Blueberry Coconut Pancakes (Paleo, Gluten Free, Clean Eating, Nut Free, Dairy Free) + Asher’s list of favourite foods

“What are your favourite foods Asher?”

• Pancakes
• Blueberries
• Nuts (more on that later)
• Mushrooms
• Custard
• Raspberries
• Strawberries 
• Watermelon
• PANCAKES

He rattled off a list. 

Hubby was saying that was what Asher said in one of their conversations. I was impressed. Not just that he can remembers all those food items but he was able to understand the question and rattled off foods that he does get excited when they are given to him. 

Pancakes are his current thing. We make pancakes mini size. My understanding is that they are similar except pikelets are thicker. Of course since we do not have flour in our pantry, we use coconut flour. After some experimentation, I like this ratio of coconut flour and eggs best. 

For some reason, Asher does not like nut butter. A pity because I LOVE THEM. I think it is the sticky feel that he isn’t a fan of. He has also grown to like nuts which is a big horror to me after reading and knowing that whole nuts are a no no to kids due to it being a possible choking hazard. It reinforces how he copies our eating habits as he knows I always have a small box of nuts in my handbag! 

One of my ways of getting some great protein into him is using nut butter in pancakes. In my pantry we have jars of nut butters. Cashew, almond, ABC and dare I saw it… peanut. Yes peanut is a legume and it is not “paleo” but we love it and believe that we can have some of it if it sits ok with us. We do choose a brand without any other ingredients. 

I love these pancakes because I can make a big batch and fridge or freeze them. On my work day mornings, Asher will eat them without a fuss and they are easy to re heat. On some Fridays or Mondays, we make them together. He loves whisking the eggs and seeing me our the batter into the pan. An activity that 1) helps him to learn cooking/measuring/counting, 2) bonding between us, 3) he eats it, 4) less fuss on work mornings! 

Killing 4 birds with one batch of pancakes. 

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Carrot and Cauliflower Soup (Paleo, Clean Eating)

One of the things I do when I’m feeling a tad overwhelmed is to de clutter and clean. It is almost like I feel calmer through the process but by knowing that the house is cleaner and toys has its place. On the other side of the coin, wanting to clean and organise is something I’m trying to not stress about because I would much rather play with trains, run around or do colouring with Asher. 

It’s the same with cooking and baking. The irony of life is that I love to create things in the kitchen. I like that when we put different ingredients together, they turn into something edible, smells lovely and warms our tummies up. As life takes over, I find myself “over thinking” meals, feeling hurried while I cook or that I have not baked for a while. Hubby starts frowning when I said “oh! Here’s 20 minutes! Let me whip something up in the kitchen for yours and Asher’s breakfast”. He was seeing signs that I’m doing that for the sake of doing rather than actually enjoying the process. 

It’s one of those little life long lessons that I’m learning this year. Enjoying the process. I accept that there will be days or weeks where cooking or baking is part of what I do as life. The enjoyment bit comes after all the chores are completed and kitchen bench is wiped clean. Then there are more special times when an idea arrive for how I can put ingredients together to create something and I excitedly venture to the kitchen to see if it works together. 

I mentioned batch up cooking before and that soups is one of my favourite things to do. There is just something magical about the warmth of a bowl of soup. Maybe it is my Cantonese heritage where soups is just what we have-though probably more as a supplement than a whole meal. Or that I know I can have all the nutrients in a bowl- protein, carbohydrates and heaps of vegetables. 

This soup is so simple that I wasn’t even going to take a photo of it or record what I did. I just don’t photograph or ladle soups neatly! Then my dearest hubby ladled it up ever so perfectly and even top it with crispy chorizo with precision. I was so impressed that it didn’t looked the usual hurried way that I do it usually. 

And so here it is. My Carrot and Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Chorizo. (officially making it the 4 C soup!)

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Chewy Banana Date and Nut Bars + Toddler Snacks

The lure of the kids snacks section beckons. Just like snacks for adults, those little bars and crackers packed mini size is so convenient. Names with “muesli”, “yogurt”, “organic”, “whole fruit” on boxes appears to the health conscious mums and dads. 

I would admit that I have been lured into that section before. A little “organic date and dried fruit” bar sits in my handbag for those emergency times where Asher has finished what I have packed or when he rejected what I would prefer him to eat. 

Those times of course increased as Asher learned that there is a possibility of having a “bar” if he says no enough. He would even go through my handbag to locate that “spare treat”. 

Enough is enough, and we decided to reduce if not eliminate purchase of those bars. If as adults we bypass the muesli bars section, why is it any different for Asher? Thankfully, we were getting a box every month or two and we reduced that to pretty much none in the past 3 months. 

So what changed? Asher is generally a good eater, so really it is about pre planning for us. His snacks are

– Bananas

– Mandarins orange

-strawberries

– Cucumber and capsicum sticks. 

-Cherry tomatoes

– Hard boiled eggs

– warm milk or babycino if we are outside

– chia seed puddings

– home made custard

– some home made baked goodies such as banana muffins or bread 

–  sulphate free ham or some smoked salmon 

– chickpeas

– popcorn 

– biltong 

– baked sweet potato “chips”

You will probably noticed that we haven’t shy away from dairy in his diet. Asher seems to be able to digest it so we are going with the flow with that unless we noticed otherwise. We have also allowed him to have some legumes in his diet, with chickpeas and popcorn on the list. We figured out that we would prefer to know how he respond to them than to shock his system when he gets to school and share copious amount of processed food and legumes without our knowledge. Deep down, I do not want him to grow up thinking that there food is “bad” and would prefer to educate him on what nourishes his body and some food we eat that may be more for tastes and satisfaction and they are to be kept a limit. 

Asher loves the cakes I make. However, he still associates “bars” with store bought ones and had initially refused to try any of my creations till recently. Sometimes, I just tell him it’s cake and he would happily snack on them! Toddlers! This one was a winner for him. It is probably still a little too sweet for my liking but it sure beats opening a packet snack food for him. It is slightly chewy but still easy to swallow. My proud moment is when he prefers having what I make than store bought cakes. 

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Sweet Potato Tuna Mornay (Gluten Free, Clean Eating, Paleo)

On my off days, I like to try to make fresh lunches for Asher. It doesn’t always happen- and on those days, I will pull out some freezer store food for him. Back in Singapore, many advised me not to freeze food and that little ones should have fresh food daily. They caution me that it is “bad” for health. 

I can see the reason for fresh food. They probably retain more nutrients and mostly (except for curries and soups), fresh just tastes better. My general thought is that home cooked frozen food is probably still better than store bought or fast food. I like to think that this stash of food is my security. If I’m caught up at work, or that we are in a hurry, I know that there is something nutritious in the freezer for him. For hubby, it means that he can pull something out and warm it up for Asher if I’m not around. It works for our family. 

For fresh meals, some options are

– soba noodles with pork mince and veges

– Stuffed tuna baked potato with veggies and sprinkle of cheese

– pan fried fish with sweet potato or pumpkin

– Quinoa with different veggies like carrots and capsicum with a protein

– stir fry sweet potato noodles 

– grass fed gluten free lamb sausages with sweet potato and mix of vegetables. 

We usually have eggs for breakfasts or snacks but if we don’t omelettes can be an options. Vegetables can be fresh or frozen depending on what I have on hand. I usually like to mix it up for Asher. 

Sweet potato Tuna Mornay has been a winner recently. I would simmer tuna in a sauce of coconut milk, pinch of nutmeg, mixed frozen vegetables. Sometimes, I might add a tbsp of cheddar cheese. Sweet potato is either steamed or quickly cooked in the microwave and mashed with more coconut milk/milk. Placing the tuna at the bottom and the sweet potato at the top, I would grilled it for a few minutes till it becomes a little crusty. Parmesan cheese is lovely on it too. 

Seeing Asher eat is a joy to me. I’m really lucky (for the moment anyway) to have a good eater. My hope is that as he grows older, he would continue to enjoy good clean healthy food. If you have a toddler or young kids, and are looking for some food ideas, hope this works for you too!

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My little boy is turning 2…. + Matcha Walnut Cakes to celebrate (Clean Eating, Paleo, Gluten Free)

You may have noticed that recently, I have been writing a lot more on Asher. I think it has something to do with the month of July. I become quite sentimental. I’m still not sure where all the time goes but 2 years ago, I was awaiting for his arrival and here he is now.2 years ago today, I was about to go into labour. 

Perhaps it is because he is a miracle baby.A baby we were told we cannot have. Or perhaps it is just because I am a mother and mothers get a little emotional at times.

Allow me to indulge in being a proud mama. 

This year, it has been a year of learning, play and growth. My little explorer. I will return to do a post on what are his current play but I have noticed he is starting to use imaginative play recently. Oh, and then  his speech. He loves pointing things out and telling us all the things he noticed. He is starting to speak in short sentences. “Momma, apple chips please” and “daddy goes to work. On work bus!”. He might tell me “Mummy, arm hurts” wanting me to kiss him and then smile to say “all better”. He is starting to count and sing his alphabets. 

His little personality is starting to emerge. Sometimes he can be a little shy. Hiding behind me or wanting heaps of cuddles when someone new visits. He looks at the person blankly, almost not quite sure what to do. When he warm up, oh boy there is his voice. He would run and run. Having that glint in his eye, challenging you to chase him. 

How affectionate he can be. Using both hands to grab my face to plant me big kisses. Insisting on holding my hand as we walk in shops. Saying “I love you mummy” at the most unexpected times. Stroking my face as he falls asleep. 

How fair he is. Everything comes in 3. There must be one for daddy, one for mummy and one for Asher. Inventing his lyrics with “Ba ba black sheep. have you any wool. Yes sir yes sir, 3 bags full. One for Asher, one for mummy and one for daddy (who lives with us!).”  

The challenging times has begun of course with the toddler tantrums happening. Over the smallest things at times such as not having the right colour cup. Orange is your favourite it seems. Or perhaps when he is tired. Sometimes, nothing seems to go his way at all. Most days though, Asher tends to manage alright at the moment. 

Favourite food? It’s hard to tell but Asher loves sweet potato. Corn is another favourite. I would make him some stir fry buckwheat noodles and he would smash that. Mushrooms is another winner. Not to mention squash, zucchini and even broccoli. Eggs is a classic in our household. Fruits like berries and oranges (here is the word again!) gets his attention. He doesn’t mind meat as much these days too and would happily eat pulled pork, beef ribs or even lamb cutlets. Soups makes him excited. We became lucky in that department that he enjoys whatever we cook. 

How about my experience as a mother this year? So much joy. While Asher still wakes at times at night, sleep can still hit us hard from time to time. I’m also finding that the 2nd year is a lot about being present with him. For hubby and I, we are starting to get better with the sleep deprivation haze and time management. We cherish our evenings together and sometimes we would sneak into Asher’s room to watch him sleep.

I will be back with details of his birthday party. Right now though, I’m having a cup of tea and enjoying these Matcha Almond Walnut Cakes. Aren’t they adorable? Perhaps not as cute as my son. Matcha to me just goes so well with both almond and walnut. I love the little crunch of the walnuts as I bite into these cakes. You can choose to add more honey as well since matcha does has a little bitter undertone to it. To us though, we love that the green tea flavour shines through. 

 

Happy 2nd Birthday to my little man! 

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Tender Beef Cheeks Curry with Silverbeet (Paleo, Clean Eating, Gluten Free)

I have recently discovered that Asher does not mind having a little kick in his food. I found that out accidentally when I did not realise that the soup I gave him was a little spicy. It did not faze him at all and he had 3 bowls of it. 

Gradually, I started incorporating more heat to our food. If I cook a curry, we might give him the chicken without the sauce. I might even put a pinch of paprika powder in our casseroles. He seems to enjoy it, which we are pleased about. 

Having some beef cheeks on hand, I decided to make a curry paste to cook it with. There are times that I look at a proper recipe but most of the time, I just blitz up whatever I have on hand with some curry powder, spices, lemongrass and curry leaves. This time round, I actually took measurements! 

The curry powder I have on hand is a mild one. So with it, I added a pinch of chill powder. That provided a gentle kick, to which Asher- who does not eat a lot of beef, gobbled it up. I do realised that if we purchase grass fed good quality beef and lamb, Asher would have more of it. I guess children do know the difference after all! I think I over did the cheeks a little. It was really falling apart and hardly kept it’s shape. Doesn’t matter to Asher though! I loved it when a plan comes together. 

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Mini Orange Coconut Cakes (paleo, gluten free, nutfree, dairy free) + How I survive early mornings and late nights

You know those days where setting the alarm is important? It hardly exists in my household anymore. Asher loves waking up early in the mornings. We rejoiced when he wakes between 6-7am. Sometimes it is between 5:30-6:30am. It’s what makes parenthood interesting. You never know what time you will wake. Take this morning, he woke up at 6:50am aka meaning I had a SLEEP IN! How good was that! 

I’m finding it really tricky to sleep earlier though. Since starting work, those quiet evenings when Asher sleeps becomes even more precious. He usually goes to bed between 7:30-8pm. It does varies depending on his nap times and if we are out on weekends. Generally though, he is asleep by 8:30pm latest. Hubby and I would then clean up, prep for the next day, put a load of washing on and watch an episode of Masterchef with a bowl of fruits and hot tea. That is when we attempt to have a decent conversation and plan for the weekend or whatever event we have on. That means we try to get to bed by 11pm, though realistically, it’s closer to 11:30pm. 

So if we have sleep between 11:30pm-5:30am, that’s around 6 hours. Give and take an additional hour or so. Hey, pretty good right? Not on the nights where Asher has difficulty settling or falls sick. On average, Asher will wake once a night. Most nights, it doesn’t  take long to re settle him. He just want to know we are around and nearby. A comfort hug and light strokes and he is back down in 15 minutes. Other nights, we have NO idea why he is up. We would have gone through the list and he would still be upset. It could be toddler nightmares or teething. Whatever the case is, we try to comfort him the best we can by being present. 

So really? On some nights, one of us will have less than 5 hours of sleep. Maybe 3-4 hours. How do we manage to get through the day?

– Hubby and I try to take turns. We learned that it is easier to take turns by days. So at least one of us have a decent night sleep on some nights. This usually makes the next night more bearable.

– Coffee. I would need a shot by 4pm. I try to delay drinking coffee till the late afternoon when I really need it. Some people struggle with sleep having coffee so late in the day. I need it to stay awake till 11pm!! hubby would have his earlier in the morning though. 

– We have a mattress in Asher’s room. Some nights, it is just easier to sleep there or with him on the mattress. That buys us an additional hr or two sleep. Plus it’s more comfortable than sleeping on the carpet. 

– Eat well. I cannot stress how important nutrition is. Just keeping vegetable sticks, nuts, protein like eggs around helps to keep the sugar level balance and not range for sweets when the 3pm slumps hits. Also, breakfast. If I have to wake at 5:30am, give me my food! 

– I may look like a zombie at the gym at 5:30pm but I always feel better after a workout. That endorphins hit is so good…

– First thing I do when I wake up is to hit the loo, brush my teeth and wash my face. Part of my morning routine is put on make up and going out clothes. That helps me feel a little more human and look slightly more presentable. 

– Keep busy. I try not to think about how little or much sleep I have. I just have to keep moving and doing things. 

– On days that I do not work and put Asher down for a nap, I might rest with him. It might be between 10-20 minutes but it makes a big difference. 

– Having something positive to look forward to. On weekends, we have family lunches. A good coffee always makes me happy. And a trip to the farmers markets. 

I like to think that I can be more productive if I wake earlier. On my work days, I tell myself that I get an extra 30 minutes or so with Asher before work begins. On my non-work days,  I might do a quick vacuum around the house before our swimming class. I might schedule in an activity with Asher. Like these cakes for instance. Asher has developed a curiosity  around what we do in the kitchen. Plus he loves oranges. 

Using the pressure cooker, I steamed the orange for 15 minutes while he ate breakfast. Then all I did was to sit him on the bench, and get him to tip measured out ingredients into the food processor. He watches it whirls while giving me a cuddle (It still scares him a little!), and then we try spooning it to the little cups. I place it in the oven, and tell him that he made it. He patiently waited for those cakes to come out of the oven, cool and had one before his swimming class. Then he looked at me and said “asher made” with that bright look in his eyes.

That made me melt a little. Perhaps that 5:30am wake up was worth it (who am I kidding…?!?) 

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Stuffed Herb Mushrooms + Any suggestions for roasting vegetables?

Stuffed anything is popular in my kitchen. Heck. Any idea or recipes that uses the oven is a winner to me. 

I know the craze over a thermomix. I am tempted. So ever tempted. After all, a machine that chops, cooks, stirs, steam that looks space like is pretty enticing. It does consists of a hefty price tag of $2000 which makes me hesitate. 

Maybe one day we will “invest” in one.

Right now though, I work my handy food processor and oven hard. Especially my oven. Moving into this house, we installed a 1.5 oven. I should have gone for a double oven on hindsight. A typical weeknight dinner consists of a roast chicken, and at least 2 trays of vegetables ready to be roasted. I rotate my vegetables on a weekly basis. So far, I have roasted

-pumpkin

-sweet potato

-mushrooms

-zucchini

-squash

-beetroot

-celery

-cabbage

-eggplant

-tomatoes

-long beans

-snap and snow peas

– spaghetti squash

– brussel sprouts

-capsicum

-corn

Please let me know if there are anything that I have missed out in this list 😉 

Some weeknights, I make stuffed capsicum. This time though, I spotted some gorgeous huge mushrooms at the markets we go to and I thought, why not make stuffed mushrooms. It was such a winner with Asher that he ate 2 huge ones. The bonus was he discovered that he really likes mushrooms! So much so that he can have it for breakfast.

Gotta love a toddler who likes his veges!

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Pumpkin and Ginger Loaf + Sick Days

It has been nearly 9 months since I started working. Friends asked: how am I coping or enjoying work? I must be having the best of both worlds. Doing something that brings in cash flow but yet being able to have some precious moments with my near 2 year (insert horror and surprise face) old. 

The truth is that it is not easy. It is tiring and exhausting. There is that amount of guilt. I have whispered silently to hubby that I feel like I have a melt down coming. And I have had at least one melt down. It comes back down to why do I still want to work? 

Let me back track. 

Working is a choice. When we choose for me to work, we know that there will be some tricky times to navigate. So far, we have managed alright. There are those above moments that have occurred. Often in the combination of sleep deprivation, sickness and feeling that things are getting on top of me. Saying “yes” too often and “no” not enough. 

My luxury is to be able to do part time. Advantages include keeping my registration up, having my mind ticking clinically, saving up for a rainy day or some travels, plus adult conversations, alone loo time and hot drinks. I have no idea what will happen in the future, and I like to think that by working and keeping my connections happening, it provides just that slight security. 

How about time with Asher, my love for workouts, cooking and recipes creation? How do I fit it all in? 

The answer is sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Some things are not negotiable. My time with Asher, workouts, family time and eating well. Other things are not so important. I’m probably a lesser friend, and some dinners are repetitive. When Asher naps, I may or may not make something. If not, we have hard boiled eggs, nuts, smoked salmon, ham and some cheese for snacks. 

I have also learnt to schedule in some time for myself. I had lunch by myself one day. At a cafe. WOW! I read 2 magazines and enjoyed HOT coffee. I went to the shops and bought an outfit that I felt good in. That felt awesome. 

I felt recharged. 

Then we have sick days. That REALLY throw me off. Asher had gastro sometime back. That was not pleasant. Those are the days where I had to make a choice. That week, I chose to take time to stay at home. Asher received plenty of cuddles. We sang and read heaps. Most of all, we just chilled. So sick days can turn into ok days too. 

Its the way we make it out to be. 

I made this Ginger Pumpkin Loaf to calm Asher’s tummy. I must have been to heavy handed on the ginger because Asher didn’t liked it! We did though and it was a hearty breakfast for Hubby when he toasted it and spread it with some butter. 

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Banana Yogurt Muffins (Clean Eating, Nut Free, Gluten Free)

Pre pregnancy days, hubby and I often had kids over that we babysit. I would measure out ingredients and we would bake cookies. The kids would have a ball, and would often wait by the oven, asking if the cookies are ready yet. Then they would have a few cookies, packed some for their parents and excitedly tell them that they made it.

There is something special about “making things”. The sense of achievement that a child has when they realised that they did it themselves. 

I never thought that my cooking journey with Asher will begin before he turns two. Maybe closer to 3 was my original assumption. One fine afternoon, I realised that his eyes were watching me as I move in the kitchen. Then hubby commented that Asher seems to be interested to what happens at the kitchen and it must be interesting to him that some ingredients come together and it appears as food to him. 

So we decided to get him involved. I was making pesto one evening and he helped me tear the basil leaves, putting it into the food processor. 

Gradually we moved on. I placed some bananas, eggs, and a few other ingredients around him together with a big mixing bowl. Oh how excited he was. He helped me mashed some bananas, whisk the wet ingredients together and fold them into dry ones. Yes he needed help along the way but he was fascinated by the process. He spooned the mixture into the muffin cups and watched eagerly while the cakes cooked in the oven. 

As a psychologist, I work with the most under privilege families. Often with kids that have close to nothing. Some times they struggle, other times I see their resilience coming through. I know that we should never under estimate them. Back in my own kitchen, I realised I have underestimated my own son. A simple act of cooking and baking involves many chains of behaviour. Here is he, practicing his fine motor skills, learning how to stir and spoon. Hand eye coordination is required as he spoon into small cups. A sensory experienced as he realised that this mushy wet mixture that he tasted turned into fluffy cakes. Not to mention listening and processing skills as he listened to my verbal instructions and translate that into actions. 

This little activity reminded me how little we know about child development. We know a lot in science but there are things that are hard to explain with science. Trusting your instincts and experimenting can be one of the best ways to learn how our children operate and what they can/or not. 

I have made these little muffins with apple and they turned out great. The only fruit that I felt was a little dry was pear-funny enough. Nevertheless, I think this recipe is a keeper as it is a nut free one. Very handy for his future school years I’m sure. 

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