Easter Activities and Recipes to Have the Best Easter at Home

I love Easter. Even though I’m not overly religious, for me, Easter brings with it the feeling of hope and light. As well as the change of warmer days. It’s about getting together with family, seeing kids excited, and running around outside again on egg hunts.

For foodies like me, Easter’s also all about spring cooking. Here’s an easy Easter Sunday lunch or dinner menu that also helps to add more fruit and veggies to our kids’ plates. It showcases springtime carrots and baby potatoes, together with lots of colourful fruit that are sure to have your kids saying, “More please!”

I’ve also added a fun craft idea to turn your empty Juice Plus+ capsule containers into cute Easter egg baskets. But first, to the Easter Sunday recipes.

Greek Easter Lamb Chops

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 8 lamb chops
• ¼ cup olive oil (plus 1 tbsp extra for cooking)
• ¼ cup lemon juice (= juice of about 1 lemon)
• 2 tsp dried oregano, or ½ cup chopped fresh
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat dry lamb chops using kitchen paper towel.
2. Whisk together all the other ingredients in a bowl (except for the extra tbsp of olive oil)
3. Place lamb chops in a large baking dish. Pour the marinade all over, rubbing it into the meat.
4. Cover and allow to sit for 30mins, or for even more flavour marinate overnight in the fridge, turning from turn to time (before cooking, take the lamb chops out of the fridge and have them sit at room temp for 30 mins)
5. Heat the extra oil in a pan (or these also work well on a BBQ) over high heat. Then fry or grill the chops in 2 batches for 3-4 mins each side, or until done to your liking.
6. Allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving.
7. Serve sprinkled with some extra oregano sprigs, lemon wedges, and optional sauce.

Optional sauce using the left-over marinade: while the lamb chops are resting, turn down the heat under the pan to medium-low, leaving in the cooking juices. Pour in the left-over marinade together with 1 tbsp butter and ¼ cup beef broth.

Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for about 5 mins. Stir in some extra lemon juice and serve with the lamb.

Golden Garlic & Herb Easter Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 600gms baby potatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celcius.
2. Cut slits in the baby potatoes without cutting all the way through. 
3. Place potatoes in a roasting pan and brush with the olive oil and melted butter.
4. Combine rest of the ingredients and sprinkle over the potatoes, gently pushing some of it into the cut slits.
5. Roast in the oven for approximately 25-30 mins or until tender and golden. Serve immediately.

Dijon Maple Roasted Baby Carrots

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

• 900gms thin, young carrots (ones with the tops still on), well-scrubbed or peeled, and tops removed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tbsp grainy mustard
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• ½ tbsp white miso paste (omit if hard to find – carrots will still be amazing without!) 
• ½ tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celcius (same oven as the potatoes in the recipe above).
2. If needed, cut the carrots into long 1-1.5cm slices.
3. In a bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the carrots.
4. Toss the carrots in half the mixture.
5. Arrange in a single layer in a baking pan/ on a baking sheet and bake (at the same time as the potatoes) for 25-30mins, turning half-way through.
6. When golden and tender, remove and toss in the remaining glaze before serving.

Hot-tip: serve these carrots on a platter, in a cone shape (like a giant carrot) with some steamed broccoli at the wide end, acting as the green tops of a carrot!