Om Om, yummy apple spice loaf review

Thanks so much to Shanna from Auckland for submitting this review about our Apple Spice Loaf that I posted recently...

P.S. I forgot to say I also tried out the apple spice loaf recipe from your blog the other day and it was a hit! My 5 year old loved it in his lunch box, he said he 'ommed' it up. Om om.

What a fabulous lunchbox idea! Thanks for sharing :)

You can check out our Apple Spice loaf recipe here. It is so easy to mix together and it makes your whole house smell like Christmas any day of the year.

We Want You!

Well, my baby Isobel is 1 now, and has graduated from her healthy start in life with 100% homemade baby food. She is a bonafide toddler now, toddling around and eating what the rest of us are eating....yay! But it's all gone so quickly and I will miss this stage of her little life. Baby food is so important and the food you serve at this time helps to shape their future health and their eating habits for their whole lifetime.

To continue to show parents just how simple and easy making homemade baby food is using the Solids Starter Kit, we need a couple more babies! We are looking for:
1 Mum with a bub starting solids (or recently started) who is making purees regularly with her SSK, and;
1 Mum with a 9m+ old bub who is still using her SSK to make mealtimes a breeze by freezing meal portions, finger food and adapting family meals, etc.

Ideally, our Mums will submit a recipe along with a photo of their creation in the trays once a week for 2 months showing their passion for healthy, homemade baby food using the Solids Starter Kit. Generally sharing your experience of making baby food so we can follow your baby's progress through the solids stages. Bullet points are fine, you don't have to be a storywriter :)

Is this you or someone you know? We are looking forward to hearing from you! Please introduce yourself at our contact page and we will be in touch.
http://www.mumiandbubi.co.nz/contact.htm

Isobel's new socks!

I usually don't go all gaga over super-cool baby clothes. I love when things are well made and last a long time, that gets my attention.

But I can't stop talking about these totally adorable, fabulous quality Lamington merino baby knee socks! Isobel loves wearing them as they are super-comfy and toasty warm. Even Gavin thinks they are too cute.

Lamington will also be at Mary's Market this Saturday, along with Made4Baby, Snooky and of course mumi&bubi.

Apple Spice Loaf

Simple to make, perfect for morning tea or coffee group and your whole house smells like Christmas!

When I saw Pacific Rose apples at the Takapuna Market last Sunday for 80 cents a kilo, I knew I was going to make this Apple Spice Loaf.

This is one that your whole family can enjoy. And, if your baby has started on finger food, this makes a nice treat for them.

Isobel can make a slice of this apple spice loaf disappear in the blink of an eye - and not down the back of her high chair if you know what I mean. It is one of the only things that makes her happy when a molar is coming in! And cuddles, of course :)

Recipe for Apple Spice Loaf:
Whisk together: 1 cup soft brown sugar, 3/4 cup soya or canola oil, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 eggs.
Mix in 2 cups grated apple.
Add: 1and3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 tsp salt.
Pour into prepared loaf tin and bake at 180C for 45-55 mins until golden and firm in the middle and the sides are pulling away from the tin. Cool in tin for 15 mins then turn out onto wire rack. Cool before slicing, if you can wait that long :)

Recipe Notes:
*Can also substitute apple for same amount of grated courgettes (2 med) or pureed pumpkin.
*2 cups grated apple is about 2 med-large apples. The more the better I say. I used organic and grated in the food processor with the skins right on - yay, no peeling!
*when baking this recipe with apple, go more for the 45 min rather than 55min to keep it nice and moist.

I have made this 3x in the past 2 weeks: once with courgettes and twice with apple. They are both delish! If making baby food and pureeing pumpkin, make extra and try this with the pumpkin ~ and let me know how it turns out!

Enjoy!

Heidi Klum's homemade baby food

Supermodel Heidi Klum doesn’t give her four kids a choice about what’s for dinner, she says.

'I don't make special things for them,' she said. 'They eat whatever is cooked and if they don’t like it, the kitchen is closed!'

For the baby, the 37-year-old uses a mini-blender to turn whatever she and her husband Seal are enjoying into a quick puree.

'When the baby has baby food I usually give them exactly what we eat ... I don't make special baby food, so I love that,' the Project Runaway host told UsMagazine.com.

What are some favourite menu items in their household? 'They love spaghetti and meatballs, chicken soup, schnitzel and kale,' the German native said. 'They love everything! They eat healthy.'

from monstersandcritics.com

note from Christina:
I love Heidi, have been a big fan ever since I saw her so long ago in the Victoria's Secret catalog. She is such a positive role-model for all of us Mums and our girls. She has proven that with hard work and sheer determination you can accomplish your goals and be successful. But most importantly, she has proven time and time again that nice girls can finish first.

No more bottled water, please

Did you know....1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water worldwide, while others who have clean water spend billions of dollars on bottled product that costs up to 2000x the price of tap water!

Check out this neat video and please feel free to leave your comments.

The Story of Stuff ~ Bottled Water

Pumpkin powers up immunity

Want an instant, proven immunity boost? Want to keep colds and flu at bay in your household this winter? Power up the pumpkin!

The vibrant orange colour of pumpkin is your clue that it is full of beta carotene, an important antioxidant that keep your baby's skin bright and eyesight sharp. Pumpkin is very rich in other carotenoids which are known for keeping the immune system strong.

Click here for pumpkin puree recipe.

Chicken and pumpkin quesadillas make a super-tasty meal out of your leftover chicken roast and are really easy to whip up. You can slice them into finger food for 9-12 month old babies or larger slices for the whole family.

Solids Starter Kit

Single-serve food & beverage packaging is harming our planet. Go green simply by making your own baby food.

The mumi&bubi 'Solids Starter Kit' makes healthy, homemade baby food easy for your modern family.

Freeze & store up to 42 cubes at once in our unique premium freezing trays which are specially designed to stack compactly in your freezer.

Wholesale inquiries welcome.

Get your Solids Starter Kit today at www.mumiandbubi.co.nz