Greek Yoghurt Salad Dressing

This is my favourite low-fat salad dressing at the moment. Simple, creamy and fresh. It has a lot less calories than both mayonnaise and oil-based dressings - but it is wonderfully creamy and indulgent!

It's also super easy to make and you don't have to worry about emulsifying oils together or anything complex! Just bung all the ingredients in a bowl, mix, and you're away.

My favourite way to serve the Greek Yoghurt Salad Dressing is with a totally green salad, chocked full of different types of lettuce and avocado. The kids love it too, so it makes things a little easier when it comes to getting them to eat their greens!

Slow Cooker Overnight Porridge

Who said having children is easy? One was tough, two was harder, now three is near impossible! Our newest addition to the family is now three months old. Little baby Edward is a cracker, but family life is a mix of joy, fun and screaming panic (that's me doing the screaming). Of course me and Mr Mean are truly blessed to have our three beautiful children and wouldn't give them up for the world, but daily life has got to get a little bit easier than this?

Overnight Oats

I've got a confession. I've been sneaking around at night. No one knows what I've been up to (they will now). But I've had a breakfast revelation and it starts the evening before - overnight oats!

Now the weather is warming up a bit and it's not the depths of winter anymore, porridge is off the menu. So as a summer alternative to the cooked comfort of porridge, overnight oats are a breakfast essential. And what could be better than just reaching into the fridge in the morning and having a ready-made breaky!

Banana Milkshake Lollies

My kids are constantly pestering me for food. All day every day. So as it's the summer holidays I'm trying to give them fun and yummy snacks that are good for them, but a little bit more exciting than an apple. Of course you can involve the kids when making these lollies if you want - you just need to distract them for the next four hours whilst they freeze!

BULGUR WHEAT BABY PILAF

I think bulgur wheat must be the ideal baby grain - it's the perfect size and it packed full of goodness including protein.

1 tablespoon bulgur wheat

1 thin slice of butternut squash, finely chopped

1 cherry tomato, halved

small handful of spinach

1 teaspoon yoghurt

4 tablespoons water

Lightly fry the bulgur wheat and squash in a small amount of olive oil. Add the tomato and the water and bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat right down and simmer for 12 minutes. Add the spinach and as soon as it has wilted, remove from heat and whizz to desired consistency. Add yoghurt before serving.

BABY PORRIDGE

The problem with baby food is it all looks horrid! The little tiny packets of baby porridge are going to set you back at least £2 - I know it is fortified but I find it too expensive, and it always smells like sick! This is simply porridge oats cooked in water with a few slices of banana mashed in and a dollop of Greek yoghurt on top. If your baby likes a smoother consistency, simply whizz down until it's just right!

Porridge with Nutella, Chopped Banana and Yoghurt

This has got to be the ultimate in tasty, filling and healthy breakfasts. It's also cheaper than splashing out on branded cereals or expensive muesli. And with the addition of Nutella - it's a real kiddy pleaser! I put about half a teaspoon on my son's breakfast which is about 20kcal and 2g of sugar. In a 30g serving of Cheerios, there is 6.4g of sugar. The best low GI breakfast ever!


Ingredients: (for 1 adult serving)
30g porridge oats
190ml cold water
1 tablespoon natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon Nutella
Half a chopped banana

HOW TO MAKE:
Put the oats and water in a pan and simmer until the water has been absorbed and the oats are soft. Spoon into serving bowl and add the yoghurt, Nutella and banana.