Low-sugar Banana Bread
Serves:
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup apple sauce
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
You’ll also need:
- Hand-blender
- Wooden spoon
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 21 x 11 cm loaf tin
- Baking paper
Method
Preheat fan-force oven to 170°C (180°C if no fan-force).
Grease loaf tin and line with baking paper.
Mash the bananas until they are mostly lump-free.
Using a hand blender, beat together the banana, apple sauce, eggs, vanilla and water until beautifully creamy.
In a large separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet, beating well with a wooden spoon.
Pour the batter into the loaf tin and spread evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can buy a jar of apple sauce from the supermarket, but it’s really easy to make your own. Just peel, core and cube a couple of apples, put into a saucepan, add a cup of water, throw in a slice of lemon (skin on okay), bring to the boil and then reduce heat to simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring often. Add more water if needed. Once soft, remove lemon slices, run through a sieve and you’re done.
- If you’re a bit scared of wholemeal flour, try 1 cup wholemeal and 1 cup of plain.
- Freeze leftover banana bread as a whole loaf or in slices. Wrap with greaseproof paper and put into a zip-lock plastic bag. Will keep for at least a month.
This recipe was created by Maxabella Loves – view Maxabella’s blog here.
Ham toasties
Serves:
Ingredients
Nut-free
8 slices bread
4 thick slices leg ham, chopped
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 tomato, quartered, deseeded and diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Method
Preheat grill and toast one side of the bread. You might need to do this in two batches.
Combine ham, cheese, tomato and eggs in a bowl and mix to combine. Place bread, uncooked side up, on a tray and divide ham mixture between slices. Spread the ham mixture evenly to cover the bread. Grill until golden brown and bubbling.
Allow to cool slightly, slice into soldiers and serve.
Notes:
My children (who will never eat a tomato) were initially sceptically regarding the red bits, but I assured them it was just like tomato paste (shame on me) on pizza. Unbelievably, calling them Toasties was the key to consumption! The fact that eggs are also in the mix is still my secret…
.
Serving Suggestions
Note
White chocolate and cranberry biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 125g butter, melted
- 1 cup plain flour (gluten-free, see notes below)
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- half a cup white chocolate, roughly chopped
- half a cup dried sweet cranberries
Method
Preheat oven to 190C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Place sugar in a large bowl, melt butter and pour over sugar. Stir well, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Roll 2 tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place 3-4cm apart on trays, press down slightly.
Bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, cool slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely .
Notes:
- This is a fabulous basic biscuit recipe, add whatever you like to the mix, but keep the same quantities. I used up my Christmas leftover ingredients of white chocolate and cranberries makes that festive spirit (over eating!) last just a bit longer.
- I used gluten-free plain flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder to make these biscuits gluten-free.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Rich beef and carrot casserole
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 700g chuck steak, diced
- half a cup flour, for dusting
- 2 onions, peeled and quartered
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped roughly
- 5 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped roughly
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
Method
Bring a large heavy-based casserole to a low to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Roll steak pieces in flour, dusting off excess and add to pan in batches to brown. Between batches, add the remaining oil. Once the meat is browned, remove and set aside.
Add the vegetables and saut̩ for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan as you go. Remove from heat.
Place the meat and vegetables into a slow-cooker and add the stock, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook on low for 5 hours.
Serve immediately with buttered mashed potato.
Notes:
- You can do this dish on the stove top as well. After you have browned the meat, leave them in the pot and add the vegetables to saute for a few minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot as you go. Add the stock, salt and pepper then let simmer on low for 45 minutes or so, checking the liquid hasnt evaporated. If it has, just add water by the cup to replenish the level and ensure the meat doesnt dry out. If you do this dish on the stove top, you can add 3 chopped large brushed potatoes to the mixture too to avoid having to make mash as an accompaniment.
- I like using the slow-cooker for casseroles as you dont have to watch them as closely as you would if they were on the stove top.
- You can serve this with creamy instant polenta instead of potatoes, following the directions on the packet. Polenta is a beautiful boiled cornmeal that easily can replace mash. Polenta can be made with milk and butter or chicken stock for a lighter version. I prefer milk and butter, and you can mix in any type of cheese you like as well for an even richer version.
This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Golden syrup slice
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 packet plain biscuits
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 1 x 400g can condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 80g unsalted butter, melted
- 125g milk or dark chocolate
Method
Grease a 16cm x 26cm slice tray and line with non-stick baking paper. Place Marie biscuits in a food processor and whiz. Melt the butter with the golden syrup and vanilla. Place the biscuit crumbs, butter mixture and condensed milk in a large bowl, stir well to combine.
Transfer mixture to tray and press down with the back of a metal spoon. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Melt chocolate in microwave on medium-high for 1 minute. Stir and repeat until melted. Spread melted chocolate over the top of slice. When the chocolate is set, cut into small squares.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Notes:
- Refrigerate the base overnight, then the cold base helps set the chocolate quickly. All the quicker for eating!
Chockie wheaty biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 100g butter
- half a cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp golden syrup
- 1 tbsp water
- half a tsp bicarb soda
- 3 weetbix, crushed
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- half a cup desiccated coconut
- 3 tbsp good quality cocoa
Method
Preheat oven to 200C.
Combine butter and sugar with electric beater. Add vanilla and beat until well combined
In two small microwaveable containers:
Melt golden syrup in first one (30 seconds on high)
Boil water in the second (45 seconds on high)
Add water to golden syrup, then add bicarb soda.
Stir into butter mixture.
In another bowl, mix remaining ingredients (weetbix, flour, coconut and cocoa) and make a well in the middle.
Add the butter mixture and stir with spatula until well combined. Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto greased baking trays and cook about 12 minutes. Cookies should not be bubbling and a darker brown in colour.
Leave to cool on trays.
Notes:
- I had a few Weetbix left over in Tupperware container and a new packet waiting to go in so I thought I’d give Weetbix biscuits a go they turned out sensationally!
- Try not to eat them all yourself without sharing with the kids/hubby.
- These Weetbix biscuits are the ultimate frugal recipe they are super-cheap and super-easy to make.
- This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Cherry ripe cheesecake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 250g chocolate biscuits (I used chocolate covered teddy bears)
- 125g butter, melted
- 85g raspberry jelly crystals
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 500g cream cheese
- 2 cups thickened cream
- 170g cherry Ripe candy bars, diced
Method
Grease a springform tin liberally with canola spray.
Crush the biscuits in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until combined. Press into the prepared springform pan.
Dissolve jelly crystals in boiling water. Soften the cream cheese with an electric beater then gradually add the jelly, beat until smooth.
Fold through thickened cream and Cherry Ripe pieces. Pour onto crust, cover with cling wrap and chill until set.
Notes:
- This cheesecake recipe will set in about 2 hours but it tastes better if it’s left overnight.
- If you cant get your hands on Cherry Ripe bar you may be able to find some other type of cherry-chocolate bar that will do the job.
- I have been having a love affair recently with cheesecakes. They are just so easy to make and the results always look like you really care!
- This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Pizza pockets
Serves:
Makes 4
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup pasta sauce
- 2/3 cups (70g) mozzarella cheese, grated
- 80g ham, sliced
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
Method
Preheat oven to 230°C (210°C fan-forced).
Cut pastry into four even squares and place them on an oven tray lined with baking paper.
Brush the edges of one square with beaten egg. Spoon some pasta sauce into the centre, and top with some cheese, ham and tomatoes.
Fold over a corner diagonally to form a triangle and use a fork to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Brush beaten egg over the tops of the pockets. Bake for 12 minutes until puffed and golden.
Related pizza recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- These pizza pockets are delicious either hot or cold.
- Be creative with your ingredients. You could add diced capsicum, grated carrot or mushrooms.
- Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Rocket and mushroom pies
Serves:
Ingredients
- 4 slices bread, crusts removed
- olive oil spray
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 (60ml) cup milk
- 1/4 cup rocket, finely chopped
- 2 large mushrooms, finely chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 4 holes in the muffin pan.
Use the rolling pin to roll out each slice of bread until really flat.
Spray both sides of the bread with the oil. Tuck each slice into the muffin cups.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
Whisk the eggs and milk together. Divide the rocket and mushrooms between the bread cases
Carefully pour in the egg mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until set.
Find related pie recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- This recipe is not suitable to freeze, but perfect made the night before, packed into the lunch boxes and kept cool in an insulated bag until lunchtime.
- You can vary this recipe and add whatever ingredients you have in the fridge, such as salami strips or halved cherry tomatoes.
- This recipe was created by Maxabella of Maxabella loves… Follow Maxabella on Facebook or Pinterest.
Healthy nachos
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 quantity of healthy corn chips recipe
- 1 cup (100g) low-fat cheddar cheese
- 200g black beans or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup (100g) medium avocado, sliced
- 4 tbsp low-fat sour cream
Fresh salsa
- 2 large (350g) tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 (50g) green capsicum, chopped
- 1/2 (50g) red capsicum, chopped
- 1/2 (40g) small red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
Mix salsa ingredients together and set aside.
Heat grill to hot. Make sure your plates are ovenproof.
Place a layer of tortilla chips on a plate, add a light sprinkling of cheese, followed by beans and some salsa. Continue to layer.
Place in the oven and grill for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and golden.
Serve with a dollop of salsa, slices of avocado and a little light sour cream.
Find related healthy dinner recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Olive slices and a little Tabasco in the salsa will give this an adult flavour.
- You can choose to make individual servings of this recipe or make a large plate to share.
- This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Jay atåÊThe Moodie FoodieåÊand onåÊFacebook,åÊTwitteråÊoråÊPinterest.
Tomato basil pizza
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 x pizza base
- olive oil spray
- salt and pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 cup grated part-skim or light mozzarella cheese
- 2-3 vine ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped or 8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup black olives
- 1-2 tbsp parmesan or any other sharp cheese, grated
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
Method
Heat oven to 240°C or 220°C fan-forced.
Spray pizza base with oil, smoosh with garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Add mozzarella and top with fresh tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle over parmesan and bake for 15 minutes or so.
Remove from oven and top with basil.
Notes:
- Pizzas are generally high in fat due to 3 types of cheese and generous portions of just about everything.
- This recipe was written by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Related pizza recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
Easy biscuit pops
Serves:
Ingredients
- 6 cream-filled chocolate biscuits
- 6 cream-filled shortbread biscuits
- 3 1/4 cups white chocolate melts
- 2 tbsp hundreds and thousands
You will also need:
- 12 ice-cream sticks
- 30cm-square piece of polystyrene
Method
Using a sharp knife, carefully separate biscuits. Try to keep most of the filling on one half. Place halves with filling on a flat surface, filling-side up. Place 1/4 cup of melts in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50 percent) for 1 minute, stirring halfway with a metal spoon, or until smooth.
Dip 3cm of one end of each ice-cream stick into melted chocolate. Press one stick into filling of each biscuit half. Drizzle with a little melted chocolate. Sandwich with remaining biscuits. Stand for 10 minutes or until firm.
Place 1 cup of remaining melts in a heatproof, microwave-safe mug. Microwave on MEDIUM (50%) for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds with a metal spoon, or until smooth. Holding the mug on a slight angle, dip 4 biscuits, one at a time, into melted chocolate. Rock backwards and forwards until biscuit is fully coated. Gently tap the stick on the side of the mug to drain excess chocolate and remove any air bubbles.
Push sticks into polystyrene. Stand for 10 minutes or until chocolate has set. Repeat dipping process again, sprinkling the pops with hundreds and thousands. Push sticks into polystyrene.
Repeat in 2 more batches with remaining biscuits, melts and sprinkles. Stand pops for 20 to 30 minutes or until set. Serve.
Find related pop recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- When dipping, don’t rotate stick or stir chocolate as this can cause crumbs to break off into the chocolate or the biscuit to fall off the stick.
- NUTRITION: (each) 1298kJ; 16.1g fat; 13.9g sat fat; 1.6g protein; 39.8g carbs; 0.4g fibre; 17mg chol; 82mg sodium.
- Recipe & food preparation Claire Brookman Photography Craig Wall Styling Michelle Noerianto
Thai chicken soup
Serves:
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup jasmine rice
- olive or canola oil spray
- 1 teaspoon green curry paste
- 4 teaspoons MAGGI Chicken Stock Powder
- 1 litre water
- 200 millilitres Coconut Milk
- 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 stems lemongrass, outer leaves removed, finely chopped
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 500 grams chicken breast fillets, cut into thin strips
- 200 grams green beans, cut into 3cm lengths
- 1 red capsicum, deseeded and cut into strips
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4 large bread rolls.
Method
Cook rice according to packet instructions.
Spray a non-stick saucepan with oil and cook curry paste over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the pepared stock powder and water, milk, chillies, lemongrass, lime leaves and ginger.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low, add chicken and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Add beans, capsicum, rice and honey and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Serve with bread rolls, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Gingernut biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 200g butter, room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- half a cup golden syrup
- 2 tbspn ground ginger
- 1 tspn cinnamon
- 1 tspn bicarbonate soda
- 3 cups plain flour, sifted
Method
Preheat over to 180C. Prepare two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add golden syrup and stir to combine.
Sift all dry ingredients together and add to butter mixture and combine.
Roll a teaspoon of mixture into a ball and place on the baking tray. Press down lightly with a fork.
Bake in the oven for 20 mins.
Cool on a wired rack and then store in an airtight container.
Notes
- These biscuits do not quite have the jaw-breaking snap of the store-bought gingernuts but are still have a delicious snap.
- Because these biscuits are already very brown going into the oven, you cant judge their done-ness by their colour.
- I like to use the Dark brown sugar (as opposed to Brown sugar) because the darker sugar has a stronger, more caramel flavour.
- This recipe makes about 60 biscuits so one batch will pretty much get you through a week of school lunches fantastic!
- This recipe was created by Ella Walsh for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Chicken and vegetable pie
Serves:
Ingredients
- half teaspoon butter for buttering dish, plus 1 tablespoon more for leeks
- 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
- 2 carrots, peeled, chopped into cubes same size as chicken
- 1 brushed potato, washed, chopped into cubes same size as chicken
- 1 cup green beans, tails removed, chopped into thirds
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 500g chicken breast, sliced into 2cm cubes
- 1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
- 1 leek, (white part) finely sliced
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 cup reduced-salt chicken stock
- 75 ml pure cream
- pepper to taste
- half a cup milk, for brushing
Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Butter a medium pie or lasagne dish. Place one sheet of pastry into the dish, cutting off the excess. Line with baking paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans or rice then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking paper and weights and then bake a further 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Bring a medium saucepan filled with water and half teaspoon salt to the boil. Add potatoes and carrots together and cook for about 15 minutes or until they start to become tender.
Place the green beans into the saucepan and drain all the veggies after about 3 minutes. Rinse under cold water until they are no longer hot.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil and fry chicken pieces on a medium to high heat until browned and partially cooked. Remove and set aside.
Lower heat to low to medium, and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add garlic, leeks, and celery to the pan and sautÌ© for about 3 minutes until softened – be careful not to brown the garlic. Stir in flour and then whisk in stock and cream.
Allow to simmer for about 8 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly. Add pepper to taste and return chicken to the same pan stirring everything together.
Place vegetables and chicken mixture into the pastry-lined dish and cover with the second pastry sheet, removing the excess. Press the edges down around the pie with a fork and make a slit in the center to release steam. Brush with milk and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Allow to rest for at least ten minutes before serving.
Notes:
- I like shortcrust pastry all on top and bottom, but if you would like a flakier pie, try using shortcrust on the bottom and puff pastry on top. Then brush with one egg white instead of milk. Puff pastry is not tough enough to be used on the bottom of the pie.
- My husband HATES when he gets served a pies that comes without pastry on the bottom. If you are not such a pastry fan, leave the pastry bottom out and just top with a pastry sheet. This produces a faster pie too!
- You can always substitute onions for leeks, but they have a much stronger flavour.
- My mum used to make little pies (or pot-pies as we called them) and then froze them before she cooked them so she could take them out and bake them for me when I got home from school as a snack. I used to eat a lot!
- This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Delicious cheese pizza just for me
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 bought pizza bases
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 cherry or grape tomatoes, minisculely chopped
- 2 cups grated cheese
Method
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Lay pizza bases out onto two baking trays. Spread each with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, scatter with tomato and grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
Notes:
- My kids have recently discovered the movie Home Alone. Remember how cute little Macaulay Culkin was? My son particularly loved the reference to having a delicious cheese pizza just to himself.
- I sneak finely grated carrot into the tomato paste. Instead of finely chopping the tomatoes, you could use diced canned tomatoes—I use the stab mixer to puree them into an unidentifiable mush.
- For the adults, do a half-and-half pizza, with identifiable tomato and maybe some salami strips.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Slow cooker pear and pecan pudding
Serves:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup pear nectar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 4 tinned pear halves
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup drained tin pears, chopped
Method
In a saucepan mix brown sugar, water, pear nectar, butter and ginger. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins.
Spray cooking oil on the inside of the slow cooker. Pour brown sugar mix into the base of the slow cooker.
Place sliced pear halves into the brown sugar mix.
In a separate bowl place flour, baking powder, sugar and cinnamon. Add milk and oil and stir gently until just combined. Fold in chopped pears and pecans.
Pour cake mix into brown sugar mix and cook on high for 2 hours. Remove lid and turn off slow cooker. Leave to stand for 30 mins.
Serve with warm custard.
Notes
- This pudding has a gorgeous caramel sauce that goes perfectly with custard and ice cream.
- Make sure that you don’t work the cake batter too much because it makes the pudding chewy.
- A little of this goes a long way. You only need small portions.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Teddy bear toast
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 slices wholemeal or white bread
- 2 tbsp peanut butter (you can replace this with Sweet William Chocolate Spread in case of nut allergies)
- 6 banana slices
- 6 raisins
Method
Step 1. Toast the bread.
Step 2. Spread with peanut butter.
Step 3. Add banana slices for the ears and nose.
Step 4. Place the raisins on each slice for the eyes and in the centre of the banana nose.
Find related Tiny Teddy recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- These teddy bears are made with peanut butter, but you can find nut-free alternatives in the supermarket.
- If nuts aren't an issue, then you can also use Nutella in place of the peanut butter.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Cheesecake dip
Serves:
Ingredients
- 250g cream cheese
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 200ml cream
- 6 Arnott’s Butter Snap biscuits
Method
In a small microwave bowl, heat the cream cheese in a microwave on high for 45 seconds.
Whisk in the brown sugar, lemon juice and cream until combined.
Place the biscuits in a re-sealable bag and crush using a rolling pin.
Pour the cheesecake mix into a serving bowl and sprinkle with crushed biscuit.
Serve with fresh fruit for dipping.
Find more After school snacks
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If you use low-fat cream cheese and reduced fat cream for this recipe it will be even healthier.
- You can also use wafers and sweet biscuits to dip with.
- You can omit the lemon juice and instead swirl through melted chocolate to create chocolate cheesecake dip.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Tuna fried rice
Serves:
4
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 4 rashers bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 425g tin tuna
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cups cooked rice
- Coriander or chives to garnish
Method
Heat oil in a wok or large frypan, break eggs into wok and stir with a spoon to break up the yolks.
Cook for a minute, flip the omelette over and cook the other side for a minute. Transfer omelette to a plate and slice into bite size strips.
Return wok to heat and stir fry bacon and onion until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add peas, cook for two minutes.
Add tuna and soy sauce, combine with other ingredients, then add rice and egg strips. Stir well to combine and heat through.
Serve immediately garnished with herbs.
Notes:
- I usually cook this fried rice after I have made Û÷something else with riceÛª; cook extra rice, store it in an air-tight container in the fridge and use the leftovers for this super-fast meal.
- DonÛªt be put off by the tuna ÛÒ it works really well in this dish, particularly tuna in chilli oil.
- Tempt the kids to the table with those little fish filled with soy sauce that you have left over from sushi ÛÒ my kids love putting ÛÏa drop over here and a drop over thereÛ_Û
Cheese, corn and sweet potato quiches
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 cup creamed corn
- 1/2 cup tuna
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan-forced).
Steam the sweet potato for about 15 minutes, or until soft, and mash.
Combine this with the corn, tuna, cheese and egg and mix well.
Cut pastry into 8 rounds and tuck them into the holes of a muffin tin. Fill with the sweet potato mixture and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.
Find related quiche recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- These are great for parties and, because they freeze beautifully, are worth making up in a big batch. Vary the fillings according to whatever you have handy.
- You can swap the sweet potato for pumpkin in this recipe.
- 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.
Apricot biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 150g butter, chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4cup self-raising flour
- 150g dried apricots, chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Method
Preheat oven to 180C.
Place butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and put on medium heat on the stove. Stir to melt butter and dissolve sugar.
Once butter has melted and sugar dissolved, remove from heat, add remaining ingredients and mix through thoroughly.
Spray a baking tray with non-stick spray and place a heaped teaspoon of the biscuit mixture onto the tray about 2 cm apart.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool.
Notes
- This is a great recipe for kids of all ages to help with. They are soft enough for the littlest mouths.
- These biscuits will keep well when stored in an airtight container.
- Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealand
Serving Suggestions
Note
Flower biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 12 round biscuits
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons water
- 30 marshmallows (nearly 1 packet)
- 12 Smarties
Method
Sift icing sugar into a bowl and stir in half a teaspoon of water at a time until you get a smooth, spreadable paste.
Cut marshmallows horizontally.
Spread a biscuit with icing and top with five marshmallow halves (sticky side up).
Pinch the marshmallows in the corner to get more of a petal shape.
Push a Smartie into the centre of the biscuit . . . done!
Looks fabulous and so quick and easy.
Notes:
- These biscuits can be made one or two days before the party and stored in an airtight container, but keep them out of sight!!
- For our little princess party, we also make Fairy Wand biscuits they were a huge hit and easy to make.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Raspberry butter cake
Serves:
Ingredients
InIIngredients
- 125g unsalted butter
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cups self-raising flour (gluten-free see notes below)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin with baking paper.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (electric mixer or food processor), add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined.
Add half flour and milk, mix, then add remaining flour and milk, mix well.
Gently fold ¼ cup of the raspberries through the mixture.
Spoon ¾ of the mixture into the tin, sprinkle with remaining raspberries, then pour rest of cake mixture over the top.
Use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If using frozen raspberries, don’t defrost.
- Raspberries are my absolute favourite, so this cake is a regular feature for our family morning teas.
- Oh, and for lunch boxes, if you must share.
- Make this cake gluten-free by using gluten-free plain flour and 3 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder.
- A smidgeon (about 1/8 teaspoon) of xanthan gum (from health food shops and some supermarkets) gives the ‘gluten-like’ consistency.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Thai red chicken curry
Serves:
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp peanut oil
- 500g chicken thigh fillets, diced
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 400ml coconut cream
- 2tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 baby eggplants, sliced
- 1/2 red capsicum, sliced
- 1/2 green capsicum, sliced
- 20 green beans, sliced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Method
In a pan, fry the diced chicken in hot peanut oil to seal and add curry paste.
Fry for 2 minutes and add the coconut cream, brown sugar and fish sauce.
Add 1 cup of water and bring to a slow simmer.
Toss in all the vegetables except for the bean sprouts. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in bean sprouts just before serving.
Notes
- This is a little smoother than a green curry. It seams to highlight the flavours of the vegetables better. Even my children will have this curry.
- You can make it spicier by adding an extra tablespoon of curry paste and some sliced red chillies.
- I like to serve this with steamed jasmine rice alongside a plate of Thai fishcakes.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Slow cooked chicken drumsticks in BBQ sauce
Ingredients
Barbecue sauce
- 100g butter
- å_ onion, finely diced
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup beef stock
- å_ cup cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp mild mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp paprika
Chicken
- 12 chicken drumsticks
- å_ cup plain flour
- 1 tbsp paprika
- Salt and pepper
- å_ cup vegetable oil (not needed for slow cooking)
Method
To make the barbecue sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and then add the onion, celery and garlic. Stir through and cook until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the beef stock and vinegar and bring to the boil.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir through. Turn down to a simmer and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Slow cooker:
Tip the flour, paprika, salt and pepper into a plastic bag. Trim the chicken pieces of skin and add to the flour mixture. Close the bag tightly and shake the contents so that each chicken drumstick is coated in the flour mixture.
Shake each chicken piece to remove excess flour and place in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces so that they are all just covered, you may have some sauce left over.
Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours.
Conventional oven:
Preheat oven to 180å¡C.
Tip the flour, paprika, salt and pepper into a plastic bag. Mix through and add the chicken pieces. Close the bag tightly and shake the contents so that each chicken drumstick is coated in the flour mixture.
Heat the oil in a casserole dish and brown the chicken in batches. Once all the chicken has been browned, return all the pieces to the dish and pour the sauce over the top, making sure that all the chicken is covered.
Put a lid on the dish and place into the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Note
- I love this barbecue sauce recipe and am planning to use it on pork ribs next. Delicious!
- I served this with mashed potato and peas and it was perfect, the chicken-y sauce was soaked up by the potato to make an incredibly comforting winter dinner.
- Sometimes I don’t start planning dinner until too late in the day to use my slow cooker, which is why I have included conventional oven instructions too! Never let disorganisation stop you getting dinner on the table!
- I don’t brown the chicken when I use the slow cooker because I always remove the skin. I find that the slow cooking of chicken skin can make all the fat melt and give the dish a very greasy texture.
- This recipe was created by Ella Walsh for Kidspot, New Zealand’såÊbest recipe finder.
