Since I spend quite a bit of time in my kitchen on a daily basis, it’s only natural that my daughter has shared this time with me often, ever since she was a baby; at first nestled in a sling, then in a small recliner set on top of the kitchen counter, afterwards exploring drawers and low cabinets from floor level, during her crawling phase. And as she started to grow up and develop finer motor skills, I invited her to climb on a stool step and I started giving her extra ingredients like flour, sugar, beans or water to pour and measure, bits of leftover dough to knead and play with. And slowly, her playing with all these ingredients turned into actual food preparation.

I remember the very first batch of sugar-free spelt star shaped biscuits that we baked together: my daughter was a little over two and we had the most wonderful time, she got to smell and touch a vanilla pod for the first time and then she had a ball with the rolling pin, with the star shapes and of course, the enormous quantities of flour that were thrown around all over the kitchen. We’ve had a lot of playing sessions in the kitchen since then and I’m really grateful we have this amazing time to really connect and enjoy.

I’m a big believer in the fact that the biggest gift we can give our kids is our presence and it’s up to us to find the best ways in which to connect with our kids. For my daughter and I, this sometimes means unstructured play, other times yoga, a walk, reading, drawing, really any moment or context in which I, as a parent, set a clear intention to be present with my daughter, fully absorbed in the moment with her. I’m really glad to have teamed up with SLooP FRULi to bring you this post, since they’ve set out to be kids’ play partner, encouraging parents and children to play together, while providing the little ones with energy and the vitamins that they need. SLooP FRULi is a delicious, all natural smoothie (it contains no preservatives, no artificial colours or flavours) that comes in the most child-friendly of packages, which makes it easy to handle for busy tiny hands. FRULi comes in two versions: Peach-Banana and Strawberry-Raspberry, both equally delectable for little kids’ palates.

As for this cake, it’s really easy to make, even for a four year old. All you need is a sturdy blender or food processor and some available space in your freezer. And then, if you decide to make this with your kids, expect to have fun with pouring and measuring ingredients, experiencing cashew nuts turning into paste, fitting the bottom layer into the pan, smoothing out the cream and last, but not least, nibbling on almonds, walnuts and cashews throughout the whole process. This cake is a hit with both adults and kids; it’s sweet, but not too sweet, it has no refined sugar and it’s a really nice and delicious way to fight the heat.

Raw Mango, Lime & Pistacchio Cake

200g/2 cups walnuts

100g/2/3 cups almonds

400g/3 cups dates, pitted

45ml/3 Tblsp maple syrup

Two mangoes, diced

Juice from half a lime

150g/1 cup cashew nuts

15ml/1 Tblsp coconut oil, melted

A handful of chopped raw pistachios

Start by lining the inside of a 20cm/9 in cake or tart pan with removable bottom with cling film. To make the bottom layer, place walnuts and almonds in a blender or food processor and blend until they become crumbly. Add the dates, 15 ml/1 Tblsp maple syrup and blend/process again until the mixture becomes sticky. Remove from the machine and fit into the bottom of your lined pan. Use your hands to press down and flatten the base.

Next, process or blend the cashew nuts on high speed until a paste forms, this will take about 4-5 minutes and you might need to scrape down the sides from time to time. When it’s done, add the diced mango, remaining 30ml/2 Tblsp maple syrup, the lime juice, the coconut oil and process/blend until a creamy and thick mixture is obtained. Spread this mixture on top of the base layer, smooth it with the aid of a spatula, then freeze for 4 hours, until set. Fifteen minutes before serving, remove from the freezer and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios right before slicing and serving. Enjoy!