Sugar-free, flour-free, gluten-free (if you use GF oats), dairy-free, practically effort-free to make…yet somehow still tasty enough to eat yourself as well as handy for small people snacks (and relatively mess-free too).

Add whatever you like to this basic recipe – 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; chocolate chips; whole raisins or chopped nuts for bigger children; coconut flakes etc. You can leave out the carrot if you don’t have one around, and even the oats (just use one medium banana so the mixture isn’t too wet). You can use a tablespoon of honey instead of/as well as the raisins if you’re making this for a child over one year old, or maple syrup, or just caster sugar.

Freezer friendly
Makes 12 mini muffins

Ingredients
1 tablespoon raisins, soaked in boiling water for 10 mins
1 medium egg
1/2 a carrot, grated
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (or cinnamon, or scant 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 medium / 1 large ripe bananas
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons porridge oats

Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180c (fan)/gas 4. Pop cake cases into a muffin tray (make them mini muffins or they’re harder to get the centre cooked through without burning the top).

Pop everything in the blender and whizz until smooth, scraping down from the sides as you go. Spoon into cake cases, smooth the tops and bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the muffin tray (leave in the cases, the paper peels off easily once they’re cool) and leave to cool on a wire rack.