These apple & raspberry muffins have been a current favourite for Lincoln, who loves eating anything pink. After some playing around, I found that chunky apple pieces didn’t always soften during baking, however shredded apple made the batter too wet - the compromise is apple puree which I found kept the texture more muffin-like. I often throw in some blueberries or blackberries, if there are some getting a bit old in the fridge which is just as delicious.

Trying to find ways to add that extra bit fibre to Lincoln’s diet whilst also making more afternoon options! These sweet potato pancakes can be made sweet (by adding vanilla bean paste like I did) or Italian herbs and a sprinkle of parmesan for a savoury snack.

Near our new house, there is this glorious garden with lemon trees full of fruit. On our morning walks with little Lincoln, I often can’t resist picking some lemons to take home. These muffins are delightful for little ones and adults to enjoy for breakfast, morning or afternoon tea time!

When Lincoln turned one last week, I really wanted him to have a slice of birthday cake - because cake is one of life’s greatest pleasures! I was a bit nervous about baking him a birthday cake, but I didn’t have a choice in the end with covid lockdowns! This cake recipe lacks the things I know so well - sugar and layers of buttercream frosting - but it still works a charm!

I like to make bakes without banana in it for Lincoln, because he usually eats a bit of the fruit itself daily. Too much banana can often cause constipation in little humans eating solids, therefore I keep an eye on his banana consumption. These apple oat slices are a great morning or afternoon snack, packed with apple and rolled oats, providing the little one with energy. To add another allergen, I think spreading a little bit of a nut butter on top would be delicious too!

As Lincoln gets more confident with feeding and exploring food, I try to create more finger food options for his meals. These chicken sausages fingers are a great size for him to grab, and easily crumble so to avoid choking. When making these, the mixture may feel like it’s holding a lot of moisture but it does evaporate during the baking process!

As little Lincoln grows to be not so little anymore, his appetite grows too - these little humans are always on the move and learning new skills! After his afternoon nap, Lincoln gets a bit of afternoon tea now - and that’s how these cookies were born.

Last week I bought a bag of bananas on sale at my local grocery store, and promptly forgot about them when the whole house went down with a cold. To use them up before it’s too late, on a whim I made these pancakes for baby which he absolutely loved.

These overnight chia oats are a great breakfast option to tick a few allergens off as I used soy milk to soak the oats & chia seeds, and served them with banana and cashew nut butter. This recipe contains gluten, soy and a tree nut. I’ve put some modification note at the bottom if there are different allergens you’d like to introduce to your baby.

Lincoln Lincoln will be 7.5 months this week so I thought it was time I got more creative with his solid meals, as well as the fact I am starting to be able to allocate time a bit better. I whizzed up this recipe on the spot with what we had at home and realised how flexible it is to help include allergens as part of baby’s regular diet.