Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - tinned tomatoes

Although I do not agree with spending over the odds when buying food (especially if it is going to end up on the floor), there are some food items that you should spend a little more money on and one of these is tinned tomatoes. If you buy the cheapest range they tend to be very watery and lack flavour. It is also better to buy whole plum tomatoes rather than chopped as the tomatoes will have retained more of their flavour and goodness. Tomato sauces will taste so much more delicious.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Fish in tomato and thyme sauce

Fish in tomato and thyme sauce

 

Ingredients:

200 grams white fish

½ medium onion
1 crushed clove of garlic (optional - reduce amount if child under one or just getting used to the taste)
1 tin of plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
Leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme or a teaspoon of dried thyme
Pepper to season

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Chop the onion and in a saucepan fry with the garlic and thyme gently in a little oil
2. Add a tablespoon of tomato puree and cook gently for 5 minutes
3. Add the tin of tomatoes and add some pepper
4. After 15 minutes add the fish cut into squares into the sauce
5. Place a  lid on the saucepan and simmer for another ten minutes.

Serve with freshly cooked rice.

Kinder Kitchen Cooking Tip - Leeks

Part of the onion family, leeks are a great alternative to onions in recipes. They are milder than a normal onion, add that extra little flavour to any dish and are very healthy!

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Tasty red split lentils

Tasty red split lentils

Ingredients:
100 grams red split lentils
½ small onion
1 bacon rasher sliced thinly (optional - do not use if your child is under one due to bacon's high salt content)
1/2 crushed clove of garlic
1 carrot finely chopped
Chicken or vegetable stock (if not fresh a teaspoon of powdered stock or 1/4 cube of stock and water)

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Wash the lentils thoroughly (follow instructions on the packet) and soak for 10 minutes.
2. In a saucepan, fry the onions and garlic gently for 5 minutes.
3. Add the finely sliced bacon and chopped carrot.
4. Now add the lentils and enough stock to cover all the ingredients and a bit more.
5. Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. Check regularly so that there is enough liquid for the lentils to cook. Add more stock if need be.

 

 

Serve on it’s own or with rice.

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - Celery

Celery is a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients - potassium, Vitamin C, fibre, Vitamin A, calcium and protein. What more could you want from a single source?!

Add celery to soups, stocks and sauces to enhance the flavour of the dish.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Basic Chicken Stock

Basic chicken stock

Ingredients:
3 chicken thighs (with bone, no skin)
2 sticks of celery
2 carrots
1 medium onion
6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
750ml water

Preparation:

1. Wash the carrots and celery and chop into pieces
2. Peel the onion and cut into quarters. Add this and all the other ingredients to a large saucepan and add a 1ltr of water

Cook:

1. Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer gently for up to 2 hours
2. Once chilled, sieve the liquid into a container and refrigerate once cooled
3. Freezer any unwanted stock into portions to use at a later date.

Serving suggestions:

Remove the chicken from the bone and slice up into small pieces and serve as a soup (adding pasta or rice to the soup). Add sweet potato and sweet corn to the chicken stock for a deliciously sweet and wholesome soup. You can also add the stock to sauces, to rice and lentil dishes.

For babies from 6 months old, you can just add baby rice for very nutritious meal. Don't however forget to remove the peppercorns before serving!!

Celery
Celery gives the stock a wonderful flavour. It is also a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients - potassium, Vitamin C, fibre, Vitamin A, calcium and protein. What more could you want from a single source?!

Kinder Kitchen cooking tip - Grating onions

If you find it difficult to slice onions finely, you could also use a grater to grate the onions. This can be much easier and give you the same results.

Today's yummy recipe from Kinder Kitchen - African Butternut Squash

African Butternut Squash (5-8 portions depending on age of child)

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger (amount dependent on age of child)
1 crushed garlic clove
Fresh pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Preparation:

1. Pierce the butternut squash a couple of times with a knife and place in a microwave for 8 minutes on a high heat (alternatively place in the oven for 20 minutes at 180ºC)
2. Remove from oven and carefully cut the butternut squash into half, removing the seeds. Score the flesh with a knife.
3. Mash the garlic, ginger, pepper and butter together and spread it onto both sections of the squash making sure all the surfaces are covered with the seasoning. Place the sections together and cover in foil.
4. Cook the squash in an oven for 45 minutes on 180ºC .

Once cooked allow to cool for 10 minutes in the foil and serve.

Serving suggestions:
Serve on its own, with meat, fish, rice or salad.

The benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a great aid for colds and coughs, digestion and constipation.