Mini magic: Healthy lunch recipes for children
CONJURING up tasty, healthy lunches for your kids is child’s play.
Conjuring up tasty, healthy lunches for your kids is child’s play
Pinwheel tortilla lollipops
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 2 hours’ or overnight chilling
A small bunch of chives
280g (10oz) cream cheese
2 wholemeal-flour tortilla wraps
150g (5¼oz) black olives, sliced
12 salami slices
2 handfuls rocket leaves
l Finely slice the chives and mix with cream cheese until smooth.
l Heat a griddle pan until very hot then grill each tortilla on 1 side for 30 seconds. Make sure you watch them carefully as they can burn very quickly.
l Lay the tortillas out, grilled side down, and spread the cream cheese mixture over, leaving a 2cm (¾in) rim around the outside.
l Drain the olives then sprinkle them over the cream cheese.
l Spread 6 slices of salami over each tortilla then sprinkle with the rocket.
l Fold in a 2cm (¾in) edge of each tortilla then carefully and evenly roll it up, keeping it as tight as possible.
l Lay a sheet of clingfilm out, place a tortilla wrap on then roll tightly in the clingfilm. Repeat.
l Chill overnight or for 2 hours. Remove the clingfilm, slice into 1½cm (½in) rounds then skewer with cocktail sticks.
Baked tortillas with corn salsa
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
2 flour tortillas
Olive oil
1 roasted red pepper
12 cherry tomatoes
2 spring onions
A small tin of sweetcorn
Juice of 1 lime
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
l Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
l Cut each tortilla into 12 pizza wedge-shaped triangles and place on the baking tray.
l Drizzle with a little oil and bake for 6 minutes or until just browning. These can be made a day or 2 in advance then stored in an airtight container.
l Dice the pepper, quarter the tomatoes and slice the spring onions. Mix together.
l Drain the sweetcorn then mix into the salsa with the lime juice, chopped coriander and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
l Store in an airtight container then serve with the baked tortillas.
Mini pea and ham pasties are a winner with youngsters (left)
Mini pea and ham pasties
Makes: 16
Cooking time: 1 hour
Preparation time: 30 minutes
1 onion
40g (1½oz) butter
150g (5¼oz) fresh garden peas
120g (4¼oz) chunky ham
150g (5¼oz) ricotta
10 mint leaves, chopped
3 thyme sprigs
2 sheets shortcrust pastry
1 egg
l Peel and dice the onion then sauté in butter for 5 minutes on a medium heat until soft and translucent.
l Add the peas and sauté for 1 minute then remove from the heat and cool for 2 minutes.
l Dice the ham into ½cm (¼in) cubes then stir through the pea mixture with the ricotta, chopped mint and leaves from the thyme sprigs.
l Roll out the pastry sheets and cut 16x10cm (4in) circles.
l Beat the egg and brush some around the outside of each circle.
l Place a dessertspoon of pea and ham filling into the centre of each pastry circle.
l Lift each side of the pastry and gently crimp across the top.
l Place on a baking paper-lined tray and brush with the egg wash. Chill for 15 minutes.
l Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4.
l Bake the mini pasties for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Fresh fruit shoots
Makes: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
300ml (10½fl oz) water
Juice of 2 oranges
300g (10½oz) watermelon flesh, diced
6 strawberries
10 raspberries
l Blend all the ingredients until smooth then pass through a sieve.
l Store in bottles overnight then add 1 to each packed lunch.
l Shake well before drinking.
Brighten up their day with sunshine bars
Sunshine bars
Serves: 10
Cooking time: 1 hour
Preparation time: 15 minutes
165g (5¾oz) rolled oats
25g (1oz) wheat bran
150g (5¼oz) coconut flakes
100g (3½oz) dried apricot, diced
75g (2¾oz) dried papaya, diced
75g (2¾oz) dried pineapple, diced
125g (4½oz) pumpkin seeds
30g (1oz) linseeds
400g (14oz) condensed milk
2 tbsps golden syrup
50g (1¾oz) puffed rice
l Preheat the oven to 120°C/ 250°F/gas mark ½ and line a 30x18cm (12x7in) baking tray with baking paper.
l In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats, wheat bran, coconut flakes, diced apricot, diced papaya, diced pineapple, pumpkin seeds and linseeds.
l Gently warm the condensed milk and golden syrup until runny.
l Pour this mixture over the dry mixture and coat fully.
l Add the puffed rice and mix well.
l Spoon into the lined baking tray and place another sheet of baking paper on top. Press down to fill the edges and flatten the top.
l Remove the top sheet of baking paper, bake for 50 minutes then remove and cool.
l When cooled, cut into your desired portions.
Styling by Victoria Gray
Photographs by Winfried Heinze
Recipes written and devised by home economist Dominic Hoile