The Scandi Cook, Sophie Stensrud, gives you four recipes for meals you can make in 20 minutes, to avoid the after-school hangry tantrum...

Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

This one is an excellent pantry meal, a great standby for the days where time is tight and the kids need something nutritious and easy.

Ingredients

Per child:

• 1 tortilla

• 2 tablespoons tinned refried beans

• 2 tablespoons grated cheese

• Salt

for the avocado dip:

• 1 mashed avocado

• 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt

• Squeeze of lime

To Make

Spread the refried beans over half the tortilla, top with cheese and fold the other half over.

Cook in a dry pan on a medium/high heat, until the tortilla is slightly crispy and the cheese has melted.

Serve with the avocado dip and crudités.

Salmon 5 spice noodles

Ingredients

For the Salmon Marinade

• 4 salmon fillets

• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 minced garlic clove

• Juice of 1/2 -1 lime

For the Stir fry:

• 400 g green veg, a mix of a few is good. Broccoli, sugar snaps, pak choi, courgette, cabbage, peas etc all work well.

• 2-3 whole wheat noodle nests, cooked

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 3 finely sliced garlic cloves

• 1 tsp five spice seasoning

• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

• 1 tsp honey

• Lime juice to taste

To Make

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Mix together the marinade and cover the salmon. Leave to the side whilst you chop the veggies and cook and drain the noodles.

Roast the salmon for about 10 min, it should flake when pushed with the back of a spoon.

Fry the garlic and veggies in the sesame oil, add 5 spice, soy, honey and lime juice.

Stir in the cooked noodles, and adjust seasoning.

Flake the salmon over and serve immediately. 

Fresh tomato and balsamic pasta

Ingredients

• 400g tomatoes - mixed sizes and colours if available

• 250g dry pasta, any shape works

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Basil

• Parmesan

• Salt, pepper, sugar

To Make

Set a large pot of well-salted water (think as salty as sea water) to the boil.

Meanwhile, wash and chop the tomatoes and add to a large serving bowl that will accommodate the pasta as well. Dice large tomatoes, cherry tomatoes can be halved or quartered.

Once the water is at a rolling boil, cook pasta according to the packet instructions.

Add balsamic, olive oil, salt, pepper and a little pinch of sugar to the tomatoes, and squelch it up with your hands a little. Add a handful of chopped or torn basil.

Once pasta is cooked to your liking, drain and add to the tomatoes. Stir it all together, adjust seasoning and serve with lots of shaved parmesan.

Orzotto

A quick cheat’s risotto. You can basically add any veg, leftover roast chicken etc.

Ingredients

• 1/2 an onion, finely chopped

• 1 cup orzo

• 2.5 cups stock – chicken or veg, homemade or stock cube mixed with boiling water

• 1 cup veg – this one is peas and broad beans, green beans, sweet corn, courgette also works well

• Shredded leftover chicken if desired

• Generous handful of grated parmesan, plus more for serving
  
    

To Make

In a casserole, melt 1 tbsp butter and a drizzle of olive oil. Sweat the onion until translucent, about 5 min.

Add the orzo and stock, and allow to simmer until al dente, about 2 min less than cooking instructions on the packet.

Stir in veg and chicken and warm through. Stir in a handful of grated parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with more grated parmesan. 

Sophie Stensrud is an enthusiastic home cook, posting food and recipe ideas on Instagram @thescandicook hoping to inspire others. When not kept busy by her 3 and 4.5 year old boys, she studies for a BSc in Nutrition at King's College.