Wellness Solutions Taranaki

So it’s been a month since we embarked on our WFPB journey and going out with the kids is like a military operation! Where are we going? Will there be non compliant food there? Will people offer said food to my toddler? Will he just grab the food? Will people think I’m rude for bringing our own food? I’m definitely getting better at not apologising for our change in diet, but it does evoke some strong opinions from people. Anyway, i digress. This needs to be a whole other post!

Back to packing food. Not only do I have to prepare a toddler lunchbox, a meal for the baby but I have to take snacks for me and a ‘tween’ if he’s with us. Now, I know some might say that it can’t be that hard just chuck some fruit and veg in and ‘she’ll be right’. I wish it really was that simple. Yes, we do eat lots fruit and veg but the amount we need to keep us full won’t fit in my over sized, over priced baby bag let alone a Yumbox!

It all comes down to checking nutrient content and ensuring we get all we need for the day. Plus the food has to be appealing because we all know how fussy 2 year olds can be! I have found over the last month (with lots of trial and error) that spending one day a week prepping lunchbox food is what really helps me. I usually do this on a Sunday, as hubby is home to help entertain the brood. Or if by some miracle both toddler and baby are sleeping at the same time during the week, I’ll do some cooking then.

I have learned and found lots of new recipes for lunchbox fillers, but just to ease us into it I adapted a few tried and tested recipes.

• Pancakes are always a winner, whether sweet or savoury. My kids’ favorites are banana & blueberry and pea and broccoli. You can make a big batch and freeze them. Add whatever fruit/veg you like and put them in a container with baking paper separating them.

• Baked Rosti. Mmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. We love courgette (zucchini for you non-British folk) onion and potato. These also freeze well, but they don’t last long enough for me to freeze them! I had these for morning tea today with some mushrooms and peppers from my garden…yummy.

• Chick pea chocolate cookies. Yes you read it right; chick peas! these are so yummy, your family won’t know they have chick peas in them. This recipe is adapted from Nadia Lim, and I have omitted the coconut oil. These also freeze well. My toddler has a batch of these in the day care fridge for when they are having a treat.

Give them a go and see how you and the kids like them. Let me know what you think.

Broccoli & pea pikelets:

1.5 cups oat flour (oats ground into flour. I use my nutri bullet but a food processor will do fine)

2 tablespoons of LSA (Ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds)

1 cup of frozen peas

1/4 head of broccoli finely chopped

2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (not to be confused with brewers yeast!)

Pinch black pepper

1 cup almond milk (or other nut/milk. Have some more available to thin out the mixture if needed)

Add any other spices you’d like. Mix well. Mixture will be thick so you can add more milk if you like.

Spoon mixture into a hot non stick frying pan, spread out a little and cook for around 2 mins each side just until lightly brown. 

Baked Rosti:

3 medium potatoes

1 large courgette or a few small ones

1 brown onion

1 tablespoon Nutritional yeast

Pinch black pepper

Pinch of salt

Grate the veges onto a couple of clean, dry tea towels. Squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can. Mix together in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients. To arrange on the tray, I use an upside down cookie cutter. This way the rosti are all a nice round shape. Fill the tray and bake at 200 until the rosti are brown and a little crispy. This usually takes me around 35 minutes. 

Chick pea choc chip cookies:

1 can no added salt chick peas drained

1/2 cup nut butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/3 cup of pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons of LSA

1/4 cup dark choc chips (dairy free)

2 tablespoons water

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor except choc chips. You’ll need to scrape down the sides every now and then. Pulse until mixture looks like cookie dough, adding a little water to bind. Then add the choc chips and pulse to mix through. Wet your hands and roll mixture into small balls. I just use a spoon or I’ll end up eating the mixture! Place on a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Press each ball down with a wet fork. Bake for 15-17 mins at 170. Cool on the tray. The cookies are quite crumbly when hot so I don’t use a wire rack. Store in the fridge for as long as they’ll last!