Snacks & Sides

  • Entertaining Kids the Healthy Way: Make Cacao Oat Bars Together

    A post about how to make simple Cacao oat bars for kids. Are you looking for some great healthy snacks to replace chocolate? Look no further than this fun and interactive activity that promotes healthy eating habits!

    Are you tired of constantly saying “no” to your child’s request for a sweet treat? The key to providing your little ones with healthy snacks they will actually enjoy is simple: get them involved in the preparation! Making cacao baked oat bars together is a fun and interactive activity that promotes healthy eating habits. In this article, we will explore why healthy snacking is important for kids, the benefits of cooking with your children, and provide step-by-step instructions for making this delicious treat. We will also share tips for making the most out of this fun activity and how to incorporate healthy eating habits into your child’s daily routine. So get ready to bond with your children while whipping up a delicious and nutritious snack that will leave your taste buds wanting more!

    Why Healthy Snacking is Important for Kids

    Now, let’s take a moment to discuss why healthy snacking is so important for kids. Providing your child with nutritious snacks is crucial to their overall health and well-being. Snacks can contribute to a child’s daily nutrient intake, supporting healthy growth and development. But it’s not just about providing healthy snacks – it’s also about setting a good example for your kids. When children see their parents making healthy choices, they are more likely to adopt those same habits themselves.

    Healthy snacking can also help prevent childhood obesity and other health complications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity affects around 19% of children and adolescents in the United States. By encouraging healthy snacking habits early on, we can help prevent obesity and associated health problems later in life.

    Overall, healthy snacking is an important part of a child’s diet, and making cacao baked oat fingers together is a fun and delicious way to promote healthy eating habits. So let’s get cooking and enjoy a healthy snack with our little ones!

    The Benefits of Cooking with Your Children

    Cooking with your children has numerous benefits beyond just creating a healthy snack. It’s a great opportunity to spend quality time as a family, teach life skills, and encourage creativity. When children are involved in the cooking process, they are more likely to try new foods and develop an appreciation for healthy eating.

    In addition, cooking with your children can improve their vocabulary, reading, and math skills. Measuring ingredients, following directions, and adjusting recipes also promote problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. Making cacao baked oat fingers together can be a learning experience for both parents and children.

    Furthermore, cooking with your children can build their confidence and self-esteem. Seeing the finished product of their hard work and creativity can give them a sense of accomplishment and pride. It’s also a great way to teach responsibility and teamwork.

    With all the benefits that come with cooking with your children, it’s no wonder that it’s becoming a popular activity for families. So grab your aprons and get ready to make some delicious and healthy cacao baked oat fingers together!

    Now that we know the benefits of cooking with our children, let’s move on to what you’ll need for this recipe.

    Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Cacao Baked Oat Fingers

    Cacao Baked Oat Bars

    Cacao Baked Oat Bars

    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup bio yogurt
    • 1 tbsp cacao powder
    • 1 egg
    • Handful of Cacao nibs

    Instructions

    1. Mix the yogurt and egg in a bowl and whisk until mixed.
    2. Add in the cacao powder and mix until smooth.
    3. Add in the oats and mix.
    4. Add cacao nibs and fold through the mixture.
    5. Pour into baking tin.
    6. Bake on 200 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.

    Tips for Making the Most out of this Fun and Interactive Activity

    Now that you and your child are ready to make cacao baked oat fingers together, here are some tips to make the most out of this fun and interactive activity:

    1. Get Creative: Encourage your child to get creative with the toppings. Use fresh fruit, nuts, or even a drizzle of honey to add different flavors and textures to the oat fingers.
    2. Involve your children: Get your children involved in the process by letting them measure the ingredients, mix the dough, and shape the oat fingers. This will not only help them learn basic cooking skills but also make them more interested in healthy eating.
    3. Use this as a bonding activity: Use this opportunity to bond with your child. Talk to them about healthy eating and why it’s important for their health. This can also be a great way to spend quality time together and create happy memories.

    By involving your child in the process of making healthy snacks, you’re not only teaching them healthy eating habits but also making it a fun and interactive experience. Next, let’s take a look at some simple ways to incorporate healthy eating habits into your child’s daily routine.

    How to Incorporate Healthy Eating Habits into Your Child’s Daily Routine

    One of the most effective ways to instill healthy eating habits in your child is to make it a part of their daily routine. Here are some simple tips on how to do just that:

    1. Make healthy food easily accessible: Keep a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter or stock up on healthy snacks such as carrot sticks and hummus, sliced apples with peanut butter, or homemade granola bars. When healthy food is readily available, your child is more likely to choose it over less nutritious options.
    2. Set a good example: Children are more likely to adopt healthy habits when they see their parents doing the same. Make a conscious effort to model healthy eating habits by choosing nutritious foods and avoiding junk food.
    3. Involve your child in meal planning: Let your child help you plan meals for the week, and encourage them to choose healthy options. This will give them a sense of ownership over their food choices and make them more likely to try new things.
    4. Make mealtime enjoyable: Eating should be a pleasurable experience, so try to make mealtimes stress-free and enjoyable. Avoid pressuring your child to eat or using food as a reward or punishment, as this can create negative associations with healthy eating.

    By incorporating these simple tips into your child’s daily routine, you can help them develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. And by making healthy snacks together, like these cacao baked oat bars, you can reinforce these habits while creating happy memories with your child.,

    Making cacao baked oat bars with your children not only provides a fun and interactive activity, but also promotes healthy eating habits. By incorporating this recipe into your child’s daily routine, you are setting them up for a lifetime of good health and wellness. Cooking with your children is an excellent way to bond and teach them important life skills. Get your children involved in the kitchen and create some wonderful memories while promoting healthy snacking habits.

  • Easy no pectin strawberry jam

    A post about how to make your own, pectin free strawberry jam with just three ingredients. This recipe is simple to make and pull together quickly. Once you taste it you won’t go back to shop bought strawberry jam again.

    pectin free strawberry jam in a jar

    Making your own Pectin Free Jam

    If you’re anything like me then sometimes these recipes to make jam, preserves and even breads can seem like a huge commitment and even bigger undertaking. As someone who enjoys pottering around the kitchen but is still growing in many of her urban homesteading skills, I sometimes tend to doubt my abilities. Jam is one of those things where I have tended to not trust myself.

    When I was given some Quince by a friend in the autumn I didn’t quite know what to do with it, so quickly found a recipe for Quince Jam and oh my, was it good.

    It was from learning about quince and how to use it to make jam did I find out more about fruits that have natural pectin in their skins, making it easier to make into jam without actually needing pectin in the ingredients.

    What is pectin?

    Pectin is a soluble fibre that is found in many fruits and often used in Jam, preserves and jelly to help bind or thicken food. Now forgive me if I am wrong here, but the internet tells me it is an extract made from apples, together with citric acid and dextrose. I didn’t actually set out to avoid pectin in my cooking, despite our family eating as naturally as possible most of the time. For me it came from ease, from being able to do something there and then without having to go to the shops and purchase something more. Now I know many jam’s can be made without the assistence of Pectin, and knowing that there are some extra ingredients in there that we can realistically do without, I am quite pleased. But that was just a happy coincidence.

    Living a life of balance

    That’s not to say I wouldn’t ever use pectin however, it’s just that I found out that I can make these really simple jam recipes that taste incredible and don’t need any additional ingredients at all. Let’s be honest here though, jam is full of sugar, both naturally occuring from fruit and added sugar too. For us at least, life is about balance and there is no strictness around food in these quarters, we just eat what we eat and try and nourish our bodies the best we can. Simple whole foods, as natural as possible. But you will still find me drinking the occasional Starbucks, grabbing a doughnut from Tim Hortons or just having a bit of what I love. To me, health but also balance is the most important thing.

    What is pectin free strawberry jam like?

    I guess the title is a bit of untruth actually thinking about it, because the jam itself isn’t totally pectin free at all, but it doesn’t require any added pectin. That would have made for quite a long and specific title however.

    So onto the jam itself, what is it like? Well, it is actually amazing. Not only is the taste phenominal because you will be using fresh strawberries but the texture is great too. If you’re looking for a solid jam much like the kind you will purchase in a shop then this is not for you. Store bought jams include added pectin and therefore have a very different consistency. This is softer but perfect. It stays on the bread and doesn’t roll off, which for me is the main thing I am looking to achieve when making jam. I once made the most perfect tasting plum jam but it didn’t not stay on the bread.

    Instead, this jam is smooth, with fresh strawberries running through it and just tastes so much better. My advice is that you will get the best tasting strawberry jam when you use in season strawberries from your home country (if that’s a possibility).

    I generally save jars from when we finishing things in jars that we have purchased from the shops. If you don’t have any spare jars then my go to is always Kilner Jars. I have been using them for years and then really do stand the test of time and are perfect for storing your homemade jams and perserves.

    Right, onto the pectin free jam recipe.

    What you will need?

    • Saucepan
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Side plate
    • Fresh Strawberries
    • Fresh Lemon Juice
    • Sugar

    How to make pectin free strawberry jam?

    Simple Pectin Free Strawberry Jam

    Simple Pectin Free Strawberry Jam

    Ingredients

    • 450 g Fresh strawberries, Chopped
    • 150 g Sugar, As natural as possible
    • 2 tbsp Lemon juice, Fresh

    Instructions

    1. Place a side plate in the freezer for testing the jam later.
    2. Cut and hull your strawberries and weigh them out by their cut weight, this is so you can account for removing the hulls.
    3. Squeeze your lemon and set aside.
    4. In a pan, add your strawberries, sugar and lemon juice and stir.
    5. The strawberries will begin to reduce, keep stiring to ensure the jam doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and bring to a rolling boil.
    6. When the jam looks liquid and smoother (you can mash your strawberries before or during cooking if you want a smoother jam) place a small amount on a cold plate to check consistency. You are looking for a thicker consistency, but not like a shop bought jam.
    7. Allow to cool.
    8. Transfer to sterilised jam jars.
    9. Refridgerate and use within 2 weeks.
    10. To use longer, you will need to look up instructions to make these shelf stable.

    Can I make other fruit jams pectin free?

    Since perfecting this recipe I have tried a number of other fruits and I am happy to confirm many of them work just the same, and make. a wonderful fresh tasting jam. Some I have tried are: Quince, Cherry, Persimmon and Blackberries.

    If you try this recipe, or even a different fruit than these I would love to know how you got on. You can leave me a comment below or come and follow me over on Instagram and drop me a DM.

    Until next time,

  • Homemade Garlic Bread

    Pizza night in our house is always a favourite and garlic bread is almost a must each time. Before we ended up in this current lockdown situation we might have been tempted to order in a pizza and garlic bread when we fancied we have instead been making these things ourselves and in doing so have created some tasty recipes that are even better than our infamous, and fairly pricey, takeaways that I don’t think that we’ll ever really go back to these when we can make them so tasty at home.

    A photo of cheesy garlic bread on baking parchment

    Cheesy garlic bread is a top favourite in our house and I will hold my hands up here and say that we’ve always bought it just because it was the easy option. However, when our food shopping delivery didn’t have our garlic bread on my husband said he would make some from scratch with the bread we had and it was so delicious that I immediately picked his brains on how he did it so that I could come here and share the recipe with you guys. Yes, it really was that good. So good, in fact, that I definitely will not be buying it ever again, Mr P has himself a job for life.

    Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

    Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 3 slices White Bread
    • 1 tbsp Grass fed butter
    • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
    • 1 sprinkle parsley
    • 50 g Cheese

    Instructions

    1. Heat oven to 180 degrees
    2. Line baking tray with parchment paper
    3. Lay three slices of bread on baking tray
    4. Mix butter and garlic powder together
    5. Spread butter and garlic mixture across the bread
    6. Sprinkle parsley over the top
    7. Grate cheese over the top of bread
    8. Oven cook until cheese bubbles and starts to brown

    As you can see it is a really simple recipe and tastes divine and I really promise that I am not exaggerating when I say I preferred this over its shop bought counterpart.

    Just wanted to share this quick recipe to help you out throughout this extended time at home. Let me know in the comments if you try it and I will get my pizza base recipe online soon too. I promise takeaway pizza will be a thing of the past.

    If you try this recipe be sure to tag me over on Instagram.

  • Quick Non-Cook Mexican Beans

    Quick non-cook Mexican beans

    In our house we love Mexican night, we always have done long before we started following any particular nutritional paths and as our thoughts and tastes change I have developed some amazing new recipes, one of which I want to bring to you today!

     

    Healthy?

    Black beans are packed with nutrients such as fibre, potassium, Folate and Vitamin B6. Black beans are full of photo-nutrients (meaning they are plant based) and help to support heart health, lowering cholesterol and decreasing the risk of heart disease. The green lentils are a brilliant source of folate, as well as being a good source of fibre, copper, phosphorus and manganese. Also, if that wasn’t enough they have a load of vitamins and minerals packed into them, such as iron, protein, Vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, zinc and potassium. WOW!

     

    We also know that tomatoes are great too, helping us with vitamin A, C and K, as well as vitamin B6 and folate. They are recorded as helping issues such as diabetes, lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure. Plus, this recipe included Jalapeno peppers, which have been mentioned in terms of reducing high blood pressure, helping arthritis, headaches and weight loss, along with many other illnesses and ailments. This recipe is a complete gamechanger for your health!

     

     

    Quick Non Cook Mexican Beans

    Ingredients

    • Black beans (230g)
    • Green lentils (230g)
    • Tomatoes chopped (I use little plum tomatoes and I quarter them)
    • Jalapeno peppers
    • 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoons Paprika
    • 2 teaspoons Cumin

     

    Method

    • Drain the beans and lentils and add to a large bowl.
    • Chop tomatoes and add to bowl
    • Chop the Jalapeños and add them to the bowl
    • Mix the spices together, add to the bowl and mix all.
    • It is now ready to serve. You could have it in tacos, wraps or eat it as it is!

     

    I use the organic black beans and green lentils from Sainsbury’s and they just require draining before use.

    beans

  • How to hand make your tomato ketchup

    Why you need to hand make your tomato ketchup

    Tomato ketchup is the main ingredient to life, there are so many things that are just made infinitely better with the addition of this sauce. It might sound like it could be ok for you (because tomato is a fruit and we’re constantly told that these are good for us right?) but some of the ingredients can be seriously questionable, with many main brands, if not all of them, putting far too much sugar in their sauces.

    Tomatoes & Apple Cider Vinegar

    Tomatoes themselves have a whole host of health benefits, with impressive amounts of Vitamin A, C and K as well as vitamin b6, folate and thiamin. They are also important for preventing gallstones, reducing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels as well as helping to manage the effects of diabetes. This recipe also uses the much alluded Apple Cider Vinegar, and if you haven’t added this must have to your diet yet then you must start! It can help with acid reflux, helpt with gastro issues, lower your blood pressure, support weight loss and improve diabetes. It has incredible healing compounds too!

    If you are a tomato ketchup lover but don’t love the idea of all the added nonsense, including sugar and salt, and also do not like the idea of something that has been “messed about with” to remove the sugar and salt, then read on. You can easily make your own tomato ketchup from home, with just two ingredients! While it might not taste exactly like your old supermarket bought ketchup I promise you will get used to it and I promise this is so much healthier for you. With all that said, it is on with the recipe!

    Homemade Tomato Ketchup

    Ingredients

    • Tomato Puree
    • Apple cider vinegar
    Homemade Tomato Ketchup

    Homemade Tomato Ketchup

    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes

    Ingredients

    • Tomato Puree
    • Apple cider vinegar

    Instructions

    1. Add you desired amount of tomato puree into a bowl.
    2. Add teaspoons of vinegar to taste until it has a slight kick.
    3. Mix until you reach your desired taste and consistency. You can even blend some tomatoes into a puree yourself if you wish.

    This is a simple sugar and salt free version of your favourite condiment!

  • Super Quick Guacamole

    Why you should be making your own Guacamole

    Guacamole is hugely popular these days, with the variations of Mexican food slowly but surely showing up here. You can pick up shop bought Guacamole from almost any food shop these days but are they any good for you? Should we be making this unbelievably easy dip ourselves? Read on to find out more.

     

     

    Avocado has been demonised for too long

    If you follow a weight loss diet plan you might be shuddering at the mere thought of consuming an avocado, because many weight loss programmes are wrongly advising us to cut out fat, all fat, any fat. Avocado is filled with heart healthy, brain fuel fats that we definitely do not want to be cutting out of our diets!

     

    Scientific research has backed up this and aid our bodies in so many different ways. Here are some reasons that you might want to give the avocado another try:

    • Incredibly nutrious including vitamans K, C, B5, B6 and E, as well as Folate and potassium.
    • They also contain magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, Vitamin A, THiamin, Riboflavin and Niacin
    • Contain more potassium than banana’s
    • Filled with heart healthy mono-unsaturated fats
    • Jam packed with fibre
    • Can help to lower cholesterol levels
    • Low carb
    • Loaded with antioxidants
    • Limited evidence suggests they may be beneficical in preventing cancer
    • May relieve the symptoms of Arthritis
    • Some evidence suggests they may help you lose weight

     

    Wow, that’s some pretty big accolades right there. Can you see why you absolutely need to be incorporating avocado into your diet? This quick and easy homemade guacamole recipe uses just avocado and lemon juice and is completely delicious. Also you can whip it up in just a few minutes. No more shop bought guacamole jam packed with things you definitely don’t want or need in your diet.

     

    guacamole

     

    Super Quick Guacamole

    Ingredients

    1 Avocado

    ½ a lemon (or lime)

     

    Method

    • Juice the lemon
    • Remove the skin and stone from the avocado.
    • Blitz together in a food processor until smooth.

     

    This recipe is the perfect addition to shop bought guacamole which is rammed with preservatives. Healthy, natural and oh so good for your body.

    guacamole

  • Non Refried Mexican Beans

    Healthy Refried beans?

    You might have seen my previous post on quick non-cook Mexican beans. Like I said in that post, we love Mexican in our house and if you are a big Mexican food lover like we are then I have a great little recipe you will want to try on your next Mexican night.

     

    Refried beans sound and look as though they might be really unhealthy. Fried? Refried? Not only are we here to tell that refried beans aren’t actually as unhealthy as you think plus we’re going to give you a great recipe to make your own. Where possible making your own recipes rather than relying on shop bought food is always best. Many shop bought food items are filled with fillers, preservatives, chemicals and of course sugar and salt. You can make amazing alternatives, without all these additional ingredients that are no good for you, and we promise they will taste just as good, if not better!

     

    Non Refried Mexican Beans

    Ingredients

    • Black Beans (230g)
    • Almond Milk
    • 1 tsp of garlic powder
    • 1 Tsp of Paprika
    • 1 Tsp of Cumin

     

    Method

    • Add the black beans to a pan and cover with almond milk.
    • Add the spices into the pan and mix.
    • Put the pan on the hob at a medium heat. At this point you are looking to reduce to milk to nothing without burning the beans.
    • Put a lid on the beans and leave them for 5 minutes.
    • Check the beans and stir them. The mixture will be wet on the top and the beans will have started to break down to a mush. Continue this process until you are happy with the consistency and texture.

     

    The goal of this dish is to have mushy beans that are just like refried beans but without all the salt that has been added to the shop bought variety.