What a busy time it’s been and what busy lives we lead! Especially when we have babies or little ones who are doing activities or just wanting attention…….the question is when do we have time to cook tasty and healthy meals that you as a family can enjoy? Even as a nanny I have to be ahead of the boys schedules.  I’ve had over 9 years of juggling children’s busy life’s. I find it easier to cook meals before the boys arrive home or batch cook knowing that the holidays are coming fast! There is so many advantages to doing this. Even when the boys were little and having rest time or sleeping I would do it in stages. Now that the boys I look after are 4 and 8 they like to help and feel involved. It’s also a great way to encourage the fussy eaters that we might have as there is no pressure and they can try foods away from the table! You can always make meals with your baby or toddler as well and let them taste what you’re  cooking with too. It’s also a great way for learning and some one on one time with your child. Two recipes that I really like to use for the boys or any family I have looked after are tasty versatile and easy!  

This vegetable sauce you can use with anything from pizza topping to pasta sauce. It can be blended or left as it is, it’s also easy to freeze into either tubs or ice cube trays. 

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Ingredients:

Courgette 1 or 2 depending on size

Red pepper 

Can of chopped tomatoes 

Tablespoon of tomato purée 

Handful of chopped onions 

5ml of oil (I used oil with garlic in it) if not teaspoon of chopped garlic.

5 mushrooms chopped

Basil to taste 

30ml of water 

A little black pepper

Method: chop all veg, heat oil in medium sized pan, add the onion cook for 1 minute add the garlic for about 30 secs then add all your veg. Add your tomato purée can of tomatoes 30 mls of water, basil and let it cook away on a low to medium heat for 25-30 mins until all your veg is soft. You can then leave to cool. This is where you can blend or put into ice cube trays etc or use for your meal that night. You should have enough to last a good few weeks!! 

My 2nd easy recipe is:

Sausage casserole: 

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Ingredients:

Pack of sausages (quorn is a great alternative) if you didn’t want to use sausages, chicken is great too. 

5ml of oil 

Red and yellow pepper (chopped) 

Onion (handful) 

Courgette 

Apple chopped

carrots optional 

300ml of water 

Table spoon of Tomato purée 

Stock cube (no salt cube)

 A dash of Worcestershire sauce 

Paprkika a good sprinkling 

Method:

Pre heat oven to 160c 

Add the oil to a frying pan and brown the sausages.

Add the onion and fry for a minute longer.

Transfer sausage and onion to a casserole dish and add the rest of the ingredients.

Cook with a lid on at 160 centigrade for an hour.

It’s great, you can leave in the oven and get on with other jobs you may have. 

 

A few more suggestions of quick and easy meals is salmon mixed in with cream cheese with pasta and peas! Quick easy and you have dairy, fish and veg with carbohydrates in one meal. One of my boys favourite meals is chicken fajitas, I think the fact they can do it by themselves with a little help really appeals to them and it’s fun and promotes independence at the dinner table. Cooking wholesome and tasty meals doesn’t have to be complicated, let us come and show you how stress free and fun it could be. Wether for simple advice or full demonstration, contact us for more information.