Sensory Issues and Fussy Eating Phases - An Update

In 2014, I wrote a post about my five year old son's struggles with food, with some ideas on how to tackle a similar situation, using everything I had learnt, along with some input from other bloggers who had faced similar situations. Last year, I edited it and reposted Top Ten Tips for Sensory Issues and Fussy Eating Phases, with a few updates based on what I had subsequently learned about sensory issues. Since then, things have continued to improve, and I thought it would be good to post an update, mainly to reassure other parents that it can get better, vegetables won't always be the food of the devil and scurvy won't take hold by the time they reach secondary school.  

Veganuary Inspiration and Recipes from Great Food Bloggers

Since 2014, Veganuary has encouraged the nation to embrace Veganism and give up their meat and dairy consuming ways for the month of January. There is a world of reasons why people take up the Veganuary pledge at the start of the year. It might be because animals often suffer in the production of the foods we enjoy, it might be to ease the pressure on the environment from meat production, or even to support a New Year's resolution for a healthier lifestyle. Whatever the reason, if you have taken up the Veganuary pledge, and are already struggling for ideas, your Veganuary inspiration starts here.

How to Make the Perfect Crispy, Fluffy Yorkshire Pudding

Recently, I published a photo of one of Phil's culinary creations, the humble Yorkshire pudding. Now, I'll be totally honest, this is not something I'm especially good at. I just don't have the patience to faff about getting it exactly right. It seems I'm not the only one, as the photo recieved a fair bit of admiration from people, with one or two suggestions that it might even be *gasp* 'purchased from the frozen aisle'. What an outrageous suggestion! Phil says it's not actually that difficult and has been promising for ages that he will share the recipe. So, here it is. Phil's foolproof method for a crisp and fluffy Yorkshire pudding.

Ham and Leek Pastry Slices with Asda's Wonky Veg

It's Day 4 of Wonky Veg week, where we've been trying out Asda's new initiative and seeing how far we can make £3.50 worth of vegegtables stretch. You can read our initial thoughts in our First Impressions post. We still have onions, carrots, a few spuds and a lonely leek to go. I'm feeling a bit sorry for that leek, all alone in that big box, so this is his time to shine! A great excuse for a massive pie, if you ask me! It's not really a pie, it tastes like pie, but is easier to make, as you don't need to line a tin. This is my recipe for Leek and Ham slices.

Leftovers Omelette with Asda's Wonky Veg Box

It's Day 3 of the Wonky Veg Box from Asda. Today we are looking at what we can do with a red pepper and some potatoes and a very small onion. There are lots of onions in the box, but more about that another day. You can see the full list of what else was in it, in my Wonky Veg Box First Impressions or have a look at Day 2's recipe; Easy Stuffed Peppers, if you fancy it. As well as the onion, potato and red pepper from the box, I also had some mushrooms and sausages to use up, so I have no idea what to call this recipe. It's a kind of Brunch Omelette, I suppose. Anyway, here goes...

Surprisingly Easy Beef Wellington

It's Buy British Day today, so how about a British classic, Beef Wellington? When I did my coupon shop recently, I bought a Tesco meal deal, which included a small beef joint. It wasn't really big enough for the whole family, so I had to get creative to make it stretch. I had a look around for a Beef Wellington recipe and found they varied in difficulty from a bit complicated, to 'degree in catering required'. As I'm quite lazy, I simplified the recipe as best I could, and it was still really, really nice. Here it is, for any other lazy, cheaty 'chefs' who fancy giving it a try!

Caramelised Carrots Make Veg Fun!

This caramelised carrot recipe is very simple to make, using just a few ingredients, and is always really popular with children, due to the sweetness. Happily, it offers a good way to get vegetables into even the most reluctant vegetable consumer. However, as they do contain sugar, they are not the healthiest of vegetable options, so are probably best reserved for a delicious occasional treat. They do get children used to the texture of vegetables though, so might be one to consider if you are in possession of a really committed fussy eater.

Leek and Bacon Tartlets

As the summer rolls on, it can become increasingly tricky to think up new and different ideas for picnics and days out. Ideally, you want something that everyone will like, that won't take a world of time, or complicated ingredients, to make. If you fancy a change from the usual scotch eggs and sausage rolls, these little pastries are a great addition to the family picnic basket. They travel well and are surprisingly easy to make. You can also mess about with the fillings, to create vegetarian or other options, depending on what everyone likes. If you are not keen on leeks, try mushrooms instead, just peel and chop, then add instead of the leeks. You could also substitute the bacon and have leek and mushoom for vegetatarians.

Panakalty from Sunny Sunderland!

Since the weather is being most unruly at the moment, this guest post features a regional recipe from my lovely friend Sue. It is a traditional North-East English delicacy and not one I had heard of until this post arrived! As with all regional cuisine, I am sure there are some slight variations to this dish from person to person, but this is the version that is popular in the Sunderland area where Sue hails from and one she has been feeding her family for many years.  I haven't tried it yet, but it looks delicious. Proper warming comfort food, perfect for the cool autumn evenings. I can't wait to try it!

Sesame Sticky Chicken!

Another fun recipe to do with little ones, this is fab for parties or picnics, though possibly indoors at the moment! Be prepared for a bit of mess, sesame seeds get everywhere, but at least they are easily swept up! You can use the back of a spoon to coat the chicken with the mixture, so you don't have
sticky finger prints everywhere for the rest of the day! It also helps if you don't coat the whole drumstick, but leave a little handle, to allow for easy eating!

Easy Tomato Soup with Bacon

There are over 10,000 varieties, they are cholesterol free and are, in fact, the world's most popular fruit. today we are talking about tomatoes! Everyone's discussing healthy eating at the moment, so I
thought today's Tuesday Cheat ought to be a healthy one. But also quick, because, I don't know about you, but the first thing that pushes me off the healthy eating wagon is usually lack of time.

Corned Beef Hash

This recipe is one of the first recipes I ever learned to cook and is brilliant if you are lacking fresh ingredients, but craving something home cooked. This is another one that is fun to do with children,
as there's a lot of messy mashing and mixing involved! Unfortunately, Corned Beef has shot up in price over the years, so this dish isn't as budget as it used to be, but it does fill a useful gap in the menu if you ever get snowed in!