Are you on the lookout for healthy meals that you and your child can make together?  Well, good news! In our blog post this week, we will be sharing easy-to-prepare recipes that you can try at home.  Oh, it comes with free Tiny Steps Healthy Recipes printable too!

As we have learned in the previous blogpost, giving our kids well-balanced and healthy meals is recommended to get the essential nutrients they need to grow and develop. 

Before you head to your kitchen and try these recipes, please take time to read our blogposts on 10 Tips to Get Kids to Eat Vegetables, Food Safety and Hygiene at Home, and 12 Tips for Parents on How to Deal with Picky Eaters.  These blog posts will help you prepare in the kitchen and encourage your child to eat healthier.

Healthy Meal Recipes

Soup

A great way to have our kids eat vegetable is to prepare them in soup form.  It’s easy to eat, comforting, and flavorful.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

½ tbsp oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small onion, chopped

½ kg pumpkin

1 potato, chopped

1 cup vegetable or chicken stock

Salt or pepper to taste

Instructions

1.   Heat the oil in a pot.

2.   Sautee the onion until cooked.

3.   Add in the garlic clove.

4.   Add the pumpkin and potato to the pot and mix.

5.   Add the vegetable or chicken stock.

6.   Bring the soup to the bowl and turn down the heat.

7.   Mix until the pumpkin and potato is soft

8.   Let it cool down.

9.   Place in the blender and blend the soup until smooth.

 

Pasta

Pasta recipes are versatile.  You can have tomato-based, oil-based, or cream-based and add an assortment of ingredients inside.

Meatball Pasta

Ingredients

MeatBalls

½ kg ground meat

1 small onion, minced

1 carrot, minced or grated

3 tbsp oregano

1 egg

1 tbsp oil

Salt and pepper

Marinara sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp oil

1 onion, minced

12 tomatoes chopped or one 28 ounce tomato in a can

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: Grated parmesan cheese

Cooked Spaghetti Noodles

 

Instructions

Meatball

1.     Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

2.     Roll the meat mixture into balls.

3.     In frying, heat the oil.

4.     Brown the meats on the sides.

Sauce

1.     In a saucepan, combine the oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and oregano.

2.     Simmer the soup over medium heat until oil droplets float on top of the sauce.

3.     Stir occasionally, crush the tomatoes.

4.     For a smoother sauce, blend the sauce with an immersion blender or in a stand blender. 

5.     Add in the meatballs and stir.

6.     Serve with spaghetti noodles.

 

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

2 cups of broccoli florets

1 cup of basil leaves

1 garlic clove

1/8 cup pine nuts

½ cup extra virgin oil

¼ tsp salt

½ Parmigiano-reggiano, grated

½ lb cooked penne or spaghetti noodles

 

Instructions

1.   Boil water in a pot, and then add the broccoli.

2.   Remove the broccoli after two minutes.

3.   Run the broccoli under running water to stop the cooking process

4.   In a blender, place the broccoli, basil, pine nuts, extra virgin oil, salt, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

5.   Blend until the mixture is smooth.

6.   If the sauce is too thick, add up a tablespoon of pasta water.

 

Snacks

We can not deny that kids love food with that extra crunch.  Apart from fruit slices and yogurts, you can also include fritters as their snacks.

Cauliflower Fritters

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets

½ cup of flour

2 large eggs, beaten

3 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

Dip of your choice

 

Instructions

1.     In a pot of boiling water, add the cauliflower.

2.     Cook the cauliflower until tender with a fork.

3.     Drain and cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces.

4.     In a bowl, combine cauliflower, flour, eggs, salt, and pepper.

5.     Add breadcrumbs for added crunch.

6.     In a separate frying pan, add the olive oil.

7.     Scoop the cauliflower mixture and place it in the pan.

8.     Flatten like a burger patty.

9.     Fry until brown.

10.  Serve with your favorite dip.

 

Dessert Recipe

Desserts cleanse the palate and serve as a treat for the kids. Don’t worry; you can tweak dessert recipes to sneak in a vegetable or two to make it a healthier recipe.

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 cups finely shredded zucchini

1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

 

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F

2.  Line the 9x13 pan with butter and then parchment or baking paper.

3.  In a large bowl, mix the oil, sugar, and vanilla until fully incorporated.

4.  Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.

5.  Fold in zucchini by hand. Include water from the zucchini.

6.  Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. 

7.  Add in chocolate chunks and stir again.  The batter should appear wetter.  (If the batter is dry, let it rest for 5 minutes and stir again)

8.  Pour and spread the brownie mixture into the pan.

9.  Bake for 25-35 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if brownies are done. 

 

Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies are thick beverages that is a blend of milk or yogurt, fruits, or vegetables.  You can try to mix and match fruits and vegetables to add variety to your child’s drink.  Here are sample recipes that you may tweak according to your child’s preference.

Banana, Spinach, and Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

1 banana (frozen or fresh)

1 cup of milk

½ cup of berries (you may add strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries)

½ cup spinach

Optional: Honey to add sweetness, Chia seeds to add crunch and proteins)

Instructions

1.     Place all the ingredients in the blender.

2.     Blend until it is smooth.

3.     Add more milk when the smoothie appears too thick.

The recipes are guides, but you may opt to substitute ingredients or tweak the seasoning according to your family’s taste.  Are you as excited as we are?  Happy Cooking!