Family dining

Food for the family

Home-cooked family meals and eating together feed the mind, body and soul. Medical researchers have observed that families who regularly eat homecooked meals together have been found to be happier and healthier and to eat less processed foods, sugar and junk food.

COMFORTING PORK RAGU SERVES 8

PREP AND COOK 52 MINUTES

Eating together teaches your children that mealtimes are both a family tradition and an essential daily routine. Children of all ages love the connection that happens at family meals. Often everyone’s busy doing their own thing during the day, so dinner (or weekend lunch) is when everyone can be together. It helps your children to feel positive about food and eating as a shared experience. What’s not at the table is just as important — no screens, mobile phones or tablets. It’s family time!

Mealtimes should not be a battleground about food. Avoid snacks before dinner, and be firm but fair about kids finishing everything on their plate. Just do the best you can.

● 120ml olive oil ● 1 brown onion, finely diced ● 2 garlic cloves, crushed (just a tiny amount for babies) ● 2 carrots, finely diced ● 2 celery stalks, finely diced ● 2 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped ● ½ tsp chilli flakes (omit for babies) ● 500g chopped tomatoes (or 800g tinned chopped tomatoes) ● 600g minced (ground) pork (or use lamb or beef instead) ● 500ml quality chicken or vegetable stock (preferably preservative and additive free) ● 150ml pouring (single/light) cream ● grated zest of 1 lemon ● sea salt (omit for babies) ● freshly ground black pepper (just a tiny amount for babies) ● cooked pasta, to serve ● grated pecorino (use ricotta for babies), to serve Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for 4 minutes until soft and caramelised. Add the carrot, celery, thyme and chilli, and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Heat the remaining oil in a medium frying pan over high heat. Add the pork and fry, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add it to the pan with the vegetable mixture, along with the stock, and simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes. Add the cream and lemon zest and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the cooked pasta of your choice and top with a good sprinkling of grated pecorino (or ricotta for babies). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. For younger babies puree the cooked pasta with a little ragu until smooth — you may need to thin it with a little water. Allow to cool before serving.

For older babies

serve a small amount of coarsely pureed ragu with pasta. Allow to cool before serving. For toddlers serve as for adults, but allow to cool before serving.

Family mealtimes mean children are likely to eat more healthily when they grow up and move out of home.

GREEN EGGS AND HAM

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK

10 MINUTES

● 6 eggs ● 2 tbsp pouring (single/ light) cream or yoghurt ● 40g basil pesto ● 40g butter, plus extra for the toast ● 4 slices quality bread (preferably sourdough), toasted ● 8 slices quality ham (omit for babies)

WILTED SPINACH

● 1 tsp butter or olive oil ● large handful of English spinach

If making wilted spinach to use instead of pesto, heat the butter or oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the spinach, cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low and leave the spinach to wilt for 2 minutes. Set aside. Lightly beat the eggs and cream or yoghurt together using a fork, then stir through the pesto or wilted spinach. Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Just as the butter starts to bubble, add the egg mixture and cook, folding gently (not robustly stirring), for about 2 minutes, or until you have perfectly soft, folded eggs. (For babies cook the eggs until firm.) Serve the eggs on buttered toast and curl the ham beside it, if desired. For younger babies add a tablespoon or two of yoghurt or milk to the well-cooked egg and spinach mixture, then puree until smooth. Allow to cool before serving. For older babies mash the well-cooked egg mixture to a slightly lumpy texture (add a little yoghurt or milk if it’s too lumpy) and allow to cool before serving. Serve with finely chopped wilted spinach on the side. For toddlers cut the bread into “soldiers” (finger-sized pieces), and chop the egg up. Allow to cool before serving.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH MINTED YOGHURT SAUCE

SERVES 4

PREP AND COOK 35 MINUTES

● 100g day-old bread, torn roughly into pieces ● 500g minced (ground) lamb ● 50g crumbled feta ● 40g macadamia nuts, finely chopped (optional) ● 1 small red onion, roughly chopped ● 1 garlic clove, crushed ● 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley ● 1 tsp ground coriander ● 1 tsp ground cumin ● 1 tsp dried oregano ● ½ tsp ground cinnamon ● ½ tsp sweet paprika ● sea salt (omit for babies) ● ground white pepper (tiny amount for babies)

MINTED YOGHURT SAUCE

● 250g Greek-style yoghurt ● 25g finely shredded mint leaves ● 1 garlic clove, crushed ● juice of 1 lemon ● ¼ tsp ground cumin ● ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ● sea salt (omit for babies) ● ground white pepper (tiny amount for babies)

This is an edited extract from We Can All Eat That! by Pam Brook, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $45. Available in stores nationally. To make the minted yoghurt sauce, place the yoghurt, mint, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne in a small bowl and stir to combine. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavours to develop. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Blitz the bread and macadamia nuts (if using) in a food processor to make crumbs. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add the crumbs and mix well. Make sure the mixture is well seasoned. Roll into golf ball-sized balls and place on the lined tray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. For younger babies puree half a meatball in some minted yoghurt sauce until smooth — add a little water if it’s too thick. Allow to cool before serving. For older babies shred the meatballs and serve as finger food with chopped cucumber and the minted yoghurt sauce. Allow to cool before serving. For toddlers serve as for adults, but allow to cool before serving.

Why Protein Is So Important During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a beautiful, life-changing event. It’s a time of rapid growth and development for both mother and baby and there are so many extra nutrients your body needs to support this change.

With the wealth of information out there, it can be overwhelming to try and  gure out which advice to trust. So, we’ve made it a little easier for you. Amazonia’s Head Dietitian, Tara Kaff breaks down the basics of protein and why it’s so important during pregnancy.

Why is Protein Important for Pregnancy?

Protein is essential for supporting this time of rapid change and growth. After we consume protein, our body breaks it down into individual amino acids, which are then used to build cells, tissues, muscles and organs.

During pregnancy, many of these amino acids are also used to develop the cells, tissues, muscles and organs of the baby. For the mother, protein helps support the increased growth of breast tissue and organs that are required to accommodate and nourish a growing baby.

During pregnancy, the body dramatically increases blood volume and supply to support the growing baby. By the time a woman gives birth, her red blood cell mass has increased by 20-30%. Protein is essential in facilitating the transport of blood around the body and to the baby.

Can I Consume Protein Powder when Pregnant?

Not all protein powders are safe to consume while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it’s important to consult your doctor  rst. Amazonia’s Raw Protein Pregnancy Plus is formulated to nourish women through conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

This certi ed organic blend contains 24g of sprouted and fermented plant protein, dietary  bre and 14 wholefood vitamins and minerals. Folate, B Vitamins, Iron and Zinc help improve fertility and reproduction.

How Much Protein Should I Eat When Pregnant?

I know you’ve heard this response before, but it depends. Every woman is different when it comes to their individual requirements and with the rise in women continuing exercise whilst pregnant, it is crucial that protein intake is adequate. A general rule of thumb is a total of 1.2-1.6g of protein per kg per day coming from good quality sources. This will vary from person to person therefore, it is important to consult your dietitian to ensure you’re meeting your requirements.

How To Increase My Protein Intake During Pregnancy?

Meeting protein requirements during pregnancy can be a little tough. Especially if you  nd yourself having strong reactions to the smell and taste of cooked meats, tofu or meat alternatives.

Switch it up with protein-rich seeds, nuts, nut butter and legumes. These foods are also loaded with disease- ghting antioxidants,  bre and are low in saturated fat and sodium. Another easy way is to  nd a high-quality, plantbased protein powder. This is a convenient, on-the-go option to boost your protein intake while getting extra vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

Can I take protein with my pregnancy supplement?

We have compared the levels of vitamins and minerals in Pregnancy Plus with common over the counter Australian pregnancy supplements and Pregnancy Plus can be taken in conjunction with these common brands.

Pregnancy Plus uses wholefood sources of vitamins and minerals, it is similar to having an extra serve or 2 of vegetables or fruits a day. However, if you are receiving practitioner or prescription supplements then we recommend that you discuss with your health care professional before taking Pregnancy Plus.