I’ve tried for years, but I couldn’t get the kids even remotely interested in eating brown or whole grain bread. I’ve been reading Michael Pollan’s wonderful In Defense of Food and it’s made me realise that if they will only eat white bread full of artificial crap, just don’t serve them bread.
So I’ve pretty much stopped giving the kids sandwiches in their lunch box, packing some meat, an egg, some cheese or some other protein along with salad vegies instead. This has upped the vegetables they are eating, especially vegie-loather Max who is now eating cucumbers, carrots and mini tomatoes each day, unless he is sneakily throwing them out (that’s really not like him so I’m hopeful). It’s also freed me up to offer the kids something carby and yummy in the lunch box or after school as long as I keep an eye on the sugar quantity and split the white flour with wholegrain. This is working out really well.
These lemon and coconut muffins were a bit of an experiment, but they worked beautifully. I merged about three different recipes to arrive at a good combo of lemony, coconutty goodness. The kids give them “three thumbs up”, so try them out for yourself. The recipe makes 20 muffins as I freeze a batch for the lunchboxes, but you can halve it to make 10 if you prefer.
Lemon and coconut muffins
Makes 20 muffins
2 cups self-raising flour
2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup Greek yoghurt
Juice of one largish lemon (about 6 Tbs)
Zest of same lemon
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease two muffin tins – you’ll need 20 holes
Combine the flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the coconut oil, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest and egg. Stir until just combined
Spoon into the prepared muffin tins and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool in the tins for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack. Eat while warm with a glass of milk for afternoon tea or leave until completely cooled, wrap in cling film and freeze for lunchboxes. The muffins will keep in the freezer for at least a month.
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Do you tend to pack vegetables in the lunch box? Sambos? Muffins?
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Erin says
Sneaky mum:) It takes time to get away from the sandwich mentality, but really sandwiches are only relatively ‘new’ anyhow.
Holly says
You clever clogs! This is way better than bread 🙂 they look delicious too x
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
I love the coconut/lemon combo, Bron. The Greek yoghurt would also add some creamy zing.
Lunchbox favourites here include, vege spring rolls, dumplings and sushi.
One of my pet hates is making sandwiches for school lunch. So simple, but I think the boringness of it gets me.
Lauren @ Create Bake Make says
With a three thumbs up rating you know these are going to be good! We are a no white bread house and I usually make our bread every couple of days which helps cut back on nasties. These look delicious, I’m thinking I might use a mini muffin tin to make them toddler size 🙂
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
I do that too – mash a few recipes all together to create one super recipe. These look so tasty. And yes, I usually sneak my veggies into all sorts of things.
Ally says
There’s always veggies in our school lunches…mushrooms/tomatoes/capsicum/carrots/snow peas/corn….
I serve up a fruit and veggie platter after school too…with a treat on the side
I’m thinking these will go down well too
X
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect says
These muffins look delicious. I’ve never had lemon and coconut together. Sounds like a winning combination. #fabulousfoodiefridays
Heather says
I love that idea of not giving them white bread. Their lunch boxes are amazing! I think I need to get that book. Jake is still a dreadful eater and being a coeliac doesn’t help. Eating nourishing food feels like a pipe dream when it comes to my son.
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
These look ace and I love baking with yoghurt – it has such an amazing texture. You so clever! Neither of us take sandwiches for lunch and rarely even have bread in the house. With coconut oil, yoghurt and wholemeal flour, these muffins are almost healthy (which surely means I can eat more of them!) 🙂
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
Lemon + coconut = best flavour combination ever. Shall be pinning this now and adding to my list! Thanks for linking up with our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party xx
Emily says
Lemon and coconut are two of my favourite things! Yum. I always manage to overbeat muffin mix. I never get the muffin tops happening. Just flat pretend cupcakey looking things.
Rachael says
How great and so, so smart that you’re no longer doing the white bread thing! I go through phases where I too try to make my boys lunches more fresh food based. Such a good reminder for me to get back into being organised, Thanks B, just the kick in the pants I needed to get me motivate again. Rx
Sequins & Sand says
I tend to pack carrot sticks of my little man because that is his favourite vegetable
Vicki @ Boiled Eggs & Soldiers says
3 thumbs up so will have to give them a go. Mine hate sandwiches so yes they gets lots of vegie sticks & savoury muffins etc.