Lou's Cook Book

Meal & Snack Idea’s for kids that insist on feeding themselves

I have put together a few recipes that I know my daughter loves and to help her stay-at-home dad plan shopping and meals. My daughter refuses to be spoon fed and so I have had to come up with meals that are both nutritious and easy for her to eat. She only has 4 teeth, so all my recipe ideas are easy for her to ‘chew’ and swallow. All meal idea’s are tasty enough to be eaten by everyone. Be sure to cook a bit extra for yourself!

Note that these are my own recipes and recipes I have found on the net and in books. They are suited to what my daughter likes to eat. You may need to adapt these recipes according to your child’s dietary requirements and chewing abilities etc.

ENJOY!

Breakfasts

the only meal my daughter will allow spoon feeding!

Weetbix with sultana’s 1 weetbix biscuit Handful of sultana’s Warm full fat milk Boil the kettle and cover sultanas with water and let soak for a minute or two. Place weetbix in small bowl, cover in milk and mush up. Chop soaked sultanas and add to weetbix. Serve!

Bacon with Scrambled Eggs 1 egg 1 rasher of bacon (only flesh part – discard all fat) Milk Butter Parsley Place bacon under a grill, allowing fat to drip away whilst cooking. Once cooked through (not to crispy), chop into bite size pieces. Whisk milk, egg and parsley together. Add a dob of butter to a small frying pan. When melted, pour egg mixture into pan and stir until cooked through and scrambled. Add bacon pieces. Serve with toast fingers and if baby likes, some grilled tomato pieces that have had seeds removed or chunks of avocado.

Oats with sultana’s, apples and cinnamon ½ cup organic oats Water Full fat Milk Sultanas (chopped) Cinnamon Cooked apple – mashed Prepare Oats as per instructions on packet (add sultana’s during the cooking process so they get a chance to soften). Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon and add mashed apple. Cook for a minute or two longer to heat apples. Pour oats into serving dish, top with full fat milk and stir. Serve when cooled.

French maple and cinnamon toast Egg Milk Cinnamon Maple Syrup or Vanilla Whisk egg, with a splash of milk, a pinch of cinnamon and a drop or two of vanilla or maple syrup. Remove crusts from a slice of bread (nice thick cut, yesterdays bread is good or try some fruit loaf). Soak bread in egg mixture until well moistened. Place in a mod/hot frypan that has been sprayed with some cooking oil. Cook until golden on each side. Serve with fresh fruit or some fruit yogurt to dip bits of torn bread into.

Potato Pancakes Makes about 9 pancakes 4 medium potatoes (about 625g of potato, before peeling) 1 small onion 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons (28g) self-raising flour Vegetable oil or butter for pan frying Peel and grate potatoes into a large bowl. Remove excess moisture by squeezing handfuls of the grated potato over kitchen sink. Peel and grate onion and add to potatoes. Add egg, flour and stir to combine. Heat oil or butter in a heavy-based, non-stick pan over medium heat. Drop heaped tablespoons of mixture into pan and flatten slightly. Cook pancakes for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and serve with tomato sauce to dip in, or some mashed cream cheese and avocado. Or try adding some corn kernels, peas, pieces of ham etc (great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!)

Cheesy vegemite jaffles Grated cheese of choice (mild coon tasty cheese works well) Sprinkle of grated mozzarella Bread slices Margarine Vegemite Spread bread with margarine on one side and a scrape of vegemite on the other. Place in jaffle maker, buttered side down. Add grated cheeses and cook until cheeses are melted and toast is golden. Allow to cool before serving.

Other jaffle combo’s (also good for lunches): Banana, cream cheese and cinnamon Baked beans Scrambled egg and bacon Cheese and tomato sauce Chopped tomato with mozzarella cheese and parsley/basil Tinned spaghetti and cheese Tuna avocado and cream cheese/tasty cheese or mozzarella Chopped ham and avocado / cheese

Quick Breakfasts Cheerio’s and dried fruit – served dry Cheerio’s mixed with fruit puree (and / or yogurt) Toast with cream cheese and 100% fruit strawberry jam Toasted cheese and vegemite soldiers (toast under grill until cheese is melted) Toast with avocado Toast with mashed banana and peanut butter (smooth) Whole fruit pieces such as nectarines, apricots, peaches, pears, grapes, watermelon Fruit Toast or Fruit bun bought fresh at bakery Croissants (mini croissants can be bought at Safeway) fill with avocado, vegemite or leave plain Fruit scone plain, with cream cheese or low salt butter Apple Oatmeal baby food jars Weetbix served dry and spread with some 100% fruit jam Cream cheese cruskits (or any spread really….)

Lunches and Dinners I think lunch and dinner is one and the same. Only difference really is the time you have to prepare and eat. Here are some ideas for when you do and don’t have time!

Cheesy Broccoli Crepes

These tender crepes are filled with a rich, creamy broccoli and cheese mixture and topped with bubbly melted cheese. The amount of garlic in this recipe may seem like a lot, but boiled garlic has a very mild flavour. Some chopped, cooked chicken would be a delicious addition to the filling. Serves 4 (about 2 crepes each). Crepe Recipe 2 large eggs 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour 185ml (3/4 cup) milk Using a fork, lightly beat eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add half the flour and stir until the mixture is smooth. Add remaining flour and mix well to form a smooth paste. Add milk gradually, whisking or stirring between each addition to make a smooth batter. Leave crepe batter to stand for 30 minutes before using. After 30 minutes standing time, we transfer our crepe batter into a container with a pouring spout to make it easier to pour the batter into the pan. Stir the batter before using. If your batter is lumpy at this stage, you can pass it through a fine sieve to remove the lumps. Place a lightly greased (preferably non-stick) pan over medium heat. Pour a couple of tablespoons of batter into the pan and quickly swirl the pan to produce crepes of desired size. If you find the batter is a little too thick to produce a thin, even crepe add an extra dash of milk to the batter. Cook crepes over medium heat until the top of the crepe completely loses its wet appearance and its underside has begun to color. Flip crepe and cook other side. Remove cooked crepe from pan and lightly grease pan before cooking next crepe. Filling 5-6 medium cloves garlic 300g broccoli florets 120g cream cheese, softened 80g Parmesan cheese, grated 50g (2 1/2 tablespoons) mayonnaise 2 tablespoons thickened cream 3 teaspoons lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste

Topping 140g grated tasty cheese 80ml (1/3 cup) cream Peel and halve garlic cloves. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add broccoli and garlic and boil until broccoli is just tender. Drain broccoli and garlic and set aside to cool. Combine cream cheese, Parmesan, mayonnaise, cream, lemon juice, boiled garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash the ingredients together to form a paste. Add roughly chopped cooked broccoli and stir gently until combined. Divide broccoli filling between crepes and roll up. Place crepes seam side down in a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated tasty cheese and drizzle with cream. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve on their own or with some steamed vegetable fingers or salad pieces such as tomato, cucumber, cooled beans etc.

Salmon Bites

These little salmon bites are a great hot finger food for the whole family to enjoy. They have a creamy salmon filling and a crisp, buttery bread case. Makes about 24 (or half recipe for 12) Bread Cases About 12 slices good-quality white bread (use a fairly wide/tall loaf so that you are able to cut 2 rounds from each slice, otherwise you'll need about 24 slices of bread)

About 50g butter, melted Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Cut rounds from bread using a 6cm diameter scone cutter. Flatten the rounds slightly by rolling over them with the side of a glass or a rolling pin. Brush one side of each bread round with melted butter. Ease the rounds, buttered side down, into the holes of a mini muffin tin. Bake cases until crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Salmon Filling 1 x 210g tin salmon, drained 25g butter 1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour 3/4 cup milk

3 shallots (spring onions), finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon lemon juice Remove skin and bones from the salmon and break it into small chunks. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Add about one third of the milk at a time, stirring until mixture is well combined and as smooth a possible before adding the next third. When all the milk is added, return to medium heat and stir continuously until mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat. Add shallots, salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, lemon juice and parsley to white sauce. Stir until combined. Add the salmon and mix gently. Fill the cooked bread cases with the salmon mixture. Bake at 170 degrees for about 7-10 minutes, until hot. Top with parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Patties

Cooked rice adds texture to these sweet potato and cumin flavoured patties. Nice with yogurt (or sweet chilli sauce for you!) Makes approximately 8 patties. 1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs 50g (1/4 cup) rice 250g peeled and roughly chopped sweet potato (kumara) 1/2 small onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup frozen mixed corn kernels and baby peas 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 large egg yolk 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley Salt and pepper About 2-3 teaspoons oil, for frying To make the breadcrumbs, place some day-old bread in a food processor and process to make fine crumbs. Cook rice in boiling water according to the directions on the package and drain well. Boil, steam or microwave sweet potato until tender. In a large bowl, mash the cooked sweet potato with a fork. Add the breadcrumbs, rice, onion, pea and corn mix, parmesan, cumin, garlic, egg yolk, parsley, salt and pepper and stir until just combined. Form mixture into 8 patties.

Heat oil in a heavy based, non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook patties for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.

Zucchini Slice This savory slice can be served hot or cold, as a side dish or with a salad as a main meal. You will need about 3 large bacon rashers for this recipe. 550g zucchini 1 medium onion, finely chopped 130g bacon (after fat and rind has been removed) 75g (1 cup, lightly packed) grated tasty (cheddar) cheese 112g (3/4 cup) self-raising flour 4 large eggs 1/3 cup oil Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees fan forced). Line an 18cm x 28cm baking dish or slice tin with baking paper. Finely chop bacon. Place onion and bacon in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Fry for about six minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened but not browned. Set aside to cool. Wash zucchini, remove ends and finely grate. Squeeze handfuls of grated zucchini over sink to remove excess liquid (this prevents the slice from being too wet). Combine grated zucchini, cooled onion and bacon mixture, cheese and flour in a large bowl. Use a fork to beat eggs and oil together in a small bowl. Add egg and oil mixture to other ingredients and stir to combine. Pour mixture into baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until slice is golden brown and firm to the touch. Set aside for five to ten minutes before slicing. Store slice in the refrigerator. Suitable to reheat.

Chicken Crepes Creamy curried chicken is enclosed in tender crepes and finished with golden melted cheese. This recipe makes enough filling for about eight 18cm diameter crepes. Try using poached chicken in the filling (see instructions below) but any type of cooked chicken could be used. The assembled chicken crepes can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking. Prepare crepes using recipe above Chicken Filling 6 tablespoons cream of chicken soup (we use Heinz brand) 2 1/2 tablespoons of mayonnaise 2 1/2 tablespoons thickened cream 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 1/2 tablespoons grated onion 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 375g chopped, cooked chicken meat Topping 120g grated tasty cheese 1/3 cup thickened cream Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Combine soup, mayonnaise, cream, curry powder, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in chopped chicken. Divide filling mixture evenly between crepes. Roll crepes up and place them seam side down in a baking dish. Sprinkle crepes with grated cheese and drizzle with cream. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbling. Poached Chicken This method of cooking produces moist, tender chicken. Chicken breasts or chicken pieces 1 small onion, roughly chopped 1 carrot, roughly chopped Place chicken, onion and carrot in a large saucepan. Add enough water to the saucepan to cover the ingredients. Place saucepan over high heat, cover and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and leave chicken to cool in water for one hour. Refrigerate until cold then use as required.

Mini Quiches These quiches can be slightly undercooked and kept in the fridge to be reheated when required. We have used ham in the recipe below, but other fillings could be used such as corn, mushrooms (cooked first to remove excess moisture), semidried tomato, cooked salmon, shallots, and herbs. Makes 18. 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (thawed) 90g grated tasty cheese 115g finely chopped shaved leg ham 3 eggs 90ml (4 1/2 tablespoons) thickened cream 3 teaspoons grated onion 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Grease a muffin tin that has approximately 8cm diameter holes. Cut pastry using a round cutter with a diameter of 6cm. Line each muffin hole with a pastry round. Divide grated cheese between pastry cases. Top cheese with ham. Using a fork, lightly beat eggs in a small bowl. Add cream, grated onion, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Beat to combine. Spoon a scant tablespoon of egg mixture into each pastry case. Bake for 20 minutes until quiches are golden and puffed.

Mini Burgers 500g minced beef 2 tsps tomato sauce 1 tablespoon teriyaki / bbq sauce 1 small brown onion, chopped finely 1 egg 6 small par bake bread rolls (or you could use plain bread slices) 6 cheese slices 2 small egg (roma) tomatoes, sliced thinly 6 small lettuce leaves Using your hands, combine mince, sauces, onion and egg in a large bowl. Shape into 12 patties (freeze 6 for later use). Cook patties in fry pan until cooked through.

Meanwhile, bake rolls according to instructions and when ready, split in half. Spread with some tomato sauce. Add patties then cheese and grill until cheese melts. Add lettuce and tomato and remaining part of roll.

Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Serving size: Serves 4 Cooking time: Less than 30 minutes If fresh herbs are unavailable, substitute half a teaspoon each of dried basil and mint. 500g pork and veal mince or mince beef will do 1 medium (240g) zucchini, grated coarsely 1 medium (150g) onion, chopped finely 1 egg, beaten lightly ½ cup (35g) stale breadcrumbs ¼ cup (60ml) tomato sauce 1tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves 500g spaghetti or pasta spirals 1/3 cup (25g) flaked parmesan cheese Tomato Basil sauce 400g can tomatoes 410g can tomato puree 2 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves 1 teaspoon sugar Combine mince, zucchini, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, sauce and herbs in medium bowl; mix well. Roll level teaspoons of mixture into balls. Place on oiled foil-lined oven tray; bake in moderately hot oven 25 minutes. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in large pan of boiling water, uncovered, until just tender; drain. Toss meatballs through sauce; serve over hot spaghetti and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Tomato basil sauce: Combine undrained crushed tomatoes, puree, garlic, basil and sugar in medium pan; simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until thickened.

Bolognese Sauce Bolognese sauce can be used for more than just putting on top of pasta. Make sure you make plenty and freeze. Use in jaffles (with cheese), toss steamed vegetables through the sauce or bake some potatoes and smother with sauce. 500g minced beef 2 tbsp low salt tomato paste 1 can chopped tomatoes 1 carrot, grated Half cup finely chopped mushrooms 1 small onion, grated 1 small zucchini, grated Chopped parsley / basil or both 1 garlic clove, crushed

In a med/hot frypan, add mince, onion and garlic and cook until meat is well browned. Add grated vegetables and mushrooms, cook for a further 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until well combined. Add canned tomatoes. Reduce heat and cook for as long as possible (slow cooker for 4 hours is great – otherwise, 2 hours on the stove top is just as good). If you don’t have time, cook for at least an hour. Toss through spiral, rigatoni or spaghetti (broken in half) and sprinkle with cheese.

Honeyed Carrots Small carrots, or halve them lengthways if they are bigger Honey Butter Sesame seeds, toasted (optional) (quantity of ingredients depends on how many carrots you are cooking – use your judgement) Peel the carrots and put them in a large saucepan. Add the honey and butter and just cover with water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until all the water has evaporated and you are left with a slightly sticky sauce and tender carrots. Top up the water if you need to. Serve sprinkled with the toasted sesame seeds and season.

Satay Chicken 4 Tbsp smooth peanut butter 100ml soy sauce 4 chicken breast fillets, skinned Put the peanut butter in a bowl and slowly mix in the soy sauce until smooth. Cut each chicken fillet into thin strips lengthways, add strips to the peanut mixture and coat well all over. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight. When ready to use, thread each chicken strip onto a soaked skewer and barbecue or grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

Remove chicken from skewers and chop into pieces. Serve with Singapore noodles that have been tossed with some chopped parsley. Drizzle some plain yogurt over the top if you have some.

Beef, Lemongrass and Noodle Stir Fry 250g Singapore noodles 2 teaspoons peanut oil 500g beef eye fillet, sliced thinly 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh lemon grass 1/3 cup (80ml) lime juice 1 tablespoon fish sauce 100g baby spinach or rocket leaves 1 cup (80g) bean sprouts ½ cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves ½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves 1 sml brown onion, sliced thinly ¾ cup broccoli florets 1 lebanese cucumber (130g), seeded, sliced thinly Place noodles in large heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water; stand 5 minutes or until tender, drain. Heat half of the oil in wok or large frying pan; cook beef, in batches, until browned. Heat remaining oil in wok; cook garlic and lemon grass until fragrant. Return beef to wok with juice and sauce, stir-fry until heated through. Add noodles, stir-fry until combined. Stir in remaining ingredients; serve immediately. You may wish to chop the stir fried meat to make it manageable.

Veggie Sausage Rolls 2 sheets short crust pastry 1 small carrot, grated 1 small zucchini, grated Handful of baby spinach 1 small onion, grated ½ cup steamed broccoli or cauliflower ½ cup corn kernels Pinch chinese 5 spice (optional) Handful grated tasty cheese (or ricotta is nice) Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Using melted butter or cooking oil, gently fry onion until transparent. Add carrots and zucchini and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool completely. Add chopped, steamed broccoli/cauliflower, corn kernels and tasty cheese (use your judgement on the cheese). Add a pinch of chinese 5 spice. Mix well. Cut pastry sheets into quarters. Place a spoonful of veggie mixture on to pastry and either roll (sausage roll style) or fold (pasty style) to enclose. Prick the tops of your parcels with a fork and baste with egg wash (1 egg and a splash of milk whisked together). Bake until pastry is cooked through and golden Serve with a dipping sauce or plain tomato sauce.

Quick Lunch and Dinner Ideas Fish fillets with steamed veg 1 1 4 2

frozen (lightly battered) fish fillet small carrot, peeled and sliced into batons beans, topped and tailed broccoli florets

Cook fish as per packet instructions and serve with steamed vegetables

Sausages, beans and noodles (with corn on the cob) Sausage of your choice (thin beef BBQ, chicken, chipolata) 1 small can low salt baked beans 1 single serve pack of Singapore noodles 1 frozen corn cob Cook sausages thoroughly and chop into bite size pieces Prepare noodles by soaking in boiling water for a minute or two Heat baked beans in the microwave. Toss noodles with baked beans and sausages. Serve with corn cob on side, when cooled.

BBQ Chicken and buttered pasta and parsley 1 BBQ chicken from Coles (or your local chicken shop) ½ cup cooked pasta spirals Dob of low salt butter Finely chopped parsley Toss butter and parsley through cooked pasta. Top with shreds of the BBQ chook. Note: You can give your toddler a chicken wing (tip removed) to chew/suck on. Just ensure that its supervised! They love them!

Spinach and Ricotta Pastries Frozen Spinach and Ricotta pastries are quick and easy. Serve with tomato sauce for dipping and follow with some fresh fruit

Mini Veggie pastie or Party Pie from Brumbies Brumby’s make lovely fresh vegetable pasties and mini pies daily. Serve with some tomato sauce and follow with some fresh fruit

Dippers My daughter loves to dip things! Next to plain old tomatoe sauce, here are some tasty dipping ideas that are nice with things like: Steamed carrot and beans (careful not to steam until mushy) Toast fingers Pita bread triangles Melba Toasts Cucumber, tomato or celery pieces Baked potato skins Roasted vegetables such as carrot, parsnip etc.

Hommus

This creamy chickpea and garlic dip is quick and easy to prepare. We prefer to make it a day in advance to allow the flavors’ to develop. Hummus is delicious served with pita bread crisps, crudités, or used as a spread on sandwiches or wraps. 400g tin chickpeas, drained 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste (optional) 2 medium cloves garlic 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons tahini 2 1/2 tablespoons water Place all ingredients in a food processor and process on high speed until the ingredients are combined. Stop the machine and scrape down sides of bowl. Process again until dip is smooth. Store dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Pita Bread Crisps Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Using scissors or a knife, cut pita bread (or other flatbread) into bite sized triangles. Place bread triangles on a baking tray and bake for about 4 minutes, until crisp. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container until required

Warm spinach dip Serve this cheesy, garlicky spinach dip with pieces of warm crusty bread or steamed vegetable sticks 90g baby spinach leaves 80g cream cheese 100g grated cheddar cheese 100g grated Parmesan cheese 100g mayonnaise 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 eschallot/green onion, chopped (use white and green parts) 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar Pepper to taste Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process on medium to low speed until ingredients are combined and spinach is chopped. Transfer mixture to an ovenproof serving dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until dip is hot and bubbling around edges. Serve warm.

Tzatziki (Cucumber Dip) 2 cups thick, Greek-style yogurt 2 small cucumbers, peeled and diced 8 spring onions, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh chopped mint (2 Tbs. dried) To remove excess moisture from the cucumber, salt the diced cucumber generously and place in a colander. Let it drain for 45 minutes to an hour, then rinse and pat dry. In a small bowl, beat the yogurt until smooth. Fold in the garlic and scallions. Fold in the mint, then add the cucumber. Garnish with a tablespoon of fresh chopped mint, if desired. Chill well before serving. Serve with crusty bread or pita bread triangles and vegetables. Makes about 3 cups.

Apple Sauce You can buy store bought apple sauce which is good, or you can make your own. Apple sauce is good to dip fruit toast fingers into or can also be used to dip cooked meats such as lamb, pork or roasted chicken or duck if you have it. Mix with cheerio’s for a snack or dessert or serve with crumbled dry weetbix. 2 1 1 2 3

apples (granny smith) teaspoon lemon juice tablespoon water teaspoons butter tablespoons brown sugar

Peel, core and slice apples. Place in saucepan with remaining ingredients and simmer until tender. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.