Discerning Little Palates!

LUNCH BOX LEGEND

CHEESY SMASHED BEEF QUESADILLAS

Serves: 4

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 7 mins per quesadilla

These are like a cross between a smash burger and a cheesy quesadilla. My kids love making these together. One will chop the salad up while another will mash avocado for the guacamole. These are a great idea for when your kids have friends over too.

500g lean minced beef

1 tbsp taco seasoning

8 plain tortilla wraps

½ red onion, finely sliced

olive oil, for frying

75g cheddar cheese, grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the chopped salad

3 tbsp mayonnaise

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tsp)

2 little gem lettuces, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 large tomatoes, chopped

6 pickled jalepeno slices, finely chopped

100 g radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

For the chunky guacamole

2 ripe avocados, stoned, peeled and roughly chopped

Juice of 2 limes (about 1 tbsp)

½ red onion, finely chopped

Small handful of coriander leaves, chopped

• For the chopped salad, mix the mayonnaise and lime juice together in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Place the remaining salad ingredients on top of the dressing, ready for tossing together before serving.
  
  
• To make the chunky guacamole, use a fork to gently mash the avocados with the lime juice in a separate bowl, keeping it chunky. Stir in the red onion and chopped coriander and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

• Put the minced beef in a large bowl, sprinkle over the taco seasoning and season generously with salt and pepper. Get stuck in with clean hands, scrunching to combine, then divide into 4 equal portions. Place a portion in the middle of each of 4 of the tortilla wraps (set the remaining wraps aside). Press the mince out evenly to the edges of each wrap, then scatter over the sliced onion and gently press it in.

• Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium high heat with a light drizzle of olive oil added. Add one prepared quesadilla, beef topping side down and cook for three minutes until golden, crispy and the beef is cooked through.

• Carefully flip it over, scatter over a quarter of the grated cheese, top with a plain wrap and press it down, using a spatula. Cook for 1 minute, then flip it by sliding it onto a plate and carefully flipping it back into the pan. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until golden and oozing with melted cheese. Slide the quesadilla straight onto a board and keep warm while you repeat to cook the remaining quesadillas.

• Mix the chopped salad with the sauce. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with the salad and chunky guacamole

FUSSY FAVOURITE

GORGEOUS GREEK MEATBALLS

Serves: 4

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Roll up roll up and get your hands on these lovely meatballs. With a fresh homemade tzatziki and Greek salad, you are sure to impress the whole family with this one. Warm pitta breads complete the experience, and you can all enjoy it family style.

For the meatballs

500g lean minced pork

250g lean minced beef

1 red onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

10g mint leaves, finely chopped

100g panko breadcrumbs

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp olive oil

For the tzatziki

½ cucumber

180g Greek yoghurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

juice of ½ lemon (about 1 tbsp)

handful of mint leaves, finely

chopped

For the Greek salad

4 vine tomatoes cut into wedges

1 cucumber roughly chopped

½ red onion, finely sliced

Handful of kalamata nuts

00g feta cheese, cut into

rough chunks

1 tsp dried oregano

juice of ½ lemon (about 1 tbsp)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To serve and finish

4 wholemeal pitta breads

Parsley leaves, finely chopped

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

• Grate the half cucumber and place in a sieve to drain.

• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs, apart from the olive oil, with salt and pepper to taste. With clean hands, mix well to thoroughly combine. Roll the seasoned mince into 16 even-size balls and place on the lined baking tray. Drizzle over the olive oil and brush it over the meatballs evenly. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until cooked through and brown all over. Set aside and keep warm.

• Meanwhile, to make the tzatziki, press the cucumber in the sieve to help remove all the excess water. In a clean bowl, combine the yoghurt, drained cucumber, garlic, lemon juice and mint. Season with salt and pepper, mixing well to combine.

• To make the salad, toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl and lightly season.

• Serve the meatballs with the warmed pittas, tzatziki and Greek salad, finished with a scattering of parsley.

Healthy Start: Fresh and fuss-free meals for all the family by Joe Wicks is published by LEAP in hardback, price £22. It includes 80 delicious, easy and unprocessed recipes for the whole family to enjoy.

Pictures by Mike English.

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