Banana and Berry Breakfast Muffins

I love making these with Bridget as they have all the fun of baking cakes, without some of the naughtier stuff and are a great breakfast alternative. 

They provide energy with their oaty goodness and the only sugars are from the honey, a drop of vanilla and the naturally occurring ones from the fruits. Adding in the chia seeds is like a little health boost for the children too - and they can't see them in the muffins so won't turn their nose up at them.

They are a great snack to pop into a lunchbox too and the below makes about 24 so these are perfect if you have a bunch of children round too and want a treat without oodles of sugar.

Banana and Berry Breakfast Muffins

Here's how:

• 200g plain flour
• 100g rolled oats
• 50g dessicated coconut
• 1 tsp bicarb
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 bananas
• 75g frozen mixed berries
• 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
• 85ml olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp honey

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a couple of muffin tins with cases.

Firstly weigh out all of the dry ingredients (four, oats, dessicated coconut, bicarb, chia seeds) into a large bowl, mix and set aside. 

Now in a smaller add the yoghurt, eggs, olive oil, vanilla and honey and combine well. It will be a bit of a miss-match at this stage, but make sure the egg yolks get broken up and this will be fine. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well until you have a thick cake batter.

Now peel the two bananas and mash well into a small bowl, then fold into the cake batter.

Add the frozen in berries in last and mix to evenly distribute.

Place 1 large tablespoon of cake batter into each muffin case.

Place into the oven and allow to bake for 25 minutes, or until they are well risen, and the topping is a beautiful golden brown. Enjoy!

Weaning Mashed Banana and Oat All-In-One Pancakes

These are a super quick pancake, filled with slow release energy from porridge oats and banana. Perfect for a baby led weaning breakfast, brunch or even lunch - they are super easy to hold and go down a treat with both my 7-month old and my (nearly) 3 year old. Finger foods never seem to go out of fashion the older my daughter Bridget gets. 

I adopt the 'all-in-one' method to most of the ingredients using a 'half a cup' measuring utensil so you get a perfectly close texture each time. They are a 'heavy' and filling pancake so don't dissolve in baby's hand either.

One banana mashed into the batter works well but you could just as easily use blueberries or strawberries. 

The below makes enough for two little ones plus a parent-sized portion, or you can wrap up and pop in the fridge for the following morning.

Weaning Mashed Banana and Oat All-in-One Pancakes

Here's how:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup full fat milk
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup porridge oats
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 banana 
• Little drizzle vegetable oil

Add a little drizzle of vegetable oil into a pan and place on a low heat. 

Into a mixing bowl, crack two large eggs, and add the 1/2 cup full of flour, oats and milk. Stir well with a fork until you gave a thick batter. 

Now drop in the banana and mash into the batter with the vanilla and stir well. 

Use a tablespoon to drop in several spoonfuls of the batter into the now hot-pan, ensuring they are spaced out enough not to combine in the pan. 

Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip, they should be golden brown, and cook for the same time on the other side. 

Serve with some fruit fingers. Enjoy!

Here are a few other pancake and other breakfast-bite recipes/ideas that are great for the weaning stage:

• Berry Yoghurt Pancakes
• Salmon and Dill Potato Pancakes
• Eggy Bread
• Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins
• St Dalfour Porridge Fingers
• Courgette and Corn Pancakes
• Yoghurt and Banana

Baby Bites: Weaning Breakfast Yoghurt and Banana

At six months old, Beatrice is well under way with weaning and like her big sister Bridget, she enjoys pretty much everything, she's a hungry baby and has been super content since the journey with solid food began.

For breakfast, we started out with the Aptamil Baby Porridge, and I do still give this a couple of days a week, but I like to offer variety and this yoghurt breakfast has been going down really well the past week, so I thought I'd share it.

Weaning Breakfast Yoghurt and Banana

 



A spoonful of Greek Natural Yoghurt, with a 2-3cm piece of banana, mashed with a fork, and then all mixed in together. It's a lovely, healthy breakfast, and one that my toddler loves too - her version is slightly more grown up with chopped banana, strawberries and blueberries and a drizzle of honey. I'm sure it won't be long until Beatrice enjoys the blueberries and strawberries as finger foods, but please remember honey is off limits for baby's under 12 months.

Natural Yoghurt with Mashed Banana



I still only allow Bridget to have Greek Natural Yoghurt as it only has the natural sugars inside - all the yoghurts aimed at children seem to have a shocking amount of added sugars and nasties - even the Yeo Valley Little Yeo's range, have a shocking amount of sugar per pot - it works out to almost 10% so just be cautious of these 'healthy' ranges aimed direct at your little ones. Enjoy!

Beatrice enjoying her yoghurt and banana

Energy Fix Nutriblast

This is my go-to smoothie or Nutriblast when I need an injection of get-up-and-go - such as this morning!

The slow release energy from the banana and oats helps keep my stomach to feel fuller for longer and the caffeine and raw cacoa give a much needed caffeine boost for that energiser effect. The spinach is packed full of goodness, such as iron which is so important to keep your energy levels up and is also a great source of Vitamin A, B, C and K, manganese and magnesium and vitamin B13 and folic acid (especially important during pregnancy). The pear acts as a great -high-fibre but low calorie fruit to bulk the juice up and add a lovely sweetness whilst providing a great source of vitamin C too.

Here's how:

• 1 small banana (Fun size or children's ones)
• 1 small pear (Fun size)
• 60g spinach
• 25g porridge oats
• 1 tsp raw cacao
• 1 tsp instant coffee (I use Nescafe Azeera)
• 10g sunflower seeds
• 120ml water

Peel the banana and core the pear then add all the ingredients to your blender or Nutribullet. Blast for 20 seconds, check if everything is blitzed, if not blast again for another 20 seconds. Enjoy!

Sunshine Bright Smoothie

There is something rather fabulous about brightly hued smoothies first thing in the morning and this Sunshine Bright Smoothie just reminds me of more tropical climes - I think it's the combination of the banana and mango. The porridge oats help keep hunger at bay for a few hours too. It's a winner.

This smoothie contains 367 calories if you stick to the measurements below. 

Sunshine Bright Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 80g fresh mango
• 50g cucumber
• 10g sunflower seeds
• Handful mint leaves
• 25g porridge oats

Peel the banana and mango and throw into the Nutribullet or blender with the cucumber, sunflower seeds, porridge oats and mint leaves and blitz for 20 seconds. Enjoy!

Banana Mocha Smoothie

This is my favourite smoothie or Nutriblast by far for pre-workout, or if you know you have a hectic morning planned. The caffeine from the raw cacao and coffee granules gives you a real energy boost and the porridge oats and banana act to give slow-release energy which will keep you fuller for longer.

Not to mention this smoothie looks, tastes and feels (consistency-wise) like an indulgent milkshake but is simply 281 calories.

• 1 medium banana
• 1 tsp coffee granules or powder (I use Nescafe Azera Americano)
• 1 tsp raw cacao powder
• 10g sunflower seeds
• 10g Porridge Oats
• 1 tbsp 0% fat natural yoghurt (I use Yeo Valley)
• 100-150ml water

Peel the banana and add to the Nutribullet or blender with all of the other ingredients. Blitz for 20 seconds. Enjoy!

Berry Blast Smoothie

Here’s another smoothie or Nutriblast (juice) idea. This one isn’t vegetable based and does use a ton of berries, so mix it up on other days. Berries are full of antioxidants and since I’ve been enjoying a combination of smoothies, I’ve really noticed my skin is brighter and feels nicer, so hopefully it’s refreshing my insides too.

This one is 372 calories and is enriched with Goji berries and sunflower seeds. Using just 1 tbsp of 0% fat natural yoghurt helps to give a creamy consistency too which makes it taste absolutely delicious. The banana gives you slow-release energy so this helps keep you full up for a few hours too.

Berry Blast Smoothie

• 100g mixed berries (I use frozen but you can use a combination of your favourites)
• 1 banana
• 1 kiwi
• 1 tbsp goji berries
• 1 tsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp 0% fat natural yoghurt (I use Yeo Valley)

Peel the banana and add to the Nutribullet or blender, then add all of the other ingredients and 100-150ml water. Blitz for 20 seconds – enjoy!