Mexican Beef Salad Jar

School Salad That Stacks Up Nicely: Mexican Beef Salad Jar

Your kids will be begging for salad with this unique Mexican beef dish.

Serves: 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients
600g beef mince
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 bunch coriander, roots, stems and leaves separated, chopped + extra sprigs, to serve
2/3 cup quinoa
2 corn cobs
400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, diced
1 baby cos lettuce, shredded
1 red capsicum, diced
1 tsp finely chopped pickled jalapenos
2 limes, cut into wedges

Method
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, add oil and when hot add the mince. Allow to sit until it starts to colour, turn over and allow to brown on the other side. Start to move it around and break it up with a wooden spoon. Stir until cooked through. Add spices and finely chopped coriander root and stems. Remove from heat and stir through chopped coriander leaves. Drizzle with a little lime juice and a few tsps of the jalapeno brine. Adjust to taste.
Rinse quinoa in a sieve and place in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the grains have opened up. Remove from heat and leave covered until ready to use.
Cook corn cobs on a hot chargrill plate or barbecue until lightly charred, then slice off kernels.

Place beans in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lime, chopped jalapenos and season to taste.
To assemble the salad jars start with quinoa at the bottom, then capsicum, avocado, beans, corn, lettuce, mince and lime juice to finish. Place a lime wedge and sprig of coriander on top, replace jar lid and refrigerate until ready to take to work or school.

Tips:
If you don't feel like mince, beef strips also work well in this recipe – just make sure you cut them small enough to fit in the jar.
4 x 750g jars work best – either glass or school-safe plastic.
If desired, you can remove the jalapenos to reduce the spice.
Place the lettuce up top so it stays crisp.

Child-Proof Hacks to Uncomplicate School Lunches

February – that time of year where reality sets back in. When the kids are back to school, the family is settling into a routine for the new year, and the nighttime lunch box packing ritual begins. While it's great to have specific meals for the kids, it can often be time consuming (and expensive) to create exciting lunches for them and a whole different 'adult' lunch too.

To help everyone have tastier (and healthier) lunches, Australian Beef has shared a list of hacks to help parents easily create meals that adults and kids will enjoy. Whether the kids prefer a sandwich or like to mix things up, these hacks will help save time.

5 Hacks To Win The Lunch Box Game

Make leftovers work harder - Leftovers always work great for lunch the next day. If you cook up a tasty steak, stir-fried beef strips or bolognese, you can easily turn it into a sandwich or wrap, or can be added into a salad the next day.
Get wrapping - Wraps are great for the whole family and can be made in advance and even frozen! Just place your favourite fillings inside, wrap in plastic and pop in the freezer.
Prepare to freeze - Batch cooking will save time in the evening. If you're making a tasty quiche or frittata for lunches, make double and pop in the freezer for a lunch later in the week.
Keep the kids happy without cooking bland - If the kids aren't a fan of spice, then take their portions out of the pan before adding the extra herbs and spices - then everybody's happy!
Get the kids to lend a hand - Kids love to eat a meal they feel involved in. Get them to pick out their favourite fillings or toppings, and then you can always swap some out for more adultfriendly options afterwards. Making Sunday lunch prep a fun activity is also a great way to get kids excited about their lunch for the week.

For additional recipe inspiration, visit www.australianbeef.com.au