Mason Jar Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes for mason jars, 10 more minutes for prep
Cook Time: 11-13 minutes
Makes: 24 cookies
Calories: 177 per cookie
Source: The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life


Ingredients for mix:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups large-flake oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup M&Ms

Additional ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Using a funnel or a twisted sheet of paper, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a 1-L mason jar.
• Mix the oats and both sugars together; add to the jar.
• Pack the layers down tightly, then add the pecans, chocolate chips and M&Ms.
• Put the lid on and give as a gift with further instructions:
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Mix jar ingredients with additional ingredients.
• Shape into 1-inch balls and place on a greased baking sheet.
• Bake 11-13 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

I got the book in which I found this recipe out of the library in late November.  There was a recipe for each day of the year and all the recipes had some kind of relationship to the day to which it pertained.  Of course, I looked at all our birthdays, but didn't find anything I particularly wanted to make.  Then I looked at the current date and found these cookies; who knew that the mason jar was patented on November 30, 1858?!?  Not only that, but these were just in time for Christmas gift-giving; I made a dozen of these to give to family and friends and they were a big hit.  Now I keep a couple of jars on hand so that if I need to make cookies for some kind of event, I'll be able to do so in a hurry.  This recipe was definitely a good find!

Salmon Quiche

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Makes 12 tarts
Calories: 132 per tart
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 12 frozen pastry tarts
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup canned salmon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Prick bottom of tarts with a fork; bake in a pre-heated oven for 8 minutes.
• Remove from oven; reduce heat to 350.
• Beat eggs, then stir in milk, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
• Spread most of the cheese and all of the salmon in the pastry shells; pour the egg mixture over top.
• Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of each tart.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

These little quiches are quick and easy to make and as long as we have some pastry shells in the freezer, we're usually good to go as far as the rest of the ingredients are concerned.  Charlotte likes them and they are easy to pack for daycare.

Apple Gingerbread

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Makes 7 mini-loaves
Calories: 368 calories per loaf
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 1 medium apple, peeled and grated or 1 individual serving of packaged applesauce

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter, eggs and molasses.
• Stir dry ingredients into wet, a little at a time and alternating with small additions of milk.
• Fold in apples or applesauce; pour into greased mini-loaf pans.
• Bake 35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack.

When I first made this recipe, we had no apples around, so I substituted the applesauce and it worked just fine - plus it's a lot easier to peel the lid off the applesauce than it is to peel, core and chop an apple!  I baked a single, large loaf a couple of times, but it always seemed to remain uncooked in the middle even though it was starting to burn around the edges.  I find the mini-loaves bake much more evenly, plus they're a lot easier to pack in a lunch box.  A whole bunch of these loaves even came with me on the ET Highway after being stored in the freezer for a while - they dried out a little bit, but they were still quite delicious!

Oats and Banana Cereal

Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves 2 people
Calories: 296 per serving
Source: Better Baby Food


Ingredients

• 3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1.5 cups milk
• 2 small bananas, mashed

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine oats and milk.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thick.
4. Stir in mashed banana; top with additional milk if desired.

This hardly counts as a recipe really, but when I was first learning how to feed a growing baby, I relied on simple recipes like this.  It's sweet enough that I can eat it too, without having to add too much sugary jam to the mix.

Cracker Fish

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Serves 2
Calories: 618 calories per serving
Source: Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals


Ingredients

• 2 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 12 saltine crackers
• 2 6-ounce pieces of white fish

Directions

• Combine half the oil with the garlic and oregano in a rimmed dinner plate.
• Place crackers in a plastic bag and crush them; place crumbs on another dinner plate.
• Dip each fillet in the oil mixture, then coat with crumbs.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot.
• Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the fish and saute 2-3 minutes.
• Add more oil to the pan if necessary, then turn the fish and cook the remaining side 3-4 minutes.

A bunch of saltines is probably not the healthiest coating for fish, but these are really delicious.  And they have such a fun name that they are pretty much irresistible for Charlotte!

Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes
Soak Time: 1 hour or overnight
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Serves 8 people
Calories: 413 per serving
Source: CBC Calgary


Ingredients

• 1/2 baguette, torn into one-inch chunks
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups half and half cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter
• 10 - 15 crab apples, sliced or quartered
• 2 tbsp sugar

Directions

• Whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, half and half cream, vanilla and cinnamon.
• Stir in the bread and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Pour the bread mixture into a greased baking dish.
• In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat.
• Add the crab apples and cook for a few minutes until they start to soften.
• Sprinkle with sugar and cook until golden.
• Stir the apples into the bread mixture or sprinkle them over top.
• Bake for 45 minutes; serve warm.

We were staying with my brother Andrew and his wife Lannie in Edson, Alberta in mid-September.  They had a tree in their back yard that was loaded with crab apples, so we looked up crab apple recipes online and found this one.  I put it together one evening with plans to bake it the next night, but with all the fun stuff we had to do, it ended up sitting in the fridge for two nights before I baked it.  I worried that it would go soggy, but it was just fine.  The pudding was sweet and the crab apples were tart - it made for a great combination and I'm not sure if it would be as good with regular apples, though I think it might work well with cranberries.  Next time, I'll try it!

Real Popcorn Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4 people
Calories: 249 per serving
Source: Parents Quick and Easy Kid-Friendly Meals


Ingredients

• 3 cups popped popcorn
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken in 2-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. canola oil

Directions

• Grind popcorn after removing unpopped kernels.
• Place popcorn in a shallow dish; mix in thyme, salt and pepper.
• Place the egg in a shallow bowl; beat with 1 tbsp. water.
• Place flour in another shallow dish.
• Coat chicken in flour, shaking off the excess.
• Dip in egg mixture, then in popcorn to coat.
• Heat butter and oil over medium-high heat.
• Cook chicken 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally.

What kid doesn't like popcorn?  Charlotte certainly does!  I always set aside a few kernels as a "garnish" for the chicken and Charlotte is thrilled to have popcorn for dinner.  So am I, if it comes to it!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes 1.5 cups
Calories: 240 calories total
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 small banana, sliced
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• In a blender process all ingredients until smooth.
• Pour into a glass and serve.

Breakfast Pizza

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves 1
Calories: 295 calories per serving
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. light cream cheese or peanut butter
• 1 4-inch whole grain pita
• 1/2 apple or banana, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp crisp rice cereal
• 1 tbsp chopped dried fruit
• 1 tbsp chopped nuts or shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp strawberry jam, melted

Directions

• Spread cream cheese on the pita.
• Arrange apple or banana over top.
• Sprinkle with cereal, dried fruit and nuts.
• Drizzle with strawberry jam.
• Cut into 4-6 wedges.

The recipe may be called "Breakfast Pizza", but for us, this meal is more of a lunch or a snack than something to eat for breakfast.  With cream cheese rather than peanut butter and without the fresh fruit, this makes a great lunch for daycare!

Spiced Bananas

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serves 2
Calories: 177 calories
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 1/8 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp. cream cheese
• pinch ground cinnamon
• pinch ground ginger
• 1 tbsp. liquid honey
• 2 medium bananas, sliced

Directions

• Combine all ingredients except bananas with an electric mixer or in a food processor.
• Transfer to a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat until warm.
• Add bananas and cook until they are soft and warm.

I've been posting mostly sweet things lately, so thought I should get responsible and post a good breakfast recipe.  And though this fits the bill, it's also about as sweet as it gets!  Charlotte loves this recipe over pancakes.

Lemon Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Makes 16 bars
Calories: 168 per bar
Source: What Chefs Feed Their Kids


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cups flour, divided
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• icing sugar

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• To make the crust, combine the melted butter with 1 cup of the flour, salt and sugar and mix until a dough forms.
• Press dough into an 8-inch baking pan, leaving a thicker edge to contain the filling.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 18 minutes.
• In the meantime, mix together the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and the baking powder.
• Separately, beat together the eggs, honey, lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined.
• Pour into the crust and bake 20-25 minutes more, until filling is set.
• Allow to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar.

The first time I made these, they were quite good, but the second time, the crust was quite hard to cut through, though they still tasted good.  This recipe comes from Joan's on Third in Los Angeles - I wonder what they charge for them if you walk into their shop?  I use the zest of an entire lemon when making these, then use the juice of the same lemon (usually about 3 tbsp) and then top up to the required 5 tbsp of lemon juice with the bottled stuff.  These can be baked and then frozen for later; just store them between layers of parchment or wax paper.

Lime Creamsicles

Prep time: 5 minutes
Freeze time: 5 hours
Makes 8 popsicles
Calories: 43 calories per popsicle


Ingredients

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 can frozen limeade from concentrate
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together.
2. Pour into popsicle molds; freeze.

It has been so hot lately, that I started looking for healthy popsicle recipes for Charlotte and I invested in a set of Zoku popsicle molds.  I tried a couple of different creamsicle recipes before finally inventing my own recipe for tangy, fruity creamsicles, based on trial and error with the others.  We have tried these with pink lemonade too - you could probably substitute any flavour of frozen concentrate that you like.  Because of the yogurt in these, Charlotte and I often have one of these for breakfast and they are actually quite filling.  Charlotte seems to love that she is doing something a little bit naughty by having a popsicle for breakfast and loves it even more that mum is in cahoots with her!

Nanaimo Bars

Prep time: 30 minutes total
Makes 24 bars
Calories: 261 per bar


Ingredients for base layer:

• 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups graham wafer crumbs
• 2 cups coconut
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs

Ingredients for custard layer:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tbsp custard powder
• 4 cups icing sugar

Ingredients for chocolate layer:

• 8 squares semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate and butter for base layer over hot water.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients for the base layer.
3. Stir in chocolate mixture and press into a large cake pan.
4. Combine all ingredients for the custard layer and spread over the base; chill for at least 15 minutes
5. Melt ingredients for the chocolate layer over hot water, then spread over the custard layer.
6. Serve chilled.

I've had this recipe in my collection since I first moved out of my parents' house - quite some time ago now!  They are a big favourite of Pete's and were a hit at two different Christmas parties last year.  This is already a double recipe - if you're going to make these, you may as well make plenty!  But the recipe can easily be halved if you're not feeding a crowd.  They will be fine in the fridge for up to one month - if they last that long!

Sweet Beet Cookies

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes 40 cookies
Calories: 21 per cookie
Source: Weelicious


Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 fresh medium beet
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
3. Peel the beet and shred with a fine grater.
4. Stir 1/2 cup shredded beet into flour mixture.
5. Add the oil and knead 2-3 minutes until a dough is formed.
6. Roll to 1/4-inch thick and cut into shapes.
7. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until firm.

What new parent hasn't come across "Weelicious" and all its delicious and healthy recipes?  These little pink cookies are so very cute that Charlotte and all of her daycare friends love to gobble them up.  And I don't mind how many cookies my girl eats when I know she's eating her beets at the same time!

Starving Student Sausage Jambalaya

Total time: 35 minutes
Serves 6 people
Calories: 450 per serving
Source: unknown


Ingredients

• 4 Italian sausages, coarsely chopped
• 19-ounce can undrained tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
• 1 sweet pepper or zucchini, chopped

Directions:

1. Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Cook sausages until brown, about 8 minutes; drain fat.
3. Add tomatoes, including juice.  Fill the can with water and add to pan.
4. Stir in rice and spices.
5. Cover and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once, halfway through.
6. Stir in pepper or zucchini; simmer for 5 minutes more.

This recipe takes me back!  I made this countless times in the kitchen at Laval University in Quebec City in the late 1990s.  My boyfriend at the time loved it and it kept us both fed for ages - cheaply too.  It was the perfect meal for those long, cold Quebec nights.  I thought I had lost the recipe, but I recently rediscovered it and cooked up a batch in the Blackford Island kitchen.  Still delicious!  I used to leave out the veggie at the end, but now I know better and it was perfectly delicious with a pepper thrown into it.

Roasted Parmesan Broccoli

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves 3 people
Calories: 126 per serving
Source: http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=335&S=0


Ingredients

• 2 heads broccoli, chopped into florets
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2.5 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/6 cup Parmesan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Place broccoli in a bowl; toss with garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast 20-25 minutes or until crisp-tender and some florets are browned.
4. Remove from oven and immediately toss with olive oil, lemon and Parmesan

Anyone who knows me knows that veggies are not my favourite thing to eat.  However, they do need to be eaten from time to time and it would be great if I could at least appear to enjoy it for Charlotte's sake.  This recipe does the trick for me; it is no chore to eat my broccoli and look like I'm enjoying it - because I actually am!  I usually make this with popcorn chicken; the broccoli roasts in the oven while I'm frying up the chicken on the stove top.  Delicious!

Banana-Date Breakfast Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Makes 9 cookies
Calories:297 per cookie
Source: www.thekitchenmagpie.com


Ingredients

• 2 large bananas, mashed
• 3 cups large-flake oats
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup hemp hearts
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment; roll dough into balls and press down to flatten onto sheet.  Cookies should be large and sheet should hold only 3-4 cookies.
4. Bake 25-28 minutes until bottoms are browned.
5. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet for several hours in order to prevent crumbling.

I have been looking for some good breakfast recipes that can be made ahead of time, ready for busy daycare mornings.  I went in search of a breakfast cookie recipe and lucky me, the first one I tried was a keeper.  These cookies are so healthy and yet they taste so good.  The on-line recipe calls for applesauce or softened butter, but I've never used butter in this recipe.  I was going to the first time I made them, but Pete had put my softened butter back in the fridge so I had none on hand when I needed it.  Happy accident as these are delicious with the applesauce - I'm sure they're good with butter too, but I see no reason to bother trying!

Dig'n Cheese Dog Biscuits

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yield: 18 cookies
Source: The Doggy Bone Cookbook


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
• 2 tbsp softened margarine
• 1.5 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cream together cheese and margarine.
3. Add milk and flour.
4. Roll mixture to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
5. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 30-35 minutes.

Baking in the Blackford Island kitchen doesn't always mean that it's the humans who are in for a treat!  Theo loves these cheesy biscuits and so do the pups of all of my co-workers!

Theo's Peach Custard Pie

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves 8 people
Calories: 258 per serving
Source: unknown


Ingredients for pastry:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 4-5 tbsp cold water

Ingredients for filling:

• 3 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. To make pastry, stir together 1 1/4 cups flour and the salt.
3. Cut in shortening until the pieces are pea-size.
4. Sprinkle 1 tbsp cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork.
5. Push moistened dough aside, repeated step four until all dough is moistened.
6. Form dough into a ball.
7. Flatten the dough on a lightly-floured surface.
8. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle; transfer to a 9-inch pie plate by wrapping the dough around the rolling pin.
9. Trim pastry to 1/2 an inch beyond the edge of the pie plate; fold under extra pastry and crimp the edge.
10. Line pastry with a double-thickness of foil and bake for 8 minutes.
11. Remove foil; bake 4-5 minutes more or until set and dry.
12. Reduce heat to 350.
13. Layer peaches in the pie shell; set aside.
14. Slightly beat the eggs with a rotary beater.
15. Stir in sugar, 3 tbsp flour, vanilla and nutmeg.
16. Gradually stir in milk until just combined.
17. Place pastry shell on the oven rack; pour filling over the sliced peaches.
18. Cover edge of pie with foil; bake for 25 minutes.
19. Remove foil; bake 20-25 minutes more or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
20. Cool on a wire rack; refrigerate within two hours, covered.

I first made this pie years ago when I was living in Lions Bay, out on my own for the first time.  The recipe lay tucked away for the longest time until I needed a recipe for a geocache event marking "Pi Day" 2015.  This was one of two pies that I took to the event, which was moved at the last minute due to the fact that it was pouring with rain and we really needed to be under cover.  This was pretty inconvenient for me though; it was much further down the trail, I was lugging a wagon loaded with pies and supplies and coaxing along an already-reluctant Charlotte.  I also lost my car key that day and things were just not going well.  When I got home with my two pies still intact, I parked the wagon in the hallway and went across to see if my neighbour, Pam, wanted to have some pie with us.  She had been storing them in her fridge for me until the event and had been admiring the peach one in particular.  In the three minutes it took for us to have that discussion, Theo made it a moot point by devouring the entire pie.  This was the straw that broke my back this morning and Theo was in the biggest trouble of his life.  After all that effort, no one but Theo got to have peach custard pie today - and I will never make it again without remembering the day Theo ate the whole pie.

Hamburger Casserole

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 8 people
Calories: 399 per serving
Source:  Families on the Go


Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 12-ounce package wide egg noodles
• 12-ounce can corn
• 10-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions.
3. In the meantime, brown ground beef and onion.
4. Drain ground beef and noodles; combine with remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs.
5. Place mixture in a 9 x 13" pan; top with bread crumbs.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.

With a name like "Hamburger Casserole", you just know that this is nothing fancy - but that it's very kid-friendly.  My neighbour and I occasionally make dinner for both families and then eat all together; this one is a big hit with all the kids and I think Pam tolerates it because it means no cooking for her that night!  I don't mind it myself, but it doesn't keep well, so I only make it when serving a crowd.

Tuna and Thyme Fishcakes

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves 2 people
Calories: 93 per serving
Adapted from BabyCenter.ca


Ingredients

• 1 small can tuna, drained and mashed
• 2 tbsp. bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 small egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and form into patties.
2. Heat oil and fry fishcakes until golden brown.

We always have the ingredients for these fishcakes on hand, so they are super-simple to whip up the night before daycare for a protein-rich main course that Charlotte is always happy to eat.

Egg, Cheese and Cornmeal Muffins

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 17 minutes
Yield: 8 muffins
Calories: 241 per muffin
Adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens recipe for Bacon-and-Egg Muffins (http://www.bhg.com/recipe/bacon-and-egg-muffins/)


 Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Grease 8 muffin cups; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder.
4. In another bowl, combine milk, vegetable oil and eggs; stir into flour mixture.
5. Fold in cheese, then ladle mixture into muffin cups.
6. Bake for 17 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Daycare mornings are a bit of a rush in our house; by the time I'm sitting at my desk at 8 a.m., a lot has already happened!  These muffins make things easier and reduce our reliance on the Tim Horton's drive-thru!

Apple Muffins

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Yield: 14 regular muffins or a ton o' mini muffins
Calories: 394 per muffin
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 apples, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
• 1.5 cups plain yogurt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and cinnamon; mix well.
3. In another bowl, combine apples, yogurt, oil and eggs; mix well.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring until just moistened without over-mixing.
5. Spoon into greased muffin tins or paper muffin cups.
6. Bake for 18 minutes for full-sized muffins or 10 minutes for mini muffins.

These muffins have always been a favourite of Charlotte's - and they're super easy to make.  Charlotte likes to help with the mixing!  The recipe book indicates a 15-minute prep time, but clearly these people had their apples chopped, their brown sugar flowing smoothly and no toddler drama to contend with during the process!  I have tried adapting the recipe a little, substituting a cup of raspberries or blueberries for one of the apples.  The muffins are a lot more moist with berries added to the mix!

Apple and Shrimp Curry

Total time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Calories:  306 per serving


Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1/8 cup butter
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tbsp flour
• 1 package frozen shrimp

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter and add garlic; cook until lightly browned.
3. Add water and bring to a boil.
4. Add tomato and apple
5. Separately, blend ginger, sugar, curry powder, salt, pepper and flour.
6. Add enough cold water to form a paste, then stir into boiling mixture.
7. Add shrimp and cook for 5 minutes more.
8. Serve over rice.

I first made this dish ages ago when I first moved out of my parents' house and needed to somehow feed myself!  I love this dish because it's quick and delicious - in the time that it takes to cook the rice, the curry will be ready to serve on top of it.  It's my go-to recipe when I have to feed guests on short notice or with little time to prepare.

Quinoa Pizza Bites

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: approximately 40 bites
Calories: 35 per bite
Source:  adapted from www.soveryblessed.com


Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp dried basil
• 1 cup chopped pepperoni slices
• 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Directions:

1. Bring quinoa to a boil in four cups of water; reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. When quinoa is cooked, stir it into the mixture.
5. Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top and pressing down gently to compact.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

My mum first turned me on to these delicious little snacks and completely won me over at first bite - all the taste of pizza in one healthy little morsel.  They have since become a staple in our house; we usually have a bag of them in the freezer to throw into Charlotte's lunchbox on days when I'm not quite sure what else to do.  The recipe here differs from the one on the soveryblessed.com website only in that I've substituted dried basil for fresh - I always have dried basil on hand, but not fresh.  As well as being a great lunchbox item, these make for great appetizers too.