Sugar-free savoury muffins

This recipe is a firm favourite in our family, with the added bonus of being sugar free.
They are so quick and easy to make, and once you've mastered them, it's easy to mix the flavours to your own preferences. Adding sun-dried tomatoes is nice.
The recipe uses regular flour, but I often use wholemeal instead, as it's healthy and the muffins are more filling, making them go further.

Eat the muffins on the day they are baked, or the day after, and keep in the fridge.
You can make extras and freeze as soon as they are cooled. They reheat really well in the microwave, or defrost in the fridge.

Spinach and Fetta Muffins
Makes 12-18, depending on size of muffin pan


1 egg
3/4 cup water
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
100g fetta cheese, crumbled
1 cup finely shredded baby spinach leaves
2/3 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese - optional


Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease a non-stick muffin pan
Mix together all ingredients except the parmesan, until just combined.
Spoon into prepared muffin pan.
Sprinkle with parmesan - optional.
Bake 15-18 minutes.

Autumn craft

Today was playgroup day. We're coming towards the end of autumn and there are beautiful leaves on trees everywhere at the moment.

In celebration, we decided to create our own autumn trees.

The fun began yesterday, as we went out in the cold to collect our leaves. My three year old boy absolutely loved this activity. He was so proud to be helping to get ready for playgroup and was careful to select leaves that were dry and colours that he liked.

Toddlers being toddlers, it was important to make sure that the glue or paste we used was non-toxic, as you just have to expect that SOMEONE will taste some...

I used the recipe below. It made more than enough for a dozen eager toddlers who used MUCH more than required!


General purpose paste
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp vinegar


Mix flour and sugar in saucepan. 
Add half the water and stir to smooth paste.
Add rest of water and vinegar and stir until smooth.
Stir over medium heat until the paste thickens.
Cool.


Paste can be kept sealed in refrigerator for up to 6 months.


Once at playgroup, the pasting fun began. The kids all enjoyed sticking their leaves onto the tree pictures on the paper. Such a fun way to celebrate autumn. Here's a finished product.

Slow Cooker

I realise I'm probably a little behind the times, but I've just purchased my first slow cooker and I'm loving it!
Even just thinking about the possibilities has me excited, and my mouth watering.

But it's not the food itself that has got me feeling so good - it's  knowing that I no longer have to deal with the crazy rush of preparing dinner at that time of the day that we all know is the worst for toddlers and young children - the hours from 4-6pm.

If you're a parent, you know what I'm talking about!

The simplicity of being able to load the slow cooker in the morning, and then just dish it out at dinner time is divine. And if kids and parents need to eat at different times, we can still have the same meal, just kept on warm.

Ahhhh.