Silverbeet surprise
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 bunch silverbeet (12 leaves and stems)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ cup currants
- ½ cup pistachios
Method
Cut stems from leaves. Wash stems and slice into 5mm strips.
Wash leaves (very well), roll up and slice 1cm thick.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frypan and sauté onion and stems for 5 minutes.
Add garlic and sauté for another two minutes.
Add silver beet leaves and remaining oil, stir well to coat in onion mixture.
Cover for a few minutes until leaves soften, then add currants and nuts.
Stir gently until well combined.
Serve on it’s own or with grilled meat (we had it with the eye fillet).
Notes:
- The surprise being that this silverbeet is very edible! Unlike horrid memories of boiled silver beet at residential college.
- My beloved husband often does an emergency-milk-and-bread run and returns home with an ingredient that defies incorporation into my weekly menu.
- Thanks to some hints from Stephanie Alexander, the leafy greens were a hit!
- Leftovers were yummy on toast for lunch the next day.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Blueberry overnight oats
Serves:
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup traditional oats
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup (125ml) no fat milk
- 2/3 cup (160ml) water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2/3 cup (90g) fresh blueberries
- 2 tsp (10g) toasted almonds
Method
Place all ingredients into a bowl (except almonds) and mix well.
Divide into 2 bowls or jars (jars are fantastic for brekkies on the run), cover and place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, top with almonds and eat, eat, eat. If you like more liquidy mixture, add a little more milk.
Find more breakfast recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I’ve used no fat milk in these lovely oats to keep the fat content down but feel free to use whatever milk you like: no fat, low fat, almond, rice, soy, etc.
- I also use water in my mixture because that’s how I make my porridge – with a combination of milk and water. But if you like it extra creamy just replace the water with milk.
- Feel free to add a dollop of yogurt, it’s lovely!
- Works with just about any fruit – strawberries, raspberries and even bananas (in fact mashed banana is wonderful to add more sweetness).
- I’ve used almonds but mix it up with the nuts – try some walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans.
- Nutritional values per serve: 1217.2kj (289.8cals); 6.8g total fat (0.8g saturated fat); 8.3g 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.
Happy faces cupcakes
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125g) butter
- 3/4 cup (190g) white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp cocoa (optional)
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
Icing and decoration
- 2 cups (300g) icing sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- a few drops food colouring (optional)
- assorted lollies to make funny faces
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a cupcake tin with patty pans and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla, adding in the eggs one at a time.
(To make chocolate marble cupcakes, set aside a small amount of the mixture in a small bowl (about 1/3 cup), and mix through a a teaspoon or so of cocoa.)
Add half the milk, and half of the flour and mix with a spoon. Then mix through the remaining milk and flour
Use a soup spoon to drop equal amounts of the mixture into each patty pan. Add a dollop of the cocoa mixture to each patty pan and swirl through with a skewer to create a marble effect.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cakes bounce back when pressed in the centre, and cool on a wire rack.
To decorate the cupcakes wait until the cakes are at room temperature. Sift icing sugar into a bowl and add enough water to make a spreadable paste.
Add a few drops of your chosen food colouring and mix.
Spread the icing over the top of the cupcakes and then decorate with lollies to make funny and happy faces.
Put the cupcakes on a tray and place in fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Find related cupcake recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If you don't fancy making large cupcakes, you can always use a greased mini muffin tin instead.
- Don't add too much food colouring to the icing mixture, because it will be hard to see the decorated faces if the icing is too dark.
- Use dried fruit and / or nuts to create your happy faces, if you dont want to use lollies.
- These cupcakes will store well for a few days in an airtight container.
- This recipe was created by Jodie Clarke for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Eggplant stack with goats cheese
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large red capsicum
- 1 zucchini (optional)
- 4 tablespoons bought basil pesto
- 120g goats cheese, divided into 12 slices
- 1 punnet grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Slice eggplants into 1cm thick slices, place in a colander in the sink, sprinkle liberally with salt and let stand for half an hour to draw out the bitter juices
Meanwhile, cut the capsicum into 3-4 large sides, slice the zucchini into strips 0.5cm thick
Brush with olive oil and place in a hot char grill pan (or under the grill)
Cook on both sides until the lovely black stripes appear and the zucchini is tender
Remove zucchini and keep cooking capsicum slices until the skin is black and puffy
Transfer capsicum to a plate and cover with plastic wrap (this helps to sweat the capsicum skin)
Rinse eggplant slices with cold water, pat dry and brush each side with olive oil and cook in the char grill pan or frypan until tender.
Prepare dressing by combining vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small jar, shake well
To assemble each stack, place one slice of eggplant on a plate, spread with half a tablespoon of pesto, then a slice of goats cheese, some capsicum, zucchini (if using) and then another slice of eggplant
Repeat the layering, finishing with a slice of eggplant
Scatter tomatoes over and drizzle dressing over the top
Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Cherry Mars Bar slice
Serves:
Ingredients
- 3 Mars Bar 2 packs (72g), chopped
- 90g butter
- 1 pkt (100g) glace cherries, halved
- 3 cups rice bubbles
- 200g milk chocolate, broken into squares
- 30g butter extra
Method
Grease and line a slice tray with baking paper.
In a pan over low heat melt Mars Bars and butter until smooth. Do not bring to boil.
Remove pan from heat and pour in rice pops and glace cherries and mix to combine.
Press mixture evenly into slice tray.
Melt chocolate squares in microwave checking and stirring at 30 seconds intervals.
Stir in extra butter and pour over slice mix.
Refrigerate until slice is set.
Notes
- This is a great recipe for the kids to make but be sure you make two as this disappears fast.
- To make a white Christmas style slice you can add half green and half red cherries and cover it in a white chocolate layer for that festive touch.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Sticky pork with rice pilaf
Serves:
Ingredients
- 500g pork fillet, cut across grain in 5mm slices
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 3 cups (750mL) chicken stock (gluten-free)
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
Heat a large heavy-based saucepan or frypan with lid over medium heat. Add oil and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add almonds and cook until golden brown. Add rice and stir for 1 minute to heat grains. Pour in stock and bring to the boil, stirring to prevent the rice sticking. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until all stock has been absorbed and rice is tender. Keep covered while cooking pork.
Heat a non-stick frypan over medium to high heat. Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce and honey, allow to boil for 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens. Add the pork and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until cooked through.
Serve slices of pork on a mound of the rice pilaf. Spoon any leftover sauce over pork.
Notes:
- This recipe is so delicious. Sticky, sweet, salty tender pork over rice with a surprising crunch here and there.
- The rice can be cooked in advance and reheated in the microwave.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Fruit and honey muesli bars
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup rice bubbles
- 12 cup dried fruit
- 12 cup honey
- 125g butter
- 4 Weet-Bix crushed
- 1 cup coconut
- 34 cup brown sugar
- 12 cup peanut butter
Method
Grease a 19X29cm lamington pan.
Combine oats, rice bubbles, Weet-Bix, coconut and fruit into a large bowl.
Combine sugar, honey, peanut butter in a saucepan, stir constantly over heat without boiling, or until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly or until thickens.
Stir honey mixture into dry ingredients, press evenly into prepared tin, cut into squares while warm and refrigerate.
Will keep for one week in an air tight container.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Thai green chicken curry
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 500g chicken thigh fillets, cubed
- 3 tbsp green curry paste
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 baby eggplants, sliced
- 6 baby corn
- 12 green beans
- 1 red capsicum, de-ribbed and sliced
- 2 red chillies, sliced
- 1 can (400ml) coconut cream
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Method
Heat peanut oil in a saucepan and fry curry paste for 1 minute to release flavours.
Add chicken and seal the meat.
Pour in coconut cream and 2 cups of water.
Add fish sauce and brown sugar and stir in.
Bring to the boil and add all vegetables except for bean sprouts.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 mins.
Stir in bean sprouts just before serving with steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
- Full of fresh vegetables, this curry really packs a flavourful punch.
- You can make this recipe in the same time it would take you to order and collect takeaway – and it’s so much healthier!
- If your children are having this Green chicken curry, you may like to omit the red chillies, remove a portion from the pot to serve to them, and then add a teaspoon of crushed chillies for the adults.
- Take care when frying the curry paste, especially if your kids are around. It can definitely take your breath away and often makes me sneeze a few times as all the aromatics are released.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
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Kids Smoothie Bowl
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/4 cup frozen strawberries or other berries
- 1 cup kale or spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon smoothie powder
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
Method
Just blend, pour into a bowl and top with your favourite toppings. Enjoy anytime of the day!
Serving Suggestions
Note
Optional toppings include:
Fresh Fruit
Nuts and Seeds
Dried Fruit
Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Coriander Pesto Toasts
Serves:
Ingredients
Gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free (omit nuts)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I like asia@home brand)
- 1 kg sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 potato, peeled and chopped
- 1L chicken stock (gluten-free)
- 1 cup (250mL) light evaporated milk
- ½ teaspoon coconut essence
- ½ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
- ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
- 4 slices bread
- Coriander pesto
Method
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onions for 2 minutes, add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add curry paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add vegetables, stir to coat in curry paste, then add stock. Cover, bring to boil then turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and puree with stab mixer or in a blender. Stir through evaporated milk and coconut essence.
Toast bread and spread with coriander pesto.
Serve soup topped with peanuts and coriander leaves, with a serving of the toast.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I like to use evaporated milk and coconut essence instead of coconut milk/cream, but feel free to use the real thing!
- For the kids, I made ‘orange soup’ in a separate saucepan at the same time.
- Use about a quarter of the onion, vegetables and stock (omit curry paste); after pureeing, stir in 125ml (1/2 cup) of the evaporated milk.
- Omit coriander or substitute with flat-leaf parsley if you prefer.
- This soup freezes and reheats well. I used a tablespoon of coriander pesto as a garnish on top of the soup when we had reheats.
Strange strawberry salad
Serves:
Ingredients
- 200g haloumi
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 250g punnet strawberries, trimmed and halved
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 handfuls spinach and rocket salad mix
- ½ cup shaved parmesan
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat a non-stick frypan. Slice the haloumi cheese horizontally so you have two large rectangles, then cut each rectangle into a triangle. Pan fry the haloumi until brown on both sides. Steam the asparagus.
For the dressing, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
Combine the strawberries, tomatoes, asparagus and salad leaves in a large salad bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing and toss the rest through the salad. Divide the salad between 4 serving dishes, top with a piece of haloumi and sprinkle with parmesan, pine nuts and remaining dressing.
Notes:
- Strawberries and balsamic vinegar are often combined as a dessert; here they add a lovely sweet contrast to the salad and haloumi. And it might just get your strawberry eaters trying salad!
- Have the strawberries at room temperature, so you get the full sweet flavour.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Healthy Nutella bites
Serves:
15
Ingredients
- 2 cups hazelnut meal
- 12 medjool dates, seeds removed
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1-2 tbsp milk (almond milk, oat or regular cow's milk)
Method
Step 1. Place all ingredients into a food processor.
Step 2. Process until well combined.
Step 3. Roll into tablespoon-sized balls.
Step 4. Refrigerate until firm.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can use whole hazelnuts in this recipe. You will just have to process the mixture for longer.
- If you want to add a coating to these you can use desiccated coconut, cocoa powder or even 100's and 1000's.
- If you don't have these ingredients you can always try these Date balls for a sweet treat.
- If you are looking for an extra nutritional boost in your day you may want to pack some of these Healthy chocolate power balls in your lunch box.
- If you like nutty flavours them these Peanut butter protein balls will you a great boost of energy.
- These Peppermint cherry Christmas balls are a fun sweet treat and a great gift to make and give at Christmas.
- You can get the kids cooking at home with this easy Homemade bliss balls recipe.
- If you are looking for a treat at Christmas then both these Snow balls and Almond snowballs will look great on your Christmas table.
- If you like crunch in your snack then these Crispy Mars Bar balls have fantastic texture and that delicious Mars Bar flavour.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Sausages with spiralli
Serves:
Ingredients
- 500g beef sausages (plain or flavoured)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 spanish onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 piece broccoli (about 200g), cut into florets
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional)
- 250g spiralli pasta
- 100g tomato pesto
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Method
Heat a large non-stick frypan and cook sausages over medium heat.
Remove to a plate.
Heat oil in pan and cook onion until soft, add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add broccoli and chilli (if using) to pan and cook for about 5 minutes until bright green and just tender.
Slice sausages, add to pan and heat through.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of water following packet directions or until al dente.
Drain pasta, stir in tomato pesto, then sausage mixture.
Serve with parmesan.
Notes:
- This is a great quick and tasty pasta recipe.
- Ticks the meat, veg and carb boxes!
- I use gluten-free sausages and pasta to make this meal gluten-free.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Teriyaki salmon with sesame greens
Serves:
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180ml) soy sauce
- 3/4 cup (180ml) mirin
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 4 salmon fillets (approx 150g each)
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced
- 200g snow peas
- 120g baby spinach
- 4 shallots, sliced
- 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
Method
Combine soy, mirin, sugar and sesame oil in a bowl. Brush a little onto each salmon fillet. Heat half of the peanut oil in a frypan over medium heat and cook salmon for 2-3 minutes each side or until done to your liking. Remove from frypan and keep warm.
In a small saucepan, heat soy and mirin marinade and allow to simmer for 5 minutes until it has reduced by half.
Wipe out frypan then heat remaining peanut oil over medium heat. Saute garlic and zucchini for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add snow peas and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add spinach, shallots and sesame seeds and a couple of tablespoons of reduced marinade, and toss until spinach has just wilted.
Drizzle vegetables with a little extra sesame oil and serve with the salmon and remaining reduced marinade on the side for dipping.
Find more fish recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Most types of green vegetables would work well in this recipe. Try broccoli, bok choy or beans.
- Serve with steamed rice for a heartier meal.
- Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Rich chocolate cake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 90g butter
- 185g packaged cream cheese
- 2/3 cup castor sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup plain flour
- 3/4 cup self-raising flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 3/4 cup milk
Method
Lightly grease a 22cm springform cake.
Cream butter, cream cheese and sugars in a small bowl with mixture until light and fluffy.
Stir in walnuts, then half the sifted flours and cocoa with the milk, then stir in remaining flours and milk.
Spread into prepared pan. Bake in moderate oven (180C for about 40-50 minutes, or until cooked. Stand for 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.
Dust with sifted icing icing sugar before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Healthy chocolate power balls
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 cups walnuts
- 2 ½ cups dates, pitted
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1/4 cup honey
Method
Place walnuts in food processor and blend until the nuts are finely ground. Add the dates, cocoa powder, almonds and honey and keep pulsing until you have a fine but sticky crumb mixture.
Roll this into little balls about the size of a golf ball and keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Variations – roll in coconut once finished and/or swap the almonds for pepitas, sesame seeds and LSA mix.
Makes about 12.
Find more sweet recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Variations – roll in coconut once finished and/or swap the almonds for pepitas, sesame seeds or LSA mix.
- You could also roll these in cocoa powder.
- 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.
Thai style beef salad
Serves:
Ingredients
- 500g beef sirloin steak
- 1 x 120g pkt mesclun salad
- 6 red cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 6 yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced diagonally
- 1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup firmly packed fresh coriander leaves
- 80g (1/2 cup) roasted cashews, chopped
Salad dressing
- 125ml (1/2 cup) water
- 55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
- 2 tsp finely grated lime rind
- 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lime juice
- 1 fresh red birdseye chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
Method
Preheat the BBQ or stove top grill plate. Cook beef for 3 minutes each side for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Set aside for 10 minutes to rest.
Meanwhile, to make salad dressing, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. from heat and set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
Thinly slice beef across the grain. Combine salad ingredients, coriander and cashews in a bowl. Drizzle over dressing and toss. Divide salad among serving plates and top with beef.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Snowman doughnut sticks
Serves:
Makes 6
Ingredients
- 18 mini doughnuts
- 1 cup (150g) icing sugar
- 1/3 cup vanilla frosting
- jelly beans, choc chips, lolly straps, to decorate
You will also need:
Method
Step 1. Dust doughnuts in icing sugar to create a frosted appearance.
Step 2. Thread three doughnuts onto each bamboo skewer.
Step 3. Use frosting to adhere choc chips for eyes, an orange jelly bean for a ‘carrot’ nose, and coloured jelly beans for buttons.
Step 4. Cut lolly straps into short strips. Tie around ‘necks’ to create scarves.
Find more sweet recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Give these cute snowmen as gifts by placing them head first into a cellophane bag and tying with a ribbon.
- Mini doughnuts are available from doughnut stores and some supermarkets.
- Make your own frosting with icing sugar and butter.
- These Cranberry and pistachio biscotti are a delicious and sophisticated homemade gift.
- These sweet Christmas gingerbread reindeer are a delicious gift to bake and give.
- If you like Rocky road then these Christmas rocky road bites are delicious. Just don't forget they contain nuts so you may need to label them.
- You can make these Christmas chocolate spoons with the kids and enjoy some family time as you decorate them together.
- Edible glitter berries are the perfect addition to a platter, buffet table or even on the top of your favourite chocolate cake.
- This Fruit Christmas tree is a healthy alternative to all the indulgence of Christmas. It could be a beautiful edible centrepiece for your table.
- These Caramel Christmas apples are a delicious take on candy apples for the festive season.
- Christmas tree cupcakes are a delicious take-along addition to any party and very easily shared with friends.
- These Christmas snowflake biscuits are a lovely homemade gift for teachers and friends.
- Sweet Christmas gingerbread reindeer are a delicious gift to bake and give at Christmas.
- If you are looking for a simple homemade dessert for kids then this Christmas Yule log is the perfect buffet dessert.
- This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
ABC muffins
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 cups self raising flour
- half a cup almond meal
- half a cup caster sugar
- half a cup craisins (dried cranberries)
- 1/3 cup (80mL) olive or vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 small bananas, mashed
- 2 red apples, cored, quartered and finely sliced/ grated
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar, extra
Method
Preheat oven to 180C and place paper cases in muffin tray (12 large or 18 cupcake size).
Sift flour into large bowl, add almond meal, caster sugar and cranberries, mix well. In a glass jug, measure out oil (to 1/3 cup), add milk (to 1 1/3 cup) and eggs, whisk to combine.
Pour liquid into dry ingredients, add mashed banana and mix until just combined. Spoon mixture into paper cases and press 2-3 slices of apple, skin up, into muffins.
Sprinkle with combined cinnamon and extra caster sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
Notes:
- If you need to hide the apple, peel, grate and add with the banana. Omit the cranberries (or replace with finely grated carrot!)
- Make these muffins gluten-free using gluten-free plain flour and 4 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Muesli fruit and yoghurt tray
Serves:
Ingredients
- ½ cup of mum’s favourite muesli
- ½ cup vanilla yoghurt
- ½ cup milk
- 4 strawberries, green bits pulled out
- ½ banana, sliced
- ½ apple, chopped
- ½ ruby red grapefruit, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup chopped honeydew melon or cantaloupe
Method
Place muesli in a bowl. Place yoghurt in a separate bowl.
Pour milk into a small serving jug or glass. Combine fruit in a bowl.
Present all the dishes on a breakfast tray or set a special place at the table.
Don’t forget a serviette, cutlery and a small vase of flowers.
Notes:
- This is a great breakfast idea for Mother’s Day or your birthday if you have very small children – you can prepare the fruit the night before and then all they have to do is mix it together for you (strawberries and bananas go soggy if you mix them in before serving).
- Gluten-free me can’t eat muesli anymore , but my friend Sam highly recommends Carmen’s muesli, toasted or untoasted depending on what you prefer.
- I used the fruit we had in the house – it can be as simple as a few strawberries, slices of banana or a few grapes.
- Maybe splurge and buy a punnet of raspberries. BC we used our breakfast tray (complete with adjustable legs) regularly.
- For this photo, I had to vigorously scrub it to remove bottom-of-the-pantry debris!
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Find more:
Serving Suggestions
Note
Popsicle birthday cake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500ml) strawberry ice cream, melted
- 2 cups (500ml) vanilla ice cream, melted
- 2 cups (500ml) chocolate ice cream, melted
- 8 large popsicle sticks
Method
Step 1.åÊPour the melted strawberry ice cream into a silicon loaf pan. Freeze for 2-3 hours or until set, then carefully push the 8 popsicle sticks into the ice cream, an even distance apart.
Step 2.åÊNext, pour in the vanilla ice cream and freeze for another 2-3 hours, or until the second layer has set.
Step 3.åÊPour in the chocolate ice cream and freeze for a further 2-3 hours, again waiting for the final layer to set.
Step 4.åÊRemove from freezer and flex the loaf pan (the same way you would pop an ice cube out of the tray) to remove the ice cream block. Slice in between popsicle sticks and serve.
Note
- I recommend that you pop the serving dish in the freezer too. This helps it stay cold while you are serving.
- If you don’t have a silicon loaf pan, you could line a rigid cake pan with baking paper and then dip it in warm water to turn the cake out.
- I used neapolitan flavours but you can use any ice cream that you like. Peanut butter, caramel and chocolate flavours would also be nice.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung foråÊKidspot, New Zealand’s beståÊrecipe finder.
Rustic banana, blueberry and coconut cake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
- 1 cup white spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 3 bananas (mashed)
- 125 g butter (melted)
- 2 tbs natural yoghurt
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
Method
Preheat oven to 175C (155C fan-forced). Grease a cake tin and line with baking paper.
In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. In another bowl, beat all the wet ingredients together. Make sure to leave your blueberries until the end.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, then add the blueberries and gently stir through.
Pour the mixture into your cake tin and pop into the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto cake rack. Serve and enjoy!
Find more delicious cake recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If you don’t want to use wholemeal spelt flour, you can use 2 cups of white flour instead (or vice versa).
- Enjoy a piece of warm cake with some whipped cream or a bit of butter – yum!
- This recipe was created by Brenda Janschek for Kidspot.
Black bean brownies
Serves:
Makes 16 fingers
Ingredients
- 1 x 440g tin of black beans, well rinsed and strained
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (75g) sugar-free cocoa
- 3/4 cup (125g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (75g) wholemeal flour
For ganache:
- 100g good quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pouring cream
- 1 tbsp butter
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and line a shallow slice pan.
Put rinsed beans and eggs into a powerful blender and pulse until smooth.
One at a time, add the coconut oil, vanilla extract, cocoa, sugar and flour and whiz between additions to prevent clogging up or uneven blending.
Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into the pan.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, then turn out onto a cake rack to cool.
To make the ganache, put chocolate, cream and butter into a small saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously until combined and smooth.
Transfer the uncut brownie slab onto a cutting board and pour the ganache over evenly, smoothing with a knife. Wait 10 minutes, or until the ganache sets, before slicing into 16 even fingers.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- The black beans add a certain dense texture to the finished product, which is offset by the icing. If you can’t get a hold of black beans, kidney beans would work nicely, too.
- If you have a wheat intolerance, you could substitute the wholemeal flour for spelt or whichever flour you prefer. And if you don’t have any coconut oil to hand, butter will work in this recipe just as well.
- These Healthy chocolate brownies are made with agave nectar to make them naturally sweet, and pumpkin to keep them nice and moist.
- A fast brownie is a good brownie! And that's exactly why you need to try these delish 3 ingredient Nutella brownies.
- The yummy biscuit base on these Anzac brownies give these little bites a lovely crunchy edge.
- Crank up your regular brownie offering and serve up a batch of these Double choc fudge brownies instead. They are every chocolate lover's dream come true.
- Give ordinary brownies a sweet little Easter twist, with these Caramello egg brownies. They're almost too cute to eat!
- These gluten-free Yummy chocolate brownies are perfect for those with food allergies.
- Here's an easy to way to make a really decadent treat. These Tim Tam brownies are better than you can possible imagine.
- Any time you get a mid-afternoon chocolate craving, just whip together this Microwave brownie for one! You can thank us later.
- Here's a novel way to sneak an extra serve of veggies into the kids' diet. These Zucchini brownies taste so much better than they sound!
- If you're a traditionalist, then you can't go wrong with this recipe for Easy chocolate brownies. Best served with a mug of hot tea or a glass of warm milk.
- This recipe was created by Katie Rainbird for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Katie at Katie180.
Tooty fruity balls
Serves:
10+
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 cup mixed fruit (can be glaced cherries, apricots, sultanas or a mix that you like)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk,
- Half a plain sponge cake (crumbled)
- Optional grated chocolate
- Melting chocolate (for rolling or dipping)
- Tiny marshmallows (optional)
Method
Place all ingredients in the bowl (except for melting chocolate) and mix together.
Shape into balls and either roll in coconut, or dip in melted chocolate and then add marshmallows for a cool look, or you can roll in Nestle ‘Quik’ and sprinkles for variety and colour.
Great for parties and letting little hands get messy!.
Tom Yum soup
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 sachet Tom yum paste
- 4 button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 baby corn, halved
- 1/4 red capsicum, sliced into strips
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 6 green prawns, peeled with tails intact
- Coriander to garnish
Method
Bring water to boil in a saucepan and add Tom yum paste.
Stir well to dissolve and add vegetables.
Simmer for 5 minutes and add prawns.
Cook for a further 3 minutes and serve garnished with coriander.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Most Thai recipes are written per person and when testing this recipe I discovered that the paste satchet is just exactly enough for one person, therefore if you are making this for a family of four you will need 4 satchets.
- This is a really refreshing soup and I love the hot and sour aspects of it coupled with the crunchy prawns.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Polar bear cupcakes
Serves:
12
Ingredients
- 125g butter, room temp
- 3/4 cup (180g) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
- white icing
- white marshmallows
- black Jelly Belly jelly beans
- black writing icing
- brown M&M Minis
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 12 cup tray with patty cases.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence with electric beaters. Add eggs and beat well. Add milk and self-raising flour. Mix with wooden spoon to combine then beat with electric beaters until ingredients are incorporated (don’t overbeat, or cupcakes will be dry and firm). Spoon into patty cases.
Bake for around 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, ice them with white icing. Use horizontally halved marshmallows as noses, with black jelly beans as snouts. Draw a mouth with black writing icing. Use brown mini M&Ms for eyes. Cut marshmallows in halves vertically and place cut-side down as ears.
Find related cupcake recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can use Betty Crocker vanilla frosting this recipe.
- If the kids are helping you with this recipe, you can get them to cut the marshmallow with scissors for you.
- This recipe is by Alana House.
Thai crab cakes
Serves:
Ingredients
Crab cakes
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 400g crab meat (see notes)
- 10ml (2 tsp) fish sauce
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander
- 5ml (1 tsp) sesame oil
- 5ml (1 tsp) canola or peanut oil
Salad
- 60g snow pea shoots
- 160g snow peas, finely sliced
- 1 long red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
- 1/2 red capsicum, finely sliced
- 1 cup coriander leaves
- 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
Dressing
- juice of 1 lime
- 20ml (1 tbsp) fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
Method
Mix crab cake ingredients together and form 8 cakes. Cover and place in the fridge for an hour or so.
Heat non-stick frying pan to medium and add oils.
Add the crab cakes and cook each side for 3 minutes.
Mix all salad ingredients together and divide among plates. Combine dressing ingredients and drizzle over crab cakes.
Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.
Find more seafood recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I’ve put a mild chilli in the salad to get my kids used to the flavour and heat, but if you have seasoned chilli eaters in your house, whack one in the crab cake mixture too. If you like the taste of chilli but don’t want to set your mouth on fire, use a larger red chilli – all the taste without the heat.
- Crab cakes have a soft consistency and can fall apart so be extra careful when you flip them.
- If I can get to the fresh food market, I use fresh crab meat for this recipe, but I’ve also used canned meat which is absolutely fine. If you are using canned, grab 4 x 170g cans and drain them as it only adds up to about 100g of meat per can.
- This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, Australia's best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
