Pineapple and Mint Slushie

Today was a hot one in old Brisbane town. The girls were hot and bothered by the afternoon, and a sweaty husband looked very uncomfortable after working in the sun all day. I thought we all deserved a cooling treat.

The last of the pink grapefruit have been falling off the tree, and I thought these would make a lovely slushie. After cutting them open, I was dismayed to find fruit fly larvae. I'll have to put some exclusion bags over the young fruit before they ripen to ensure this doesn't happen again. For now, it's back to the vegie crisper to search for fruit to go in my slushie.

At the back of the fridge was some chopped pineapple. Perfect. Pineapple and mint slushies for us!

I threw some pineapple, ice and mint leaves into the blender and processed until smooth and creamy. While still blending, I poured some filtered water through the chute to thin it out a little.

It was a lovely cold treat to cool the family down on a hot day.

I love that!

Yummy, yummy, goodie balls

Now bub is 11 weeks old, I'm starting to think about shedding the extra weight I put on while pregnant. This is not easy for me, as while I'm breastfeeding I find I'm starving. Unfortunately when I'm feeling tired and busy with my two girls, I often find myself reaching for rubbishy sugary foods.

So, it's time to hit the kitchen and whip up some super easy goodie balls. I pack mine full of good fats to provide the calories I'm craving in a vitamin and mineral dense little package. The fats are also good for my little baby's developing brain. Fresh dates provide me with B vitamins and the sweetness my body desires. They really are an awesome treat.

Ingredients
2 cups fresh dates, seeds removed (approx. 16 dates)
2tbs coconut oil
2tbs tahini
1tbs chia seeds (optional, as they are a bit like bird seed)
1 capful vanilla
1tbs almond meal
1tbs ground flaxseed

Throw all ingredients into the food processor, and process well. Roll into little balls, then roll in coconut to coat.

I recommend storing these in a glass container to avoid the fats allowing chemicals from plastics to leach into your treats.

I'm enjoying a couple of these sweet treats with a cup of ginger tea right now. Yummy!

A baby friendly birthday cake

At the beginning of the year, my baby girl had her first birthday. Like a lot of first time mums, I went a little crazy planning a party for her. However, there were a few things that were really important to me: eco friendly partyware, no excessive decorations, good healthy food and a baby friendly birthday cake. By this age little one had not even tried any sweeties; I did not want her first experience to be a cake laden with sugar and colourings. However, I still really wanted a lovely cake. This obviously presented some dilemmas.

Zucchini Fritters

I am always looking for new food ideas for baby girl, especially finger foods. Just like us, she needs variety in her food. I made these yummy little fritters for her yesterday and they were a hit. As a bonus my husband loved them too. They made a nice lunch for me with a side salad, and were easy to re-heat in the oven today.

50g melted butter or ghee*
1/2 cup milk (I used unhomogenised jersey milk, as I can get it from a local source)
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (wholegrain of course!)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 small zucchini

Mix all the ingredients together, and fry spoonfuls in a generous amount of butter and olive oil (the olive oil stops the butter from burning). They will go beautiful and crispy on the outside, and stay a little mushy inside. Perfect for small babies learning about textures.

You can put herbs in for older bubs and kids, plus peas and feta for an extra treat.

I hope your family likes them as much as mine!

*A good tip to reduce washing up is to melt the butter in the same pan you are using to fry the fritters. Just make sure you wipe it clean with a paper towel so the solids in the butter do not burn.

Pretty Pink Oats

This morning I made one of my baby girl's favourite breakfasts: rolled oats with apple and strawberry. I feel like a seasonal cheat with this dish, as apples really are a winter fruit. However, I do have a big batch of pre-cooked apple puree frozen down, so maybe it's not too bad. I love watching her little face light up when she realises what I made for her, and she even protested when I took too long to get her the next mouthful! I thought I would share this super simple recipe with you all.

Oats are such a wonderful food for babies. They are easy to digest for little stomachs, they are a calming food that nourishes the nervous system and they are low GI, ensuring a slow release of energy for exploring the world. They are also easy and quick for me to make! The apple adds some extra fibre and the strawberries are high in vitamin C. I also add coconut oil. When bub was little she had a bout of thrush that still rears its ugly head from time to time. Coconut oil is a natural antifungal, so I started using it in her food with good results. It's also a healthy fat source, and given that babies require most of their energy from fats, its great for all babies - especially formula feed bubs.

So the recipe...

2tbs rolled oats
1/3 cup of filtered water
2-3tbs apple puree
4-5 strawberries (organic strawberries tend to be small. You would only need 2-3 lge ones)
1 tsp coconut oil

Cook the oats with the water over a low heat, stirring frequently. You may need to add a little more water if it gets too thick. Once the oats are mushy, stir in the apple puree and coconut oil and remove from heat. Toss in the strawberries and puree. Serve with a joyous heart, knowing you made beautiful, healthy food for your baby.

This amount gives 2-3 serves for my 10mth old, depending on how hungry she is. I reheat it by placing in a glass jar in a bowl of hot water. Never microwave any food for your baby.

I would love to hear what your kids think!