My other great discovery is frittata. How did I not discover this great portable feast sooner?! Frittata is basically a big flat omelette that's cooked in a frying pan then topped with cheese and finished in the oven. Today I cooked this great cherry tomato and pea frittata. In my case I don't have an oven safe frying pan so I just cooked it in an oven proof dish instead - fried onions on the bottom, eggy mix poured over, cheese on top and then put in the oven at 200C for about 45mins or so until it had cooked through. It's a great way to use up any leftovers in the fridge as you can put just about anything in it.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
More lunchtime snacks
Just thought I'd share with you my latest finds on my quest for a more exciting lunch. First up is this recipe for cheesy chive eggy toast. Quick and easy to make and gets little J some extra protein. As you can see from the smile on his face, he loved it.
My other great discovery is frittata. How did I not discover this great portable feast sooner?! Frittata is basically a big flat omelette that's cooked in a frying pan then topped with cheese and finished in the oven. Today I cooked this great cherry tomato and pea frittata. In my case I don't have an oven safe frying pan so I just cooked it in an oven proof dish instead - fried onions on the bottom, eggy mix poured over, cheese on top and then put in the oven at 200C for about 45mins or so until it had cooked through. It's a great way to use up any leftovers in the fridge as you can put just about anything in it.
My other great discovery is frittata. How did I not discover this great portable feast sooner?! Frittata is basically a big flat omelette that's cooked in a frying pan then topped with cheese and finished in the oven. Today I cooked this great cherry tomato and pea frittata. In my case I don't have an oven safe frying pan so I just cooked it in an oven proof dish instead - fried onions on the bottom, eggy mix poured over, cheese on top and then put in the oven at 200C for about 45mins or so until it had cooked through. It's a great way to use up any leftovers in the fridge as you can put just about anything in it.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Less toys, more fun
I'm starting to realise that having less toys helps J to grow more.
The other day we got home from a busy day with friends and both the boy and I were super tired. I'd hoped we might both have a little nap but it soon became clear J wasn't gonna go along with my plans. I got him out of his cot and brought him into our bed. As usual, he instantly started climbing over me and exploring the things my husband and I have left on the bedside table.
J got hold of an almost empty loo roll and amused himself for ages tearing off the last few pieces and shredding it, using it as a telescope and pretending it was a trumpet. Then he started dropping bits of shredded paper over the side of the bed to watch them flutter to the floor. One simple household object allowed him to work on imagination and both his gross and fine motor skills. Who needs toys, eh?!
A few weeks ago I started rotating J's toys so he has only a handful of toys and books out at a time and I've really seen him learn so much more in a short space of time. I read this article the other day about the benefits of not having too many toys and I'm finding it to be so true. We want the best for our kids and it's so easy to think that involves letting them have every cool toy out there but just think about all the things they will miss out on learning if their little lives get too cluttered. Less really is more!
The other day we got home from a busy day with friends and both the boy and I were super tired. I'd hoped we might both have a little nap but it soon became clear J wasn't gonna go along with my plans. I got him out of his cot and brought him into our bed. As usual, he instantly started climbing over me and exploring the things my husband and I have left on the bedside table.
J got hold of an almost empty loo roll and amused himself for ages tearing off the last few pieces and shredding it, using it as a telescope and pretending it was a trumpet. Then he started dropping bits of shredded paper over the side of the bed to watch them flutter to the floor. One simple household object allowed him to work on imagination and both his gross and fine motor skills. Who needs toys, eh?!A few weeks ago I started rotating J's toys so he has only a handful of toys and books out at a time and I've really seen him learn so much more in a short space of time. I read this article the other day about the benefits of not having too many toys and I'm finding it to be so true. We want the best for our kids and it's so easy to think that involves letting them have every cool toy out there but just think about all the things they will miss out on learning if their little lives get too cluttered. Less really is more!
Saturday, October 19, 2013
The best thing we could ever do...
As parents we all have our different styles of parenting and different ideas about what to allow our kids to eat/watch/play/wear etc. We try to do our best to protect our children from things that could be potentially harmful in some way. I think, particularly as first time parents, it's easy to get tied up in knots worrying about what is safe for our kids.
Do we have enough smoke detectors/stair gates/fire guards in the house? Will he become obese if I feed on demand/let him snack between meals? Will he get skin cancer because I only used SPF 30 on him that one time? Will he have a low IQ because he watches trashy TV/ I didn't make him listen to classical music/ I forgot to take my folic acid once or twice during pregnancy? Will standing near the microwave give him brain damage? Perhaps I should only let him wear velcro fastening shoes so he won't trip over his laces and hit his head and die........
Today, it suddenly occurred to me that no matter how hard I try to protect J, he will never be invincible. I can smother him in sun cream to prevent skin cancer, teach him to look before crossing the road to avoid getting hit by a bus and make him eat only organic food in the hope it will make him extra healthy and live longer but the simple fact is that death is a part of life. There is nothing we as parents can do to change that. Well......maybe there is one thing I could do....
The best thing I can possibly do for J is to introduce him to Jesus and pray that he will come to love and trust Jesus for himself. The Bible promises that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) will not die but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) What a great gift to give to my child - to live in a loving relationship with his Maker that will continue for his whole life and on into eternity! Death will still be a part of his life but, by trusting in Jesus, death will not be the end of the story.
Has anyone ever introduced you to Jesus? If not, why not try reading a biography about him? There are four to choose from in the Bible written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Don't worry if you don't own a Bible - you can read online here. Investigate for yourself and see if you think Jesus is worth introducing your kids to. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
Do we have enough smoke detectors/stair gates/fire guards in the house? Will he become obese if I feed on demand/let him snack between meals? Will he get skin cancer because I only used SPF 30 on him that one time? Will he have a low IQ because he watches trashy TV/ I didn't make him listen to classical music/ I forgot to take my folic acid once or twice during pregnancy? Will standing near the microwave give him brain damage? Perhaps I should only let him wear velcro fastening shoes so he won't trip over his laces and hit his head and die........
Today, it suddenly occurred to me that no matter how hard I try to protect J, he will never be invincible. I can smother him in sun cream to prevent skin cancer, teach him to look before crossing the road to avoid getting hit by a bus and make him eat only organic food in the hope it will make him extra healthy and live longer but the simple fact is that death is a part of life. There is nothing we as parents can do to change that. Well......maybe there is one thing I could do....
The best thing I can possibly do for J is to introduce him to Jesus and pray that he will come to love and trust Jesus for himself. The Bible promises that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) will not die but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) What a great gift to give to my child - to live in a loving relationship with his Maker that will continue for his whole life and on into eternity! Death will still be a part of his life but, by trusting in Jesus, death will not be the end of the story.
Has anyone ever introduced you to Jesus? If not, why not try reading a biography about him? There are four to choose from in the Bible written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Don't worry if you don't own a Bible - you can read online here. Investigate for yourself and see if you think Jesus is worth introducing your kids to. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Lunchtime snacks
Do you ever find yourself running out of ideas for things to give the kids for lunch? Bored of eating the same old sandwiches? Why not give these savoury cupcakes a try - they make great finger food for little people and you could even get the kids to help make them.
Cheddar and sweetcorn cupcakes
1 small tin sweetcorn, drained (I used sweetcorn leftover from dinner the night before)
190g self raising flour
55g grated cheddar
good pinch of paprika
1/2 tsp baking powder
55g unsalted butter (I used margarine)
2 medium eggs
120ml milk (I used full fat milk as J is too young for semi skimmed yet)
4 spring onions, finely chopped (I didn't have any so missed this out and they still tasted good)
1. Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 6 and line a cupcake tin with paper cases.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 40g of cheese, paprika, sweetcorn and baking powder.
3. Add in melted butter/margarine and mix well.
4. In a measuring jug beat the eggs and milk together. Pour into the flour and cheese mixture and stir well.
5. Spoon into cake cases and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and a little paprika and bake in the oven for 20 mins until golden.
Here is another variation on the recipe that I haven't tried yet - cheese and ham muffins.
Happy lunchtime!
Cheddar and sweetcorn cupcakes
1 small tin sweetcorn, drained (I used sweetcorn leftover from dinner the night before)
190g self raising flour
55g grated cheddar
good pinch of paprika
1/2 tsp baking powder
55g unsalted butter (I used margarine)
2 medium eggs
120ml milk (I used full fat milk as J is too young for semi skimmed yet)
4 spring onions, finely chopped (I didn't have any so missed this out and they still tasted good)
1. Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 6 and line a cupcake tin with paper cases.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 40g of cheese, paprika, sweetcorn and baking powder.
3. Add in melted butter/margarine and mix well.
4. In a measuring jug beat the eggs and milk together. Pour into the flour and cheese mixture and stir well.
5. Spoon into cake cases and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and a little paprika and bake in the oven for 20 mins until golden.
Here is another variation on the recipe that I haven't tried yet - cheese and ham muffins.
Happy lunchtime!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Lazy roast dinner recipe
I'm a big fan of meals that I can cook for the whole family instead of having to cook something different for our one year old. I'm also a big fan of meals that have minimal washing up. When I discovered this recipe that fits both those criteria I knew it would be a winner. We had it for dinner tonight and it was great - just like any good roast dinner but so much simpler and less messy. It only took five minutes to cut up the veg and throw it all together in one pan and then I had 45 mins to enjoy relaxing with my husband while waiting for it to be ready.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Child's play - part 2
Recently I noticed J was barely touching his over flowing box of toys and was getting into all kinds of mischief. Then I read this great article about toy rotation and decided to give it a go. I split all his toys and books into three boxes and put one in the lounge, one in his room and one in our room (to keep him occupied when we want to stay under the duvet for longer on a Saturday morning). Each box contains at least one ball, a soft toy, a shaker or noise maker, something textured and something that is a bit of a puzzle (stacking rings, shape sorter etc) as well as a cloth book, at least one textured book, a book with flaps or similar and a variety of other books. Every couple of weeks I rotate the boxes.
The difference has been huge. Now J loves playing with his toys and can easily see exactly what is in the box without having to pull everything out. He's playing with things that he doesn't usually play with, reading his books more and amusing himself for longer periods of time. It also means I don't end up reading the same couple of books over and over at bedtime!
I also sat and wrote a list of all his toys and split them into categories like the blog suggested. It really did help me to see where J had a lot of similar type toys and was perhaps lacking in other types and has helped to influence what we buy him for Christmas.
While we're on the subject of child's play, we discovered a great game to play on rainy days stuck at home - HOME MADE BOWLING! We grabbed some empty plastic bottles from the recycling pile, set them up in our long narrow kitchen, got a soft ball from J's toy box and began to bowl. J is too little to know how to throw yet but, as I knocked the bottles down and whooped with joy at my achievement, he squealed with excitement and handed me the ball to throw again.
Why not give it a go? :)
Monday, October 07, 2013
Food fight's
Our little boy is growing fast and so is his desire for independence. Part of the out working of this is his desire to feed himself and have more control over what he eats. While we were unpacking the shopping the other day he was sat on the floor holding a bunch of bananas out while wearing his 'can I have some' face. When I told him 'in a minute, hun' he saw that as permission, pulled one off the bunch and started trying to bite through the skin. This morning as I opened the fridge to get milk out for my cereal he squeezed past me, grabbed a yoghurt and held it up to me to ask me to take the lid off for him. I thought raiding the fridge for food was just something teenage boys do - not one year olds!!
He's been feeding himself finger food with great success for a long time but now he wants more - he wants to learn to use cutlery!! I have found myself approaching dinner times with a sense of dread as I wonder how much of his dinner I'm going to be wearing by the end of it (never mind giving him a bib to keep clean, I need something to cover my clothes!) and how many fights there will be. At first J was happy for me to hand him a preloaded spoon for him to shovel in his mouth but now he wants to load the spoon himself. Some days he will let me help him and other days, despite his frustration that he can't really do it, he refuses all offers of assistance. This results in shouting (often from both parties), snatching and much food flicking. I used to think of myself as a patient person before I became a parent but at dinnertimes I now find my patience often wears dangerously thin! I don't like the parent I have turned into at dinnertimes and so last night I found myself praying for extra patience and for wisdom to know how to handle this challenge.
Tonight was another standard evening. Dinner was a chunky pork and veggi casserole with plenty of sauce for J to make a mess with. At first he let me spoon feed him but he soon wanted to join in. At one point as he tried to load the spoon he accidentally flicked a big dollop of mushy sweet potato at his forehead and I couldn't help but laugh. He thought that since it brought me such joy the first time he would do it again. This time I did not laugh one little bit as he flicked bright orange casserole on my nice clean, brand new, white shirt!! Not only did I not laugh but I wanted to shout at him and take the food away and send him straight to bed.
But then I stopped my self and thought what did he actually do wrong? Why am I really angry? He got my clothes messy while trying to make me laugh. He was trying to master a difficult new skill and made some mistakes along the way. He got frustrated that learning new stuff is tough and expressed that by shouting a bit. Can I really be angry with him for that? Surely instead I should be giving him the freedom to try and to fail messily and be cheering him on for his efforts.
I took a deep breath, thanked God for stain remover and offered him the spoon again. There were still a few times that he flicked food in anger and at those points I took the bowl away, calmly told him not to do it and once he had calmed down let him try again, all the while cheering his successful attempts. Things went better from then on and I have resolved to wear my dressing gown over my clothes at dinner so I won't get so uptight about him flicking stuff in the first place!
He's been feeding himself finger food with great success for a long time but now he wants more - he wants to learn to use cutlery!! I have found myself approaching dinner times with a sense of dread as I wonder how much of his dinner I'm going to be wearing by the end of it (never mind giving him a bib to keep clean, I need something to cover my clothes!) and how many fights there will be. At first J was happy for me to hand him a preloaded spoon for him to shovel in his mouth but now he wants to load the spoon himself. Some days he will let me help him and other days, despite his frustration that he can't really do it, he refuses all offers of assistance. This results in shouting (often from both parties), snatching and much food flicking. I used to think of myself as a patient person before I became a parent but at dinnertimes I now find my patience often wears dangerously thin! I don't like the parent I have turned into at dinnertimes and so last night I found myself praying for extra patience and for wisdom to know how to handle this challenge.
Tonight was another standard evening. Dinner was a chunky pork and veggi casserole with plenty of sauce for J to make a mess with. At first he let me spoon feed him but he soon wanted to join in. At one point as he tried to load the spoon he accidentally flicked a big dollop of mushy sweet potato at his forehead and I couldn't help but laugh. He thought that since it brought me such joy the first time he would do it again. This time I did not laugh one little bit as he flicked bright orange casserole on my nice clean, brand new, white shirt!! Not only did I not laugh but I wanted to shout at him and take the food away and send him straight to bed.
But then I stopped my self and thought what did he actually do wrong? Why am I really angry? He got my clothes messy while trying to make me laugh. He was trying to master a difficult new skill and made some mistakes along the way. He got frustrated that learning new stuff is tough and expressed that by shouting a bit. Can I really be angry with him for that? Surely instead I should be giving him the freedom to try and to fail messily and be cheering him on for his efforts.I took a deep breath, thanked God for stain remover and offered him the spoon again. There were still a few times that he flicked food in anger and at those points I took the bowl away, calmly told him not to do it and once he had calmed down let him try again, all the while cheering his successful attempts. Things went better from then on and I have resolved to wear my dressing gown over my clothes at dinner so I won't get so uptight about him flicking stuff in the first place!
Saturday, October 05, 2013
Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
I love reading biographies about interesting people and have recently been loving reading this book about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. For those of you who don't know who he is, he was a German church minister who was involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler. I've found the book fascinating on several levels.
Firstly, hearing about how his parents raised him has given me inspiration for how to raise my children to follow Jesus and make their mark on the world in a positive way.
Secondly, I've really enjoyed reading about the events surrounding the Second World War from a much different perspective that year 7 history lessons. I've gained a better understanding of how Hitler pulled the wool over everyone's eyes until it was too late and Germany's fate was sealed. Reading Bonhoeffer's journey towards involvement in the assassination plot has also shown me that ethics are not always black and white and that obedience to God's calling moment by moment is more important that obedience to a moral code.
Lastly, reading about the things he did while running 'illegal' seminary schools reignited in me a desire for regular times of prayer and reflection. At his seminaries the students were all encouraged to meditate on a Bible verse and spend time in prayer every morning and evening at the same time. Taking time out to hear God speak daily is vital to building a relationship with Him. Also, the practice of doing it daily at the same time as other brothers and sisters in Christ builds a great sense of community.
When I was working for a Christian charity many years ago they too taught a lot about 'spiritual disciplines' and daily rhythms of work, prayer and praise. Back then everyone in the organisation, located all across the UK, would take 2 minutes to pray at the same time every day. We also were encouraged to cultivate daily Bible reading and times of reflection as well as learning about Celtic Christians and making use of ancient Celtic prayers. I found it so refreshing and it brought new life to my relationship with Jesus. As time has gone by I've lost those rhythms and my life and relationships are worse for it. It's been great to be reminded of those things again and at the same time I've discovered a great book of Celtic prayers with Bible verses, prayers and reflections designed for every morning and evening. I'm excited to find a new and better rhythm to life again but struggling to get started and wish I had others doing it with me to encourage me.
Will you join me? Will you hold me accountable and give me a kick up the bum if I don't stick to it?
Firstly, hearing about how his parents raised him has given me inspiration for how to raise my children to follow Jesus and make their mark on the world in a positive way.
Secondly, I've really enjoyed reading about the events surrounding the Second World War from a much different perspective that year 7 history lessons. I've gained a better understanding of how Hitler pulled the wool over everyone's eyes until it was too late and Germany's fate was sealed. Reading Bonhoeffer's journey towards involvement in the assassination plot has also shown me that ethics are not always black and white and that obedience to God's calling moment by moment is more important that obedience to a moral code.
Lastly, reading about the things he did while running 'illegal' seminary schools reignited in me a desire for regular times of prayer and reflection. At his seminaries the students were all encouraged to meditate on a Bible verse and spend time in prayer every morning and evening at the same time. Taking time out to hear God speak daily is vital to building a relationship with Him. Also, the practice of doing it daily at the same time as other brothers and sisters in Christ builds a great sense of community.
When I was working for a Christian charity many years ago they too taught a lot about 'spiritual disciplines' and daily rhythms of work, prayer and praise. Back then everyone in the organisation, located all across the UK, would take 2 minutes to pray at the same time every day. We also were encouraged to cultivate daily Bible reading and times of reflection as well as learning about Celtic Christians and making use of ancient Celtic prayers. I found it so refreshing and it brought new life to my relationship with Jesus. As time has gone by I've lost those rhythms and my life and relationships are worse for it. It's been great to be reminded of those things again and at the same time I've discovered a great book of Celtic prayers with Bible verses, prayers and reflections designed for every morning and evening. I'm excited to find a new and better rhythm to life again but struggling to get started and wish I had others doing it with me to encourage me.
Will you join me? Will you hold me accountable and give me a kick up the bum if I don't stick to it?
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