Healthy kid's recipe - easy vegetable stock

These days I seem to be constantly making stock. It is so handy to have in your freezer or fridge (it will last for a good couple of days in the fridge). You can add it to sauces, to make soups with and like my idea yesterday, boil pasta in.


The reason for me setting up this blog originally was that there are a) not many cookbooks out there with baby and toddler recipes and b) the ones that are out there (in my opinion) use too many ingredients and take too much prep and cooking time. I have tried to keep the ingredients down to 6 for most of my recipes with only 4 straight forward steps to follow. This hasn't always been possible. When making vegetable stock, you need a couple more ingredients that 6, so excuse me, but the end result is delicious and nutritious.


Easy vegetable stock

Ingredients:

2 sticks of celery

2 carrots

1 onion

1 leek

6 peppercorns (optional - for babies under 1 year it is best to leave these out)

1 bay leaf

A small handful of parsley stalk

1 garlic clove, unpeeled

11/2 litre water

Method:

1. Wash the carrot, leek and celery sticks and chop them all into equal pieces and place in a large saucepan
2. Peel the onion and cut into quarters and add this with all the other ingredient to the saucepan
3. Bring to a boil and then allow the ingredients to simmer for an hour with the lid off

4. Pass everything through a sieve and allow to cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

Kinder Kitchen nutritional tip - pasta cooked in vegetable stock

My little boy as you may have read is not eating his 5 a day! Apart from feeding him vegetable soup packed with every vegetable in my fridge (which weirdly he has eaten mostly without objection), I have started to cook his pasta in vegetable stock as this way he gets his nutrients without even knowing it. I just add a little extra stock to the pasta once cooked so it is not too dry (although you do not need to do this) and add some of my favoured grated parmesan cheese. This is also a great little recipe for finger food weaning as pasta is easy for your baby to hold and they get goodness at the same time too. My vegetable stock recipe to follow!

Kinder Kitchen nutritional tip - Parmesan cheese

Parmesan cheese is a brilliant addition to any meal. Children not only love the taste but it is packed with nutrients (protein, calcium, phosphorus and important mineral salts), it is also easily digestible and a completely natural food. Certain nutritionists say that it is the perfect food for a growing body. Sport dietitians also recommend it to athletes. Happy grating!

Kinder Kitchen children's party recipe - strawberries dipped in chocolate

It could not be easier. During the summer months when strawberries are abundant, tasty and not too expensive to buy, this is a great idea for a BBQ or a dessert at a children's party. Nutritious, tasty and easy all in one.

Strawberries dipped in chocolate


1 punnet of strawberries
1 packet of dark/milk chocolate
2 tbsp water

Method
1. Remove the strawberries and wash them under running water. Dry them with a tea towel
2. Fill a saucepan up half-way with water and bring to a boil. Once boiled, turn the heat down and allow the water to simmer
3. Break the chocolate up into small pieces and place them in a bowl along with the water. Place the bowl over the simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring constantly.
4. Turn the heat off, remove the bowl from the saucepan and dip the strawberries into the chocolate. Place the strawberries onto some baking parchment and once the chocolate has hardened, keep refrigerated until you serve.

Serving suggestion
For an adult version, pop a spoonful or two of your favourite liqueur into the melted chocolate e.g. Brandy, Cointreau

Healthy kids recipe - easy home-made hamburgers

We had a BBQ today - yes it was raining but we would rarely use our BBQ if we relied on sunny weather. My kids love grilled meat and home-made hamburgers are perfect for the kids served in a burger bun and a slice of tomato.

 

Easy home-made burgers

  

Ingredients:

 

1 pack beef mince

2 tbsp. breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

1 grated carrot

1 grated apple

Any herb of choice

 

Method: 

1. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well together either with a spoon or your hands
2. Wet your hands (this prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands) and form 6-8 burgers
3. You can grill them on the BBQ or in the oven. 3-4 minutes on each side is sufficient depending on thickness

Kinder Kitchen Serving suggestions:

 

It is nice to use lamb mince instead. Adding a little thyme is great with lamb. If you want to add onions and garlic to the mince, it is best to fry these for 5 minutes first so that they do not taste raw once the burger meat is cooked.

 

 

Kinder Kitchen nutritional tip - fruit sauce

My one year old is going through a fussy stage and won't eat much fruit. Therefore as it is the season for ice cream, I blend any really ripe fruit ( e.g. mangoes, peaches, pears) with my hand blender and pour a helping over a small scoop of ice cream for dessert and he laps it up happily.

Healthy kids recipe - My African butternut squash

Because a lot of you who visit my blog are new, I wanted to revisit some of the recipes I put up on here a couple of years ago. It is not me being lazy, but there are some lovely little recipes that you might want to try but may have missed.

This one is great for babies from about 9 months to a year to get them used to garlic and ginger and the butternut squash is a very sweet vegetable and very good for you. It is great for young children and adults alike as I eat this regularly with BBQ'd meat and salad.






African Butternut Squash (5-8 portions depending on age of child)

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger (amount dependent on age of child)
1 crushed garlic clove  (amount dependent on age of child)
Fresh pepper
2 tablespoons butterA pinch of chilli flakes (optional - generally for the adult version)
Preparation:
1. Pierce the butternut squash a couple of times with a knife and place in a microwave for 8 minutes on a high heat (alternatively place in the oven for 20 minutes at 180ºC)
2. Remove from oven and carefully cut the butternut squash into half, removing the seeds. Score the flesh with a knife.
3. Mash the garlic, ginger, pepper and butter together with a folk (plus the chilli flakes if you are adding them) and spread it onto both sections of the squash making sure all the surfaces are covered with the seasoning. Place the sections together and cover in foil.
4. Cook the squash in an oven for 45 minutes on 180ºC .

Once cooked allow to cool for 10 minutes in the foil and serve.

Serving suggestions:
Serve on its own, with meat, fish, rice or salad.

The benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a great aid for colds and coughs, digestion and constipation.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - lemon and mango sorbet

I love ice cream, and as a result, so do my children. I have now started making sorbet and can't believe how long it has taken me to learn as it is really quite easy. Making your own is great as you can control what goes into it and your children get something nutritious too.

Lemon and mango sorbet


Ingredients:
3 very ripe mangoes (The Indian ones you get from a Turkish/Indian shop are the my favourite)
175g sugar
175ml water
Juice of 1 &1/2 lemons

Method:
1. Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the sugar to form a syrup, allowing it to dissolve fully in the water. Allow to cool completely
2. Peel and stone the mangoes. Blend to a puree in a food processor (you can use a hand blender should you not have a processor) and add the lemon and sugar syrup.
3. Add to an ice cream maker and following manufacturers instructions or pour into a plastic container and place in a freezer. Take it out and stir with a folk every hour until it has completely frozen.

Enjoy with your kids or when they have gone to bed, place a scoop in a glass of something sparkling. Delicious!

Kinder Kitchen breakfast idea - easy cheesy omelette

Most kids love eggs and they are great for breakfast or when you want to make a quick nutritious snack. In this recipe I use parmesan cheese as my two love it's flavour and it is also very good for them.

Easy cheesy omelette

Ingredients:
2 eggs beaten
A little butter
Grated parmesan
Chives or parsley (optional)

Method:

1. Warm the butter in a frying pan and add the beaten eggs (and herbs)
2. Cook for a minute or two and when the eggs are starting to solidify on the bottom add the grated parmesan
3. Either turn the omlette over so it cooks on the other side or what i do for pure ease, place the frying pan under a grill and let the top half cook. This way the omelette fluffs up nicely.
4. Cut into strips and serve

Suggestions:
Adding herbs to food as early on as possible will get your children used to their flavour and seeing green in food.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy chicken in cheese sauce

I am really tired today and had prepared nothing for kids to eat and needed something extra easy for them so I made them my easy cheese sauce with chicken and pasta.

Easy chicken in cheese sauce

Ingredients:

Chicken fillet (breast, thigh, leg)

Tbsp butter

Tbsp flour

150ml milk

Grated cheese

Fresh thyme (optional)

Salt (optional)

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and fry in a little oil and once cooked put to the side

2. In a separate pan, on a low heat add the butter. Once melted, add the flour and stir in

3. Now add the milk slowly (and thyme) getting rid on any lumps and then some grated cheese (as much as you want - obviously the more you add the cheesier it will be)

4. Now add the chicken to the sauce and add to cooked pasta.

Suggestions:

You could add fish to this sauce although would not need to cook it prior to adding to the sauce - just let it cook in the sauce for 5 minutes after adding. You could eat this sauce with potatoes, rice, couscous - anything you have in your  cupboard!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - leftover roast lamb, boiled potatoes and peas

I often cook roasts and always have some meat leftover. I have used freshly boiled potatoes as roast ones are never leftover in my house. Here is a simple way of serving leftovers to your kids.

Ingredients:

Some leftover lamb

2 potatoes (not peeled) or leftover roast potatoes

Half a mug of cooked peas

Olive oil

Leftover gravy

Method:

1. Cut the potatoes into small chunks and boil them for around ten minutes so that they are just underdone

2. Cut the lamb into bite size pieces

3. When the potatoes are ready, drain them and add some oil to a frying pan. Add the lamb and potatoes and allow to fry for a couple of minutes

4. Now add the cooked peas and the left over gray and serve

You can use chicken, beef or any other meat and vegetables you have leftover. You can always make a quick gravy with a stock cube. 

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - easy tomato sauce for pasta

I am currently on holiday and in a wok I have just made the easiest tomato sauce, ideal for pasta. Healthy and delicious and quick all at the same time.

Ingredients:
1 large (2 small) really ripe finely chopped tomato (the ones you usually get in a Turkish shop)
1 clove of crushed garlic
A squeeze of tomato sauce (ketchup!)
Olive oil

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a wok or the like
2. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and garlic
3. After a couple of ,minutes add the ketchup and cook a further 3/4 minutes stiring occasionally

serve with pasta and a sprinkling of cheese.