On Friday, we had two of my children’s friends over to play after school. So with five little, but very hungry mouths to feed, I needed to produce something quick, easy and a lot
of it! When I suggested told my crew that they were having pasta bake, they were a bit “meh”, as I serve this up once a week. But our 7 year old and 4 year old guests were delighted (my children: take note of their beautiful manners) and everyone devoured second/third helpings. These simple things in life, like a stress free dinner and happy, full up children make me very happy!

Pasta Bake

This is a easy combo of pasta, sauce and tuna. Pasta is a fabulous source of energy for growing and hungry children; tuna for protein and cheese sauce for extra energy and calcium. I make the white sauce from scratch – but it is a very easy method that doesn’t involve making a roux (and the potential for lumps).

Here are 5 ways you can add extra health oomph:

1. tinned salmon/poached fresh salmon/smoked salmon for healthy omega 3 fats – anti inflammatory, beneficial for brain, heart and eye health
2. add in some vegetables e.g. sweetcorn, peas, steamed broccoli
3. use a tomato sauce instead of the white sauce – lowers the fat and calorie
4. gluten free pasta and flour – for those following a low FODMAP diet, or with gluten intolerance/coeliac disease
5. high fibre pasta – most people don’t get enough fibre which is important for digestive health and is more filling than white pasta

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• about 500ml milk
• about 250ml chicken or vegetable stock
• handful of grated cheese
• Pasta shapes, about 500g dried (a whole bag) – cooked
• 2 tins of tuna, drained

Method:

1. In a sauce pan, put the butter, flour and milk.
2. Whisk so that the flour dissolves in to the milk
3. Over a medium heat, allow this to heat so the butter melts. As the mixture heats up, make sure you keep mixing. It will thicken as it gets towards boiling point. Keep stirring. Stir, stir, stir. Turn the heat down as it thickens. Keep stirring.
4. When it has thickened, add the stock and cheese.
5. Add the tuna, and extra veg e.g. sweetcorn/peas etc.
6. Put the cooked pasta in a dish and pour over the sauce
7. Grate some bread to make bread crumbs, sprinkle over pasta
8. Sprinkle on some grated cheese
9. Grill for a few minutes to melt the cheese and make the breadcrumbs crispy. Watch carefully as it can burn quite quickly!