Week 3: Kids Snacks

Week 3 – Kids Snacks

Berry and beetroot ice lollies

Make: 12 Lollies

Time: 7 minutes cooking time and overnight freezing

Ingredients:

1.5 kg mixed  fresh, tinned or frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

½ Cup Sugar

6 medium sized beetroots, cooked and peeled

2 Tablespoons Water

Method:

Make a berry compote by placing all berries in a large pot add ¾ of the sugar (if using fresh berries add a little bit of water and lemon juice), allow to come to a boil then lower heat and allow to simmer. You want the berries to stew and soften while releasing their juices to create a sauce.  Once cooked set aside and allow to cool.

Roughly chop beetroots and add to blender with water and remaining sugar, blend until smooth.

Fill your mould halfway with berries and then top with beetroot puree. Set in freezer overnight. To easily remove from mould immerse in hot water for a few seconds then remove or take out of the freezer a few minutes before serving and allow to stand at room temperature.

Tips:

• For a different flavor try berry, yoghurt and beetroot ice lollies, simply add a layer of yoghurt between the berries and beetroot. 
• You can also try yoghurt and peanut butter lollies by adding yoghurt, honey and peanut butter to a blender, puree until smooth then pour into your moulds and allow to set overnight.
• Make fruit juice and fruit pops. Add pieces of fruit to your mould (sliced strawberries, sliced kiwi, sliced figs) then top with fruit juice of choice and leave in freezer overnight.
• What I love about these is the fact that you get to control what goes into your child’s lollies especially the amount of sugar. You can also experiment with different vegetables green smoothie using spinach, apples and banana or carrot and pineapple etc. 

Zucchini brownies

Makes: 12 mini brownies

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 packet brownie mix

1 cup grated zucchini
½  cup chopped walnuts
½  cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180C and line a 20 x 20 cm cake tin. Prepare brownie mix as per packaging instruction then add grated zucchini, walnuts and dark chocolate. Fold in.

Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes (I prefer to bake these for 20 minutes on 180C, then turn off the oven and leave them inside for the remaining 10 minutes. I find they are moist and still have a little runny chocolate in the middle). If you prefer them a bit more solid bake for the whole 30 minutes.  Do not over bake. Allow to cool before cutting into squares or circles using a round cookie cutter.

Tips:

• I love this recipe because it can be quite versatile with regards to the ingredients you can add to it. You can replace the zucchini with cooked beetroot or even thawed frozen spinach
• If you don’t want to use a packaged brownie mix use your brownie recipe and simply add your choice of vegetables into the brownie mix and bake.

Pinwheels

Serves: 8

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

¾ cup grated cheddar cheese

⅛ tsp. garlic powder

Flour

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry , defrosted

250g packed  frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

Method

Preheat oven to 200C. Line two baking sheets with baking paper  and set aside. Beat egg and water together in a small bowl; set aside.

Stir cheese and garlic powder together. Set aside. Lightly flour work surface. Unfold puff pastry and roll lightly with a floured rolling pin. Brush surface with beaten egg. Top with cheese mixture, then evenly top with thawed spinach.

Starting at the short end, roll up like a jelly roll. Slice into rounds and place on baking sheet. Brush with egg wash.

Bake 15 minutes or till golden brown. Remove to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Tip:

• Instead of puff pastry you can also use dough. Make you leaven dough as per usual and once ready roll and cut into triangles then add your topping.
• Try using different vegetables, bacon bits and mushrooms for variety.

Week 2: Christmas Desserts

WEEK 2: Christmas Desserts

Meringue Ice Cream Loaf

Serves: 8-10
Time: 15 minutes prep (3hrs overnight freezing)
Ingredients:
350g strawberries
600ml whipping cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
50g meringues, broken into chunks

Method:
Grease a 1.5L loaf pan and line with cling wrap or use a silicone one. Drop some berries into the loaf pan – these will be the top of the slice. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla to soft peaks then fold in berries and meringue. Pour into pan, shake to remove any air bubbles, and smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 3 hours or overnight.
Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Tip out and garnish with extra berries, drizzle with honey and cut into slices to serve.

Tip:

• You can either make your own meringues or use store bought ones which are much easier to use. Buy coloured meringues for a nice colourful loaf

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Serves: 8
Time: 1hr 15 min
Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 ½ bicarbonate of soda
½  teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
¾ cup sour cream
3 cups grated baby marrow
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup cherries

Ingredients:
Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Grease a Bundt pan and set aside.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, bicarb and salt in a bowl and mix together. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla and blend well. Add sour cream and beat until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Mix in the baby marrow and chocolate and cherries.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 50 -60 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan

Tip:

• Instead of the cherries you can use any canned fruit of choice.
• Serve with warm custard or drizzled with warm chocolate sauce.

Week 1 : Platters

Week 1 : Platters

Savoury Platter

(Serves 8–10)

For the crustless quiches you’ll need:
6 large eggs
6 egg yolks
⅔ cup milk
⅔ cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup Cheddar cheese; grated
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup asparagus heads
1 cup cherry tomatoes; halved

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190 °C. 
2. Lightly spray two 24-cup mini muffin pans with cooking spray.
3. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. 
4. Add the broccoli and blanch until bright green and softened but still crisp, about 30 sec. 
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer immediately to ice water to stop the cooking. Then do the same with the asparagus. 
6. When cool, strain water and pat dry with paper towel. 
7. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, milk, cream, salt and pepper. 
8. Transfer to a large glass measuring jug.
9. Divide broccoli, asparagus and tomatoes evenly amongst the muffin trays (ensure to leave some for the top), and top with cheese. 
10. Fill as many as you can to just below the rim with egg mixture. 
11. Place broccoli, asparagus and tomatoes on top (make sure each veg tops the muffin tin that has the same veg at the bottom) and add a pinch of cheese to the top of each quiche.
12. Bake until the tops are puffed and just beginning to brown, about 15 min. 
13. Transfer to wire racks and let cool for about 5 min., then turn the quiches out of the pans, arrange on a platter, and serve.

Tips:

• For variety you can also crumb some crispy bacon over the top of each quiche.
• Wilted spinach also works well with these. 

For the puff pastry boerewors rolls you’ll need:
Egg wash
250 g Championship Boerewors; casings removed
1 packet ready-rolled puff pastry; thawed
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 °C and line baking sheet with baking paper.  
2. On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry; cut crosswise into three 25 x 9 cm strips. 
3. Brush with mustard. 
4. Divide sausage amongst the pastry. 
5. Arrange rolls, seam-side down, on prepared pan. 
6. Cover and freeze until firm, about 15 min. 
7. Cut each roll crosswise into 8 pieces (about 2,5 cm). 
8. Brush with egg wash and bake until puffed and golden (about 20 min.) 

Tips:

• I always make extras of these and then individually freeze them before putting them in a freezer bag or container so that I can just pop them in the oven for my son, or when I have unexpected guests over. 
• You can also make them with chicken sausages for a chicken version or pork sausages for a pork version. 
• Just add an extra 5–10 min. to your cooking time if using frozen. 

For the falafel you’ll need:
2 x cans chickpeas; washed and drained
1 medium onion; roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley; chopped
2 cups spinach
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. Place chickpeas, onion and garlic into a food processor and blitz until smooth. 
2. Add remaining ingredients and blitz until well combined. 
3. Transfer to a bowl and roll mixture into balls. 
4. Heat oil and deep-fry until golden and crispy. 
5. Serve warm with mint yoghurt sauce.