5 Easy meals dad can make with the kids

Attention all dads: When it’s your turn to cook dinner, you don’t need to turn to the stack of dog-eared take-away menus in the third draw. With these simple recipes, you can whip up meals with your kids’ help that not only taste good, but that are healthy and nutritious as well. So whether you’re a single dad or you’d just like to give your wife a break, it’s time to don the apron and pick up the spatula, because this week, dinner’s all on you!

Pizza Pita

Ingredients (per person)

• 1 whole wheat pita
• 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce/paste
• Pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, capsicum or other vegetables to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Chop the vegetable/meat toppings into fine chunks.
3. Gently split the pita bread open around halfway around the edge, and spoon in the tomato sauce, cheese and toppings.
4. Roll the pita up and wrap it in aluminium foil.
5. Place on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Glazed carrot coins with lean beef sausages

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized carrots
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of water
• 4 lean beef sausages

Method

1. Peel the carrots.
2. Slice each carrot into rounds that are about 3mm thick.
3. Boil the carrots over a medium heat on the stove for about 8 minutes, until the carrots are tender but not mushy. Drain and set them aside.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan and fry the sausages until brown. Once cooked, set aside on a dinner plate and cover with another plate to keep them warm.
5. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in another small frying pan (medium heat) and stir in the brown sugar and teaspoon of water.
6. Add the carrot coins and toss them in the buttery mixture for 2-3 minutes, until the carrots are glazed.
7. Serve carrot coins with sausages; serves four.

Next: Summer Fruit Kebabs