I’m on a mission to find new ways to get veggies into the boy. He likes veggies and on a good day will eat pretty much anything. However when he is under the weather or teething he pulls a right face and hands it all right back to me. Which is frustrating. I find as a general rule he isn’t as keen when he is given large chunks of vegetables on the side of a meal. What he really gets on well with is having small pieces of vegetables mixed in something. All well and good, but it can leave me scratching my head a lunchtimes.
Lunch in our house is often a quick, thrown together, snack type meal – typically with vegetables on the side. So today I tried out adding grated courgette to my pancake recipe. OH MY DAYS. This was good. Amazingness in a pancake. Miss K doesn’t like courgette but will tolerate it if I grate it. She ate these up, asked for more and gave me a pass mark.
The boy looked at them and snarfed them up. Then asked for his train book “Choo Choo” Top marks I think.
“Mummy you can make these again” Miss K.
Courgette Pancakes
2015-04-19 14:34:21
Serves 4
A quick lunchtime recipe that boosts the veggies up. Can be bulk cooked and frozen.
Lunches are always the meal I struggle the most with. I’m usually running around, in the middle of juggling clients and children and my brain can have a tendency to lose its creative, inspired food button. I’m sure I can’t be the only one – right? My kids however, they always get a decent lunch. Part of my issue is that I am wheat intolerant and I tend to forget to cater for myself.
At the same time I know that fueling myself with a healthy, nutritious lunch will not only make me feel good but will aid my concentration levels, keep my mood perked up and make me more productive. I have an active lifestyle: between teaching 12 Pilates classes and numerous one to one clients every week and chasing 2 small children I get my activity quota in. So for me a low glycaemic index lunch is important to keep my energy levels sustained. I also get cold easily… so warming lunches make me happier. I get grumpy when cold.
So to help me and to help you here are my top healthy winter lunches:
Warm Lunches:
Carrot and Lentil Soup. I love the fact this provides a portion of veggies and protein all in one hit. Pair it with a wholegrain roll or some oatcakes and some fruit and you are set for the afternoon.
Baked potato with baked beans and cottage cheese and salad. Pure comfort food that you still know is healthy. This always fills me up.
Poached egg on wholegrain toast with salad. If I don’t have any wheat free bread in then I have this with rice cakes and dip them into the egg.
Cold Lunches:
Smoked mackerel and salad platter. If I’m working through lunch I quite like little bits to nibble on. Mackerel fillets are great as they provide omega 3’s but they don’t take a lot of preparation, I then tend to add oatcakes, a little cheese, some celery sticks with hummus or cream cheese, chopped tomatoes and cucumber and anything else in the fridge 😉
Hummus with oatcakes, avocado and salad. There is something about making up a fresh batch of hummus ready for your lunch. Amazing.
Peanut butter and banana on rice cakes. If you haven’t tried it you must. Finish up with a yoghurt and fruit for a full tum.
What are your favourite lunches?
Freelance Dietitian specialising in helping those with Eating Disorders and a Media Spokesperson for the profession.
