Allergen: Contains Dairy

Cauliflower pizza crust

Cauliflower pizza crust

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 340g cauliflower (leaves removed)
  • 1/2 cup (35g) grated light cheese – mozzarella or tasty
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Method

Heat oven to 230°C (210°C fan-forced) and line a baking sheet with baking paper sprayed lightly with oil.

Chop cauliflower into chunks and place in a food processor.

Pulse until you’ve got cauliflower rice; the consistency of rice (you should have about 3 cups).

Remove cauli ‘rice’ and place into a microwave safe dish, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 8 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, place into a tea towel and squeeze as much moisture from the cauli ‘rice’ as possible (this is the secret to a crispy base).

Place cauli ‘rice’ into a bowl and mix with remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour ingredients out onto the baking paper and shape into a thin layer about 25cm in diameter.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Sprinkle over toppings and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Topping ideas:

  • Margherita: 1/2 cup grated light cheese, 2 tbsp passata, 10 cherry tomatoes, halved (and drained on some paper towel to remove excess moisture).
  • Cheese and olive: 1/2 cup grated cheese, 1/4 cup chopped black olives.
  • Hawaiian: 1/2 cup grated light cheese, 1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple (drained on paper towel to remove excess moisture), 50g lean ham, chopped.

Related pizza recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I find you get the best results using a thin baking sheet as opposed to a thicker oven tray. If you have a pizza stone then you’ll most likely get great results with that too.
  • Try not to overload the pizza crust with toppings – it’s a little more fragile than a traditional pizza base.
  • We often make the pizza crust and serve it cut up as an accompaniment with salad or spread on hummus for nibblies – really yum just on its own, too, though.
  • This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Baked cherry cheesecake

Baked cherry cheesecake

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain sweet biscuit crumbs (I used McVite’s Digestive
    biscuits)
  • 75g unsalted butter, melted
  • 375g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
  • 500g ricotta
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons cornflour
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 ½ cups caster sugar
  • 1 ½ cups morello cherries (I buy the 680g glass jar)
  • Finely chopped zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Fresh cherries, to decorate
  • 1 teaspoon icing sugar, to dust

Method

Butter the base of a 22cm springform pan and line with non-stick baking paper. In a bowl, combine biscuit crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly into the base of the pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 150°C.

Mix cornflour and water together in a small bowl to make a runny paste. Place cream cheese in a food processor and whiz until smooth, add ricotta and whiz again to combine. Add the eggs, cornflour mixture, sugar, lemon zest and juice. Whiz until all combined. Pour 2/3 of the cream cheese filling into pan, sprinkle cherries over, and then cover with remaining cheesecake mixture.

Place onto a baking tray (just in case there is overflow or seepage from the springform pan). Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check to see if the cheesecake is set in the middle, if not, bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Cool in pan, then run a knife around the edge of the pan, release sides of pan and transfer to a serving plate. I leave the cheesecake on the base of the pan.

Refrigerate until cold or needed. Just before serving, top with fresh cherries and dust with icing sugar (place icing sugar in a tea strainer and sprinkle from a height). What an impressive dessert! Serve with thick cream.

Related Christmas recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I love baked cheesecake. And the lemon and cherries in this version cut through the richness. A nice cool alternative to Christmas pudding.
  • Best of all, cheesecake can be prepared a day or two ahead of serving and kept nice and cold in your overloaded fridge. Added bonus: the taste improves while you are worrying about the turkey, doing a last minute clean of the house and wrapping presents at 11pm on Christmas Eve!
  • Store leftover cherries in the jar in the fridge and use later in muffins or cakes.

Savoury teddy scones with beef and mash

Savoury teddy scones with beef and mash

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 5 potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tspn butter or margarine
  • 2 tbsn milk
  • 1 tbsn olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 large or 2 small onions
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 310g minced beef
  • 2 field mushrooms, diced
  • 2 tbsn instant gravy powder
  • 1 tbsn stock powder (vegetable or beef)
  • 1 cup water

For the Teddy scones:

  • 1 cup Self Raising Flour
  • 2 tbsn chilled butter or margarine, cubed
  • 2 tbsn cold water
  • 3 tbsn grated cheese
  • 1 tbsnn parmesan cheese
  • A little extra flour for rolling out

Method

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes and leave until soft cooked.

Meanwhile, put a large fry pan on the stove on high heat. Drizzle in the oil when hot.

Add the garlic and onions and fry until clear, stirring so they don’t stick.

Add the mince, stirring until browned. Stir in the carrot, mushrooms, zucchini and leave on a low heat. After a few minutes, stir in the gravy and stock powder, then pour in the water. Leave on low heat, stirring occasionally. A gravy will begin to form after a few minutes. Leave to simmer for about 10 minutes.

While the gravy thickens and the mince cooks through, test the potatoes in the saucepan to check cooked. They should feel soft when poked with a knife.

Strain potatoes to drain the water then add back to the saucepan. Mash thoroughly until smooth. Mix in butter or margarine and milk. An easy way to do this is with a whisk as it ensures really fluffy mash.

Pour the mince and gravy mix into a casserole dish. Spoon out your mashed potatoes in a ‘mountain’ on top.

For the teddy scones, sift the SR flour into a large bowl. Massage in butter or margarine with your hands. You want the mixture to resemble breadcrumbs. The Teddy stage is a great way to get the kids involved. Stir in the cheese.

Use a dinner knife to mix in the water, stirring until the mixture turns into dough. Sprinkle some flour on the bench, and turn out the dough onto it. Sprinkle a bit more flour on the dough. Roll out to about 1 centimetre thick and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. This dish is called Teddies on the Mountain as we always use a teddy bear shaped cookie cutter, but you can easily substitute it for any shape. The kids can have great fun cutting out shapes.

Continue rolling out and cutting shapes until all the dough is gone. Place your ‘Teddies’ on top of the pile of mash, spread out so the don’t touch. They will rise a bit while baking.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes depending on your oven. It’s done when the scones are risen and golden brown.

Spoon into bowls, making sure everyone gets a few teddy scones (or whatever other shape you’ve chosen).

Notes

  • Though a bit fiddly, this recipe is a great way to get the kids involved in making the cute teddies appear on the mountain.
  • You can change the shape of the teddies to anything that might please the kid’s stars, crowns, angels, whatever!
  • It’s a great way to sneak in some extra veggies. The carrot, zucchini and mushroom can easily be substituted for any left over veggies.
  • Can easily be converted to dairy free by using soy milk instead of milk and replacing cheese with herbs and stock powder.
  • Can be converted to vegetarian by using more vegetables or soy mince if preferred.
  • This recipe was created by Lauren Rowland for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

Serving Suggestions

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Tea cake

Tea cake

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 3/4 cup milk

Topping

  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter the base of a 20cm round cake pan (I used a bigger one in the pic and the cake was a little on the shallow side).

Cream the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer. Add the egg and beat well. Sift the flour and add half to the mixing bowl with half the milk and beat on a low speed until combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk and beat until just smooth.

Pour the mixture into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn onto a wire rack and remove paper. Reverse cake so the top is uppermost. While the cake is still hot, spread with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Notes:

  • A classic cake to have with your afternoon tea. Quick to make and bake and on the table served sliced and hot!
  • My kids love this cake because it has cinnamon and sugar dusting ‘just like doughnuts’.
  • Great for kids and parents alike for an after school snack.
  • Make gluten-free using gluten-free flour and one teaspoon baking powder.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot New Zealand. .

Serving Suggestions

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Heavenly Hash

Heavenly Hash

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 500 grams lean mince
  • 420 gram can of condensed vegetable soup
  • 420 gram can of tomato soup
  • Vermicelli pasta (egg noodles) 1/4 to 1/2 pkt
  • Small can of corn
  • Water

Method

Brown mince add vegetable soup add tomato soup add water as necessary to avoid it becoming too thick .

Add the pasta but crush or break it up first.

Let it all simmer then serve.

Great to freeze and makes approx 4-6 meals.

Serving Suggestions

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Tomato, mozzarella and basil stacks

Tomato, mozzarella and basil stacks

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 4 large ripe tomatoes
  • 210g tub bocconcini
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method

Thickly slice tomatoes and bocconcini. Make stacks using a slice of tomato, one or two slices of bocconcini, another slice of tomato, more bocconcini and finish with a slice of tomato. Arrange stacks on individual plates or a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Serve with barbecued meat or slices of ham, chicken or turkey.

Notes

  • We had this wonderfully colourful salad with the Ham frittata.
  • I tried 3 delicatessens in a hunt for buffalo mozzarella – to get the lovely big thick slices – but gave up and settled for the smaller bocconcini.

Serving Suggestions

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Banana maple ice cream recipe

Banana maple ice cream recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 4 bananas, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
 

Method

Step 1.  Place banana slices separately on a tray lined with baking paper.

Step 2. Freeze for 30 minutes or overnight.

Step 3.  Remove from freezer and place in a food processor with the milk and maple syrup. Pulse a couple of times and then process until you have a creamy consistency.

Step 4. Serve immediately for a soft serve ice cream or place in the freezer for a hard ice cream texture.

Find more frozen treat recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra ice cream yumminess.
  • You could also sprinkle with pecan nuts and a drizzle chocolate if you want to be a Fancy Nancy.
  • This recipe was created by Penny Flanagan for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.

Beef pot roast

Beef pot roast

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup flour (to coat roast in)
  • 1 rump roast 11/2-2kg
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 large onions, roughly chopped
  • 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cups of water

Gravy

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Roll the roast in plain flour.

In your cast iron pot, heat the vegetable oil and sear each side for 4-5 minutes. Add the vegetables, garlic, and bay leaves and enough water to come to 1/3 the way up the roast.

Cover and roast for 3 1/2 -4 hours.

When done, remove from the pot and set aside. Strain the liquid to remove all solids and place the roast back in the pot to keep warm.

Gravy

In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour to make a roux (flour butter mixture). Cook for about 3 minutes until it becomes a light brown.

Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, pot liquids and stock. Cook until it reaches the desired gravy consistency.

Season to taste with fresh salt and pepper.

Slice the roast and serve with the gravy and some seasonal roasted vegetables.

Find related recipes for the man of the house.

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I love this recipe and have made it over and over.
  • If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can sear this in a frying pan and roast it in a casserole dish.
  • You need to be REALLY careful of the fat when searing the roast.
  • The gravy complements this roast and you may like to add only half the brown sugar depending on your own tastes.
  • This recipe was adapted by Jennifer Cheung from a Rachael Ray recipe for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

Bunny Butt Pancakes

Bunny butt pancakes

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk
  • 30g butter
  • 1 banana
  • 24 choc chips
  • 32 white mini marshmallows

Method

Step 1. In a large bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add egg and milk and whisk until well combined.

Step 2. Melt butter in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Use a spoon to create pancake shapes. You will need one large circle for the body, a smaller circle for the head, two small circles for the feet and two triangles for the ears. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Step 3. Peel banana and slice into 8 pieces. Top small pancake circles with a slice of banana and three choc chips to create feet.

Step 4. Arrange pancakes on plate. Start with the ears. Top with the head piece, slightly overlapping, then the body piece. Finally, carefully place the decorated feet overlapping the bottom of the body. Arrange mini marshmallows to create the fluffy tail.

  • This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

A gorgeous yellow elixir of chicken goodness with all the healing powers that chicken soup can possess.

This super-easy chicken soup is a set-and-forget recipe. You can feed a hungry crowd by just adding more water to the pot.

Find more recipe ideas:

Apple sauce cake

Apple sauce cake

Serves:

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (125g) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup (180g) sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups (300g) plain flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 375g jar apple sauce

For topping:

  • 2 tsp butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 tsp caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a ring tin and line the base with baking paper.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold through flour, cinnamon and baking powder. Finally, fold through the apple sauce.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Once cooked, remove cake from tin and place right side up on a cooling rack. Brush the cake with melted butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Find more delicious cake recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You could use a homemade apple puree if you prefer.
  • Try adding chopped apple and/or walnuts to the batter before baking.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Banana bread pie

Banana bread pie

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1 tin condensed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 150g butter, chopped
  • 1 cup self- raising flour
  • 2 eggs

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180° C. Grease a quiche dish with butter. Set aside.

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

Pour into the dish and bake for 45 mins until edges are crisp but it’s still a little soft in the centre.

Related banana recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • This is a variation on an American recipe that uses bisquick. I have an aversion to using shortening in cooking so I used butter.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Healthy roast pumpkin salad

Healthy roast pumpkin salad

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
  • vegetable oil spray
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 (60g) spring onions, chopped

Dressing

  • 2/3 cup (65g) roasted pumpkin
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ cup (125ml) buttermilk
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 tsp white vinegar
  • 2-3 tbsp water
  • salt and white pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

Line 2 baking trays with baking paper, place pumpkin on trays and spray lightly with oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 25-30 minutes until pumpkin is golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Add 65g (about 2/3 cup) of the pumpkin to a food processor and add remaining dressing ingredients.

Process dressing until smooth, adding more water if the dressing is too thick.

Gently toss roast pumpkin with spring onions and dressing. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

More salad recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I often wondered if pumpkin would work in a potato salad style dish and now I know. The secret is to roast the pumpkin so it’s soft but not too soft. The flavour is just beautiful.
  • Pumpkin is lower GI than potatoes, has more fibre and is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It also has less kilojoules.
  • You could also use sweet potato for this salad but I would use the orange fleshed ones as they are softer.
  • This salad is best served at room temperature.
  • Instead of using mayonnaise, which we all love but tends to be quite high in saturated fat, I’ve come up with the creamiest dressing using some of the roast pumpkin, buttermilk and a few other ingredients. This would be lovely on any salad actually, so keep it in mind next time you have a hankering for mayo.
  • Nutritional values per serve: 336kj (80cals); 1.1g total fat (0.4g saturated fat); 4.5g fibre
  • This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Salmon danish

Salmon danish

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 200g smoked salmon
  • 4 sheets frozen puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 200g ricotta cheese
  • 1 tsp capers, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh dill leaves, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp horseradish paste
  • 1 egg
  • sprig of dill leaves, to garnish
  • tiny wedges of sliced lemon, to garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 210°C or 190°C fan-forced.

Chop two slices of the Tassal smoked salmon into tiny pieces.

Combine the smoked salmon in a small bowl with the ricotta cheese, capers, dill leaves, horseradish and egg. Mix well.

Cut each sheet of pastry into four or six squares, dependent upon size of danish preferred.

Place a spoonful of the smoked salmon mixture into the centre of each pastry square, fold each edge of the pastry in a triangular shape towards the centre of the filling to form a danish shape and twist the edges together to secure.

Place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Repeat with remaining pastry squares and filling.

Brush each salmon danish with a little beaten egg and bake in oven for 12-15 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving topped with curled smoked salmon slices.

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • These are perfect canapes for a dinner party or special get-together.
  • Make the danish ahead of time then top with the salmon mixture just before serving.
  • Recipes created by Tassal.

Apple, mango and almond crumble

Apple, mango and almond crumble

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1 tin (800g) pie fruit, apple
  • 1 tin (800g) mango, sliced
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 50g butter
  • 1 cup (110g) almonds, flaked
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup of plain flour
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 250g butter, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

In a mixing bowl, place sifted flour, brown sugar and rolled oats. Rub through the chopped butter until it resembles crumbs. Mix in flaked almonds and set aside.

In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the mango, apple, 50g of butter and 3 tbsp of brown sugar. Gently toss until sugar and butter is melted and all ingredients are heated through.

Pour into a baking dish and spread the crumble mix evenly over the fruit.

Bake for 20-25 mins making sure that the almonds aren’t burning at the half-way mark.

Serve warm with cream or ice-cream.

Related dessert recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • This crumble is really made special by those flaked almonds. When they come out of the oven all golden brown, they have a toasty flavour and a pleasing crunch.
  • I love to throw this crumble into the oven after I serve dinner. It’s always ready just in time for when my kids ask “Is there dessert, Mum?”
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Homemade cookies and cream ice cream

Homemade cookies and cream ice cream

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 400g sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 cups whipped cream
  • 2 tablespoon water
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup coarsely crumbled Oreos (any other favourite biscuits)

Method

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks, then stir in sweetened, condensed milk, water and vanilla.

Fold in cookies and whipped cream.

Pour into a loaf pan lined with baking paper, or other container of the same size.

Cover and freeze for 6 hours or until firm.

Scoop ice cream from pan or peel off baking paper and slice.

Serving Suggestions

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Tagliatelle bolognaise

Tagliatelle bolognaise

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 375g egg-based tagliatelle
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 500g beef mince
  • 250g pork mince
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 700g passata (tomato sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • half a cup tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and saute the carrot, onion and celery until soft. Add the minces and brown, stir to break up into small pieces. Add all other ingredients (yes, even the milk) and simmer for about 2 hours.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add tagliatelle and cook according to packet directions.

Drain well and return to pot, stir through a couple of soup ladles of bolognaise to coat each strand, then serve in bowls with extra bolognaise on top.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Notes:

  • Addition of the milk and sugar reduces the tartness of the tomatoes, adding to a marvellous flavour.
  • This makes a sizeable amount of bolognaise, so I usually freeze some for an emergency dinner at a later date.
  • Tagliatelle, not spaghetti, is the traditional pasta to serve with a bolognaise sauce (ragu).
  • If your children, like mine, will not tolerate obvious bits of carrot and celery in their bolognaiseåÑpuree in the blender until smooth.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Tuna and rice casserole

Tuna and rice casserole

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons extra
  • half an onion, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup (150g ) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 cups tasty cheese, grated
  • 200g tuna in springwater
  • 2 cups jasmine, cooked (should yield about 3 and a half cups) and still warm
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs

Method

Preheat oven to 180c Butter a baking dish and set aside.

Bring a heavy-based saucepan to low to medium heat and melt butter. Saute onion for 2 minutes or until soft.

Stir in flour and make a paste. Whisk in milk, one cup at a time. Continuing whisking and allow to thicken for about 5-8 minutes. When it begins to simmer remove the pan from heat.

Stir in the tomatoes, peas, 1 cup of cheese, and tuna, set aside.

Spread one cup of rice on the bottom of the dish, then spread half of the tuna mixture on top, continue to layer until you end with the tuna mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Melt the extra 2 tablespoons of butter and mix through the breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the top.

Place on a baking sheet and into the oven for 15 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbling. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then serve immediately.

 

Notes:

  • This is so lovely and creamy; it is lovely served with a tossed green salad (if your kids like salad-y things!)
  • Be sure you wash the jasmine rice at least three times in a fine sieve until the water that runs off it appears less white before you cook it.
  • My rice cooker is invaluable for recipes like this one. It cooks the rice on its own away from the stove top and keeps it warm until I‰ am ready to use it.
  • This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand‰s best recipe finder.

 

Weetbix custard

Weetbix custard

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 2 Weetbix, crushed
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tsp sugar

Method

Put all ingredients in a blender.

Blend for 45-60 seconds or till smooth.

Chill for 1/2 an hour.

Serve cold

Serving Suggestions

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Chicken and avocado tortilla wraps

Chicken and avocado tortilla wraps

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 avocado, flesh diced
  • 4 tortillas
  • 1 cup tasty cheese, grated
  • 30g baby spinach

Method

In a bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, shallots and avocado and season well.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat.

Lay a tortilla on a board in front of you and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese across the middle. Top with a quarter of the spinach and a quarter of the chicken mixture. Roll tightly then place seam-side down on the grill plate.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Turn and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Repeat with remaining ingredients.

More Mexican recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Use a good quality whole egg mayonnaise.
  • Try adding a handful of chopped dill or parsley for a big flavour hit.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Tex Mex scones

Tex Mex scones

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion (80g), finely chopped
  • 1 carrot (100g), finely chopped
  • 1/2 red capsicum (100g), finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoky paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional if the kids don’t like it spicy)
  • 25g margarine or butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (60g) 50 percent reduced fat tasty cheese
  • 1 cup (250ml) low fat milk
  • oil spray

Method

Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan and add onion, carrot, capsicum and garlic with a pinch of salt.

Cook on low for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little.

Mix flour, baking powder, parsley, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper together in a bowl.

Add margarine/butter and mix through with your hands to resemble breadcrumbs.

Stir through cooked vegetables and cheese and gradually add milk, mixing quickly together to form a stiff dough – be careful not to overmix.

Place onto a floured surface and form into a circle. Cut into 8 wedges and place onto baking sheet.

Spray lightly with oil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Related scone recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • These muffins freeze well and when defrosted are still lovely and fresh.
  • The wholemeal flour adds fibre, the veggies add vitamins and minerals and the cheese adds protein in these scones.
  • This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Beef and feta koftas

Beef and feta koftas

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 500g beef mince
  • 120g feta cheese, grated
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil. Season well. Form into small balls. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat oil in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook meatballs for 4-6 minutes, turning often, until they are golden on all sides and cooked through.

Serve with warm flatbreads, salad and natural yoghurt.

Find related meatball recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can use tortillas, Lebanese bread or pita bread to wrap the kofta.
  • Make a simple yoghurt dressing by combining a cup of natural or Greek yoghurt with a tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.
  • This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Strawberry and banana smoothie

Strawberry and banana smoothie

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe bananas,
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
  • 1 & 1/3 cup natural yoghurt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Method

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, Serve immediately.

 

Notes:

  • To give the smoothie a bit of flair, try slicing a whole strawberry partway through and then slide it onto the rim of the glass.
  • If you have allergy issues, soymilk is a great substitute for milk and the flavour is wonderful.
  • Almond milk is also a healthy alternative to milk.
  • You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of LSA mix to this smoothie for more protein. LSA is in the health food aisle of your grocery store and is ground linseed, soy and almond meal.

This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

Serving Suggestions

Note

Salmon and Leek Slice

Salmon and Leek Slice

Serves:

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 large leeks (300g), finely sliced
  • 210g can salmon, drained, bones removed
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tbsp horseradish cream
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup (130g) wholemeal self-raising flour
  • pepper
  • 50g reduced fat tasty cheese

Method

Heat oven to 180°c and line a square 20cm baking tin with baking paper.

Place oil in a large non stick frying pan and heat on medium-low. Add leeks with a pinch of salt and cook until soft (about 10 minutes).

Cool slightly and mix with salmon, dill, horseradish cream, eggs, flour and cheese. Season with pepper and spoon mixture into the prepared baking tin.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until set. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Eat now while it’s hot or allow to cool, slice into squares.

Find related salmon recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • This recipe freezes well so you can make this on the weekend, freeze and wrap separately for quick lunch making in the morning.
  • If you’re not a salmon fan, replace with tuna.
  • I use wholemeal flour to raise the fibre content but feel free to use all white flour or half and half.
  • I always use a 50% reduced fat tasty cheese for these recipes. You get that lovely cheesy flavour while cutting the fat and calories.
  • Nutritional values per serve: 579.6kj (138cals); 5g total fat (1.5g saturated fat); 2.2g fibre
     

Greek beef burger

Greek beef burger

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 500g extra lean beef mince
  • 2 tbsp Greek seasoning
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 4 tbsp low fat or no fat natural Greek yoghurt
  • 1/2 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
  • oil spray
  • 60g Danish feta, crumbled

Method

Place beef mince into a bowl and sprinkle over Greek seasoning.

Using a fork, gently fluff the seasoning through the mince, taking care not to overwork the meat (see notes).

Divide the mince into 8 balls and gently make patties about 2cm thick. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables and yoghurt and heat the grill.

Slice the cucumber using a potato peeler for thin ribbons. Chop the tomatoes.

Mix yoghurt, garlic and mint together and set aside.

Heat grill or non-stick frying pan to medium. Spray pan and both sides of burger patties lightly with oil and add to the pan.

Cook for 2 minutes per side and remove from heat, placing patties on a board to rest for a couple of minutes.

Place 2 burger patties on each plate, top with ribbons of cucumber, chopped tomato and feta cheese.

Serve with yoghurt.

Find related burger recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • The secret to a good juicy burger is not to overwork the meat during preparation or cooking. Handle the meat when making the patties as little as possible and only turn on the grill (or in the pan) once. Never push down on the burgers during cooking as it releases all those lovely juices. Let patties rest for at least a couple of minutes to allow the meat to relax and absorb the cooking juices.
  • Greek seasoning is available in the herb and seasoning section of the supermarket.
  • Sometimes I use binders such as egg and breadcrumbs in my burger patties and sometimes I don’t. This one is lovely without.
  • Make sure the burger patties are at room temperature before you cook them as it affects the way the burgers cook. If you make these hours before you need them just cover and pop in the fridge bringing out about 20 minutes before you want to cook them.
  • This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder: You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Cheese sticks

Cheese sticks

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 4 sheets puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 30ml milk
  • 3 cups cheese, grated

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C.

Mix milk and egg together and brush over one surface of each pastry sheet.

Sprinkle cheese equally over 2 pastry sheets and cover with the other 2 sheets, pressing flat.

Cut into 8 strips of equal size and place on baking tray.

Twist each strip and brush with egg wash.

Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Notes

  • This cheese stick recipe is a great one for the kids to help with.
  • It’s great to dip or in lunch boxes and travels well too.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Brown rice pudding with cinnamon

Brown rice pudding with cinnamon

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (625ml) low-fat milk
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 1/4 cup sultanas
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Combine milk and rice in a small saucepan and over medium heat and bring it to the boil. Turn down heat and gently simmer while stirring for 5 minutes.

Add sultanas, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Continue to stir while the flavours infuse for approximately 5 minutes over low heat.

Remove from heat and allow to sit for about 10 minutes, until rice absorbs flavours.

Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until pudding sets.

Find related pudding recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • If the pudding tends to soak up all the milk, just add in some more before serving and mix.
  • If you don't have maple syrup, you can use golden syrup, honey or even a stevia to sweeten this recipe.
  • I like to serve this with some good quality Greek yoghurt.
  • This recipe was created by Karla Gilbert. You can read her blog at Ironmum Karla, catch up with her on Twitter, find her on Facebook or peek at her pins on Pinterest.

Shortbread

Shortbread

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 300g butter, softened
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 3 cups plain flour
  • 1/2 packet glace cherries (optional)

Method

Cream butter and icing sugar. Add flour, mix well, chop cherries in half and add to mixture.

Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 1/2 hour.

Roll out and either make shapes or shape into a log and cut into slices.

Line baking tray with baking paper, place shapes/rounds on tray.

Bake 180ºC for 15 mins or until pale golden. Be careful not to overcook.

 

Other Shortbread recipes

 

Serving Suggestions

Note

Prawn and potato salad with avocado dressing

Prawn and potato salad with avocado dressing

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

Salad

  • 400g chat potatoes
  • 400g cooked peeled prawns
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 2 cups (35-40g) watercress
  • 4 cups (about 100g) soft lettuce (green oak, butter varieties are great)
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Dressing

  • 1 medium avocado
  • 2/3 cup (240ml) low fat buttermilk
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • juice of 1 lime (20-25mls)
  • 1 spring onion, finely chopped
  • 6 drops Tabasco sauce
  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup (80-125ml) water (start with 1/3 cup and add more if you need it)
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Method

Boil potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes until cooked.

Drain potatoes, cool and chop roughly.

Toss potatoes, prawns, spring onions, watercress,lettuce and parsley together.

Make avocado dressing: place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Drizzle dressing over salad.

More salad recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Any firm, waxy potato will work in this recipe.
  • If you can't find watercress you could use rocket.
  • This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Sleepy koala sandwich

Sleepy koala sandwich

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1 slice of cheese
  • peel of 1 small cucumber
  • 1 carrot, peeled and sliced lengthways
  • lettuce leaves
  • 2 raisins

Method

Using the photo as a guide, cut the koala head and ears from the bread and the ear shapes from the cheese.

Cut some thin strands of cucumber peel to make the nose and mouth shapes and then form the carrot into shapes for the ear details.

With a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the ‘leaf’ shapes from the lettuce.

Assemble the koala on a large plate, as per the photo, using the raisins for the eyes.

Find other cute sandwich recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • A scone cutter can help you cut out the required round shapes.
  • Create a whole koala world on the plate using different fruit and veggies, such as cherry tomatoes, grapes, sliced apple, celery, dried fruit or sliced mushrooms.
  • This recipe was created by Pip Lincolne for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.

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