Raising Children with Fun and Love

Seafood foraging

Playing with iphones and ipads just aren't the way I want to raise my children. Going to the seaside during summer to forage for food is a great way to get your children out of the comfort zone of their home.

Southend-on-sea

Great opportunity for children to learn where food come from.

We visit Southend-on-sea whenever the weather is nice enough. Remember to check the tidal times beforehand,. https://www.tidetimes.org.uk/southend-on-sea-tide-times. Plan your trip so you can visit the beach during low tides and collect oysters, mussels, winkles, cockles, even crabs if you look under the rocks.

This end of the coastlines has gigantic oysters.

Oyster bigger than my palm.

Oyster as big as my palm.

I like eating oysters raw and fresh from the sea, medium size oysters are actually tastier if eaten raw. The big ones are also delicious if cooked over a good old barbecue.

Just opened.

Creamy inside during summer.

If you are not a big fan in raw seafood or shucking oysters, cooking them will allow them to pop open on their own.

Cooking on my DIY barbecue.

cooked meat over barbecue

You can also collect crabs, mussels and winkles at the other end of the coastline of Southend-on-sea closer to Chalkwell Beach.

mussels, cockles and clams

crabs if you look under the rocks

Fertility & Maternity Recipes

Blackberry Muffin 

You can find blackberries throughout England from June to October, blackberries have been
foraged and eaten by British since the beginning of time. Blackberries are filled with vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, folic acid and antioxidants, all are vital for baby's healthy skin cells and immune system.

Ingredients

• 400g fresh blackberries (washed and drained)

  

  Blackberries collected from backyard.

• 100g caster sugar
• 100g melted butter
• 300g self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 150ml milk
• brown sugar (for sprinkling)
• nutmeg (for sprinkling)

Instructions

Add mixture with blackberries

1. Pre-heat oven to 160C or 325F.
2. Pour milk and butter in a measuring cup and place in microwave for 30 second or heat gently to melt butter. 
3. Whisk gently till butter liquidized, then add the eggs and whisk gently again to mix up the eggs. Then, set aside.
4. Mix all the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. (make sure all ingredients are sifted)
5. Pour No.3 in the mixing bowl while whisking.
6. Whisk through the batter mixture till it is smooth.
7. Half filled each baking cups and add 3-4 blackberries before filling the cups again.
8. Place a few more blackberries on top.
9. Sprinkle brown sugar and nutmeg on top before baking.
10. Bake for 10-15 minutes or till golden.