My back-to-school stress dreams started about a week ago. After one particularly gruelling night time panic, involving lists, school bells and missing leopard-print vests, I wrote a quite funny blog post which was subsequently lost when my laptop carked it.
So I’ll have to leave the humour to your imagination and rather than try to rewrite it, I’m giving you a DIY blog post. Just fill in the blanks based on your own family’s back-to-school situation…..
On the first day of school, I have to go _____________________ to get __________________ for _______. Then I’m off to _________________ because _________________ needs _______________ and I’ve only got until _________________ to fetch them. After that we’re off to __________________ for ______________. I’ve got _______________________ planned, but we’ll see how we go. I might have to resort to plan B, where ______________________________________ and ____________________________________________. Then I’ll nip into work for a bit because I’ve got _____________________ at _______________ which really needs some ____________________ before _______________. We should be home by _______ when I’ll get _____________ to __________________ and practice _______________________ before ________________________. I think that’ll work nicely with just enough time to eat ______________________________________ and do a bit of _________________ before bed.
And so we’re back into the school year. Good luck!
Nut-free, lunchbox perfect.
Gingerbread (good luck) biscuits
Perfect for the summer lunchbox, these sturdy biscuits are packed with seeds, making them nutritious, nut-free AND delicious.
1 cup seeds (I use a combination of flax, pumpkin, sunflower & chia – skip sesame seeds which are becoming more of an allergen problem)
30g butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 tbsp treacle
1 cup self-raising flour (wholemeal flour works well, too)
1 tsp each of ginger, mixed spice & cinnamon (or cassia is great)
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line two oven trays with baking paper.
Add the seeds to a blender, mini food processor or thermomix and blitz them, to break them up a little (this helps hide them a little AND better helps your body absorb the nutrients). Set aside.
Use hand held beaters (or a mixmaster if you have one) to cream the butter and sugar for a minute or two, until it resembles the texture of soggy sand. (NOTE: traditional ‘creaming’ is to help dissolve the sugar, however these quantities don’t allow that to happen, we’re just giving the mix a good start).
Add the egg and use the beaters to combine it in well. Also beat in the treacle. Tip over the flour & spices (I don’t bother sifting) and use the beaters on a low setting to mix it through (a deep bowl stops flour going everywhere).
Remove the beaters, tip in the seed mixture and use a spoon to mix it through evenly. Roll the mix into 26ish even-sized balls (wear kitchen gloves if you hate getting your hands dirty). Place on the trays (allow some room for spreading) and bake for 10-12 minutes until just firm and springy. They harden up more as they cool and you don’t want them rock hard the whole way through.
Makes 26ish.
d'liteful cravings said,
January 26, 2015 @ 4:30 pm
Reblogged this on d'liteful cravings.
Katie said,
January 26, 2015 @ 5:47 pm
Oh Wendy, you make me smile. The school routine sucks, and I’m dreading launching back into it… Best of luck for the upcoming week, I hope all your worst fears are not realised! Rest assured that you are surely more organised than me… We are only just on the way home from a week and a half at the beach and I haven’t started labelling, covering or organising books, new uniforms, bags, shoes etc!!! Kids start on Wednesday, eeeeeeeek!!!!!
wendyblume said,
January 26, 2015 @ 6:14 pm
Sounds like us last year – we flew back from NZ the night before! Luckily I”m around tomorrow – my daughter is changing schools (unexpected, she’s been offered a place in an opportunity class), so we have to enrol, get uniforms etc etc AND I’m supposed to be working (and taking the kids with me)….. ummmmmm….
katie said,
January 26, 2015 @ 11:43 pm
Argh!! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lara said,
January 26, 2015 @ 6:06 pm
Thanks for another great recipe – was wondering if these biscuits would freeze well and also if you could tell me if I would find flax seeds by any other name? Thanking you in advance for your help
wendyblume said,
January 26, 2015 @ 6:13 pm
Hi Lara – I think these would freeze ok, but I’ve not tried it myself. Report back on how you go!
I find flax seeds in the health food section of my local Woolworths. No problem if you can’t find them. Use extra pumpkin or sunflower.
Jen said,
January 26, 2015 @ 8:36 pm
If you can’t find it as flax, try looking for linseeds. Flax meal is just ground linseeds. 🙂
wendyblume said,
January 26, 2015 @ 8:56 pm
Thanks Jen – great tip.
Taryn said,
January 27, 2015 @ 6:23 pm
Flax seeds= linseeds
Vicki said,
January 26, 2015 @ 6:46 pm
Has anyone tried making these with coconut flour or gluten free flour?
wendyblume said,
January 26, 2015 @ 7:35 pm
No one yet Vicki – I’d welcome you to give it a try and report back!
Bonita said,
January 28, 2015 @ 4:31 pm
Have them in the oven now with GF flour. They were really wet and have spread completely flat and merged into one giant biscuit 😦 I refuse to be beaten however! Will attempt again tomorrow with adjusted quantities and report back.
Jane said,
February 1, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
I did these today using the same quantities and substituted White Wings GF SR Flour. They held together really well!
wendyblume said,
February 1, 2015 @ 7:14 pm
Fab-o! Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know.
Mrs P said,
January 26, 2015 @ 8:58 pm
Great recipe, will be making these this week. Mine have just started at a new preschool that requires them to bring a packed lunch and I’m suddenly very aware of lunch box mind blanks. Luckily the chooks have been in full swing with egg production so I’ll throw in a boiled egg most days which they aren’t sick of… yet!
wendyblume said,
January 26, 2015 @ 10:17 pm
Good luck! Lunchboxes can be a challenge! 🙂
Abigail said,
January 27, 2015 @ 3:48 am
I’m so excited to try these for my very fussy 3 year old. Could the treacle be substituted for anything? Golden syrup maybe? It’s just I’d like to try them myself and I don’t like treacle.
wendyblume said,
January 27, 2015 @ 7:34 am
Yep, golden syrup is milder and sweeter. I’d use a smidgeon less.
Melissa said,
January 27, 2015 @ 12:17 pm
Just made! These are delish!
wendyblume said,
January 27, 2015 @ 8:52 pm
Glad your tastebuds agree with mine! X
Felicity said,
January 28, 2015 @ 4:11 pm
These are delicious. I used golden syrup and it worked well. Unfortunately my 5yo likes them too so will have to share! How long do you think they will keep on the shelf? (If I hide them, that is).
wendyblume said,
January 29, 2015 @ 8:06 pm
I don’t really know felicity – I’ve only managed to keep them about 48 hours! I’d say another couple of days after that.
Ingrid said,
February 20, 2015 @ 8:54 pm
My new favourite biscuit recipe.
I used more seeds (~1.5 cup) and less sugar (2 TB of treacle and 1/3 cup of brown sugar). Still held together well and tasted fabulous.
My family really will be eating these all year. Thanks!
Alison Palmer said,
March 1, 2015 @ 4:30 pm
I really do appreciate you reccommending not adding sesame seeds ! My son is allergic to sesame , eggs & nuts – So I used linseeds, pepitas & sunflower seeds & egg replacer instead of egg . They came out quite dry & crumply , though we all loved them (even my son , who also has autism , so is a very fussy eater !) . Any suggestions as to how I can make them more moist and less prone to falling apart ? More butter perhaps ?
Thanks 🙂
PS these biscuits were also delicious crumbled over yoghurt
wendyblume said,
March 1, 2015 @ 8:52 pm
To be honest, the egg is pretty crucial to get the texture. Maybe try a tad more butter and treacle.