Mark from Dingle Cookery School chats to Mairead each week to sort out your dinner, but this week he's rescuing your lunch!
Plenty of us are desperately looking for something other than the sad sandwich to pack in the lunchbox, and Mark has two recipes that are ideal for adults and kids alike - Spinach and Ricotta Muffins, and Date and Oat bars.
Easy Spinach and Ricotta Muffins
Ingredients:
- 250g spinach, washed
- 2 eggs
- 150g plain flour
- 150g wholemeal flour
- ½ tsp. bread soda
- salt
- 280ml-300ml buttermilk
- 150g ricotta or feta (crumbled)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC
- Prepare the muffin tray, add some oil to kitchen paper and use this to grease each section of the muffin tray. Place a small circle of parchment in each section.
- Prepare the spinach by adding it to a small pot, let it cook for about 2 minutes. Remove it from the pot and drain off any excess liquid. Chop it up a little.
- In a bowl add the plain flour, wholemeal flour, soda and a pinch of salt. Mix this well.
- In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and buttermilk, add in the chopped spinach. Mix this mixture into the dry mixture with a wooden spoon or a spatula. Fold in the ricotta without over mixing.
- Divide this mixture into prepared muffin tray.
- Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Use a knife to remove them from the muffin tray. Remove the parchment and place on a wire rack.
- Once cool these can be frozen and used as needed.
Date and Oat Bars
Ingredients:
- 100g dates
- 100g raisins
- 220 porridge oats
- 1 apple, cored and chopped (you can leave the skin on)
- 100g almonds
- 1 tbsp. honey
Method:
- Soak the dates and raisins in warm water for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 170ºC
- Prepare a baking tray (9”x 9”) with parchment.
- Remove the water from the fruit and add this to a food processor. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Pulse this until it all this has mixed together. Empty the mixture onto the tray. Spread this out and press it down a little.
- Bake this for 25 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Slice into the size required.
- They can be kept in an airtight container for a week or can be frozen.
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You can hear the chat in full by pressing the play button on screen.
