Five healthy (and easy) summer recipes that kids will LOVE!

Parenting

Sick of the daily meal time battle? Wish there was an easy way to cook meals that were healthy AND that your kids loved? (Or at least will eat without complaint.)

Sarah Gregory believes that teaching children how to eat well is as important as teaching them how to read and write – and she’s made it her mission to help parents do just that.

As a mother of four Sarah understands how worrying it is to have a child who only eats pasta, or refuses to eat fruit and veg. So she’s created a unique, and simple, mindful eating plan called Your Little Foodie Learning Journey.

And to give you a taste of some of the dishes she shows you how to prepare, she’s kindly sharing five delicious but simple recipes with us.

Recipe 1) Mint, pea and feta risotto

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  • Feeds 6/7
  • Prep and cook time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1tbsp coconut oil or butter
  • 1 small peeled and chopped onion
  • 200g risotto rice
  • 800ml vegetable stock
  • 200g feta
  • 150g parmigiano or parmesan
  • Mint 2tsp dried, 4tbsp fresh or frozen
  • 200g peas

Method

  • Heat the oven c200/180 (fan)/5 gas.
  • Use an ovenproof dish with a lid.
  • Fry the onion until sweet and soft but not brown.
  • Add the risotto rice fry for 2 minutes.
  • Add the hot stock and bring to the boil.
  • Cover and put in the oven for 15 minutes.
  • Take out add the cheese, mint and peas and stir.
  • Stir, if there is visible liquid put the lid on and return to the oven if not just add the lid and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the peas are cooked.

Recipe 2) Avocado courgetti

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  • Feeds 4
  • Prep time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 avocado
  • 2x courgettes
  • A pinch of salt (only if you are using homemade pesto)
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 3 tbsp of pesto- homemade or shop bought
  • Chopped cherry tomatoes
  • 20g Toasted pine nuts
  • A few torn basil leaves (optional)
  • Grated parmesan

Method

  • Put the avocado, pesto olive oil and salt to taste in a high-speed blender.
  • Spiralize, the courgette, toast the pine nuts until slightly brown and chop the tomatoes.
  • Mix all of the ingredients together barring the Parmesan. (Add the Parmesan when you have plated up.)

Recipe 3) Whole chicken with rice and carrots

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  • Feeds 6
  • Prep 10 mins max
  • Cook time depends on the chicken. A chicken that takes 1hr 20 will normally be ready in 1hrs and 5 minutes (due to the steaming inside).

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of rice (wholegrain basmati, long grain, a mix of wild and basmati any rice that takes a bit longer to cook)
  • 4 cups of boiled water or stock
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 lemon
  • 20g unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 tbsps of turmeric- enough for the chicken to be covered and to have a sprinkle on the rice.
  • 500g carrots
  • 2tbsp of olive or rapeseed oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

  • Preheat the oven 220c/200 (fan).
  • Peel, chop and rub salt, pepper and oil into the carrots and place them on the top shelf of the oven. (they normally take 45 minutes to an hour dependent on size).
  • Add the rice and stock to the deep baking dish.
  • Chop up the butter up, cut the lemon in half and squeeze (a little) and have the turmeric and salt ready to coat the chicken.
  • Unwrap the chicken and stab it in the legs and breast, lift up different parts of the skin and add butter underneath and also rub into the skin.
  • Then rub in the turmeric and salt all over and put the lemon inside.
  • Place the chicken on top of the rice and place uncovered on the top shelf in the oven. (Move the carrots further down)
  • The time the chicken takes to cook is dependent on weight. The packet should say how long for. I always check it roughly 15 minutes before the end time.
  • If the juices in the chicken run clear, the stock has been absorbed and the skin is slightly crisp- it is ready! (If not return to the oven, but keep your eye on it- the steam generally helps it to cook quicker).

Recipe 4) Red lentil bolognese

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  • Feeds 6
  • Prep and cook time 30 mins max

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion
  • ½ clove of garlic
  • 1 tbsp of coconut oil or butter
  • 200g Red lentils
  • 5/2 tsps of cinnamon
  • 1x 400g tinned tomatoes
  • 2 cups stock should cover it (be prepared to top up with boiling water)
  • Pasta of your choice
  • Cheese

Method

  • Fry the onions until soft, sweet and slightly browned.
  • Add in the garlic and lentils and fry for a few minutes before adding the tinned tomatoes.
  • After a few minutes add the stock and let the lentils cook over a low/medium heat stirring occasionally so that they do not stick. (Add more boiling water in if needed.)
  • After 15 minutes put your pasta on to boil and grate your cheese.
  • Once the lentils are visible soft, roughly 25/30 minutes, they are ready.

Recipe 5) Butternut Squash Risotto

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  • Feeds 6/7
  • Prep and cook time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive or coconut oil.
  • Butternut squash peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium sized onion.
  • 250g Arbio rice
  • 850ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • Parmesan cheese

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 220c/200 (fan).
  • Coat the prepared butternut squash with 2 tbsp of oil and put in the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Gentle fry onions over a low heat (on the hob), once softened add rice. Stir being very careful not to let the rice burn.
  • Poor in the hot stock and let it slightly bubble away.
  • Cover with an oven-proof lid and put into the oven.
  • Set the timer for 15/20 minutes. Take the Pan out and check that most of the liquid has evaporated. (If not you can put back in the oven for a few minutes more)
  • Add the softened squash and the Parmesan cheese and stir.
  • Put the lid back on and let it rest for 5 to 8 minutes.