Sausage and Lentils

This is a healthy alternative to potatoes or pasta, lentils are quick and easy to cook and go well with good quality sausages.

Serves: 2 children

Steps

1. Pre heat the oven to 180oc / Gas Mark 4
2. While the sausages are cooking, fry the pancetta in a little olive oil in a heavy casserole dish for 4 minutes.
3. Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry for another 4 minutes until soft.
4. Add the lentils and 500ml of water or enough water to cover the lentils.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes until soft.
6. Slice the sausages and then add to the lentils, season with pepper and parsley and stir well.
7. Serve with a side salad and some fresh crusty wholemeal bread.

Bubble & Squeak

This is an old family favourite and something my mother used to cook for me.

Bubble Squeak is an excellent tasty way to provide your children with lots of vegetables and it is very easy too cook.

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Serves: 2 children

Steps

1. Use a large pan with salted boiling water to cook the potatoes until tender.
2. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan.
3. Add the half the butter to the pan, add the milk and mash well ( or alternatively don’t mash them but dice the potatoes without the milk into smaller pieces which is just as nice)
4. Add the cooked vegetables and parsley adn season.
5. Place a large frying pan on the stove and melt the remaining butter.
6. Add the potatoes and vegetables to the frying pan.
7. Cook slowly over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Occaisionally flip over the mixture, don’t worry it is breaks up, and begins to get grisp ( this is the best bit).
8. Cut into small portions before serving.
9. Can also be served with chicken, ham or a poached egg for  a more substantial meal.

Homemade Burgers

A healthier alternative to shop bought burgers.

This recipe makes eight small burgers for smaller children or four larger burgers for older children. Serve with homemade Potato Wedges.

Suitable for nut free diary, and for modemade burgers can be frozen.

Serve with wholemeal rolls, lettuce and tomato

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Serves: 4 children

Steps

1. In a large bowl mix the minced beef, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley, and egg.
2. Mix thoroughly.
3. With clean wet hands make mixture into round flat patties ( four or eight depending on desired size)
4. Heat olive oil in a pan. When hot, add the patties and cook on each side for five minutes until golden brown.
5. Remove your cooked burgers and dry on kitchen paper to remove excess fat.
6. Serve in wholemeal rolls, with some lettuce and tomato.

Homemade Baked Beans

Baked beans are a classic favourite with everyone. These are a healthier alternative to shop bought baked beans.

Homemade baked beans are suitable for vegetarians and is gluten free.

Suitable for toddlers and older children

400g of chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
Juice of half a lemon

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Serves: 4 children

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 150oc/gas mark 2
2. Rinse and drain the can of haricot beans into a casserole dish
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the onions for 10 minutes or until soft and golden brown.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and stir, bringing it to a simmer and cook for few minutes.
5. Pour the sauce over the beans, cover, and bake for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. If the mixture is drying out, add a little hot water or tomato juice.
6. Season to taste and serve with wholemeal bread.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

1. Homemade Tomato Sauce can be used with pasta or as an ingredient with many other recipes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the onions until soft
3. Add the garlic and then add the remaining ingredients
4. Stir and bring to a simmer, place a lid on the pan, and leave the sauce to cook for 15 minutes
5. Take the lid off and cook for a further 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and is thick and has a rich colour

Carrot and tomato soup

This is a warming soup which is good for boosting the immune system as its full of beta-carotene and vitamins A & C

Cooking Time: 25 mins

Serves: 4 children

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the onion, garlic, red pepper and thyme for 5 minutes until soft
2. Add the carrots and the potato and cook until soft
3. Add the vegetable stock and can of tomatoes and bring to the boil and then cover the pan and simmer for 20minutes
4. Pour the soup into a food processor and liquidise for until smooth
5. Return the smooth soup to the pan and add the milk and season with salt and pepper to taste
6. Serve with a garnish of grated carrot, a springling of parsley and some fresh wholemeal bread.

Pasta Peas and Bacon

My children love pasta, and I love this because I can make it quickly in 10 mins for a week day evening meal.

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Serves: 4 children

Steps

1. Peel and slice the onion.
2. Grate the low fat cheese.
3. Put the onion fry gently in a saucepan with some olive oil and low fat margarine until soft and brown.
4. Add the bacon to the saucepan and fry until the bacon is cooked
5. Add the peas and cook gently for 5-6mins
6. In another saucepan, cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente (a little bit crunchy) and then drain the pasta
7. Add the bacon and peas to the cooked pasta.
8. Add milk and half the cheese.
9. Add the mixture to a greased oven proof dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese
10. Cook in a pre heated oven for 15mins until golden brown.
11. Serve with a green salad

Homemade Vegetarian Burgers

Children love burgers! Here is a healthy version that my kids love, and both vegetarian or non vegetarian children enjoy eating these.

You can serve with home made tomato relish.

2 cans of red kidney beans

2 cans of butter beans

1 can of mixed beans

1 large onion

1 glove of garlic

85g (3oz) of fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried thyme or mixed herbs

Tomato Relish

1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 jar tomato passata sauce
1 tablespoon muscovado sugar
1 tablespoon malt vinegar

Serves: 4 children

Steps

1. Drain the cans of beans
2. Break the toast into pieces and make into fine crumbs using a food processor
3. Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
4. Heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the onion, garlic, and thyme until soft and brown.
5. Add the beans and fry for 5 minutes
6. Transfer contents of frying pan into a food processor, add the breadcrumbs,  soy sauce and lemon juice, and pulse until well mixed.
7. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and then form into a burger patty shape. Cover and store in the fridge for a few hours before using.
8. When ready to serve

Tomato Relish

1. Peel and chop the onion
2. Crush the clove of garlic
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic and onion. Cook over a low heat until golden brown
4. Add to the pan the passata along with the sugar and vinegar.
5. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes
6. Take off the heat and allow to cool before serving

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

All Children love chicken nuggets. But I would rather have children eating these made with organic chicken than the shop bought manufactured chicken nuggets.

Children love to help you to make these.

You can serve with home made tomato sauce.

900g diced chicken
3 slices white / brown bread
1 egg
125ml milk
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of paprika

Tomato Sauce

1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 jar tomato passata sauce
1 tablespoon muscovado sugar
1 tablespoon malt vinegar

Serves: 4 children

Steps

1. Toast the bread until light brown
2. Break the toast into pieces and make into fine crumbs using a food processor
3. Add the garlic powder and paprika to the breadcrumbs
4. Put the breadcrumbs in a plastic freezer bag
5. Beat the egg and the milk in a bowl
6. Add the diced chicken to the bowl
7. Transfer the chicken pieces to the freezer bag containing the breadcrumbs and toss them to cover them evenly
8. Place the crumbed chicken pieces evenly on a baking tray.
9. Use a can of spray oil to give the chicken pieces a spray of oil.
10. Cook the chicken piece in a pre heated oven for 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp

Tomato Sauce

1. Peel and chop the onion
2. Crush the clove of garlic
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic and onion. Cook over a low heat until golden brown
4. Add to the pan the passata along with the sugar and vinegar.
5. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes
6. Take off the heat and allow to cool before serving

MeatBalls

My kids love meatballs – but don’t love spagetti bolognaise. Which proves its all in the packaging!

2 onions
2 cans of tomatoes
1 garlic glove
1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 low salt stock cub

1 packet of spagetti

Cooking Time: 20 mins

Serves: 4 children

Steps

1. Slice the onion
2. Put the onion and garlic in a saucepan with some olive oil and cook until soft and brown
3. Add the mixed herbs and oregano to the saucepan and add the cans of tomato and the stock cube
4. Bring to boil and then simmer for about 30mins
5. While the tomato sauce is simmering, you can make the meatballs
6. Mix the pork and beef mince in a bowl along with the egg
7. Shape the mixture into small balls – about 3cm in size
8. Place the meatballs on a plate, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes until the tomato sauce is cooked
9. Add the meatballs to the simmering tomato sauce and cook for 20 minutes
10. Cook the spagetti as per the packet instructions
11. Serve the pasta with the sauce and grated Parmesan in bowls