Tag: recipes

Afternoon Tea with Annabel Karmel

| July 12, 2013

Last Saturday I was invited to attend the launch of Annabel Karmel’s new App Annabel’s Essential Guide to Feeding Your Baby & Toddler at the Apple iStore in Regent Street.

annabel karmel

The event was hosted by TV and radio presenter Jenni Falconer. Annabel talked about being a mother, coping with fussy eaters and how she began writing recipe books. Her career takes her all over the world as she continues to educate and encourage millions of parents on how to create simple and healthy meals for baby, toddler and child.

annabel karmel

Annabel gave a demo of her new App which includes 200 healthy recipe ideas, handy meal planners that you can personalise to suit your family, a shopping list feature and videos showing how to prepare food. This App ensures you’ll never be stuck for ideas at mealtimes. There’s a handy section on Tips and Advice covering everything from foods for babies and toddlers to allergies and batch cooking.

annabel karmel

Since Imogen was a baby I’ve read the range of Annabel Karmel Booksand found them helpful as easy reference guides to weaning and now for generating toddler meal ideas.

I met a wonderful group of bloggers at this event and after the launch we all sauntered in the London sun to 5th View in Piccadilly to have afternoon tea with Annabel Karmel and her lovely team.

My Tuna Nicoise Salad

| July 2, 2013

This week’s Family Meal is a delicious, healthy and tasty take on a Tuna Nicoise Salad.

When I made this salad the weather was still cooler than usual for summer so I left out the iceberg lettuce and substituted it for some broccoli which makes the Tuna Nicoise Salad more filling. And instead of boiled potatoes I lightly roasted some potatoes with onion and garlic cloves to give the salad an extra kick.

Serves 4

Prep Time 5 mins. Cooking Time 20 mins.

Tuna Nicoise SaladYou’ll Need:

  •  4 Free Range Eggs
  • 6 New Potatoes
  • 1 head of Broccoli
  • 1 Red Onion
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic
  • 1 large tin of Tuna in Spring Water
  • Pitted Olives (if children are eating the meal)
  • Dried Herbs
  • Drizzle of Olive Oil
  • Lemon

 

Let’s Make My Tuna Nicoise Salad

1. Pre heat the oven to 190 degrees Celcius. Wash and chop the Potatoes into small cubes. Boil until soft (approx 15 – 20 minutes).

2. Boil the eggs until hard (approx 15 minutes).

3. Boil or steam the Broccoli for a couple of minutes until tender.

4. Chop the Red Onion and Garlic.

5. Put the Potato, Garlic and Onion into an oven dish and lightly mix with a drizzle of Olive Oil. Add a sprinkle of Dried Herbs onto the Potato for extra flavour. Roast for approx 20 minutes or until the potatoes have turned golden.

6. Add the cooked vegetables into a salad bowl.

7. Open the tin of Tuna and drain the spring water. Add the Tuna to the salad.

8. Peel the Boiled Eggs and cut into half or quarters and add to the salad.

9. Add Pitted Olives (only if children are old enough to eat Olives).

10. Squeeze a little fresh Lemon juice onto the salad for taste.

Tuna Nicoise Salad

Enjoy! This recipe is superb as a summer or winter family meal.

Tuna Nicoise Salad

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Savoury Muffins Recipe

| April 8, 2013

I adore Savoury Muffins and have yet to find any muffins that come close to the hearty New Zealand variety. For this week’s Family Meals idea I made a batch of savoury muffins with Cheese, Onion, Sweetcorn and Broccoli using a recipe I’ve had since my Uni days in Wellington.

These savoury muffins are great as a snack for hungry, active toddlers and children. And they’re perfect with a cup of tea when Mum and Dad need to take a rest!

Makes 12 Muffins
Prep Time 10 minutes. Cooking Time 20 minutes at 190 degrees Celcius fan bake.

You’ll Need:

savoury muffins

Savoury Mix:

  • 1 medium Red Onion
  • 1 cup Sweetcorn (from frozen)
  • 5 medium florets of Broccoli
  • 1 cup grated Low Fat Mild Cheese

The delicious savoury muffin filling.

savoury muffins

Let’s Make Savoury Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celcius fan bake.

2. Peel and chop the Onion. Saute in a small amount of Olive Oil until tender. Add Sweetcorn and cook for another couple of minutes.

3. Wash and finely cut the Broccoli. Boil for 30 seconds. Drain and let cool.

4. Grate 1 cup Low Fat Cheese.

5. Add the Flour, Dried Herbs, Onion, Sweetcorn and Broccoli into a mixing bowl. Gently stir in the Cheese. Create a well in the centre.

6. Whisk the Egg and Milk with a fork.

7. Add the Egg and Milk mixture into the well in the centre of the dry ingredients.

8. Gently mix the dry and wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix. It should be a stiff mixture.

9. Put spoonfuls of the muffin mixture into a lightly greased deep muffin tray.

10. Bake for 20 minutes at 190 degrees Celcius fan bake.

11. Serve warm from the oven or eat within a day. Perfect for packed lunches!

family meals

Looking for ideas for nutritious and quick Family Meals? Try my healthy recipes: