Making your own burgers gives you the perfect Opportunity to add some extra veg. I don’t usually make a big thing out of ‘hiding’ vegetables for the kids. I prefer them to see them so they know what they are but if you have a picky eater at home this can be a good way to sneak some good stuff into them without any fuss!

I was also keen to try out a simple ketchup recipe. I really don’t like my toddler having ketchup (it really is just sugar in a bottle!) but this stuff she can eat all day- it even counts towards your 5 a day!

Ingredients for the burgers-

Lean minced beef

Carrot

Courgette

Onion

Green apple

Green pepper

Garlic

Mixed herbs

Salt & Pepper

Egg

Finely grate one or two carrots, one courgette and one apple. Finely chop a small onion and half a pepper

Squeeze as much juice out of the grated veg as you can

Heat a little oil in a pan and cook the veg for 5-10mins on a medium heat

In a bowl put the mince and the cooked veg

Use a garlic press and add 2 cloves of garlic

A teaspoon of mixed herbs and a little salt & pepper

Beat an egg and add to the mixture. It’s probably easiest to use your hands now to mix everything together

Make into burger shapes. I made 4 large patties but you could easily do 8 smaller ones if you prefer. Pop them into the fridge to firm up for an hour or longer before cooking them.

Time to make your ketchup- this was a slightly altered recipe from what I wanted to make as I was missing a few things! So Ingredients I used today-

Tinned tomatoes

3 tablespoons of White wine vinegar (I’d prefer red wine vinegar!)

1/2 teaspoon of Mixed spice

1 teaspoon of Honey

2 cloves of Garlic

1/2 teaspoon Mustard powder

Salt and Pepper

(I was missing onion powder otherwise I’d have added that too.)

Put everything in a pan, bring to the boil hen reduce to a low heat and cook for 30-60mins stirring occasionally

It should reduce down to a thick paste

Cut some salad to go in your burger!

I found some flatbread burger buns in the supermarket so we’ve used those today- they just get warmed in the toaster first. Salad arranged on top

Grill your burgers for around 10mins then turn and grill for another 10mins. Slice a little cheese and melt that on top to finish it off.

In goes the burger and a big dollop of the ketchup! Serve with potato wedges.

Enjoy knowing there’s at least 3 of your 5 a day in this meal!!