Foodie Mama: What to Eat, Bake and Shop for this April

Hungry for the best Hot Cross Buns this Easter or need some lunchbox inspo? Check out Foodie Mama’s monthly catch up!

With the Easter holidays looming it means there’s plenty of excitement about all things chocolatey! This month’s Foodie Mama column makes sure you’ve got Easter fun and food sorted as well as a cookbook for the one you love and a healthy kids’ supper solution, which can also be rolled out as a canapé!

Foodie Mama’s favourite Hot Cross Buns – make sure to halve, lightly toast then spread with good quality salted butter!

Decadent: Baker & Cook Double Chocolate Hot Cross Buns. Ideal for the non-fruities amongst you, seriously moreish

Traditional: Bakery Brera next to Empress Market have got the tastiest that I’ve tried so far – so fluffy with a colourful mix of juicy fruits and just enough spice

Fruitilicious: As well as Savoury Cheese and Mini Chocolate Orange, Marks & Spencer are selling some super fruity Kentish Bramley Apple Hot cross buns.

Family Rainy Day Fun: The Taste Test Challenge

Here’s a fun way to get your children (and Dad!) to try different foods, especially if there are some things they are fussy about. Simply…

1. Fill a tray with 10 foods in numbered pots and cover with a cloth
2. Blindfold everyone
3. Give everyone a taste in order, then get them to whisper to you what they think it is
4. Mark out a score sheet – extra points for identifying type of food, variety, which country it’s from, how it’s made etc..
5. The winner gets a prize! 

Suppertime Hero Recipe: Asian Chicken Dippers with Quinoa

Note: This recipe is easy to amend for a delicious supper or canapé for adults too. Just stir in 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste and serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce (as shown in pic).

1. Put 500g chicken mince, 1 small carrot (grated), 3 tbsp cooked quinoa, 1 egg, 40g breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp chopped coriander and 4 finely chopped spring onions in a bowl.

2. Use your hands to mix together. Using tablespoonfuls of mixture, shape into 24 small patties, pressing to flatten slightly (you can freeze them at this stage).

3. Transfer to a large baking tray and chill for 20 minutes, or up to 24 hours.

4. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 2 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Serve cakes with lettuce leaves, lime wedges and a dipping sauce that your children enjoy! 

Cookbook Challenge

This month I’m cooking from…

The Really Quite Good British Cookbook by William Sitwell. A fabulous compilation of all our favourite chefs – Nigella, Jamie, Mr Carluccio, Raymondo – telling us the food that they would choose to cook for someone they love. Ahhhh! This week I’ve eaten a wonderful Spanish-style chicken and chorizo stew with beans and goat’s cheese bruschetta with beetroot. Sadly I had to cook it myself as my husband was away on business — boo!

Products of the Month

Conscious Craves Acai-Vanilla Snackaroons ($14.90 for 6)

I have to be straight with you: we’re not big fans of powerball/raw ball type snacks in our house. The minute I hear “raw pulverised date ball” or “goji peanut superball” I run for the hills, as do my kids. BUT, I really like these new pocket sized coconut nutrition balls now available from Sasha’s Fine Foods. They are actually really addictive (maybe not the point) and, more importantly, stay together when dunked into a cup of builders tea.

Auvernou Mini Sticks ($7.95)

For those of us who grew up eating pepperami you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s a much healthier – but equally moreish – equivalent in town. Cold Storage are now stocking mini saucisson sticks made by French company Auvernou. A good protein fix, they are the perfect lunchbox snack for busy kids. 

Turmeric Water – an easy way to get tummies back on track

Fresh turmeric is easily found in any of Singapore’s wet markets. Containing curcumin, it has a long history of medicinal use in Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine. In addition to eating turmeric in cooked dishes, you can mix the powder or extract into water and drink it as a tonic. If you can buy fresh, simply give it a rinse and put 4-5 slices in to a jug. Cover with boiling water and leave to steep for 30 minutes before topping up with cold water. Sip a glass or two throughout the day to boost your bodies healing powers and aid recovery from tummy upsets.

Lessons We Love: Personalised Easter Eggs!

As well as being THE place to buy beautiful chocolate bunnies and mini eggs, Temper by AnjaliChocolat at Loewen by Dempsey Hill are running the most fabulous parent and child Easter egg workshops over the month of April. Either make your own chocolate Easter egg or decorate one for the family. See website for dates/ times and to reserve a place.