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garlic

Lunch

Green Tuna and Jacket Potato

tuna pesto jacket

Make the green tuna in quick time and put the potato in the oven while you play some games or take the children to see the neighbours, if they haven’t already turned their lights out, to pretend they aren’t home!

Green Tuna and Jacket Potato

Print Recipe
Serves: 2 Cooking Time: 75 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 large baking potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts or cashew nuts
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • 3 tablespoons dried basil, or 10–15 fresh leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon natural green colouring (optional)
  • 160g tin tuna in spring water, drained

Instructions

1

Preheat oven 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5.

2

Pierce the potatoes deeply several times with a fork, then place them directly on the oven shelf. Cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until soft and cooked through (stick a knife in one to see if it’s tender).

3

For the green tuna, put all the other ingredients except for the tuna into a small food processor (or in a small bowl and use a hand held blender). Blitz until combined, give it a few stirs in between. Add a few drops of water if necessary.

4

Flake the tuna into a bowl and then pour the green pesto sauce over the tuna. Leave to stand while the potato bakes

5

Once the potatoes are cooked, slice them open, fill with the green tuna and serve.

Notes

* For a crispy skin, coat the potatoes in olive oil and rub with a little sea salt.

October 24, 2017
Desserts

Dracula’s Delight

dracula delight

Chocolate pancakes with beetroot and raspberry sauce are a delightful combination. It is possible to feed children healthier desserts that taste good. The less sugar children consume, the more open they will be to eating in a more varied way.

Dracula’s Delight

Print Recipe
Serves: 6 Cooking Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

  • For the pancakes
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 75g jumbo oats
  • 1 tablespoon raw cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • oil, for frying
  • For the sauce
  • 150g raspberries
  • 1–2 small cooked beetroots (check they are packed in juice, not vinegar)

Instructions

1

To make the sauce, put the raspberries and beetroot in a food processor or smoothie maker and blitz until smooth.

2

Mash the bananas in a large bowl until smooth but still with a little texture. Stir in the oats and cocoa powder and mix well before adding the honey and beaten egg. Mix to a smooth batter.

3

Heat a little oil in hot non-stick frying pan. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter into the pan, and smooth it into a 7cm circle. (as big as the palm of your hand)

4

You should be able to fit 3 pancakes in the pan. Cook each pancake for 2 minutes on each side until the pancakes resemble a dark chocolate colour.

5

Serve the pancakes hot or cold with the sauce on the side for dipping or pouring.

Notes

* Use the leftover sauce for adding to porridge, quick trifles or yogurt, or freeze it for next time.

October 24, 2017
Lunch

Orange Chicken with Black Rice

pumpkin and black rice

Something a little different for the Halloween season, with lots of vitamin C-packed veg to help fight off the autumn cold. The black rice is a favourite in our house, but it does take longer to cook so I usually save it for the special occasion or just when time permits – meaning when I remember to get it on in time!

Orange Chicken with Black Rice

Print Recipe
Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

  • 240g black rice
  • 2 red onions, peeled and chopped
  • 1 small pumpkin or butternut squash (about 900g), peeled, deseeded and chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 orange or yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 1.2 litres low-salt chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 400g diced chicken
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (optional)

Instructions

1

Rinse the rice with cold water, then put it in a big saucepan of water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low–medium and simmer for 40–45 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

2

Meanwhile, put the vegetables and stock in a large saucepan with a lid. Bring the pan to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

3

Pour the oil into a frying pan and lightly fry the chicken until turning golden and cooked through.

4

Blend the vegetables and stock with a hand blender, leaving some chunks of veg. Add the chicken and orange juice, if using, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

5

Once cooked, drain the rice and place in the bowl. Pour the orange sauce over the rice and serve.

Notes

* To peel a pumpkin or butternut squash you need a really good peeler; if you don’t have one you will need a sharp knife to chop away at the edges. For a vegetarian meal, swop the chicken for tofu.

October 24, 2017