3 finger food ideas you can cook in a day sleep

3 quick finger foods you can cook in a day sleep

A freezer full of nutritious meals and snacks. There’s little that calms my mind more! I have 4 little boys and the youngest, Jude, is 7 months and has already asserted himself as an independent feeder. So having a variety of nutritious finger foods ready to go is an essential! Having a nap-time cook-up to restock is also an essential. And I’ve recently come to know that having appliances which are efficient and are in proper working order is extremely handy!

Having 4 active children, I’m pretty good at making time for a bulk-cook up at least twice per week – it could be finger foods for Jude, lunchbox snacks for the big boys or family meals for all of us.  And with the amount of time I spend cooking it was incredibly frustrating to have an oven that was ancient and slow, and required an wooden spoon to keep the oven door closed… But with some coordinated gift giving this Christmas we were able to buy ourselves a new one. And oh my! What a life changer.

To celebrate this momentous occasion (yep! that’s my life now – haha) I’ve teamed up with Appliances Online, Australia’s largest online appliances retailer, to share with you 3 nutritious finger food recipes that you can cook up in a day sleep.

Spinach, pumpkin & corn pasta muffins

Zucchini nuggets

Sultana oat pancakes

These recipes are suitable for babies from six months of age and beyond (even I can’t resist the zucchini nuggets), they’re all suitable for the freezer too.

*Disclaimer: we were offered further discounts on product and installation by Appliances Online in exchange for sponsoring this post. I have used Appliances Online as a full-fee paying customer previously and I do love their range, affordability and service. We can genuinely recommend them if you are after new appliances for your home. You can read more about Appliances Online at the bottom of this post. 

 Spinach, pumpkin & corn pasta muffins

Makes: 12 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Freezable, Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 cup macaroni pasta
6 eggs
1/4 cup yoghurt
1 handful of baby spinach, finely chopped
1 corn cob, kernels cut
1/2 cup finely grated pumpkin
1 cup grated cheese
pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 12 x 1/2 cup capacity muffin tray, or use muffin cases.

2. Cook the macaroni according to packet instruction. Drain and set aside.

3, While the pasta is cooking, place the eggs and yoghurt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

4. Add the pasta, baby spinach, corn kernels, pumpkin, cheese and pepper and mix to combine.

5. Distribute the mixture into the muffin holes and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and the egg has set.

6. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Serving suggestion: offer to your baby as finger food or toddlers on their tasting plates with a side of steamed veggies or salad and fruit, or in lunchboxes.

Storage: store the pasta muffins in the fridge for 1-2 days or wrap individually and store in the freezer for 1-2 months.

Zucchini nuggets

Makes: 12 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Freezable, Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (around 2 large zucchini, unpeeled)
1/2 cup grated potato (1 large potato, peeled)
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon plain flour (use gluten-free if required)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup multigrain breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if required)
olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Using your hands, squeeze grated zucchini and potato to remove the excess liquid. Add the egg and flour and mix to combine. 

3. Place the breadcrumbs and parmesan on a large plate and mix to combine. Shape teaspoons of the mixture into small nuggets. Coat the nuggets in breadcrumbs and place on the prepared tray.

4.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the nuggets. Cook for 25-30 minutes, turning nuggets halfway, until golden and cooked through.

Serving suggestion: offer to your baby as finger food or toddlers on their tasting plates with a side of steamed veggies or salad and fruit or in lunchboxes.

Storage: keep leftover nuggets in the fridge for 1-2 days. Alternatively freeze in an airtight container for 2-3 months. 

Sultana oat pancakes

 Makes: about 14 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

Freezable, Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 cup oats
1 cup milk
1 egg (or a mashed banana in place of the egg)
1 tablespoon fruit puree, brown sugar or maple syrup (optional)
1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil, plus extra for cooking
1/2 cup plain flour, or wholemeal plain flour (use gluten free if required)
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt (optional)
1/4 cup sultanas, or grated apple (optional)

Method

1. Place the oats and milk in a small bowl and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

2. Add the egg, sugar and oil and whisk to combine. Sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, add the sultanas, if using, and stir until just combined. 

3. Place a large frying pan over medium heat, add the oil and cook large spoonfuls of the batter in batches for 2-3 minutes each side or until just golden. 

Serving suggestion: serve whole or sliced into strips alongside some fruit for a satisfying finger food breakfast or snack option. 

Storage: keep leftover cooked pancakes in the fridge for 2-3 days. Alternatively freeze in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. 

Happy cooking, happy eating!

OHCs x

“John Winning founded Appliances Online in 2005 with a laptop, a rented truck, and a 1300 number diverted to a mobile phone. Today, Appliances Online is Australia’s largest online retailer of appliances, delivering to the majority of the population, and stocking more brands than any other online whitegoods or appliance retailer, at extremely competitive prices. Appliances Online has a 24/7 locally based customer support team, offering FREE next day delivery via our own network of drivers & warehouses, FREE connection & removal/recycling of old appliances and a best price guarantee, so if you find a product cheaper with any other Australian retailer,  Appliances Online promises to match it. Appliances Online was recently voted Australia’s best value-for-money online appliance store by CHOICE”