We’re all aware of the reports out in the past few days which highlight the fact that children who eat the same food as their parents rather than just ‘kids’ meals’ are far more likely to have healthy diets.
We’ve just been told about a home delivered recipe box service, HelloFresh.co.uk, which encourages parents and children to cook together. Now obviously it’s not something you might choose to do regularly because of the cost implications but it’s definitely something that would be a real time-saver and a treat for us Mums and Dads and we think children might like it too. Seeing the pictures of the recipes online and then the excitement of a box of ingredients being delivered…. The idea that they could create some of the dishes they’ve seen online – all of this may well turn your little one into a budding chef or at least someone who’s interested in making ‘nice’ food that they can enjoy eating!

Below is one of Hello Fresh’s most popular recipes and it beats frozen chicken nuggets any day.  I also thought you Mums might be interested in a pic of the recipe’s creator, Head Chef, Patrick Drake! (Personally I can’t decide which one pic looks the most appealing!)  Patrick who is also co-founder of HelloFresh.co.uk told us, “We’ve been hearing all sorts of stories that the nippers who venture into the kitchen from a young age to help their parents have a much greater curiosity for new foods and are more likely to eat more healthily as adults. With that in mind I’ve created a few recipes with a wee bit of child labour thrown in for good measure. This one is a total favourite as whilst you make the stew the little ones can get rolling the meatballs. If you are what you eat then we’re pretty sure this approach will create a nation of superheroes, which is always better than a Turkey Twizzler!”

Moroccan Spiced Lamb with Sweet Vegetable Stew

Ready in 45 Minutes

Ingredients
250g Lamb Mince
100g Cous Cous
⅓ Cup Red Onion, Finely Diced
⅓ Cup Carrot, Finely Diced
⅓ Cup Celery, Finely Diced
Half Cup Swede Roughly Chopped
Half Cup Parsnip Roughly Chopped
1 Tin Tomatoes
3 Dry Apricots
⅓ Cup Fresh Coriander
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Spring Onion
¼ Tsp All Spice
¼ Tsp Cumin
¼ Tsp Turmeric
⅛ Tsp Ginger
½ Chicken Stock Pot

Method
1. Chop the carrot, celery, garlic and onion as finely as possible. Tip: Whizz in a food processor if you have one. Peel and roughly chop (2cm cubes) the parsnip and the swede. Finely chop the spring onion and roughly chop the apricots
2. Heat a tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan on medium/low heat. Cook the finely diced carrot, celery, garlic and onion for about 8 minutes. Tip: You want to cook the mixture until it is soft and be sure not to let it brown off
3. Now add the swede and parsnip. Sprinkle on a ¼ tsp of salt with the turmeric and ginger. Add the chopped apricots, put a lid on a stew for 5 minutes more. When the veg has softened add the tomatoes, half the stock and a cup of water
4. For the meatballs, thoroughly mix the spring onions into the lamb. Mix in ½ teaspoon of salt, the all spice and the cumin. If your stew is drying out a little, turn the heat to low and add a dash of water
5. Take a tsp of the lamb mixture at a time and roll it into a little ball. Tip: Keep a cup of water to clean your fingers while you make the meatballs also you want to keep the meatballs small, so give your helpers a guide for the first one
6. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium/high heat. Cook the meatballs for a couple of minutes on each side until they are just browned off. When the meatballs are cooked drain the oil and rest them on kitchen towel if you have some
7. Boil 150ml of water with a quarter teaspoon of salt. Add in your cous cous and cover the pot tightly. Take the pot off the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Tip: Be exact with the amount of water to prevent soggy cous cous!
8. Roughly chop the coriander. Fluff up your cous cous with a fork. Stir the meatballs gently into the stew. Serve the stew on top of the cous cous with a sprinkle of coriander