Fish fingers are a kid favourite and these are no different, only made from home so you know exactly what goes into them!
Course Dinner, lunch
Cuisine Australian
Keyword fish, fish cakes, fish fingers
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 20minutes
Servings 4people
Ingredients
2fillets Bassa fishsliced into 1inch x 2 inch fingers.
2Eggs
¼cupFlour
1.5cupsPanko breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Heat oven to 180C. Spread the breadcrumbs over a baking tray and bake in the oven for 5min or until golden. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
Form the batter by whisking the eggs and flour together. Season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper.
Dip the fish into the batter and then into the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all fish pieces are coated. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 15mins or until golden and cooked through.
Serve with aioli.
Notes
Freeze the coated fish fingers before cooking for a quick and easy mid week dinner or snack. Just increase the cook time to 20mins when popping the fish fingers in the oven frozen.
Don’t be fooled by these mini beef sliders, they are packed with the good stuff (aka veggies!). There are two serves of veggies in the burger patties alone!
They are perfect for little hands to pick up and still loaded with veggies and the good stuff for their little bellies!
Combine the mince, onion, zucchini and tomato sauce in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Form 10 small burger patties. Heat oil in a pan and cook half the patties for 2-3mins on one side then flip and top with cheese slices cooking for another 2-3mins. Remove from pan and cover with foil while cooking the remaining patties.
Spread one side of the rolls with aioli then top with patties, lettuce and tomato and extra sauce. Top with other side of roll and place a skewer through the slider to hold in place.
Is there any more of a ‘kid friendly’ meal than Mac N’ Cheese. I haven’t never met a kid that doesn’t love it!
I put that mainly down to the plain cheesy flavour of traditional Mac N’ Cheese. I have spoken about this a little bit but there is very good reason to why kids are attracted more to plain foods. There taste buds simply haven’t developed like us adults just yet! Are there foods you used to hate that you love now? Olives is a common one! Well that is because in our formative years our taste buds change and develop a lot to handle new and exciting flavours.
But plain doesn’t have to mean no veggies. That is why I packed this dish with veggies but kept that same cheesy texture and taste! This way you know your kids are eating something they love and still getting a nourishing dose of vegetables in their diet! Win Win!
Packed with veggies with that same cheesy texture and taste of traditional Mac N' Cheese.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Australian
Keyword cheese, Pasta, Pastabake, vegetables
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 40minutes
Ingredients
1brown onionsliced
400gcauliflowerroughly chopped
400gbutternut pumpkinpeeled and roughly chopped
2large carrotsroughly chopped
100gcream cheese
2cupscheddargrated
2cupsmilk
500gElbow Macaroni pastacooked
Instructions
Add the brown onion, cauliflower, butter nut pumpkin and carrot to a large pot on high heat. Cover with water and bring to the boil for 10mins or until veggies are tender. Drain the water and place the veggies in a blender or food processor. Blend on high for 1-2mins until smooth.
Add the puree back to the pot on a low heat and stir through the cream cheese, milk and 1.5 cups chedder until the cheese begins to melt.
Cook the pasta as per packet instructions.
Stir the cooked pasta through the creamy sauce and then place in a large baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Place under the grill for 5mins until melted.
I am always looking for new lunch ideas, so when my sister and I thought of salmon patties I knew I had to do something a little different! Combining it with the sweet potato gives it a deliciously sweet flavour and hide some of the ‘fishy’ taste – so it is sure to be a favourite with everyone! Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them and take them out for lunches when you need!
Peel and roughly chop the sweet potato. Steam in the microwave or over the stove for 15mins or until soft. Then place into a large bowl and mash. Add in salmon and mash together with a fork. Add in remaining ingredients to form a thick, but wet mixture.
Roll mixture into the size of golf balls and flatten slightly on a lined baking tray. Bake in the oven for 15-20mins, turning over once.
Notes
Nut Free version, swap the almond meal for ½ cup plain flour
- Swap the tuna for salmon for something different.
Pizza has NEVER been so easy!! With just 2 ingredients and 5mins you can make your very own dough. So there is no reason not to whip it up for a Friday night family pizza night!
I like to set out all the toppings and make mini pizza’s so that everyone can choose exactly what goes on theirs! This not only stops the fights, but also empowers your kids to have choice over what they eat!
Pizza has always been one of the foods referred to as ‘bad’ or ‘unhealthy’ but this is anything but! So this is the perfect meal to practice quitting the negative talk, If you have no clue what I am talking about watch this youtube clip!
You can choose your own but I have also included some of my favourite topping variations to get you started:
With just 2 ingredients and 5mins you can make your very own pizza dough! Never think pizza is unhealthy again!
Course Dinner, lunch, Snack
Cuisine American, Australian
Keyword pizza, savoury
Prep Time 5minutes
Cook Time 15minutes
Servings 3people
Ingredients
1cupyoghurt
1cupSR flour
Toppings – Choose your own:
¼cupPesto
¼cupPizza sauce
50gHamshredded
50gchicken breastcooked and shredded
50gtin Pineapple pieces
½Red onionthinly sliced
100gMushroomthinly sliced
1Zucchinishaved
1cupmozzarellagrated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 230C. Place a pizza stone or baking tray in the oven to start heating up. This is the key to a crisp base.
In a bowl combine the yoghurt and SR flour. Use a wooden spoon to start, but as it comes together it is best to use your hands.
Tip the dough out onto a flour surface. There is no need to knead this dough! Cut the ball of dough into 3 pieces. Roll each piece out to 7inch wide. Carefully place them on baking paper.
Now its time to top them with your favourite things! My suggestions:
Classic Ham and pineapple: Spread the pizza with 1 tbsp of pizza sauce, top with 1/3 cup mozzarella, Ham, Pineapple and red onion.
Pesto Chicken: Spread 1 Tbsp pesto on the pizza, top with 1/3 cup mozzarella, mushrooms, shredded chicken, zucchini ribbons
Veggie Loaded: Spread with 1 Tbsp pizza sauce, top with 1/3 cup mozzarella, mushrooms, red onion, zucchini ribbons. After cooking drizzle with pesto.
To cook place on a hot pizza stone or baking tray in the oven and bake for 10min, until the cheese is golden and base is crisp.
Notes
*Alternatively if you have a mix master with a dough hook you can use that.
** if you have a pizza stone, you can also cook these in the bbq.
Like this recipe? Why not try some other delicious lunch box additions!
Ham and Tomato – Name a more iconic duo. I dare you!!
It is delicious on crackers, sandwiches, why not in a quiche. Buttery flakey (cheesey) pastry topped with a light and delicate eggy filling. There is a reason Quiche’s are so popular.
Instead of all the cream and cheese in traditional quiches, I like to keep it light! Substitute milk for cream, and cottage cheese for the cheddar. Every tried baked cottage cheese? NO – well then you are seriously missing out!
Simple flavours but a delicious combo all the same! Make this super easy quiche from scratch for a delicious dinner and take leftovers for lunch!
Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Australian
Keyword Dinner, easy, ham, home cooking, quiche, tomato
Prep Time 20minutes
Cook Time 50minutes
Resting Time 30minutes
Servings 6People
Ingredients
Short Crust Pastry
1 2/3cupPlain Flour
125gButtercold and cubed
PinchSalt
5-6TbspChilled water
Filling
150gHam
1Tomato
2spring onions
6eggs
¾cupmilk
salt and pepper to taste
½cupcottage cheese
Instructions
Combine flour, salt and butter in food process and process until it forms a fine crumb. Then add in 1 tbsp of chilled water at a time. Until the dough comes together. Wrap dough in glad wrap and refrigerate for 30mins.
Preheat the oven to 180Roll out pastry on a floured surface until it is 0.5cm thick. Carefully pick it up using your rolling pin and then lay it in the pie dish. Don't worry if it breaks and you can push it together. Press the pastry into the dish. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork 5-6 times. Top with baking paper and spread baking weights or rice over the base and bake in the oven for 15mins.
Meanwhile prepare the filling. Roughly chop ham, slice tomato. In a jug, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper until light and fluffy.
Remove from the oven pastry, discard baking paper and weights. Then spread ham and tomato over pastry base. Pour the egg mixture over the base. Use a tablespoon to spoon cottage cheese over the top. Bake in the oven for 20-30min until golden and set.
Food and Nutrition are my absolute jam and bringing them to you is an easy, bite sized way is what I live for!
I am the clumsiest person you will ever meet, often finding myself on the floor – usually a result of tripping over my own feet. This might have something to do with the fact that I am 6’3 (or 190cm) aka a giant amongst most of my friends.
I love to make a mess in the kitchen, writing isn’t really my thing, but I have vowed to get better so that I can share my journey and passion with all you of amazing people!!
I like to set out all the toppings and make mini pizza’s so that everyone can choose exactly what goes on theirs! This not only stops the fights, but also empowers your kids to have choice over what they eat!
