cooking is learning

the best tips & Recipes from our centres

Dear families, At this time, we understand circumstances are quickly changing for families across Australia. With many spending so much time at home, we also understand this may come with added pressures – including the endless question of what to feed your little ones each day!

Our centres have come together to provide a range of recipes to inspire your family during this time of social distancing and beyond. Our nutritional experts, chefs and cooks spend every day with children and know what works to tempt those little taste buds.

We also know the importance of establishing healthy eating habits from an early age, laying the foundation for lifelong health and wellbeing. By introducing children to high-quality, nutritious food, young bodies can thrive, contributing to children’s wellbeing and self-confidence.

This e-book is designed for you to explore the recipes and food together with your child. By cooking with your child, it motivates them to taste the ingredients, sample along the way and enjoy the finished products.

Including children in the cooking process also supports literacy, mathematical and scientific understanding as you read the recipe, measure, weigh, combine and cook ingredients together to make something delicious!

Whether you’re looking to find your new favourite spaghetti bolognaise recipe, or just looking for fresh inspiration for the whole family, this is a gift from us to you – with the intention to make your life that little bit easier at this time.

Read on and enjoy.

Why is cooking with your child so beneficial?

INGREDIENTS

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp sugar

1/3 cup greek yogurt

1/3 cup milk

1 banana, mashed

2 free range eggs

METHOD

1. Mix the flour, cinnamon and sugar; add the yogurt and milk, and mix further.

2. Get your child to help you mash the banana. Add your mashed banana and eggs to the mix. Stir until well combined.

3. Heat a fry pan on low heat with your choice of oil, and pour small amounts of batter, turning once they begin to form small bubbles.

4. Serve up and enjoy!

start the day healthy pancakes

Apart from engaging in such an enjoyable and messy activity together, when your child is cooking with you, they are:

• Improving their physical skills through mixing, cutting, shaping and rolling.

• Learning written words have meaning by engaging with the recipe and following directions as you read them.

• Engaging in conversation and increasing their vocabulary as they explore new words in the recipe.

• Exploring mathematical concepts such as measuring by cup, teaspoon, grams, in whole, half and quarter measures.

• Exploring how matter changes when combined, heated or cooled.

• Enjoying food socially from the making process to eating!

Forget about the shake and bake pancake mixes. These pancakes are healthy, delicious and full of goodness to kick off the morning perfectly.

Bonus tip: If your

child is too young

to help, pop them in

a highchair and name

the ingredients as

you prepare the food,

allowing children

to touch, smell and

taste along the way.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup oil

½ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

½ cup greek yoghurt

2 medium bananas, mashed

2 tbsp black chia seeds

METHOD

1. Preheat oven 175°C.

2. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the oil and sugar.

4. Add the vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, stir into the batter mixture until smooth. Finally fold in the yoghurt, chia and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

5. Bake for 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

banana chia loaf

Baking is always fun with children, and especially when it results in a delicious loaf to slice up and enjoy for breakfast or morning tea. This is a fun twist on banana bread! Encourage little hands to be stirring, measuring and spreading to get them experiencing a variety of cooking methods.

Bonus tip: Trying all kinds of different

cooking methods is great for children.

Stirring the batter for a loaf, tearing

the lettuce for a salad, grating a

lemon, pinching salt, kneading dough,

the list goes on...

Bonus tip: It,s a great idea for

children to have a say in meal

planning, but keep it simple:

pasta or rice? Chicken or pork?

Write your meal plan for the

week on a whiteboard in the

kitchen, letting everyone have

their individual contribution for

what they,d like to see.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup short-grain rice

1 tbsp caster sugar

5 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp saltv

1 tube wasabi paste

1 jar of pickled ginger

4 nori sheets

Try these toppings:

Strips of red capsicum and cucumber

Grated carrot

Canned tuna, mixed with a little mayonnaise

Blanched green beans

Cooked teriyaki chicken strips

Smoked salmon strips

Japanese low sodium soy sauce, to serve

METHOD

1. Rinse rice under cold water and drain well. Place rice and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Decrease heat to low and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand with lid on for a further 10 minutes.

2. Place rice in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt, and pour over rice. Stir to combine. Cover a flat tray with aluminum foil and spread rice on it to cool. The rice should be completely cool before using.

3. Choose from a variety of fillings. We used tuna, cucumber and avocado. Combine remaining vinegar and 300ml cold water in a bowl.

4. Place 1 nori sheet, shiny-side down, on a bamboo mat (or non-stick baking paper). Make sure longest edge of nori is at top of mat. Dip hands in water mixture (to prevent rice from sticking) and spread a quarter of rice over bottom two-thirds of nori, leaving a small border around edge.

5. Spread a thin line of wasabi along the middle of the rice and arrange a little of the filling and vegetables alongside the wasabi. Gently lift the end of the mat closest to you, and roll it over the ingredients to enclose.

6. Continue rolling the mat forward to make a complete roll. With one hand on top, gently roll mat back and forth a few times to make a nice round shape. Use a sharp knife to slice the rolls at 2cm intervals. Serve with pickled ginger, soy sauce and extra wasabi.

spare-time sushi

This is a great one to make with children at home if you have a bit of spare time on your hands – hence the name! It’s a great fun way to introduce some Japanese food and the use of chopsticks. By letting children choose their own fillings, they’re much more likely to eat what they have put together.

Makes 4 rolls

METHOD

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frypan over medium heat.

2. Add the diced onion, garlic and gently sauté until onion is translucent and cooked through.

3. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker bowl.

4. Heat remaining olive oil in pan and add the mince. Use a wooden spoon to break it up and move around the pan.

5. Transfer mince to slow cooker bowl.

6. Pour the beef stock into pan (or add beef stock cube and boiling water to slow cooker bowl then go to step 7). Bring stock to the boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for a couple of minutes before pouring into the slow cooker.

7. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and diced veggies, bay leaves and herbs and stir to combine.

8. Switch slow cooker to ‘low’ and cook for six to eight hours.

9. When sauce is almost finished, fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Cook pasta according to packet instructions.

10. Serve spaghetti topped with bolognaise sauce, chopped fresh basil leaves and grated cheese. Enjoy!

slow cooker spaghetti

Spaghetti bolognaise is always a family favourite. Equally loved by children and adults, it’s filling, nutritious and, best of all, easy to make in bulk.

Thanks to this being a recipe for the slow cooker, it’s also perfect for time-poor parents. Whether you’re rushing off to work or spending more time at home, simply put it on in the morning, and it’ll be ready for you to enjoy within six to eight hours.

Depending on personal preference, you can switch out the spaghetti for zucchini noodles, wholemeal pasta or a gluten-free alternative.

Makes approx. 4 serves

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil

500g lean beef mince

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 brown onion, diced

1/2 cup salt reduced beef stock (or 2 beef stock cubes + 1/2 cup boiling water)

400g diced tinned tomatoes

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced

1/2 cup mushrooms, diced

1/2 cup spinach leaves, diced

2 tsp mixed herbs

3 bay leaves

300-400gm packet of wholemeal spaghetti or gluten free alternative

Handful fresh basil leaves

1 cup grated cheese

Bonus tips on stocking the pantry from Nutrition and Health Coach, Karla Gilbert

These tips are perfect for ensuring that you’re getting the most out of your supermarket shop, so you can make the trip less often!

When shopping, look for canned and frozen vegetables, tinned and frozen fish, legumes and beans, bread, rice, quinoa and whole-wheat pasta. These are all ingredients that will enable you to mix and match to easily create healthy meals.

Utilize canned beans and halve the amount of meat used in a dish to extend the time between supermarket visits. Try a spaghetti bolognese sauce with veggies and lentils, tacos made from mince and black beans, chickpea falafel balls or meatballs simmered in tinned tomatoes and butter beans.

Having pizza bases, tortillas and taco kits on hand will also ensure that variety is maintained with meal planning, keeping children content! You can freeze pizza bases, individual portions of chopped vegetables and even grated cheese.

METHOD

1. In a small bowl, whisk together water, yeast and honey, sit 5 minutes or until it begins to foam. Stir in oil.

2. Place the yeast mixture into a stand–up mixer, with dough hook. Gradually add flour and salt, knead for 3-5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. (Or get your children kneading!)

3. Form the dough into 2 balls, place into greased bowls, cover lightly with plastic and let sit for 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease and line trays/pizza trays. Roll dough to approx. 20cm. Brush with extra oil. Top with cheese.

5. Arrange with alternating colours of vegetables, let your children get creative with the pizzas. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is crisp and top golden.

6. Cut into slices and serve.

DIY rainbow pizzas

Children may not like their vegetables, but they love their pizzas, and it’s amazing what they can eat if they have created it themselves! You can get inventive with many different colours and vegetables. Get older children suggesting toppings to match each colour.

Here are some ideas for each colour to get you started:

Purple – Spanish onion, eggplant, red cabbage

Green – Broccoli, green capsicum, zucchini

Red – Tomatoes, red capsicum

Yellow – Corn, yellow capsicum, yellow squash

Makes 2 (each pizza can serve 12)

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup lukewarm water

1 tsp dried yeast

1 ½ tsp honey

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

Bonus tip: See if

you can find recipe

ingredients in the

supermarket together,

or online shop for

ingredients together,

trying to work out

which category a

certain ingredient

may be in!

TOPPING INGREDIENTS

2 tsp olive oil, extra

3/4 cup tomato puree or pizza sauce

2 cup (200g) grated cheese

1 small red onion, diced

1 head broccoli, roughly chopped

125g can corn kernels, drained

200g punnet cherry tomatoes, cut in half

METHOD

1. Heat tomatoes in a pot, add the water and garlic.

2. Bring to the boil and add grated carrot and zucchini. When boiling, add the lentils and seasoning.

3. Turn to low, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens, add more water if needed

4. Keep on a low simmer until mixture thickens and lentils are no longer visible.

5. Serve with salad, cheese and soft tacos for children to build!

lazy vegetarian tacos

Sometimes it’s nice to lighten things up a bit – and these vegetarian tacos are quick, healthy and easy to serve up deconstructed. Simply put each ingredient in its own bowl and let the little ones build their own tacos to their tastes.

Makes 10 tacos

INGREDIENTS

250g tomatoes, diced

200ml water

2.5 tsp garlic, minced

250g carrot, grated

250g zucchini, grated

400g red lentils

1 tsp taco seasoning

150g shredded cheese

1/2 head shredded lettuce

10 wraps, wholegrain or gluten free substitute

Bonus tip: Why not

test out food from

other cultures? Spin

a globe together

and cook a dish from

wherever your finger

lands!

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. To make the meatballs, mix the beef mince, half of the onion, egg, garlic, grated carrot, zucchini, and uncooked rice together. Roll into about 10 meatballs.

3. Place the meatballs into an oven-proof dish.

4. Mix together in a big jug the tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce and the other half of the onion. Fill the empty tomato soup can with

water and add to the sauce mix. Once well mixed, pour over the meatballs.

5. Place dish in oven, cover and simmer for 40 mins or until the rice is tender and meatballs are cooked through.

6. Serve with cooked frozen veggies of your choice.

porcupine meatballs

There’s nothing spiky about these delicious meatballs, which make the perfect hot dinner – especially when the weather’s cooling down outside! Get little hands helping to roll the meatballs and place them into the oven-proof dish.

INGREDIENTS

500g lean beef mince

1 small onion, chopped

1 zucchini, grated

1 carrot, grated

1 egg

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tbsp garlic, minced garlic

500ml condensed tomato soup, salt reduced

150g white medium grain rice

Frozen vegetables to serve on side

Bonus tip:

Talk to your children about the smell,

taste and texture of food as you cook,

developing their language skills!

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a baking dish.

2. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water, following packet directions, until just tender. Drain. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened, add half the cheese. Cook for 2 minutes or until combined and cheese melted.

4. Stir in tuna, onion, frozen vegetables, cauliflower, and pasta and stir until heated through. Spoon into prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.

the perfect pasta bake

A truly delicious pasta bake needs no real explanation. This one incorporates tuna and vegetables to make a nutritious yet child-friendly and family-loving menu option.

INGREDIENTS

500g tin tuna in spring water, drained

300g macaroni*

600g frozen peas

200g frozen corn kernels

1 small onion

250g cauliflower

2 cups milk

1 cup grated cheese

50g margarine

1/4 cup plain flour*

*Or substitute with gluten-free options

bonus tip: If your child

is showing signs of

fussy eating, it may be

a process of exposing

the new food a certain

amount of times. Offer

new foods alongside a

food they are already

accustomed to; try

and reduce new food

anxiety by allowing

your child to experiment

with vegetables in

craft activities and

tea parties; or leave a

note from ,the fairies

,

or ,their favourite

superhero, encouraging

them to try something

new, such as greens

from the fairy garden.

banana monkey muffinsMakes 12 muffins

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a muffin tin with paper cases.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix them together with a whisk.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and honey and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt and vanilla. Mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok).

5. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups

6. Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

7. Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool – and enjoy!

This recipe makes muffins that even the cheekiest monkey would go bananas for! With no refined sugar and delicious elements such as Greek yogurt and cinnamon, they won’t last long out of the oven.

INGREDIENTS

1 and 3/4 cups wholemeal self-raising flour

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cups greek yoghurt

1 cups banana, chopped

Bonus tip: Get the kids involved in every step – including setting the table, cleaning the kitchen after cooking by putting things in the rubbish bin, and assisting in clearing the table after dinner!

METHOD

1. Slice the apples and use a small cookie cutter to remove cores. Set out small bowls of rolled oats, coconut, berries and cinnamon, adjusting quantities to allow for how many need to be fed!

2. Serve each child a serve of yoghurt with serve of apples, and encourage them to spread the yogurt over the apples. Then let them scatter their own toppings over the yogurt, eat and enjoy!

diy apple donuts with yoghurt and berries

Donuts with a twist, coming right up! This great snack option is fun for the whole family thanks to children being able to get hands-on and creative, taking ownership of their food. With delicious all-natural ingredients, this is unlike any donut you’ve had before.

INGREDIENTS

Apples, sliced and cored

Rolled oats or gluten free alternative

Shredded coconut

A pinch of cinnamon

Yogurt

Berries

Bonus tip: Create a healthy picnic lunch or dinner featuring a roast chicken from the supermarket, store-bought sushi rolls and fresh items such as grapes, cheese cubes, berries and cherry tomatoes. Have some fun with the backyard set-up too, and invite the teddy bears along!

best-ever strawberry oats smoothieMakes 5 serves of 150ml smoothies

METHOD

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, adding in a couple of handfuls of ice if desired and blend until smooth.

2. Pour into individual cups of 150ml each.

Be sure to stock up on frozen fruit for this one. There’s a reason we call it the best-ever smoothie - children can’t get enough of it, and we’ve seen the evidence in our centres! It’s perfect for those afternoons when you need something refreshing yet delicious.

INGREDIENTS

1 litre milk or unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup of rolled oats or gluten free alternative

1 cup frozen strawberries (add up to 1/2 cup more for a thicker smoothie)

2 medium bananas, chopped and frozen

1 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp honey (optional)

Bonus tip: You can

use cooking as an

opportunity to chat

more with your

children about where

food comes from and

extend the learning

into videos or books

about farming.

overnight, gluten-free bran and date muffinsMakes 12 large muffins

METHOD

1. Combine, in a medium bowl, the flour, cinnamon, and sugar.

2. Add the finely chopped dates, bran and oats.

3. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the oil, buttermilk and lightly beaten egg until it is well combined.

4. Cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight.

5. The next morning, preheat oven to 200°C. Place some muffin paper cases into a 12-hole muffin tin and fill generously.

6. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked when tested.

The best thing about this recipe is that it’s best to leave overnight – so why not mix it up around dinnertime and leave the batter in the fridge, ready to cook the next day? This makes breakfast or morning tea a healthy and delicious breeze!

INGREDIENTS

1 and 1/4 cups gluten-free self-raising flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar (use any sugar you prefer - coconut, brown or white)

1 cup rice bran

¾ cup gluten-free oats

125g dates, chopped

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk (or use dairy-free alternatives)

1 egg

Bonus tip: There,s nothing better than baked goodies straight out of the oven. This batter lasts for four to five days when refrigerated, so if you have a bigger family, you can make a double batch to keep in the fridge and enjoy fresh-baked muffins for breakfast over a few mornings!

Ready to get your children in the kitchen with you?

Here are all our helpful tips for getting little ones involved - all summarised in one place for easy reference!

Trying all kinds of different cooking methods is great for children and developing their fine motor skills. Stirring the batter for a loaf, tearing the lettuce for a salad, grating a lemon, pinching salt, kneading dough, the list goes on...

Get the kids involved in every step – including setting the table, cleaning the kitchen after cooking by putting things in the rubbish bin, and assisting in clearing the table after dinner!

Talk to your children about the smell, taste and texture of food as you cook, developing their language skills.

It’s a great idea for children to have a say in meal planning, but keep it simple: pasta or rice? Chicken or pork?

Write your meal plan for the week on a whiteboard in the kitchen, letting everyone have their individual contribution for what they’d like to see.

See if you can find recipe ingredients in the supermarket together – or, while online shopping at your supermarket of choice, try to work together to guess which category a certain ingredient may be in.

Why not test out food from other cultures? Spin a globe together and cook a dish from wherever your finger lands! Or talk to your child about the culture of origin for their meal.

You can also use cooking as an opportunity to chat more with your children about where food comes from and extend the learning into videos or books about farming.

If your child is too young to help, pop them in a highchair and name the ingredients as you prepare the food, allowing children to touch, smell and taste along the way.

Above all - be

messy, try

new things

and have fun!

Casa Bambini Early Education Centre