Tracey Blake is the features editor at Metro, mum to Minnie, 5, and Monty, 3 and other half to James. Tracey has been a national newspaper journalist for the past ten years and is co-author of the book Small Talk: Simple ways to boost your child’s speech and language development from birth. Tracey and Nic can be found vlogging on the YouTube Small Talk Time channel – full of friendly talking tips to get cheeky monkeys chatting.  The family live in Buckinghamshire but love to travel whenever they can…

Q: What is your first childhood memory of travel?

I recall a really fun, sun-saturated week in Jersey with my folks at some sort of holiday camp. I thought it was amazing!

Q: Where have you had your best holiday to date? 

Ooh, that’s a really tricky one. I might have to choose a few! James and I had a lovely trip to the Maldives and it was just like it is in the pictures – sparkling blue waters and white sands, just idyllic. We also had a great family holiday to Bali where we met up with my sister and her family who live in Australia. We stayed at a hotel on the beach just outside Kuta and rented a lovely villa with wooden doors backing straight on to the beach, had a great time white water rafting in Ubud, and James and I visited Nusa Lembongan. We stayed in quite a fancy hotel, but every evening we walked along the cove to a rustic hilltop café where they sold ice cold bottles of beer and chips with chilli sauce. Heaven.

Q: Where was the first place you went with a little one in tow? How did it go?

I went to my friend’s lovely house in Vejer de la Frontera, Costa de la Luz, with a six-month-old Minnie. We’d just started to wean her but she hadn’t had meat yet, until James went to the Spanish supermarket and came back with a jar that Minnie devoured, which turned out to have chicken in it. By the end of the break she’d also tried chocolate ice-cream and biscuits!

Q: How do you find the experience of travelling with children generally? A wonderful, bonding experience, for example, or traumatic and stressful? Or a bit of both?

A bit of both. We always find the getting there stressful – marshalling two small children through a busy airport while they sit on Trunkis making very slow progress and bashing into people’s ankles, left right and centre, is always a challenge. We’ve learnt now to put the Trunkis in the hold! Once you’re there though, it’s wonderful. The enthusiasm of your little ones at going on this big adventure is always infectious. Our children are delighted to ride in a lift to the room, sleep in a new bed, explore the hotel, go to the pool, and Monty is mad for the mini soaps you get by the basin. He often has one in his hand for the entire time and I frequently raid the laundry trolley for extras.

Do you ever travel with your children for work?

I am very lucky that as Features Editor at Metro I do get to go on travel trips for work with the children. We recently went to Venice where we stayed at the Belmond Cipriani and had a wonderful time, despite the watery hazards of canals everywhere! Next up is Porto.

Q: Where was your best holiday with your child?

I think we had the best holidays in that house in Vejer and we’re so lucky that we get invited every summer. We spend all day at the beach and head back for ice-cream and a wander through the old town, then have lovely tapas in the evening. It all feels like such a treat. The Spanish people are so adoring of children, which really helps make taking them out to restaurants easy, too.

Q: And your worst?

The occasions when flights have been delayed – it’s a total nightmare with children.

Q: What is your must-have travel accessory when away with children?

I always pack sticker books and colouring books. They are ideal to whip out when the kids have finished their meal but you are still eating: far nicer and more inclusive than sticking them in front of a tablet.

Q: And top tips for travel with kids? 

I think the main thing I have learned recently is not to stress about the kids and their regular sleeping habits. On holiday they can stay up later and, hopefully, lie in later. You can’t make them nap if they don’t want to. If they are tired they will literally just drop off to catch up, be it in your arms at a restaurant or on a sun lounger. A short break from the usual routine doesn’t do any harm – things soon slot back into place when you get home. Having said that, we haven’t yet braved long haul so I am not sure how I’d cope if they had jetlag!

What inspired you to launch Small Talk? Can you tell us more about the books that are launching this spring?

My friend Nicola is a speech and language therapist specialising in kids and when she first met Minnie she was 10 weeks old. Nic said to me, ‘I’ve just had a lovely conversation with Minnie, she’s a wonderful talker!’ I thought she was bonkers but then she showed me how she was responding to Minnie’s babble and leaving long pauses so she could answer. It’s called the art of turn taking and is a very early form of conversation. I found it fascinating so went off to buy a book on how communication develops in babies but there wasn’t one – so we decided to write one!

Next year we’ve got story books for children coming out and we’re excited about our Small Talk Time channel on YouTube, which is full of friendly talking tips to get cheeky monkeys chatting http://www.youtube.com/SmallTalkTime

How do you find juggling your role at Metro with being a mother and running Small Talk?

It’s a real juggling act but we just about manage. Minnie started school this year and she once went to school in in her uniform on a mufti day. On one cake sale day I had to send her in with bought cakes and, recently, I forgot that it was her ‘show and tell’ day – but in the grand scheme of things we get by, things are just chaotic!

Can you talk us through your average day? Can you paint us a picture of how it starts and finishes?

This morning Monty was up at 5.30am (ahh!) and Minnie was up at 6am, so I actually had a really nice chunk of time with them. Minnie showed me every page of the baking book she’d bought at the school book sale; Monty and I had a good chat about Batman (his latest obsession). I also managed to get a lot of chores done – washing hung out to dry, dishwasher unloaded and reloaded, Monty’s packed lunch made etc…. We’re out the door by 8am as I have to drop them both off in different places and get the 8.44am train in to London. In the evenings I am home by 7.30pm – just in time to read them a story and say good night!

Hillary Graves is co-founder of popular children’s food brand, Little Dish.  Originally from New York, Hillary lives in London with her husband Dean and two sons, Monty, 8, and Ridley, 6.  She set up Little Dish when she was expecting Monty and noticed that no one was making proper, healthy and convenient meals for children.  Little Dish now feeds over 100,000 children every week and Hillary has written two cookbooks.  Her first book ‘The Little Dish Favourites Cookbook’ was published in June 2010 and her second book ‘The Family Cookbook’ goes on sale on 28th August.  The new cookbook is packed full of 101 family-friendly recipes to make and enjoy with your children, and is a must-have cooking companion for parents.

I travelled a lot as a child, but my earliest memories are of my family making the twelve hour road trip from Memphis, Tennessee to Florida. My brother and I were bundled into the back of the car, without a seatbelt in those days, and I remember watching the amazing scenery of the Deep South fly by. My best holiday was a trip to South Africa with my husband before we had children. It’s such a beautiful country and the laid-back atmosphere stayed with us long after we returned home. We climbed Table Mountain, traveled to Robin Island, visited the wineries, ate delicious food and generally soaked up the incredible surroundings.

Our first trip with my eldest son Monty was when he was twelve weeks old. We took him to New York to meet my extended family. To be honest, it was surprisingly easy as he slept most of the way. In fact, we went to the US a few times in his first year to make sure my family didn’t miss out on getting to know him. Of course, once he started crawling it was a very different story! Our long haul trips became much less frequent.

Travelling with children can be a wonderful boding experience and a bit stressful simultaneously. I think it gets easier as your children get older because you have less kit to lug around with you but, as they get older, you have to plan more age-appropriate activities. Now we generally try to stay somewhere with a pool. It means there’s always something fun for the boys to do, and they can burn off their excess energy no matter what else we have planned during the day.

One year we spoilt ourselves and stayed at the Four Seasons hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. We all needed a family holiday with a bit of R&R, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s incredibly family-friendly with a wonderful beach and swimming pool, delicious food and the most amazing kid’s club. The boys were given fantastic welcome packs when they arrived, which they still remember. They did treasure hunts, played football on the beach, enjoyed arts and crafts and other other fun activities. And because they were so happy, we were able to properly relax. In the afternoons, we would all swim together or play Pétanque on the beach.

I also took my eldest son Monty on a city break to Paris when he was six, which was a magical weekend. I let him help plan our itinerary. We spent hours wandering around the army museum, Les Invalides, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and relaxing in the Jardin du Luxembourg, a stunning garden in the heart of Paris. And, of course, eating wonderful French food.

After that lovely weekend in Paris with Monty we went back as a family of four, but it wasn’t such a success. It was half-term, so it was very busy. And I scheduled too many cultural sights and not enough outdoor activities, so we were all a bit on edge. On the last day we escaped to the Jardin du Luxembourg, which ended up being the highlight of the visit. The weather was beautiful and the children just wanted to run around and get some fresh air.

We always travel with a book about the country we’re visiting. We love the ‘This is Paris,’ ‘This is London,’ and ‘This is New York’ by Miroslav Sasek. They are a great way to get children excited about the country they are visiting and help them decide what they would most like to see and do. Of course we also have a bag of tricks with all the usual suspects – pens, paper, books, snacks… and an iPad if all else fails!

To beat jet lag we always try to get the boys on to the new time zone as quickly as possible. This often means encouraging them to stay up as late as they can but it’s well worth it. I would also say, don’t over-schedule your days. It’s tempting to plan in lots of sights, but this can leave everyone exhausted. I think part of the fun of travelling with children is seeing things through their eyes, so take your time and let them help plan the day. And always keep blood sugar levels high – have snacks in your bag and an idea of where you might stop for lunch.

We often take the kids to the food market to help us shop when we are abroad. It’s a great way to teach them about the local delicacies. At restaurants, we order lots of different things to share and they often end up trying things they wouldn’t eat at home. Pudding is always popular and can be a handy reward to encourage them to try something new, if all else fails!

For convenience and ease when on holiday, my kids love pasta and a simple tomato sauce made from chopped garlic and onion, sautéed in a bit of olive oil and a tin of plum tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes and you’re good to go. Your children can sprinkle on grated cheese, or mix in whatever delicious ingredients you’ve managed to buy at the market such as local vegetables, mozzarella, olives, or salami – you can’t go wrong.

Sian Gwilliam launched the fantastic website Creative Bus Stop to share her passion for the incredible cultural, creative and educational activities that are available in London and around the UK. She gave us some fantastic ideas for London fun last summer and she’s back with us again to chat what to do and where to go this half term and upcoming summer holiday.

1. Go Green at the Plantastic exhibition at The Horniman Museum

It’s the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, and for those in the know, Dan Pearson who won ‘Best Show Garden’ for his stunning Chatsworth Garden started his career in gardening when he was 5 years old, helping his Dad dig a pond. So let’s take inspiration from him, and visit the Plantastic exhibition at The Horniman Museum in Forest Hill. From May 2015, Plantastic will be accompanied by specially designed and themed outdoor displays including a mass planting of sunflowers, a floral picture of the ‘anatomy’ of a flower, and a border themed around plants that attract pollinating insects.   Between 11-2.45pm daily in half term, join in the free craft Family Art Fun sessions too. A family ticket for the exhibition costs £16.50, so take a picnic and make a day of it.

2.  Join Alice and her Queen of Hearts in a Bethnal Green Wonderland 

In celebration of 150 years of this enchanting book, there are a range of Alice in Wonderland events happening around town this Spring. You can choose from free drop in daily events at our favourite museum The Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, such as Storytelling at 10,30.11,15 and 12pm, or Mad Hatter’s Hat Making 10.30, 11.45, 14.00, 15.15 or join artist Miriam Baez to create a bonkers hat inspired by wonderful images and imaginings from Alice’s world£5 (with parent or carer / Sign up on the day / For ages 5-12. Not forgetting the Playing Card Print Workshop at 11.15, 12.30, 14.30, 15.45.The Alice Look will run from May 2 – November 1 2015 at London’s V&A Museum of Childhood.

There is also the show ‘Adventures in Wonderland’ in the Waterloo Vaults SE1 7NN (runs until August) for ages 5-11 . Les Petits invites the audience to find Alice and Wander through Wonderland in a fun-filled, interactive adventure for all the family.Cost: Adults £18.50, Children £12.50. If you’re still hungry for tea and cake after that lot, look out for the family opera Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in Holland Park from 16th July – 1st August and then Damon Albarn’s Wonder.land musical for the National Theatre, in Manchester 29th – 12 July which moves to London from 27th November 2015.

3. Put the Spark back into Electricity at the Royal Institution

Join Marty Jopson at the RI’s half term family event Zap, crackle and pop! Marty is the BBC One Show’s resident scientist and during the show he takes a journey through the story of electricity . From the Ancient Greeks through to Faraday’s genius, the show aims to put the spark back into electricity. A show chock full of demonstrations and a plucked chicken. Expect an electrifying performance in this family-friendly show. Thursday 18 June, (18:00 –19:15) Booking essential : Prices; Standard £12/ Concession £8/ Associate Members £6.

4. All Aboard the Cutty Sark Museum

As far as days out in London go, heading to Greenwich has to be high on the list. It’s easy to get to by public transport (Jubilee line, boat or DLR) there’s the food market which is real tasty, and then you can choose from the Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Theatre, The Queens House, or just grab an ice-cream in Greenwich Park.

To get you started why not start at the Cutty Sark. You can choose from free half-term events, and join them on a voyage of discovery on Cutty the world’s last surviving tea clipper. If you love hands-on activities, come and design your own weather mobile to take home or create a colourful fish on a dish. Under-5s go free to Cutty Sark and parts of the Royal Observatory. Entry to the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House is free.

This Bank Holiday weekend only you can join The Big Swing Dance On the Gardens & Vintage Market in Cutty Sark Gardens. It runs from May 23rd-25th from 11am – 6pm every day. Featuring swing dance lessons conducted by The London Swing Dance Society and The Shag Pile dance team. (Shag Pile Lessons from Sat 23rd 12-2.30pm/Sun 24th 12-5pm/Mon 25th 12-2pm) who will be bringing their exuberance and passion for all things swing to the gardens with a heavy emphasis on fun and good times to get everyone going! If you’re a pizza lover, you can’t go wrong with a visit to our favourite double decker pizza bus The Crust Conductor. They serve bespoke wood fire pizza, which really are made with cheesy love. If you want an extra helping of mushrooms, just mention the Creative Bus Stop, and ask for Jonny (the boss) and you will get treated like pizza royalty.

5. Take a Graffiti Tour

We really can’t get enough of the infectious graffiti art that keeps popping up all over town, especially around Camden, Shoreditch and the famous Southbank Skatepark. If you want to be down with the kids, you should book on a Camden Street Art Tour. They run all year long, and this half term they are running on Bank Holiday Monday (Am & PM), Thursday morning, Friday (AM & PM), Saturday morning and Sunday AM & PM). The amazing thing about these tours, is that each one is timeless, as due to the nature of street art, the art keeps reinventing itself. Remember the first rule of Street Art : ‘It’s not meant to last forever’. (£15 per ticket, suitable for all ages). EXCLUSIVE TO KODOMO AND CREATIVE BUS STOP READERS –  ENTER SAVE20 ON CHECK OUT AND GET 20% OFF YOUR TICKET.

6. The Southbank Loves You!

As hard as I try, it’s almost impossible not to share the love from the constantly changing line up of events that our Southbank Centre puts on for us all.  I recommend you arrive by foot (and scooter for the tiny tired legs) and either plant yourself near the Southbank Centre which is full of free tap water at the bar, and clean loos for the kids.  You can eat at one of the many chains (Wagamama, Eat, Giraffe, Canteen or Yo Sushi) but the queues are often long. To avoid the queues and a hefty bill, we always pack a few bagels and water for the kids, and venture to the food stalls at the Southbank Centre Market situated behind the Southbank Centre (Waterloo Station side). It is the most adventurous way to eat.

Shows

As it would be shy of me not to tell, here is the round up of Summer events you will find at your finger tips around the Bank of the South. Family Shows from critically-acclaimed theatre pop-up, Roundabout by Paines Plough, between the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Waterloo Bridge. Free events such as social dances, talks, workshops, and daily artistic activities. The iconic upside-down purple cow, the Udderbelly Festival (until 19 July) showing comedy, circus and family shows including the return of the popular show Bromance (24 June – 19 July). And (deep breath) London Wonderground(until 27 September) the festival renowned for showcasing the best circus and cabaret from across the world in a magnificent 1920s Spiegeltent. A major exhibition Carsten Höller: Decision, which will present a wide range of the artist’s work, including sculptures, installations and videos, which explore perception and decision making. The Poetry International Festival (23 – 26 July), the biennial festival co-founded by Ted Hughes in 1967. Meltdown (17 – 30 August), whose director this year is the multi-award-winning musician David Byrne, known for his eclectic collaborations and as a co-founder of the seminal new-wave band Talking Heads.

Eat

Bleeker St. Burger, recently rated the top 10 street food stalls in London, ) serving burgers, American Craft beer and milk-shakes, the return of SNOG frozen yoghurt sold from a restored pink 1967 Routemaster bus, Look Mum No Hands! serving coffee, fresh food and British Craft beer, and Bloody Oyster, serving oysters, Bloody Marys and cocktails from the top of a double-decker bus (situated between the Royal Festival Hall and Festival Village).

Play

You can’t really make a visit to London without getting your t-shirt very wet (towel essential trust me) and running through the popular fountain right outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall Jeppe Hein’s Appearing Rooms. Take a walk up the curly staircase to the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden, or bring your bucket and spade to the urban beach beside the river, it’s an institution, and all the kids just adore it.

7.  Get Dirty Down at Fulham Palace

Have you ever been to Fulham Palace, you know the one which from around 700, (when the site was acquired by Bishop Waldhere), it served as a Bishop’s residence for over 12 centuries? I know you also knew that since Tudor times, the Palace was the Bishop of London’s country home, providing the Bishop and his family with a healthy rural retreat in summer months.

Well these days they not only look after the odd Bishop passing through West London, they also host lots of family events. On Bank holiday Monday (25 May between 1-4pm) you can join the Young Archaelogists Club (YAC) for a free drop in event (Ages 8+). Get your hands dirty and join the enthusiastic archaeologist volunteers on the Main Lawn for a hands-on session, introducing you to the world beneath your feet. There is also the Fulham Palace Fun Day, which is a free event on Wednesday 27 May, (10am-12pm and 1pm-3p). It will be a day of family fun including crafts, storytelling and dressing up! In partnership with H&F ALSS.

Looking forward don’t forget the annual Edwardian Garden Party on Sunday 21 June (1pm-4pm). The Bishops of London were well known for holding garden parties at Fulham Palace. Help them celebrate this tradition and come along for a day of family fun around the gardens. Take a turn on the swing boats, have your face painted, dance along to ragtime music and take part in some garden games and craft activities.

8. Join the Wild Network and Be A Wild Thing 

Project Wild Thing and The Wild Network is a people powered movement. The mission is simple to ‘reconnect kids with nature’.

It was born from the concern of a Dad called David Bond who became worried that his own kids’ waking hours are dominated by a cacophony of marketing, and a screen dependence threatening to turn them into glassy-eyed zombies. He was so worried he decided to create a campaign ‘Project Wild Thing’ and appointed himself Marketing Director for Nature. Like any self-respecting salesman, he enlisted the help of a number of bemused professionals, and began selling Nature to British families.

The film charts his humorous journey unearths some painful truths about modern family life. His product is free, plentiful and has proven benefits – but is Nature past its sell-by date? Watch the film, arrange a screening or even request a date for a Q&A with one of the Wild Thing team, who knows you could start a revolution in your own backyard, and all it would take is a launch party with a picnic in your local park.

Their website and App’s (for iOS/Andriod) give you hundreds of ideas of ways to have fun with nature. Or, you can download a free voucher on their site which promises that you spend time playing outside together (cute idea to put in a birthday card).

9.  Kiss A Hedgehoge in Hyde Park

This half term (and on other dates during the year) the award winning building that is the Isis Education Centre, bang in the middle of Hyde Park (to the north of the Serpentine) are hosting twoFREE Discovery Days dedicated to our much loved ‘Hedgehog Heroes‘. You can drop in any time between 11am and 3pm (on 27 & 28 May 2015) for a day of hedgehog themed activities including: Crafting a hedgehog from a paper plate, Paint or colour your own hedgehog picture, Learn to use radio tracking equipment (over 8s only), Help create a huge handprint hedgehog, Follow the Discovery Trail, to uncover prickly facts, Make a clay hedgehog and its very own habitat (for a suggested £2 donation) and finally learn and discover what you can do to help hedgehogs in your garden.

They also have an education day ‘Nature Explorers: Hedges & Hedgerows’ on Tuesday 26 May 2015: 10am – 3pm which is suitable for 8 to 11 year olds (15). Drop off at the Isis Education Centre for a fun filled (and educational!) day of outdoor games and activities this half term. Booking essential.

10. Theatre Tours and Puppet Theatre for your Little Angels

Please tell me you have been to The Little Angel Theatre in Islington? Not to be confused with the famous Little Angel pub in Henley On Thames! This Theatre is an institution in every way. Let me share a little of it’s history. In 1961 a troupe of enthusiastic puppeteers under the leadership of South African master, John Wright (Edgar Wright the film directors Dad), found a derelict temperance hall in Islington and transformed it into a magical little theatre, specially designed for children and for the presentation of marionette shows. It opened on Saturday 24th November 1961.

Today it hosts the most charming and well performed productions, as well as puppetry courses for kids and adults, and the cutest local summer parties right outside the theatre. Running until 28-June is The Paper Dolls. It is a show adapted from the acclaimed book by Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson. The magical tale is brought to life through puppetry and music in this new co-production between Little Angel Theatre and Polka Theatre. Suitable for age 3 to 7. Though worth noting is that they hold baby friendly shows, for babes under 3 (mostly Thursday 10.30, Saturday 11am and Sunday 11am check diary). Call box office for more info. £12 / £10 children and concessions £1.80 booking fee applies to all card transactions. Friday Fives: all tickets £5 for shows at 5pm on Friday .

Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley are the Golden girls of healthy cooking. Between blogging for vogue.co.uk, writing their second book (The Art of Eating Well is out now and Good and Simple will be out next March), and appearing on magazine covers and television screens regularly, they are seriously busy women. But we are delighted that they have taken some time out of their very, very busy schedules to share three recipes with kodomo.com. All are designed to make you feel your best, they are great options on holiday this summer for parents and little ones alike, and your children will love making them with you. And if they leave us looking half as good as either sister, we’ll make them daily for life. Thank you Melissa and Jasmine.

Lamb Meatballs with Cauliflower Tabbouleh

“We’ve given this Middle-Eastern classic a Hemsley twist by making it grain-free and swapping bulgur wheat for cauliflower. To make your meat go further you can add grated carrot, shredded celery, cooked pulses and even the carrot pulp from your juicer.”

 

FOR THE MEATBALLS

500 g minced lamb or beef (don’t go for lean mince)

1 egg

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp black pepper

A large pinch of ground cumin and a large pinch of ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ghee, for frying a pinch of ground chilli or a little fresh chilli (optional)

FOR THE TABBOULEH

2 cauliflowers

1 tbsp ghee or butter

2 red onions or 2 bunches of spring onions, finely chopped

4 large tomatoes, diced

3 large handfuls of fresh parsley, finely chopped

A large handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped juice of 1 lemon

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

TOPPINGS

Chopped radishes, nuts or seeds (such as almonds, pistachios or sunflower seeds), to garnish

METHOD

1. First make the tabbouleh. Remove the caulifower leaves and the tough end of the stalk. Grate the cauliflower into rice-sized pieces using the slicing attachment of a food processor or the coarse side of a hand-held grater.

2. Steam the grated cauliflower in a saucepan, lid on, with a couple of tablespoons of water and the ghee or butter. Over a medium heat, it should take roughly 4−6 minutes for the cauliflower to cook (not too soft!). Check there is enough water at the bottom of the pan so that the cauliflower doesn’t burn. Drain any excess water and tip the steamed cauliflower into a large serving bowl.

3. While the cauliflower cools, chop up the rest of the tabbouleh ingredients, then combine everything together. Taste for seasoning.

4. In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients, except the ghee, and mix well.

5. In a wide saucepan over a medium heat, add a little ghee and fry a small piece of the meatball mixture and taste to check for seasoning. Adjust the remaining mixture as necessary.

6. Wet your hands and shape the mince mixture into balls. We use roughly 1½ teaspoons of the mixture per meatball to make about 20 balls, but make them any size you like. Just remember, the larger they are, the longer they’ll take to cook.

7. Heat up a little more ghee and, over a medium-high heat, fry the meatballs in a few batches until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through – this should take about 6–7 minutes. You can always brown the meatballs in advance and finish them off in the oven later if you’re having people round.

Pea and Mint Lollies With Chocolate

(Makes 900ml of ice cream).

“This wholefood, delicious dessert is a hit with children and parents, alike. Sweet, creamy and satisfying, you’d never guess they were packed full of vitamin-rich peas.”

FOR THE PEA AND MINT ICE CREAM BASE

350 g frozen petits pois

1 tin of full-fat coconut milk

150 g full-fat probiotic

Natural yoghurt

4 tbsp raw runny honey

1 tsp peppermint

Extract or 50 g fresh mint leaves and a little peppermint extract, too

A pinch of sea salt

A handful of cacao nibs )optional)

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

50 g cacao powder

80 g raw runny honey

1 tbsp coconut oil

METHOD

1. To make the pea and mint ice cream base, blend all the ingredients except for the cacao nibs together until very smooth.

2. To make the chocolate sauce, measure out all the ingredients into a jug or small bowl and stir together, along with 9 tbsp hot water.

3. To make the ice cream, place the pea and mint base into an ice cream maker and, following the manufacturer’s instructions, churn until you have ice cream. When it is ready, scoop the ice cream into bowls and sprinkle with cacao nibs and drizzle with chocolate sauce to serve. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the pea and mint mixture into ice cube moulds and freeze. Pulse the frozen cubes in a food processor for a soft serve ice cream.

4. To make 12 lollies, make up half the quantity of pea and mint base and add about 4 teaspoons into the bottom of tall shot glasses or lolly moulds and pop into the freezer. After 20 minutes or more, insert a lolly stick into the pea mixture and pour some of the chocolate sauce around it. Repeat with the pea and mint base and finish with the chocolate sauce, freezing for 10 minutes between layers. Freeze the finished lollies for a further 2 hours, then enjoy.

5. Alternatively, mix the half-quantity of pea and mint base for the lollies with the chocolate sauce and pour into shot glasses. Insert the lolly sticks and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

8. Serve the meatballs with the tabbouleh and your choice of toppings scattered over the top.

The Art of Eating Well by Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley is out now. (Ebury Press, £25)

Good and Simple is due for release on 3^rd March 2016

The Hemsley Spiralizer is out now and available to purchase for £29.95. See www.hemsleyandhemsley.com for stockists.

What with Kate and Keira sporting baby bumps, 2015 seems to be the year to have a little one. But what about being pregnant on foreign shores? Travel writer, kodomo.com contributor, and ex-pat Gabriel O’Rorke discovers what it’s like having a baby aboard abroad…

The final stretch

Since I last wrote, this little bump has mainly been cruising to Cape Horn, queue jumping (as mentioned in part 1 of this blog) and having a massive growing spurt. I am now unmistakenly pregnant, but still determined not to succumb to the pregnancy waddle.