Can NUTS do justice to a HEALTHY KIDS’ LUNCHBOX?

Looking for healthy alternatives to red meat for your little tykes?

Nuts are a tasty and super-convenient super-food for keeping your little ones fighting-fit and full of vitality, health and mischief!

Honestly, jokes apart – each nut packs a WALLOP when it comes to vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, protein and fiber. Exactly what your child needs to grow, develop and learn.

Kinds of Nuts

Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts… just to name a few. Whew!

Nuts lend themselves to some easy and quick meal ideas. We have taken it upon ourselves to compile some of them for your convenience and also included quick snippets on their nutritional quotient. So go ahead, try these following yummy ideas to help your kids get their healthy handful daily!

Prepare a Trail Mix for School Lunchboxes

Trail mix is an ideal smart snack. It is a perfect blend of flavor and energy. You can rustle up this snack in a few minutes if you keep the following ingredients at hand:

Legumes like peanuts or baked soybeans.

Dried fruits like apples, apricots, candied orange peel, cranberries and raisins.

Chocolate chips, chunks, and M&M’s. 

Breakfast cereals like Granola.

Click here if your kids need variety and you want to see some awesome recipes.

• It is a GOOD IDEA to introduce babies to peanuts before they turn one to minimize the chances of developing peanut-allergies.
• Boiled peanuts have a unique flavour. Boiling enriches their nutritional and antioxidant profile. 

Toss Almonds or Cashews through a Stir Fry

Try a chicken, cashew and almond stir fry. To make this, use macadamia oil to fry 3 small, thinly-sliced chicken breast fillets on medium-high heat until golden and cooked through. Then lightly fry wedges cut from a medium-sized onion with a bunch of broccoli, chopped into pieces 5 cm long. Cook them for 4 minutes or till they are tender. Add a teaspoon of shredded ginger and a trimmed and roughly chopped bunch of baby bok choy. Then add half a cup each of trimmed snow peas, blanched raw almonds and cashews. Stir fry until bok choy is wilted, which should take around 2 minutes. 

Now, for the finishing touches – toss the fried chicken in a quarter cup of plum sauce and 2 tablespoons of salt-reduced soy sauce. Cook for just a minute and serve with 4 cups of cooked basmati rice.

This is sure to keep the little ones satiated and happy.

• Almonds are rich in protein, calcium and vitamin E.
• Cashewnuts provide plant-based iron and have a low Glycemic Index.
•  Facts courtesy of Nutrition Australia

Add Roast Chestnuts or Pine Nuts to a Salad

Bulgur Salad with chestnuts, pine nuts and pomegranate is a huge hit. It’s easy to make, can feed the whole family and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare!

Saute 200 gms of Bulgar in 75 ml of olive oil on high heat. Be careful while doing this; don’t let it burn. Stir continuously and add a tablespoon of butter once it turns golden. Keep stirring after taking it off from heat until the butter is completely incorporated. When that is done, bring your vessel back on the heat and add a chicken bouillon cube, 200 ml of water and bring to a boil. Now take the vessel off again, cover and set aside for 10 minutes. This will allow the Bulgar to soak up all of the liquid. 

Dry roast 150 gms of boiled and chopped chestnuts in a nonstick pan on medium heat. There is no need to add any oil at all. Add 3 tablespoons of pine nuts and immediately remove the pan from heat and keep stirring. 

Mix a couple of thinly-sliced spring onions, half a clove of minced garlic and half a bunch of finely-chopped parsley in a bowl. Add finely chopped mint and oregano. Feel free to experiment with the herbs. Add the nuts, Bulgar, seeds from one whole pomegranate, zest of one lemon juice and mix.

Season with salt, pepper and 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with grated or crumbled feta cheese on the top with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.

• Raw chestnuts are rich in vitamin C. They are also good sources of fibre and have a low Glycemic Index.
• Pine nuts contain vitamin E and Arginine, a semi-essential amino acid.
• Nutrition Australia

Sprinkle Roasted, Chopped Hazelnuts or Pistachios over Soup

A topping of Hazelnuts and Pistachios with Roasted Pumpkin Soup is sure to hit home. 

Cut a large pumpkin into quarters and deseed. Store the seeds. Place it on a baking sheet on a tray and rub the whole surface of the pumpkin with a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle some seasoning and roast it for 45 minutes in a preheated oven at 200℃. Remove and cool for a few minutes after making sure it is tender. Puree the roasted pumpkin to a smooth consistency using 200 ml of chicken stock.

Saute two small chopped shallots in 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter for 5 mins until they become soft. Add a teaspoon of fresh thyme and keep sauteing for half a minute. Now add the pureed pumpkin, any leftover chicken from making the stock, 200 ml of coconut milk, 200 ml water, a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg, maple syrup and crushed chilly flakes. Simmer on a low flame for 15-20 minutes.

On the side, make preparations to fry the pumpkin seeds. Toss them in a bowl with a tablespoon of coconut milk and a tablespoon of flour. Then fry them in a little olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Once they have browned evenly remove them from the skillet and drain well using paper towels. Dust them well with a seasoning of chipotle chilly powder, pepper, brown sugar.

Finally, portion the soup into bowls. Cover with a thick layer of chopped hazelnuts and pistachios. You can also add a dollop of fresh pesto if you feel like it.

• Hazelnuts contain fibre, folate, potassium and vitamin E.
• Pistachios are packed with the antioxidant resveratrol, plant sterols, potassium and protein.
• Nutrition Australia

Chop Macadamia as a Crust on Grilled Fish

This Macadamia-crusted fish with salad works like a charm.

Use a food processor to blitz 2 cups of unsalted macadamias, a chopped clove of garlic, the grated zest and half the juice from one lemon, and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Stir in 2 tablespoons each of finely chopped parsley and chives. 

Place fillets of any fish of your choice on a tray and press generous dollops of the mixture on the top surface of the fillets. Bake them at 200°C in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes and remove. Check if the fish is completely cooked. The outer crust should be golden in color and the flesh should be opaque. 

Finally, whip up a quick salad of your choice. We’ve put in two ideas here that you can try. First, toss together remaining parsley leaves, halved chives, any other salad leaves off your choice, remaining oil and lemon juice. Season to your taste and serve with lemon wedges and the fish you just prepared. 

Second, roughly chop 800 gms of steamed potatoes. Mix the pieces with a cup of mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley/mint, a tablespoon of seeded mustard and 4 finely chopped spring onions. This has to be served chilled with the piping hot fish.

Last step: watch your kids gobble it up and then ask for more.

• Macadamias have the highest concentration of monounsaturated fats, thiamin and manganese.

Crush Pecans over Low-fat Yogurt and Fruit

Now this one is a whopper. Not only is it perfect for packing into a kiddo’s lunchbox, but you can try this out at your next BBQ party as well!

Halve and stone 4 of any of the following fruits: yellow peaches, nectarines, pineapples, avocados, pears, tomatoes, bananas, figs, etc. Use as many or as little fruits according to your judgement, this is so tasty that not a little bit will go to waste. Brush them carefully with maple syrup. Char-grill them face-down for 8-10 minutes until grill marks are visible and peaches are caramelized. The grill needs to be sprayed generously with olive oil prior to this. The fruit has to be served with non-fat plain Greek yoghurt and topped with crushed pecans.

Last step: scold your husband and then both your children for trying to steal extra portions when you’re not looking.

• Pecans are rich in fibre and antioxidants.

Add Walnuts to Home-made Banana Bread

Mix together a one-and-a-quarter cup of flour, a teaspoon of baking soda, and half a teaspoon of salt in a bowl and keep aside. Whisk two large eggs and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract and set aside. Using any mixer cream half a cup of unsalted butter and a cup of sugar. While still mixing, gradually add the egg mixture. Add 3-4 very ripe mashed bananas. Even if the mixture appears curdled, keep mixing as this is perfectly alright. Finally, remove the bowl from the mixer and mix in the flour mix using a spatula. Then fold in the Walnuts. 

Butter a pan and bake the final mix for 55 minutes in an oven preheated to 175℃. A toothpick stuck into the bread should come out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then remove the bread from the pan. Cool completely without refrigerating and then wrap in plastic cling wrap.

Last step: shop for a new dress as you have to go gift-giving this Christmas and collect compliments for both your outfit and your baking!

• Walnuts have monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that decrease harmful cholesterol levels in the body.

Add Chopped Nuts to Muesli, Porridge or a Whole Grain Breakfast Cereal

Click here for a quick-yet-detailed breakdown on muesli. Add nuts of your choice to the muesli or porridge – whatever you’re having. This is a great meal option for kids as the recipes can be constantly changed over literally a thousand variations. They will never get bored with this and it makes for a great breakfast, lunch or any-time snack!

• Brazil nuts are rich in fibre and selenium. Two brazil nuts a day provide enough selenium for an adult. 

A Pure Nut Spread on Toast, or as a Sandwich Filling, or in Celery Sticks

A fun and ultra-portable snack option. Make boats out of celery sticks filled with nut-buttery goodness. Or use Toast for that matter – there are many options and ways to enjoy nut butter spreads. Make or get your nut butter and reap the health benefits of this wholesome snack idea.

Well, that’s it! 

We’re kind of confident that your kids won’t drive you crazy (at least for a while) with their choosiness about what’s in their lunchbox!

Just arm yourself with super-fresh, the most organic and high-quality ingredients from Jim’s Home Fresh Deliveries. Shop our Nut Mixes at www.jimsfresh.com.au and get them delivered at your doorstep.