Hidden Veg Sausage Rolls

Sausage rolls are sooooo handy on the evenings when we are all coming and going.

In the past I have been a big fan of cheese and bacon rolls but I am currently experimenting with hidden veggies with the aim of making these at the school I work in.

I do make a gluten free version for my youngest but he ate them too quickly for the photo! His sausage mix is made with gluten free fresh breadcrumbs and gluten free puff pastry.

Makes 20 large sausage rolls or 80 mini rolls for party food.

Ingredients

130g wholemeal bread blitzed to make breadcrumbs, crusts and the heel of the loaf are fine

100g onion, peeled and finely diced or blitzed

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley leaves

300g carrots, peeled and grated

350g zucchini/courgette grated and all liquid squeezed out by hand

500g minced pork

1-2 teaspoons dried sage

Salt and pepper

5 sheets pre rolled puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, onion, parsley, carrots, zucchini, pork, sage and a good seasoning of salt and pepper.

Seperate the pastry sheets, divide the sausage mix into 10 balls. Roll each ball into a sausage shape and lay one on the top half and one on the bottom half of each pastry sheet. Repeat with the remaining sausage mix.

Use a sharp knife to cut each sheet in half. Brush the cut with the beaten egg and then roll the pastry towards the egg wash to allow it to stick.

Cut the roll into your desired size, brush with egg and sprinkle with a little black sesame seeds if using. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

Zucchini Slice

School has finally gone back in Western Australia for the start of the new school year. I am tempted to do a little happy dance!!!

As ever, I have been on the hunt for a gluten free savoury to go into the lunch boxes and this one has been voted by the boys as a winner!

For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon and add grated sweet potato or just increase the zucchini, carrot and capsicum.

You can serve this warm or cold and it easily cuts into 8-10 pieces.

Ingredients

420g zucchini/courgette grated

200g carrot, peeled and grated

6 large spring onions, finely sliced

20g chives, chopped

180g capsicum/ bell pepper, diced

300g sliced bacon, diced

180g cheese, Cheddar, grated

110g Parmesan, grated

150g chickpea flour, also called besan

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

4 eggs, beaten

125mls milk

salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees centigrade. Line the base and sides of a small roasting tin, roughly 20cm x 32cm.

Whisk the egg and milk.

Combine the chickpea flour and baking powder in a large bowl, slowly whisk in the egg and milk mix.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix, season well with salt and pepper.

Spoon into the prepared tin, level out with the back of the spoon and bake for 40 minutes until golden.

Allow to cool a little before cutting.

 

Sunshine Salad

This salad evolved from trying to get the boys to eat more veggies, to begin with they were allowed to choose one item not to eat in the salad, fortunately now they eat it all!

Serves 6 as a side dish.

Ingredients

1/2 a head iceberg lettuce

large handful baby spinach leaves

1 carrot, peeled and grated or finely julienned

4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges

3 large mushrooms, finely sliced

1 Lebanese cucumber, finely sliced

1/2 head of broccoli, broken into florets and blanched

2 avocados, sliced

2 nectarines, sliced

3 hard boiled eggs, quartered

Dressing

2 tablespoon sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 lime, juiced

salt and pepper

Method

I layer the salad in the order of the ingredients.

Mix the dressing ingredients.

Spoon some dressing over the salad and serve the remainder on the side.

Double Choc Chip Muffins with Zucchini or Courgette

I have gone through a stage with each of my boys when they would refuse to eat vegetables. I still snuck the vegies in where ever I could, pizza sauce, pasta sauce and baking were all good hiding places!

Now, they will all have a go at pretty much anything and seem rather proud of these chocolate muffins with cunningly disguised zucchini or courgette as I was brought up calling them!

The choc chips aren’t essential, they work as more of a distraction to stop little people hunting for the veg! Feel free to omit them if you would rather not have them and maybe add 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Ingredients

280g plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

40g cocoa powder

1 egg

140g soft brown sugar

80mls milk

90g butter, melted

340g zucchini/courgette, grated

150g white choc chips

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade, line a 12 hole muffin tin.

Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa in a large bowl.

In a jug combine the egg, sugar, milk, butter, courgette and chic chips.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.

Spoon the mix into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25mins.

Allow to cool on a wire rack.