5 a day Carrot and courgette muffins with honey, orange and cream cheese frosting for lunch boxes or any other occasion

….Some more lunch box ideas

These lunchboxes make pretty pictures but there is no way a busy mom will get all of this together in a morning. Except if you are a super mom and get up at 4 am to bake muffins. These are just ideas and inspiration and even if you just include one of these things in your children’s lunchboxes you made an effort. The mini chicken pies can be made in advanced and frozen.

Banana notes

I love writing notes on bananas. Did you know you can do that? If you softly write with a pencil and really just scratch the surface your message will magically appear after a while where the skin got damaged. It is fun, and your kids will appreciate their little message. Or download these free notecards from my previous post.

 Berry and Nectarine Smoothie

Will work best for older children. Otherwise, you can imagine the spillage. You will also need to right type of container that can seal and insulate well. Might also be handy adding an ice block. Warm smoothies is just not appetizing.

Berry and nectarine smoothie

• Author: Ankie Niesing
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 12 strawberries
• 2 frozen bananas
• 2 nectariens
• 250 ml almond milk or liquid of your choice
• 5 ml vanilla
• 5 ml honey
• 15 ml flax seed powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash all the fruit and place in a food processor or my favourite, Nutribullet.
   Pour into flask and keep cool with ice pack.

Notes

Chop bananas into discs and place in bags. Freeze and use in smoothies or smoothie bowls.

Carrot and courgette muffins with honey, orange and cream cheese frosting

I have made these muffins so many times I can’t count. They always come out moist, freeze well and work as mini muffins or even a cake. They also freeze very well. I still want to do some recipe testing one day and make them super healthy by cutting out the gluten, canola oil and sugar. But for now I can leave you with a super delicious packed with veggies muffin. The cream cheese frosting is very low in sugar and only contains honey. The muffins are sweet enough that the frosting also don’t need sugar.

Carrot and courgette muffins

• Author: Ankie Niesing
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 15 1x

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 180 ml canola oil
• 180 g self-raising flour
• 3 eggs
• 120 g demerara sugar
• 120 g grated carrots
• 120 g grated courgettes
• 90 g crushed tinned pineapple
• 60 g chopped pecan nuts
• 5 ml cinnamon
• 5 ml vanilla
• pinch salt

Honey, orange and cream cheese frosting

• 1 tub cream cheese (simonsberg)
• 30 ml honey (or to taste)
• 5 ml vanilla
• 1/2 zest of halve an orange
• extra pecan nuts for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180’C Fan, 200’C. Measure out all the ingredients
2. Measure oil in measuring jug, add egg and whisk lightly with a fork. Add carrot, courgette, pineapple vanilla essence
3. Put the flour, sugar and salt into bowl
4. Pour the contents of the measuring jug into the flour bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon,but don’t overmix.
5. Place the mixture into the muffin moulds using the two spoon method
6. Place in preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Until muffins are cooked Leave to cool on a wire rack

Honey, orange and cream cheese frosting

1. Add ingredients together for frosting and beat with an electric whisk or with a wooden spoon. If it is not sweet enough add more honey.

Photograph: Emil Bohme

Recipe developed for Lig Magazine