Ideas for Quick Teas for Vegetarian Kids - Link Up

Along with many other 4 year olds up and down the country, our eldest started school this week, marking her transition from preschooler to infant pupil. One of the big changes that comes with this is that she has opted for school dinners rather than packed lunches for lunch, which leaves me with the dilemma of what to feed her when she comes home from school. She won't need a big dinner, but as the dark nights and cold weather draw in, I am thinking that a simple sandwich might not suffice!, so I need to think of ideas for quick, easy, light teas in the evenings where she doesn't need to eat lots, but needs filling up before bed time.

There has been lots of great packed lunch ideas on various blogs over the summer,but what about quick and filling tea/supper ideas for children having school dinners? I need meal ideas which I can add to for youngest who is still having a sandwich as home for lunch, or can be just a warm snack/light meal for eldest.

So I have decided to create my first "Meme" (hate the word!) and ask you for some ideas of what you typically cook or make in the evening for kids who have school dinners at lunchtime. Feel free to link up to a post on your blog, the only thing I ask is that all recipes are vegetarian, or could be made vegetarian.

Here are a couple of my ideas for tea:

Cheats Pizza

Base           Pizza Bases, Tomato Puree, Cheddar Cheese,
Toppings    Green Peppers, red Peppers, Onion and Tomato

Obviously you could add any toppings you like. This takes about 15 minutes to make and 10-15 minutes to cook, so is quite a quick recipe.

Cheese and Vegetable Pasties 

These Cheese and Vegetable Pasties make a great tea. I have taken them from the I can Cook cookbook. To bulk it out you can add potatoes/veg or baked beans, or just have it on its own with salad as a light snack.

Ingredients (Makes two)

375g Puff Pastry

8 Spinach or Rocket Leaves

60g Cheddar Cheese, grated

pinch of ground Nutmeg

2 rounded teaspoons of Ratatouille

Small bowl of water

Method

1. Sprinkle the work mat with flour and roll out the puff pastry.
2. Use a cutter, or small bowl to cut out 4 circles in the pastry.
3. Place 2 of the circles on a baking tray.
4. Tear the spinach or Rocket leaves up into a bowl. Add most of the cheese, a pinch of nutmeg and the ratatouille and mix it all together,
5. Prick all of the pastry circles with a fork, and then spoon the mixture into the centre of the two pastry circles on the baking tray.
6. Use the pastry brush to brush water around the edges and then place the remaining two pastry circles on top of each of the filled pastry circles and add the remaining grated cheese.
7. Place in a preheated oven at 220 degrees, gas mark 7 for about 15 minutes.or until puffed and golden.
8. Once cooked, remove from oven, allow to cool a little and serve.