Pumpkin, Kale and Halloumi Tart

I don't know about you, but the older my kids get, the busier we become as a family and the harder it is to get a meal on the table each night. When my kids were younger and I worked less, I used to put aside some time during the middle of the day to prep dinner (during the toddler years this might have been when they were taking a nap). Now that I work more and there's four lots of after school activities to manage, I find myself often starting dinner at night time. This means I need meals that come together quickly, taste great and also offer up plenty of nutrition. Bonus points if it's something I can serve up the next day in the lunch boxes or for my own lunch !

I recently created this tart recipe as I was craving a quiche, but I needed it to be fast and simple, and let me tell you this one ticks all the boxes. To be honest I generally prefer to make my own pastry as shortcrust pastry isn't difficult to make and I think homemade tastes better and has a better texture. BUT I've sat through thousands of consults with families now, and I know that it's often the extra steps like making pastry that break people, and have them turning away from what is otherwise a very simple tasty recipe. So, if you're like me and need dinner done NOW, then cut yourself some slack and use a frozen pastry (no one is giving out medals for making everything from scratch for your family...just saying, and I'm simply not interested in hearing that we shouldn't be using processed foods...there is definitely room in your diet for some). Serve this one up for dinner and then pop the left overs in the lunch boxes the next day. Now you might be looking at this thinking, my kids will never eat that, there's just too many vegetables in it. Well not all of mine do either, but that's fine not every meal needs to be every child's favourite preferred food. When I serve this up, I also offer a salad, some garlic bread or just a plain warm loaf and a fruit plate. You could even do a side of sweetcorn or whatever else you know might be a safe foods for your kids. Offering up a family meal like this with choices and letting kids pick and choose between whats' on offer (without pressure to try anything), is the way to slowly but surely expand their palates. 

Pumpkin, Kale & Haloumi Tart

Ingredients:

Approx. 1 kg of diced Jap or Kent pumpkin (cut into small pieces about 2-3cm square to facilitate a faster cooking time)

1 red onion cut into 8ths (chunky wedges)

2 cups of kale laves torn and washed (vein removed)

Olive oil

1 x 200g packet of halloumi diced

3 slices of frozen puff pastry

6 large eggs

2/3 cup light cooking cream

2 Tbs parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Begin by chopping and prepping your vegetables. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Heat oven to 180 ℃ (or 160 ℃ if using fan forced).

On the first tray scatter your pumpkin and red onion and toss in approx. 2 Tbs of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 20mins at 180 ℃.

On a second tray scatter with your kale leaves and again toss with about 1 Tbs olive oil. Cook for 10 mins at 180 ℃.

Remove from oven.

Whilst veggies are roasting prepare a long rectangular quiche tin (32 cm x 22cm x 3 cm) by greasing and then cover with your defrosted short crust pastry. Line with a piece of baking paper and cover with baking weights. Blind bake in the oven for about 20mins at 180℃ then remove from oven and take out weights. 

In a bowl whisk together your eggs and cream and season well.

Scatter over your pastry base, the diced halloumi, red onion, pumpkin and kale. Then pour over your eggs and cream mixture. Sprinkle top with the grated parmesan and return to the oven for a further 20 - 25 mins or until set.