Feeding fussy children is already a challenge, but adding extra restrictions like allergies can make it seem like an impossible task! Fortunately, we have found 9 easy to make delicious allergy free lunch or dinner recipes which will please not just your children, but the entire family.
1. Pizza
Who doesn’t like pizza? Well you can still enjoy delicious pizza even if you are avoiding dairy and gluten by simply swapping a few ingredients.
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients: gluten free pizza base, lactose free cheese, tomato puree and any toppings of your choice.
Instructions: Smear the tomato puree over the base, add sprinkles of the lactose free cheese and any toppings of your choice on top. Shove it in the oven at around 200 C (fan oven) for 10-15 minutes. Viola! Tasty, yummy pizza ready for you to scoff.
2. Sushi
If you haven’t yet jumped on to the sushi craze, you are missing out! Making it yourself can be tricky at first, but it is easy to get the hang of once you practise a few times. These are so versatile as you can fill these up with vegetables, salmon, chicken, tuna… you can choose whatever ingredients you like as it will be equally as delicious. The best thing about sushi is it can be eaten as a snack, lunch or dinner. Perfect for any fussy child with an allergy.
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients: Nori (roasted seaweed), rice, wasabi paste, gluten free soya sauce, filling ingredients of your choice, rice vinegar, sugar Or you can buy the ‘Yutaka Sushi Roll Meal Kit ‘ which has all of the ingredients inside.
Instructions: Cook the rice in a rice cooker. (If you do not have a rice cooker, then boil the rice a pot of water half an inch more than its height. Let the rice steam in the pot until all water has been evaporated.) Sprinkle some rice vinegar and sugar on the cooked rice. Place the nori sheet on a flat surface and spread a thin layer of cooked rice across it evenly. Add any additional ingredients in the middle of the sheet on top of the rice. Finally, roll it by folding in one side and turning it over again and again so it looks like a sausage. You can now cut this into smaller slices like the picture above. These do take time to perfect, so do not be disheartened if they look misshapen!
3. Pumpkin Soup
High in Vitamin A, fibre and antioxidants: pumpkin soup is a classic recommend meal to treat illnesses and diseases. recent studies have even shown this miraculous soup could potentially help in combating diabetes, regulate blood pressure, reduce the risk of obesity and give way to a healthy immune system. A tasty yet nutricious allergy free recipe for lunch or dinner!
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: 25 -30 minutes
Ingredients: 700ml vegetable stock/chicken stock, 1kg pumpkin, 2 tbp olive oil, 2 onions (finely chopped), 150ml coconut milk
Instructions: Heat 2 tbsp oilve oil in a large saucepan and cook the chopped onions in it for a few minutes stirring until soft. Add the pumpkin into the pan by cutting it into chunks and stir it occasionally until it turns soft and golden. Pour the vegetable stock into the saucepan and add some salt/pepper. Bring it to boil, then simmer until the pumpkin is soft. Pour the coconut milk into the pan, bring it to the boil, then puree it with a blender.
4. Pan-fried Salmon Fillets
Salmon is chocked full of omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin b12 and vitamin b1: so eating this delicious fish regularly is a no brainer. Health gurus have credited this delicious fish to decrease inflammation, lower heart pressure, reducing the risk of cancer and improve the function of cells that line your arteries.
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 2 minutes
Cooking time: 5-10 minutes
Ingredients: salmon fillets, salt, pepper, olive oil, 1 lemon
Instructions: Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Put the oil in a non stick frying pay swirl it around the pan to ensure the pan’s surface area is covered and turn the heat to high. Once hot, add the salmon fillets skin side up to the pan and fry for 2-4 minutes until crisp. Flip the fillets over, lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes more. Finally, squeeze and drizzle some lemon juice over the salmon and serve.
5. Asian stir -fried beef with green beans and rice
This popular green bean dish found in Chinese restaurants is quick to make and delicious! You can swap green beans for other vegetables too making it a verstaile allergy free lunch or dinner recipe.
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients: green beans, beef stir fry strips, 1 tbsp chopped garlic, 1 tbsp chopped ginger, 1 onion, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 4 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
Instructions: Wash the green beans, drain thoroughly and trim/dispose the ends. Cut the green beans into small strips. Combine chopped garlic, ginger, onion, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Heat the wok over medium hot and add 2 tbsp of oil ensuring the oil covers the surface of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the bowl of garlic/ginger/onion. Stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the beef strips to the wok and stir-fry until the beef changes colour. Splash the beef with the rice-wine while cooking. Add the green beans and stir-fry for a little longer. Take everything out of the work and add seasoning if necessary. Serve with steamed rice.
6. Vegetarian Poke bowl
This poke bowl inspired meal is very versatile and you can literally just throw anything in to create a delicious lunch or dinner. Remember the recipe below can be adapted to anything you would like to: swap the smoked salmon for chicken, or change the cucumber to broccoli. The world is your oyster!
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients: smoked salmon, seaweed or nori sheets, sweet potato, avocado, cucumbers and steamed rice. Optional flavorings: light soya sauce, salt, pepper, hoisin sauce
Instructions: Steam cook the rice in a rice cooker. Peel the sweet potatoes. Boil a pot of water and chop the sweet potatoes into chunks. Pop the sweet potatoes in the boiling pot and after 5 minutes turn it down to medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Chop and prepare the avocado, cutting it into slices and leave this on the side for now. Wash and slice the cucumber and also leave this to the side. Finally, using scissors, cut the seawood/nori sheets into thin strips. Once the rice is cooked, place this in a bowl. Take the sweet potatoes out of the boiling water and place this on top of the rice. Place the avocado and cucumber on top of the rice as well keeping each vegetable on its own side of the plate. Tear some smoked salmon and the cut seaweed and sprinkle or layer in the bowl as well. Add optional flavoring with a dash of hoisin sauce, soya sauce, salt and pepper.
7. Easy One-Pan Roast Chicken Dinner
Roast dinners are so yummy and easy to make! Personally, I do not just reserve roasts just for Sundays. We love roasts all days of the week, and it is the one meal which everyone grabs seconds and thirds because they are just so yummy.
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 – 2 hours
Ingredients: 1 medium chicken, 1 lemon, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, olive oil, potatoes, carrots, parsnips,
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Place the chicken in a large roasting tin. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the chicken and put some lemon slices inside the chicken. Drizzile 1-2 tbsp of the olive oil over the chicken. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Roast for 30 minutes. Wash and prepare the vegetables. Take the chicken out and flip it over the other way up. Add the vegetables around the chicken in the roasting tin and place it back into the oven for 30 more minutes. Take the chicken out again and turn it over and give the vegetables a stir. Roast again for a further 20 minutes. Finally, check the chicken is fully cooked by cutting into the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear then it is cooked. If not, put it back in the oven and keep checking after 10-15 minutes. Once cooked, serve the chicken carved into chunky pieces with the vegetables. Use the juice in the roasting pan to spook over the vegetable and chicken for extra taste.
8. Spaghetti Bolognese
Children and adults love this simple classic Italian meal. Lactose-free cheese and gluten-free spaghetti has made this dish a weekly must make for those who have allergies.
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 garlic cloves, 2-3 sprigs rosemary, 500g beef mince, gluten-free spaghetti, lactose-free cheese, 5 tbsp tomato puree, 500ml fresh chicken stock, bay leaf
Instructions: Heat 1 tbsp olive in a large pan on low heat. Chop the onions, carrots and garlic. Add these into the pan. Cook for 10 minutes and stir until softened. Take these out and place it to one side. Add another tbsp of olive oil into pan and turn the heat up high. Add the mince and whilst cooking the mince break it down with a wooden spoon. Return the vegetables to the pan and add the tomate puree and bay leaf. Mix well whilst cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Add the chicen stock and salt/pepper for seasoning. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium and let it bubble for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally until the liquid is halved and you are left with a thickish sauce. Finally, boil a large saucepan of salted water and drop in the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet and then drain. Finally serve by placing the mince on top of the spaghetti and enjoy!
9. Easy peasy kebab sticks
Kebabs are so easy to make, yet even the fussiest of children will love them. The perfect combination to keep your children healthy and happy whilst staying away from common allergens.
Free of: dairy, gluten, eggs
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients: bacon, prawns,cucumbers, sweet peppers. tomatoes, vegetable oil
Instructions: Thread the ingredients through metal/wooden skewers and brush with some oil. Heat the grill and cook the skewers for 3 minutes on each side until nicely charred. Serve skewers with anything of your choice e.g. rice
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