I’ve got a new way to start my day, and it’s called “Banana Oaty Shake”. It makes a perfect breakfast on-the-go option for me and it’s also just perfect nutritional bomb for my little one. What’s the secret? – It’s easy to make, it’s yummy and it’s packed with all the ingredients needed to keep me (and my entire family) going.
1 banana
1 cup of fine oats, boiled in water or milk (I use Ready Break as it’s quick to prepare and it’s fortified with vitamins and minerals)
2 oranges
½ tbsp cinnamon
50g natural probiotic bio yogurt
Not much to explain: I just mix everything in the shaker and press the button. Voila – e perfectly healthy breakfast! My daughter also likes it as a snack. To make an immune booster banana oaty shake I add 2 tbsp of quinoa flakes to the oats before boiling them. We also just discovered a milled flaxseed with added cocoa & dried berries blend so I add a tablespoon to the shake. It contains flavanols (very beneficial antioxidants), and it is also high in Omega 3, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc and Selenium. It tastes even better and hopefully would help us survive the flu season.
I think that skibz are a fantastic idea and they work really well. Designed by British mum Helen Bristol, the Skibz is a great-looking bandana-style dribble bib that works like a bib and looks like a scarf. We kindly received the Dizzy Flowersone for my 2-year old daughter to try and I have to say that she loved it! It’s funky, great-looking (for her is far more accessory rather than a bib) and it’s also great quality. Being 100% cotton I have no worries if the fabric could cause her gentle skin around the neck irritation – it’s so soft and natural!
I love the patterns you can get skibz in – they are a welcome change from bibs which cover my little daughters’s outfits. I would say Skibz are just perfect for those times when your little one needs to wear a bib when out and about! There are so many styles and colours to choose from that it’s easy to find the ones to suit any outfit.
The other plus is that Skibz fit snugly around my daughter’s neck. They are also highly absorbent if you have a little baby that dribbles a lot while teething. The unique double-layered backing system literally draws moisture away from the skin, eliminating soreness and chaffing under the skin.
But for my daughter it’s true that the bright-coloured Funky Flower Zkibz is more of a fashion statement then a serious piece of clothing protection. So I would definitely recommend these to anyone – even if their child doesn’t dribble that much. Since we have the Skibz, my daughter always gets compliments and people ask me where to buy it from. If you are wondering too, you can buy it online at http://skibz.co.uk.
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped (about 400g prepared weight)
• 1tbsp baby rice
• Place the butternut squash into the Philips AVENT Combined Steamer and Blender jug. Pour 150ml cold water into the boiler unit and steam for 15 minutes until tender
• Turn the jug to the blending position and blitz 2-3 times until smooth
• Place the baby rice into a bowl. Add 3tbsp boiling water and stir until smooth. Add 4tbsp butternut squash puree, stir well and allow to cool before serving
Cook’s tip
Refrigerate or freeze your remaining portions of butternut squash puree for later use. These will store in the fridge for the next day or in the freezer for 1 month.
• 1 small sweet potato (about 175g) peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 small potato (about 175g) peeled and roughly chopped
• Place the spring onion, sweet potato, potato and chicken breast into the Philips AVENT Combined Steamer and Blender jug. Pour 150ml water into the boiler unit and steam for 15 minutes
• Add the frozen peas to the jug. Add another 50ml water to the boiler unit and steam for a further 5 minutes
• Turn the jug to the blending position and blend 2-3 times until coarsely pureed
• Transfer to a bowl (add a little unsalted chicken stock to get the correct consistency if necessary) and allow to cool before serving
Cook’s tip
Refrigerate or freeze your remaining portions of chicken mixture for later use. These will store in the fridge for the next day or in the freezer for 1 month. Defrost thoroughly and then reheat well and allow to cool before serving.
• 2 sweet dessert apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tbsp unsweetened apple juice
• Place both fruits into the Philips AVENT Combined Steamer and Blender jug with ground cinnamon. Pour 50ml water into the boiler unit and steam for 5 minutes until tender
• Turn the jug to the blending position and blitz 1-2 times until smooth
• Transfer to a bowl and stir in the apple juice to loosen the consistency if necessary. Allow to cool before serving
Cook’s tip
Refrigerate or freeze your remaining portions of puree for later use. These will store in the fridge for the next day or in the freezer for 1 month.
See even more healthy baby and toddlers recipes here.
A toddler’s mealtime is a daily challenge for most parents with over 65 per cent claiming ‘they find it difficult to get their little ones to eat properly’, a recent study has revealed.
Almost 40 per cent of toddlers ‘want to eat whatever is on mummy’s plate rather than theirs’ and another 50 per cent ‘suddenly decide to stop eating something they have previously liked’ leaving their parents completely puzzled. This is probably why eight out of ten mums get creative and slightly fib to their kids to get them to eat the right foods, the study showed.
Almost 83 per cent of mums admitted to telling their youngsters an average of two little fibs a day to encourage them to eat things they aren’t keen on such as fruit and vegetables or to put them off sweets and fizzy drinks. And the most common fib is that eating vegetables will make them grow big and strong like their favourite TV heroes, with 65 per cent admitting to using this line on their child. Another 49 per cent tell their children that carrots will allow them see in the dark and almost a quarter have pretended that crusts from bread will give them curly hair.
Other popular small fibs include ‘Spinach will help you grow strong like Popeye’ and claiming that the ice cream van only plays music when it has run out of lollies. But while four out of ten mums admit they feel guilty for lying to their children, 60 per cent say they sometimes reach a point where they simply don’t know what else to do.
Deneice Harwin from Philips AVENT*, which commissioned the study to mark the launch of its ToddlerFeeding Range, said: ‘’Encouraging toddlers to eat new foods can be a nightmare for parents and make meal times the most stressful part of the day. But it’s important that they get the right nutrients and this means eating fruit and veg, which tend to be the worst foods in children’s eyes. ’So it’s no wonder parents are telling little fibs to their children in an attempt to get them to eat certain things.”
The study of 3,000 mums revealed that almost two thirds of parents struggle to get their toddlers to eat a healthy, balanced diet. And 69 per cent consider their child to be a fussy eater. But 89 per cent worry about whether their children are getting all the right nutrients they need, with 13 per cent so concerned that they have even taken their child to see a doctor or nutritionist.
The study also showed that 80 per cent of people have given in when their child refused to eat something, just to avoid the hassle. Dr. Gillian Harris, Child Psychologist, said: “Parents looking for an easier time at the table should remember that the best way to get a child to enjoy eating is to interact with them and get them interested in food – if a child is interested in what’s going on their plate and what they put in their mouth, parents are less likely to need to battle to get them to eat something. The characters and games on the new Philips AVENT range help make this an easy job for parents by giving them something to talk about at meal times.”
The survey has been commissioned by Philips AVENT to celebrate the launch of the new Toddler Mealtime Range. For further information and tips on weaning and toddler feeding please visit www.mybabytalk.co.uk.
New research, commissioned by Weetabix, shows that despite an encouraging 80% of British schoolchildren eating breakfast before leaving home, family breakfasts are more a battle than a ball for today’s stressed-out parents. It’s even worse, I’d say, for busy mums, who often skip their breakfast and rely on the cuppa tea or coffee to do the trick for them. Well, it won’t. I speak from experience. While my little one’s favorite breakfast is Weetabix Original, I’ve been struggling to find a nice & easy to prep breakfast for myself. I’ve been trying different breakfast options but they either take time for prepping (which I don’t have), or are not tasty enough. I need something quick to prepare, to be healthy and still to give me a moment to indulge myself (come on, I deserve it!)
As of today, 12th July, a new tasty and nutritious breakfast from Weetabix is available at Sainsbury’s: Chocolate Weetabix! During my manic mornings all I need to do is to poor some organic milk and soak a couple of the Chocolate Weetabix biscuits in it for a perfectly balanced and tasty breakfast – the fuel that I’ll need to keep up with my busy day while juggling between my marketing career and my lovely child!
Chocolate Weetabix is high in fibre and low in salt, fortified with vitamins and iron and free from artificial colours. No guilt about the “mmm, so tasty and nicely melting” chocolate chips as part of my breakfast because the new cereal with all the goodness of wholegrain in Weetabix contains only half the sugar of the average chocolate flavoured breakfast cereal! Just what I need in the morning, and you know what – sometimes as an afternoon snack as well. It’s so tasty and indulgent, still healthy, I can’t get enough of it!
