Feeding Bob new things - Experiments 1 and 2

Well here we go, as promised some trial and error, some may work and some may not, but I feel it is essential to blog both as it will let others learn from my experiments, and hopefully suggest other things that may work or  other ideas they may have that can enhance what I have done.

the separated milk

My first experiment was Yoghurt made from Hazelnut and Almond Rice milk. I saw this milk in the health food shop last week, priced to clear, so I thought I would try something different. Whilst I realise this is no use for Bob as he has nut allergies I thought it might be pleasant.
Yoghurt is made by the sugars being fermented by the bacteria into lactic acid, which causes the formation of the characteristic curd.If there are no sugar in the milk then add a spoonful of sugar at the heating stage to help the process.

I made the yoghurt in the same way that we make all yoghurt, boiled, cooled, add the culture and placed into slow cooker. 6 hrs later I should have had yoghurt, but instead I had a slow cooker full of separated milk that looked runnier when it came out than when it went in. Verdict - disaster

the finished blancmange

But waste not want not, I now had the milk that I did not want to just waste so I put a small amount into another container, and heated it and added gelatine, stirred it all together and made a blancmange, which I have to admit had I been thinking I might of added a vanilla pod to. overall outcome makes a pleasant change and is perfectly edible.






Experiment No.2 egg/dairy/gluten free Scotch pancakes.  For English thin pancakes just use 1 cup flour.

Now remember here Bob had never tasted a pancake so he has no preconceived idea of what he was expecting. The rest of  us love pancakes and I usually make my own with normal ingredients and Lacto free milk, but that not an option here.

Recipe 1 1/3 cup gluten free self raising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon of gluten free baking powder
1 cup soya milk
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 teaspoons flaxseed ( as our egg)
6 tablespoons hot water.

flaxseed added to water as egg

Mix water and flaxseed together and leave to sit for approx 15mins until it becomes thick and gloopy.

milk, oil and vanilla flavour

Put dry ingredients into one bowl and mix  wet ingredients, including flaxseed into another bowl.

pour liquid onto dry ingredients and mix well to a thick consistency.

mixing it up

cooking

Heat some oil in a frying pan and add ladle full of mixture to make small pancakes, cook slowly until set and brown turning as necessary.

we added raisins into a few in the pan with the second batch we cooked.

cooked

and eat...yum yum

kids verdict yummy, oh says they taste like sugar puffs and I say you could taste the pleasant nuttiness from the flax seed.
overall verdict pleasant time was had by all, very nice, pleasantly surprised and even oh ate them. Will make these again as they are quick and simple with little mess.

add a spread of jam

Must admit we had some education whilst making these, Fifi wanted to know why they were going bubbly so we spent time adding baking powder to water once we were finished and watching it froth.  Also explained about the flaxseed replacing egg and about egg white going solid due to what is in it when cooked and how the flax was replacing that. We learnt about consistency and how we could not roll them out like biscuits, we learnt patience and that things take time to cook. Fifi was fascinated watching them go from blobs of liquid to solid pancakes.

And we also had a valuable lesson on cookers and pans being hot when grandma burnt her finger (ouch!!)