COOKING WITH KATRINA
MEET KATRINA MEYNINK
Tiny People would love you to meet the gorgeous Katrina Meynink and her beautiful daughters Lulu and Claudette.
Katrina is an award-winning freelance food writer and recipe developer who lives and breathes all things food. She is particularly fond of butter, Persian fairy floss and bacon.
She eats (a lot). And then writes about it for national and international press. With two published cookbooks under her apron, with a third planned for release in 2019, she has also branched out into children’s picture book writing with the release of Lulu Le Baby Chef.
As a mum to three young girls, Katrina was frustrated by the lack of children’s picture books with a central female character outside of the realm of princesses and fairies. So, using her first daughter as inspiration, she wrote Lulu Le Baby Chef, a charming story about a skilled baby chef who travels the world searching for the perfect ingredient. She hopes the story will encourage children to fearlessly seek, to travel, to wonder, to dream and above all make it happen, no matter the final outcome.
Katrina brings to Tiny People her extensive background in gastronomy, culinary training and background in food journalism. Expect to see Katrina regularly as she joins the Tiny People Tribe to educate and inspire us in all things cooking and especially getting the little ones involved in the kitchen.
RAINBOW SMOOTHIES
Most layers here have been kept dairy free to make this something to feed the kids as well as little babies learning to eat. Feel free to combine with yoghurt for a thicker consistency and protein hit.
It works best to make each layer then pop cups in the freezer while you prepare the next. This helps to stop the colours bleeding into each other.
Ingredients
Green layer
2 Kiwi fruit, hulled, scooped into blender
1 cup Spinach leaves
½ cup crushed Ice
Red layer
½ cup frozen raspberries
½ cup fresh strawberries
Purple layer
½ cup frozen blueberries
2 tbsp frozen pomegranate arils
1 cup cooked beetroot
White layer
1 cup yoghurt
1 banana
¼ cup rolled oats
2 tbsp honey
Orange layer
1 cup frozen mango
¼ cup apricot nectar
Other fruits to try:
Peaches, pineapple, apricots, pears, grapes
Method
Blend each layer in a blender and pour into cups. Place cups in the freezer while you prepare the next layer. Clean blender before preparing the next layer.
LULU LE BABY CHEF
Katrina has recently released her debut children's book and we absolutely love it!
This beautifully illustrated 32-page book tells the tale of Lulu, a young budding chef who travels the world in search of the perfect ingredients.
Ending with a strong "there's no place like home" message and featuring stunning illustrations, this book will make a perfect gift this Christmas.
Recommended for children 1-5 years old.
GINGERBREAD FRENCH TOAST
Ingredients
1 small loaf of bread, sliced, (crusts removed if the small people demand it)
3 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground ginger
Icing sugar, honey and berries to top (optional)
Method
Place the slices of bread in a high-sided baking tray, so they fit snugly.
Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and spices in a bowl. Gently pour over the bread and gently press the bread down into the eggy mixture. You might need another ¼ cup or so of milk if the bread soaks up all the liquid. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.
Preheat the oven to 180C then bake for 30 minutes or until the bread has set and is nice and golden on top. Scatter with berries and top with fresh honeycomb or icing sugar if using.
You can also bake slices individually by lining a baking tray with baking paper, shake the slices of any residual mixture and place on the tray. Bake for 5-8 minutes each side until toasted and golden.
QUICK BIRCHER MUESLI
Ingredients
1 cup coconut yoghurt
1 cup apple juice (or water or a combination of both)
2 cups rolled oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
¼ cup shredded coconut
2 apples, cored, grated
¼ cup sultanas or cranberries
Fresh fruit to top
Method
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring gently until incorporated. Cover and place in the fridge over-night.
Serve topped with fruit, a drizzle of honey and extra cinnamon to taste.
This is best prepped the night before but if you are planning to eat this straight away you might find it helps to add extra yoghurt. Set it aside for at least ten minutes for the oats to soften.
We are excited to feature more of Katrina's recipes in the future and can't wait for everyone to try out these recipes.
Be sure to tag us on Instagram with #tinypeopleshop so the Tiny People Tribe can share in your great cooking experiences with your kids.
Check out our Instagram post for details of how you can win a copy of Lulu Le Baby Chef just by posting your attempts of these awesome recipes.