Allergen: Contains Gluten

Pancakes with strawberry mascarpone

Pancakes with strawberry mascarpone

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 quantity basic pancake mix
  • 250g mascarpone cheese
  • 1 punnet strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Method

Step 1. Make your pancakes and keep them in a warm place.

Step 2. Place marscapone in a bowl and blend in half of the strawberries. Taste and add brown sugar if required.

Step 3. Spread strawberry marscapone on  each pancake and top with remining fresh berries.

Pancakes with strawberry mascarpone

Find related pancake recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I used a stick mixer to combine the marscapone and strawberries but you can just mash it together with a fork for a more rustic presentation.
  • The brown sugar in this recipe is optional. Taste your mixture first and then add a touch of sugar to balance the flavours if you desire.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.

Walnut loaf with apple butter

Walnut loaf with apple butter

Ingredients

Apple and rosemary butter:

  • 6 large apples (I used Cox Pippins but any tart cooking apple would be good)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 x 20cm stalks rosemary (or equivalent in small stalks)

Walnut loaf:

  • 250g butter, softened
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
  • ½ cup natural yoghurt
  • 120g walnuts, toasted and chopped into small pieces

Method

Apple and rosemary butter:

Chop the apples into nice rough chunks (don’t bother with peeling and coring as these bits give lots of flavour, colour and pectin). Tip into a large casserole dish and add remaining ingredients. Cover and let bubble away on a medium-low heat for about one hour or until the apples are soft and mushy.

Remove the lid and cook on low for another hour or until the apples have turned a nice deep brown, reduced and intensified in flavour.

Once cooled, remove from the dish and store in a jar ready for spreading over the sliced loaf.

Walnut loaf:

Preheat the oven to 180å¡C or 160å¡C fan-forced. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, add the vanilla extract then the eggs one at a time beating well between each addition. Fold through the flour then the natural yoghurt and walnuts.

Spoon mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the edges are just starting to pull away from the pan. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack.

Notes:

  • This loaf keeps for a few days and is great sliced thinly and spread with the apple butter then made into a little ‰Û÷sandwich‰Ûª for morning tea.
  • You can store the apple and rosemary butter in sterilised jars in the fridge for up to one month.
  • This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Sophie onåÊ Local is Lovely, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

5 new family favourite meal ideas

Every family has a list of favourite dishes, but making the same thing week in, week out can be boring with a capital B. We all know that variety is the spice of life, so why not spice up family mealtimes by adding a new twist to an old favourite. It’s much easier than you think. Here are five new ways to dazzle them at dinner time:

New twist 1:  Spaghetti bolognaise to Pasta bolognaise pie

Spaghetti bolognaise is a dish that can put a smile on the face of any child. A long-standing family favourite, kids love slurping on the long strands of spaghetti and splattering as much sauce on their faces as possible. But spaghetti bolognaise does have its limitations. So, take it up a notch and try Pasta bolognaise pie instead. It’s got all the traditional elements of a great spag bol but, being a pie, it will be a novelty for your kids!

New twist 2:   Fried rice to Rainbow fried rice

What kid doesn’t relish the opportunity to dive into a bowl of fried rice? Especially when given the chance to dig in with a pair of chopsticks! Instead of serving up the usual, up the ante by making this Rainbow fried rice which has ingredients in every colour of the rainbow (yep, even indigo!). This dish will be a huge hit with toddlers as it’s not only delicious, but also pretty to look at. And shhh, it’s jam-packed full of goodness, too!

New twist 3:   Macaroni cheese to Bacon and leek macaroni cheese

Macaroni cheese is always a sure dinner winner with kids who love its creamy, cheesy sauce. By adding protein and a vegetable to this staple dish you’re essentially creating a version that’s nutritionally better for your family than the norm. Your kids will love the new burst of flavour that comes with Bacon and leek macaroni cheese, so instead of serving up same ol’ mac and cheese, try this version instead.

New twist 4:   Beef tacos to Fish tacos

Finger food at its finest, tacos are fun for kids – you don’t have to use a knife and fork to eat one and the more garnishes you can add to your tacos the better. But when beef mince gets a bit uninspiring, shake up your Mexican family banquet by serving Fish tacos as an alternative.

New twist 5:   Lasagne to Roasted vegetable lasagne

Nothing says ‘good hearty food’ like a lasagne does and that’s why it’s always been a popular choice with families. Lasagne lends itself to batch cooking and can be frozen and re-heated with very little effort, which is another reason that this dish suits a busy family lifestyle. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from the ordinary, which is why Roasted vegetable lasagne is the perfect way to modify a meal that everybody already loves.

TIP:

For more inspiring ways to create new twists on old family favourites, visit the Kidspot Kitchen. Simply type your favourite family meal into the search box, wait for the results to pop up, and abracadabra, a new family favourite meal idea is born.

Snowmen doughnuts

Snowmen doughnuts

Serves:

8

Ingredients

  • 8 cinnamon doughnuts
  • 1 cup (155g) icing sugar
  • 1/2 pkt (125g) chocolate chips
  • 8 orange jubes or jelly beans

Method

Step 1.  Collect your ingredients.

Step 2. Dust the doughnuts with icing sugar until they are completely covered.

Step 3.  Add two chocolate chips for eyes.

Step 4.  Arrange five chocolate chips in the shape of a mouth.

Step 5.  Add an orange jube lolly or large jelly bean for a nose.

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can use mini doughnuts and mini choc chips for sweet mouthfuls of yum.
  • You could also swap lollies for the snowmen's noses with triangles of dried apricot instead.
  • Recipe by Picklebums

Beef and carrot soup

Beef and carrot soup

Serves:

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp (40ml) oil
  • 500g chuck steak
  • 1 brown onion, diced
  • 2 sticks celery, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 4 carrots, thickly sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 cups (2L) beef stock

Method

Heat half of the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Cut steak into large pieces and season well. Brown it in batches in the saucepan until well-sealed and starting to caramelise. Remove to a plate.

Add remaining oil and cook onion, celery and garlic for 4 minutes until starting to soften, being careful not to colour too much. Add carrot and bay leaf, then return meat to the saucepan with the stock.

Bring to the boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 hours until meat is falling apart. Skim off any scum that floats to the surface.

Remove meat to a plate and use 2 forks to shred it into small pieces. Return this to the soup, adding more stock or water if required.

Serve with toast or crusty bread.

Find related soup recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Add a handful of chopped spinach just prior to serving for extra greens.
  • This would work well with any stewing beef – i.e. blade or gravy.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Brownies in a jar

Brownies in a jar

Serves:

Makes 1

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup plain flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 100 g walnuts (roughly chopped)

Method

Wash and thoroughly dry a 1 litre glass jar. Sift the plain flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and mix to combine.

Place half of the flour mixture into the bottom of the glass jar and tap lightly to settle it. Using a spoon, carefully add the cocoa powder on top of the flour – try not to mix them together. Add the remaining flour mixture, and then the brown sugar.

In the following order, layer the white sugar, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and walnuts.

Seal the lid and handwrite a gift tag with the following instructions: Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C). Grease and line an 18cm x 28cm rectangular baking tin. Place all ingredients into a large bowl and add 150g melted butter and 3 lightly beaten eggs. Mix well. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Give as a lovely homemade gift to a friend or family member!

Find related sweet Christmas recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Lightly tap the glass jar before adding the next layer in order to allow the ingredients to settle.
  • After adding the cocoa, wipe the inside of the glass jar with dry paper towel in order to remove any excess powder from the sides.
  • You can make these gifts ahead of time, as they are stored in a sealable jar.
  • If preferred, pecans can be used in place of the walnuts.
  • For a nut-free alternative, omit the walnuts and use 3/4 cup of dark chocolate chips instead.

Homemade muesli bars

Homemade muesli bars

Serves:

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (125ml) honey
  • ¼ cup caster sugar
  • 125g butter
  • 3 cups rolled oats (see note for GF)
  • 1 cup rice bubbles
  • 1 cup sultanas
  • ½ cup chopped apricots or dates or choc chips
  • ½ cup desiccated coconut
  • ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels), sunflower or sesame seeds

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease and line a slice tray (mine is 31 cm x 22cm) with baking paper.

Combine honey, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until butter melts and sugar dissolves.

Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly.

Remove from heat.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour over the hot syrup and stir to combine.

Spoon into prepared pan and press firmly to make sure the mixture will stick together.

I wet my fingers with a bit of cold water and press the top to get a smooth finish.

Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Cool and then refrigerate until well chilled and cut into 24 slices (about 2cm x 6cm).

Notes:

  • To make these muesli bars gluten free, use 2 cups of crushed cornflakes and 2 cups of rice bubbles.
  • The mixture has a total of 1½ cups of dried fruit – use whatever combination you or your kids prefer.
  • I have to put some obvious choc-chips on the top so my son will tolerate the sultanas.
  • And let’s not mention the sunflower seeds.
  • You could use half honey, half smooth peanut butter in the ‘syrup’ or add nuts to the mixture, but as most schools are nut-free now I have omitted these from the basic mix.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Salmon filo pies

Salmon filo pies

Serves:

Makes 4

Ingredients

  • 25g butter
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 cup (235g) cream
  • 1/2 cup tasty cheese, grated
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp chives, chopped
  • 80g baby spinach
  • 250g salmon fillets, skin off
  • 4 sheets filo pastry
  • 30g butter, extra, melted

Method

Preheat oven to 210°C (190°C fan-forced).

Melt butter with oil in a large pan over gentle heat. Cook onion for 4 minutes until soft. Add carrot and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add cream and bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from  heat and stir through cheese, mustard, lemon juice and chives. Set aside.

Place spinach in a colander and pour over boiling water to wilt. Drain and set aside.

Cut salmon fillets into 2cm cubes.

Take a pastry sheet and cut it crosswise into four even strips. Brush with butter and use to line the base and sides of one hole of a 6-cup Texan muffin tin, letting the edges hang over. Repeat with remaining sheets.

Place spinach in the base of each pastry case. Top with 3-4 pieces of salmon. Spoon over cream sauce, evenly distributing between each case. Bring pastry edges together to enclose filling, scrunching them slightly. Brush top with butter.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until flaky and golden.

Find more fish recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Place the muffin tin on a tray in the oven to catch any overflow.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes and peas for a hearty meal.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Salmon mornay

Salmon mornay

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 415g tin red salmon, drained
  • 125g tin corn, drained
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 packet chicken noodle soup mix
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp cornflour

Method

Preheat oven to 190’C.

In a baking dish, combine salmon, corn and celery.

In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat and add soup mix and sprinkle over cornflour, stir over heat until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Pour saucepan contents into the baking dish and mix through the salmon mix well.

Place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove and serve.

Notes:

  • The chicken noodle soup makes this quite salty, so if you can find a soup mix that is salt-free or salt-reduced it may bring improved results.
  • If you do find this too salty, mash 1 kg of potatoes and mix through. Make into rissoles by shaping into rissole shape and rolling in breadcrumbs and pan frying for 3-4 minutes on each side over medium heat.

 

 

Related fish recipes:

 

This is Moira Gillard’s recipe – adapted by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

 

 

Serving Suggestions

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Lamb, barley, feta and lemon salad

Lamb, barley, feta and lemon salad

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup feta, cubed
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 (about 400g) lamb backstrap
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

Method

Place barley in a saucepan with six cups of cold water, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the garlic, lemon zest and juice and olive oil together in a jar and give it a good shake.

Drain the barley and, while it’s still hot, toss with the feta. Cook the peas and toss these through the barley.

Rub the lamb with sea salt and black pepper and heat a little extra olive oil in a small saucepan. Cook lamb for 2 minutes on each side. Set aside under a tent of foil for 2 minutes.

Finish the salad off by tossing with the mint leaves, slicing the lamb across the grain into little medallions and scattering these over the top.

More salad recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Leaving the lamb to rest will enable the juices to distribute throughout the meat and keep it tender and juicy.
  • This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.  You can follow Sophie on Local is Lovely, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Zucchini & Eggplant Gratin

This zucchini and eggplant gratin is the perfect vegetarian side dish. You won’t need to be a vegetarian to love this dish. You just need to love melted cheese.

Ingredients

  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 250g zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 370g eggplant, trimmed, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/3 cups tomato pasta sauce
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Method

Preheat grill on medium-high. Grease a 4cm-deep, 4 cup-capacity, flame-proof dish.

Spray both sides of zucchini and eggplant slices with oil.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook, in batches, for 2 minutes each side or until lightly browned and soft. Transfer to a plate.

Layer one-third of the eggplant, zucchini, sauce and cheese in a Repeat with remaining eggplant, zucchini, pasta sauce and cheese.

Grill for 5 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve.

Note

  • This recipe works well on the barbecue or pre-baked and heated up when needed.
  • You could vary this recipe, depending on what vegetables are in season.

Baked eggs with beans

Baked eggs with beans

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika (regular will be fine!)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tin (400g) four bean mix
  • 1 tin (400g) chick peas
  • 1 tin (400g) diced tomatoes
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 pieces of toast
  • 1 fresh lime, for squeezing onto finished eggs
  • fresh coriander
  • chilli (optional)

Method

Heat a small pan with a tablespoon of olive oil at medium heat.  Add garlic and fry until fragrant, for about a minute. Add the paprika and the cumin. Stir well. Next, add the beans, the chickpeas and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes.

Using the back of a soup ladle, press a hollow into the mix to place the eggs. Crack the eggs into a cup and then slide from the cup into the hollows created by the spoon.

Cover the pan and cook gently until eggs are cooked.

Serve with toast, salt and pepper, a squeeze of lime, and fresh coriander and chilli.  

Find more breakfast recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Regular paprika is fine if you can’t find the smokey kind.
  • Sliding the eggs from a cup ensures that you aren’t sliding a rotten egg into your beautiful bean mix.
  • This recipe was created by Ruth Bruten of GourmetGirlfriend. You can follow her on Pinterest  or visit her on Facebook.

Ham tortilla pinwheels

Ham tortilla pinwheels

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 multigrain or wholemeal tortilla
  • 2 tablespoons light cream cheese
  • 2 thin slices leg ham
  • 3 tablespoons avocado, mashed

Method

Spread tortilla evenly with cream cheese. Top with ham, and avocado.

Roll up tortilla tightly and then slice on an angle.

 

Notes:

  • This is a great afterschool snack or perfect for school lunch boxes. Just be sure
  • to place them in a container snugly so they don’t move around.
  • I always think multigrain or wholemeal products are better. While I’m not a nutritionist, but I know that white flours and sugars are not good for energy levels and children definitely need their energy at school.
  • The light cream cheese from Philadelphia brand is really yummy. Normally I’m not a fan of reduced-fat products but this one is really good.

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

Serving Suggestions

Note

Homemade donuts recipe

Homemade donuts recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 280ml milk,
  • half a cup caster sugar
  • 2 and a half  tsp dry yeast
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 150g unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 cups plain flour
  • half a tsp salt
  • Canola or vegetable Oil

 

Method

Heat milk until warm but not hot. Add caster sugar and stir until dissolved.

Add yeast and stir until wet, set aside for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy.

Heat butter until almost melted, set aside.

Beat eggs in another container set aside.

In a mixer bowl, combine the eggs and butter, whisk until well combined. Add the milk and yeast mix.

With the dough-hook running at a low to medium speed, add the flour cup by cup until all combined.

Knead for five minutes then scrape down sides and bottom to ensure all flour/ingredients get mixed.

Continue mixing for another 5 minutes, remove from stand and leave to sit for 10 minutes.

Transfer to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.

Depending how large you want your doughnuts, cut out circles, and then the holes.

Place the donuts on floured baking trays and leave to prove for about an hour – they should puff up by about 25-40%.

When you are ready to cook donuts, heat oil to boiling and then turn down to a medium heat.

With a slotted spoon, ease the donuts into the oil. Fry for about 30 seconds on each side, until medium brown.

Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain thoroughly before placing on a plate covered in sheets of paper towel.

Cover with topping of your choice.

Cinnamon donuts

Prepare the sugar by combining 3/4 cup white sugar and 2 tbsp cinnamon powder. Spread out on baking tray.

Glazed donuts

Mix 2 tbsp milk with half a tsp vanilla extract and 1 cup of icing sugar, over low heat. Dissolve sugar and bring to a low boil. Remove from heat, brush on donuts on wire rack with baking paper underneath to catch the drips, turn over and repeat when done all tops. Covers about 15 doughnuts.

Iced strawberry donuts

Mix into 1 cup of sifted icing mixture 2 drops strawberry essence, 2 drops pink/rose food colouring and 1 tbsp water. Mix through with fork until a smooth consistency. Spread onto donut and add sprinkles if you wish!

Notes

  • I’ve been looking for a donut recipe forever. A tried and tested one; one that would taste authentic and wouldn’t use tons of equipment. And with this recipe, I have found it!
  • I cooked my donuts one at a time, but do what you’re comfortable with. When I cooked the donut holes, I did these five at time.
  • Cook the holes too – they are lovely on their own. I used some dough leftovers to make little plaits too.
  • The recipe for glazed donuts will give you donuts just like those you can buy at Dunkin Donuts. Seriously!
  • I cut my donuts out with a tumbler and a champagne keeper! I really should invest in some ring cutters!
  • This recipe makes A LOT of doughnuts. Perfect for a birthday party or pink ribbon gathering, but if it’s for your family, cut the recipe in half, or freeze half the donuts (the cinnamon ones anyway).
  • This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Related donut recipes

 

Serving Suggestions

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Asian chicken noodles

Asian chicken noodles

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1x 375g packet rice noodles, any width
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup cooking wine, or chicken stock
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce*
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • ½ BBQ chicken, meat removed and shredded

Method

Cook ¾ of the packet of rice noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to the packet’s instructions. Drain and set aside.

Bring a wok to a medium to high heat, and add sesame oil. Fry the garlic and ginger for 20 seconds then add eggs. Keep the eggs constantly moving around in the wok until cooked.

Raise heat to high, and add the rice noodles and the wine or stock, stir through and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add broccoli, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and shredded chicken. Stir through the noodles until evenly coated. Serve immediately.

 

Notes:

  • *Use Gluten Free Soy Sauce.
  • This dish is really quick and delicious, with soft flavours that are suitable for kids.
  • The noodles will break down into little pieces which are easy to eat.
  • You can also do this dish with fresh hokkien noodles which are delicious as well. You can find these in the refrigerated section of your supermarket.
  • I love roasting my own chickens so I know what goes into them, but if you are short on time, try and find a good BBQ free-range chicken.

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

Serving Suggestions

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Mango cheesecake with passionfruit sauce

Mango cheesecake with passionfruit sauce

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 x 250g pkt Nice biscuits
  • 100g butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 x 500g cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 cup thickened cream
  • 800g tinned mango, drained
  • 2 sachets gelatine
  • ½ cup hot water

Passionfruit sauce:

  • 1 tin (340g) passionfruit pulp
  • 1 cup caster sugar

Method

Line a 20cm springform tin with baking paper and set aside.

In a food processor, process the biscuits and butter together until they are fine crumbs.

Press the mixture into the base; press down firmly with flat base of a glass. Refrigerate while making the topping.

In a food processor, process the cream cheese, sugar, thickened cream and mango until smooth.

Dissolve the gelatine in the hot water and add to the mixture, processing further to combine.

Pour the mixture over the top of the biscuit crumb base and smooth the top flat. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours to set.

Passionfruit sauce: Place the passionfruit and sugar in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Let cool and pour over top of cake once it has set.

Notes:

  • If you want to make the passionfruit sauce into a passion fruit topping on the cake, you can add 2 tbsp of cornflour to ½ cup of cold water and mix this into the saucepan after the sugar has melted. Bring it to the boil and cool. Pour over the top of the set cheesecake and refrigerate until the topping has set.
  • The same way that you make this a mango cheesecake, you can change this into a raspberry cheesecake or blueberry cheesecake by adding 500g of fruit.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Find more delicious dessert recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

Prawn and ginger cakes

Prawn and ginger cakes

Serves:

Makes 16

Ingredients

  • 1 large potato, peeled, diced
  • 250g peeled green prawns
  • 3 shallots (scallions), finely diced
  • 2 tbsp coriander, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce, plus extra to serve
  • salt/pepper
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

Place potato in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain and lay in a single layer on a plate or tray to cool.

Chop prawn meat finely and place in a large bowl with shallots, coriander, ginger, soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Use a fork to roughly mash potatoes then add them to the prawn mix with the cornflour. Combine well.

Heat half the oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Form 16 cakes from the prawn mix and cook in batches for 2 minutes each side until nicely brown, adding more oil as required. Remove to a plate lined with absorbent paper and keep warm.

Serve with extra sweet chilli sauce for dipping.

Find more prawn recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You could chop and combine the prawn cake mix in a food processor, but be careful not to overdo it.
  • Frozen peeled green prawns are fine in this recipe; defrost first.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Tabouleh salad

Tabouleh salad

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 200g bulgar wheat
  • 1 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 500g ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1 red capsicum, diced
  • 2 tbspn fresh mint, chopped roughly
  • salt and pepper

Method

Pour the bulgar wheat into a mixing bowl and add the water and oil. Mix through and set aside for half an hour so the wheat can begin to absorb the liquid and begin to soften.

Add the chopped tomoatoes. Mix through and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and mint and mix through. Taste and season as necessary.

Notes:

  • This salad just gets better and better as it absorbs the different flavours – there are many salads that are better the day after!
  • Yes, you can find recipes for tabouleh with all sorts of wild ingredients but sticking with the essentials will give you the real-deal tabouleh
  • While my kids are suspicious of this salad on the day it’s amde, they’re quite happy to eat it the day after when the flavours have softened a little.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Simple pizza dough

Simple pizza dough

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 kg strong white bread flour (or Tipo ’00′ flour), sifted
  • 1 tbsp fine sea salt
  • 650ml lukewarm water
  • 2 sachets (7g) dried yeast
  • 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
  • 4 tbsp (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

Method

Place flour and salt into a bowl and make a well.

In a jug, mix the yeast, sugar and olive oil into the water and leave for a few minutes, pour into the well.

Using your hands, gently bring the flour from the sides into the well and swirl into the liquid.

Keep mixing, drawing larger amounts of flour in and when it all starts to come together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until you have springy dough.

Place the ball of dough into a large, flour-dusted bowl, sprinkle some flour on the top and cover with a clean, damp tea towel.

When it’s doubled in size, turn out onto a floured surface and “knock it back” to remove all of the air from the dough.

You can use the dough immediately. Roll it out as thin as you can for the pizzas. 

Related pizza recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Tipo “OO” flour is a specialty flour that is great for pizza and bread dough. You can find it with the regular flour in the supermarket.
  • After you've knocked the dough back, you can also wrap it in cling film and keep it in the fridge or even the freezer until you need it. If you freeze it, defrost it in the fridge and then take it out to allow it to come to room temperature before using it.
  • You can put anything you like on your pizza, but if you crack an egg over the top, it’s called a ‘Pizza alla Bismark’ – how cool is that? There is actually no known recipe for Pizza alla Bismark; you just need to add an egg on top of any pizza to qualify.
  • This recipe was created by Maxabella of Maxabella loves… Follow Maxabella on Facebook or Pinterest.

Weet-Bix with apple and cinnamon

Weet-Bix with apple and cinnamon

Ingredients

  • 2 x Weet-Bix
  • 1 apple
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon
  • A cup of breast milk, formula or cooled boiled water

Method

Peel, core and dice the apple.

Place in a saucepan of shallow water and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Simmer over medium heat until soft – about five minutes.

Meanwhile, break up Weet-Bix bricks as fine as you can and soak in the milk or water until soft.

Heat in microwave for 30 seconds.

Puree the cooked apple and stir through the Weet-Bix.

Sprinkle lightly with extra cinnamon if desired.

åÊNote

  • Best eaten fresh, but if you make extra apple, freeze it in an ice cube tray and add two cubes each time.
  • Though rare, cinnamon allergies can exist. Do the four-day-rule check: introduce it in foods for four days in a row and watch for signs of allergies – redness, itching rashes etc.
  • This recipe was created by Belinda Graham for Kidspot.

French crepes with berries

French crepes with berries

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 150 grams blueberries
  • 150 grams strawberries, hulled & halved
  • 4 tablespoons castor sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 2 teaspoons cornflour
  • 70 grams plain flour
  • 20 grams butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup skim milk
  • olive oil or canola oil spray
  • 4 – 6 scoops optional Light Vanilla ice cream

 

Method

Heat berries, 3 tablespoons sugar, vanilla bean/essence and 300ml water in a saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves.

Mix cornflour with 1 tablespoon water and stir into berry mixture.

Simmer, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens, then cover and remove from heat.

Sift flour into a bowl, then stir in remaining sugar and make a well in the centre.

Combine butter/margarine, lemon zest, eggs and milk in a small jug.

Whisk into dry ingredients and stir until mixture resembles a smooth batter.

Lightly spray a small non-stick frypan with oil, add 2-3 tablespoons of batter to pan and tilt pan so it covers the base.

Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until golden underneath.

Flip and cook the other side until golden.

Remove from pan and transfer to a low oven to keep warm while you cook remaining crepes.

Serve with sauce and a scoop of ice-cream, if desired.

 

Serving Suggestions

Note

Hidden Vegetable Pasta Sauce

Need a new way to get veggies into the kids? This easy pasta sauce combines some of the best nutrient filled veggies and hides them in a tasty sauce.

Serve over a classic spaghetti bolognese or on top of your child’s favourite pasta dish.

Find other recipe ideas:

Apple and buttermilk cake

Apple and buttermilk cake

Serves:

Serves 12

Ingredients

  • 5 Granny Smith apples
  • 3 tbsp raw sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 2/3 cups (400g) plain flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (335g) caster sugar
  • 1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk
  • 4 eggs, room temperature

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Grease and line a 22cm springform cake tin. Peel and core apples and chop them into 1.5cm pieces. Toss them in the raw sugar and cinnamon.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine oil, buttermilk and eggs. Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, beating well until just combined. It will have a thick consistency.

Pour half the batter into the prepared tin. Top with half the apples. Add remaining batter, spreading it out to cover apples. Top with remaining apples.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Check cake after an hour – if it is becoming too brown, cover loosely with a piece of foil.

Find more delicious cake recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Choose a green apple for this recipe so that the pieces keep their shape during baking.
  • I used a normal round baking tin, but a ring tin would alleviate the potential problem of an undercooked centre.
  • This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Beetroot Cookies

Beetroot Cookies

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 125g butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups standard plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 pack LeaderBrand Pure’n Ezy Beetroot, pureed
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating well.

Sift flour and baking powder together and combine with creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips, pureed LeaderBrand Pure’n Ezy beetroot and mix.

Roll heaped teaspoonsfuls of mixture into balls and place on an oven tray. Flatten slightly with a floured fork.

Bake for about 12 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Chicken bacon and mushroom fettucine

Chicken bacon and mushroom fettucine

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 500g chicken breasts or tenders
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 500g fresh or dry fettuccine
  • 1 ½ tablespoons butter
  • 2 rashers bacon, rind removed and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 300g (3 cups) mushrooms (any), sliced
  • 1 cup beef stock (optional)
  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Method

Brush chicken with oil. Bring a grill pan to medium heat and grill chicken until cooked through. Set aside and cover tightly with foil to keep warm.

Bring a large saucepan of water with ½ teaspoon salt to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and cook fettuccine according to packet directions making sure to stir every few minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, begin the pasta sauce while the fettuccine cooks.

Heat a frying pan to medium heat, and add butter. Sauté bacon for 3 minutes, then add garlic, onion, mushrooms, and pepper, and cook until soft (approx. 5-8 minutes).

Add stock and let the sauce simmer for about 3 minutes.

Stir in sour cream, milk and parsley. Slice chicken and add to sauce.

Return the cooked pasta to the large saucepan it was cooked in and toss it together with the sauce.

Serve immediately with parmesan cheese.

 

Notes:

  • If you’re looking for budget-friendly meals, I think this dish is just as delicious without the chicken or bacon! My husband loves it and he’s really fussy about ‘vegetarian’ dishes!
  • If you feel like a more adult version of this recipes, try using a mixture of mushrooms such as button, shiitake, and a small handful of dried porcini mushrooms. Pour a cup of boiling water over the dried mushrooms, allowing them to steep in the water for ten minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the water and reserve the water. Chop the mushrooms and add them to the sauce along with the other mushrooms. Replace the beef stock with the mushroom liquid. You can also add a small glass of white wine to the sauce along with the stock/liquid but be sure to let the alcohol cook off for a few minutes.
  • I am addicted to fresh pasta! If you have the chance to buy some for this dish, do try it because fresh pasta takes it to a whole new level of deliciousness!.

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

Serving Suggestions

Note

Tomatoey chipolatas with polenta

Tomatoey chipolatas with polenta

Serves:

4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 12 baby chipolata sausages
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1L chicken stock
  • 1 cup instant polenta
  • 60g freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook sausages until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened. Add tomatoes and oregano, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add sausages and cook for a further 10 minutes or until sauce is thick.

While the sauce is simmering, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan. Slowly add polenta, whisking until all added.

Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for a further 8-10 minutes or until the polenta is cooked (the texture of mashed potato).

Remove from heat and stir in parmesan. I find that the stock and parmesan give enough flavour and I don‰Ûªt add extra salt.

Serve sausage casserole on a puddle of polenta.

Notes:

  • My husband‰Ûªs verdict on this dish was ‘sensational’. The tomatoey sauce combines beautifully with the creamy polenta. If your kids like mash, they will love polenta.
  • I poured the leftover polenta onto a plate and used it in the Polenta cake with anything goes salad
  • Our local supermarket stocks a 500g packet of gluten-free chipolatas, happily with a high meat content and identifiable carrot. I use these sausages and gluten-free stock to make this dish gluten-free.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

 

Low-fat meat pie recipe

Low-fat meat pie recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 6 reduced-fat puff pastry sheets
  • 1 tbsp rice bran oil
  • 1 onion, pureed in a food processor
  • 750g extra-lean beef mince
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 750ml (2 1/2) cups beef stock
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste

Method

Remove pastry sheets from freezer to defrost.

Saute onion in oil until softened. Add mince, breaking up lumps with back of spoon until browned.

Blend in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in stock and tomato paste. Bring to boil, stirring. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Cool.

Heat pie maker. Cut pastry circles using pie cutter. Place large circle in pie maker, fill with mince. Place smaller circle on top. Cook until golden (takes about 5 minutes). Serve with lots of veggies.

Leftover pies can be reheated in the pie maker for another meal. Recipe makes 12 pies.

Find related pie recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • If you don’t have a pie maker, use a large muffin tray. But I do recommend getting your hands on a pie maker. Your kids will think you’re a kitchen superhero and they’re a fail-safe way to create a meal.
  • Kids are often anti-onion which is why I puree veggies in a food processor to hide them.
  • This recipe was created by Alana House for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Oat date and honey muffins

Oat Date and Honey Muffins

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup castor sugar
  • 1 cup dried dates, roughly chopped
  • 150ml vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons honey

Method

Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF).

Lightly grease and base line with non stick baking paper a 12 hole (1/3 cup capacity) muffin tin. Sift together flour and baking powder, add sugar, oats and dates.

In a medium bowl whisk together oil, egg, milk and honey. Fold flour into the liquid, mix until combined. Spoon into the prepared tin.

Sprinkle evenly with the reserved oats. Bake 15-18 mins or until golden and firm to touch. .

Serving Suggestions

Note

Sweet potato muffin recipe

Sweet potato muffin recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
  • 1 cup self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 150ml rice bran oil
  • 1 large sweet potato, steamed and pureed

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced.

Place paper cases in a muffin tin.

Beat eggs and sugar together.

Add dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Add the oil and sweet potato and stir to combine. Spoon into paper cases.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Find more muffin recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Be sure to sift the two flours together to ensure the muffins rise properly.
  • Don’t go too hard on the stirring. Muffin mixture is supposed to look lumpy. Mix until just combined to get the fluffiest texture.
  • This recipe was created by Alana House for Kidspot, New Zealand

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