Of course, mom – you know that vegetables are evil and who knows what could happen if children were to actually ingest them! So how on earth can you (a reasonable adult) expect your (darling, lovable) kids to actually eat them!
Try these tummy-tested (and shh…dietician-approved) recipes for your picky eater:
Tortellini Soup
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 red pepper
1 can (398 ml) stewed tomatoes, minced
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 tbsp. dried basil
1/2 of a 750 g package fresh tortellini (375 g)
1 can (398 ml) beans in tomato sauce
1 can (540 ml) lentils, drained and rinsed
- Sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms and red peppers until soft in the oil in a large saucepan.
- Add broth and basil and bring to a boil.
- Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Add cooked tortellini, beans and lentils.
- Simmer until tortellini floats.
Mini Scones
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp sugar
1⁄4 tsp salt
2 tbsp non-hydrogenated margarine or butter
3⁄4 cup sour skim milk (1 tbsp vinegar plus milk)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Measure first 6 ingredients into bowl. Cut in margarine with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly.
- Add sour milk and 2 cups of cheese and stir just until a soft ball forms.
- Divide into 4 equal balls.
- Now divide each ball into 4 pieces.
- Arrange on un-greased baking sheet. Sprinkle second amount of cheese over each scone.
- Bake at 425F for 10-15 minutes until risen and browned.
How do you get your kids to eat their vegetables? Share your tips and get featured in an upcoming MOMeo Kitchen.
7 Comments
My mother in law in Italy often makes us tortellini soup and it tastes great!
Pingback: uberVU - social comments
My best tip is not to hide them. Try different ways to cook them and incorporate them into meals. If they don't like it the first time, try, try again. However by hiding them kids don't learn what they are eating and when presented the food a different (more visible!) way they immediately reject them!
Hi. My name is Michael and I'm 9 years old. I wrote a cookbook and it's called Radical Recipes 4 Boys. Here is one of my favorite veggies jokes and recipes 🙂
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BROCCOLI AND SNOT? Kids don't eat broccoli!!
Actually, at my house that's not true. All 5 of us kids eat broccoli. I like it the best raw dipped in Ranch Dressing but everyone else eats it steamed, roasted, raw, pureed (well, my baby brother does).
Here's a recipe I made to make steamed broccoli a little more…better!
SESAME STEAMED BROCCOLI
Stuff You Need
4 1/2 cups broccoli “florets” (that's a fancy word for cut up broccoli pieces)
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce (my mom only buys the low-sodium kind)
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Equipment You Need
Pot with lid
Steaming basket
Small mixing bowl
Serving bowl
Whisk
Cookie Sheet
Hot pads
1. Put steamer basket in pot. Add water just to bottom of basket. Add broccoli. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the broccoli is soft, but not mushy. I usually stick a toothpick in one to see how soft it is.
2. While broccoli is doing it's thing, heat oven to 350 degrees and put sesame seeds on cookie sheet. Toast in the over for 3-5 minutes until they are just LIGHTLY brown. Using hot pads, take out of oven and set somewhere out of the way.
3. In a small mixing bowl, using a whisk, mix up the sesame oil, soy sauce, and sesame seeds.
4. When broccoli is done, pull out the basket and put broccoli into serving bowl. Pour the oil/soy sauce mixture over, mix it up, and serve it to your brothers and sisters.
You can find me at http://www.recipes4boys.blogspot.com or http://www.twitter.com/radicalrecipes
Thanks!!!
I have found that every child I have served Edamame to, has loved them! You can buy them shelled or or unshelled. I prefer them unshelled. Taking the soybeans out of the pod can be very fun. You can find edamame in the frozen veggie section at all grocery stores. Just boil them for 10 minutes and put them in a bowl. I usually sprinkle some kosher salt over them.
When it comes to picky eaters — whether children or my hubby and his fellow band members — I like to puree them in sauces.
One blender
Pasta sauce
Veggies — everything from squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, you name it (lightly steamed or roasted first, then in the blender)
They have no idea… 🙂
And once they tell me how much they love the sauce, I show them what’s in it and have them try the veggies in the “pre-blended” state. It’s become a joke as to what I hide in their sauce…but they still eat it and usually try it plain afterwards.
The adults are tougher than my nieces and nephews…
When it comes to picky eaters — whether children or my hubby and his fellow band members — I like to puree them in sauces.
One blender
Pasta sauce
Veggies — everything from squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, you name it (lightly steamed or roasted first, then in the blender)
They have no idea… 🙂