Super Green Pasta Sauce

My kids love anything with pasta, and particularly homemade pesto. They do love their greens, but Bridget, my three year old, can be lazy with chewing and even with using her knife and fork at times.

We regularly make a batch of my Walnut and Basil Pesto, as it always satisfies, but this special green pasta makes use of all the greens hanging around the fridge. This super green sauce can be made in minutes, the below makes a batch big enough for 4-5 portions, it freezes well, is packed with nutrients and goodness and most importantly is very child-friendly. It's a perfect quick fix for those days when real 'cooking' is a little out of reach.

You could use pretty much any green vegetables, but I tend to use broccoli, spinach, kale or cavolo nero and frozen peas, as they all blend well and avoid the bittiness from some vegetables.

Once again, this is a super simple recipe but is one where the little ones can help to assemble. I've used Giant Fusilli in the picture as it's easy for Beatrice to pick up as finger food, but any pasta would work.

Super Green Pasta Sauce

Here's how:

• 2 heaped tablespoons Walnut and Basil Pesto (or any jarred green pesto if you're in a real rush)
• 1 head of broccoli
• Handful of green leaves (I use spinach and/or cavolo nero)
• 3 tbsp frozen peas

Firstly get a large pan of water on to boil, or fill with water from the kettle, and place on a low heat.

Chop the broccoli into florets, and add to the water, This will need about 5 minutes.

After two minutes, add the frozen peas and in the final minute the green leaves.

Then roughly drain off in a colander, and add to a blender or a Nutribullet. Add the Pesto, then the lid and blitz to a smooth consistency.

Super Green Pasta Sauce

Portion up into little tubs or food bags.

If you're using right away, simply cook the pasta to your taste, remove 1 tbsp of the cooking water before draining, then return to the pan after a good shake. Stir through the one portion of the Super Green Pasta Sauce on the heat for 1 minute and then serve with a little grating of Parmesan. Enjoy!

Spiced Lentil and Broccoli Baby Food Puree

This is another great homemade puree for once weaning has been established and you're ready to introduce some bolder flavours. Just a hint of Garam Masala adds a delicate flavour to this lentil based puree and it is full of goodness for baby too. This is one of Beatrice's favourites.

You could use a baby vegetable or chicken stock cube if you wish - but I prefer to just use water.

We are well into finger foods and more on the baby led weaning side of things, but I still make up purees for throughout the week and serve with finger foods to load the puree onto or spoon feed when we are out and about for reduced mess, none of my friends or family wants the mess I get on a daily basis around Bea's highchair in their house. The combination feeding method has worked well for us with both girls - less stress, no outside-the-house mess! Do what ever is right for you and your little ones.

Spiced Lentil and Broccoli Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 3 tbsp red split lentils
• 4 florets broccoli
• 1 spring onion
• 1 clove garlic 
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• Drizzle rapeseed oil

Firstly drizzle the rapeseed oil into a saucepan and place on a gentle heat. 

Finely slice the spring onion and garlic and add to the pan to saute. 

In the meantime give the lentils a thorough rinse in a sieve, then add to the pan and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the garam masala and stir. 

Now fully cover with cold water, place the lid on and cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. 

Drain and leave to cool whilst cooking the broccoli in the same saucepan - saves on double the washing up! Cover the broccoli with boiled water from the kettle and cook for five minutes, or until the broccoli is soft enough then drain.

Add the lentil mixture and broccoli to a blender or Nutribullet, add two tablespoons of cold water and blitz. Then portion up accordingly and place into the fridge or freezer.

Restorative Green Soup

This soup is so cleansing and restorative, I rely on it as the start of any detox or diet, especially if I've had a period of over-indulgence. The multiple green vegetables combined with the healing ginger and garlic and the Indian spices really do aid with digestion and give my stomach a good kick-start. 

I always use broccoli and spinach, but you could use greens, cabbage, kale or whatever you have to hand. 

The below makes a large batch, of which you can freeze some and defrost as and when required. 

Restorative Green Soup

Here's how:

• 1 head broccoli
• Pack of spinach, washed
• Cup of peas
• 2 large spring onions
• 2 sticks celery
• Fresh ginger root - about 40g or 3-4cm long
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp back pepper
• 1/2 lime
• Handful fresh coriander and parsley
• 800ml water
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Firstly add the olive oil to a large, heavy bottomed pan and place on a low heat.

Slice the spring onions, celery and garlic cloves and add to the pan.

Peel and slice the ginger and add to the pan - allow all to soften slightly,

Now add the cumin, salt, pepper and garam masala and squeeze over the half of lime juice. Allow to cook for a few minutes, the soup base should take on a brown hue.

In the meantime, chop the broccoli into florets, and wash the spinach, if it isn't already prepared. 

Add the broccoli and peas into the pan and allow to fry for a moment or two, then pour over the water and allow to cook for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the broccoli is tender to touch with a fork. 

Now add the spinach and the coriander and parsley - no need to chop, and stir through, allowing to cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a while. 

Restorative Green Soup

Blitz in a blender or Nutribullet until smooth, and then return to the pan to reheat, and ladle into soup bowls to serve. Enjoy!

Here are some other soup recipe ideas you might like:
Chunky Lentil, Bacon and Kale Soup
Red Pepper Soup
Curried Parsnip and Spinach Soup
Thai Sweet Potato Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup with Pak Choi
Vegetable Soup
Asparagus Soup with Crispy Bacon
Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup
Leek Potato and Cauliflower Soup
Restorative Chicken Broth

Skinny Broccoli and Fennel Soup

Many years ago, I enjoyed a gorgeous Broccoli and Ouzo Soup whilst staying in Paphos, Cyprus and that is my inspiration for this lovely dish.

There are less than 100 calories per portion so this is great for a skinny lunch or supper. You could of course enrich the soup with some cream or crème fraiche but this will pf course increase the calories and serve with some crusty, fresh bread to make for a more hearty meal.

If making this dish for vegetarians, use vegetable stock in place of chicken.

The below makes two portions.

Skinny Broccoli and Fennel Soup

Here's how:

• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 white onion
• 1 bulb fennel
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 pint chicken stock (I use Knorr Chicken Stock Pot) 

Add the olive oil to a non-stick pan and place on a low heat.

Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic and add to the pan to gently sauté.

Slice the entire fennel bulb and add to the pan. This might seem a lot, but the final result is surprisingly subtle.

Remove the thick stork of the broccoli, and chop the rest into florets. Add to the pan with the salt, pepper and bay.

Make up the chicken stock and pour over the broccoli.

Cook for thirty minutes, then allow to cool a little before blending.

Return to the hob to re-heat then grate over some fresh nutmeg, to taste, and serve. Enjoy!

Garlic Prawns with Boiled Rice and Vegetables

When I made Glen and I the Skinny Spicy Breaded King Prawns last week, I thought it best to cook something different for Bridget as the spice would have been a little too much for her. She likes prawns and this simple dish is easy to prepare and on the table in no time, perfect.

Bridget is definitely a baby/ toddler foodie as she is yet to turn her nose up at anything aside from when she's had the odd cold or a new tooth coming through - but if your little one is a tad fussy, maybe try them on prawns first, when you're having them, to make sure they like the taste and texture.

Also I served with broccoli, cauliflower and green beans but you could give any vegetable you have to hand, I just like to offer a variety. As most parents of weaning tots know, some days baby may demolish cauliflower and then the next won't touch it with a barge pole so I find giving 2-3 types means they are at least getting some veg. 

Garlic Prawns with Boiled Rice and Vegetables, Baby Bites

Here's how: 

• 50g King Prawns
• 30g plain rice (Basmati, Long grain etc) 
• Couple of broccoli florets
• Couple of cauliflower florets
• Drizzle olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• Handful green beans, trimmed

Firstly switch the oven on at around 180 degrees.

Boil the kettle and place the rice into a colander to rinse. Now place into a pot and pour over two parts boiling water to the one part rice and place on a medium heat. No need to add salt. This should cook in 14-18 minutes (check the packet instructions).

Now prepare the vegetables and place all into another saucepan. Pour over the remaining boiled water and place on a gentle heat for 6 minutes, then drain and set aside to cool.

Finally half the two garlic cloves and add to a small oven dish, then toss the prawns in, drizzle over the oil and give a good mix. These should take 5-6 minutes to cook and you'll know they are cooked from the fact they have turned pink. Try to avoid overcooking as prawns become rubbery and chewy if cooked for too long.

Now drain the rice and place into a bowl with the vegetables dotted around and place the cooked prawns straight on top. Enjoy!

Baby Bites: Trout with Vegetable Crush

I wouldn't have thought of trying baby with trout during the weaning process to be honest, but I actually picked up a pack of two boneless fillets by mistake, thinking they were salmon fillets and thought it would be worth a try. Lo and behold, Bridget wolfed this down so I thought I would share.

The below makes enough for 8 portions or more if you have a baby with a smaller appetite and freezes well. Pop out on the morning you need it and it'll defrost in time for lunch or dinner.

Trout obviously had a slightly strong flavour for little palates so this is one to introduce when weaning is well established - maybe two or three months in, and as you should at this stage be giving a more textured version of dinners to get little one used to lumps and chewing more, I've opted fona vegetable 'crush' rather than a smooth mash or puree.

220g deboned, skinless trout fillets
1 small swede
1 large carrot
1/2 head of broccoli

Firstly place the oven on a moderate heat - around 180-200 degrees.

Peel the carrot and swede and chop into equal sized pieces, place into a saucepan and cover with water and place on a medium heat. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are able to be mashed/ crushed.

Place the trout fillets in an oven proof dish and drizzle over a tiny bit of olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Chop the broccoli into small bits and five minutes before removing the swede and carrots from the heat add the broccoli to the pot.

Remove the trout from the oven and gently flake into a bowl.

Then drain the vegetables and mash with a potato masher, not going mad as you want a textured finish. I add a teaspoon of olive oil here too otherwise it can be a little dry.

Add to the trout and  mix to completely combine. Portion up and if you're serving immediately then allow to cool a little to the temperature your little one can tolerate.

Baby Bites - Cauliflower, Broccoli and Cod Cheese

This has become a favourite for Bridget - fish with cauliflower and broccoli in a cheese sauce and baked in the oven. I originally made this as a weaning dish, but have since prepared it as a meal for myself and my partner too with bigger quantities - it's delicious.

This amount makes for 6-8 portions, depending on how big your little one's appetite is and is very nutritious. It freezes well too which is a bonus, just pop into sealable pots and place into the freezer once completely cooled, them remove them 3-4 hours prior to needing them and ensure they are fully defrosted.

Cauliflower, Broccoli and Cod Cheese

1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
1.5 tbsp plain flour
300ml milk
50g Cheddar
Half a cauliflower
Half a broccoli
120g cod loin fillet


Firstly preheat the oven to 180ish.

In a pan, melt the butter and once fully melted, add in the plain flour stirring in with a wooden spoon or a whisk.

Once combined add the milk a little at a time and continue to stir constantly.

Grate the cheese into the sauce and keep stirring whilst also allowing to thicken. Once it resembles a sauce and seems thick and creamy, remove from the heat and set aside.

In the meantime, prepare the broccoli and cauliflower, cutting into small florets and removing the thick parts of the stalks.

Place the vegetables into a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook for ten minutes, then drain.

While these are cooking, cut the cod loin into small, baby bite-sized pieces.

Place the drained broccoli and cauliflower into an ovenproof dish, scatter the cod all over and them pour over the cheese sauce. Use the wooden spoon to move the vegetables around to make sure each piece has a good coating of sauce.

Place into the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and remove. I tend to them mash with a normal potato masher to remove any larger lumps and portion up.

If you are serving this right away, of course allow to cool to a comfortable temperature for your little one.

Baby Bites - Salmon and Broccoli

Once you've started to introduce proteins to your baby, oily fish such as salmon is a great choice as it is filled with nutrients such as Omega-3, vitamin B12, potassium and selenium and is known to be a great ‘brain-boosting’ food, so Bridget has salmon once or twice a week in my bid to nurture her into the little genius that I suspect she will be become.

This dish is very simple and with the addition of broccoli, which is a fabulous source of Vitamin C, this is a well-balanced nutritious meal.

You can steam, poach or bake your salmon just ensure it is cooked through as little stomachs can't tolerate the rarer salmon that I would eat myself.

Personally, I steam salmon for Bridget in a little steamer saucepan and cook the broccoli underneath.

This makes 2-3 portions.

1 salmon fillet
Quarter head of broccoli

Firstly check the salmon fillet for any bones and discard.

Wash the broccoli quarter and chop up into small florrets. Pop into the bottom part of the saucepan section with boiled water, place the steamer part on top with the salmon fillet on and place the lid on top and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Check the salmon is cooked through and again make sure there aren't any bones. Flake the salmon with a fork and gently mash, still keeping some shape to the flakes.

Drain the broccoli then return to the pan and place back on the heat for 5-10 seconds just to absorb any retained moisture. Remove from the heat then mash, add a little drizzle of olive oil if this proves difficult but it should mash well.

Combine the salmon and broccoli and portion up accordingly, allowing a portion to cool enough before feeding to your little one.

Applewood Spreadable Challenge: Cheese and Vegetable Pie with Kale and Chorizo

This is my third and final recipe that I have created as part of the Applewood Spreadable #SpreadStirShare challenge in which 20 food bloggers have been tasked with devising some interesting and delicious family recipes using Applewood Spreadable as an ingredient. I have already posted my Cheesy Pea, Leek and Pancetta Gnocchi Bake and the Creamy Pea, Courgette and Mint Risotto, and my final recipe that I enjoyed last night was a Cheese and Vegetable Pie with a side of Kale with Chorizo.

Of the three recipes, this has to be my favourite – but then I do love anything encased in gorgeous pastry, it’s so comforting on a cold, wet winter’s day, and this is a delicious pie filling that I will absolutely be making again.

I used pumpkin, broccoli and leeks in my pie, but you could experiment with whatever you had to hand really. I made a traditional roux – mixing equal parts of butter with plain flour as the basis for this unctuous, decadent cheese sauce, as well as mixing equal parts of the smoky Applewood Spreadable cheese with unsmoked Cheddar.

The kale and chorizo side was to convince the boyfriend that we can sit down to dinner without a big hunk of meat or fillet of fish and with, instead, just a little smidge of meat-stuffs and I’m happy to report he agreed after this lovely meal. This served the two of us comfortably with one portion left over for lunch today – just increase the portion sizes to stretch further!

Here’s how:

1 small pumpkin

1 broccoli head

2 leeks, trimmed

50g plain flour

50g salted butter

65g Applewood Spreadable

65g Cheddar (I used some Cathedral City I had in my fridge)

300ml milk (I used full fat)

Salt & Pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

250g puff pastry (I used Jus Rol)

1 beaten egg

100g kale

100g chorizo cooking sausages

Firstly cut the pumpkin in half carefully, and scoop out all of the seeds. Either retain to toast and enjoy later on or discard. Place on a piece of baking paper on a baking sheet and place in the oven at around 180-200 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

In the meantime chop off the florets of broccoli and chop up into bite-size pieces. Plunge into some boiling, salted water and cook for 3-4 minutes, to ensure there will be no biting into rock hard vegetables in the pie. Then drain and put to the side.

Once the pumpkin is out of the oven and cool enough to handle, remove the skin and chop into small, bite-sized chunks. Place into an ovenproof dish, and then add the broccoli.

Chop the leeks and then add these, raw to the pie dish with the broccoli and pumpkin.

Next up it’s time to make your cheese sauce. Firstly weigh everything out equally in advance so there is no mad scramble mid-sauce-making as it is a bit of a delicate procedure and needs care and attention! Add the butter to the pan (a tip is to add it in small little knobs so it takes less time to melt and is less likely to burn) – keep on a low heat throughout.

Once the butter is melted, gently add a little of the flour at a time stirring in each time with a wooden spoon or whisk in gently with a balloon whisk. Keep repeating this process until all of the flour has been mixed in.

Now you will add your milk, a little at a time. You may not even need the 300ml, it will depend on how you prefer the consistency of the sauce to be. Once you’ve added about half, add the cheese. I firstly added the grated Cheddar and mixed through until melted through and part of the now-thickening sauce. If you need to, add a little more milk and then add the Applewood Spreadable, again stirring all the while.

Once you are happy with the consistency (it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and velvety smooth with no lumps), continue to cook on a low heat for a further five minutes to ensure the flour is all cooked out.

Remove from the heat, season generously and add a pinch of nutmeg or even cinnamon to add a little warming spice. Taste at this point to ensure it has the right flavour to your taste, if not add more cheese for a cheesier flavour or a little more milk for a milder taste.

Now cover the vegetables with the cheese sauce, using a spoon to ensure each piece of vegetable is nicely coated and place to the side for a moment. If you hadn’t already – get your oven pre-heating at this point at 180-200 degrees.

Now roll your pastry out accordingly so it will fit snugly over the pie. I baked this as a ‘pot pie’ with a just a pastry topping to cut the calories down a little, as it still gives that huge comforting joy of eating a pie, but isn’t quite as naughty. You could of course also top this with mashed potato and a little grated cheese too, but for me puff pastry is king.

Once you’ve covered the pie, egg wash it so it becomes lovely and golden and place into the oven. If you are artistic you could try and make a beautiful puff pastry garnish out of the excess pastry – if you are artistically challenged like myself, you could create something less adventurous:

The pie needs baking for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and ten minutes before the end of baking you can start preparing the side dish. 

Firstly chop 100g chorizo sausages into small cubes and add to a dry pan on a medium heat. Chorizo always exudes its own oils, so none is needed here. Once the chorizo has cooked for a good few minutes and is nicely charred on all sides, add the washed kale to the pan and mix continuously. It is more cabbage-like than spinach in the heat and does retain its pretty shape, a few minutes of cooking and this is ready to serve.

Remove the pie from the oven and dish up. Enjoy!

To keep up with the remaining Applewood Spreadable challenge follow the #SpreadStirShare hash tag and check out the Applewood blog for details on the winner due to be announced at the end of this month: http://applewoodcheese.co.uk/blog.php

Sticky Lemon Chicken

Serve this with some plain boiled rice and steamed broccoli for a really tasty, yet nutritious meal that will leave you wanting more.

I've used this with bone-in chicken breasts as they serve as the perfect 1-person portion with no faff, but this marinade could be used with any pieces of chickens and is really good with wings for a party or gathering.

Allow to marinate for at least three hours, but overnight is best and will leave you delicious, zesty and fragrantly juicy chicken.

Here's how:

2 chicken breasts with bone left in
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
Zest of 3 lemons and the juice of 2
3 tbsp clear honey
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper

Simply put the marinade together by combining all of the above then place into a bowl or jug.

Make two or three 1cm incisions into each chicken breast, making sure this gets into the flesh as it will help to ensure the meat stays nice and moist during cooking.

Cover the chicken with the marinade, cover and place in the fridge overnight or for a few hours.

Cook in a hot oven at about 180 degrees for approx 35 minutes (depending on the size).