The girls head back to school this week. As well as uniform shopping, label sewing, and form filling, it also means stocking fridge and pantry with packed-lunch-friendly food.
First up in the biscuit box this autumn… fruity bites.
Healthy (if you overlook the condensed milk), nut-free (coconut is permitted in our school’s “nut-free” zone), and durable enough to withstand a bit of lunch box rough and tumble, fruity bites fit the bill.
Barmbrack is a traditional Irish bread made with dried fruit that has been steeped in tea. Often served on Halloween, I chose it to represent Ireland in our Euro 2016 food challenge.
There are both yeast and quick bread versions of barmbrack – I decided to make a yeast one using a recipe I’d clipped from a magazine years ago.
I soaked my fruit in the morning, planning to bake mid-afternoon, in time for the Ireland-Sweden match, but the dough had other plans… Continue reading
Oatmeal school cookies strike the right balance between healthy and treat. Despite the wholewheat flour and wheat germ, there’s just enough sugar and butter to spare them being worthy.
I’ve made these cookies dozens of times, using whatever dried fruit I have on hand, or swapping the fruit for chocolate chips.
They are just as nice with nuts – but then they wouldn’t be school cookies, unless your school is bucking the “nut-free-zone” trend.
Kabuli pilau is my first foray into Afghan cuisine. Considered Afghanistan’s national dish, Kabuli pilau is usually made with lamb, though I also found recipes that used chicken as well as meat-free versions. Continue reading
Ten More Bites 