Banana and Blueberry Muffins

On the weekend I had dinner at my parents house. My mum made a blueberry cake, which was very tasty. But this recipe is not for that blueberry cake. My mum mis-read the recipe and ended up buying 1.6 kg of blueberries when she probably only needed 200g! The result of this was that she sent home blueberries with all of us.

So what did I do with them? I dusted off a recipe I haven't used for at least a year. A recipe that I used to make all the time when my daughter was younger. It's so easy, so tasty, they freeze really well and better yet, it doesn't require any added sugar. So, half an hour later, I had a double batch of blueberry and banana muffins. (And an hour later my daughter had eaten three of them!)

Go on! Give them a go!

Banana and Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 150g self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 60g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3 large, very ripe bananas (I usually have some in the freezer)
• a punnet of blueberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees, then grease or line muffin trays. This recipe makes 8-10 muffins.

Sift flour and cinnamon into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Melt the butter in a separate bowl, then in another bowl mash the bananas into a smooth, thick puree using a fork. Add the eggs and melted butter and mix well. Stir the blueberries into the flour then pour in the banana mixture and fold together gently. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of the muffins).

I asked my daughter to bake with me, so she brought all her own cookware up to the bench.

Double the goodness!

I added in some choc chips. Maybe that's why she ate so many!

Wheetbix Slice

I was pretty excited the other day when I heard about this recipe. A friend found it on Pinterest but I haven't managed to find it, so I can't acknowledge the source. However it definitely sounds like the kind of recipe that gets passed on and improved over time, so please share your improvisations.

Ingredients

• 5 Wheetbix
• 1 cup dates
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or other seeds)
• 1/2 dessicated coconut
• 4 Tbsp cocoa
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp water
• Dark chocolate for the top (optional)

Method
Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients up. Press the mixture into a lined pan and pour on the melted chocolate if using it. Then just put it in the fridge until set.

Slice it into as many pieces as you wish and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

I'm not very good at pouring chocolate, and when I used a spoon to spread it the mix stuck to the chocolate a bit.

 

 

Home made icy poles

This is not a post for school lunch box snacks. This if for after school, for weekends, for holidays!

With the heat we have been having I decided to bring out my Tupperware icy pole maker things. I bought some frozen mango ages ago but hadn't done anything with them. I also found a punnet of strawberries I had put in the freezer, so I thought I'd do a Google search to see what I could make with them. What I found was super easy and healthy. And it turns out my little girl loves it too! WIN!

Check out the recipe below, or visit the following website for other ideas https://www.healthymummy.com/strawberry-mango-icy-poles/

Strawberry & Mango Icy Poles

Ingredients:

• 1 large mango, peeled and chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ cup water OR Greek yoghurt OR coconut milk (I used vanilla yoghurt in my fridge)
• ½ cup strawberries, chopped

Method:

• Place the mango, lime juice and water into a blender and puree until smooth.
• Throw the chopped strawberries and blend a little before pouring the mixture into the moulds.
• Freeze overnight or until set.

Makes: 4 depending on size of moulds.

Enjoy!

Do you have any variations that are just as good?

Muesli Slice

I make muesli slice a lot, and I'm constantly on the look out for a tasty recipe. What I like about it is that you can subsitute lots of different dried fruits and seeds. And if you aren't packing for a school lunch box, you can add in almonds or other nuts.  I tried this one out the other week and I think it's a pretty good one. See for yourself.

Ingredients
115g butter, plus extra for greasing
100g light brown sugar
115g golden syrup or runny honey
300g rolled oats
100g raisins (or other dried fruit)
50g sunflower seeds, linseeds, sesame seeds (choc chips for fun)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees and grease a lamington tin (30x23x4cm).
2. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup (or honey) in a saucepan over a low heat.
3. Put the rolled oats, raisins and seeds in a large mixing bowl. Then pour in the melted ingredients and use a wooden spoon to combine them.
4. Spread the mixture in the baking tin. You can use a potato masher to press the mixture down.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it at the end to make sure it doesn't brown up too quickly.
6. When it's baked, leave the slice to cool slightly then cut into pieces and put in an airtight container.

TIP!
Put the cut up slices in a container in the freezer. In the morning when you pack lunches, grab a slice and pop it in your lunch box. By the time recess comes around the muesli slice will be perfectly defrosted.

Beef Chow Mein

I am constantly on the look out for new recipes that can be pre-prepared and cooked at the last minute. This is one of my favourites, not least because my nearly 3 year old likes it, but because I chop everything up the night before and then all I have to do is throw it in the wok when I get home from work - 20 minutes later and dinner is on the table.

 
Ingredients

• olive oil
• 500g beef mince (sometimes I use pork mince)
• brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbls curry powder (or less if you prefer)
• 1 carrot, finely chopped or grated
• 2 celery stalks, sliced thinly
• 150g mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tbls soy sauce
• 450g thin egg noodles
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen beans (or any other vegetable)
• 1/2 small chinese cabbage, shredded

Method
Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry the mince, onion and garlic until mince is browned. Add curry powder and stir-fry for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add all the vegetables and stir-fry until vegies have softened. Add stock, sauces and noodles and stir gently until combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, tossing occasionally for about 5 minutes or until vegies are soft enough.
 
Serve and EAT! Yum!

I'll let you in on a secret - the other week I asked my mum to make this for me while she was looking after my little girl. And I tell you what, no matter how old you are, there is no subsitute to your mum's cooking. She made it much tastier than I ever have.

If you don't have the luxury having someone who can cook for you, the key is to chop up all the vegies the night before. Whether you work or not, a little planning and preparation goes a long way and can reduce a lot of the stress about dinners.
 

Zucchini Slice Muffins

I love zucchini slice and I love muffins. Why not combine the two? Here's a quick and easy recipe for just that. These would be perfect for lunch boxes. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months if you need and easy for small hands to hold.

This recipe makes approximately 6 muffins, depending on how big your muffin tray is. Simply double the recipe if you want more muffins.

Ingredients
2 rashers of bacon, finely chopped
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 zucchini, grated
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup cheese, grated
2 eggs, lightly whisked
3/4 cup milk
60g butter, melted

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease a muffin pan.
2. Heat a frying pan, add the bacon and onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion softens. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Combine zucchini, flour and chedder in a large bowl. Add the onion and bacon and stir to combine. Whisk the egg, milk and butter in a jug then add to the zucchini mixture and gently stir until just combined. Spoon evenly among the muffin pan holes.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer, inserted in the centre, comes out clean.

ENJOY!

"Nude Food" lunchboxes

Does a sandwich stay fresh without cling wrap?

If you ever asked that question, the answer is YES! It does. I haven't used cling wrap on my sandwiches for the last 7 years, and they have always stayed fresh until lunch time. I've never had the filling fall out either. The trick is to find a sandwich box that will keep everything secure.

Below are a range of different sandwich and lunch boxes that either I have used, or I see TMPS students using. Choose something that fits in with your lunch style.
 
1. I saw this set at Big W. You could put a sandwich (no clingwrap!) in the big one, yoghurt in one of the small ones, fill the other small one with grapes or other fruit and away you go! Don't forget to include a small freezer pack to keep the yoghurt cold.
 

 

 

 
2. I have seen this Sistema lunch box a few times at school and am inpressed by its compartments. You can easily hold a sandwich in one section and separate fruit and muffins or biscuits in another section. I know these are also at Big W or anywhere that sells Sistema.
 

 

 

 

 3. Check out this Yoghurt Mover I found on smashenterprises.com.au! You put the inner section in the freezer over night and then add your yoghurt in the morning. The yoghurt will stay nice and cold - especially during the summer months!

 

 

 

4. Smash Enterprises also do a great lunch box that can fit everything. For more ideas on using Smash products visit http://www.smashenterprises.com.au/nude-food-movers/ to watch a quick video. Smash products can be found at Big W, Officeworks, Coles and online through the smash website.