Adaptable recipes for all ages

If your kids have special dietary requirements or you simply have very young children, you’ll love these easily adaptable recipes

recipes ANNA GLOVER

photographs MYLES NEW

Banana oat muffins with mix & match toppings

MAKES 12 PREP 15 mins plus cooling COOK 20 mins EASY V ❄

200g porridge oats

2 ripe bananas

2 eggs

2 tbsp milled seeds (such as flaxseed or chia seeds)

2 pitted dates

1 tsp baking powder

50-100ml milk

For the mix & match toppings blueberries, raspberries, sliced dates, or chopped nuts nut butter, Greek-style yogurt, maple syrup, to serve

1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6. Line 12 holes of amuffin tin with cupcake cases. Put the oats, bananas, eggs, seeds, dates, baking powder and 50ml of the milk into a blender and blitz to make a batter (or do this in a jug using a hand blender). Blitz in enough of the remaining milk to make the batter pourable, then pour into the cases and top with your choice of either blueberries, a raspberry, a couple of date slices or a sprinkling of chopped nuts. Bake for 15-20 mins until well risen and lightly golden. The berries, if using, should look soft and juicy. Leave to cool on a wire rack for 15 mins. Or leave to cool completely, then will keep frozen for up to three months, or in an airtight container for up to five days.

2 Serve as they are (they’re great for packing into lunchboxes and you can freeze them for later) or serve with a drizzle of nut butter, a spoonful of yogurt, or a drizzle of maple syrup.

PER SERVING 103 kcals • fat 3g • saturates 1g • carbs 15g • sugars 3g • fibre 2g • protein 4g • salt 0.1g

Panko pesto fish

Free-from pesto is a very handy family-friendly ingredient. If you’re unsure about dairy tolerances in younger children, check the packaging, or simply make your own to suit dietary requirements.

SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 50 mins EASY

1kg floury potatoes, cut into wedges

2 tbsp olive, plus a little extra for the baking sheet

4 pieces firm white sustainable fish, skinless and boneless

2 tbsp free-from pesto (or regular)

2 tbsp dried white breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs (gluten-free, if necessary)

2 tbsp finely grated parmesan

1 tbsp chopped pine nuts (optional)

1 tbsp capers or cornichons, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped dill or parsley

3 tbsp mayonnaise (dairy-free, if necessary)

¼ lemon, zested and juiced cooked peas, to serve

1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan / gas 7. Tip the wedges onto a baking tray and drizzle over 1 tbsp oil. Toss well. Bake for 50-55 mins, turning halfway through, until golden. Alternatively, cook in an air-fryer at 200C for 40-45 mins, shaking a few times during cooking.

2 After 35 mins of cooking, oil a baking sheet and add the fish pieces. Spread over the pesto, then scatter over the breadcrumbs. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and scatter the cheese and pine nuts over a few of the portions for those who like it (using separate trays if there’s a nut allergy, or simply omit). Bake for 10-12 mins until the topping is golden and crisp, and the fish is flaky. Alternatively, air-fry after the wedges are done.

3 Mix the capers, dill, mayo, lemon zest and juice with some black pepper in a small serving bowl. Serve the fish with the wedges and peas, and the dip alongside.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy PER SERVING 516 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 4g • carbs 38g • sugars 2g • fibre 4g • protein 37g • salt 0.8g