Toddler Tasting Plate

I must admit, i feel very blessed to have a toddler who will eat just about anything we put in front of him. Unfortunately he is a little like his mother and has a short attention span which results in him getting bored with a meal after a couple of mouthfuls. Seperating the components of a meal will only get me so far so i came across the idea of a tasting plate and oh boy was it a hit!

Back when H first started solids we bought some of these awesome freezer trays to freeze up his meals in neat little portions and because they came with a lid i never had to worry about freezer burn. Anyway, they are also the perfect way to serve up a toddler tasting plate but you could just as easily use a muffin tin or ice cube tray.

In the morning i just get assemble the tray and it is good to go for him all day. It comes out at morning and afternoon tea time and gives him a good variety of healthy snacks to nibble on which makes me worry a little less if he isnt keen on eating more than a bite or two at lunch time.


Here is the one we did for Easter. I included great little animal picks to make it fun.

Imagination really is the limit to what you can put in each little compartment, just make it small enough that little hands dont have to fiddle, but big enough not to be a choking hazard (you know your child and what they can cope with best). You can keep it simple or go the whole hog of cutting food into shapes and decorating. I do a little of both, depending on my mood and the craziness of the day.

Some suggestions:

• Capsicum
• Chickpeas
• Banana Bread
• Broccoli (steamed or raw)
• Cheese Cubes
• Carrots (steamed)
• Dip (hommus, cream cheese, sweet chilli, chutney, tzasiki, corn relish etc)
• Peas
• Green beans
• Chopped fruit
• Beans (canned)
• Diced meatloaf
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sultanas
• Cooked pasta
• Diced avocado
• Blueberries
• Corn
• Meatballs
• Baked beans
• Sweet Potato Chips
• Mini pancakes

The list could go on forever, but hopefully gives you a few ideas to get you started.

Have fun coming up with your plates. I would love to hear how they go.

I can paint that!

I have a new obsession that is taking over! I have always found nail art to be very impressive, albeit not really my cup of tea, because lets face it, I barely have time to cut my nails let alone painstakingly decorate them. That is until i came across Crackle by Sally Hansen. This stuff is awesome!

A few of the colours in the Crackle range

I sit at the computer a for several hours a day and I tell you what, it is great to be able to look down at my hands and smile at how spunky they look. Not to mention buying myself a good 5 minutes of peace and quiet in the supermarket while H checked them out and played with my fingers :-)

Crackle comes in a great range of colours and I am a little ashamed to admit that in a moment of obsession I bought most of them the other day. Black Ink would have to be my favourite though, it looks fab over a yellow or pale pink base coat, I have a mint green base at the moment at it is pretty spesh.

Xtreme Wear in Mint Sorbet and Crackle in Black Ink

My favourite thing about this new nail art craze is how simple it is. Just put on your base colour and leave until completely dry then add a thick or thin (depending on the look you want, just play around to see what you like) coat of the crackle and watch it work its magic. Within a minute or so you are sufficiently cracked and ready for a quick top coat.

The result

Wha La! Pretty simple hey!

Sally Hansen Crackle is on special at the moment at Priceline so is about the $6-$7 mark which isnt bad. If you want an eye catching manicure without the hard work its definitely worth a try.

Until next time...

*all opinions in this blog are my own. I paid for the products myself and am not representing Sally Hansen products in any way. I'm just a fan :-)

Sick Days are a challenge

Having a sick 1 year old is tough, being sick with a 1 year old is tough, having both at the same time, well... you get the picture.
H has been fighting a viral infection for the last couple of days and has been absolutely miserable, i feel so sorry for the little man, nothing seems to be making him happy at the moment, except breastfeeding that is, which he has decided to start doing every 3-4 hours again, its seriously like having a newborn all over again! I am blessed enough to be able to work from home as a freelance PA, and even more so that my current employer is awesomely understanding when it comes to sick kids, being a mum herself. The downside of this is though, if i dont work, i dont get paid, so despite feeling awful and very much like a lactation machine at the moment, work must go on if we want to pay the bills.
Its days like today that the slow cooker becomes a lifesaver! Chuck in some drumbsticks, apricot nectar, onion and soup mix, turn it on and leave it for the day, then come dinner time, yummy apricot chicken that i serve with potato mash (the frozen stuff from woolies/aldi is awesome!)
These are also the days when the trackies come out, the phone is taken off the hook and the DVD gets turned on if H is particularly grizzly in the afternoon. Granted it only usually entertains him for 15 mins, but it really is incredible how much you can achieve in 15 mins if you put your mind to it and know its all you have. So that is my tip of the day and my challenge for the week. Set the timer and do something, with gusto for 15 mins, clean, exercise, declutter, garden, cook or reorganise.
Would love to hear how you go...
As for me, H has just gone to sleep and i think i have earned a hot chocolate and a cuddle on the couch with my hubby!
Until next time...

For my little man

Before i start blogging about my life in the days ahead let me start with this quote.

That pretty much sums up how much i love my little man H.
I am always on the lookout for great quotes that make my heart sing. Pinterest, i must admit has done nothing to help me stop with this small addiction! More on my Pinterest in the days to come.
Hope you like this one...