Got it back now so here are some more ideas that have been well and truly tried and tested n my 4DC over the past 18 years. I still have a two year old, so have been busy resurrecting it all anyway!
Spaghetti Omelette... (this is best used with day old spaghetti, and I always made sure I did extra for this after have a spag dish)
For one smallish child - toddler sized
approx 40g (cooked weight) spag
1 egg
matchboxed ish size of cheddar or parmesan, or similar, grated
splash of mil
(extras if wanted: finely chopped spring onions/ham/herbs/mushrooms etc)
Whisk the egg in a bowl, chuck in the rest of the ingredients making sure well mixed together. Melt a little butter/olive oil in a small frying pan and add egg/spag mixture. Fry on a medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, then flip over and do a couple or three minutes on the other side. Cuts nicely into pizza like wedges. V. tasty (I'll have it too with a salad and ketchup )
Cheesy chicken bites:
Per toddler: ½ chicken breast cut into bite size pieces or little finger strips.
In a blender, blend together 1 slice bread, small chunk cheddar or parmesan (or pecorino which is the yummiest with this), a sprinkling of either thyme or parsley and blend til fine crumbs.
Beat one egg then flour, egg and finely crumb the chicken and either gently fry for about 3 mins on either side or pop in the oven at about 175c for 15-20 minutes. I tend to make a massive batch of these in one go, cook them all and then freeze in portion sizes (flat freeze then on a plate and then bag). They defrost in less than half an hour and then I just warm them through at 160c ish for 10-15 minutes. Can also be jazzed up nicely for us with some paprika or cayenne in the breadcrumb mix.
Lentily stewy type thing (and turned into a soup for me and the big DC)
This should serve 1 small person and 4 bigger (teens and me) for lunch/light supper
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 fat clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 medium stick celery, finely diced
1 leek, finely sliced
8oz red lentils
2pints chicken stock
Soften the veg in some olive oil for a few minutes, add the lentils and stock and simmer gently for about 25 minutes. Whizz (or not, depending on age and lump stage of child). For DD3 I through in some cubes of freshish bread to thicken it, freezes brilliantly.
Simple ratatouille (great with pasta or with the cheesy chicken bites too.
Finely dice one medium onion, one fat clove garlic, 1 small aubergine and 1 medium courgette (cut these two into 1cm dice). Soften the onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, throw in the aubergine and courgette, a dessertspoon of tomato purée, sprinkle of oregano and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Cook on a very gentle heat for 1/2 hour or so. Whizz or don't whizz.
Simple pasta sauce/pizza sauce:
Put 1 roughly chopped medium onion, 1 fat clove garlic, tin of tomatoes, pinch of sugar, sprinkling of oregano into a saucepan. Simmer for twenty or so minutes. Add a handful of fresh basil. Whizz. Freezes well and will keep in the fridge for a good week.
I do a lot of soups for DD3 and they are never the same - I just throw in a pan any manky past it's best veg in the fridge, add stock to just cover and simmer for half an hour or so then whizz. If it's too thick add more stock or water, if it's too thin chuck a potato in, cook it and then mash or whizz it in.
Another one DD3 loves is stuffed mushrooms (i know I know). Remove the stalks, finely chop them, frying in a little butter with some chopped spring onion and garlic, stir into some philli, stuff the mushrooms, sprinkle a little parmesan over and pop under the grill for 10 minutes.
Mushroom risotto
Paella of any description
I am very lucky and live in Southern Spain, so DD3 eats a lot of shell fish and seafood. But if you're a lover of clams, I have found that almost every child I have given them too has loved them. I normally just cook them in a pan with a splash of stock, some garlic and parsley - she'll happily eat them like that and soak up the juices with bread, but also with spaghetti. She loves prawns too and I think they're a great thing to start with. The tiny ones you can get in the supermarkets over there (UK) are also good stirred through pasta with some philli.
I am a huge foodie and love cooking for the children, but they also enjoy it. The three older ones are al excellent cooks and DD3 spends most of the time with me in the kitchen when I'm cooking sitting on the side mixing and stirring - just being involved really. I think that really helps them develop a healthy interest in food and I've certainly found that all 4 of my children have been more enthusiastic to try things when they have 'helped' to plan, prep and cook it with me IYSWIM.
Sorry this is so long! Just got carried away with ideas as I typed.