Simple school lunches and snacks

To help you plan easy-as school lunches and snacks that’ll save you time, reduce waste and guarantee an empty lunchbox when the kids get home from school, try these quick and healthy recipe ideas from Barker’s – makers of world-class jams, chutneys, sauces and fruit compotes. For more ideas for school lunches, head to barkers.com.au and download their free Back to School recipe booklet.

Leftover lovers sausage roll

A tasty way to use leftover vegies in a delicious homemade sausage roll, this recipe uses Barker’s Sweet Chilli relish to add sweetness, texture and added oomph. This recipe makes approximately 24 sausage rolls.

You’ll need:

450g sausage meat
1 cup leftover vegies, grated or finely diced
2 zucchini, grated
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp fresh herbs
3 tbsp Barker’s Sweet Chilli Relish¼ tsp salt
Pepper, to taste
3 sheets flaky puff pastry, thawed
Water
1 egg, to brush pastry

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with grease-proof baking paper.

2. Combine sausage meat, vegetables, garlic, herbs and relish in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined (clean wet hands will help).

3. Cut thawed puff pastry sheets in half

4. Measure approximately half a cup of sausage meat mixture and create a long row of filling along the length of one piece of pastry, about 2cm from one edge (this will allow the pastry edges to overlap once rolled over the sausage meat mixture).

5. Before rolling, brush long edges of pastry with a little water. Roll to createa long tube. Repeat for remaining half sheets of pastry.

6. Whisk egg in a bowl. Brush pastry tops with egg mixture.

7. Cut rolls into desired size. Place on baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.

8. Let cool and then enjoy!

Awesome apricot slice

Store these in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to five days. This recipe makes 16 delicious squares.

You’ll need:

70g white sugar
130g unsalted butter, room temperature
½ tsp sea salt
60g tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
270g all-purpose flour
280g Barker’s Apricot Jam

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 20cm square pan with baking paper.

2. Beat butter, sugar, salt and honey together on medium for 2 minutes.

3. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and heat for another minute, then add flour.

4. Reserve 135g of dough and place in the fridge until needed.

5. Roughly poke the dough with a fork to stop it from baking into a dome in the oven.

6. Bake for 20 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and spread Barker’s New Zealand Apricot Jam all over the top.

8. Crumble the reserved dough over the top in clusters (pinch them together if they’re smaller pieces or tear it apart if the pieces are big).

9. Bake for another 18 minutes at 180°C until golden brown on top.

10. Let cool in tin fully before removing and slicing.

Muffin frittatas

The beauty of muffin frittatas is that they’re perfect to use up almost any leftovers. Think leftover ham, cooked and raw vegetables, roast meats, herbs – the options are endless. For an extra fluffy frittata, beat the egg white separately, then fold into the rest of the mixture. This recipe makes 12 muffin frittatas.

You’ll need:

1 medium onion, diced
1 capsicum, sliced
Oil, to sauté
6 small boiled potatoes, diced
10 green beans, diced
Barker’s Relish or chutneyof your choice
Fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced
8 eggs
100g feta
Fresh herbs, optional
Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
Grated cheese or parmesan

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease muffin tins.

2. Over medium heat, sauté onion and capsicum in a little oil for a few minutes until soft. Add diced cooked potatoes and green beans and saute for a further 5 minutes.

3. Transfer spoonfuls of cooked vegies into muffin tins, about two-thirds full.

4. On top of the vegetables, dollop small amounts of relish and place cherry tomatoes.

5. In another bowl beat eggs and fold in crumbled feta. Season with salt and pepper and add fresh herbs if you have them handy.

6. Top the muffin tins with egg mixture, then sprinkle grated cheese on top.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving, or transferring to an air-tight container.