A fun kids craft.....

I've been trying to find a few different and engaging kids crafts lately with an emphasis on using our hands and just being creative.  Yesterday the kids and I tried some embroidery. We used a scrap of burlap that I had in my sewing stash, it's got nice big holes in it and is very easy to work with. We also used a large and quite blunt tapestry needle to try and avoid any unnecessary pokes. I was surprised at just how focused the kids became, they really got into it! We decided to just go with the flow and not concentrate on the design but after the first few threads went through we figured their design looked kind of like a star or a snowflake :) We stuck with it and I actually think it looks pretty sweet! 

Isobel has tried her hand at finger knitting and liked it and seemed really keen to give the embroidery a go. I think it's a really cool way to develop her hand-eye coordination (as well as ignite a bit of creative passion) and was surprised at just how skillfully she was able to embroider. Neither of them poked themselves at all! They were both interested to watch the other in action and when we decided we were finished they were both very proud of their joint creation!

It's definitely something we'll try out again.

 In other news my camera on my phone is broken! SHOCK HORROR! i don't know how I will cope without it! I'm an instagram addict. Hopefully it'll be fixed soon but in the meantime at least it made me grab my real camera to take photos of the kids crafting and of these rather yummy muffins Bel and I produced yesterday.....

She helped me bake them and clean up the mess and then fell asleep just before they came out of the oven leaving me to sit in complete peace and quiet with a cup of tea scoffing cooling muffins by myself, oh dear ;) 

Maple Cranberry Spelt Muffins....yummy and good for you!!

As you might already know I've been experimenting in the world of nutritious, wholesome eating of late and was feeling like I needed to make up for my not-so-healthy-but-ridiculously-easy pumpkin muffins from the other day. Being made with instant cake mix ( i.e lots of sugar, white wheat flour and goodness knows what else) they don't really fit into the "wholesome" or "good for you" category. So to make amends I give you....a healthy muffin! 

The biggest difference is that these are made with Spelt flour. What is Spelt? You may ask...well, Spelt is an ancient grain with a deep, nutty flavour that has experienced an increase in popularity in North America. Spelt is a distant cousin to wheat, and while it can be used in many of the same ways as wheat, it does not seem to cause sensitivities in most people who are intolerant of wheat (however, it does contain gluten). Spelt is full of nutrients and because of it's water solubility, these nutrients are quickly absorbed into the body. It is an excellent source of vitamin B2, a very good source of manganese, and a good source of niacin, thiamin, and copper. The combination of nutrients provided by spelt may make it a particularly helpful food for folks who suffer from migraine headaches, atherosclerosis, or diabetes. It also tastes yummy.

The recipe (adapted from enlightened cooking)
You can find spelt flour at health food stores, but also in most supermarkets (that includes tiny towns, such as mine) in the health food section (you should find an alternative flour section). Once purchased, I recommend storing the spelt flour in the refrigerator (airtight bag or container) to best preserve its flavor and nutritional value.

Store the cooled muffins in an airtight bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days; freeze any extras for up to 1 month.

Preheat oven to 425°F
12-cup muffin tin, greased
Makes 12 muffins

2-1/4 cups spelt flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbsp vegetable oil (I used coconut oil for a bit of extra goodness :)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup cranberries (I used frozen in my for a bit of extra tang but the original recipe used dried)

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl
2. Whisk the eggs, oil, maple syrup and vanilla in a medium bowl until blended. Whisk in the milk.
3. Mix the milk mixture into the flour mixture until just blended. Gently stir in the cranberries.
4. Divide the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in the tins 3 minutes, then remove.




 I loved them and personally prefer muffins like these that aren't ridiculously sweet, but you could up the amount of maple syrup if you have sweeter tooth. Maple syrup is a whole lot better for you than plain old refined sugar!

The kiddies certainly enjoyed them especially Seb who dunked his in milk and then shouted "mummy! You have GOT to try this!" Hehehe!

Yum!

So-simple-even-a-two-year-old-could-do-it Pumpkin Spiced Muffins

Last night Belly and I baked muffins. We used a ridiculously simple recipe for making pumpkin muffins I found on Pinterest. You take a pack of cake mix and a can of pumpkin, mix together, bake and hey presto! Scrummy yummy pumpkiny baked goodness! No eggs, no oil hence not as much mess as normal baking with a two year old in charge. She got to mix and lick the spoon, which quite frankly is the only reason she wants to bake. I tried it the other day with yellow cake mix as the original recipe suggested and the muffins were good. This time I thought we should use spice cake mix for some extra yummy spiced pumpkin flavour. The sweet smell of pumpkin spices warmed my kitchen and reminded me just how much I love October! We had them for breakfast this morning and they were so good with a nice cup of tea.

I've since heard of people using this easy method but switching to a loaf pan to make pumpkin bread or with chocolate cake mix for an extra delicious treat.

Just a little taste....

and another sneeky little lick....

Shall I??

Ah, why the heck not, another little taste won't hurt anyone!

errrm, ok Bel I think that's enough...

Seriously. Stop. licking.

Arrgh!

What could be better on a chilly October morning that fresh pumkin spiced muffins and a cup of earl gery (or giraffe tea in Bel's case).

ok so I loved how simple these are to make but admittedly they're not healthiest option so next on my list is trying to make a pumpkin loaf with fresh pumpkin instead of canned and maple syrup and banana instead of refined sugar. Stay tuned!!