FISH WITH CREAMY SPINACH AND SPRING ONION SAUCE  

1 packet of either cod or haddock fish fillets washed

salt/pepper to taste

1 tbsp butter 

2 tbsp olive oil

3 blocks of frozen spinach or a hand full of fresh chopped (I used frozen today)

7 fl oz of single cream

1 bunch spring onions chopped small

In a frying pan drizzle olive oil and add fish, sprinkle salt and pepper and cook. Meanwhile in a pot melt butter, add onions and lightly soften, add spinach, once frozen spinach has melted add some salt and pepper to taste then the single cream and stir until sauce begins to boil. Once fish is cooked place on dish and pour some of the sauce over it and serve, additional sauce can be used as a pour on sauce. serve with boiled potato's seasoned and veggies.

Both my kid's who hardly eat spinach really enjoyed it today so give it a try with your kids.

Lamb Dhansak

100g red lentils
250g carrots cut the chunks
2 onion sliced
1 tin chopped tomato
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dhanya powder
2 tsp cardamon seeds
2 tsp garam masala
3 red chilli's sliced
2 tsp crushed ginger
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 lb lamb cubes
coriander to garnish

Add all of the above (except for the lamb, garlic, chilli and ginger) to a pot and add water just enough that it covers the ingredients and simmer for about 25-30 min. In a separate add 2 tbsp of oil, add the rest of the ingredients and cook until meat is nearly cooked then add this to the lentils and cook until the meat is fully cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Sandwich Pocket's

This is a quick lunch box treat.

Pitta naan

potato's boiled and smashed about 1 or 2

sweetcorn

cheese 

salt and pepper to taste

red/green pepper

Basically the above ingredients are just rough estimates which you should be able to judge yourself.

To the smash add all the ingredients and combine well then cut the pitta in half so you have two pockets, open the cut part and spoon the filling in and in a non stick frying pan brush both sides with some oil using a pastry brush or you can use your fingers and pan fry them slightly just sot he cheese melts. These can be eaten hot or cold so lunch times can be fun. Plus be creative and add any type of filling you like after all there are five day's in a week and thinking of what to give for each day can be a nightmare.

Some more of my cake pictures

Should children help us in the kitchen?????

As a Montessori teacher I often get asked 'how can we help our child at home with Numeracy and Literacy?' and often my answer would be 'let them help you in the kitchen/home' the respond is 'you are kidding, what MESS, who will clean it up?........'. 

when a child enters nursery (a Montessori nursery) the first skills introduced will be the 'Practical Life Skills' these skills are the link to home and nursery. So what is Practical Life skills? well basically it is any type is physical activities which will help a child develop their motor skills, cognitive development, self confidence, personality and most important independence. And yes we mum's would love our children to be independent. 

So how can we help our child develop these skills?

Let them free in your home, let them be part of the family, by this I mean let them help Daddy with what he maybe doing eg: cleaning the garage, help Mummy pick up the toys. Don't let them be  in front of the TV, Computer or play games on play station as this is an easy option for most mother's especially working Mum's as they are tired and need to get dinner ready and having your child in the kitchen will only make things worse. Am I right? I'm sure most of you will say yes, don't worry even I have done that in the past when time is of an essence. 

Learning through play is the best way a child can learn, if it's fun, colourful and creative then a child will learn. You must remember children are smarter then you think, they learn through WATCHING, hey doesn't this ring a bell?.... in the play ground most if not all boy's play fight and where do you think they have learnt that from?....does the TV sound familiar? so I think you know what I mean but in this case we want them to watch us, yes us folding the clothes, picking up the toys, sweeping the floor and hey the list can just go on and on and on.....

So going back to my question. invite your child to help you as well as in the home but in the kitchen also, how? let them count the potato's, set the table, wash the spoons, fold the towels. take it one step further and let them help you cook, make cake's, smash the potato's, grate the cheese....and so on, don't worry about the mess they can help you clean it up this will teach them what mess they make they clean up. This is how we teach them at school so why can't it work at home?.

It is these skill's which will enable your child to become more independent and learning them becomes fun because you add in the numeracy of counting, measuring,sorting etc and the language will become more effective 'add the egg's then the flour' 'can you pass me the dustpan and brush please....thank you'. think of the child being introduced to manners and etiquette, if you speak to your child in a soft tone and polite manner then that is what they will pick up and speak to you in that same manner. And most important of all think of the bond you will build between you and your child. Ask yourself 'do they need the TV if they have you?'.

To follow soon:

Example's of activities which  you can do with your child

Pictures of practical life activities

If you have found this post interesting then please post a comment so I can post more articles like this in the future. Hope it helps.

Take care 

Aysha Daud

 

CHICKEN SHAMI KEBABS

This is just such an easy and quick recipe and it's great for kid's lunch boxes, try for yourself!!

1 lb lamb mince but you can use chicken if you wish

1 chopped onion

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp crushed ginger

1 tsp dhanya powder

a hand full of chopped coriander leaves

a few chopped green chilli's depending on how hot you like it

2 tbsp yogurt

salt/pepper to taste

Now this is the easy part combine all the above and leave in the fridge to marinate for a few hours or even over night is fine. Then shape then into balls and slightly flatten them and fry using 1/4 cup oil in a frying pan so you are shallow frying instead of deep frying. serve with naan and mint sauce.

For kid's make them into sandwiches or put them in pocket naan's with some mayonnaise.

  

OKRA WITH POTATO

1 pack frozen okra (bhindi)

2 med potato's peeled and cut into small cubes

1/4 cup oil

salt to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp dhanya powder or curry powder

3 green chilli's whole

1 tbsp whole cumin

Heat oil and add the cumin seeds, when you see them surface to the top add all of the above except for the potato's. toss and cook the okra until you see the stickiness from the okra disappear, add potato's and cover with a lid until potato's are cooked, then leave the lid off and let the okra and potato's become crispy tossing occasionally. garnish with coriander leaves and eat with naan.

COCONUT CHICKEN

I Whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or use boneless 

2 tbsp butter

2 med onion's

4 cloves of garlic (keep whole)

2 green chilli's cut into chunks

1 cardamom

2 cloves

a few black peppercorns

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

1 large fresh tomato chopped

1 tin coconut milk

This is so easy, ready? all you have to do is put everything into a pot except for the coconut milk and cook, once chicken is tender add milt and simmer for 5 min then serve with rice.

CHICKEN VINDALOO

1 lb chicken or lamb (boneless cut into cubes)

3 tbsp vinegar

1 chopped onion

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp crushed garlic

2 tsp crushed ginger

1 tsp hot chilli powder (can used very hot if you like)

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp sugar

salt and black pepper to taste

1 tin crushed tomato's

3 tbsp oil

marinate the chicken in the above ingredients except for the tomato's, onion and oil for about an hour.

in a pan hear oil and add onions when slightly brown add the chicken and cook for a few min then add the tomato's and cook until chicken is well cooked. garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

My Decorating Club

During the holiday's I held two cupcake decorating classes and alhamdulillah they went really well, here are some pictures of what my students made, they were aged between 6-10 years.

Why not join us next time!!!