feeding the family | Vegie Smugglers

Posts tagged feeding the family

The best way to smuggle… red lentils

July 31, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, The best way to smuggle..., Vegetarian, Vegie smuggling techniques · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, recipe, vegetables, vegetarian

I think quite possibly, red lentils are the holy grail of vegie smuggling. They have that unique flavour of… well… dirt really, that makes them tricky to hide in a delicious, kid-friendly meal. I have tried all sorts of dahls & stews. I’ve tried to hide them in chillis, fajitas (a way that works briliantly with brown lentils) but time and time again I’ve served them up and gotten a big ‘not happy Jan’ from the kids.

But finally after 18 months of trying and trying I’ve cracked it with this amazingly good pumpkin soup recipe. It is a magic recipe. My kids don’t like pumpkin and they don’t like lentils, but this dish makes them swoon. Admittedly, the quantity of lentils is small, but from modest beginnings I can build. It seems like the trickiest part of vegie smuggling is discovering the first acceptable dish that contains a forbidden ingredient. Once the first meal goes in, the taste seed is planted and you can move on to bigger and bolder things. From here I’ll build a dahl recipe with similar flavours and before I know it, the kids will be pestering ME for a trip down to the local Indian.

vegie smugglers pumpkin and lentil soup recipe

Food alchemy.

Pumpkin, corn & lentil soup

1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped into 1.5cm cubes
Olive oil
1–2 tsp Moroccan spice mix (the better quality the mix, the better the flavour)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 litre good-quality chicken stock
¼ cup red lentils, picked over, rinsed
420g can creamed corn
Baguette
Grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 220°C.

Line a baking tray with baking paper and top with the pumpkin in a single layer. Drizzle with oil and as much spice mix as suits your family. Toss to combine and bake for 15–20 minutes until the pumpkin is soft but without too much colour.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium–low heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the pumpkin, stock and lentils to the pan. Stir well and cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Stir through the corn and black pepper. Remove from the heat and use a stick blender to blend until creamy.

Slice the baguette, scatter with cheddar and grill under a preheated grill on medium until it is melted and golden. Cut some slices into cubes and keep some whole.

Serve the soup in cute bowls, with both cheesy cubes hidden throughout and a large slice on top.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 2 KIDS

__________

If your kids like soups, why not try these other recipes…

Chicken, vegie & pasta soup

Witches Stew

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A sniff of delicious things to come?

July 24, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, News, Red meat, Vegie smuggling techniques · Tagged feeding the family, freezer, meat, recipe, vegetables

If you’re in a climate similar to mine, then you may also have noticed the exciting development of magnolia trees coming into flower. For me, they are the first flowers of hope.

I seriously struggle through early winter and as I’ve had numb feet for over 2 months now, I can’t tell you how excited I get by the sight of these trees in bloom. They mark the turning point don’t they? They come first, then there’s blossoms everywhere – jasmine flowers, daffodils and before we know it we’ve made it through yet another winter.

Vegie Smugglers chilli with no chilli recipe

Just time left for one last winter warmer!

But, in truth, there’s still a way to go yet, so while the cold weather lingers, let’s scent the air indoors with this fantastic chilli con carne. It’s an awesome slow cook that fills the air with yumminess. This version doesn’t actually have any ‘hot’ ingredients in it that might offend the kids, but the flavor is so delicious and enticing. And it’s another flexible dish, with a stacks of goodness hidden in the stew, then topped off with ingredients to tempt each individual (including chopped chilli on the adult’s servings).

The corn chips are another magic lure ingredient. I just crumble up one or two chips for each kid and they go a really long way. It’s a fun concession that helps the whole dish get gobbled up.

Chilli (with no chilli)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 kg chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 2–3cm cubes
20g butter
2 onions, diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp cumin powder
800g can chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef stock
¼ cup red wine
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
2 tsp sugar
400g can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
1 green capsicum, seeded, finely diced

To serve:
Finely diced avocado
Finely diced tomato
Grated cheddar cheese
Corn chips
Chopped fresh or dried chilli

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium–high heat. Use paper towel to pat any moisture off the meat. Add the butter to the pan and when foaming, add the meat. Don’t overcrowd the pan; usually you will need to do this in two batches. Turn the meat and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Add a little more oil, if needed, and cook the onion and carrot for a couple of minutes over medium heat until softening. Add the garlic and cumin and stir for 30 seconds then add the tomatoes, stock, wine, herbs and sugar. Return the meat to the pan. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat right down. Cover and cook for 1½ hours, stirring every half hour or so.
Remove the lid, taste and season with salt and black pepper, then add the kidney beans and capsicum and simmer uncovered for another half hour. It will be cooked now, but if you have time, leave on a really gentle simmer for up to 3 hours.

Serve with avocado, tomato, cheddar and broken corn chips. Slices of sourdough are also delicious.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 3 KIDS

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Strange, funny & healthy: Find out what gets searched for on Vegie Smugglers

July 12, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, News · Tagged Chinese, craft, feeding the family, ideas, parenting, recipe, vegetables

The MOST searched for recipe - lentil sausage rolls...

With just over a year’s stats to trawl over, it seems like time for an EXPOSE (News of the World Style) of what does and doesn’t get searched for on the Vegie Smugglers blog.

Despite all the word combinations in the world, there are some definite patterns that emerge every week. Without fail, you are all trying to feed your kids sausage rolls, and preferably with lentils. You also like shepherd’s pie, lamb meatballs and recently there’s been a new wave of beetroot meatloaf fans. They are all great recipes – I hope you’re enjoying them!

...and the most downloaded craft worksheet...

Another search term that comes up regularly are ‘healthy worksheets’ and ‘kid’s shopping lists’ which link through to my visual shopping list. It is downloaded ALL THE TIME along with the plate worksheet. Other craft stuff that does well are the spaceship dashboard, the shoebox dollhouse and all of the loo-roll projects, in particular the snake and pirate Steve and wench Wendy. I promise to get back onto some more craft sheets soon.

...followed closely by pirate Steve and wench Wendy...

More bewildering was the search for ‘puff pastry toilet seat’, which I try not to ponder too long and since my post on wavy chips, I’ve gotten a few hits for ‘wiggly choppers’. You are a strange lot! More hilariously, I get a stack of hits from stoned teens in Mexico wondering how to ‘smuggle shrooms’ back over the US border. I adore the idea of them in their holiday accommodation trying to whip up my vegie slice. Let’s hope they include all of the grated vegetables.

...a dish favoured by stoned teens...

And the things that no one searches for that I wish they would? Well, the Ma Po Dofu probably doesn’t jump immediately to mind as a family classic, but if your kids like Asian flavours, I URGE you to try it. And the vegetable lasagne is truly tastier than any meat version you will try.

... and the dish that doesn't get searched (but really should)...

And what have been my most popular posts? Well, no matter how healthy we are, it seems we all love chocolate. You all visited the chocolate slice post last week, and similarly, the beetroot brownie last year was another crowd pleaser! Everything in moderation afterall!

..and there's always room for chocolate.

Thanks for all of your visits over the past year – and thanks to to my subscribers and those who join in both here and on Facebook. There’s a stack of new recipes around the corner as ‘Vegie Smugglers 2’ hits the streets and I’ll have a new batch of craft ideas too. Stay tuned.

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Because we all feed our kids sausages

June 30, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, Food experiences, Ham/pork · Tagged feeding the family, recipe, vegetables

Perhaps you’re a bit posh and they’re lamb & mint, garlic and beef or the good old mystery-meat-who-cares-just-chuck-them-on-the-bbq variety, but chances are your kids eat sausages. Up to 70% of Australian households eat them once a week (or so says a highly credible internet post) including mine. They are Mr Meat & Potatoes’ favourite dish.

I’ve got no great problem with this. I like everything in moderation, including my health food and my junk food. And it’s because I cram as many vegies into the kids as I can most of the time, that I’m not too fussed when they like to eat something for enjoyment rather than nutrition.

But a plain banger on a plate can be a little boring, so here’s my suggestion for a top-aussie bastardised dish that combines the lure of a chopped-up sausage with some vegies and rice. Make it Jasmine rice. Even though it’s the bad choice in terms of GI – we’re living DANGEROUSLY tonight.

Diffuse the sausages in this dish that packs in some vegies too.

Sausage fried rice

4 good-quality fresh sausages (such as gourmet beef & garlic)
1 tbsp peanut oil
6 spring onions,
thinly sliced
½ red capsicum, seeded, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled, grated
¾ cup frozen peas
125g can corn kernels, drained
3 cups cooked rice (any type will do but jasmine or long grain is best)
3 tbsp soy sauce

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the sausages on the tray and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway through cooking. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, slice in half lengthwise then cut across to make half-moons.

Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the spring onion and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the capsicum, carrot, peas and corn and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the sausage, rice and soy sauce and stir-fry until piping hot.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 2 KIDS

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Lunchbox planner for term 3 – on sale NOW!

June 28, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, News, Vegie smuggling techniques · Tagged feeding the family, ideas, parenting, recipe, vegetables

As modern as tomorrow - I've got an E-book!

Dear fellow Smugglers…

There’s a new Vegie Smugglers product in the stable. My first e-book – and it’s a cracker! Welcome to ‘Lunchbox Inspiration for Term 3’, designed to ease the grind of the daily lunchbox routine and keep you inspired throughout next term.

Knowing myself the time constraints and drudgery of lunch preparation, I’ve aimed to provide easy ideas and recipes that will actually be do-able in your household, with the limited time that you have. Rather than asking too much of mums already bogged down in the zillion things that we do, I’ve gone for seasonal and simple.

The e-book is 25 pages, with a recipe a week. It’s deliberately quick and easy and designed to give a bit of variety without too much effort. Even better, some weeks you can make double batches and you’ve got dinner under control too.

I've tried to do the thinking FOR you!

Each week there’s also a lunch plan, with a shopping list and tips to help out too! So much! And only $4.95!

The file itself is 4.8mb and is delivered to you via email within 8 hours of your purchase.

The Vegie Smugglers business is a tiny one, with fabulous plans that can only eventuate with continued sales and support. Now you all know I’m not greedy – I give away most of my recipes for free, so if you enjoy the freebies, maybe take the time to also enjoy my paid products too.

You can view a sample here, or just go along and buy here.

I’m really proud of it and hope that you all enjoy it too.

thanks so much,
Wendy

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Meat-free Monday

June 19, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, Food experiences, Vegetarian · Tagged feeding the family, pasta, recipe, vegetables, vegetarian

Paranoid about protein, I eat a lot more meat now that I’m a parent than I ever did in my dink-chardonnay-socialist-vegetarian-exept-for-bacon-and-a-really-good-bit-of-sirloin days.

Luckily my vegetarian phase didn’t last long and mainly coincided with living in the UK where meat is not only expensive but vaguely tainted with the whole mad-cow thing. I was swayed too by a stint at an ashram where I attended endless lectures about the wholeness of everything and that when we kill creatures we are actually killing ourselves. Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Besides, the astonishingly creative and good vegetarian food there was quite a revelation.

But being a pragmatist, the main things that really convince me to be meat free more often are the environmental arguments and the hideous statistics about the wastage that occurs in order to raise animals for us to slaughter and eat. There’s a quick rundown here on “10 reasons why it’s green to go veggie”.

Which is all good, but raising vegetarian kids who are already fussy eaters can be a tricky business. Getting the nutritional balance right for them is tough (there’s a Vic health article here) and I think most of us who are toying with the whole thing give it a miss as soon as our tantruming-toddlers are silenced by a cutlet.

So perhaps now is a nice chance to join the meat-free Monday movement and help our health, the environment, and the universe… man. Peace.

This is a simple one-pot pasta sauce that not only hides veg but IS all veg.

Vegetarian bolognaise

A stick blender is entirely useful to get a convincing consistency for this dish.

800g can chopped tomatoes
1 red onion, finely diced
4 mushrooms, diced
1 cup broccoli florets
½ red capsicum, seeded, diced
310g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
½ cup red wine (optional, but recommended)
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp finely chopped herbs (try basil or parsley)
1 bay leaf
Cooked fettuccine, to serve

Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the ingredients except the pasta. Bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and leave it bubbling away for 30–40 minutes or until everything is tender.

Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Use a stick blender to whizz the sauce it until you have a texture to suit your family. I keep small chunks in mine so that it looks like regular bolognaise.

Taste and season with salt and oodles of black pepper. Serve with fettuccine (or pasta of your choice).

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 3 KIDS

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Controlling, fat and unnecessary

June 13, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, Food experiences, Vegetarian, Vegie smuggling techniques · Tagged cooking techniques, feeding the family, mealtime, vegetables

Aren’t commas great? They make a mundane, uptight phrase so much more interesting.

You see, “controlling fat and unnecessary additives” should really be today’s headline, but it’s a bit dry, isn’t it. I much prefer ‘controlling, fat and unnecessary’, which sounds much more salacious and intriguing. You read that and think, “Is she talking about herself, her mother-in-law, who else?”

But actually, I’m talking about how just a little effort can go a long way toward improving your family’s diets.

Now, I’m as big a fan of convenience foods as the next stressed-out-over-scheduled parent, but there’s one mass selling processed food that I just don’t understand – frozen chips. And here’s why…

You have to preheat the oven to 200C. Open the packet; pour them onto an oven tray. Bake 10 minutes then turn and bake for another 10. And then you have a half soggy chip that has been processed in a factory and shipped in plastic, then bought (at a premium) by you and prepared.

Here’s what I do for my chips.

My new fav kitchen toy - makes vegies instantly more fun

I buy potatoes. Not in plastic. I preheat the oven to 200C. I peel my potatoes and chop them with my new favourite wiggly chopper. It takes about 3-4 minutes to do 3-4 potatoes. I put them on the tray, and toss them with olive oil, salt & pepper. After 10 minutes, I sprinkle over parmesan cheese and bake for another 10-15 minutes until they are golden and crunchy and delicious.

REALLY yum, REALLY easy.

So my total extra effort isn’t much. And the result is SO much better. You can control the amount of olive oil and salt that you use (remember that every teaspoon of olive oil contains 4.5g of fat – .621g of which is saturated).

Like my muesli bars and beetroot tzatziki, sometimes we can easily produce a better tasting, healthier version of ‘convenience’ foods at home. Just sayin’.

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Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, YES

June 5, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, Chicken, News · Tagged chicken, dinner, feeding the family, parenting, pasta, recipe, vegetables

It’s officially winter, so a ‘winter warmer’ must be in order. And since in winter I am generally grouchy and irritable, I need a dish that can please me on many levels. Perhaps you are the same, so I offer you this chicken & tarragon one-pot recipe to try.

Here are some of the reasons it makes me happy…
Chicken and pasta (kids favourites, so will be eaten without any objection at all), one pot (mummy’s favourite), vegie smuggled zucchini, carrot, onion and peas (for an uber-mummy moment), suits everyone (you can even blend it up for baby food), freezes well (for up to 2 months).

It contains wine too. I tell you not as a warning (since it cooks away for 20 minutes before serving, so you’re unlikely to intoxicate your kiddies), but to give you permission to open a bottle on a mid-week night when you wouldn’t normally feel it justified.

chicken and tarragon one pot winter warmer by vegie smuggers

Chicken, tick; pasta, tick; vegies, tick; one pot, tick.

Chicken & tarragon one-pot

1 tbsp olive oil
500g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 2-3 even pieces
1 red onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped (peeled first, if your kids hate green)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
2x10cm peelings of orange zest (use a vegetable peeler to do this)
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
1 cup rissoni
¾ cup frozen peas

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown for 2–3 minutes on each side to get golden patches. Remove and set aside.

Reheat the pan over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 2 minutes then add the zucchini. Cook for another couple of minutes until the vegies are softening then add the garlic for another minute.

Add the stock, wine, orange zest and tarragon. Season with black pepper. Bring to the boil, return the chicken to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pasta and peas and cook until the pasta is tender and the chicken is cooked through (about 8 minutes).

Remove and discard the orange zest before serving. Cut the chicken into pieces to suit your kids.

SERVES 2 ADULTS & 2 KIDS.

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Balayage and the freezer – (why neglect is a good thing)

May 31, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, News · Tagged feeding the family, freezer, recipe, vegetables

Did you know that there is a new hair trend at the moment called ‘balayage’? No, neither did I. But I found out about it at my most recent hair appointment. I like to pry ‘cool’ information out of my lovely hairdresser who is a whole 15 years younger than me. Being typically mum-busy, I rely on her to keep me up-to-date. You see, now that I AM a mum, I don’t really like LOOKING like a mum. Although the fact that I’m usually found in the school yard wearing a puffer vest is a bit of a giveaway (well it IS cold, and they ARE warm).

Anyhow, balayage, is a fancy French term for mega-long regrowth. WOW. And my hairdresser wanted me to PAY for that?

Armed with my new knowledge of ‘what’s cool’, I’ve managed to produce my very own balayage by avoiding the salon for 3 months and utilising that mummy beauty secret – NEGLECT. If only it worked as well on leg-hairs and fingernails.

So with neglect on my mind, let’s eat from the freezer this week – I’m far too busy growing my regrowth to possibly cook.

Freeze these lentil patties individually, wrapped in cling wrap.

I freeze this, pasta and all, in kid-sized serves

Rissoles with yummy stuff smuggled inside!

These lamb patties will freeze well for 2-3 months

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What the kids eat in… Malaysia

May 23, 2011 · Filed under All recipes, Fish, What the kids eat in... · Tagged brunch, feeding the family, recipe

Lucky children in Malaysia grow up eating these delicious prawn fritters called Cucur Udang.

Super easy to make, they’re a good way to get the kids eating a new protein. Not that I desperately need them to grow fond of expensive seafood, but sometimes my best friend and I like a bit of adult gourmet, and this recipe is a way to deliver both a kid-friendly and adult-tasty dinner in one dish (just sprinkle over some chilli, spring onions and coriander for the adults).

And they’re cooked in no time at all, completing the recipe golden triangle of interesting, easy and delicious.

Makanan ini enak!

Cucur Udang

1 cup self-raising flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground turmeric
(for colour, optional)
250g cooked prawns
4 spring onions,
thinly sliced
125g can corn kernels, drained
Handful of bean sprouts
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 eggs, whisked
Canola oil, for frying
White pepper

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and turmeric (if using).

Peel and devein the prawns then chop them into a texture to suit your family (I need to nearly mince mine). Add to the bowl with the spring onion, corn and bean sprouts.

Mix it all together and add the chilli sauce, egg and pepper. Add 1 cup water, a little at a time, until you have a good batter consistency.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Spoon in ¼ cup amounts of the mixture and cook for a couple of minutes. Turn over and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.

Serve the fritters with salad and bean sprouts.

MAKES 16