Dairy free, egg free Chocolate fudge birthday cake with marshmallow frosting

 Seven months ago if you'd asked me for a dairy free, egg free chocolate cake I'd have looked at you like you were asking for the moon on a stick. And here's todays post - dairy free, egg free chocolate cake. Oh the learning curve we're on. It's a good one too - densely chocolatey, with a fudgey consistency that's not too ooey gooey (technical term), topped with sweet, creamy marshmallow frosting and hundreds and thousands of hundreds and thousands. What more could any husband want.

However, I do feel that this post should come with a caveat. With a letter from my Mum. It's not proper baking. Not the way I do it. Please meet - the boxed cake mix...


Oh Betty Crocker, you don't know how much I wanted this not to work. But it did. And beautifully. And you know what - as much as a year ago, I'd have (silently) judged a blog post purely about cake mix - I get it now. I've always believed in inclusivity - for years my Guides had soya milk in their cakes, bakes and scrambled eggs because we had a girl with lactose intolerance. Similarly we are a completely nut free unit as I have three with nut allergies. I've never made anyone's additional needs the crux of who they are - just ensured they're included in everything by making appropriate adjustments that ensure they don't stand out. And for us these cake mixes do just that.

So, here's my 'recipe' for Chocolate fudge birthday cake with marshmallow frosting 
(serves 16)


1 box Betty Crocker Devil's food cake mix
1 can/ 300ml(ish) Cherry coke

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees
Grease and line 2, 8 inch sandwich tins

Empty the cake mix into a big mixing bowl, and pour in the coke. Using electric beaters or a hand whisk, mix until smooth (three minutes using my electric beaters)
Split the batter between the tins and bake in the preheated oven for 28 minutes

Remove from oven, allow to cool in the tins and then turn out onto a wire rack. These are really light cakes so do be careful or the layers will tear.

Marshmallow frosting

200g marshmallows - check the packet to make sure they're dairy free. Ours were from Sainsburys
3-4 tablespoons of rasperry jam - seived so there's no pips (or use a seedless one)
4 tablespoons of almond milk

Tip all three ingredients in a pan, and pop over a low heat. Stir constantly as the marshmallows melt until you have a smooth mixture.
Remove from heat and allow to cool, stirring occaisionlly.
When cold, spoon about a third in between the cake layers, and pour the rest over the top of the cake - this isn't a frosting you want to be epically tidy - part of the gloriousness is that it's quite casual.
Top with hundreds and thousands of hundreds and thousands.

Enjoy your dairy free, egg free birthday cake.

Up on Friday - an Apple and sweet mixed spice 'Wacky cake' - also dairy free and egg free

Dairy free puddings for a CMPA baby - rice pudding recipe

I've previously written a post on breakfast ideas for a CMPA baby - but lately our head scratcher has been puddings.

We mainly give Harry fruit for pudding - it's naturally dairy free, because I'm doing Slimming World we always have lots in and he is happy with it. However, because of our tricky start with weight gain owing to the undiagnosed CMPA fruit isn't great in terms of calorie density. Over the past 6 months I've experimented with the following:

• Refined sugar free banana muffins - I thought they were too dry, Harry loved them
• lots of coconut yoghurts - as per this post Coyo has been our favourite, but the poor love seems to have been coconut yoghurted out! 
• The occaisional rusk - I know they're full of sugar, but they're dairy free, portable and before Harry's teeth came through (oddly since the top 2 came in he's lost interest in them) he loved that he could suck them
• Fresh fruit - chopped up grapes, bananas (slightly constipating), dried prunes soaked in apple juice or water, blueberries, kiwi fruit, apple and pear slices have all been favourites. 
• Stewed fruit - prune, apple and pear is his absolute favourite - I've stirred this into yoghurt lots for him. I don't add sugar to this.
• Homemade wholemeal toast with almond butter and mashed banana

All of these can either be given as a loaded spoon, heaped onto the highchair tray to be eaten with fingers, or are already finger food.

Just lately a growth spurt and the onset of cruising and an odd, head-led crawl have meant that Harry's weight gain has slowed again. Keen to avoid the wrath of the Health visitor (a well known phenomenom in these parts) I thought we'd better up those calories so have been making individual portions of baked rice pudding.

We use Oatly creamy oat for rice puds - it has a mild taste and although the packet says it works like single cream, I've had no problems with it splitting.

Dairy free rice pudding (makes 4 baby-sized individual portions)

50g short grain or pudding rice
250ml carton of Oatly creamy oat (found in Waitrose or Holland & Barrett)
100ml almond milk (or whatever you use as a dairy free milk substitute. I have made this with nutramigen and whilst I thought it was disgusting Harry ate it quite happily)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Lots of grated nutmeg on top

You could add sugar, but I didn't as I prefer to not add sugar - if Harry had hated it I'd have made it again with about 10-15g but as it was, he was very happy with this

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees
Wash your rice until the water runs clear. I would never do this normally, but when I was asking around for recommendations everyone said to wash it!
Lightly oil (I used coconut) small individual pie pans - I use these ones from Lakeland 
In a jug, mix the rice, almond milk, Oatly and vanilla extract.
Separate the pudding between the four individual pans
Grate lots of nutmeg over the top - I have to say I went with my tastes on the nutmeg front and luckily Harry loved it- you might want to be a bit more cautious! 
Bake in the oven for half an hour, or until set with a bit of wobble

Allow to cool, tip out of the tin and either slice or break up as a baby led weaning pudding, or spoon feed if that's how you do things. I sometimes top it with some stewed fruit - but it does make a lot of mess! 

Next up on our pudding journey is going to be an attempt to recreate an amazing dairy free ice cream I had at a Lakeland summer event. I think I've found the recipe. I'm not sure I'll be sharing it with Harry though!

Cows milk protein allergy/ Dairy free cooking, baking and eating

As a new mum, learning to deal with Cow's Milk Protein Allergy has been a steep learning curve, so I thought I'd use today's post, to outline some of the products that have been useful to us over the last few months.

We've been weaning Harry for 5 months now, and have been dairy free for all of that time, and soya free for about 3 months. The difference in him is amazing. He doesn't wail, arching his back, or hold his breath because he's in so much pain with the reflux anymore. He doesn't projectile vomit every feed back up, and he's lost that slightly haunted, underweight look that made me so sad. To see him squeal and giggle, clap and stand up, and generally just be wonderful (not that I'm biased at all) really makes me not care about the chocolate, cheese, milk or anything else I can't have. He's doing brilliantly and that means that I'm coping fine.

However, for Harry and I, being dairy & soya free isn't without it's challenges. I actually don't find the day to day side of things too hard - it's the pressure of trying to be inventive - to balance making sure he's getting enough of the right kind of calories with interesting, tasty food - that I find a struggle. If I don't plan, I hit a 3pm wall as it were, when I bemoan all those quick and easy suppers that I've clearly filed away over the years that all contain dairy. So, I plan, I make sure I have the right kind of food in for him and me, and we get on with it.

Some babies do grow out of their CMPA - to be honest I'm not thinking about that because it'll be great if it happens, but I'm sticking with where we are.  I will stop breastfeeding at some point, but for now, what we're doing is working for us so I'm reluctant to make any changes.

So - onto some of our useful and not so useful products...

Almond milk - we use this for porridge, cereals, baking and pretty much for Harry anything except drinking. We haven't really broached weaning from breast milk yet - but I suspect we'll use Oat milk when the time comes. I really like the mild flavour of the almond milk, it categorically doesn't work in tea or coffee - but then I've not found a dairy substitute that does.

Coyo - Coconut milk yoghurt. This is lovely. There are vanilla, raw chocolate and plain flavours in our local Waitrose, and I pop in weekly to pick some up. Harry has his with chopped fruit normally, although I've used the plain one to make him a mild curry.

Wot No Dairy? - These yoghurt type puddings were suggested by our dietician and are not a hit. Made with pea protein, I don't know if it's the flavour Harry doesn't like (although I've tried them mixed in with banana which is his absolute favourite to no avail) but I found them oddly flavoured too.

Violife 'cheese' - we buy the mozzarella style slices as that's what our Holland and Barrett stocks, although apparently in bigger Tescos you can get it in grateable blocks too. I cannot stand the smell of this - as much as I miss cheese, I just can't do Violife. That said Harry loves it. If we're having a picnic lunch (I put out little bits and pieces of ham, cheese, veggies, rice cakes, houmous etc and we eat them off his splash mat on the floor) I swear he hones in on this and inhales it. It doesn't melt like dairy cheese does, but chopped up and popped in a warm pasta sauce it does soften nicely.

Oatly Creamy Oat - this is our hero product at the moment, used to make dairy free rice puddings, creamy pasta sauces, and in pretty much anything where I might have previously used butter/ cream or cheese. It has a really mild taste so for Harry is ideal. I need to get some more at the moment actually as we're out of our baked rice pudding.

Vitalite - I use this for baking as well as a spread. Having done some anecdotal research if you're using this for baking - watch your cakes! It cooks much quicker than butter, and I find cakes are more likely to catch so you have to be careful. We've also used the Pure spreads, but think Harry reacts to something in them, which he doesn't seem to do to the Vitalite.

We don't eat a lot of Free from type products, truth be told I find them expensive and because we're allergic to soya as well as dairy, many just aren't suitable. I also think (with a few notable exceptions) that I'd rather bake for Harry and I as that way I know what we're reacting to, rather than trying to work out from a massive list of ingredients. That said, I have a huge soft spot for the Sainsburys Free from chocolate chip cookies, and could easily eat them by the packet. All of that aside - this list from PETA of accidentally vegan snack food has been a bit of a go-to for me!

If you're dairy free for any reason then I hope this is useful for you, it's not easy so do hang on in there.

If you've got any questions or requests for help with meals do comment below and let me know. I've had some requests for lunch inspirations, much like my breakfast suggestions post so I'm working on that at that moment and of course I'll continue to blog anything we happen across that makes our lives easier.

Weaning update #5 - A development in the world of porridge fingers

It's happened that my post on Porridge fingers is one of the most popular of late. It ticks over daily and is hopefully helping lots of other Mums and Dads with inspiration for breakfast.

Harry doesn't just have porridge for breakfast, but it is one of his favourites. However, he doesn't like to be (read refuses) spoon fed, so I tend to stick to said porridge fingers. I do have a consistency issue with them, I'm not sure if it's just me, but sometimes they set rock hard, others they're still squishy. Harry's not bothered - even when they're solid he happily rubs them on his gums and I try to suppress a flap and go to make some toast! Truth be told, I'm a bit funny about Harry's allergy - I'd rather go without and eat the same as him, so I've been making us both baked porridge for the last week or so as it sets nicely and can be sliced into fingers for him, while I happily eat (probably too much of) it.

Baked porridge

Half mug of porridge oats
1 Mug of almond/ oat milk (this is a recipe suitable for a CMPI and soya free, obviously use hwatever milk you can tolerate)
1 pear grated
Handful of sultanas
1/2 tsp ground ginger

The night before mix up the porridge oats, milk, grated pear, ginger and sultanas in an ovenware or pyrex type dish (basically it needs to go in the oven and not crack)

In the morning check your mix, you want it to be wet, but not lots of extra milk sloshing around in the dish.  Add more if you think it's a bit dry. 

Preheat the oven to about 180 degrees C, and pop the porridge in for 15-20 minutes. You want all the milk to be absorbed and the top to be light golden.

Serve, sliced into fingers for the baby - or in a bowl for a grown up. Non dairy and soya allergic people can add some milk, yoghurt etc...

Variations:

• Apple and cinammon
• Dates/ chopped figs instead of sultanas
• Nuts if you're not feeding a baby
• Spoonful of peanut butter and mashed/ sliced bananas
• If it's not sweet enough you could add sugar/ honey/ maple syrup or golden syrup. I think demerera sugar would be brilliant sprinkled on top before you bake it. Again, not idea if you're using it as a weaning recipe 
• Berries would be fantastic - I'm just waiting for them to come into season (and get cheaper) so I can make this with rasperries and blueberries. 

Weaning breakfasts for a CMPI baby - pancakes, porridge fingers and frittatas

That's a bit of a mouthful for a post title, but to coin a phrase, it does what it says on the tin. I've been asked a few times lately what I give Harry for breakfasts given his allergies (dairy and soya). These are our go-to baby led weaning breakfasts at the moment, so I thought I'd do a summary post as a kind of touch point for anyone looking for inspiration generally or for CMPI babies specifically.

Harry is still breastfed, but following an appointment with the paediatrician where he commented on how run down and exhausted I looked, it was suggested that I give myself a break and instead of expressing every day, supplement with nutramigen. Anyone who knows me will know that I railed against mixed feeding in hospital - I really wanted to exclusively breastfeed, but after 6 months something had to give and supplementing with one bottle a night, and using formula for Harry's food hasn't been the end of the world. I'm still a bit sad and wish things were different, but he's doing really well and that's what's important. Not what I want, what's best for him.

I am now completely dairy and soya free, and the formula we're using is Nutramigen which we get on prescription. Harry is still sick on the formula, but nothing like he was before I was dairy free and he's rarely sick on breastmilk now.

Anyway, onto meals. Breakfasts are my favourite meal to do for Harry. I tend to stick with porridge and fruit for my breakfast so it's nice to be a bit creative with his. We rotate his options as I try to keep things interesting for him. Yes, I know I'm probably overthinking this.

Easy breakfasts: 

• Toast (read the ingredients) with Pure spread
• Fruit bread (read the ingredients) with Pure spread
• Ready brek made up with Nutramigen and half a small banana mashed in

 Cooked breakfasts:

• Porridge fingers - I've already posted the recipe I use for these. Harry loves them. Loves feeding himself with them and seems to really enjoy the variations. I've done sultanas, blueberries, just banana, and spiced them with cinammon, sweet mixed spice, or a little nutmeg. Again, we're using Nutramigen for these.
• Pancakes - I've posted the recipe I use for these on Instagram but see below for the details
• Frittatas - these are completely dairy free, and I pop in whatever we have in the fridge, so little bits of chopped ham (obviously watch salt intake if you're using ham), or cooked mushrooms are Harry's favourites. If I had some peppers I'd lightly fry those too. Recipe to follow in the next post. I'll add the link here.

 Fruity additions:

•  Half a banana - I think that Harry's not always keen on the taste of banana, but likes holding it and chomping on it.
• Pear slices - with pear I make sure it's nice and ripe, and I leave the skin on so he can hold it as Harry doesn't eat the skin, just sort of sucks the pear away from it
• Apple slices - I tend to eat Granny Smiths, or if I can find them at this time of year, Russets - Harry likes both of these, but likes to suck and chomp on Granny Smiths when his teeth are hurting him.
• Lightly stewed mixes of any of the above, but left lumpy so he can feed himself if I pre-load the spoon.  If I'm stewing the fruit I tend to do so in a little water and add some chopped prunes as apples especially can be quite tart and as I know that Harry has a sensitive tummy I don't want to aggravate it. He loves anything with prunes in!

Baby breakfast pancakes

I make a batch of these (around 11 from this much mix) at a time and freeze them, separated by squares of greaseproof paper so that I can grab one in the morning and pop it in the microwave to defrost while I drink my coffee and Harry and I have a little play.

For this recipe you will need: 

1 mug - any mug will do, but you need to use the same one
Frying pan - I use a non-stick one
Spatula
Whisk/ beaters/ stick blender

1 mug self raising flour
1 mug oat/ almond milk or your babies formula/ breastmilk
1 apple or pear grated
1 egg

In a big bowl, add the flour, milk, grated fruit and egg
Whisk together until bubbly
Put your non stick pan on the heat (I spray with fry light to get it started) and when warm add 2 tablespoons or so of mixture. I can fit three pancakes of this size in my pan
Cook until the top is bubbly, then use your spatula to flip them over, and again cook until bubbly.
I often cook each side again for a minute or so to make sure they're cooked through

Variations - we've added blueberries, slices of banana, and sultanas all with success.

Meal Planning Monday - late again!

I swear - first week of January and everyone else is all motivated and organised and I'm there flapping behind, trailing in a sleep deprived, teething baby haze of Calpol, concealer and coffee. But I'm here now. And almost organised. Ish.

Meal planning for the week actually happened at the end of last week as I did our online shop for Friday. It's been quite interesting planning as I've started doing Slimming World (I know it's a bit of a new mum, new year cliche but my default weightloss position of run isn't possible because of my hips) and combining that with being dairy free for Harry is a bit of a challenge. I suspect this first week won't be entirely successful as I'm struggling with balancing being dairy free, not eating artificial sweeteners, breastfeeding, Health Extra A's and also a lot of the things that seasoned slimmers rely on like low fat yoghurts are off the table for me. Overall I've been quite hungry and conscious that I'm probably not quite meeting the mark, but am hoping my food diary and notebook will help with that come Monday.

That said Harry's reflux is so much better and his weight gain (oh the irony) is off the charts with me off dairy (and soya) that even if it means that Slimming World isn't for me it's still worth it.

The weather here is freezing, so I've been having soup each day for lunch - a homemade carrot honey and chilli concoction that I really like. It's not quite syn free as it did have a couple of teaspoons of honey and a tablespoon of olive oil - but that was for the whole batch, which has done 10 portions thus far. Next week I'm doing a yellow split pea and veg soup - a variation on this Nigella one, but without the butter or frankfurters.

Breakfasts: I've been having porridge made with oat milk (but am going to try Almond milk next week) and mixed spices - aiming for a gingerbready flavour to compensate for a lack of sugar  with a chopped apple and banana in the bowl.

Lunches: It's strange that lunch is more important now as I've spent 7 months skipping it and compensating with large quantities of biscuits...  so I'm having either soup and a tuna sandwich, or a baked potato with prawns and a plateful of veggie sticks, or an omlette with mushrooms and ham.

Suppers: 

Sunday: Super slow cooked Brisket with extra veggies

Monday: Leftover roast beef with baked potatoes and veggies

Tuesday: Leftover beef turned into cottage pie with carrot, parsnip and potato mash on top and extra veggies. If I'm short on beef I'll be bulking it out with baked beans as randomly I've run out of lentils. 

Wednesday: Leftover cottage pie with frozen peas

Thursday: I've gone back to Brownies this term so will make a veggie pasta bake and leave it in the oven on low for M

Friday: Breakfast for tea

Saturday: I made a chilli con carne this week that I've frozen some portions of, so I think that would be a lovely warming supper

Sunday: Roast chicken (mainly to ensure an easy week next week!)

That's our week. Any of you out there doing slimming world with any suggestions for Slimming world friendly weeknight dinners that M would like and don't rely on heaps of dairy, please do leave your links below... I'd be super grateful for some inspiration.

Now, if someone could just poke me to remind me to link up with At home with Mrs M I'd be very grateful.