Yoghurt Pops and Date and Nut Balls

On Monday we met Teresa, a successful South African food blogger who shared with us about her blogging and her family. Today she shares with us some advice about cooking with kids and their favourite recipes.

My kids are used to seeing me in the kitchen – making their meals, testing out new recipes and styling and photographing plates of food. Cooking from scratch and homemade food is just what they are used to, and now that they are getting bigger they love getting involved. This can be a lot of fun… and usually quite messy too! It can be a bit tricky when I am working and my measurements have to be exact, or I am trying to style a shot with little fingers trying to “help” and so I do try and make time for recipes that are just for them.

These are two of our favourites. The kids can help to make them and, more importantly, they love eating them! These make great little snacks for the kids, and I feel like they are getting something a bit more wholesome than a store-bought, sugary treat. I hope your family enjoys them as much as we do!
STRAWBERRY AND PEACH YOGHURT POPS

Makes 6

250g fresh strawberries, stalks removed and halved

200ml plain yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp honey

3 peaches, peeled and stoned

6 x 100ml lolly moulds

1.) Place the strawberries, 100ml of the yoghurt, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp honey in a food processor (or use a stick blender) and whizz until smooth and combined. Taste and add more honey if you prefer a sweeter lolly.

2.) Divide the strawberry mix between the moulds, so that they are each half full. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or until they are firm to the touch but still soft enough to insert the lolly stick.

3.) Cut the peaches into chunks and whizz up along with the remaining yoghurt, vanilla and honey until combined. Again, you can add additional honey according to taste if you wish. Top up each lolly mould, insert the stick and leave to chill in the freezer until firm.

 
DATE AND NUT BALLS

Makes approximately 14
12 pitted dates (or 70g)

1 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp almond or other nut butter

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

1/2 cup raw almonds

2 tbsp brown rice syrup

1 tsp finely grated orange rind

3 tbsp dessicated coconut

1.) Place the dates, cocoa and almond butter into a food processor and whizz into a paste.
2.) Add the pistachios and almonds and whizz again until the nuts are finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the brown rice syrup and orange rind, and mix again until everything is combined.

3.) Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls. Roll each ball in coconut to coat. Store the date balls in an airtight container in the fridge.

 

For more delicious recipes you can visit my blog here.

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