Last night I suffered a wave of apathy regarding what to give the boys for lunch the next day. Here in Australia it’s been pretty darn cold and wet, and I’m not sure I’d feel like eating raw veggie sticks as I ran around a muddy, slippery oval???
So to spark my memory and boost my enthusiasm I looked through some of the notes I’d made last winter.
Hopefully some of the following recipes will see you (and your little buddies through winter). Of course if you’re on the other side of the globe there are still some recipes here that make all-year-round delicious lunch menu items.
Good luck
1) Mild Chilli Burger with Peas – move away from sandwiches!!!
1 cup (100g) mince meat (or chicken mince)
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
3 basil leaves, finely chopped( if using chicken go for corriander leaves instead)
1tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of cooked pasta – this can be gluten-free pasta
4tbsp of peas
2 branches of broccolini or broccoli and a handful of diced carrot
Mix together meat, peas, sweet chili sauce and basil.
Shape meat into little burgers and fry on each side until cooked through.
Cook vegetables in boiling water and drain.
Arrange the burgers on bed of pasta and vegetables in a lunch box.
2) Soups – in a thermos
My boys loooooooooove chunky Chicken Noodle Soup on wet days at school.
but try any soup your little ones love – Minestrone, Chorizon Sausage and Veggie etc
Add some crackers or a roll and they are set!!
3) Bolognese and Pasta – in a thermos
….
4) Chickpea and Tuna Salad
1x300g tin chickpeas
10 fresh green beans, cooked
1x100g tin tuna chunks
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp of light mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Rinse and drain chickpeas. Cut green beans finely.
In a bowl mix all of the ingredients with mayonnaise, season with salt and pepper.
Dried chickpeas can also be used. Soak overnight and then cook them in boiling water for one hour.
5) Quiche with a rice base
Rice shell:
8 tbsp of cooked white rice
2tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk (optional)
Egg and bacon filling:
2 slices of bacon finely diced/or some cooked diced chicken/ or some roast pumpkin
2 beaten eggs
2 tbsp of yoghurt or cream
2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
1 pinch nutmeg
Preheat oven to 200C and lightly grease four x 8cm ramekin dishes.
Use fingers to mix parmesan cheese and rice. Place 2 tbsp of rice mixture in each ramekin and press down gently. Pour over filling.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until quiches are golden.
Allow to cool before placing in the lunchbox with vegetables or salad.
