Snacks for school lunchboxes

A WHOLESOME and well-balanced lunch box is crucial for your kids to get through an active school day. With seven kids between them, the Raizon sisters suggest a sandwich alternative and a healthy, homemade snack.

Eggy fried rice

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice
(white or brown)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tsp soy sauce
¬Ω cup frozen peas

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Cook onion and garlic until glassy. Add cooked rice and stir for 2 minutes. Push mixture to one side and add egg. Allow egg to partially set and then stir into rice. Add soy sauce and frozen peas. Cook until ingredients are nicely combined. Serve warm or cold. Chicken or other vegetables can be added.

Moist banana muffins

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour
¬Ω cup plain flour
¬Ω tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
¬Ω cup sugar
¬Ω cup maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
80g margarine, melted
canola oil spray
icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a large bowl, combine self-raising flour, plain flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine bananas, sugar, maple syrup and egg and then stir in melted margarine. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir with a metal fork, until just combined. Spoon mixture into muffin tin sprayed with canola oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool on wire rack and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Delia and Lana Raizon are the authors of four cookbooks, including Cooking with the Raizons One, Two and Three; and the new Jam Packed: lunches for school and work. Enquiries: Delia 0412 990 735.