It’s nearly Christmas time, which means lots of food, fun and family time. Here and two fun and fabulous food ideas our amazing Chef Sarah has kindly shared to help get you into the Christmas spirit! We hope you get to enjoy these with your little ones this holiday season.
Spiced banana Santa muffins
Makes 12
Wet Ingredients:
- 3 very ripe large bananas, mashed (blended works best!)
- 1/4 cup oil (or softened vegan margarine)
Dry Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour (or a mix of whole wheat and all purpose)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
Topping:
- 12 large strawberries
- 250g cream cheese
- Powdered sugar to taste
Method:
- Mix the wet ingredients together.
- In a separate bowl add all the dry ingredients and mix together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently mix! (batter will be very thick)
4. Spoon into a 12-hole muffin pan
5. Bake at 350 F for 20-25m.
6. Whip the cream cheese while slowly adding powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time until desired sweetness.
7. Spoon or pipe a circle of cream cheese onto each muffin, pop a strawberry on top and another blob of cream cheese to make Santa’s hat!This a great recipe to enjoy on Christmas morning!
Rudolph’s winter vegetable pie!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 3lb potatoes, peeled, boiled until fork tender, mashed with butter of your choice, salt and pepper to taste.
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 celery sticks (chopped finely)
- 1 carrot (chopped finely)
- 200g mushrooms (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked green lentils (rinsed and drained)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon soy or tamari sauce
- Broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots, or any of your favourite veggies
Method
- Soften the onion, celery, carrot, mushrooms and garlic in a large pan with 1 table spoon of olive oil for 10 minutes.
- Add the green lentils, vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes, thyme and soy or tamari sauce to the pan.
- Season to your taste and simmer for 30-45 minutes until thickened.
- Place filling into a 13×9 rectangular oven proof dish.
- Top with mashed potatoes.
- Bake at 425 F for 20-25 minutes.
- While it bakes, lightly steam 8-10 each of broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots, or any of your favourite veggies.
- Remove pie from oven, place steamed veggies into the mashed potato in lines…. Like a vegetable garden!
(tip: adding a spinach leaf underneath each cauliflower and broccoli floret adds some realism!) - Sprinkle chopped parsley onto the pie to look like grass popping up through the snow.
- Let the kids raid the veggie patch!
