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We really struggled to toilet train our first son....a number of things went wrong and we didn't know what our next step was. I fumble my way through motherhood most of the time but one thing I have learnt (the hard way) is to ask for help, especially from an expert! Enter Laura Morley of Toddler Talk NZ. Laura was our saving grace! I had a one-hour skype consultation with her and came away with a...

I have created this smoothie just for little monkeys who are going through toilet training and maybe reluctant to drink water and/or are experiencing being 'backed' up and constipated. It's a problem that is not really wonderful dinner time conversation but it is really common. This is more so in children who do have a lot of processed foods or going through a fussy stage of eating and refusing...

Long before Paleo, Caveman, Raw Food and Sugar-Free diets came to the forefront, natural herbs have been used and sworn by for weight loss purposes since before time.

The continual rise in obesity (50% of New Zealanders are currently overweight or obese) and subsequent chronic diseases including type two diabetes have highlighted the need for effective natural solutions.

Tea in all its forms –...

Are meal times stressful?

Do you find yourself staring into the fridge hoping inspiration will come?

Or does 5pm come around and you realise that you have hungry children to feed (and yourself!!) and nothing is ready?.

Planning really is the key - and I know you feel like you don't have time to have a shower let alone plan a weeks meals (I am there too!) but there really are a lot of benefits to...

This recipe is so simple it's almost not a recipe! I promise you will win brownie points without even trying! Who say's chocolate can't make a healthy treat!

Ingredients:

1 Block of dark chocolate (I use Lindt 90% but if you are still getting used to dark chocolate I would go for 75-85%)

1 Cup of nuts - any variety will do! (Salted peanuts and cashews work particularly well.)

Directions:

1. Place...

Forget candlelit dinners and roses. True love as a parent really is shown in ways that we would not even have regarded as ‘things’ in life before children. If you are unsure of what to get for your other parenting half this Valentine’s day pick a number from the list below. I assure you it will be the best Valentines gift ever.

 

1. Sleep. A full nights unbroken sleep is a million times better than...

It’s been nearly 2 months since I submitted my Doctoral thesis. I would like to say it has been butterflies and rainbows; but at times it’s almost been the opposite. I was on a massive high for a week or so, and then the reality sunk in….the fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks, to the point I would have to crawl back to bed when ever both boys were miraculously asleep at the same time during the...

This is something I get asked about a lot - healthy easy ideas for kids parties!! It is a tricky balance between providing food that children (and adults) will eat, is easy to prepare (or buy), is actually healthy and does not cost a fortune.

Before I had children I had visions of being a mum that spent hours planning parties, posting ideas on pintrest, creating magnificent cakes and my children's...

I make these delicious mini morsels all the time! They are incredibly versatile - a perfect little snack for on-the-go, afternoon tea (warm from the oven is best!), an easy lunch-box option or party snack! You can mix and match the savoury ingredients to suit your taste and these can be also made as normal sized muffins. I promise both adults and children will love them!

Ingredients

2 cups of...

Hard to beat a good iceblock on a hot summers day!! Even I was surprised that this particular combo of fruit and vegetables was demolished by my boys....I got a bit adventurous and included broccoli into these homemade iceblocks (I am always looking for creative ways to get greens into the monkeys) and it turned out to be a success!!



Similar to my Tasty Teething Pops you can mix and match your...

Christmas is a special time but when you are a busy mum....there are times you basically just cannot face Christmas - but you don't want to be a Christmas Grinch - I totally get it!!



Things just happen when you are a mum which can mean Christmas is on the back-burner. I originally wrote this blog last year while in the thick of finishing my Doctoral thesis! The previous year I was so heavily...

Kids love crackers and they make great finger food. This is my super easy recipe for homemade cheese crackers which means they are completely free of any sugar, additives and preservatives. Best of all they are great fun to make - just be prepared for flour to go everywhere!



They do contain gluten (from flour) so for babies starting solids I recommend holding off on offering gluten-based products...