Baby dhal

Ingredients: 

• 175g yellow split peas 
• ½ tbsp coconut oil 
• 1 small onion finely chopped 
• 1 tsp minced garlic / 1 fat garlic clove crushed 
• 1 tsp minced ginger / 1-2cm ginger
  
• ½ tsp yellow mustard seeds 
• ¼ tsp turmeric 
• 1 ½ tsp mild curry powder 
• 50g unsalted cashew nuts chopped 
• 1 very low salt vegetable stock cube (we used Kallo) 
• 100g frozen chopped spinach 
• plain yogurt pitta bread or rice, to serve

 

What to do:

• Soak the yellow split peas in a bowl of water for 20 mins. Rinse thoroughly in a few changes of water.
• Set pot to brown/saute and cook the onion for 5  mins, stirring from time to time until softened and starting to caramelise. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for a further 1-2 mins allowing the aromas to release.
• Add the split peas to the pan, then pour in enough water to cover it by a few cms. Crumble in the veg stock cube. Set to pressure cook for 15 mins.
• When finished, stir through the frozen chopped spinach and garnish with cashews. Serve with a dollop of yogurt on top, pitta or brown rice.
  
  Note: For small children pulse the cashews in a food processor or crumble into fine pieces – make sure you do this well so that there is no risk of choking. 

 

 

Adapted from: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/toddler-recipe-mild-lentil-spinach-dahl

 

Healthy(ish) berry muffins

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more)
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup light-flavoured extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup maple syrup / 2 teaspoons golden syrup 
• 1/3 cup milk (if using golden syrup use ½ cup or more)
• 1-2 cups frozen berries

What to do:

• Preheat over to 180C. Line 12x½ cup (125ml) muffin tins with muffin cases.
• Place the flours, baking powder and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and combine. Make a well.
• Add oil, milk, maple syrup/golden syrup and egg to a jug and stir. 
• Pour wet mix into the well and mix with spatula until just combined. Don't overmix.
• Add berries and gently fold to combine.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 20 mins. Turn halfway. Makes 12.

Adapted from Donna Hay's Basics to Brilliance Kids.

Baby breakfast muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt (225g)
• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (200g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1.5 cups rolled oats (120g)
• 0.5 cups wholemeal flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Berries to stir through

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 200C, lightly grease 12 cup muffin pan
• Mix yoghurt, bananas and eggs in one bowl
• In another bowl mix all the dry ingredients together
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix.
• Stir thru berries at the end
• Bake for 15 – 20 mins

Spinach and mozzarella muffins

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 100g baby spinach leaves, stalked removed and very finely chopped (or up to 10 nuggets of frozen spinach, finely chopped)
• 1 spring onion stalk, finely chopped
• 100g mozzarella or swiss cheese, finely chopped
• 2 stems of dill (or any other fresh herb), finely chopped (or a sprinkle of dried herbs)
• 100g unsalted butter, melted
• 125ml full fat cow’s milk (just under ¾ cup) 
• 2 egg, lightly beaten

 

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees and grease a 12-hole muffin tray.
• In a bowl sift flour and baking powder together.
• Add in spinach, spring onion, herbs, mustard and cheese and mix until fully combined. Make a well in the mixture.
• In a separate bowl mix the eggs, milk and melted butter, then pour into the well and mix until combined.
• Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin tray and bake in oven for 12-15 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and serve warm or let cool and freeze.

 

Adapted from: https://mumbubnutrition.com/

Pork sausage rolls

 Ingredients:

• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 brown onion, small, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 3 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
• 500g free-range pork mince (ground pork) (not lean)
• ¾ cup / 40g panko breadcrumbs OR ½ cup regular breadcrumbs
• ⅛ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp salt (5g)
• Black pepper
• 2½ sheets puff pastry, thawed then each cut into half
• Nigella seeds

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
• Toast fennel seeds and set aside.
• Heat oil in a non-stick fry pan over medium high heat. Sauté garlic, onion, carrot & celery. When cooked, set transfer to bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Add remaining filling ingredients into the bowl – pork, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, fennel seeds. Use your hands to mix well.
• Lay out a rectangle of pastry and brush egg along one long edge.
• Get ⅕ of the filling and shape into a long log shape down the middle of the pastry. Ensure the meat is tight and compact, without gaps.
• Roll up, finishing with the seam side down.
• If you have time/patience, refrigerate for 1 hour (makes it easier/neater to cut)
• Cut each log into four equal lengths, or just two if you want full size sausage rolls. Brush with egg and sprinkle with nigella seeds.
• Place on two baking trays lined with baking paper (or sprayed with oil). Bake for 30 - 35 minutes in total, swapping tray shelves at 20 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown.
• Cool slightly on trays. Serve hot or warm with tomato sauce or ketchup.

Recipe Notes:

Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese breadcrumbs which are larger than normal ones. For crumbed/breaded things, it makes them even crunchier. For fillings, they make the filling less dense, more moist. You can substitute for normal breadcrumbs, but reduce the quantity to 1/2 cup otherwise the filling won't be as moist.

Adapted from: https://www.recipetineats.com/special-pork-fennel-sausage-rolls/ 

Easy lemon cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approx 1/2 large lemon)
• Zest of one lemon
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk

Icing:

• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 50g butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

What to do:

• Preheat the oven to 180C standard / 160C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until pale and creamy - this will take a couple of minutes. If the butter is still hard before starting, microwave the mixture for 5-10 secs on approx 60 per cent power.
• Add eggs and beat briefly until combined. 
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Add half the flour mixture and all the yogurt, along with the lemon juice and zest, and slowly mix together on a low speed. 
• Add the rest of the flour and the milk and mix briefly until smooth and creamy. Don't over-mix. The mixture will be thick.
• Spoon out the cake batter into your prepared liners and bake in the oven for approximately 18 minutes or until golden and spring back lightly to the touch. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Icing:

• Using a wooden spoon, combine icing sugar, butter and juice in medium bowl until smooth. Add a touch of extra milk or water to get a glossier consistency. Use a knife to spread on the cooled cupcakes.

Adapted from: https://www.sweetestmenu.com/easy-lemon-cupcakes/

Delicious chocolate mini-brownies

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup coconut oil 
• 1 cup dark chocolate or chips (180-200g /1 bag) 
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup flour 

What to do:

• Pre-heat oven to 180°C and grease 24 cup mini-muffin pan with olive oil spray.
• In a large, microwave-safe bowl, heat the coconut oil and chocolate for 1-minute increments at 50-75% power, stirring inbetween, until the mixture is melted and combined when stirred together. Don't overheat the mixture, just microwave until the chocolate melts and it comes together - it shouldn't be overly hot. I used 60sec at 60% power followed by 60sec at 50% power.
• Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
• Whisk in the eggs.
• Stir in the salt and flour until combined.
• Fill the mini muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full (you can get pretty near the top and still be ok).
• Bake for 12-14 minutes until just barely cooked through. The edges will be bubbling lightly with coconut oil. Allow to cool before removing brownies from the pan.

Adapted from: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/fudgy-coconut-oil-brownie-bites/