Category: Recipes

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Mini Spicy Bean Burger Recipe

These are great for dinner parties or Mexican themed nights. I created this recipe from scratch and was pleasantly surprised with how yummy they tasted! Arjun also enjoyed his (I excused chilli and salt from his). I hope you enjoy x

Makes: about 20 mini bean burgers

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 40g tortilla chips 
  • 60g cheddar cheese
  • 2 slices of bread (for breadcrumbs)  
  • 1 tin chick peas
  • 1 tin kidney beans
  • 1 teaspoon tomato purée
  • 1 tablespoon oregano 
  • 1 green chilli 
  • 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic  
  • A handful of coriander  
  • 1 teaspoon cumin 
  • 1.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli 
  • 1 red onion 
  • 2 shallots 

Method:

  1. Roughy mash the chickpeas and kidney beans using the back of a fork. Crush the tortilla chips
  2. Toast the bread and grind in food blender to make breadcrumbs. 
  3. Dice the shallots and red onion and chop the green chilli and coriander finely 
  4. Mix all the ingredients together and combine using a fork
  5. Once mixed well and formed a mouldable texture, scoop a tablespoon of the mixture at a time and pat using your hands in to a small burger shape
  6. Shallow fry until browned on either side 
  7. If you’d like them a little crispier, bake further for 25 minutes or until reached desired texture. 

  


    Serving suggestion: these taste delicious topped with homemade salsa, gherkins, tomato and cheese
      

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    Eggless Mini Cheese and Onion Muffins (Just Like M&S)

    For Mother’s Day, I had planned on not cooking very much for the afternoon tea we were hosting. I know I know, lazy right? I was still pretty shattered from coming back from holiday and returning straight back to work. I had planned on relying on Marks & Spencer’s for all our goodies but unfortunately I’d left it a day too late and one of my favourite items – their cheese and onion muffins, weren’t available! So I tasked myself with coming up with my own recipe!

     

    I was super proud of myself – they went down an absolute treat! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did! They tasted just like the Marks & Spencer’s version!

     

    Prep time: 15 minutes

    Makes: 40 mini muffins 

    Ingredients:

    • 100ml olive oil
    • 100ml full fat milk
    • 2 tablespoons plain greek yoghurt
    • 300g self raising flour
    • 1 teaspoon English mustard powder
    • 160g grated mature cheddar
    • 1 bunch of spring onions
    • A small bunch of snipped chives
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 250g full fat soft cheese
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 25g parmesan

     

    1. Heat the oven to 180c and oil a muffin tin. Alternatively, use a silicon muffin tray like I did and there’s no need to grease 🙂
    2. Whisk the oil, milk and yoghurt together.
    3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, mustard powder, oregano, cheddar cheese, spring onions, chives and ½ the parmesan. You’ll already be able to start smelling the yummy goodness!
    4. Use a large spoon and gently fold in the wet ingredients in to the dry. Mix in the soft cheese lightly. The mixture should have a wet dough like consistency.

      
    5. Spoon in the mixture in to the muffin tray and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.

      

       

    6. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 
       

    Voila!
    Enjoy!

      If you’ve enjoyed reading this post, then please vote for us in the MAD Blog Awards, it takes 30 seconds and here’s how: 

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      Thank you xxx

      Eat.Love.Live
      Free From Farmhouse
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      Vegetarian Quorn Toad in the Hole Bites

      I’ve been meaning to try these for a while. I love toad in the hole and I wanted to create an egg free recipe. Although the Quorn cocktail sausages do contain egg, you can substitute for a different sausage.

      This recipe is super quick and easy especially as the Quorn cocktail sausages don’t need to be cooked beforehand. They tasted delicious – so warm and comforting and the sprinkle of Rosemary is a must to get a hearty taste.

      Arjun loved eating them accompanied with cheesy mash and baked beans!

      Makes: 4 mini toad in the holes

      Time taken      : 5 minutes preparation time, 20 minutes cooking time

      • 3 heaped spoon plain flour
      • 1/2 cup milk
      • 1 tablespoon sparkling water
      • 1 tablespoon Luke warm water
      • 1 teaspoon dry chopped Rosemary
      • 2 quorn cocktail sausages (or sausage of your choice)
      • 1/2 teaspoon butter
      • Oil (if you don’t have a silicon baking muffin tin)

      1. Preheat oven to 200c.
      2. Mix together the plain flour, Rosemary, sparkling water and luke warm water in a mixing bowl.
      3. Stir in the water and mix until you achieve a consistency similar to that of single cream. Stir in the butter.
         

       4. Chop the cocktail sausages in to 4 slices and place 2 slices in each muffin tin (if you are not using a silicon one then grease before hand) and pour the batter in to each tin covering the sausage slices

        
      5. Sprinkle with a little more Rosemary and place in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

          
      Voila!

      Serving suggestion: homemade cheesy mash, steamed broccoli and baked beans 

         

       
      Plate can be purchased Here (available in three different colours). 
      Enjoy x 

      For more information about our vegetarian weaning journey, click here.

      If you’ve enjoyed reading my blog, then we’d be grateful for your continued support by voting for us to win the “Best Pre School Blog” category in the MAD Blog Awards, it takes 30 seconds to vote! 🙂 : VOTE HERE

        

       

      Disclaimer: as when trying any new foods with your baby that you may be unsure about, please check with your health visitor first.

      X

      Eat.Love.Live
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      Aromatic Vegetarian Thai Green Curry Recipe

      Believe it or not, I’m not actually that adventurous in the kitchen and don’t often try new things. Last week I was really craving a warming spicy Thai green curry – something I’d not yet made. It’s always been complicated in my head and the introduction of new ingredients that I’d have no idea where to find in Tesco always put me off! But last week, when Preetam asked for it, I decided to give it a go. After trawling the internet high and low, I decided to pick the best bits (using my taste bud’s imagination!) and try my own. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement! I was really pleased with how it turned out for a first attempt and even my sister (who doesn’t eat Thai food) really enjoyed it!

      My next challenge is to make my own Thai green curry paste – I need something with a little more heat!

      I hope you enjoy x

      Time taken: 40 minutes

      Makes: 2-4 servings

      Ingredients:
      • 2 teaspoons olive oil
      • 150g Quorn chicken style pieces
      • 1 small white onion, diced
      • 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
      • 2 clove garlic, finely chopped
      • 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
      • 4 broccoli spears, sliced in half
      • Red pepper, sliced
      • 4 Red chilli, cut in to thick strips
      • 2 green chilli chopped finely
      • 4 asparagus stalks, tough ends removed and sliced into 2-inch long pieces
      • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
      • 3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste (ready made from the shop!)
      • 400ml coconut milk
      • ½ cup water
      • 1½ teaspoons brown sugar
      • 2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
      • 2 kaffir lime leaves finely shredded or 3 strips lime zest
      • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
      • 1½ teaspoons rice vinegar
      • Handful of chopped fresh cilantro
      • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes

      Instructions:
      1. Place a large pan over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of oil. Once hot, lightly fry the garlic for about 30 seconds and then add the onions. Add the vegetables and salt in and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Don’t let the vegetables overcook as you want them to have a slight bite to them.
      2. Next add in the green curry paste until aromatic, stirring often.
      3. Add the Quorn pieces and green chilli, salt and stir to combine well with the curry paste for 5 minutes, mixing well.
      4. Add the coconut milk, water and sugar and mix well.
      5. Add the kaffir lime leaves or lime zest, ginger and red chilies. Lower the heat and cover the pot and let simmer for 10 minutes or until the curry slightly thickens and vegetables are tender.
      6. Once done, stir the spinach into the mixture and cook for about 30 secodns until the spinach has wilted.
      7. Remove the curry from heat and stir in chopped cilantro. Season with rice vinegar and soy sauce. Add chilli flakes, to taste.


      Voila!

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      Eggless Nutella Oatmeal Cookies

      I’ve had lots and lots of requests for this recipe since I posted a picture of them online earlier, so here it is! 
      It was the first time my sister and I decided to experiment with these and they turned out absolutely delicious! As we were preparing the mixture, I knew exactly how I wanted them to taste. Similar to the famous Starbucks Nutella cookies but a whole lot better. We were definitely not disappointed … The soft cookie oozing with gooey Nutella goodness was DIVINE! 

      Prep time taken: 10 minutes
      Makes: 20 cookies
      Ingredients: 

      • 250g butter
      • 3/4 cup brown sugar
      • 1/4 white sugar
      • 1 1/2 cups of plain flour 
      • 1 teaspoon salt 
      • 1/2 cup Nutella 
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1/4 cup boiling water
      • 2 cups rolled oats (porridge oats are fine)

      Method: 

      1. Preheat oven to 180c and line an oven tray with baking paper. 
      2. Mix the butter and brown and white sugar. Beat till light and fluffy. 
      3. Add the plain flour and salt and mix well. Don’t be afraid to use your hands – the warmth of your hands will help bind the dough. 
      4. Dissolve the baking powder in the boiling water and add to the mixture and vanilla essence. 
      5. Mix in the oats until you achieve a dough like consistency. 
      6. Use a tablespoon to portion out the biscuit mixture. Roll each tablespoon of dough in to a ball and flatten so it is about 4cm in diameter. Flatten the middle to make a little dip. Spoon in a teaspoon of Nutella and use a tiny amount of dough to cover and lightly seal. 
      7. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. 
      8. Leave to cool and voila! 

        

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      Vegetarian Pizza Pinwheels Recipe

      These pinwheels are a favourite in my house!  They certainly haven’t helped my waist but they taste so good! Perfect comfort food … They’re full of cheesy yumminess and are super quick and easy to make. They can be used as part of a main meal with sides or are perfect as party food too. I recently made these on Mother’s Day for an afternoon tea I hosted at our house for our mummies! You can adapt the recipe to include different vegetables/meat to suit your preferences.

      Prep time: 15 minutes

      Makes: 10 pinwheels

      Ingredients:

      • Puff pastry (1 block)
      • ½ red onion
      • ½ red pepper
      • ½ green pepper
      • ½ yellow pepper
      • 3 mushrooms
      • 4 tablespoons passata/ sundried tomato paste
      • ½ teaspoon oregano
      • ½ teaspoon basil
      • ½ teaspoon thyme
      • 300g four cheese

       

      1. Roll out the puff pastry in to a large rectangle that is about 3mm thick. Alternatively you can buy ready roll pastry which is what I tend to use and is much easier to roll. Ensure the surface is dusted with a little plain flour so it doesn’t stick to the work surface.
      2. Once rolled, spread a thin layer of passata evenly over the base. I alternate between passata and sundried tomato paste depending on how flavoured I want them to be. 
      3. Next, finely dice your vegetables and generously top on the base.
      4. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the base.
      5. Sprinkle 2/3 of the herbs evenly. 
      6. From one of the shorter sides, roll up the pastry as tight as possible while ensuring the toppings stay intact.
      7. Once rolled, place in the fridge for 10 minutes. 
      8. Remove from the fridge after chilling and use a sharp knife to slice the roll in to pieces that are about 2cm wide.
      9. Lay flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper and sprinkle to remaining herbs over the slices.
      10. Coat the pinwheels with milk and place in the oven for 25 minutes on 180c.
      11. Voila!

        

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      Egg Free Gingerbread Recipe

      Thanks to Arjun’s nursery, we ended up baking yesterday! As part of his observations we were asked to bake together to encourage his fine motor skills. I must admit, if it wasn’t for his home obs task, this isn’t something I would’ve done anytime soon. It all seems lovely and fuzzy in theory but the thought of the mess always put me off!

      I was quite excited to bake with Arjun – I’m not really a natural baker and I couldn’t find an eggless gingerbread recipe that was rated well so I decided to totally wing it. My objective wasn’t to create amazing tasting biscuits, more to have as much fun as I could with Arjun. And that we definitely did! It was a bonus that they tasted bloody amazing (if I do say so myself!) and they’re eggless! They’re chewy and soft on the inside and crunchier on the outside.

      Arjun had so much fun, he loved eating the dough and mark making with the icing … Most of all he enjoyed eating his creations!  He helped me tidy up afterwards (the table was sparkly!) and he refused to part with one of his biscuits and decided it had to go to bed with him!

                

      Enjoy x

      Makes: 20 large or 35 mini

      Time taken: 45 minutes 

      Ingredients      : 

      • 350g plain flour
      • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
      • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
      • 110g softened butter
      • 150g soft light brown sugar
      • 40 ml full fat milk
      • 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
      • 4 tablespoons golden syrup

       

       Instructions: 

      1. Preheat the to oven 190 c and line a baking tray with baking paper. 

      2. Mix the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and rub in the butter using your hands. The heat from your hands helps to soften the butter. 

          
       

      3. Add in the sugar and stir in the syrup and mix with your hands. Slowly mix in the milk to form a thick firm dough. Work in the milk slowly as you may not need all of it depending on the consistency of your dough. It shouldn’t be too sticky but shouldn’t crumble either. 

        
      4. Roll out the dough about 5mm thick and cut out your shapes using cookie cutters. 

         
         

      5. Space out the biscuits on the lined baking tray. Refigerate the uncooked, cut biscuit shapes on a baking tray prior to cooking for approx 15 minutes to help retain their shape.

      6.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. 

      7. Leave to cool for a few minutes before transferring on a cooling rack. 

        

      8. Once cooled, decorate with icing.  

       
            

       

      Enjoy!

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      Our 5 Favourite Vegetarian Lunch Time Ideas

      Hello all,

      I often post Arjun’s lunches on social media but realise that I haven’t really covered a lot of them here so thought I’d share our 5 favourite lunch ideas.

      Given we are vegetarian, I’m always conscious of how much protein Arjun gets and I’m constantly thinking of ways to get protein in his diet. Some of those ideas are shared below. 

      For lunch we generally go for something bread based – be it a wrap, a bagel, pita, a Panini or your bog standard bread!

      1. Humous, finely chopped spinach, diced red onion, crushed four bean and chive cottage cheese wrap

      [served with Organix sweetcorn rings, steamed sweet potato and butternut squash cubes and cheddar cheese blocks]

       

         

      2. Wholemeal bread or pita topped with tomato puree, spinach, sliced tomato and mozarella seasoned with basil, oregano and thyme

      [served with avocado slices, Organix carrot puffs and chive cottage cheese]

         

         

      3. Soft baguette with cheese, avocado and red onion seasoned with black pepper

      [served with Organix tomato slices, homemade salsa and clementine segment]

       

         

      4. Humous, cheese, Quorn Turkey and sage slices, cucumber and tomato sandwich

      [served with Organix carrot sticks, a dinosaur cheddar cheese block and a clementine]

       

         

      5. Sweet potato, butternut squash, cheese seasoned with black pepper wrap

       

         

      What are your favourite lunch time meals?x

       

      You Baby Me Mummy
      Free From Farmhouse
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      Yummy Greens Mini Vegetable Pie Recipe 

      This recipe is one of my all time favourites because of its simplicity. It works on the flavours of its natural ingredients and isn’t doused in excessive herbs or spices. It’s also perfect for baby led weaning. Arjun absolutely loved these! 

      Time taken      : 20 minutes

      Makes: 12 mini pies

      Ingredients      : 

      • A generous handful of spinach 
      • 5cm piece of leek
      • 2 medium sized potatoes
      • 40g cheddar cheese
      • 2 mushrooms
      • 2 small broccoli sprig  
      • 1/2 teaspoon butter
      • 1/2 sheet of Jus Roll Puff Pastry 

        
      Method:
      1. Pre heat the oven to 180c. Wash and cube the potatoes and boil with the butter for ten minutes or until soft. 

      2. Cube the mushrooms and chop the broccoli, spinach and leek in to fine piece. Once the potatoes are ready. Mix in with the potatoes and also mix in the cheese. 

      3. Roll out the pastry a little thinner and use a cookie cutter based on the size of your mini muffin tray to line the bases. If you are using a non silicone baking tray, then grease the baking tray beforehand. 

      4. Place a spoonful of filing in to each lined base. 

        

        

      5. Use a cookie cutter to cut a smaller circle for the lids of the pies and cover each mini pie. Using the back of a fork, seal the edges of each pie shut. Place a criss cross using the fork in each pie. 

        

        
      6. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown at 180c. 
        

      Serving suggestion: with mashed potato, peas, stuffing and gravy 

        
      Plate can be purchased Here (available in three different colours). 

      For more information about our vegetarian weaning journey, click here.

      Disclaimer: as when trying any new foods with your baby that you may be unsure about, please check with your health visitor first.

      X

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      Quorn Courgetti Bolognese Recipe (Alcohol Free) 

      I’m super excited to be collaborating with Quorn to recreate their spaghetti bolognese recipe. The original can be found here. 

      My version is a lower carb one and is also alcohol free. Courgetti bolognese is a treat meal in our house and always goes down well with garlic bread on a cold winters evening and equally well during summer with a colourful garden salad! Arjun also loves it, though he does tend to pick out the Quorn over the courgetti! 

      Being vegetarian and being married to a gym fanatic that requires (or demands!) a certain protein intake, we love Quorn in our house! It’s low in carbs and fat and is rich in protein. 

      Coming in such a wide range of products, we find it really easy to get some added protein in our meals. I introduced Quorn in to Arjun’s diet at around 10 months and it has really helped me ensure he’s getting enough protein. Arjun is a super huge fan of their cocktail sausages; I love their sausages and Turkey and sage sandwich fillers; and Preetam loves their chicken style pieces and mince. 

      For the below recipe, I’ve used mince from the Quorn range.   

      Here’s my recreation of Spaghetti Bolognese:


      Serves: 6 

      Time taken: 35 minutes 

      Ingredients: 

        

      • 1 x tin chopped tomatoes
      • 1 x tbsp tomato puree
      • 1 x vegetarian stock cube
      • A generous handful of fresh basil 
      • 1 tsp oregano
      • 1 tsp thyme
      • 1.5 tsp salt
      • 1 tsp red chilli
      • 1.5 tsp tamarind
      • 1 tsp lemon juice
      • 1 tsp of hot sauce (I used Encona) 
      • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
      • 1 tsp soy sauce
      • 60g cheddar Cheese 
      • 5 x cloves crushed garlic
      • 1 x large onion
      • 1 x celery stalk
      • 1 x carrot
      • 1 x red pepper
      • 130g mushrooms
      • 2 x courgettes
      • Parmesan


      Method: 

      1. Add two tablespoons of olive oil in to a large pan on medium heat. Add in crushed garlic and shallow fry. 
      2. Using a food processor, blitz the onion, carrot, celery, pepper and mushrooms to a fine chopped consistency. You could alternatively dice them however I always choose the quicker method! Leave on low heat to cook. 
      3. Blitz the tinned tomatoes and heat in a separate pan. Add in the tomato purée and leave to simmer for a few minutes. Then add salt, red chilli, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, chilli sauce, soy sauce, oregano, thyme, roughly chopped basil, the cheese and the stock cube and allow to cook for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens on a low to medium heat. 
      4. Add in the Quorn mince to the first pan with the vegetables and mix well. 
      5. Once the sauce is ready, mix in to the vegetables and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat. 

        
      6. Next shred the courgette using a spiralizer or a handheld shredding device. I use the latter due to kitchen storage issues! Shallow fry for a few minutes until tender. 

        

      7.  Serve with a layer of the bolognese and season with Parmesan cheese. 

        
      Voila! “Lum” (translation: yum) as Arjun would say!x 

      Cuddle Fairy
      Free From Farmhouse