New year, new meals

PHOTOS: ADEL FERREIRA RECIPES AND STYLING: GAIL DAMON FOOD ASSISTANT: ELIZMA VOIGHT

Off to a good start :)

Get up & go breakfast cookies

We say goodbye to unhealthy weekday lunch habits with meal-prep tips so easy to follow you’ll be happily packing your lunchbox the day before

GET UP & GO BREAKFAST COOKIES

The taste and texture of these resemble the best part of a muffin – the top, of course!

½ cup (75g) flour (wholewheat or cake) Pinch cinnamon Pinch each baking powder and

bicarbonate of soda

½ cup (55g) rolled oats 1/³ cup (50g) mixed nuts, roughly chopped 1/³ cup (50g) pumpkin seeds (optional) 3 Tbsp (25g) flaxseeds 1/³ cup (about 45g)

dried pineapple

1/³ cup (45g) dried cranberries (raisins work well too) 1/³ cup (25g) dried coconut flakes + extra for topping 1 egg, whisked ½ cup (125g) PnP

double-cream plain yoghurt

½ cup (125ml) coconut oil or butter, melted 1/³ cup (100g) honey

MAKES 20

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and oats in a bowl. Tip in nuts, seeds, dried fruit and coconut flakes. Mix egg, yoghurt, coconut oil or butter and honey in a separate bowl until well combined. Add to dry mixture and mix well. Set aside to thicken slightly for 10 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Scoop heaped tablespoon portions of cookie mixture onto tray (leaving a 2cm gap between each dollop). Sprinkle with extra coconut flakes and flatten slightly using the back of a spoon. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cool until firm. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

GOOD IDEA Instead of honey, add 1/³ cup (80ml) blitzed medjool dates to the mixture.

LUNCHBOX FAVOURITE

Make these cookies over the weekend and add to kiddies’ school lunchboxes for a nutritious and yummy snack alternative.

PORK MEATBALL BÁHN MÌ

Vietnamese-inspired rolls are super easy and the sticky glaze adds quite a flavour punch.

1 packet (about 500g)

pork sausages

Glug canola oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4cm knob fresh ginger, grated

COOK’S NOTE In a pickle

Bring 1 cup (250ml) each water and vinegar and ¼ cup (60ml) sugar to the boil until sugar is dissolved. Add 1 punnet (200g) baby carrots, cut into matchsticks, and 1 sliced red onion. Pickle for 30 minutes.

¼ cup (60ml) honey ¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce ½ tsp (3ml) fish sauce Juice (30ml) and grated peel of 1 lime 1 French loaf or baguette, cut into 4 Melted butter, for toasting

For serving:

Sliced radish and

spring onion

Cucumber ribbons Pickledveg (see Cook’s Note above)

SERVES 3-4

Remove pork sausage mince from its casing. Shape into golf-sized balls. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry meatballs for 8-10 minutes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Add garlic and ginger to the same pan and fry until fragrant. Add honey, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice and peel. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens. Slice open French loaf or baguette portions, brush with melted butter and toast in a pan. Place 3-4 meatballs on each sandwich. Serve topped with radish, spring onion, cucumber, red onion and pickled veg.

NUT BUTTER & CINNAMON PINWHEELS

You can also use this nut butter mix as a spread on toast or add to your bowl of oats.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Roll out 400g defrosted puff pastry to about 3-4mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Combine ½ cup (125ml) almond butter or other nut butter, ½ tsp (3ml) cinnamon and ¼ cup (60ml) honey or treacle sugar. Spread mixture evenly over pastry, leaving a 2cm border on the long side (furthest from you). Roll pastry up into a log, starting from the longest side. Chill until firm before cutting into 20 slices. Arrange on a lined baking tray, leaving 2cm between each slice. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before serving. MAKES 20

TRY THIS

PNP KIDZ MUFFINS Perfect for lunchboxes; made with hidden veg!

Pork meatball báhn mì

TRY THIS

PNP SNACK WELL PEANUT BUTTER BOMBS A source of fi bre with no added sugar.

Make ahead

After cutting pinwheels into portions, place in an airtight container or zip-seal bags to freeze. Bake from frozen for 15-18 minutes for a lunchbox treat or when the craving hits.

CRISPY TUNA SALAD BURGER

These patties freeze well and make for effortless meal prep. Pop them straight from the freezer into the oven or air-fryer.

Tuna patties:

2 cans (119g each) tuna in salted water, drained 1 stalk celery, fi nely chopped 1 small red onion, fi nely chopped 8 medium gherkins, fi nely chopped ¼ punnet (5g) each fresh coriander, parsley and dill, chopped ¼ cup (60ml)

mayonnaise

1 Tbsp (15ml) chilli oil or chilli crisp (see QR code below) ¼–½ cup (60–125ml) grated parmesan or

gruyère cheese

¼ cup + 2 Tbsp (90ml) breadcrumbs + extra for coating 1 egg, whisked Juice (60ml) and grated peel of 1 lemon

Vegetable oil, for frying

MAKE MORE OF IT

For the ultimate toast topping, mix tuna patty ingredients but leave out the egg and breadcrumbs – or turn into cheesy tuna salad toasties for lunch.

Spicy fruit salsa:

1 pineapple or mango, cubed Handful each fresh parsley and mint, chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1 Tbsp (15ml) honey ½ red onion, fi nely chopped Juice (30ml) and grated peel of ½ lemon ½ red pepper, chopped

6 PnP white seeded burger buns, halved About 1/³ cup (80ml)

mayonnaise

1 packet (150g) Asian

salad leaf mix

3-4 radishes, sliced 2 tomatoes, sliced

SERVES 6

Combine tuna patty ingredients and season. Shape into burger patties (using a 1/³ cup measure) and coat with extra breadcrumbs. Chill patties in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until fi rm. Mix salsa ingredients and set aside. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry patties for 3-5 minutes a side or until golden. (Or cook in an air-fryer for 10 minutes on 180°C, fl ipping halfway through.) Allow to cool slightly. Toast the buns, then spread with mayo and top with salad leaves, radish and tomato slices, the tuna patty and spicy fruit salsa. Serve as is or with a side of vegetable crisps.

AIR-FRYERFRIE N DLY

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the chilli crisp recipe.

Delight in our new range of Award Winning mature cheese

Delight in every moment

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the harissa paste recipe.

PAIR WITH

ABSTINENCE CAPE SPICE, R259.99 This non-alcoholic gin has fl oral and warm spice notes.

SPICY LEMON HAKE POCKETS

These fresh fl avours will brighten up any day! Use toasted tortilla wraps instead of mini pitas for taco night.

1–2 Tbsp (15–30ml) harissa paste (see QR code – bottom left) 2 Tbsp (30ml) honey Juice (120ml) and grated peel of 2 lemons ½ tsp (3ml) smoked paprika 1 cup (250ml) PnP double-

cream plain yoghurt

4–6 (600g–800g) hake fi llets Salt and milled pepper 2 packets PnP mini pita breads, toasted Sliced spring onion, cucumber and coriander, for serving 1/³ cup (80ml) mayonnaise mixed with 2 Tbsp (30ml) harissa paste, for serving

SERVES 4

Combine harissa paste, honey, lemon juice and peel, smoked paprika and yoghurt. Season hake and coat fi sh well with mixture. Marinate for 30-45 minutes in the fridge. Bake fi sh at 200°C for 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly and fl ake fi sh. Fill pitas with fl aked fi sh, spring onion, cucumber, coriander and dollops of spicy harissa mayo.