Easy Cooking with Nina Timm - back to school lunchboxes

However, we need to get the kids back to a school routine and for many those days have become longer at school. Gone are the days in which two slices of bread is enough!

The secret to lunchboxes is to make them interesting and filling to keep the kids going. This does not mean chips and chocolate bars but a small protein snack with each item. Here are some examples

• Few slices of biltong
• Piece of dry sausages
• Cheese wedge
• Small piece of leftover barbecue
• Small handful of nuts
• Few slices of ham sandwiches

The small protein snack keeps their sugar levels constant and they can concentrate better. The key is to keep lunchboxes cool if meat or cheese packed. Water is crucial, especially if they have sports after school. I make up bottles of water and fruit juices, throw in lots of ice to dilute the juice and then freeze the bottles, which keeps the juice cold until needed.

Feta, olive and sun-dried tomato muffins

This muffin recipe is my children's favourite and it is packed with flavour and goodness - it makes 16 large muffins

Ingredients

• 750 ml flour
• 15 ml baking powder
• 125 ml grated parmesan cheese
• 5 ml paprika
• 10 ml of dried herbs - I like thyme
• Fairview 100g Feta
• 240g sundried tomato quarters - that oil is
• 125 ml pitted black olives
• pinch of salt
• 2 extra large eggs
• 125 ml oil
• 125 ml milk
• 100 g Fairview Feta for crumbling over the top

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C. Spray pan with Spray ' n Cook. Drain the tomato quarters and chop finely. Beat the eggs with the milk and oil and mix it in with all the other ingredients. Do not over mix; the mixture should still be lumpy. If the mixture is too dry, add a little milk. Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan and crumble the feta other top. Bake for 20-25 minutes and serve warm with butter.

PS. Cool the muffins and freeze. These muffins can be packed frozen and by break time they will have thawed and taste delicious!

Other delicious lunchbox ideas Spicy Corn Dogs - the South African way of course! and Paleo-friendly Feta and biltong snacks.

For more delicious recipes, go to www.my-easy-cooking.com.