Filling the school lunchboxes

Budget food blogger Kathrine Lynch shares school lunch ideas.

Ingredients

•    400 g Beef Mince
•    1/2 Onion
•    1 Garlic Clove
•    2 tsp Beef Stock Powder
•    1 tsp Onion Powder
•    1 tsp Garlic Powder
•    1 Egg
•    2 tbsp Breadcrumbs
•    4 Burger Buns
•    1/4 Iceberg Lettuce
•    1 Punnet of Cherry Tomatoes
•    1/4 Cucumber
•    1/2 c Cheese
•    2 tbsp Tomato Sauce
•    2 tbsp Mayonnaise

Method

1.    Finely grate the onion and crush the garlic clove, add to a large bowl
2.    Add the beef mince, egg, beef stock powder, onion powder and garlic powder to the bowl. Add in enough breadcrumbs to be able to roll the mixture into small meatballs. Refrigerate the meatballs until ready to cook
3.    Add a drizzle of oil to a frying pan and brown the meatballs for 6-8 minutes. Continue cooking until they are cooked in the middle
4.    Lightly brown the burger buns in the oven or a frying pan. Cut each bun into 4 pieces
5.    Assemble the burger bites onto the toothpicks with the buns, meatball, sliced cheese, lettuce and cherry tomato
6.    Mix the mayonnaise and tomato sauce together and serve as a dipping sauce

Pita Pizza Melt

Ingredients

•    2 tsp Oil
•    4 Pita Pockets
•    2 tbsp Pizza Sauce
•    4 Slices of Ham
•    1/2 c Cheese

Method

1.    Slice the pita pockets in half
2.    Spread the pizza sauce on one half of the pita
3.    Grate the cheese or slice thinly and place on top of the pizza sauce
4.    Place a slice of ham on top of the cheese
5.    Place the lid of the pita pocket on top of the cheese
6.    Add a drizzle of oil to a frying pan, brown the pita pocket on both sides, continue to cook until the cheese has melted. Alternatively, cook in a sandwich press
7.    Allow to cool before slicing

Hidden Vege Muffins

Ingredients

•    350 g Pumpkin
•    125 g Frozen Spinach
•    2 Eggs
•    1 c Milk
•    1 Courgette
•    1 1/2 c Cheese
•    Salt/Pepper
•    2 c Flour
•    4 tsp Baking Powder
•    1/4 c Pumpkin & Sunflower Seeds

Method

1.    Peel and dice the pumpkin into cubes, roast in the oven until soft and caramelised or boil in a large saucepan of water until just soft. Drain the water once cooked
2.    Add the frozen spinach to the cooked pumpkin in a large bowl, cover with a lid while you prepare the remaining ingredients
3.    Preheat the oven to 180°C
4.    Grease a muffin tin or line with paper liners, set aside
5.    Add the eggs and milk to a bowl and whisk until combined, add to the pumpkin
6.    Grate the courgette and 1c of cheese. Add to the pumpkin and mix gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper
7.    Add the flour and baking powder to the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined
8.    Fill the muffin holes all the way to the top, top with the pumpkin and sunflower seeds and the remaining ½ cup of grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until fully cooked; test with a skewer, the muffins will feel solid on the top when cooked all the way through
9.    Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow them to settle in the tin for 2-3minutes, before removing and allowing to cool on a wire rack
10.    Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The muffins are also freezer friendly

Almond & Apricot Bliss Balls

Ingredients

•    1 c Raw Almonds
•    1 c Dried Apricots
•    1/2 c Pitted Dates
•    1/2 c Desiccated Coconut
•    1 tbsp Chia Seeds

Method

1.    Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until smooth
2.    Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls, using wet hands. Coat in extra desiccated coconut if preferred
3.    Store in an airtight container in the fridge

Carrot & Orange Muffins

Ingredients

•    2 c Self Raising Flour
•    2 tsp Cinnamon
•    200 g Brown Sugar
•    2 Oranges
•    2 Carrots
•    2 Eggs
•    100 ml Oil

Cream Cheese Icing
•    200 g Cream Cheese
•    50 g Icing Sugar
•    1 Orange
•    1/4 c Walnut Pieces

Method

1.    Preheat the oven to 180°C, line a muffin tin with paper cases or grease with butter/oil
2.    Add the flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar to a large bowl
3.    Add the zest of two oranges to the bowl
4.    Peel and grate the carrots, add to the bowl
5.    Whisk the juice of two oranges, eggs, and oil together in a bowl. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until combined
6.    Add the mixture to the muffin tin, bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the muffins to settle for 1-2 minutes, before removing to completely cool on a wire rack

Icing

1.    Soften the cream cheese, add to a mixing bowl with the zest of 1 orange and the icing sugar. Mix using a whisk or electric beater until smooth. Spread over the cooled muffins. Decorate with extra orange zest and walnut pieces
2.    Serve.