FAMILIES in Worcestershire are being encouraged to create some healthy options in the kitchen with a children’s recipe competition being run by a national charity.

Diabetes UK wants to encourage youngsters to get creative in the kitchen and enter their favourite recipe into its competition.

Peter Shorrick, the charity’s regional manager in the Midlands, said: “We’re looking for quick, simple and healthy recipes from families across the country. We'll shortlist four of the best and the public can vote online for the winner, who will receive a fantastic Red Letter Days experience for all the family to enjoy.

“Cooking with children is great fun and helps kids learn a whole new set of skills like teamwork, science and maths, and the basics of nutrition, helping to form healthier eating habits for life. And who doesn’t have fond childhood memories of the treat of being able to lick the cake mix from the bowl?

“We hope that our competition will inspire families to get creative in the kitchen and cook up some great healthy family suppers to inspire others around the country.”

The competition is now open and lasts until Wednesday July 22. More information can be found by visiting www.diabetes.org.uk/recipe-competition/

For those who need some help in the kitchen, Diabetes UK’s ‘Enjoy Food’ recipe finder provides delicious and healthy recipes. People can choose from really easy-to-follow recipes or attempt others which are a bit more complex.

Each recipe lists the all-important carbohydrate content to make ‘carb counting’ easy for people with diabetes who need to match their insulin dose to the amount of carbohydrate they are eating. Each recipe also includes protein, fat, saturates, sugars and salt content per portion, as well as calorie information.

Mr Shorrick added: “This resource aims to be helpful to the 3.9 million people living with diabetes, for whom physical activity and a healthy balanced diet is key to helping them manage their condition.

“However, it is really important for everyone, regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with diabetes, to embrace a healthy diet and these recipes can help everyone do just that.”

Here’s one of the recipes to try out.

FRUIT AND NUT BARS

These chewy bars are ideal as a snack before exercise or as a healthier alternative to normal biscuits and bars.

Makes 16 prep time 20 mins. Cooking time 40 mins

107 calories per serving

• VEGAN DAIRY FREE LOW FAT

Ingredients

• 450g eating apples, stewed

• 5 tablespoons orange juice

• 225g mixed dried fruit (eg apricots, dates, cranberries, etc), roughly chopped

• 100g mixed nuts (eg almonds, hazelnuts, etc), chopped

• 75g wholemeal self-raising flour

• 25g desiccated coconut

• 1 tbsp oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC / gas mark 4.

2. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together.

3. Spoon into a lightly greased and lined 20cm square baking tin.

4. Smooth out and press down slightly, then bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden and firm.

5. Mark into 16 pieces. Leave in the tin to cool.

CHEF’S TIPS

To stew the apples: peel core and chop them then add to a pan with 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook over a gentle heat stirring regularly for 10-15 mins.

Stewed apples freeze well so you could make a batch and freeze until needed.