and we were happy for a few months and now again its started- 5 mins attention span and back to wandering around the kitchen.

One evening was spent by my hubby placing him back and forth to the dining table till he settled to eat. Kind of like controlled crying but this time to sit at the table. I kid you not, but it took almost ten times till he stopped crying and ate his meal which followed by lots of praise and clapping. However, for me this was the last straw. I was fed up of meal times going this way.

After literally crying to another mommy friend, she suggested to use her high chair. Its one of those that turn eventually into a regular chair and is suitable up to a child's 10th birthday. But I didn't want to buy one without test driving it. So I borrowed it a week ago and my life has changed forever. I realised that most days I would be emotionally drained from trying to feed him and also was left with that anxiety that he hadn't eaten enough. Now ever since the high chair has entered our lives ( yes I say 'our lives' as we are all affected), he has been sitting, reading his books while I feed him. And more often than not he has eaten his entire meal! Bonus!

In reflecting on this, I've realised how crucial it is to sort out difficult eating habits. By no means am I saying that its easy or that one gets it right. I'm just saying that the task of feeding your child 3 meals a day has to be done with a little less stress, less frustration and a little less shouting from my part. Now I understand that my son's habits can be changed and one needs to try new things all the time. I don't know how long it will last. I'm just hoping for the best.

Thursday 14 March 2013

Fish Cakes!

I made some fish cakes this week for the family. I served this with baked beans for the children and a salad for my hubby. Went down a treat!

For 10 fish cakes:

2 fillets of salmon roughly chopped (without skin)
1 fillet of cod roughly chopped (without skin)
4-5 baby potatos, peeled and boiled and mashed
handful of coriander
salt and pepper to taste

Put all in a food processor and blend well.

Now make into palm size fish cakes. Do some small ones for the kids. Set them on a tray or a plate with cling film and leave them in the fridge so they can firm up.

When you are ready to pan fry them, beat one egg and dip into bread crumbs. Now dip each fish cake into the egg, once fully coated roll into the breadcrumbs again till fully coated. Now place into a frying pan with some hot oil.

Fry till crisp on each side, approx 3-4 minutes. Crispy and delicious!



Wednesday 6 March 2013

What about Mommy?


As moms we spend so much time and effort for our little ones. Whether it be cooking, school drop off or nursing through the night. It can feel endless from the moment you rise till they are tucked into bed. The day ends with feelings of satisfaction, sometimes disappointment and most days just drained from all the emotional and physical demands.

The day is  broken up into little time slots: 20 mins for laundry, 10 mins for tidying up toys, 10 mins for prepping the vegetables for the evening's dinner, then another 20 for cooking it and 20 mins for the boring washing up and so on and on. Its just endless and these time slots are driving me insane. But in saying that, its the only way to manage the chaos and the never ending toys that are found everywhere- yes including the laundry hamper and the fridge. Help! We've been taken over!

It's already the month of March and spring is just around the corner? Well, kinda...and its Mother's Day on Sunday. And the point I am trying to make is that being in a caring role as a mom or a dad, there is very little care taken of ourselves. We need to to be fed or nurtured as well. I notice of late that whenever I go out to a restaurant I am literally eating like a starved woman. Just being able to order and be fed is the most loving thing! We went to Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant on the weekend, and I honestly can say I ate more than my husband. And it felt great! I was actually full for a change. At home meal times tend to be rushed, or kids' leftovers and of course cold :(

So this Mother's Day--not just moms but dads, take some time to sip a cup of coffee very slowly or just forget about doing the dishes for one day. Being a parent is never ending and as my mom always says 'a mother's job is never finished'.

Happy Mothers Day for Sunday. May it be full of lots of love and kisses!

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Vegetable Fritters


I am feeling super excited while I type this post today. This afternoon the kids and I went out to do a large shop at our local grocery store. My 21 month old was sitting in the attached seat of the trolley and my elder one was bouncing in the trolley itself. It was so enjoyable today, and for once I didn't feel rushed. We talked about all the food in the store, and my eldest kept naming everything and the younger one kept pointing and laughing. Every outing is an adventure for my 3 year old, even the most mundane tasks like grocery shopping are exciting to her. After loading the trolley with the usual shop of fruit, meat and plenty of vegetables as well as  the naughty crisps and biscuits, we entered the bread section. It was only after spotting the sesame toasted burger buns that I decided we would have vegetarian fritters. I've never made them, so I decided to give them a go.

Once home, the kids were excited to make Peppa Pig cupcakes which were pretty awful in taste but they had fun making them. Cracking the egg, mixing the batter and icing the cupcakes took place on the kitchen table and the kitchen floor. I was there of course to witness their happy expressions and of course to clean the floor and the table (what are moms for eh?).

Soon it was dinner time and the fritters turned out so crispy and tasty! It barely took 15 minutes to prepare and dinner was a feast of salad stuffing such as avocado, spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, different cheeses such as cheddar and feta (might I add the feta gave it a great kick!) and caper berries and pickled onions. All this stuffed into a burger bun with a crispy fritter in-between. It was delish!

The kids verdict was smiles all around! For me, I couldn't have been happier as the fritters had 5 vegetables in it and for a first time attempt they went down a treat. And this just goes to show you that one needs to constantly try new and fun things with children. We all get stuck in a rut with the same 5 things being cooked again and again and the kids do feel it. Maybe just once a week we should try and be creative when we cook for them? Even if its a delicious smoothie for breakfast instead of the usual cereal and milk? We gotta shake things up!

You might choose to give your kids just the fritters, perhaps with a dip such as humous or even a yoghurt and cucumber one? Either way, they make a delicious meal.

So here goes the recipe for 10 fritters:

1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 white potato (you can use sweet potato)
1/2 courgette
100 grams sweetcorn
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper
handful of chopped coriander
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 egg white
1/2 cup all purpose flour

1. Peel and grate all the vegetables into a large bowl
2. Now add the sweetcorn, grated clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and crushed black pepper. Mix
3. Add the slightly beaten egg white, and the flour to the bowl and mix till fully coated. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes
4. Now in a shallow frying pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil
5. Once the oil is hot, scoop with a tablespoon into the hot oil and allow to cook for 5 minutes on one side and flip and cook for 4-5 minutes the other side. Both sides should be crispy and golden. Drain on kitchen towel before serving.

Enjoy!








Tuesday 5 February 2013

Selina


So my little niece Selina, all of 12 months (bless!) will be starting nursery in a weeks time. And like any mother, my sister is worried about lots of things but most of all her food.  My sister tends to mix it up with home cooked dishes of lentils with cumin, salmon with spinach and chicken stew as well as Ella's baby food pouches.

Her munchkin loves to eat but she needs her food in a certain way, pureed with some lumps. While this is ok when at home, as her mom makes it just the way she likes it, my sister isn't convinced that this will take place at nursery. The trend tends to be that once they are over a year, its about babies trying to feed themselves, using cutlery and eating finger food. But little Selina is the youngest and frankly not all kids are at the same level of eating. Some children are super confident with lumps while some are not.

Then there is the times for lunch, which is at 1130 am, followed by a nap. This is the norm in nurseries, which seems very early. Selina has her lunch  at 1230 (an hour later) and a nap earlier in the morn. There is a rush to feed her straight away from her sleep and drop her off to nursery. So its all a bit topsy turvy at the moment, but then these things tend to sort themselves out.

The whole nursery experience, brings up a lot for moms. Now that there are other children in the same age bracket, mothers tend to compare their little ones to other babies' developments. Perhaps putting some pressure on themselves? Some babies are walking at 10 months while others start at 12 months. My kids were over 13 months when they started. Or with food, why isn't my child more confident with bread sticks? All this will happen over time, and at nursery they will be given this opportunity to watch other babies and test their new skills.

I wish my niece and my sister all the best over the settling period!

Monday 28 January 2013

Cooking overload!


This week I've been cooking non stop. This was on top of the weaning classes that took place on Wednesday where six mommies and their cuties joined us to learn dal and courgette puree for 6 month old babies and butternut squash with garlic and sage risotto suitable for 9 month olds. Both used spices and both made under 45 minutes. Delicious and quick! Over half the mommies had a second older child, so the risotto recipe went down a treat for one mommy in particular who texted me later that evening that her 3 year old son (who has become particularly fussy lately) gobbled up his dinner. I was so thrilled to hear this! As I'm sure she was too that her little boy had eaten!

At A Taste of Something Spicy it was a more grown up affair. We made aromatic lamb chops with spices such as fennel, black peppercorns, cumin and coriander seeds. To accompany the meat, we made carrot with garlic, mustard seeds and dry Kashmiri  chillies, and Bombay potato. One of the moms only ate kosher meat, so I was happy to buy and cook her meat separately. I tailor all my recipes so that everyone can taste the food.

And our home cooking this week was lasagne, fish curry, noodles with tofu and mushroom, miso salmon, chicken curry and potatoes with mustard seeds, lamb curry and lentils.

Sunday we stepped out to this fantastic restaurant in Angel called Naamyaa, Alan Yau's sister restaurant to Busaba. Again Thai food, inspired by Bangkok street food. My daughter who is 3 ate with us. The food was fairly pungent and fiery but we ordered some non chilli delights for her. She had the garlic chicken wings and spring roll to start with and the Hainese poached chicken with steamed rice and cucumber. And a pomegranate and cherry cream soda drink which was delicious! For dessert the caramel ice cream on spicy pineapple with crumble. The staff were super friendly, it was very spacious (perfect for my little man!) and many high chairs in sight. We had such a relaxed lunch and I just enjoyed being fed for a change! I can't wait to go back!



Monday 21 January 2013

New Tricks?


Saturday night was early dinner out with the family and it turned out to be a nightmare. We went by six to avoid the busy dinner crowd and opted for this cute restaurant in North London, not far from the house so we could nip there and back so that the kids would be back in time for their 8 pm bedtime.

Now some of you might have read that my son cannot sit still. Since he mastered walking at 13 months (he is now 19 months, so thats 6 months of non stop-ness!) he finds it difficult to sit at meal times. Initially it was the novelty of walking, he just wanted to walk everywhere and practice his new found skills. Yes, I am that mom pushing the empty buggy while her son wants to walk or sit on my hip. A few months on now, he can sit, but only for 5-10 minutes. I tend to feed him at home beforehand, then take him out but sometimes we do want to step out without all the strategies. We also take the i-pad to distract him, but even now this is hit and miss.The one time we had a pleasant experience was at a pizza restaurant where there was a large tv screen and the kids were allowed to play with pizza dough. That was the first time in a while that my hubby and I felt relaxed and actually breathed between mouthfuls.

My daughter who will be 4 in May, was a totally different kettle of fish. She could be persuaded to sit and eat, and for her eating was and has always been a way of socialising. Even if she ate at home before, she was happy to participate in the conversation, nibble on starters and enjoy dessert. My son is not there yet. And I guess it is this difference that my husband and I are struggling with.

So lets get back to that dinner experience. I knew by the time we got to the restaurant Samar would be famished. He had barely snacked since lunch time and when my boy eats he has a good appetite. I was feeling positive. How delusional was I? He sat in a high chair when we got there, had to be persuaded to continue to sit in it by having juice with a straw. Then when his food came, he literally had one bite and wanted to get off his high chair. Peppa pig on the i-phone didn't do the trick either. He just wanted to walk around the restaurant, while we had to literally gobble our food down. My husband has now said he is happy not to go to a restaurant for the next 6 months. Help! We rushed home and while my daughter went to sleep (thank god one child ate properly) I gave my son some dinner, some yoghurt and straight to bed.

The evening left us drained and disappointed, especially since having children our restaurants have narrowed down solely to child friendly restaurants, and even then it's becoming difficult. And not just when we are out, at home its a struggle with an active child. So after browsing through various mommy-sites, one mom suggested placing books and toys at the dining table to hold their attention. At Sunday lunch time this is exactly what I did, and wow did it work! I found all of his favourite books, and while he turned the pages, I spooned his lunch into his mouth. I don't know if this will work when we are out, but since we have another 6 months before we ever go to a restaurant, I'll deal with that then!

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Chicken Noodle Soup

So a few blogs back, I mentioned my son's change in eating his meals. In particular lunch and dinner really suffered. A week of no snacks after 4 pm, was quite testing. I had to keep him pre occupied with an activity so his mind wouldn't drift to biscuits and other munchies. I cut out heavier snacks like bananas, sandwiches and dry fruit and just offered fruit like strawberries and melon. However it was very hard on playdates. While my eldest was happy indulging on breadsticks and cream cheese, he was feeling left out which would result in either a stroppy toddler or a stroppy daughter (after I'd hidden the snacks). By the end of it, I just couldn't control snacks if we were out of the house. On Friday, we were home and I didn't offer the kids snacks after 4, which meant I couldn't snack either. I felt so irritable without a biscuit at tea time! Why was I suffering in all this?! By the end of the week, I had forgotten why I had implemented these strategies in the first place. The result was that some days it worked and others it didn't.

Now my mind has been distracted with my son's cold that developed over the weekend. His eating is erratic now, dinner at 5 pm yesterday of poached egg and a glass of milk and some more dinner at 630 of boiled rice and sai bhaji (spinach with lentils and 5 vegetables), and a large bowl of blueberry yoghurt.

Today I've made a soup for him, filled with vegetables, chicken, noodles and of course spices! I used a pressure cooker and allowed 2 whistles, however you can use the conventional method below.


For 4 portions:

1 spring onion
1 garlic pod crushed
2 bay leaves
4 black peppercorns
1 clove
1 sprig of rosemary leaves
1 small carrot
1/2 courgette
1 baby potatoes
1 small chicken leg or thigh
handful of raw noodles
salt to taste

1. In a large pan, sautee the whole spices, rosemary, garlic and spring onion in a tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Add the vegetables roughly chopped.
3. Now add the chicken (still on the bone) and water till it covers three fourths of the pan.
4. Put a lid on and cook for 35-45 mins till the vegetables are softened and the chicken is cooked through.
5. Now remove the chicken and shred the pieces, put the pieces back in the pan.
6. Remove the bay leaves and clove, and blend the soup now.
7. Add the noodles now and simmer on low heat till the noodles are cooked.
Serve with warm bread and butter