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.
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.
We are coming into the holiday seasons – aka a month of a whole lot of entertaining so I like to make some delicious healthy treats for my usual cheese platters.
But dips are just for entertaining OR cheese platters. They are a great sensory experience for your kids. No only do they provide great colour and a different texture to their plates it also provides a different ‘action’ for finger food! So here are my favourite three dips this summer – which all provide another serve of veg or legumes as well!
Roast pumpkin packs this dip with flavour for the perfect mix of sweet, savoury and creamy!
Course Snack
Cuisine Australian
Keyword dip, hummus, pumpkin soup
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 30minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
400gwhite beans
400gbutternut pumpkinroasted
2tspcumin
2tsppaprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2tbspolive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200C. Spread the cubed pumpkin over a tray. Roast in the oven for 30mins and then allow to cool slightly.
Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend on high for 2-3mins until smooth. Top with a little olive oil and hemp seeds.
Fresh Beetroot Dip
Serve it up with fresh veggies of your choosing, or slathered on toast and topped with an egg.
Fresh Vibrant beetroots make for a 'fun coloured dip for yum kids, or a delicious addition to your cheese platter.
Course Snack
Cuisine Australian
Keyword beetroot, dip, Snack
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 30minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
3large beetroots
2tspcumin
1tspcorriander
3/4cupGreek yoghurt
1/4cupmint leaves
1/4tspsalt
Instructions
Place the beetroots in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil for 30mins. Remove from the water and allow to cool for 5mins, then use paper towel to rub the skin off the beetroot. Place the beetroot and remaining ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and blend on high for 2-3min until smooth.
Classic Hummus
Serve them up with the incredible zaartar pita chips for something extra delicious!
Drain the chickpeas and pour them into a saucepan. Top with water until chickpeas are covered. Bring the chickpeas to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10mins. This step is optional, but makes for the creamiest hummus!
Drain the chickpeas through a colander with a jug beneath it to capture ½ cup of the cooking water.
Add your chickpeas, tahini, and cooking water to the food processor. Processes for 1min until smooth and then add in remaining ingredients and process on high for 2mins until creamy!
Serve with crunch pita chips.
To prepare the pita chips:
Preheat the oven to 170Lightly spray the pita breads with spray oil and then sprinkle with zaartar. Bake in the pita chips straight on the wire oven wracks for 7-10min until golden and crunchy. Allow cooling for 5min and then using your hands break them up into rough chips.
Notes
*(or 1tsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, salt and pepper if you can’t find zaatar in your local supermarket!)
Soft savoury pumpkin scones perfect warm with a little butter or just as is for a tasty snack.
Course Breakfast, lunch, Snack
Cuisine Australian, english
Keyword pumpkin soup, savoury, scones
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 15minutes
Servings 8scones
Ingredients
3/4cupPumpkin Puree
2cupSR Flour
1tspBaking Powder
1tspCumin
55gButtercubed and chilled
3/4CupChedder CheeseGrated
1TbspChives
1/4cupMilk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Sift the flour, salt and cumin into a bowl. Then rub the chilled butter into the flour to create a fine crumb. Mix in the cheese and chives. Then add in the warm milk and pumpkin puree to bring the mixture together to form a smooth dough. Dust with flour. Form a round disc (about 8inch wide) and cut into 8 wedges, alternatively use a scone cutter!
Bake in the oven for 15-17min until they have risen and are golden.
Notes
To make your own pumpkin puree steam or roast some pumpkin and blend for 1min until smooth.
you can you gluten free flour for these scones as well!
Gluten free crackers that are perfect for your weekend cheese platter, or for the kids lunchbox during the week!
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Australian
Keyword buckwheat, cracker, rosemary, savoury
Prep Time 20minutes
Cook Time 25minutes
Resting Time 1hour
Servings 6
Ingredients
2cupsBuckwheat flour
1.5TbspFlaxseed meal
1/3cupSesame seeds
2tspRosemary
1tspGarlic salt
3TbspOlive oil
8TbspCold water
Instructions
In a bowl combine the flour, flaxseed, sesame seeds, rosemary (fresh or dried!) and garlic salt. Stir in the olive oil. Then add cold water 1 Tbsp at a time until it forms a smooth dough. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30min-1hr.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Roll out the dough on a piece of baking paper until it is 2mm thick. Trim to make sides straight. Slide baking paper onto a baking tray. Use a large knife to cut dough into desired cracker size. Repeat with any remaining off cuts of dough.
Bake in the oven for 20-25min. All to cool completely.
Like this recipe? Why not try some other delicious lunch box additions!
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!!
