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Tiffin Time

Surprise your kids with vegetable quiche, flapjacks, muffins and fresh fruitcakes to go

FRESH PEACH AND ALMOND CAKE

Makes: 12-16 squares

Preparation time: 20 min

Baking time: 30-35 min

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated

200 ml caster sugar

200 ml plain yoghurt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

160 ml fine polenta or yellow maize meal

175 gm ground almonds

8 fresh peaches, sliced

Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a square cake tin with baking paper.

1. Whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl until the mixture is pale and thick and falls back on itself in a thick ribbon.

2. Add the yoghurt and lemon zest.

3. Using a metal spoon, fold in the polenta or maize meal and almonds.

4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the polenta mixture.

5. Spoon half the batter into the cake tin, arrange the fruit on top and spoon the remaining batter over. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and firm. Cool in the tin then turn out on a platter.

Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.

For the lunchbox, wrap the squares in wax paper and pack. The cake lasts well for 3-4 days if kept in an airtight container.

BANANA AND CARROT MUFFINS

Makes: 24

Preparation time: 25 min

Cooking time: 25 min

Ingredients

500 ml cake flour

15 ml baking powder

5 ml bicarbonate of soda

5 ml mixed spice

10 ml ground cinnamon

500 ml wholewheat flour

5 ml salt

100 ml bran

100 ml muesli

50 ml desiccated coconut

50 ml sunflower seeds

50 ml flaxseed

100 ml seedless raisins

250 ml sunflower oil

3 eggs

10 ml vanilla essence

250 ml milk

500 ml finely grated carrots

6 mashed bananas

Almond flakes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease 24 muffin tin hollows.

2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, bicarbonate and spices.

3. Add the wholewheat flour, salt, bran, muesli, coconut, sunflower seeds, flaxseed and seedless raisins.

4. Whisk together the oil, eggs, essence and milk. Add the carrots and bananas. Add the dry ingredients and stir to blend.

5. Spoon the batter into the tins and scatter the almonds on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

CHICKEN AND PEA PASTA SALAD

Serves: 6-8

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time: 25 min

For the pasta:

250 gm shell pasta

10 ml salt

250 ml peas

1 red pepper, diced

200 gm herbed feta

Cheese, crumbled

For the chicken:

4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces

Grated zest of 1 lemon

5 ml olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the dressing:

45 ml olive oil

15 ml balsamic vinegar

15 ml lemon juice

60 ml chopped fresh parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Cover the pasta with boiling water and add the salt.

2. Microwave for 10-12 minutes or until just done but still firm.

3. Drain and toss with the remaining pasta ingredients. Set aside.

4. Season the chicken breasts with the lemon zest, oil, salt and pepper.

5. Put the chicken in a microwave-proof glass dish and microwave for 10-15 minutes or until done, stirring every 5 minutes.

6. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the chicken and mix well.

7. Allow the salad to cool. Spoon into small containers with lids. Pack into the lunchbox with an ice brick.

MINI CRUSTLESS QUICHE

Makes: 4-6

Preparation time: 15 min

Baking time: 35-40 min

Ingredients

15 ml olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

200 g spinach, chopped

200 g baby marrows, grated

200 g ricotta cheese, crumbled

200 g cheddar cheese, grated

60 ml finely chopped

Fresh parsley

Salt and black pepper

6 eggs

250 ml self-raising flour, sifted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Grease a 20 cm square cake tin or three small pie tins.

3. Heat the oil and stir-fry the onions and garlic until golden.

4. Mix the onion and garlic mixture, spinach, baby marrows, ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Whisk the eggs and add to the vegetable mixture.

6. Mix in the flour and turn the mixture into the prepared tin(s). Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and done. Cool completely.

7. If baking a large quiche, cut it into squares.

THREE KINDS OF FLAPJACKS

Makes: 32

Preparation time: 5 min

Standing time: 10 min

Cooking time: 12 min

Ingredients

For flapjacks:

500 ml self-raising flour

3 eggs

275 ml buttermilk

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Oil for frying

For tuna and sweet corn flavouring:

170 gm tuna, drained

410 gm whole-kernel sweet corn, drained

2 spring onions, finely chopped

For spinach and beef bacon flavouring:

500 gm finely chopped spinach

125 gm beef bacon, fried and finely chopped For butternut and feta cheese flavouring:

500 gm grated butternut

2 rounds feta cheese, crumbled

A pinch of ground cumin

Method

1. Mix the ingredients for the flapjacks (except the oil) until well blended.

2. Stir in one of the preferred flavourings and allow the batter to stand for about 10 minutes.

3. Heat a little oil and fry spoonfuls of the mixture over medium heat until cooked and golden on both sides.

Tip: The flapjacks freeze well so consider baking a batch in two or all three flavours for variety.