Apple and Carrot Muffins

We have never had a problem with Alex eating. From the day he was born he was a little hungry monster. But, over the last few weeks it has been getting harder and harder to get him to eat anything. I don't know it because he just isn't fully better from the bronchitis or because he is a toddler and they have these strange 'rules' not to eat anything that wasn't grown by the third full moon of the year! Who knows what is going on in his mind.

I have been introducing new food over the last week in the hope he will eat something. On Friday, I made apple and carrot muffins from the Annabel Karmel website. I have to admit I was worried about how they would turn out because carrot and apple together doesn't sound all that appealing to me and because I really don't like raisins or cinnamon. Turns out I need not have worried because they were divine. They were a big hit with Alex too. After every bite he would say 'mmmmm, nice'.

I copied the recipe directly from the Annabel Karmel website, but I didn't add the skimmed milk powder as I couldn't find any and I doubled up on maple syrup as we had no honey. They were a little on the sticky side so if I can't find skimmed milk powder for the next time I make them, I might just add extra self raising flour. I'm no baker so this may ruin them, I will have to test it out and see.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 75g self raising flour
• 75g wholemeal flour
• 50g granulated sugar
• 25g dried skimmed milk powder
• 11/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 50ml honey
• 50ml maple syrup
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1/2 vanilla essence
• 1 large apple, peeled and grated
• 75g carrots, peeled and grated
• 75g raisins

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4
• Combine the flour, skimmed milk powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, sugar and ginger in a mixing bowl.
• In a seperate bowl, combine the honey, mapel syrup, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla essence.  Beat lightly with a balloon whisk until blended.
• Add the grated apple, carrots and raisins to the liquid mixture, pour all of this into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
• Line a muffin tray with papet cups and fill until two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

I made full sizes muffins with this recipe but it also suggests that you can make mini muffins and they cook in about an 15 minutes. I think the next time I make this recipe, I will make mini muffins to freeze them as after school snacks for Alex (and me too!). 

32 Weeks

On Tuesday, I had my 32 week check up with the midwife and doctor. When checking my urine, the midwife noted +2 protein. She told me to keep an eye on my blood pressure at home and come back in immediately if it went up. My doctor was not willing to let me go so easily and he wanted me admitted for a few days worth of tests as he felt due to my previous history of pregnancy induced hypertension that I could have something wrong but have normal blood pressure. So, I spent 2 nights in the same bed that I was in during both admissions for my last pregnancy.

My urine tests came back normal but my blood tests showed that I was pretty badly dehydrated. Again. I spent 14 hours on several drips with medication to try and help the vomiting and as soon as I came off them, the sickness started again and yesterday I spent most of the day gagging and avoiding anything that might make a reappearance. It isn't hard to see how I am dehydrated, especially in this heat.

Pregnancy is not easy for me and sometimes it can get me down. There may, or may not, have been a phone call to my Mum on Tuesday afternoon proclaiming I am done having babies and this is definitely my last. With that said, I find it hard to believe I couldn't have any more babies but I think there will be a substantial gap between this one and the next. There is only so much one body can take.

I am now at home resting (although it is kind of hard when you have a 15 month old running around), trying to stay as hydrated as humanly possible and getting my bags ready for when the time comes to meet our beautiful new addition. Only a maximum of 63 days to go!