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Food/recipes

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Original poster

Annabel Karmel's recipes

21 replies

MumtoEliane · 18/06/2010 13:25

What do you think of her recipes?

I looked at the book on the shop and thought it was good, when I got home I realised lots of recipes have LOADS of cheese on them.

Before I said that to HV she told me she uses lots of cheese, when commenting I had bought the book.

What do you think?

My baby is really chubby (I know its normal, and edible but still) so not sure about using so much cheese... Today I replaced some of it with potato.

And the portions, when she says 4, I make 2!! My DD is 8 months and she eats around 200gr meals.

I'd love to know your opinion.

OP posts:

FabIsGettingFit · 18/06/2010 13:29

It was a great book for me in my first nanny job.

Portions mean ice cubes so 3 portions is 3 ice cubes ime. She made me feel crap as ds1 was eating 8 cubes when she said he should be on 3. Why on Earth I took notice when this woman has never met me and her kids aren't the best eater, I don't know but I suspect it was my PND.

A lot of her recipes don't work if you use the amounts she says and her recipes are repeated in her other recipe books.

suiledonne · 18/06/2010 13:35

I have the Finger Foods book and use it for inspiration rather than following the recipes exactly.

I've noticed she uses honey or maple syrup in some savoury recipes that I don't think need a sweet flavour added so I just leave it out (eg I made sweetcorn fritters that are lovely and left out the honey) I don't think everything a child eats should be sweetened.

daisyj · 18/06/2010 13:36

I like her recipes, but am too busy and/or lazy to cook as much as I'd like from scratch. I do find I adapt them quite a bit, as either I don't have all the ingredients to hand or I instinctively feel certain proportions would work better for my dd and her needs.

However, what I would say is that babies and young children do need a lot more fat than grown-ups, so I wouldn't worry about the cheese, and I don't know if your your cute chubby baby is crawling yet (mine wasn't at 8 months), but she will probably start to slim down once crawling/walking, so I wouldn't be too concerned about impelementing cheese restrictions yet

meltedmarsbars · 18/06/2010 13:36

I think it is a crap way of feeding babies.

So there! (You did ask!)

I think you are better to adapt your own cooking to feed your baby and not slavishly follow some liefstyle guru who has never met you or your family and has no idea how you live.

Original poster

MumtoEliane · 18/06/2010 13:37

Ah... ok. Tday I made one of the recipes that said 4 portions, I just weighed it and it was 400gr. DD takes 200gr so I hd to make it 2. The jars in shops normally have 200grs too. Then sometimes she will have fruit as dessert.

OP posts:

sleeplessinsouthwark · 18/06/2010 13:38

I like her book, no you don't need it but it can be nice do some of it in a nesting kind of a way.

NanKid · 18/06/2010 13:39

I think it is all way too fussy, fannying around with ice cube trays and trying to make foods 'palatable' to small children.

What happened to just making dinner for all? Things like 'chicken korma for toddlers' are so stupid!

Original poster

MumtoEliane · 18/06/2010 13:58

I just needed some guidance with portions and amounts. How much meat should she have, how much potatoes or pasta, etc.

I have a different diet for health reasons so never learned how to cook "normal" meals. That's why I bought it. Although DP is cooking most things now to helpwith his ideas, but they are not many

OP posts:

didtatch · 18/06/2010 13:59

Am I being a bit stupid but what do the smiley and sad faces mean on all of Annabel Karmel's recipes? Scoured the book for an answer but can't find one?

Bucharest · 18/06/2010 14:01

Emperor's New Clothes.
And totally unrealistic on the meal planning thing.
And a sure fire way of getting dp to leave me, would, I suggest, be to serve one of Annabel's noxious concoctions. Chicken poached in orange juice anyone.

Agree with Nankid- why chicken korma for kids? Make Jamie's chicken korma for the whole family!

She calls her husband "Daddy" anyway, which is always a red-light to me.

Original poster

MumtoEliane · 18/06/2010 14:03

NanKid, I think my case is the opposite! My meals are too bland, I want her to eat nice stuff!

OP posts:

FabIsGettingFit · 18/06/2010 14:06

didtatch - they are for you to tick if Baby liked it or not imo.

FabIsGettingFit · 18/06/2010 14:06

didtatch - they are for you to tick if Baby liked it or not imo.

JimmyTarbuck · 18/06/2010 14:06

I felt totally liberated when I started ignoring this book. I suddenly remembered that, actually, I can cook perfectly well without her help.

Original poster

MumtoEliane · 18/06/2010 14:13

I think the recipes are not bad, I was very surprised at how nice the cheese sauce smelled! I think I've had it twice in my life, but I am confused with the 50gr of cheese for 3 portions, that sounds like a LOT of cheese for a baby to me. But then, maybe thats just me, thats why I asked here.

I don't follow the meal plannings or any other advice, I bought the one with more recipes on it just for meal ideas.

Thanks for your comments, and yes in my book it says that the faces are for you to tick if DC likes it or not.

OP posts:

PrettyFeckinVacant · 18/06/2010 15:49

I did notice how everything had cheese, or some form of dairy in it. And, as my dd is allergic to dairy, eggs and nuts, it meant that most of the recipes are useless.

There is only one meal that I still cook from AK's books and that is chicken pieces coated in brown breadcrumbs mixed with parsley and parmesan (I leave out the cheese for little DD) - they are scrummy

Everything else I tried was kak!

Chil1234 · 19/06/2010 06:33

I think, when it comes to portion-sizes, you pick a quantity and go with it. If baby doesn't finish it all... serve less next time. If you get to the end and they're clearly ready for more, offer something else. It changes as they get older after all

I had one of Karmel's books and used it mostly to get some fresh ideas for food combinations.

belindarose · 19/06/2010 10:30

I couldn't believe how much sugar her biscuits and cakes have. I made a recipe with one fifth the amount and they were still too sweet! I also HATE the way she writes things like 'These fish cakes taste great and not at all fishy' as if fish is something children shouldn't like. My BLW DD loves to eat whole chunks of any kind of fish.

belindarose · 19/06/2010 10:31

But I have nicked her idea of making meatballs with grated apple. They work really well (ignored the rest of the recipe).

Original poster

MumtoEliane · 19/06/2010 19:18

I haven't read the "not at all fishy" bit, but I absolutely agree with you. I saw a tomato sauce with "hidden" veggies, for this also is much better to teach children to enjoy veggies!

OP posts:

bananastainsonallmytops · 27/07/2010 08:40

I've only bought one of her books, baby and toddler something. I have tried lots of recipes and my DS doesn't like any of them. Some of the recipes are a bit unrealistic in terms of ingredients, time etc.

I agree with belindarose, far too much sugar in the recipes.

One comment she made in her book, 'if your child likes liver then you are doing a great job'. My DS is a VERY fussy eater so that comment made me feel great .
She writes how much her children like her food and I think that is fine, she is a professional chef after all. The rest of us are not.

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