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Baby Food

Baby Food/ Baking/ Cookies/ Healthy/ Non Thermomix/ Snacks/ Thermomix

Egg Free Oat Cookies

I made these cookies especially for the girls (and also for the rest of the family) but particularly as I have been short of time/lazy and buying the girls their special and very $$$ baby friendly cookies from the baby food aisle! The are a firm and crunch cookie, very moreish, and perfect for lunchboxes!

Egg Free Oat Cookies

Print Recipe
Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water
  • 120 grams butter
  • 80 grams coconut sugar
  • 130 grams oats
  • 130 grams wholemeal self raising flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste/extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

1

Method (THERMOMIX):

2

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

3

Add the chia seeds and water into a small bowl, stir and let it sit for at least 15 minutes (it should form a gel texture).

4

Add butter and sugar to bowl. Melt 3 minutes/50 degrees/Speed 2.

5

Add oats, flour, vanilla, salt and chia seed mixture to bowl. Mix 10 seconds/Speed 4.

6

Roll into teaspoon sized balls and press down with a fork.

7

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned.

8

Method (REGULAR):

9

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

10

Add the chia seeds and water into a small bowl, stir and let it sit for at least 15 minutes (it should form a gel texture).

11

Place butter and sugar in a medium sized saucepan. Stir on low to medium heat until combined & melted. Remove from the stovetop.

12

Add oats, flour, vanilla, salt and chia seed mixture to bowl. Mix until well combined.

13

Roll into teaspoon sized balls and press down with a fork.

14

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned.

Notes

*Great for freezing. **Store in an airtight container. ***You can use 1 egg instead of the chia seed + water mixture.

October 28, 2018 By
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Babies/ Baby Food/ Breakfast/ Healthy/ Thermomix

Baby Pear Porridge

This is a variation of my Pear Porridge which is very baby friendly! I have been making this for the girls for their breakfast from when they turned 6 months old. It freezes and reheats really well and has an amazing smooth and creamy texture for a ‘baby puree’! This has been the girls all time favourite meal and is also my go to meal for them when they are sick as it’s delicious and nutricious!

For the rest of the family, I recommend trying my Pear Porridge (if you haven’t already!) It is a regular breakfast for myself, my husband and the boys in the cooler months!

 

Baby Pear Porridge

Print Recipe
Cooking Time: 13 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 x pears (quartered and cored)
  • 40 grams oats
  • 10 grams desiccated coconut
  • 300 grams milk

Instructions

1

Add the pears to the bowl.

2

Blitz - 2 seconds/Speed 5.

3

Add the rest of the ingredients.

4

Cook - 13 minutes/90 degrees/Speed 2.

Notes

*For a smoother texture for younger babies, blitz an extra 3 seconds/Speed 5 after cooking. **For variations - add a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste/extract, or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. ***Freezes/refrigerates and reheats well.

June 21, 2018 By
0
Baby Food/ Healthy/ Thermomix

Easy Fruit Puree

I’ve always made my fruit purees by steaming it first, then blitzing it in the bowl. But this method is waaaaaaay easier, less washing up, and keeps ALL the nutrients in there, rather than it dripping into the water for the steaming. I keep telling myself WHY DID I NOT DO THIS EARLIER when the boys were on their purees!

I love bulk making and this is a great way to use up the boy’s toddler bitten apples, and random bits of fruit lying around. This is great for baby food, kids or adults to eat plain, with cereal, yoghurt, sandwich spread (instead of jam), in smoothies, or you can even use this with all apples in their for apple sauce to go with your pork roast. You can use 1 type of fruit, or a mix of fruit i.e. apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, berries, and denser melons like rockmelon and honeydew.

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Easy Fruit Puree

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1000 grams fruit (cored and quartered)
  • 30 grams water

Instructions

1

Add all ingredients in bowl.

2

Cook 15 minutes/100 degrees/Speed 1.

3

Blitz 1 minute/Speed 9 (slowly and progressively increasing the speed from 1 to 9).

4

Cool and store in fridge or freezer.

Notes

This can be kept in the fridge for a few days, or it freezes really well in ice cube trays or reusable food pouches. When frozen, take out and defrost over a few hours or in the microwave when needed. I usually freeze in Sinchies, or ice cube trays and decant them into labelled ziplock bags.

November 23, 2016 By
0
Baby Food/ Dessert/ Thermomix

Apple and Maple Custard

This is a beautiful twist on the usual custard recipe, adding apples throughout the custard. Great for when you feel like custard, but you really should eat your fruit – so why not combine the two!? This has beautiful small pieces of apple which creates a beautiful texture with the smooth creamy custard, and it pairs really well with maple syrup. This is perfect for toddlers/kids especially in reusable food pouches, or you can puree it for baby food (also this is great for older babies when introducing textures).

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Add apples to bowl.

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Blitz 3 seconds/Speed 5. Scrape down.

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Add maple syrup, milk, cornflour and eggs.

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Cook 6 minutes/90 degrees/Speed 3.

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Apple and Maple Custard

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 x apples (quartered and cored)
  • 80 grams maple syrup
  • 500 grams milk
  • 30 grams cornflour
  • 2 x eggs

Instructions

1

Add apples to bowl.

2

Blitz 3 seconds/Speed 5. Scrape down.

3

Add maple syrup, milk, cornflour and eggs.

4

Cook 6 minutes/90 degrees/Speed 3.

Notes

This has small pieces of apple throughout, if you prefer a smoother texture (i.e. for baby food or to 'hide' the apples), puree the custard - 30 seconds/Speed 9 (slowly turning the dial progressively from Speed 0 to 9).

November 1, 2016 By
0
Baby Food/ Drinks/ Thermomix

Babyccino

The boys love a babyccino when we go out! They are always pretty cheap, however I have paid anywhere for 50 cents to $3 for one little cup of frothed chocolate milk! It is so much easier and cheaper to do at home!!

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Add all ingredients to bowl.

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Cook 3 minutes/50 degrees/Speed 4.

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Mix 1 minute/Speed 9 (increase speed progressively).

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Frothiness!

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MMmmmmm!!

Babyccino

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 250 grams milk
  • PLUS
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • (or 2 tablespoons drinking chocolate/Milo)

Instructions

1

Add all ingredients to bowl.

2

Cook 3 minutes/50 degrees/Speed 4.

3

Mix 1 minute/Speed 9 (increase speed progressively).

Notes

This makes 1 cup of frothed chocolate milk. I use macchiato cups (with close supervision) and refill them as the boys drink.

October 1, 2016 By
0
Baby Food/ Baking/ Snacks/ Thermomix

Banana Muesli Logs

These are nut free, dairy free and refined sugar free! I cut them into small log shapes for my boys little hands, however you can cut them into bars, squares, bite sized shapes, or even use different moulds/pans to bake them in.

 These have a texture between banana cake and a muesli bar – so they are like a soft muesli bar, making them very toddler and child friendly! This is great for a healthy office snack, or at home with a cup of tea. These are also perfect for stocking up on freezer snacks, and great for lunch boxes as they are nut free.
 
Add apricot + apple 
 
 
Blitz 4 seconds/Speed 7. Set aside.

 

 
Add bananas, tahini and egg 

 

 
Mix 3 seconds/Speed 6

 

 
Add set aside apricot/apple, sultanas, oats, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, vanilla

 

 
Mix 15 seconds/Speed 3/Reverse

 

 
Press into greased square baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned.

  

 
Leave to cool, then on a tray, cut into log shapes (approx 1.5cm x 5cm)
 
 
Banana Muesli Logs

Banana Muesli Logs

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 60 grams dried apricots
  • 60 grams dried apples
  • 2 x bananas
  • 20 grams tahini
  • 1 egg
  • 150 grams oats
  • 90 grams sultanas
  • 100 grams sunflower seeds
  • 15 grams chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease/line a square baking pan.

2

Add the apricot and apple to the bowl - blitz 4 seconds/Speed 7. Set aside.

3

Add banana, tahini and egg - mix 3 seconds/Speed 6.

4

Add set aside apricots/apples, sultanas, oats, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and vanilla - mix 15 seconds/Speed 3/reverse.

5

Spread into baking pan, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until top is browned.

6

Leave to cool and cut into log shapes (approx. 1.5cm x 5cm).

Notes

Note: these freeze/defrost well!


April 10, 2016 By
0
Baby Food/ Dessert/ Healthy/ Icecream/ Non Thermomix/ Thermomix/ Twins

Milo Ice Blocks

We love ice blocks! These are actually the first lot of ice blocks I’ve given the boys. They are nearly 18 months, so I thought it was about time, especially given the heatwave Sydney has had this week! And they looooved them!
I used Décor Likety Sips Ice Block moulds ( 
http://www.decor.com.au/product/lickety-sips/), however you can use any type, any brand, but these measurements fill the 4 x iceblock moulds EXACTLY!
If you use other ice block moulds, make the ice blocks as per the following recipe and if it needs a bit more filling, top up with more milk.

 

Pour into moulds
Freeze overnight
Freeze overnight
Serve dipped in extra Milo (optional)
Milo Ice Blocks
Messy boys!
Milo coma!

Milo Ice Blocks

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 300 grams milk (any type - I use A2 Full Cream)
  • 75 grams Milo

Instructions

1

Method (Thermomix)

2

Add all ingredients into bowl. Mix 40 seconds/50 degrees/Speed 4.

3

Pour into ice block moulds and freeze overnight.

4

Method (Stovetop)

5

Add all ingredients into a small pot. Stir with a whisk/spatula until Milo and milk have mixed together into a chocolate milk.

6

Pour into ice block moulds and freeze overnight.

February 23, 2016 By
0
Baby Food/ Breakfast/ Kids in the Kitchen/ Main Meal/ Non Thermomix/ Snacks/ Thermomix/ Twins

Finger Food Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

Here are my ‘tried and tested’ list of finger foods for my boys!
When Ethan and Harley started to want to eat themselves, I did a lot of online and book research for finger food ideas. My boys are HUGE for their age, and looove their food. They are not fussy (…most of the time) and have no food intolerances which makes it really easy for me to prepare their meals! My rule is to have the most colourful ‘tasting’ plate of foods so the boys experience a variety of different foods, textures, smells and flavours. I’ve read that a colourful plate of food is a nutritious one! So I make sure I cover lots of food colours in the meals the boys eat (except for when we are out and using the pram!). I’ve also read that the more variety of foods you give a baby when they are young, the less fussy they will be when they grow older (this isn’t tried and tested yet, so *fingers crossed*)!
 
Thermotwinning’s Finger Food Ideas for Babies and Toddlers
Koala sandwich with Mayvers Super Spread on a bed of baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, babybel cheese, steamed broccoli and carrot, strawberries (quartered), hard boiled egg, and pizza pockets 
The boys with their ‘pram friendly’ finger foods (i.e. nothing juicy or coloured like vegemite, tomatoes, berries, watermelon etc)
Dinosaur sandwich with cream cheese on a bed of baby spinach, cheese and crackers, dried apricots, freeze dried apple, and whole orange and poppyseed muffin with almond and chia seeds 
Another ‘pram friendly’ lunch box
Cheese and bacon rolls, sweet eating cucumber, tasty cheese, mini fruit balls, pear and crackers
BREAKFAST:

Pancakes/waffles – these are some that I make that freezes and reheats well:
– Pumpkin Pancakes (The boys fave!!)
– Sweet Potato Waffles 
– Berry Coconut Flour Pancakes 

Wholemeal sandwich, toast or Cruskits with the following spreads:
– Baby purees including fruit purees (instead of jam)
– Vegemite
– Mayvers Super Spread (can be found with the peanut butter section/organics section)
– Cream cheese
– Avocado
– Mashed banana
– Jam

Raisin Toast (there is a wholemeal version available) – freezes and reheats well

Scrambled eggs – in a bowl, add egg(s) (about 1 per child) + a splash of milk + a small handful of grated tasty cheese – microwave 1 minute on high, stir, then microwave 30 seconds at a time stirring in between until cooked. Leave to cool for a few minutes – the tasty cheese gives it some flavour and also helps the egg firm up so it is easier to grip (my husband’s trick! he makes it for the boys on the days I’m at work) – goes well with vegemite on toast!

Sultana Bran Buds (link here) or similar type bite sized cereals (soaked in some milk to soften)

***With a spoon:

MAIN MEALS:

Wholemeal sandwich, toast or Cruskits with the following spreads:
– Baby purees including fruit purees (instead of jam) and savoury ‘main meal’ ones
– Vegemite
– Cream cheese
– Mayvers Super Spread (can be found with the peanut butter section/organics section)
– ‘The Laughing Cow’ cheese triangles – squished and spread 
– Cream cheese mixed with sardines (super nutritious but best left to eat at home as it‘s a bit on the nose!) my boys love this!
– Vegemite and sliced tasty cheese
– Avocado
– Mashed banana
– Jam 

Wholemeal Toast Cheesy Melts – I use one or some of these toppings and top it with a piece of sliced tasty cheese and pop it in the air fryer or grill for 5 minutes/180 degrees
– Tinned tuna
– Ham
– Scrambled eggs
– Tomatoes
– Tinned red salmon
– Avocado
– Bolognese sauce
– Gourmet sausages cut up into small pieces
– Roast/poached chicken (shredded)
– Leftover meat diced into small pieces

Pizza Pockets (link here) – freezes and reheats well

Pasta – any type, I usually use elbow pasta, macaroni or small sea shells as they are easy to pick up – freezes and reheats well. I generally use a cheesy white sauce base, vegetable puree, or tomato based sauce for the pasta sauce with the following fillings:
– Tinned red salmon
– Fresh salmon (de-skinned and de-boned)
– White fish like Ling or Barramundi (de-skinned and de-boned)
– Bacon/ham
– Chicken Thigh Fillets (they have more nutrients than breast fillets)
– Pork, chicken or Beef mince
– Peas
– Broccoli
– Sweet Potato
– Pumpkin
– Carrots
– Zucchini
– Frozen Veg i.e. peas and carrot
– Or cooked pasta with grated cheese melted on top (easy and not messy if you’re out!)

Some of the boys’ fave pasta recipes:

Meatballs – Any combo of chicken/pork/beef mince + hidden blitzed up veggies – freezes and reheats well

 
Salmon Patties – I use a recipe from the Thermomix Cooking for your Baby and Toddler book – however this is a great Salmon Rissole recipe – freezes and reheats well
 
Risotto or Pasta Muffin Cups – With any risotto or pasta recipe, just place in muffin tins and top with tasty or cheddar cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes/180 degrees until cheese is melted and golden. Skinnymixer’s Risotto Frittata is a great recipe – freezes and reheats well

Hot Dog Buns (Chinese Sausage Rolls) (link here) – freezes and defrosts well

Sushi – This is great for older babies if you’re out and need to takeaway something for them. My boys love the mini ones and make sure you don’t get the raw fillings, so I usually get avocado, tuna, cucumber, or egg ones. The sushi rice is really sticky so I find it really easy to clean up after them! You can make Sushi yourself – this is a great recipe – Thermobexta’s Egg and Avocado Sushi
 
Thermomumma’s Garlic, Cheese and Spinach Naan (link here) – freezes and reheats well
 
***With a spoon/fork:
VEGETABLES:

Sweet eating cucumbers (halved or quartered lengthwise) – these are mini cucumbers you can get at green grocers, Coles/Woolies and Aldi – usually in the refrigerated vegetable section with the lettuce

Cherry/grape tomatoes (halved lengthwise) – the boys fave are the Gold Sweet Eating Grape tomatoes (they are orange in colour) these are the ones from Coles, they are sweeter than normal Cherry tomatoes which can sometimes be quite tarte

Steamed carrots and green beans (cut in half, then quartered lengthwise) – Fill bowl with water just above the blades, place carrots into steaming basket (I usually make about 2 carrots and a handful of beans then place in fridge to use as needed), then steam 16 minutes/Varoma/Speed 1

Steamed Broccoli Trees – Fill bowl with water just above the blades, place carrots into steaming basket (I usually cut 1 lot of broccoli then place in fridge to use as needed), then steam 12 minutes/Varoma/Speed 1

Steamed Zucchini – Fill bowl with water just above the blades, place carrots into steaming basket (I usually cut 2 lots of zucchini then place in fridge to use as needed), then steam 9 minutes/Varoma/Speed 1

Sweet potato (roasted/air fried/steamed)

Pumpkin (roasted/air fried/steamed)

Potato (roasted/air fried/steamed)

Lettuce/spinach leaves (any type though I steer clear of the bitter ones like rocket)

Cooked peas – Fresh, frozen or dehydrated

Capsicum (Cut into sticks)

FRUIT:

Apples (quartered, cored, then each quarter cut into 3 wedges) I leave the skin on as it has a lot of vitamins/nutrition in it, or else there are ‘kid’s lunchbox’ apples which are smaller which my boys love to use their teeth and bite into!

Pears (quartered, cored, then each quarter cut into 3 wedges) I leave the skin on as above

Seedless Watermelon (cut into small pieces (one of the boys faves but I leave it for home as it is so messy!)

Blueberries

Strawberries (halved or quartered)

Grapes (halved lengthwise)

Bananas

White or Yellow Peaches

White or Yellow Nectarines

Mango

Kiwifruit

SNACKS/DESSERT:

BLISS BALLS:
(Fridge or freezer)

SLICES/BARS/BROWNIES:

(Freezes and defrosts well)

 

MUFFINS/CUPCAKES:
(Freezes and defrosts well)
 

COOKIES/BISCUITS:
(Freezes and defrosts well)

 

BREAD/CAKE:
(Freezes and defrosts well)

 

SWEETS:
(Keeps in fridge for a few weeks)

 

SAVOURY:


Hard Boiled Eggs – Fill bowl with water just above the blades, place eggs into steaming basket – cook 15 minutes/Varoma/Speed 1
Tasty or cheddar cheese – pre-sliced/cut into thin pieces
Cheese sticks (these are softer, I would wait to introduce it around 10 months as I found the boys would squish it in their hands and smoosh it everywhere before it got to their mouths)

Babybel Cheese

Deli meats – ham, turkey, Skinnymixers Lunchbox Chicken Loaf

Shredded chicken (poached, roasted)

Crackers – Jatz, Ritz etc

Arnott’s Shredded Wheatmeal biscuits

Fruit straps (100% dehydrated fruit) I have made them like the Strawberry Chips but they have a really short shelf life when homemade (when the boys are older and eat more it’ll better!) but my recent fave are Annie’s Fruit Straps as they are great to leave in the baby bag
Mini Fruit Balls (link here) – can be frozen and defrosted

Cruskits – These are a great alternative to the ‘baby section’ rice crackers which are sooooo $$$$$$ which I use for snacks when we go out

Dried apricots
 
Dried apples

Sultanas 

Tinned pineapple pieces

Freeze dried fruit (I buy mine from Costco, Bellamy’s Organic also have some)

Veggie Straws (I also buy these from Costco but you can get them from the heath food section)
Skinnymixer’s Cheesy Pumpkin Puffs (link here) – freezes and reheats well

***With a spoon:
DRINKS:
Getting into their pizza pockets!
Wholemeal toast cheesy melt with Bolognese sauce #nomnomnom
 
 
November 25, 2015 By
0
Baby Food/ Breakfast/ Dessert/ Healthy/ Snacks/ Thermomix

Apple Puree

This is great for baby food, kids (with cereal, yoghurt or plain), adults also with cereal, yoghurt or as an apple sauce to go with a pork roast. It can be kept in the fridge for a few days, or it freezes really well in ice cube trays and taken out and defrosted over a few hours or in the microwave when needed.
Having 2 huge and growing twin boys, I have made A LOT of fruit puree, particularly apples which are cheap and available throughout the year. It is great for a snack or dessert by itself, or with yoghurt or cereal. I have also used this for apple sauce for the adults with a pork roast.
Apple Puree
Now that the boys are toddler age, they are now enjoying their whole apples which they call ‘balls’ (they are obsessed with anything round shaped!), but means I am left with my apples looking like this, with them needing to be eaten up asap!
Toddler attacked apples
This is a great way to use up your toddler attacked apples, apples that are getting a tad old and not as crunchy, or even freshly bought crisp apples!
I leave on the on the skin on as it contains a lot of vitamins and nutrients, but I used to peel the skin off when the boys were about 4 to 9 months when they had more sensitive stomachs.
FRUIT PUREE
 
Ingredients:
 
5 large apples, or A LOT more until you fill up the Varoma tray!
(you can make a mixed fruit puree and add whatever fruits you like, I have used different types of apple, pear, peaches, nectarines, and berries)
 
Method:
 
1. Fill the bowl with 1L of water.
 
2. Fill up the Varoma steaming tray with apples cut up into 8ths (quartered, cored, then cut the quarters in half).
 
 
3. Cook 20 minutes/Varoma/Speed 2.5.
 
 
4. Once cooked, take the varoma steaming tray off, and empty the water out of the bowl.
 
 
5. Tip the cooked apples into the bowl. Cover with lid and MC.
 
 
6. Blitz 30 seconds/Speed 4 slowly progressively increasing to Speed 9. Note: it will explode out of the MC if you blitz the hot apples on a high speed quickly – needs to be done progressively!
This can be kept in the fridge for a few days, or it freezes really well in ice cube trays and taken out and defrosted over a few hours or in the microwave when needed. I usually freeze in ice cube trays and decant them into labelled ziplock bags.
November 7, 2015 By
0
Baby Food/ Healthy/ Snacks/ Thermomix

Apricot and Craisin Mini Fruit Balls

The boys latest favourite word is ‘ball’. They will point at anything that is round and say ‘ball’ and they love not just their toy balls and balloons, but also all sorts of round shaped fruits – oranges, apples, mandarins, lemons etc. So thought I would combine their love for balls with some colourful fruit snacks!
Apricot and Craisin Mini Fruit Balls
I used the recipe for the apricot fruit balls, and the cranberry fruit balls (but used craisins instead) and doubled each recipe as I didn’t have any of the dried fruits in my pantry:
They look great and are so easy to make, the boys loved them and it is a great size for them! If you don’t have a Thermomix you can easily make these in a fruit processor!
Apricot balls – Dried apricots, desiccated coconut and honey
Apricot mixture blitzed
  Craisin balls – Craisins, dates, desiccated coconut and honey
 Craisin mixture blitzed
Roll mixture into balls and coat with desiccated coconut
 Apricot and Craisin Mini Balls
Yummy!
We can’t get enough of these mini fruit balls!
October 2, 2015 By
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