Recipes - I like recipes that are quick, easy and use store cupboard ingredients. I work part-time so I don't want to be spending too much time in the kitchen. Our diet does call for lots of cooking from scratch but there's loads of short cuts you can take. For example always double your recipes so when you're short of time you know there is something in the freezer suitable.
Here's a couple of our favourites

Tuna fishcakes - these are really easy and quick too!
1 large sweet potato
can of tuna in spring watersssss
2 spring onions (chopped)
polenta
1 egg
olive oil
seasoning - pepper or paprika

Firstly peel and chop the sweet potato and boil for around 20 mins or until soft. Drain and mash. Add the can of tuna, spring onions, egg and seasoning. Divide the mixture equally into 8 patties. This can get a bit messy. Put the polenta on a plate and coat the fishcakes thoroughly. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the fishcakes until golden brown. Serve with salad and potato wedges. These freeze and defrost well.

Taco's
1 packet of organic mince
1 onion
a couple of cloves of garlic
1 jar of pasta sauce ie ragu
seasoning/spices
Old El Paso Tacos
grated cheese

Fry onion, mince and garlic until cooked through. Add spices of your choice. Heat taco shells in oven for 3-4 mins. Fill taco shells with mince mixture, sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with guacamole. Yum. I generally make a veggie version of this with whatever vegetables I have lying around and use tesco tomato salsa in place of the ragu.


Chocolate Crepes
3 oz of plain wheat-free flour
8 floz of lactose-free milk
1 egg
1 oz of cocoa
icing sugar
swedish glace vanilla ice-cream

Sift flour and cocoa into a large bowl. Crack the egg into the bowl. Put a tiny bit of milk into the mixture. Using a hand whisk gradually add the milk until you have a smooth batter. Heat a non-stick pan (or use oil/spread) until you have a high heat. Add batter. When cooked through put on a plate and add a few tbsps of swedish glace ice-cream. Fold crepe in half and sprinkle on icing sugar. Delicious. I generally double this recipe leaving it in a covered container in the fridge, it always gets used up quickly.

Easter

When I started to think about Easter a few weeks ago I wasn't feeling that positive, but I've had a good look around at what's on the market and have found a few hopefuls. Here's my top ten!

Kinnertons - dairy-free egg, comes in either Bart Simpson design or Winnie the Pooh, great for boys or small children. I found this in Waitrose for £1.99

Sainsburys - dairy-free egg with 7 chocolate coins inside. You get 200g for £3.99.

Goodness Direct - whizzers mini speckled eggs - 50g for 71p.

After Eight - standard type of easter egg with a tube of chocolates, very nice, admitedly have eaten mine already......

Devine - have a good range of chocolate eggs, my favourites are the mini chocolate eggs. I found these again in Waitrose but you can probably get them most places. I think 200g was around £2.50

Dietary Needs Direct - a good range of dairy-free chocolate for children and adults, including 12 peices of chocolate in a Noah's Ark for £2.95

Thorntons - dairy-free easter egg, £6.50 buys you 360g. On-line offer only.

Green & Blacks - you can pick these up at most supermarket chains.

Kinnertons (again) - 4 x dairy-free chocolate lollipops. Morrisons or Sainsburys, £1.49.

Make your own - best of all buy some moulds, get the kids involved and make your own!

As always please check all the ingredients just to be on the safe side. Happy hunting and of course Happy Easter.

Lunchtime Meal Planner

Packed lunches can be a nightmare. Ensuring that your child has a healthy and varied lunch each day is no easy task. Some schools or playgroups will cater for food intolerances and a meal plan will be drawn up. This isn't always possible or sometimes children just prefer a packed lunch. Here are some ideas that work for my son

Monday -
crispbreads (dietary specials, tesco), pure dairy-free spread, marmite, cucumber sticks, cheese peices, rice works chips, banana, alpro soya youghurt

Tuesday -
wheat-free quiche (homemade), cherry tomato's, pappadums, blueberries, wheat-free cake (homemade)

Wednesday -
heinz beans and mini sausages (invest in a thermos it give you so many more options), one slice of wheat-free bread, strawberries, popcorn (butterkist cinema sweet or homeade)

Thursday -
tru-free crackers, pure dairy-free spread, ham, carrot sticks, plain crisps, apple, flapjack (homemade)

Friday -
pasta (preferably left overs, orgran is good), peas, nachos (tesco value), satsuma, jelly

Please make sure you check all ingredients, manufacturers can change the ingredients at any time so it's always worth looking. Also what might work for me might not work for you.