They're called rissoles, love.

In the eternal quest to give Tabitha lunches that are a) nutritious b) varied and c) easy, I made an enormous batch of rissoles tonight.

Generally, if we are out at lunchtime, I buy Tabitha's lunch - a sushi handroll, a sandwich cut into pieces, some fishcakes, dumplings, or stirfried vegetables are all regular lunches.

However, if we are at home, I prepare something just for her - I am a grazer, nibbling at food all day, so I normally share Tabitha's little lunch with her (and then eat another mini-meal a couple of hours later.  And another, a couple of hours later...)

I keep a stash of lunch foods in the freezer - lamb chops, schnitzel strips, ravioli, veggieburgers, dumplings etc.  My freezer stash is getting dangerously low, hence the mega-rissole prep.

These rissoles are good because they are high in protein, iron, vitamins and minerals and fibre, with moderate fat, and low salt and sugar.

I use the grating disk on the food processor to grate the vegetables - it makes them beautifully fine, so they mix in with the mince very well, and cook quickly.

Healthy Rissoles

In a large bowl, mix together:

• 1kg mince (I use medium-grade mince.  That is, not too lean, nor too fatty.  Some fat is important for flavour.)
• 2 large carrots, finely grated
• 2 large zucchini, finely grated (for both the carrots and zuccini, I use organic, and do not peel them, since most of the vitamins are in the skin layer)
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup of fresh (stale) white breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon of mixed dried herbs
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste

(I also added about half a cup of mashed up roast veggies, since I had them leftover.  It's not essential!)

(You could also add some stewed apple, some sultanas, or other stewed fruit or mashed veggies)

(You could use chicken, turkey, lamb, pork or another mince, or a combination)

Make sure everything is well combined, then form into small rissoles with your hands.  Place on a couple of trays, freeze, and once frozen, pop a couple in each small container or plastic bag.

Take a couple out of the freezer the night before, then pan-fry in a little olive oil.  I serve them with some cheese pieces and salad vegetables (cut up capsicum and cucumber, for example) and for myself, I eat one in a sandwich.