Toddler Lunch: Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

I only recently learnt how to make a white/cheese sauce. I know, I'm almost 30 and I had never made my own white sauce. I only learnt how when my ever resourceful husband taught me! Upon talking to my Mum this week I was informed that my Dad actually is not a big fan of white sauces. Hence, why we never really had them growing up, and why I never knew how to make them.  Phew, that makes me feel so much better about my lack of cooking ability!

The only thing I ever use my newly found white sauce skills for (and usually under the guided help of my resident expert white sauce maker) is good old Mac'n Cheese. I actually had never eaten Mac'n Cheese before I went to America. But, now it is something I love to make for Ezra's lunches, which I will of course eat as well! Or for a quick and easy no fuss family dinner. So if you are looking for an easy alternative to sandwiches for toddler/kids lunches, this is it!!

 I also like to add a huge amount of broccoli and cauliflower to our Mac'n Cheese, but if you have a fussy eater you can chop them really tiny, or hide some other veggies in the cheesy goodness! This makes a lot, so you have leftovers to freeze portions or to eat the next day.

Ok so the sauce is really easy, but you have to be on your game (i.e. not trying to facebook, tweet or load pictures on instagram at the same time) and keep stirring or you'll end up with a burnt gluggy sauce.

Ingredients:

3  heaping Tbsp Butter
3  Tbsp Plain Flour
2 cups Milk
1 1/2 cups Cheese (the more flavoursome the better, so you could mix a tasty cheese with parmesan to mix it up)
Sage (and any other spices you think will work, I should have put oregano in last time I made this)
Salt and Pepper to taste if desired.
Head of broccoli
Half a head of cauliflower
Macaroni

These amounts are just a good guess, we make it until it is the right consistency. You want the butter and flour mix to be thick and smooth.

Method:

Boil a large pot of water with a sprinkle of salt.
Add the chopped broccoli and cauliflower and macaroni noodles to the pot, and boil until the pasta is cooked.

Heat a medium sized pan and add the butter. Keep stirring until the butter melts.
Then add the flour, one Tbsp at a time until you get a nice smooth consistency, that is fairly thick
(you can always add more butter to even it out if you put in too much flour, just keep stirring so it doesn't burn)
Then you add your milk. Continue to stir. The mix should begin to thicken into a sauce/gravy like consistency.
Add your herbs and spices
Add your cheese, all the while still stirring until the sauce becomes nice and smooth.

Drain the veggie and noodle mix and then put back into the pot, or a large serving bowl.
Pour the sauce over the top and stir in.
Add more salt and pepper to your taste.

For more toddler lunch and dinner ideas, you might like these:

Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons
Vegetable Muffins
Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

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Karen xx

Spinach and Ricotta Rolls

So you may have already picked up on this, but I have a serious weakness for anything Spinach and Ricotta.  I have a really difficult time passing up any pastries that contain these two ingredients, and have a tendency to over indulge!!

So I'll use any excuse to make these babies! I've found these Spinach and Ricotta Rolls are great for toddler lunches and kids or adult parties as well. They are really easy to make, and they aren't full of potato or rice fillers like a lot you find at the shops.

Ingredients:
250 grams Spinach (I use fresh and steam it, but frozen spinach also works)
250grams Ricotta Cheese
1 egg
Puff Pastry (I think I used 4 sheets)
1/2 Cup of Cheddar or Parmesan cheese grated
Salt and Pepper to Taste (I didn't add salt, and they still taste great)
Tsp Oregano
Tsp Tarragon
1 egg yolk

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees celsius (425 F).
If you have fresh spinach you need to steam it until it is soft and mushy, then drain and chop.
Mix the ricotta, cheddar, oregano, tarragon, 1 egg, spinach, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl, and make sure it is all mixed through.
Cut the pastry sheets in half
Brush the long edges with egg yolk
Fill a piping bag, or zip lock bag with the corner cut off with the ricotta and spinach mixture and then pipe them down the center of each pastry half (as demonstrated below)

Fold the sides over so they overlap and then cut the long roll to make smaller rolls. Any size will work.
Flip them over so they are 'seam' down on a tray covered in baking paper.
Brush some more egg yolk over the top so they brown nicely.
Then put the tray in the oven for 15 minutes on 220C degrees and then reduce to 180C (350F) for another 15 minutes.
They should come out looking like you see in the picture!

 If you have a weakness for Spinach and Ricotta like me, then you will probably love this
Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna recipe too!

I hope you love them as much as we do!!


Karen xx

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Family Dinner: Veggieful Quiche

Surprise, Surprise!! I have yet another Vegetarian meal for you. This Quiche is quick and easy to make and great for the whole family (including toddlers: mine had no problem digging in). Even the pastry is so simple. I had actually never made Quiche pastry before trying this one, so if I can do it! You can to. I made a big one so that we would have leftovers for lunch the next day. Even though I post a lot of recipes, I actually don't enjoy cooking as much as some. I like simple things, making the minimal amount of meals a week, and if don't have to think about lunch the next day, then thats even better!

The thing I really like about this recipe is how much flavour the quiche has, and there isn't very much salt and no butter! But, look how stuffed full of Veggies it is!! YUMMMMM!!


Ingredients:

Base:
1 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil (I used grape seed oil)
1/4 cup cold water (from fridge)

Filling:
1/2 red capsicum (peppers)
5 button mushrooms
Handful spinach
1/2 onion
Garlic
1/2 zucchini
Splash of milk
6 eggs
1/2 cup of cheese
Handful coriander leaves (cilantro)
Pepper

Method:
For the base, (really, really simple!)
Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl add the olive oil and cold water, and then whisk it. It gets thicker!
Then add it to the flour and salt
Stir it in a bit, and then I gave up with the spoon and just used my hands to make a ball of dough.
I rolled it out with a rolling pin, and placed it in the quiche pan and pressed it firmly around the edges.

For the filling:
Add the 6 eggs to a separate bowl, and just hand whisk them for a couple of minutes
Chop all the other ingredients (minus the cheese and coriander) and add them to the eggs
Pour this whole mixture into the quiche pan, on top of the pastry.
Then place the coriander and cheese on top
Stick it in the oven at 180 for around 35-40 minutes or until it is cooked through, and browning a little on top.

I'm linking up with Stacey at The Veggie Mama for Meatless Monday too!!

Have a great day, come and visit again soon! Please! 

Karen xx 

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Avocado and White Bean Wraps

It seems to be a bit of a trend for me to be posting a lot of Vegetarian meals/recipes at the moment. I still eat meat, but I am definitely enjoying a lot more meat free meals during the week than we used to. So, with that said, here is yet another Vegetarian meal that we eat on a pretty regular basis. If you've read my blog much before you would know that I am a pretty massive fan of Avocado, especially Guacamole that you can find HERE.
So this meal is right up my alley, full of yummy avocado, beans and some cabbage as well.

Although, in these pictures you will notice some Fish, we thought we would mix it up a bit this time and add fish to the recipe. You don't need it, but it is another option if you can't imagine a dinner without meat. I think that chicken would go pretty well with them too.

The best thing I think about this meal is that it doesn't take any cooking. Everything is raw and ready to go, so if you're looking for something quick to whip up for lunch or dinner when you are pressed for time, I'm suggesting this!

This is so simple we made it for dinner while we were on holidays. Which is why you will notice the amazing decor in the background of the top picture. Classic early 90's holiday rental furniture to make your experience more enjoyable!

Ingredients:

Wraps (I prefer the Sorj ones because they are preservative free, or in the photo these are some soy and linseed organic ones I found, but they are a bit too pricey for me to justify buying on a regular basis)
3 x Avocados
1 x Can of White Beans
1/4 Red Cabbage
1/4 Green Cabbage
1/2 Cup Grated Cheese
1 Carrot Grated
Pinch of Pepper
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

Method:

Drain and pour White beans into a bowl, then mash.
Add the Avocados and mash them in to the mixture
If desired add the grated cheese
In a separate bowl add the grated carrot, and cabbage (chopped finely). Then drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, add the pepper and stir until everything is covered.




Then you are done!
So easy.
Just add some from each bowl to your wrap. Wrap it up and chomp it down!

Usually Ezra is my proof that toddlers will eat it! But, this time my nephew who just turned 1 is digging into it with enjoyment! 

Karen xx 

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