Best known for her baby and toddler-friendly recipes, which she has been writing for 25 years, Annabel Karmel has now published the more grown-up Busy Mum’s Cookbook.

“I had to make my name in baby and toddler food before I could get taken seriously as an adult cook,” she laughs. “It has been great using ingredients I can’t use in my baby books, like red wine and chillies.”

Some of the babies weaned on her purées are now cooking their own feasts, including her own offspring, Nicholas, Scarlett and Lara. Nicholas is now cooking in his own flat, although Karmel does drop food off at his apartment.

“I took him chicken soup today as he hasn’t been well. I have him to thank for getting me started with trying recipes, as he was such a fussy baby. Now he’s a real foodie!”

She still cooks for her daughters who live with her. “Two sleep here but I cook for 10.” But they do now take turns cooking for her. They and their friends, who include food writer Ella Woodward and fellow healthy-food writer and entrepreneur, Olivia Wollenberg, have kept Karmel up to date with technology.

“I spend Tuesdays at home developing recipes. I often take my own photos and Instagram them. My recipes are often published first in Instagram nowadays.”

She has also picked up on some of the latest foodie trends, spiralising courgettes, roasting cauliflower as well as producing snack bars sweetened with Stevia instead of refined sugar.

“I’ve used an array of ingredients to encourage variety and flavour without the faff,” she says.

Annabel Karmel’s Busy Mum’s Cookbook is published by Ebury Press, £20