HealthyKids.ie

       Fish fingers & mushy peas

 

By Good Food

 

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Plus chilling

Easy     Serves 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 600g sustainable firm, skinless white fish, like Pollock or hake

• 50g plain flour, seasoned

• 1 large egg, lightly whisked

• 200g fine fresh breadcrumb

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 400g frozen pea

• knob of butter

• zest 1 lemon, then cut into wedges

• small handful mint, finely shredded

• new potatoes, to serve (optional)

 

Method

 

1. Slice the fish into 12 fingers, each about 3cm thick. Put the seasoned flour, egg and breadcrumbs into 3 separate shallow bowls. Dust the fish pieces first in the flour, then coat well in the egg, and cover completely in the breadcrumbs. Put on a plate and chill for 15 mins.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the fish fingers and fry for 8 mins, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, add the peas to a small pan of boiling water. Cook for 4 mins until really tender. Drain, tip into a bowl with the butter, zest and mint, and roughly mash with a potato masher. Season to taste and keep warm.

 

 

 

       Barbecued chicken fajita skewers

 

By Barney Desmazery

 

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Easy        Makes 6-8 skewers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get the kids in the kitchen to prepare this easy BBQ chicken recipe, then assemble together with creamy guacamole on tortilla wraps

 

Ingredients

 

For the fajitas:

 

• 2 limes, plus wedges to serve

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated

• 4 chicken breasts

• 3 mixed coloured peppers

• 1 red onion

 

For the guacamole:

 

• 2 ripe avocados

• 1 lime

• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved

• warmed tortillas, chopped coriander, soured cream or yogurt, plus chilli sauce for the grown-ups, to serve

 

Method

 

1. Make the marinade. In a large bowl, juice both the limes. Add the oregano, spices, olive oil and garlic, and mix together. Dice the chicken, then get your child to stir it through the marinade, and set aside.

2. Prepare the vegetables. Deseeding the peppers and halving the onion is tricky, so do this yourself. Children aged from about seven or above can cut them into chunks using a child-friendly knife.

3. Make your skewers. Carefully thread alternate pieces of chicken, peppers and onion onto your skewers. Smaller children might find this a little hard, so the best way is to stab the ingredients and push them up the skewers. When you've used up all the ingredients, set aside. Can be made several hours ahead and chilled until ready to cook.

4. Prepare the guacamole. Stone and peel the avocados, then tip into a bowl with the other ingredients. Get your child to use a potato masher to mash everything together and tip into a serving dish.

 

 

 

 

 

Jacket potatoes with home-baked beans

 

By Silvana Franco

 

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 1 hr, 30 mins

Easy        Serves 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cold nights require comfort food, and there's no better than jacket potatoes - give yours a health boost with home-baked beans

 

Ingredients

 

• 4 baking potatoes

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 400g can haricot beans, drained

• 2 tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tsp paprika - choose sweet or hot depending on taste

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tbsp chopped chives, to serve

 

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Scrub the potatoes and dry well, then prick in several places with a fork. Bake directly on the oven shelf for 1-1½ hrs, until they feel soft when squeezed.

2. After 30 mins, heat the oil in a pan and gently cook the carrot and celery for 10 mins until softened. Add the beans, tomatoes and paprika and cook gently for a further 5 mins until the tomatoes are softened and pulpy. Stir in 100ml water and the Worcestershire sauce, cook for a further 5 mins then cover and keep warm.

3. Split open the potatoes and spoon in the beans. Scatter with chives and serve.

 

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       Family meals: Chicken & veg casserole

 

By Caroline Hire

 

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 1 hr

Easy        Serves a family of 3-4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Spanish-style one-pot stew flavoured with paprika and cumin that'll be a hit with children and adults alike

 

Ingredients

 

• knob of butter

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 3 medium carrot, finely chopped

• 2 medium sticks celery, finely chopped

• 500g approx chicken thigh

• 2 fat garlic clove, crushed

• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

• 1 chicken stock cube

• 1 red or orange pepper, diced

• 1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained (optional)

 

Method

 

1. Heat the butter in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook gently until softened.

2. Add the chicken thighs, garlic, spices and thyme. Cook stirring until the chicken is opaque.

3. Pour in the tomatoes, plus one extra can of water or enough to cover the chicken and vegetables. Add the stock and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 50 mins.

4. If using, add the chickpeas and cook for a further five mins. Serve with rice. For young children, break the chicken into smaller pieces and serve.

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

       Family meals: Easy fish cakes

 

By Caroline Hire

 

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Easy      Serves a family of 4 - 6 or makes 6-8 toddler meals

 

 

 

 

 

These freezable and simple-to-make fish patties are ideal as a family meal or can be made and frozen individually as a quick last-minute kids supper, from toddlers to teens

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 x pack fish pie mix (cod, salmon, smoked haddock etc, weight around 320g-400g depending on pack size)

• 3 spring onion, finely chopped

• 100ml milk

• 450g potato, peeled, large ones cut in half

• 75g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

• handful of grated cheddar cheese

• 1 large egg, beaten

• flour, for dusting

• olive oil, for frying

 

Method

 

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until just tender. Drain well and return to the pan on a low heat. Heat for another minute or two to evaporate excess liquid. Mash the potato with a small knob of butter. Allow to cool.

2. Put the fish spring onions and milk in a shallow dish, cover with cling film and cook in the microwave for 1 ½ - 2 mins until just cooked. If you don’t have a microwave, put everything in a saucepan and gently cook until just opaque and cooked through.

3. Drain the fish and spring onions through a fine sieve. Gently mix through the potatoes, avoiding breaking up the fish too much, along with the sweetcorn, cheddar and a generous grind of black pepper. Form into 6 - 8 patties. The cooler the mash potato is when you do this, the easier it will be to form the patties as the mixture will be very soft when warm.

4. Pour the egg on one plate and scatter flour on the other. Dip the patties in egg and then flour and arrange on a sheet of baking paper on a tray. Put the patties in the fridge for at least half an hour to firm up if the patties feel very soft. At this point you can freeze the patties, wrapped individually. Defrost thoroughly before moving onto the next stage.

5. Heat a large frying pan with a generous glug of olive oil. When the oil is hot, carefully lower the fish cakes into the pan. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until golden brown underneath and then carefully flip them over. Fry for another 5 - 7 minutes or until golden on the bottom and heated all the way through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

       Sweet potato & lentil soup

 

By Good Food

 

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Easy        Serves 6

 

 

 

 

 

 

Satisfying and simple to make, homemade soup is a great supper or take-to-work lunch

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 tsp medium curry powder

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onions, grated

• 1 eating apple, peeled, cored and grated

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 20g pack coriander, stalks chopped

• thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, grated

• 800g sweet potatoes

• 1.2l vegetable stock

• 100g red lentils

• 300ml milk

• juice 1 lime

 

Method

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1. Put the curry powder into a large saucepan, then toast over a medium heat for 2 mins. Add the olive oil, stirring as the spice sizzles in the pan. Tip in the onions, apple, garlic, coriander stalks and ginger, season, then gently cook for 5 mins, stirring every so often.

2. Meanwhile, peel, then grate the sweet potatoes. Tip into the pan with the stock, lentils, milk and seasoning, then simmer, covered, for 20 mins. Blend until smooth using a stick blender. Stir in the lime juice, check the seasoning and serve, topped with roughly-chopped coriander leaves.

 

 

 

 

         Creamy tomato soup

 

By Sarah Cook

 

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Easy        Serves 6 adults and 6 kids

 

 

 

 

 

A low-fat, vegetarian soup that everyone will love - passata and whole milk give a silky smooth finish

 

Ingredients

 

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onion, chopped

• 2 celery sticks, chopped

• 300g carrot, chopped

• 500g potato, diced

• 4 bay leaf

• 5 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar

• 4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

• 500g passata

• 3 vegetable stock cubes

• 400ml whole milk

 

Method

 

1. Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.

2. Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. The soup can now be cooled and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

3. To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil. Serve in small bowls for the children with cheesy sausage rolls then later in bowls for the adults as Hot Bloody Mary soup (see 'Goes well with' recipes, below).

 

 

 

 

 

       Courgette, potato & cheddar soup

 

By Good Food

 

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Easy        Serves 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

This freezable soup is a delicious way to use up a glut of courgettes

 

Ingredients

 

• 500g potato, unpeeled and roughly chopped

• 2 vegetable stock cubes

• 1kg courgettes, roughly chopped

• bunch spring onion, sliced - save 1 for serving, if eating straight away

• 100g extra-mature cheddar or vegetarian alternative, grated, plus a little extra to serve good grating fresh nutmeg, plus extra to serve

 

Method

 

1. Put the potatoes in a large pan with just enough water to cover them and crumble in the stock cubes. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook for 5 mins. Add the courgettes, put the lid back on and cook for 5 mins more. Throw in the spring onions, cover and cook for a final 5 mins.

2. Take off the heat, then stir in the cheese and season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Whizz to a thick soup, adding more hot water until you get the consistency you like. Serve scattered with extra grated cheddar, spring onions and nutmeg or pepper. Or cool and freeze in freezer bags or containers with good lids for up to 3 months.