Prep time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 4 mins
Makes 1 serve
Lightly beat together the whole egg and egg yolk with the milk. Melt the butter in a small non-stick frying pan over low heat and pour in the egg mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the egg begins to set underneath. This will take about 3-4 minutes. Stir lightly and cook until just set. Serve the scrambled eggs with lightly toasted bread.
Variations: Try adding grated cheese and chopped cooked chicken for a more substantial meal. Alternatively fold through finely chopped wilted baby English spinach leaves and finely chopped tomatoes.
Carrot and pumpkin risotto
90 g unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
250 g pumpkin, cut into small cubes
2 carrots, cut into small cubes
7-8 cups salt-reduced vegetable stock
440 g (2 cups) risotto rice
90 g (1 cup) freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Makes 4 serves
Heat 60 g of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until soft. Add the pumpkin and carrot and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until tender. Mash slightly with a potato masher. Put the stock in a saucepan and keep at simmering point.
Add the rice to the vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Ladle in enough hot stock to cover the rice; stir well. Reduce the heat and add more stock as it is absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue until the rice is tender and creamy (this will take about 25 minutes).
Remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining butter, cheese and nutmeg and season with freshly ground black pepper. Fork through. Cover and leave for 5 minutes before serving.
Cheesy stars
60 g (2/3 cup) small, star-shaped pasta
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon grated cheese
1 tablespoon milk
chopped parsley
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Makes 1 serve
Cook the pasta in boiling water for about 8-9 minutes, or until tender.
Drain, return the pasta to the saucepan, the add the butter, cheese and milk. Mix well and stir over low heat for 1 minute, or until the butter and cheese have melted. Stir in a little parsley. If necessary, mash to serve.
Variation: You could substitute the star-shaped pasta for any number of other small pasta shapes. Use larger spirals and bow-shaped pasta for babies as they show more interest in finger foods.
Steamed fish and diced vegetables
60 g piece boneless white fish, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons finely diced vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, carrot, frozen peas)
milk (optional)
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
Makes 1 serve
Put the fish with the vegetables in a steamer and set over a saucepan of boiling water. Steam for about 8 minutes, or until tender.
Mash the fish and vegetables together to form a smooth consistency, adding a little of the cooking liquid or milk if necessary. Otherwise, flake the fish and chop the accompanying vegetables, adding a little milk or cooking liquid.
Cauliflower in creamy sauce
60 g fresh or frozen cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon dry milk powder or ricotta cheese
¾ teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
Makes 1 serve
Cut the cauliflower into small florets and boil or steam until tender. Drain well.
Put the milk, milk powder or ricotta cheese and cornflour in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, until thickened.
Finely chop or mash the cauliflower and stir into the sauce.
Hint: This recipe can also be used for diced carrots, tiny florets of broccoli, diced asparagus or pumpkin.
Dal
310 g (1¼ cups) red lentils
3 g unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Makes 4-6 serves
Put the lentils in a large bowl and cover with water. Remove any floating particles and drain the lentils well.
Heat the butter in a saucepan. Fry the onion for about 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and spices; cook, stirring for another minute.
Add the lentils and 500 ml (2 cups) water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer; stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Watch carefully towards the end of cooking time, as the mixture could burn on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature with pitta toasts or with naan or pitta bread.
Lamb shank and barley casserole
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
50 g (1/3 cup) diced carrot
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
2 French trimmed lamb shanks (about 600 g)
plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons pearl barley
500 ml (2 cups) salt-reduced beef stock
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 2 hours 10 mins
Makes 3-4 serves
Heat the oil in a small flameproof casserole dish or heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and rosemary and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until soft.
Dust the lamb shanks in flour; shaking off any excess. Add to the dish, turning to brown all sides. Add the barley and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and falling away from the bone.
Remove the shanks, allow to cool slightly, then remove the meat from the bone, discarding any sinew. Cut the meat into small pieces and return to the casserole, stirring to combine. For a smoother texture put in a food processor and lightly process. This meal can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw, then reheat to serve.
Vegetable casserole
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
½ celery stalk, finely diced
½ carrot, diced
50 g (¼ cup) brown lentils
200 g tinned diced tomatoes
185 ml (¾ cup) salt-reduced vegetable or chicken stock
150 g pumpkin, deseeded and cut into 1 cm cubes
½ zucchini, quartered lengthways and cut into 1 cm slices
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour
Makes 3-4 serves
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the lentils, tomato and stock and stir to combine. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Add the pumpkin and zucchini and cook for a further 10-12 minutes, or until tender.
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 1½ hours
Makes 4 serves
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Place the rice, milk, sugar, vanilla and butter and cinnamon, if using, in a baking dish and stir.
Bake for about 1½ hours, stirring every 15 minutes to make sure it doesn't stick to the dish. Remove the pudding from the oven when it has the consistency of creamed rice. Do not overcook or it may dry out. Cool slightly and top with fresh berries.
Fruit jelly
1 tablespoon gelatine powder
375 ml (1½ cups) unsweetened fruit juice
200 g (¾ cup) pureed fresh or drained, tinned fruit in natural juice
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Makes 6 serves
Sprinkle the gelatine over 125 ml (½ cup) cool water in a small saucepan. Heat through, then add the fruit juice and heat through again. Pour into a mixing bowel and leave until it begins to thicken. Stir in the pureed fruit until well combined.
Transfer to small dishes and refrigerate until set.
Yoghurt jelly
1½ tablespoons gelatine powder
375 ml (1½ cups) unsweetened fruit juice
250 g (1 cup) plain yoghurt
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Makes 6 serves
Sprinkle the gelatine over 125 ml (½ cup) cool water in a small saucepan. Heat through, then add the fruit juice and heat through again. Pour into a mixing bowel and leave until it begins to thicken. Stir in the yoghurt, then beat with electric mixers until fluffy.
Transfer to small dishes and refrigerate until set.
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