Cooking with Kids

As our nutritionist, Sally Hansen, mentioned in an earlier post about encouraging kids to eat more veggies, kids are more likely to try new meals by being involved in their preparation. I often see the pride from Tom and Georgia when we sit down to dinner and they tell Ben which part of the meal they were responsible for (Georgia: “I cut the carrots”).

Meals

• San Choy Bow – this is one of the favourite meals in our house. No doubt one of the things that the kids love about it is that they get to eat with their hands! The flavours are wonderful and fresh but not too strong for a young person’s palate. There is a bit of prepping involved so perfect for getting the kids to do their bit. Georgia and Tom both grate the vegetables like carrot and zucchini. They also (carefully) pull apart the lettuce, wash the leaves in the sink and then go a little crazy with the salad spinner!
• Beef Stroganoff – as well as enjoying eating this meal, our kids also help put it together. The mushrooms can be easily sliced with a plastic knife, and once the beef is cut in to strips I either pour flour on to a plate and get them to dust the pieces in flour, or if we’re pushed for time, I put the beef in a freezer bag with the flour and give them the go ahead to shake.
• Chicken Schnitzel – prepping Chicken Schnitznel isn’t my favourite thing to do, but if you can outsource it, it’s not too bad. Once I’ve sliced the chicken breasts in half horizontally, I prepare three flat bowls with the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs and let the kids do the rest.

Treat – French Toast

We’re big fans of making French Toast on a Sunday morning. The kids can pretty much put this one together on their own. There’s loads of recipes available, but we go with a plain and simple version… the variety where I know I will always have the ingredients on hand! Ingredients (serves 1 adult and 2 kids):

• 5 slices of bread, cut into thirds
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tbsp of sugar (or sweetner of your choice)
• 1 tsp of cinnamon

Method:

• Whisk together all ingredients, except the bread, in a deep jug or bowl.
• Over low heat, melt a small amount of butter in a non stick pan
• Dunk each piece of bread in the egg and milk mixture and let any excess drip off
• Carefully place in to the pan and turn after 1-2 minutes or once golden brown’ repeat for the second side
• Serve as is or topped with maple syrup and / or berries.

Fun Stuff – No Cook Play Doh

Yes, our kids are still in the Play Doh stage… I resisted making it for years because I couldn’t handle how much mess it would make, but they really love it and I’ve been surprised how easy it is to clean up (let it dry and then it comes away easily and can be swept up). Ingredients:

• 2 cups Plain Flour
• 1 cup Salt
• 4 tbsps Cream of Tartar
• 2 tbsps Olive Oil
• 2 cups boiling water

Method:

• Mix all ingredients, except water, together in a bowl.
• Carefully add boiling water and mix with a wooden spoon.
• Sprinkle some extra flour on your bench and knead Play Doh until it forms a smooth consistency.
• If you want to colour it, add a few drops of food colouring and knead until the colour is consistent.
• TIP: You can go one step further and change the texture by adding sand, rice or glitter.

Happy Cooking!