feeding the family | Vegie Smugglers

Posts tagged feeding the family

A nutritionist is ordering us to eat more chocolate

July 1, 2012 · Filed under News · Tagged feeding the family, ideas, nutrition

The kids can’t believe their luck!

A few weeks back I had a fantastic chat with nutritionist Anna Lynch. I have a bit of a girl crush on her. She’s an awesome combination of approachable, passionate and knowledgeable. Unlike me, who is full of opinions that are backed up by… well, nothing really, Anna has opinions based on, you know, facts and science-y knowledge.

I asked her if she’d mind giving me a list of ‘5 foods that nutritionists want us to eat more’. And not only did she oblige me, but she sent through such a great article explaining why, that I’d be doing her an injustice to cut it down to a blog post length. So I’ve prettied the entire article up into a PDF download instead. It’s really great reading, with recipe links for each section.

The best news is that last on the list is CHOCOLATE! Yay, more proof why I think she’s so great – she matches my philosophy that a little of everything in life is good for you.

Which I wish I’d reminded myself of last night, before my fifth glass of Prosecco.

Download Anna’s article here.

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What the kids eat in… Russia

June 25, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Fish, What the kids eat in... · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, recipe, salmon, vegetables

Perhaps it’s my frozen feet, but I’m back thinking about world food and looking for inspiring ways to warm my cockles. I’m figuring that a country with large chunks of permafrost might be able to give me some good guidance.

So what do the Russians feed their kids in those early years before Vodka becomes the staple diet? Well, the freezing climate and general poverty makes for a fairly grim culinary history (of course, this is just my opinion), but a fish pie or ‘kulebyaka’ is a bit of a bright spot. Traditionally it’s made with a thicker pastry, but I’ve got a great filo version that is so nice and crunchy that the kids are guaranteed not to notice the range of vegies which combine with the rice and boiled eggs to provide a complete nutritional shot.

Now, fearers of filo, I hear your pain. It can be a nuisance to work with. But if you give it plenty of time to defrost you’ll have a better chance of success. Once thawed, open it out, cover it with a clean, damp tea towel and be a bit patient. Your first one or two might not be quite so gorgeous, but they’ll still be yummy and that’s the main thing.

Crunch, yum. Crunch, YUM. Feet still cold though.

Filo ‘kulebyaka’ cigars

1 packet filo pastry
250g packet microwave rice
415g can red salmon (pink will do, but red is much nicer in this recipe)
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 small carrot, peeled, grated
1 small zucchini, grated
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, diced
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp dill
Pepper

Leave the pastry out to thaw – read packet for product specific instructions.

Preheat the oven to 190C, line two trays with baking paper.

Cook the rice according to packet instructions. Set aside leave to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine all of the vegies, salmon (crush any bones), eggs, zest, dill and pepper. Add in the rice and mix well.

Open the (well defrosted) filo out. Spray a sheet then fold it in half, so that it’s almost a square. Dollop ¼ cup amounts of mixture in a line parallel to the fold line. Allow about 3 centimetres free at either end. Roll the pastry around the mix. Don’t worry if you get a tear. Just keep gently rolling until you have a nice cigar shape. Squeeze the ends closed.

You can make these to this point then refridgerate until you want to cook them. Just give them a spray of oil and store them between layers of baking paper.

When you’re ready to cook them, pop them on the trays. Spray with oil and bake for 20 minutes until golden and crunchy.

Makes about 16.

128 pages, 40 projects, 85 pages of printables…

Did you see that I’ve birthed the latest Vegie Smugglers product? It’s a ‘Craft for non-crafty’ e-book. I’ve collated up all of my favourite projects and added a bunch more, covering food, fun & learning. It’s available now at the shop…

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Divide and conquer with minestrone

June 14, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Ham/pork · Tagged dinner, feeding the family, pasta, recipe, vegetables

Imagine if Australia was as fiercely food-parochial as Italy. Or maybe we are? In the same way that you’ll never get a risotto alla Milanese in Naples, you’ll be hard pressed to find a souvlaki in Sydney and you’d NEVER find a chiko roll in Bondi. Unless you were being cool retro, in which case you’d be having to eat it whilst wearing Le specs, your favourite pair of Okanuis and it would probably we served on a bed of shrimp foam. Hmmmm, ok, it might happen.

Anyway, regional food division is FIERCE in Italy, never more apparent than in their minestrone recipes. For me, being a bit of a bogan Australian, I like a classic winter-time thick soup – a cuddle in a bowl that warms my toes.

Controversy surrounded this soup in my house – both husband and daughter were unimpressed by the addition of cabbage. She thought it ‘gross’, he thought it ‘farty’. Mr M&P loved it all and so did I. So I’m leaving it as an optional ingredient and you can make the judgement call for whatever will suit your household.

Buon appetito!

Minestrone Soup

Olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
150g pancetta, diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
400g can crushed tomatoes
1 ½ litres vegetable stock
1 zucchini (optional – they’re not great at this time of year)
Handful green beans (again optional, due to seasonality)
¼ small cabbage, sliced thinly (optional – see above)
½ cup peas
400g tin borlotti beans, rinsed, drained
¾ cup soup pasta (like rissoni)

Heat a large pot on medium heat. Add the oil and the onion, fry, stirring regularly for a couple of minutes. Add the pancetta, carrot and celery and continue to soften for 5-6 minutes.

Toss in the garlic for another minute, before adding the paste, tomatoes and stock. Stir well, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Add in the zucchini (if using), cabbage (if using), peas, beans and pasta and cook for another 8-10 minutes until everything is tender and delicious.

Season well with salt & pepper. Scatter over parsley and parmesan and serve with breadrolls.

With all the vegies, this makes enough for 2 adults and 4 kids.

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Dad is fun. Mum is mad.

June 4, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, News, Red meat · Tagged cooking techniques, educational, feeding the family, freezer, recipe, vegetables

I’ve become the ‘writing lady’ at my kindy reading groups. Each week, armed with white boards, markers and plenty of patience (I stay firmly focused on getting home afterwards to a cup of tea and a sit down) I teach rotating groups of 5 year olds (the groups rotate, not the children) how to write beautiful sentences. Unlike my verbose writing style, I’m finding at this stage that their sentences are much more statement-like. Stating truths and myths from life as a kindy kid. It’s pretty interesting. Fact.

Today they had laminated sentence starters that they had to copy down and then they got to finish off with whatever words they liked. Conversation starters like, “I can…”, “I went…”, “My family…”. And of course “Dad is…”, and “Mum is…”.

Without fail, Dad was fun. Every time. Sometimes fun. One was funy. Another funne. One other funee. But always upbeat, jovial, joking, FUN.

Generally, Mum was mad. One mum was nortee (naughty). One mum was sad.

Now, I’ve noted in my own life, that dad is fun and mum is mad. So perhaps it is a universal truth. What do you think, is this the case at your house? Or maybe the genders aren’t important and actually it’s the primary caregiver that has the shits most of the time and whichever parent arrives home in time to read a book and have a cuddle at bedtime finds it much easier to remain AWESOME.

Or perhaps it was just a morning for clichés. Even without overhearing each other, the same word patterns got repeated again and again. Pretty much all the kids had also apparently been shopping or to the zoo on the weekend (“I went…sopig”), and they all like treats (“I like… pinc cak”).

Which seems like a perfect segue into food clichés, except we don’t cast such a negative connotation on them if we call them ‘classics’, which is what this beef stew is. It’s a slow-cooker classic, bubbling away for 8 hours in its glorious simplicity. I’ve been trialing a bunch of fairly similar ‘casseroles’ and this is my current favourite. This version (based on a Women’s Weekly recipe) is gluten free, but if you prefer to toss the meat in flour before you brown it, feel free – you’ll end up with a thicker gravy. If you don’t, make sure you pat the meat with paper towel to dry it off before you chuck it in the pan.

Before I could photograph it, it was eaten or frozen…

Beef & vegie slow cooker casserole.

1.5kg chuck steak, cut into large chunks
Olive oil for frying
2 large brown onions, cut roughly
2 large (or 3 smaller) carrots, peeled, chopped into thick rounds
3 stalks celery, chopped thickly
2 medium parsnips, peeled, chopped into chunks
1 swede, peeled, chopped into chunks
4 cloves garlic, crushed (use fresh garlic)
¼ cup tomato paste
400g can diced or crushed tomatoes
1½ cups beef stock (Massel brand is gluten free)
2 Bay leaves
Half a bunch of thyme
1 zucchini, sliced into rounds (optional)
8-10 button mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium/high heat. Once hot, brown your meat in batches, turning to seal all sides (yes, this may take 20 minutes or so to get through all of the meat, but the flavour will be AWESOME, and you can chop up the vegies while you’re doing it). Tip each batch into a 5.5ish litre slow cooker after it’s done.

Add more oil then fry off the onions, carrot and celery for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic for another minute (add it later so it doesn’t burn). Tip into the cooker.

Add more oil and fry off the parsnips & swede for 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, splash in a bit of stock to loosen all the yummy stuff stuck on the pan and and also tip this into the cooker, along with the rest of the stock, tomato paste & tin of tomatoes plus the herbs. Mix everything in, set the cooker to ‘low’ and leave for 8 hours.

If you’re out all day, then don’t worry about adding in the zucchini & mushrooms, but if you’re home after 6 hours, add these in, give everything a mix and leave it for another 2 ¼ hours (this extra cooking time makes up for you lifting the lid).

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 ADULTS & 6 KIDS

Have you got a link to a slow cooker recipe? Add it below – I’m going crazy with mine at the moment and am on the lookout for some tried and tested awesomeness.

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Get the machines to do the work (cause I’m guessing you’re pretty busy)

May 31, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, ideas, kids, mealtime, recipe, vegetables, vegetarian

The MACHINES will do my work!

Have you noticed a bit less Vegie Smugglers chatter lately? I’ve been a bit scarce, having just started back into magazine land, working on a 6 month, part-time contract. A two-day a week job doesn’t come along every day, and I would have been an idiot to say no. I should be able to do it and keep VS running as well, with no discernable difference to you guys (maybe a few more spelling miztakes).

Heading back into the traditional workforce means that my CV gets updated, there’s enough cash to get the gutters fixed, the kids finally get to join their friends at after-school care and I’m plonked back into the time-poor, stressed, parenting cycle.

I used to work three days a week, so two should be easy, right? Sigh. I’m slowly getting back into the swing of it, but getting everyone out of the house by 7am is stinging a little.

At least the kids are a bit older now and night-times aren’t the disaster zones that they used to be. There’s nothing quite as harrowing as picking up toddlers at 6pm (lets not even discuss how bad the guilt levels are when your child is the last one to be collected), getting them home (singing songs the whole way, so they don’t fall asleep in the car), washed (mid-tantrum) and somehow fed (banana, anyone?). These days I have a bit more time before their behaviour turns rancid, but without a hot, daycare-supplied lunch, I’m more on the hook for providing a decent dinner each night.

So I’m turning to my fabulous kitchen machines to help me out. I’ve just bought a slow-cooker (I never had the space to store one before I moved to a house) and so far I’ve made beef stew, Italian casserole, pulled pork, chicken mole and poached pears! I need to tweak these recipes, but will try to post one or two of the best soon. And I’ve had my rice cooker working overtime. With my love of rice, I’ve always found this gadget to be extremely worthwhile. I’ve got a slightly fancy one with a sauté function. If you do too, then HOORAY, this recipe is especially for you (although you can still make it without)…

Pilaf. Fun to say and good to eat.

Cauliflower and cashew pilaf

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped into tiny bits
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods (give them a smash with the back of a knife)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3/4 cup brown rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 carrot, peeled, grated
1/3 cup sultanas
2/3 cup cashews, roughly chopped

Heat oil in the rice cooker (on the sauté function, if it has one). Add the onion, stir then cover for two minutes. Add the cauliflower and spices; stir then cover for another two minutes.

Add in the rinsed, drained rice and the stock. Stir well, cover and leave the cooker to do its thing on the regular cook setting.

Once done, add in the carrot, sultanas and cashews, mix and leave on the warm setting for 5-10 minutes.

Cook this the day before work (cool quickly and refrigerate), and then you can reheat it (topped with frozen peas) and fry up a couple of cutlets to pop on top. Delish!

*NO RICE COOKER? Cook everything in a saucepan, as described. Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer until the rice has absorbed the liquid & is tender.

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Weekly menu plan 3 – a ‘thank you’ plan

May 27, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, News · Tagged feeding the family, mealtime, menu plan, recipe, vegetables

Knowing how you love to be organised, here’s my third-ever plan, and as always, there’s a shopping list to download at the end. This one includes two recipes that you can prepare ahead and whip up quickly and two that come out of the freezer. And there’s a breakfast biscuit thrown in too, made from whatever cereal your kids like to eat. They’re perfect for these cold mornings when getting everyone out of bed is trickier and you may have to eat on the run.

Perhaps you’ll think I’m being mean because this plan uses recipes that you can only find in my books, not online. But actually I’m just saying thanks to all of you fabulous folk who have purchased the books. This plan is JUST for you guys…

SUNDAY (make fresh)

Warm up and get the house smelling great with this Easy chicken pilaf (VS2, page 126).

A bit of gentle spice to start the week.

While that’s cooking, whip up these Breakfast (on the go) biscuits (VS2, page 130) and pop them in once the oven is free (don’t forget to set the timer!)

The week will start off easily with a batch of these ready to go.

MONDAY (freezer friendly)

I do like a bit of vegetarian to start the week, so tuck into this Tomato & Vegetable soup (VS2, page 86). Crusty bread is essential to mop up the thick ‘tomato sauce’.

TUESDAY (prepare ahead)

Stir-fried pork with rice noodles (VS2, page 44) are really quick to make, especially if the ingredients are all chopped and sitting in the fridge waiting for you to get home from piano/ballet/soccer/swimming/badminton/chess club.

Yes truly, a stir fry with mince – yum!

WEDNESDAY (freezer friendly)

Sounds a bit bogan, but this Sausage & tomato hotpot (VS1, page 101) will go down a treat and if you make a double batch and freeze half then you’ve got a dinner ready for next week too. You’ll possibly want to serve this with mash or pasta shells.

Always a crowd pleaser – fancy sausages!

THURSDAY (prepare ahead)

Salmon pies (VS1, page 42). Another delicious wintry dish, that uses tinned salmon (which still contains Omega 3s).

And a bit of pastry will keep them happy.

FRIDAY (quick!)

I don’t cook on Fridays, remember? But if you must, then what about these Tuna & corn pizza muffins (VS2, page 46).

Cooking, without really cooking.

So thanks to all of you who’ve bought the books – I hope you enjoy this plan. You can download the shopping list here.

And of course, if these recipes look yummy to you, you can buy the fabulous Vegie Smugglers books here…

And there are more of my recipes available this month in Practical Parenting Magazine. Don’t miss it!

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Supermarket memory games and Boston baked beans (TOOT TOOT)

May 15, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Ham/pork, News, Red meat · Tagged feeding the family, freezer, parenting, recipe, vegetables

So lucky I write these things down…

I’ve developed this amazing memory game for forgetful mums like myself, in need of some intellectual challenge. It goes like this…

Spend about 30 minutes menu planning for the week, then writing out a comprehensive shopping list with every single thing you need, vaguely sorted into aisle order. This will make your grocery shop as simple as possible so that you can spend the entire time on autopilot, letting your brain drift off elsewhere, like a beach, with a handsome man giving you a foot rub and thoughtfully applying sunscreen. ANYWAY. Pack the lunchboxes, get everyone dressed and off to school. Drive to the supermarket, remembering the reusable bags. Find a parking spot near the entrance, grab your bags, grab a trolley, roll into the store and spend the next few minutes checking every pocket like a flapping idiot before clearly remembering that the list is sitting on the kitchen bench at home.

Good game? I love it. I play it ALL THE TIME.

Yes, I know, there are apps to sort out this aspect of my life, but I’m old fashioned and find the act of writing lists surprisingly soothing. And generally the act of writing a word sticks it into my memory, which is handy, considering I’m now going to shop for a full week’s food without MY LIST.

Perhaps I should be pleased that my pass rate on this game is about 96%. The fun ‘marking’ bit of the game is when you get home, check through the list and realize that you‘ve only forgotten two things. FUCK FUCK FUCK. Almost always crucial items, which entails shifting meals around so that Tuesday’s dinner now becomes Monday’s, and Tuesday’s entertainment will be heading back to the supermarket for two missing items.

The silver lining is that today is only Tuesday and yet in a feat of time travelling mastery, I’m able to post a meal that I planned for Tuesday, since I had to make it on Monday. The fish sauce, which I needed for Monday night’s dinner will be procured today and used to make Tuesday night extra tasty.

Thankfully, this dish was a huge hit last night, which surprised me considering my kids are not big fans of tinned baked beans. Even better, the recipe uses treacle & mustard powder, items located but rarely used in my kitchen. I always feel good-homemaker-virtuous when I manage to run out of an ingredient before it reaches it’s use-by date.

Easy to make, freezes well, kids (and adults) love it.

Boston baked beans (with bacon & sausage)

4 sausages (tomato & onion flavoured ones are good)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, peeled, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
150g bacon, excess fat removed, finely diced
2 tbsp treacle
2 tsp mustard powder (or 1 tbsp Dijon mustard would be nice, but I forgot to buy it)
400g can crushed tomatoes
400g can borlotti beans (rinsed & drained)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake the sausages for 25 minutes (turn once halfway through cooking) while you prepare everything else.

You need a covered casserole dish for this recipe – save time & washing up by using a stove to oven dish. Otherwise, fry everything off in a frying pan and transfer to an ovenproof dish…

Heat the dish/frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil. Chuck in the onion, carrot, celery and bacon and fry, stirring fairly often for 8-10 minutes until soft.

Add the treacle and mustard powder and combine well. Pour over the tomatoes, add in the drained beans, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, let the cooked sausage cool enough to handle, then slice up.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid. Mix in the sausage and return the uncovered dish to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until thick and delicious.

Serve with green salad & a nice sourdough bread.

FEEDS 2 ADULTS & 2-3 KIDS.
__________________________________

If your kids like sausages don’t miss my sausage fried rice.

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From the suburbs to the world in just over an hour

May 8, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, Fish, Food experiences, News, Vegie smuggling techniques · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, fish, parenting, recipe, vegetables

I’ve got yet another awesome parenting moment to share with you (I do like to make you all feel better about your own efforts)… I went to pick up my daughter from her friend’s house at 3pm on Sunday afternoon. Was offered champagne. Had to admit that not only would I love one, but that I’d already had a couple, whilst on a playdate with my son, which had started at 10am. Bad look? Much?

It’s been nearly 8 months since THE MOVE and I’m having trouble keeping up with the partying pace of the suburbs, but I must say I’m having a great time and I’m wondering why I struggled raising kids in apartments for so long when there were spacious blocks, sunshine, beer (and champagne) fridges and HOBBIES to be enjoyed out here.

Still, with highs come lows, and Monday did roll around. Not only was the washing not done, but neither was the shopping, the nurofen box was empty and the kids were HUNGRY since all we’d managed for dinner the night before was boiled eggs.

I’m still trying to catch up, which is why it’s taken so long to post up this congee recipe. Over on facebook, some were intrigued and unfamiliar with congee, which is eaten by over 2 billion people throughout China, Asia & India. Basically it’s a rice soup, affordable to make and fantastic comfort food. The name, texture and additions change depending on the region.

In Japan it’s called Okayu, served thick, with eggs & grilled fish. Koreans eat juk, of course served with kimchi and the Indians call it kanji, a runnier version, served with lentils and chutney. Throughout all of these cultures, it’s commonly given as a first food to babies. Pretty similar to rice cereal after all, but a hell of a lot tastier.

My version is a cultural hybrid, quite thick, and cooked until the rice is breaking down but still has some texture. I use it as a carrier for small cubes of fish. But if your kids will fuss over that, then shredded cooked chicken (even a BBQ chicken) will be a fantastic variation.

Perfect for babies, the elderly, the sick (and hungover).

Fish & corn congee

¾ cup short-grain rice
6 cups good-quality chicken stock
3 tbsp shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
125g can creamed corn
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
White pepper
300g boneless skinless firm white fish fillets, diced
¼ red capsicum, seeded
125g can corn kernels

Sliced spring onions and coriander sprigs, to serve

Rinse the rice well under running water, drain and add to a saucepan with the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 50–60 minutes until the rice is soft and breaking down. Stir regularly to avoid sticking.

Add the shaoxing wine, soy and oyster sauces, creamed corn and ginger. Add white pepper to taste.

When this is nice and hot, add the fish and vegies and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until the fish is just cooked through.

Serve the congee topped with spring onion and coriander.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 2 KIDS

Vegie Smugglers complete lunchbox planner

You can now buy the complete VS lunchbox planner for just $9.95!

Have you all seen that I’ve updated the Vegie Smugglers shop? And newly available is The Complete Vegie Smugglers lunchbox planner – which is a snazzy 92 page e-book, combining all of the term planners into one place for a bargain price of $9.95. Unlike my cookbooks, which only ship in Australia, you can buy my e-books worldwide! Click here to grab one.

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“You make nice anzac biscuits mummy, but tiny teddies would be better”

April 19, 2012 · Filed under News, Vegie smuggling techniques · Tagged feeding the family, ideas, lunchbox

How did you all go with the recipe for ANZAC biscuits earlier this week? Did you win? Well, today’s title is the response I got from one of my little lovelies. Muttered of course through a mouth half-full of crumbs. As grateful as ever, they are.

It illustrates two important points;

1. Even the best-trained kids are corrupted by advertising and seduced by pretty packaging.

2. Don’t ask the kids open-ended questions about what they want to eat. If I say, “What would you like for dinner?” my kids will probably put forward a strong case for party pies. But if I’ve said, “Would you like fajitas (with lentils) or burgers (with chickpeas)?” then they get to practice their decision making, feel vaguely in charge and make a good choice that doesn’t lead to an argument (not that I would ever get drawn into petty squabbles with my children, nooooooooo, not ever).

Anyway, complaining child was acknowledged, then reminded that their choice was ANZAC biscuits or nothing. Amazingly enough, they decided that they were happy, after all.

I’m happy too, because the Term 2 planner is all finished and now ready for you to purchase (for a bargain $4.95) here. This one is packed full with 16 recipes, 10 weeks of menu plans and extra tips to make your time in the kitchen happier. Hope you like it.

The Term 2 planner is now on sale.

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Because ANZAC biscuits solve everything

April 16, 2012 · Filed under All recipes, News, Sweets & treats · Tagged brunch, feeding the family, ideas, lunchbox, recipe, treats

Thank you to my Queensland friends who have brought it to my attention that you all started back into Term 2 this week.

And where is the long-promised term 2 planner? Ummmmm… well… creative differences with my team (i.e. I’ve been a bit lazy, but arguing strenuously with myself about the ongoing procrastination) have seen a slight delay. I’m hoping that it will be available from Thursday. You’d think I’d be super keen to complete the set, but alas, I do find thinking about 50 lunchboxes all at once to be a challenge. I’m sure you can feel my pain and appreciate the measures I go to, to keep your lives running smoothly.

While I tinker away, getting my mezze plate looking just so, I’m keen to get you all started, so below is the recipe and here is the link to download the menu planner for week 1.

Forging an even greater respect for one of our most meaningful of holidays, these ANZAC biscuits are guaranteed to grab the kid’s attention and imprint a childhood memory that links respect for the past with autumnal leaves, crisp days and compulsive urges to eat way too many biscuits in one go.

Most recipes for ANZACs are similar. No need to meddle with perfection. However for my batch, I’ve used treacle instead of golden syrup. I like the sharper flavour – and besides, I’ve a massive tub of it clogging up my fridge ever since I made ginger bread biscuits at Christmas. Feel free to use whichever is lurking at your place. Both are spectacular. In fact I think these are my favourite biscuits of all time. Yours too?

These biscuits are history – all eaten within hours of leaving the oven.

ANZAC biscuits

1 cup plain flour
1 cup traditional oats
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup desiccated coconut
2 tbsp treacle (or golden syrup)
125g butter
1 tsp bicarb soda + 1 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 170C. Line two biscuits trays with baking paper.

In a large bowl sift the flour and mix in the oats, sugar and coconut.

In a small saucepan melt the butter and stir in the treacle. Mix in the combined bicarb & water. Stir well (mix might froth slightly). Pour into the dry ingredients. Combine well, roll into balls, place on trays and bake for 12-15 minutes until as chewy or crunchy as you like.

MAKES 32ish.

_______________________

April 2013 update: Since this post, I’ve gotten it together and you can now buy the Complete Lunchbox Planner here.

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