Recipes for Snacks

Being a working mum with two hungry boys to feed, I have learned the importance of rustling up simple, quick dishes in as little time as possible. So here is a selection of my favourite standby items and quick snacks that can be rustled up in the time that it takes a child to say "Mum! I'm hungry!"

Quesadillas

These are great for kids of all ages, especially as you can hold your head up high amongst all the yummy mummies at the school gates when your two year old is asking for Quesadillas for tea!

Basically, a quesadilla is a kind of mexican version of cheese on toast. Take one flour tortilla and pop it in a pre-heated frying pan with just a dash of oil. My technique is to sprinkle a covering of grated cheese over one half of the tortilla, fold it in half and then flip it over allowing both sides to brown and the cheese inside to melt. Allow to cool slightly and then slice up like a mini pizza.

This is the very basic version as, essentially, any of the toppings/fillings that you tend to add to things like pizzas or omelettes can be added to your Quesadilla. My husband adds ham and makes his using two tortillas - so leaves one flat in the frying pan, tops like a pizza, adds another tortilla and then flips over once the bottom is crisp and brown.

These really taste gorgeous and are so quick to make! I buy the long life tortillas that come vaccuum packed and these can be kept in the cupboard and then whipped out whenever needed. It is also a handy way of using up any slightly stale tortillas that have been left over from any other dishes as, since these are fried, it doesn't matter if they aren't particularly fresh.

Microwaved scrambled eggs

I have only recently been converted to the concept of microwaving eggs rather than scrambling then in a pan in the traditional fashion. One of the major advantages of this technique is the ease of washing up afterwards, as I beat the eggs straight into a pyrex jug and microwave them in that. After all, there is little point saving time by making quick dishes and snacks and then spending ten minutes trying to scrape off all the leftovers from a burnt pan!

Microwaved scrambled eggs take around 2-3 minutes, depending on the number of eggs used, and need stopping halfway through the cycle to stir vigorously with a fork. It is easy to overcook the eggs using this method though but I have learnt that whisking in a tablespoon of mayonnaise at the end helps to make them soft and fluffy again, if need be.

'Home made' pizza

Another handy store cupboard standby that is great for kids are the longlife packs of plain pizza bases. A squirt of tomato puree, sprinkle of cheese and a selection of toppings and ten minutes in the oven and dinner is served. Handy for my two year old as he loves to make silly faces on his pizza and he is much more likely to eat it then.

Jacket potatoes

Whilst not always renowned for the speed of preparation, I find jacket potatoes the ideal choice for evenings when my husband is at work and I'm settling down for an evening meal after the kids have gone to bed.

I generally have two jacket potatoes, cleaned and pierced and then stick them in the good old microwave for 7-10 minutes, depending on how big they are. I microwave them just as I get the kids out of the bath and they are ready by the time they are in their jim jams. After this, I just stick them in the oven at 200 degrees and they can stay in there getting nice and crisp until the kids are settled and I'm ready to fill it with my food of choice. You can, of course, do away with the browning in the oven all together, but I much prefer the skin to be crispy rather than the papery strands that come out of the microwave so I think the extra minutes in the oven are well worth it.

Fruit

I think we tend to think of snacks and standbys as being savoury items, but fruit is nature's great standby and it needs very little preparation and just helps to bridge that gap, particularly where hungry toddlers are concerned! I also like to add a generous helping of a good quality yoghurt to soft fruit which makes a lovely afternoon snack. Rachel's Organic Greek Style Yoghurt is particularly nice with a selection of berries. Yum!

Hopefully, that might have given you some food for thought for some quick dishes, the next time your little ones (or your not so little stomach) demand feeding in a hurry.

Summary: Simple, quick and easy!