Today’s offering is some wonderful Child-Friendly Recipes for those times when you are really struggling to get your Child with Cancer to eat or when you just want to give them a nice little treat.
These recipes are all nutritious and your child will love making some of them with you – spending time in the kitchen can be fun! A bonus with some of the recipes is that because they are one-pan or one-pot recipes there is minimal cleanup.
Here are some no-mess, no-fuss meals and snacks that we hope you will enjoy making and which we know both your Child with Cancer and the rest of the family will enjoy.
Honey Soy Chicken Noodle Stir Fry
Honey and soy sauce is a combination that all kids love – it must be something to do with the sweet-and-salty flavours! Coupled with chicken and noodles, this easy recipe will be a winner every time you make it, and it only takes 20 minutes to make!
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast, skin removed, cut into strips
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 T honey
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 medium carrots cut into strips
- 1 onion cut into thin wedges
- 1/2 red capsicum cut into thin strips.
- 2 x 200g packet Chinese noodles, Linguini or Whole wheat spaghetti
Method
- Combine chicken with soy sauce, honey and garlic. Set aside for five minutes to marinate.
- Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Drain chicken from marinade and stir fry in batches until just cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside.
- Add vegetables to wok and cook lightly, stirring constantly.
- Return chicken and reserved marinade to wok with noodles and toss until heated through.
One-Pan Lasagne
f you really love lasagne but don’t want to wait hours and have a sink full of dishes then this recipe is for you. It has all the delicious flavours of lasagne but this recipe is quick and easy!
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 500g minced beef
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp Italian herbs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tin (410g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 bottle (690g) passata (Italian cooking sauce)
- 3 cups (750ml) water
- 8 dried lasagne sheets, broken into pieces
- 250g cottage cheese
- 250g shredded mozarella
- basil leaves (to garnish)
- parmesan cheese, grated (to serve)
Method
- In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over a medium heat and fry onions until translucent.
- Add minced beef to the pan and break up well with a wooden spoon until browned.
- Add garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, crushed tomatoes, passata and water. Stir well and bring to the boil. Add lasagne and stir well, cover and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to ensure that the lasagne does not stick together.
- Spoon cottage cheese into the pan and gently stir. Heap piles of mozarella on top of the mixture, cover and remove from heat. Leave to sit for 5 minutes or until melted. Top with fresh basil leaves and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
One Pan Chocolate Cake
This delicious chocolate cake was developed during the Great War when there was a shortage of ingredients like eggs, and is mixed and baked all in one pan and is also lovely and moist.
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (250ml) cold water
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Preheat oven to 180C
- Place the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate soda and salt straight into a 20cm x 20cm square non-stick baking pan. Whisk together to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and whisk well.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick placed into the centre comes out clean.
Apple Pie Protein Smoothie
This delicious apple pie smoothie tastes just like apple pie, yet it’s made healthy with good-for-you ingredients. And it’s naturally sweetened and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 2 large red apples, cored
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup ice
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground ginger
- tiny pinch of ground cloves
- (optional: 1-2 pitted dates or 1-2 teaspoons honey, to sweeten if needed)
Directions
Add all ingredients to a blender. Pulse until combined and smooth. Taste and add sweetener if needed, pulsing to combine.
Serve immediately. Sprinkle the top of each smoothie with a pinch of cinnamon if desired.
