Gluten free, egg free, sugar free banana cupcakes

So my beautiful little princess has her first birthday tomorrow. I wanted her to have cake on her birthday but I'm also conscious of the fact that I'm trying to avoid sugar in her diet. I found this gluten free recipe on www.taste.com.au and adapted it with a sugar free alternative.

1 ripe banana
1/2 cup of agave nectar
1 1/2 cups of gluten free self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
200g of butter
1/4 cup of milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.

Mash up the ripe banana and add the softened butter, agave and milk in a jug. Stir until smooth then add to the dry ingredients. Ensure all mixture is combined and then pour into individual cake cases.

Bake for approx. 15 to 20 mins.

Spanish tortilla

I make the traditional one for us using chorizo but omitted it from this recipe as I thought the texture might be a bit chewy for Sienna.

1/2 small potato
4 eggs
4 florets broccoli
5 slices zucchini
1/4 leek
1/2 tomato
3 slices ham

Cut the potato into thin slices about 1/2cm thick. Part boil until almost cooked.

Whisk up the egg, chop all the other ingredients and mix all the ingredients together. Once the potato is cooked add it to the egg mixture this should part cook the egg.

Next in a large wok heat a tsp of oil on a medium heat. Allow pan to get hot and then add the egg mixture. Allow to cook slowly on one side (about 10 mins or until you see no uncooked egg on top. Next grab a plate, place over the wok and flip the tortilla over to cook the other side.

Return to a medium heat for a further 5 mins. I also sprinkle a little cheese over the top sometimes. Allow to cool and then cut into slices (this makes a large tortilla enough to make about 6 portions so you can scale down the quantity of ingredients or enjoy as a family).

Easy peasy cheesy risotto

1/2 red onion
1/2 white onion
1/4 leek
1 knob of butter
1/2 cup of arborio rice
30grams Parmesan cheese
1 litre of homemade chicken stock
1 handful of peas
1 small clove of garlic

This recipe made quite a large portion enough for sienna's tea and ours as a side dish.

Sauté the onions, leek and garlic in the butter until the onions have softened. Add the rice and continue to stir on a high heat until the rice looks opaque (about 3-5 mins). Add one ladle of the stock to the rice, make sure you continuously stir it. Wait until the liquid has been absorbed into the rice and then add a further ladle of stock.

Repeat this step several times over each time make sure the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle.

Keep testing the rice until it no longer tastes crunchy to the bite and the rice is soft and the texture is silky. When you think the rice is almost done add all of the cheese and peas and continue to stir with one last ladle of stock until the risotto is smooth.

Mine did take about half hour to cook so not a great dish if you are time poor or don't have someone to watch the baby.

I served with fish and boiled veg. Her daddy loved this just as much as she did!

Chicken & avocado stack

I was just using up some leftover chicken we had from dinner the night before as I had to prepare something quick for lunch, she really seemed to love it.

1/2 ripe avocado
50g cooked roast chicken
Aubergine sliced 2cms thick

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Coat the Aubergine in olive oil and place on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15 mins.

Meanwhile mash up the avocado and chicken together.

Allow the Aubergine to cool for 5 mins then spread the chicken avocado on the Aubergine layering as you go. I made 2 layers.

Potentially quite messy but I cut up into small bites and on this occasion she allowed me to feed her with a spoon as opposed to wanting finger foods.

Grilled marinated fish

Last night i was a little pushed for time so i chose something easy for Sienna's dinner. This one is really quick and easy to prepare if you're in a hurry.

I filet of white fish (again I use Basa)
Tsp butter
1/2 clove of garlic (can be omitted depending on taste)
Sprig of thyme, sage & parsley
Zest of half a lime plus a little of the juice

Bash up the herbs using a pestle & mortar along with the crushed garlic. Soften the butter until it is almost liquid (10secs in the microwave). Mix the butter and herbs and lime together and brush over one side of the fish. Grill on high heat for about 5 minutes then flip over to the other side and rub the remaining herbs on this side. Grill for a further 5 mins.

I usually serve with mashed potato and boiled veg - She loves peas, carrots and broccoli!

Aubergine, mozzarella and roasted tomato stack

1 large tomato
1 large boccocini or mozzarella ball
1/4 medium sized Aubergine
Basil leaves

Slice the tomato to approx 1cm thick place on a baking tray and grill for 5-10 minutes or until softened. Add the mozzarella to the top of tomato and place under the grill for a further minute until the cheese starts to melt.

On the hob heat a little olive oil, add the aubergine and brown on both sides. Add a sprig of basil on top of the melted cheese and place the aubergine on top. Leave to cool and then serve up to your little munchkin. This can be a little messy so be warned by having a large splash zone!

Spinach and feta parcels

This are another great lunchbox favourite!

1 large eggs
Pinch of nutmeg
50g of feta cheese
1 handful of baby spinach
1 sheet of puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.

Mix together the egg, (reserve a small amount to brush the pastry with) nutmeg spinach and feta. Cut the pastry into even sized squares. Place the mixture into the centre of the pastry. Fold the squares over into triangles and seal the edges with a fork. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg.

Place on a greased baking tray and bake for until golden brown approx 20 mins.