When my children were young, we used to say a little prayer of gratitude whenever we were peeling eggs.  We would say, “Thank you, Mrs. Hens, for laying these lovely eggs for us. We really appreciate it.”

Cheesy, i know, but it teaches children gratitude.  It teaches them that nothing in the world is ever truly without cost – someone somewhere had sacrificed something selflessly to give you the gift. It also teaches them not to waste food.

Scotch eggs were our favourite food. It was our kind of food because we could easily take them on picnics, and children loved making them.

Here’s my recipe for a vegetarian version.  Please don’t ask for exact measurements – part of the delight with cooking with children is exploring and experimenting, and loving the outcome. There is no perfection in nursery food, only love.

How to make these eggs:

Soak about 400g of dried organic chickpeas overnight.  Boil until soft.  Boil six eggs and peel their shells off.

Mash up the cooked chickpeas with one finely chopped onion, two cloves minced garlic, half a grated carrot and a small bunch of finely chopped coriander.  Divide into six patties.

Dust the cooled eggs in flour.  Mould the chickpeas patties around each egg. Dip in beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs.  Bake for 20 minutes.

And enjoy 🙂