Storytime Chefs : Rainbow Fish Pizzas

makes four individual pizzas

These quick and healthy pizzas are inspired by The Rainbow Fish (by Marcus Pfister), and encourage children to pile up on a variety of different coloured veggies, helping them meet their five a day targets and eat a rainbow too. I’ve honestly never seen my five year old so keen to load up with every colour of vegetable.

For speed and convenience, shop-bought pitta bread works fine (Waitrose and Ocado stock organic versions).  Pitta are easy to cut to shape with sturdy kitchen scissors, and both wholemeal and white pitta both taste great in these pizzas.

Trimming into a fish shape can be a bit awkward (there’s a good chance that little ones could accidentally chop off a tail!) but is great for developing motor skills - so be prepared to model where to cut and help little ones. (and have a few pitta spare just in case)

If you want to make your own pitta (which is great fun and everso easy) - we’ve included a recipe to make your own in the resources section of our FB group.

Next comes a topping of our veggie packed magic tomato sauce, but any good quality tomato pasta sauce will work (we like Seeds of Change and Mr Organic sauces).

Let your junior chefs get busy with the cheese grater, minding their fingers (and fingernails)  before offering them a rainbow selection of veggie toppings.

Ingredients

4 pitta bread (wholemeal or white))

Approx 150g tomato sauce

Cheese to grate (e.g. cheddar, mozzarella)

A pinch of dried Italian herbs

Plus a selection of rainbow coloured veg to top:

Peppers (capsicum) in red, yellow, green and orange)

Sweetcorn

Red onion or spring onions (scallions)

Broccoli

Baby mushrooms

Cherry tomatoes

Olives

Plus a spritz/dribble of olive oil

Method*

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 0 C

2. Trim pitta into a fish shape using kitchen scissors, and place on a baking sheet.

3. Spread a heaped tablespoon of tomato sauce on each pitta,

4.Grate cheese and sprinkle over sauce, adding a pinch of Italian herbs.

5. Carefully chop your vegetables into little pieces using a table knife, scissors or a child's safety knife .

6. Top pizzas - go to town making your pizza fish as colourful as possible.

7. Spritz or dribble with a little olive oil.

6. Bake for 1-12 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Allow to cool a little before eating.

Optional: try mini pittas to make lunch-boxed sized mini rainbow fish treats.

*N.B. Children should always be supervised when cooking, and an adult should oversee the use of heat as well as all preparation involving sharp utensils.

Prepare your ingredients

Carefully trim pitta into fish shapes

Spread tomato sauce over pitta

Sprinkle with grated cheese & a pinch of Italian dried herbs

Decorate with beautiful rainbow veg

Spritz or drizzle with a little olive oil

Bake for 10-12 mins until bubbling

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Developing cooking skills:

Encourage your children to do as much of the pizza prep as possible. We’ve highlighted the hands on skills they will be developing  below:

1. Cut the pitta bread into a fish shape using scissors (adult/older child task unless very dextrous)

2. Spoon and spread pizza sauce (child)

3. Grate cheese and sprinkle over pizza sauce (child - may need support grating)

4. Take a pinch of italian herbs and sprinkle over cheese (child)

5. Prepare veggie toppings - dice and slice peppers, mushrooms, olives (child - younger cooks may need support slicing or offer strips which they can dice/snip with a safe knife or scissors)

6. Snip spring onions (if using) with scissors (child)

7. Build your rainbow fish pizza using fingers or a spoon to create colourful (veggie) rainbow scales (child)

8. Drizzle or spritz with a little olive oil  - an oil spray works well for this (child - may need support)

9. Ask an adult to place in the oven for approx 12 mins (adult or older child)

10. Wait until cooled and enjoy.

Don’t forget to take some photos and share them with us in the Storytime Chef group (or tag us on instagram #storytimechef #organiccookeryschool)

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Suggested Equipment:

Apron and clean hands

Baking Sheets

Grater

Child safe knives / table knifes or sharp knife (under adult supervision

Scissors

Lots of spoons

Enjoy this? Try our Rainbow Fish inspired digestive biscuits.

Where to get hold of a copy of The Rainbow Fish:

Link to Rainbow Fish on Amazon UK                      Link to Rainbow Fish on Amazon US

Or don’t forget to check your local library.

By shopping with the links we have provided, we may earn a small referral commission which goes straight back into our community outreach projects for vulnerable families It also doesn’t cost you anymore. Thank you!

Healthy Valentine Recipes Your Kids Will Love

We love Valentine’s day at The Organic Cookery School. Partly because it often falls in our February half term (so extra time for kids’ baking classes!) and because it’s Lucy’s wedding anniversary (awww!) on the 14th.

So whether it’s a weekend or school hols activity, Valentine’s is a perfect time to get hands on in the kitchen with your little ones.

Here are some our our favourite health(ier) recipes for Valentine’s.

These raspberry yogurt mousse pots from Eats Amazing are super quick and lower sugar than your average dessert.

Peanut Butter fans will go crazy for Healthy Little Foodies  Raspberry Peanut Butter Freezer Bites     

More than Just Carrots have also rethought the Jammie Dodger, with a strawberry chia jam and wholemeal hazelnut biscuit.                                                                                                                            

Frozen strawberries work perfectly in these healthy Strawberry Breakfast Bites from My Kids Lick The Bowl with oats, coconut and sunflower seeds.

All About Kids have reinvented the traditional Jammie Dodger with raspberry chia jam. Yum!         

And if hummous is your thing, you can’t go wrong with this Beetroot Hummous recipe from Baby Gram

And Valentine’s is one time when breakfast balls needn’t just be for breakfast! Healthy Little Foodies’s Raspberry and Coconut ones look delicious and are perfect for little hands to roll.

Lucy and Clare over at The Happy Weaner have plenty of ideas for cute Valentine snacks

But one of our favourites has to be these super cute Valentine apple love bugs from Grace at Eats Amazing Who could resist?

We hope that’s given you a little inspiration for 14th February and we’d love to hear if you try any of the above.

Chocolate and Prune Chia Seed Pudding (for babies/toddlers)

So we’re cheating here - this recipe isn’t just for babies and toddlers and we give you and your older kids full permission to enjoy this as much as your little people.

However, that said, it is a perfect weaning recipe and full of protein, omega 3 and dietary fibre. Suitable from 6 months plus - there can’t be many puddings which pack as much goodness and flavour in. With no added sugar and plenty of vitamins and minerals, you'll want to try this with your fussy eater too.

This is the first of three chia seed pudding recipes we’ve developed for our Cooking for Baby parents. Enjoy!

Ingredients

½ tin Coconut Milk

3 tablespoons Chai Seeds

½ Ripe Banana

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

8 prunes soaked in hot water

2 heaped tablespoons Cacao or Cocoa

Method

1) Finely chop or blend soaked prunes to a puree.

2) Mash banana and mix with prunes, coconut milk, cocoa/cacao, vanilla extract and chai seeds.

3) Leave in fridge for 3 hours minimum (overnight is fine)

4) Consume within 48 hours

NOTE:

This chocolate flavoured pudding may sound indulgent, but has a healthy twist. The sweet coconut milk complements the fibre packed prunes – great for ensuring a healthy gut and preventing constipation. Omega 3 is essential for young children to support brain development and good heart health, and is found in abundance in chia seeds.

Pear and Chocolate Pudding

serves 4

Low sugar and using store cupboard staples, this is perfect when you need a healthier chocolate pudding for the family. This goes down a storm in our community cookery classes and we’ve heard reports of it being served at fancy dinner parties. If you’re feeling indulgent throw in some extra dark chocolate chips ☺

INGREDIENTS:

3 tinned pear halves (drained)

75g flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons cocoa

75g golden caster sugar

75g soft butter

1 medium egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200˚ C.

2. Grease foil baking tin. Place pear halves into base of cooking dish. Halve again if easier to fit.

3. Prepare your batter. Sieve flour, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.

4. Beat sugar and butter together in another bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth, add to dry ingredients.

5. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix well until combined into a dark batter.

6. Spread batter over pears and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until crusty and puffed up. The pudding should still be slightly gooey inside.

7. Allow to cool slightly and eat lukewarm, with chocolate sauce, cream or ice cream.

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Assemble the ingredients

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Mix flour, baking powder and cocoa

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Beat together sugar and butter

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Add wet ingredients to dry, add egg and vanilla

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Spread batter over pears, bake for 20-25 minutes

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Allow to cool slightly, eat lukewarm

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Tip: 

Younger children may prefer their pear cut into smaller chunks.

 

Optional chocolate sauce recipe:

Break 150g dark chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl over simmering water, add a tablespoon of honey and a knob of butter and stir until combined and glossy. Slowly whisk in 100ml of warmed (but not boiling milk). Can be made in advance and reheated when ready.

 

Did you know?

• Pears are good source of dietary fibre, vitamins C and K and minerals such as copper and potassium.
• There are over 3000 varieties of pears grown around the world.

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Suggested Equipment:

2 Mixing bowls

Kitchen scales

Measuring spoons

Sieve

Flexible mixing spoon

Baking dish

Oven Gloves

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet for an adult. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Infants and Toddlers will need less calories according to their age.
Click here for advice on how many calories your child needs.

Sweet Potato and Orange Muffins

makes 12-18

The apricots in this mix make these muffins – which are low in added sugar and full of natural sweetness from sweet potato, carrots, orange juice and dried fruit. We made them in standard muffin cases here, but they are perfect as mini muffins too – split the mix and have some mum and baby/toddler-sized ones. Perfect for lunchboxes and freezable.

INGREDIENTS

200g plain flour (can be a 50/50 mix of whole and plain)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1⁄2 teaspoon ground mixed spice

500g mashed sweet potatoes

75g soft brown sugar

2 eggs

Up to 200 ml orange juice

1 carrot, grated

100g dried apricots

50g dried cranberries

1 teaspoon vanilla

METHOD *

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

2. Line a muffin tin with paper cases.

3. Combine all dry ingredients (flours, spices, sugar) in a large mixing bowl.

4. In a different bowl, mix together the ‘wet’ ingredients – mashed sweet potato, eggs, vanilla, carrot and just over half of the orange juice. Save the rest of the orange juice.

5. Chop apricots with scissors or a table knife. Stir through wet ingredients. Add the cranberries.

6. Tip wet ingredients into dry mix and stir with a tablespoon or flexible mixing spoon. If the mixture seems a little dry add some extra orange juice – it should have a loose dropping consistency.

7. Portion into muffin cases.

8. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, depending on the size of your muffin cases. (or until the top of the muffin bounces back when touched).

9. When ready, take the muffins out of the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the baking tray.

* Adult supervision is required for all chopping, and use of ovens.

Assemble ingredients

Combine the dry ingredients

Mix the wet ingredients in a new bowl

Chop apricots

Add the dried fruit to the wet ingredients

Mix together the wet and dry ingredients

Portion into muffin cases

Bake for 20 minutes

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Did you know?

• Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene).
• They are also a good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Additionally, they are a good source of potassium, dietary fibre, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus.
   

Try this!

Swap chopped apricots for any other favourite dried fruit – cranberries, raisins, even chopped prunes!

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SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT:

Apron and clean hands

Measuring jug

Weighing scales

Tablespoon or flexible mixing spoon

Teaspoon

Scissors or table knife

Fork

Mixing bowl

Muffin tray and cases

Oven gloves

Cooling rack

Courgette, Pear and Carrot Cakes

makes two small loaves or 8 - 10 muffins

Here’s another low sugar lunchbox treat, which the kids will love making. Dead simple, packed with veggies and naturally sweet with very little added sugar. We regularly make these in our Little Foodies toddler cookery classes, and everyone loves them.

Need any further excuse to try them?

Carrots are rich in beta carotene which is converted in the body to vitamin A. This nutrient is used to strengthen the immune system and to ensure good eye health. Courgettes are also a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as folate and potassium and fibre, which help to ensure a healthy bowel and prevent constipation in little ones.

Ingredients

100g self raising flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon mixed spice

15g soft brown sugar

100g grated carrot

100g grated courgette

75g mixed dried fruit

1 chopped pear (fresh or tinned)

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons milk

Method*

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 0 C

2. Measure dry ingredients into a mixing bowl (flour, dried fruit, spices, baking powder and sugar). Mix to distribute the spices evenly.

3. Measure wet ingredients into a separate bowl or jug (egg, oil, milk, grated carrot, grated courgette). Mix thoroughly.

4. Tip wet mixture into dry mixture and stir gently until all dry ingredients are incorporated.

5. Share between two lightly oiled loaf or muffin tins.

6. Bake for 25 -30 minutes (loaves) or 15-18 mins (muffins). Check with a skewer – if it comes out clean and dry your cakes are ready.

Optional: Ice with cream cheese frosting when cool.

*N.B. Children should always be supervised when cooking, and an adult should oversee the use of heat as well as all preparation involving sharp utensils.

Assemble ingredients

Measure dry ingredients

Mix to distribute spices

Measure wet ingredients into a bowl

Tip wet mix into dry

Stir gently to mix

Portion into muffin tins

Bake

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Try something different

• Try changing the pear for another fruit or your choice. Apples, plums and peach would work well.
   

Did you know?

• Courgette (also known as Zucchini) contains more potassium than bananas and are a rich source of vitamin C and manganese.
• Carrots although usually orange in colour can also come in purple, red, white, and yellow varieties.
• The human body turns beta-carotene from carrots into vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for the health of our vision (including our night vision) as well as our bones, teeth and skin.

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Suggested Equipment:

Apron and clean hands

Measuring jug

Weighing scales

Measuring spoons

Grater

Mixing bowl

Wooden spoon

Loaf tins

Oven gloves

Cooling rack

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet for an adult. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Infants and Toddlers will need less calories according to their age.
Click here for advice on how many calories your child needs.