Herbs are fun to grow and a great way to introduce ‘green stuff’ to children. Try them in these recipes from Daily Mail nutritionist and mum to Maya, Jane Clarke.
Children find herbs fascinating – they’re fragrant, the foliage is pretty, and they can be picked from pots in our window boxes, or from pots bought in Sainsbury’s. Using different types of herbs in family food is a great way to entice curious minds into making the association that food is a living thing that can be fun to grow and delicious to eat. Sometimes we can be a little wary of putting any chopped green stuff in children’s food, for fear that they’ll go: ‘Yuck! What’s this?’, but there isn’t any physiological reason why they should reject it. And like most foods, the sooner you expose toddlers to something new and present it as, ‘This is what we’re all eating together,’ (and not with an ‘I’m not sure you’ll like this’ look on your face, because they pick up on all these signals), the better. Fresh herbs give great flavours without having to use salt, and can even provide a little vitamin C. Just remember to wash them to remove any dirt. Although dried herbs taste a little less vibrant, they still work well in these recipes.
Courgette and pea patties with a parsley and yogurt dip
You can use white or wholemeal breadcrumbs in this recipe, or a mixture
Serves 2 adults and 2 toddlers
PREP TIME: 30 MINS
COOK TIME: 6 MINS
300g sainsbury’s courgettes, topped and tailed
175g fine fresh breadcrumbs
200g peas
6 spring onions, finely chopped
2 sainsbury’s free-range eggs,lightly beaten
1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh mint (washed)
2 heaped tbsp chopped fresh parsley (washed thoroughly)
1⁄2 a nutmeg, grated
olive, rapeseed or hemp oil
400g sainsbury’s basics natural yogurt
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (washed)
- Grate the courgettes into a colander, sprinkle generously with salt to draw out moisture and leave for 30 minutes.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190˚C, fan 175˚C, gas 5. Setting aside 4 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs, spread the rest on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until they turn golden-brown and crispy. Put to one side to cool.
- Rinse the grated courgettes thoroughly with lots of water to remove the salt. Place in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible, as you want these patties to be firm (in fact, it’s a good idea to spread the courgettes on a clean tea towel and blot with another clean towel, so they are as dry as possible). Mix the courgettes with the peas, onions, eggs, mint, parsley,
nutmeg, the 4 tablespoons of untoasted breadcrumbs and some pepper. Form the mixture into 18 plump little patties with your hands (get the kids to help!).
- Spread the toasted breadcrumbs on a plate and use to coat each of the patties. Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add enough oil to come halfway up the patties and fry until they are crisp and golden – about 3 minutes each side. drain well on kitchen paper.
- Beat the natural yogurt until smooth and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve as a tasty dip for your patties.
Broad bean and dill salad
The vivid-green colour of the broad beans makes this salad a feast for the eyes
Serves 2 adults and 2 toddlers
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 8 MINUTES
For the salad
375g shelled fresh broad beans
250g tiny baby carrots
8 spring onions, trimmed
250g garden peas (fresh or frozen)
1 sainsbury’s ripe and ready avocado
1 x 50g bag sainsbury’s wild rocket
10cm piece of sainsbury’s cucumber, thinly sliced
a handful of alfalfa sprouts (optional)
1⁄2 x 25g pack fresh dill (washed), chopped
For the dressing
3 tbsp lemon juice
grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
8 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
- To skin the broad beans, put them into a bowl and pour boiling water over them. When cool enough to handle, simply slip off the outer skin with your fingers to reveal the beautiful, green inner bean in two halves. As you skin them, place them in a large salad bowl.
- Put the carrots in a steamer over a pan of simmering water. Steam them for 4 minutes, then add the spring onions and peas and steam for a further 3-4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place all the dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar, put the lid back on and shake vigorously.
- When the vegetables are tender but still retaining their bite, remove them from the steamer and add them to the salad bowl, drizzle over the dressing and mix well. Allow the veggies to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, stone, peel and slice the avocado, then add it to the salad bowl along with the rocket, cucumber, alfalfa (if using) and dill. Season to taste with black pepper and serve straight away.
Chicken in a parsley pot
By cooking the chicken slowly in a casserole dish with herbs and vegetables, it really softens and is easy for children to eat. The resulting soup is delicious.
Serves 2 adults and 2 toddlers
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 2 1⁄2 HOURS
1 sainsbury’s small chicken (approx 1.25kg)
2 x 25g packs fresh flat-leaf parsley (washed thoroughly)
4 bunches of fresh thyme
3 dried bay leaves
1 small head of fennel, finely chopped
3 leeks, cleaned and roughly chopped
4 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 sainsbury’s courgettes, cleaned and cut into small pieces
750ml chicken (or vegetable) stock
100g fresh or frozen broad beans
300g sainsbury’s new potatoes, scrubbed clean
dijon mustard, to serve
- Preheat oven to 200˚C, fan 180˚C, gas 6. Place the chicken in a large casserole dish. Remove the leaves from the parsley and set to one side. Throw the parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaves, fennel, leeks, carrots and courgettes into the casserole.
- Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and cover with a lid. Place the dish in the middle of the preheated oven and cook for 2 hours. Five minutes before the end of the cooking, take the casserole out of the oven, add the broad beans, stir well, and then pop the casserole back into the oven.
- When the chicken is thoroughly cooked (the juices should run clear when you insert a knife into the thickest part of the breast), remove and discard the parsley stalks and bay leaves. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and cover it with clingfilm. Boil or steam the potatoes until tender. Finely chop the reserved parsley leaves and add them to the cooked vegetables. Check the seasoning and stir.
- Unless you want to serve the parsley and veg soup as a side dish, serve it as a starter while the chicken rests, then serve the room-temperature chicken (remove skin to reduce the fat content, if preferred) with the potatoes and some dijon mustard (which even little mouths can usually tolerate).
