Tasty, Healthy & Easy recipes for the school lunches.
The school year is just around the corner! Fill hungry tummies with these great new recipes that are sure to go down a treat, and won’t get left in their lunchbox. Plus, they’re easy to make, nutritious, and are sure to be enjoyed by the whole family, so you can make them ahead and store them for later.
Be sure to head to The Zone Maroochydore to find all you need to create these great recipes, plus to pick up all your back to school needs!
Crunchy Zucchini Noodle Wrap with Avocado
A great way to get more veggies in their diet.
Ingredients
1 whole grain tortilla wrap
2 tbsp hummus
1/4 avocado, sliced
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup black beans rinsed
1/2 small zucchini (spiralised, or cut into matchsticks)
Method
Place the wrap on a large plate. Leaving one inch from the edges, spread out the hummus.
Top the hummus with avocado and season lightly with salt and generously with pepper.
Add the carrots and beans, then finish with the zucchini noodles.
Roll the wrap up and cut in half to make two parts. Secure each part with a
toothpick and enjoy!
Ham, Cheese and Zucchini Pikelets
Easy to make and freezer friendly!
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup 185g self raising flour
1/2cup 75g grated tasty cheese
200ml milk
1 egg
60 g melted butter
Salt and pepper
1 small tomato – chopped into small pieces
1 zucchini – grated
80g shaved ham
Extra butter for greasing the pan
Method
Sift the self raising flour into a large bowl and add the grated cheese before stirring to combine.
Add the milk, egg, cooled melted butter and a pinch of salt and pepper to a large measuring jug and whisk together until combined.
Add the grated zucchini, sliced ham, chopped tomato and the liquid ingredients to the bowl with the flour and grated cheese and gently stir until just combined.
Heat your frying pan over a medium heat and add a little butter. Use a tablespoon to scoop up the pikelet mixture and place six of them (or however many will fit into your frying pan)into your pre-heated frying pan. Cook the pikelets for 2 minutes before carefully flipping them over and cook for a further one minute on the other side.
Transfer the cooked pikelets to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat until you have used all of the mixture.
Banana Chia Biscuits
A great way to use up ripe bananas.
Ingredients
1 banana mashed ripe
1 egg
1 tbs golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs canola oil
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 cup walnuts roughly chopped
3 tbs black chia seeds
Method
Preheat oven to 180C.
Mash banana then mix in egg, golden syrup, vanilla and oil.
Add flour, rolled oats, sultanas, walnuts and chia seeds. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Granola Bars
Chewy sticky goodness!
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup roasted almonds, crushed
2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup almond butter or peanut butter
Method
Mix the honey, almond butter and roasted almonds.
Add the seeds and dried fruit, and mix well. Add a bit more honey (or your liquid sweetener of choice) if the mixture is not mixing well.
Cover a small tray or square bowl with baking paper and spoon in the granola bar mixture, and spreading/flattening for an even layer. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to solidify.
When the granola mix is chilled, cut into even-sized rectangular bars. Keep in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for 2 months. Store in airtight glass container with baking paper between the layers so they don’t stick together.
Cinnamon & yoghurt dip
So simple yet so tasty and nutritious!
Ingredients
100g natural Greek yogurt
1 tbsp nut butter (try almond or cashew)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp honey
To serve
apple wedges
celery sticks
carrot sticks
mini rice cakes or crackers
Method
In a small tub, mix together the yogurt, nut butter, cinnamon and honey. Serve with apple wedges (tossed in a little lemon juice to prevent them turning brown), celery or carrot sticks, and mini rice cakes or crackers.
Apple and oat bliss balls
Bitefuls of energy!
Ingredients
1 apple, cored and chopped
3 Medjool dates, pitted
100g (1 cup) rolled oats
90g (1 cup) walnuts
25g (1/3 cup) desiccated coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Desiccated coconut for rolling
Method
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until broken. You want a little texture but it should easily form into balls.
Roll the mixture into 19 tablespoon size balls, then roll in coconut to coat.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge (lasts for 2-3 days).
Rice Paper Rolls
Crispy and fresh everytime!
Ingredients
200g chicken breast fillet
6 sheets rice paper
1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks
Method
Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium.
Cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly. Transfer chicken to a board. Using 2 forks, roughly shred chicken.
Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water. Soak 1 rice paper sheet in water for 10 seconds, remove and place on a board.
Top with one-sixth each of the chicken, cabbage, carrot and cucumber.
Roll, tucking in sides, to form a rice paper roll. Repeat with remaining rice paper, chicken and vegetables. Cover and refrigerate until ready to pack in lunch boxes.
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Get creative and mix and match different fruit combinations!
Ingredients
1 cup frozen strawberries (can be raspberries or blueberries too!)
1 banana (frozen or fresh)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vanilla or strawberry yogurt
1 Tablespoon honey
Method
Blend all the ingredients together using a blender, or a stick mixer.
Serve it immediately, or pour into a mason jar as a morning tea treat.
Trail mix biscuits (Nut free)
Kids will love having these in their lunchbox, as much as they love making them!
Ingredients
255g (2 3/4 cups) traditional rolled oats
40g (2/3 cup) coconut flakes
3/4 cup mashed banana
120g tub apple puree
125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
80ml (1/3 cup) maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly whisked
1/2 tsp mixed spice
65g (1/3 cup) sultanas
60g (1/3 cup) pepitas
50g (1/3 cup) dried cranberries
Method
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Place 35g (1/4 cup) oats and 2 tablespoons coconut in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Place the banana, apple, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, egg, mixed spice and remaining oats and coconut in a large bowl. Stir until combined. Stir in the sultanas, pepitas and cranberries. Set aside for 10 minutes to rest.
Place 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture, 4cm apart, on prepared trays. Sprinkle with oat mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Set aside on trays for 10 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely then serve.
Cucumber sushi
A new, fun take on a classic!
Ingredients
2 Lebanese cucumbers
1 carrot
1/2 red capsicum
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup sushi rice cooked
1 tbs soy sauce *to serve
Method
Finely slice the capsicum, carrot and avocado.
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Let it cool.
Cut each cucumber in half and use an apple corer to hollow out the centres. You may need to dry out the cavity, so that the rice will stick better. To do this, wrap a chopstick with a paper towel and use it to dab the cavity dry.
Stuff about two teaspoons of cooked rice into the cavity, then use a knife to press the rice to the side, to make way for the other veggies.
Slide in a few slices of capsicum and avocado until the cavity is fully stuffed.
Cut into slices and serve with soy sauce.
Hot tip: Keep lunches cool by simply leaving them in the fridge overnight, and then popping in an ice pack to keep them fresh.
Hopefully these recipes will give your little ones the fuel they need to reach the stars this school year! We’d love to know how your children liked these recipes, or if you’ve given them your own twist by sharing it with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging The Zone Maroochydore too.