Sweet Potato & Lentil Nuggets Recipe
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After-school snacks are sorted for the little ones. Make a batch and keep them in the freezer or fridge to be heated when their hunger strikes.
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Children need a lot of food to keep up with their daily energy expenditure. From running around the schoolyard to learning new things in class, they are constantly burning through nutrients as they develop and grow.
With a young one on the move, hunger can present itself at any given time which means snacks become a parent or carer’s best friend’ but not all snacks are created equal and there are plenty which fall flat when it comes to nutrition for children.
A balanced snack should be a combination of proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats all of which come from whole food ingredients to ensure they are getting all the other nutrients such as zinc, calcium and vitamin B12 to support a growing, happy kid.
These delicious nuggets contain all of things making them a great option for children after school, for their school lunch boxes or even dinner time. They can even help you out in the kitchen by grating up the carrots and rolling the nuggets in bread crumbs.
Make a batch ahead of the week and have them in the fridge for when the little voices start singing “I’m hungry”. You can even double up and put one in the freezer for later. Because when hunger strikes, it’s snacks that will save the day.
makes around 15 nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped or grated
- 1 medium sweet potato (around 400g), cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 cup of uncooked red lentils
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup vegetable stock or water + extra water if needed
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese and other preferred grated cheese (i.e. cheddar)
- 1 handful of roughly torn coriander
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
How to make
- Heat the coconut oil in a frypan, add the onion, garlic and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes over a medium heat until the onions are translucent and everything is soft.
- Add the sweet potato, red lentils and smoked paprika, stir everything together and cook for an-other minute or so before adding the liquid. Turn the heat down to low, cover your frypan and allow everything to simmer and steam for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. If it is sticking, add a tablespoon of water or so at every stir to lift the mixture off the base of the pan.
- Once everything is cooked and soft, roughly mash everything together adding the parmesan, coriander as well as seasoning with salt and pepper. Then allow the mixture to cool completely (you can do this quickly by putting it in the fridge)
- Once the mixture is cool, heat your oven to 190 degrees and line a tray with baking paper. Shape your mixture into croquettes and roll them in breadcrumbs so that each one is complete-ly coated. Place them onto the prepared baking tray then place them into the oven to cook for around 30 minutes or until golden and crunchy.
Roberta of Naturo Medico is a Naturopathic Practitioner who specialises in preventative care and women’s health. From her Melbourne-based clinic, Roberta sees women of all ages wanting to meet their own health goals and assists them on their path with personalised treatments specific to their needs.
Alongside practice, Roberta shares healthful and nutrient-rich recipes with her readers who inspire her to continue educating on what health and wellbeing means and how it can be achieved.
Follow @naturomedico on Instagram for more healthy eating inspira-tion
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