Finding tasty and nutritious meals that kids will love can be challenging, especially when catering to dietary restrictions like dairy-free diets. To make your weeknights easier, we’re sharing three simple and delicious dairy-free dinners from Kate Lancaster’s new cookbook, Feed Your Family Dairy-Free. Also known as The Dairy Free Mum (@thedairyfreemum), Kate has crafted these meals to be quick to prepare and packed with the nutrients growing children need. Whether your child has a dairy allergy or you’re just looking to switch things up, these recipes are sure to become mid-week favourites!

Fish Pie

Tender chunks of iodine-rich fish in a creamy sauce, topped with fluffy mash – for me, this is the ultimate comfort food. It’s also a lovely dish to serve guests – when my Canadian mother-in-law first visited, I made this to introduce her to British food. Luckily, she loved it!

Serves: 4 adults and 2 children Prep: 40 minutes, Cook: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 leek
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 pack of fish pie mix (340g/12oz) or 4 fillets of skinless, boneless mixed fish (e.g. cod, smoked haddock and salmon)
5g (1/8oz) flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp oil
50g (13⁄4oz) butter alternative* or margarine*
50g (13⁄4oz) plain flour*
500ml (18fl oz) plant-based milk alternative*
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
75g (11⁄2oz) frozen peas (or sweetcorn) juice of 1⁄4 lemon

FOR THE TOPPING

1.25kg (2lb 12oz) floury potatoes (Maris Piper work best)
2 tbsp butter alternative* or margarine* 50ml (2fl oz) plant-based milk alternative*

METHOD

1. Start by making the topping. Peel and chop the potatoes into big chunks. Add to a large saucepan of boiling water and cook on a medium heat for 18 minutes or until cooked. Drain well, then add the other topping ingredients and mash well until smooth and there are no lumps. Set aside to cool.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare your sauce. Wash the leek, discard the white root and tough green tops, cut lengthways and then slice finely. Dice the garlic. Chop the fish into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the parsley.

3. In a saucepan, heat the oil on a medium heat, then add the leek and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Remove on to a plate.

4. Add the butter alternative or margarine into the pan and when melted and bubbling, add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk alternative, whisking constantly, until combined.

5. Add the mustard (if using), nutritional yeast, peas, lemon juice and parsley, stir well and cook for a further minute. Turn off the heat and add the fish chunks, plus the leeks and garlic, folding into the sauce gently.

6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ Fan 180°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 while leaving the sauce to cool.

7. Assemble the pie. Pour the sauce into a large ovenproof dish, ensuring the fish is distributed evenly. Take a spoonful of mashed potato at a time and add to the top, starting with the border of the dish, then filling in the middle. Spread out the topping until it’s flat and even, ensuring the edges of the dish are sealed.

8. Using the back of a fork, drag it along the topping in a criss-cross pattern to create ridges.

9. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes until the edges of the potato are browning.

STORAGE

Keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Cheezy Leek & Spinach Orzo

Creamy and comforting, with the added goodness of green veg. Orzo is a great pasta for weaning and young kids, as the small shape makes it easy to scoop. This dish will be a hit with everyone at the table though.

Serves: 2 adults and 2 children Prep: 8 minutes, Cook: 22 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 leek
1 garlic clove, peeled
100g (31⁄2oz) baby spinach leaves
100g (31⁄2oz) Cheddar alternative*
1 tbsp oil
300g (101⁄2oz) orzo pasta
700ml (11⁄4 pints) hot (low-salt) vegetable stock*
150ml (5fl oz) plant-based milk alternative* zest and juice of 1 lemon

METHOD

1. Prep your ingredients – wash and dice the leek, discarding the roots and tough green tops. Finely dice or grate the garlic. Chop the spinach roughly. Finely grate the Cheddar alternative.

2. In a large, lidded saucepan, heat the oil on a medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Then add the garlic for a further minute.

3. Add the orzo and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until coated in the oil.

4. Add the hot stock and milk alternative, stir and bring to the boil.

5. Cover the pan with its lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

6. Add the spinach to the pan along with the lemon zest and juice, stir well, then cover the pan for another 2 minutes until the orzo is cooked.

7. Remove from the heat and stir through the grated Cheddar alternative until combined, then serve.

STORAGE

Keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thai Coconut Chicken Noodles

Ever since I went travelling to Southeast Asia, Thai has been my favourite cuisine. It’s not always child-friendly, but this easy sauce has delicious, fragrant flavours without the fiery chilli kick for kids. I do love adding some sriracha to the adult portions when serving though!

Serves: 2 adults and 2 children
Prep: 10–15 minutes, Cook: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 red (bell) pepper
125g (41⁄2oz) green beans
100g (31⁄2oz) broccoli florets
200g (7oz) rice noodles (pad Thai-style ones work best)
1 tbsp oil
500g (1lb 2oz) chicken breast strips (or diced)
coriander leaves (optional) lime for garnish (optional)

FOR THE SAUCE

300ml (10fl oz) canned coconut milk (shake well before use)
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp lemongrass paste
2 tbsp low-salt soy sauce* or soya-free coconut aminos*
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
11⁄2 tsp maple syrup (not required if using coconut aminos)
1⁄4 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD

1. First, prepare your sauce. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir for a minute to combine. Taste and adjust the flavours as you wish by adding more of the different ingredients. The aim is to get a balance of creamy, sour, sweet and salty.

2. Top and tail the green beans, then cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces. Slice the pepper into thin strips and chop the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.

3. Cook the rice noodles as per the packet instructions and drain. Meanwhile, cook your stir fry.

4. In a large wok or saucepan, heat the oil on a high heat, then add the chicken. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly, until coloured on all sides.

5. Add the pepper, green beans and broccoli and continue to cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes until the chicken and veg are cooked.

6. Pour in the sauce and cook for 1 minute, then add the drained noodles, toss together to combine.

7. Serve, garnishing with torn coriander leaves and slices of lime if you wish.

STORAGE
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Not suitable for freezing.

Extracted from Feed Your Family Dairy Free by Kate Lancaster (Yellow Kite, £25) Photography by Jen Rich