Lentil and potato puree

Makes 4-5 serves

Ingredients:

• 50g (4 dessert spoons) red lentils
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced into small pieces

Methods:

1. Place lentils in a pan. Add 300ml water and bring to boil. Cover with a pot lid and simmer for 10minutes.
2. Add potatoes to same pan and cook for a further 15minutes. Cook until mixture is soft, adding more water if mixture begins to stick to the pot.
3. Drain the mix using a sieve but reserve the liquid to add later.
4. Puree the mix with a couple of dessertspoons of the cooking liquid. Adjust consistency with more of the cooking liquid if required.

Cottage pie with mash

Makes 6 serves

Ingredients:

• 100g minced beef
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, scrubbed and grated
• 2 tablespoons frozen peas
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Methods:

1. Place mince and chopped onion in a small pan and cook gently until the mince is browned.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and grated carrot. Cover and allow to cook gently for 15-20minutes.
3. Add peas 5minutes before the end of cooking time. Stir occasionally, adding more water as required.
4. Cover potatoes with water in a pan and put a lid on the pan. Cook until soft. Add more water if needed. Then drain and mash together with 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
5. When mince is cooked, serve with the mashed potato.

Egg bites with kale and feta

Makes 24 serves

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tbs butter, melted
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup (125ml) milk
• 1 cup (60g) finely chopped kale
• ½ red capsicum, diced
• 125g fetta, crumbled

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180° Celsius (160° Celsius fan-forced).
2. Brush a 24-hole mini muffin pan with melted butter.
3. In a large jug, whisk eggs and milk.
4. Divide kale, capsicum and fetta among prepared muffin holes then evenly pour over egg mixture.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the egg mixture is just set in centre (it will rise up during cooking, then sink down on cooling).
6. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Pumpkin, mushroom and spinach pasta

Makes 4 serves

Ingredients:

• 800g kent pumpkin, seeded, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 375g rigatoni pasta
• 300g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 1 ½ cups (125ml) milk
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup (80g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Olive oil spray

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°
2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Arrange pumpkin on lined tray. Spray with olive oil spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain.
4. Spray a non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray. Place over high heat. Add the mushrooms and spring onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the mushroom is just tender.
5. Add flour and cook, stirring for one minute or until grainy.
6. Gradually add the milk. Cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until the sauce boils and thickens.
7. Add the pasta, pumpkin, spinach and three quarters of the parmesan to the mushroom mixture in the pan. Stir to combine.
8. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan to serve.

from an Expert Author

Melanie McGrice

BSc (Nutr), Hons, MNutrDiet, AdvAPD – Dietitian

Melanie McGrice is Australia’s leading dietitian in fertility, pregnancy and women’s and infant health. She is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, one of the few dietitians in Australia to achieve that status. Her success has made her an in-demand practitioner, author, conference speaker, researcher and go-to resource for the media.

Melanie earned her Master’s Degree in Dietetics with a simple goal in mind: to help people use nutrition to make a positive difference in their lives. That goal became a reality with the establishment of Nutrition Plus. Nutrition Plus is an Australia-wide team of experienced dietitians with a passion for Early Life Nutrition. It’s no surprise that she was awarded the coveted ‘Australian Dietitian of the Year’ in 2018.

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