Friday, August 27, 2010

Back to School Already !!

Many of us forget about the food bit... so over the next few days its a good idea to dig out the old lunch boxes, drink bottles, flasks and actually see what you have for this school year ahead.

If you find you don’t have enough, its a good time to search out the many deals available around the country, and involve the kids.....

Or if its your child's first year, make it an occasion heading out to buy the lunch box, drink bottle, thermos flask, there are lots of lunch sets available at the moment from Thomas the Tank to Barbie and lots of great deals to be had..... this is also a good way of encouraging kids who aren’t keen on school lunches to get involved.

Start the day with Breakfast....

Give the sugary cereals a break ....... try instead:……

Banana or any fruit &Yoghurt

Toastie ham & cheese

Boiled, poached or scrambled Eggs on toast

Omelette with ham

French Toast

Porridge with honey or brown sugar

Baked beans on toast

School lunches

Kids spend the minimum amount of time actually eating lunch – with many distractions.... so bear this in mind when packing your child’s lunch, food needs to be easy to eat, packed in easily opened containers/packages and if possible doesn’t require peeling.

Include the kids in the planning process, so over the next few days start discussing lunch ideas and foods they have liked over the summer.

These simple chats can transform the school lunch box. For example the roast chicken they loved over the summer could now form part of their lunch....

Go shopping with older kids with lunch ideas in mind... if you can don’t do this with a large grocery shop, as they tend to loose interest. Many kids get very tired of lunches as they take the same thing each day and don’t want to change so use this as an exercise to break the monotony!!!!

Small kids don’t eat that much in one sitting, so make small sandwiches, small boxes of raisins, small drinks.

Maybe try some pineapple on little cocktail sticks

Think about the different options for sandwiches, pita, cracker, rice cakes, small bagels, tortillas, focacia raisin or cinnamon bread

Make up a sandwich mix , store in a plastic container in the fridge ready to make up fresh in the morning....

Chopped chicken, low fat mayo, cucumber

Tuna Sweetcorn low fat mayo

Chopped chicken, low fat mayo, sweet chilli sauce

ChickenTikka

Roast chicken & Stuffing (easy to make your own stuffing and keep in a covered container in the fridge)

Ditch the sandwich option....go for

Couscous, chicken, raisins, apricots

Tuna, iceberg, sweet corn, cucumber

Snacks could include, dried fruits, pretzels, baked cracker, unsalted nuts, cereal bars

There are now so many drinks available from the diluted bottles (which work out very reasonable) also have a look at the offers in the shops at the moment @ packaged drinks & snacks many of them are on special offers.

Bake at the weekend with kids... things like fairy cakes, rocky roads, rice krispies, caramel slices

....and cut into small squares for treats in lunch boxes...

Make a batch of soup on the weekend and store in the fridge ready to dispatch into flasks in the morning....

Try....

Tomato & pasta

Leek potato & bacon

Chicken & sweetcorn

Carrot & potato

Thursday, August 19, 2010

The Versatile Egg

What a versatile Food.... Fresh Eggs!!!

Nutritious & Economical

Firstly let’s look at what kind of hen eggs are for sale in Ireland...

Battery Eggs,

These eggs which come from hens which are reared in battery cages, there have been many improvements in these cages over the years. However the hens are still in crowded conditions and do not have access to natural light and free movement.

Eggs with the label ‘Barn Eggs’ are eggs which come from hens which are bred in doors in sheds with large tiers of perches plus floor space, nest boxes are provided and there may be natural light, systems vary but can be crowded , however they are an improvement on the battery system.

Eggs with the label ‘Free range’ are eggs which come from hens which do have access to an outside area with vegetation. However this does not mean that these hens are fed on a natural diet...

Eggs with the label ‘Organic Eggs’ come from hens who are fed on a natural diet.. In addition the stringent standards of the Organic Standards are also met.

Eggs & nutrition..

Eggs are a concentrated nutritious source of good quality protein (especially Organic Eggs) They are easy to cook and can provide nutritious, economical meals in minutes for all the family.

2 Eggs provides nearly one third of the daily protein required by an average woman and almost one quarter of a man’s requirement.

Over the years there has been some concern that eggs increase cholesterol, however there have been many studies and one conducted by our own Trinity College has shown that this fear of cholesterol rising with eggs is unfounded and that 7 eggs a week or an egg a day can play an important role in achieving a nutritious diet in a healthy child or adult without having an effect on cholesterol levels.

Cooking Eggs....

Breakfast ideas.....

Simply scramble – add bacon, smoked salmon, chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh herbs...

Boil – butter fingers of toast and simply dip in!!

Poach – crack egg into a small bowl, bring water to the boil, stir to swirl and slide egg in ....cook for 2 mins

Remove with a slotted spoon and pop on top of a toasted bagel.

Lunch – Dinner

Egg Salad hard boil the eggs – cool in cold water, peel slice in half – add to a salad of mixed leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion & radish

Poach – and top on buttered bagels or brown bread

Add some spinach , mushrooms, bacon or smoked salmon...

Make an omelette – 2 eggs, 1 tbls water, salt & pepper... whisk – heat a non stick pan ... pop onto the pan and cook for 2/3 mins, fold over or pop under the grill to finish...

Fillings....

Tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, grated cheddar

Bacon, grated mozzarella & tomato

Spinach, mushrooms & grated mozzarella

Ham & mushroom

Quick Baked Eggs, mushroom & cheese

2 eggs

2 tbls of cooked mushrooms

2 tbls of grated cheese

Salt & Pepper

Pop a tbls of mushrooms into two ramekin dishes

carefully break an egg into each ramekin

Sprinkle over with salt, pepper & cheese

Place dishes into a shallow roasting dish or cake tin

Pour boiling water around them to cover half way up ramekin

Bake in a heated oven 170 c for 10 mins... until the white is just set and the yolk still a bit wobbly...

Serve with toasted brown bread..

Huevos Rancheros – Serves 4

Ranch Eggs….These tasty eggs are a traditional Mexican mid morning dish served to Ranch workers who had been working since day break. It’s very old traditional dish and every Ranch Kitchen would have had their own version. This recipe is an easy one for you to try.

4 flour tortillas

1 white onion finely chopped

1 green/red/or yellow pepper

2 red chillies, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

½ teasp of dried or 1 handful fresh oregano

1 can of chopped tomatoes

1 can of kidney beans drained & rinsed well

1 small cup of water

1 tbls of olive oil

8 eggs

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and pepper and cook for five mins until they are soft.

3. Add the chill & garlic and cook briefly.

4. Pop in the chopped tomatoes with the oregano and water, bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for 8-10 mins until the sauce thickens, then add the kidney beans heat for a further 2 mins.

5. Season with Salt & Pepper

6. Smooth over the top of the mixture and make eight hollows with the back of a spoon.

7. Crack the eggs into each hollow and pop the lid on the pan.

8. Heat the tortillas on the grill or in the oven and quarter when warm.

9. Cook the eggs for 5 mins or until they are set.

Scoop out 2 eggs serves per person with the tortillas served on the side. You can also serve on the side tomato salsa, sour cream, refried beans, avocado, & grated mozzarella cheese for a complete meal!!