In My Kitchen: Ethnic Foods for ChildrenBy Amy O'Neill Houck
This article is provided courtesy of
Vegetarian Baby & Child Magazine.
Vegetarian children can be more adventurous than other children when it comes to food, but nearly all kids go through phases where they seem to eat the same thing all the time, or don't want to try anything new. Offering a wide variety of foods on a regular basis can help children get used to new flavors and help them remain open to different tastes and textures. Here is a sampling of recipes from around the world that are kid-tested. You may just want to make them a regular part of your recipe collection!
Swiss-style Muesli
Breakfast is a great meal to introduce new foods, as we seem to all get into ruts from one time or another, eating the same cereal for weeks on end. This recipe is reprinted with permission from Raising Vegetarian Children, by Joanne Stepaniak and Vesanto Melina, published by McGraw Hill, 2002.
* 3/4 cup rolled oats
* 2 Tbsp. raisins
* 2 Tbsp. chopped nuts or sunflower seeds
* 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 cup fortified nondairy milk
* 2 Tbsp. frozen fruit juice concentrate
* 1 small apple or pear (peel if not organic), grated or finely chopped
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, the fresh fruit may be stirred in just before serving. Makes 2 1/2 cups.
Hashwe Roz (Middle-Eastern Rice Pilaf)
My family has adapted a very old family recipe for vegetarians. This recipe used to be made with turkey or chicken giblets, and we have found that plain or vegan "chicken-flavored" seitan make a great substitute.
* 1 small onion, diced small
* 1/2 cup celery leaves and heart, diced small
* 2 Tbsp. margarine (non-hydrogenated)
* 2/3 cup plain or chicken-flavored seitan diced small
* 1 cup long-grain white rice
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup vegetable broth
* 1 tsp. cinnamon (to taste)
* Salt and pepper
Sauti onion and celery in margarine. Add seitan and rice, salt and pepper, and sauti for 5 minutes. Add broth and water. Simmer until rice is cooked through. Stir in cinnamon just before serving. Makes about 4 cups.
Italian Squash Tart
This recipe has several steps but the dough and the filling can both be made ahead of time so that preparation can be quite simple if you want to serve this dish for company or just for an easy dinner.
PASTRY
* 2 cups unbleached white spelt flour
* 1 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/4 cup olive oil (plus a few Tbsp. to brush on top)
* Up to 3/4 cup ice water
Put the flour in a large bowl and make a small well in the center. Add the oil and then the water bit by bit. Using a fork, keep adding flour to the mixture until all the flour is combined - you may not need all the water. Do not knead. Mound the dough carefully and wrap tightly. Leave at room temperature for up to 30 minutes or refrigerate.
FILLING
* 3 Tbsp. olive oil
* 4 leeks, well-washed and sliced (up to the edge of the tough leafy part) in 1/2 to 1-inch slices
* 3 10-oz. bags of frozen butternut squash, thawed, or 4 cups of fresh squash, peeled, cubed, and steamed until soft.
* 1 small bunch of greens - chard, collard, or mustard greens all work well (washed and roughly chopped)
* Salt and pepper to taste
In a large heavy-bottomed pan, sauti the leaks until almost caramelized - this can take up to 30 minutes at medium heat. The more the leaks cook, the sweeter they get. Add the greens and cover until the greens wilt. Add the squash and mash a bit, and simmer until everything is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
ASSEMBLING THE TART
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into one large circle about 1/4 inch thick. Gently transfer the dough to a large cookie sheet or pizza pan. Mound the filling in the middle of the dough and bring up the sides to cover the filling, pleating the dough as necessary. Leave a small hole in the top for steam to escape. Brush with olive oil and place in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown.
The tart can be served hot or at room temperature, and it makes a great leftover!
Nori Rolls
This recipe is a great, kid-friendly introduction to sushi. Once you master the preparation of the rolls, you and your family can dream up endless variations. These rolls are reprinted with permission from The Accidental Vegan, by Devra Gartenstein, published by The Crossing Press, 2000.
* 2 Tbsp. grated ginger
* 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
* 2 cups short-grain brown rice cooked in 4 cups water
* 3 Tbsp. tahini
* 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
* 10 sheets nori (seaweed sheets)
* 3 carrots cut into thin sticks 3-5 inches long
* 20 green beans, trimmed
* 3 Tbsp. umeboshi (pickled plum) paste*
Soak the ginger in the rice vinegar for 15 minutes. Mix the cooked rice with tahini, soy sauce, ginger and vinegar in a large bowl. Spread it as thinly as possible, then put it in the refrigerator to cool. When the rice mixture is cool, place a sheet of nori horizontally on the sushi mat. Spoon about one half cup of rice mixture onto the sheet and spread it into a thin horizontal layer, starting about an inch from the edge of the nori closest to you. Place 2 carrot sticks and 2 green beans in a horizontal line in the center of the rice. Roll the mat tightly around the nori, using the mat to press the roll together. The mat will end up in the center of the roll. Unroll it and remove the mat, then form the roll again. Seal the roll with about 1/2 tsp. of umeboshi paste.* Cut each roll into 8-12 pieces. This will be easiest if you have a sharp or a serrated knife. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi horseradish, and pickled ginger.
*Author's note: if you can't find umeboshi paste, you can lightly brush the edge of the nori with water to seal.
Soaked Green Gram Salad
This Indian recipe was adapted from a submission from reader Radha H.S., who says that when lentils are split and the skin, or husk, is removed, they're called dahl, otherwise they're called Gram. Radha also says that this simple dish is good made with chickpeas or other lentils.
* 1 cup whole green lentils
* 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
* 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
* 1/2 cup diced tomato
* 1/2 tsp. cilantro, finely chopped
Wash the gram. Soak it in 4 cups of water overnight. Drain the excess water and rinse again. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve. Makes about 2 cups.
Rice Pudding
Many different countries around the world have versions of this comforting desert. This one gets its inspiration from Mexico. Since rice is so familiar to children, this dish is a great place to experiment and introduce new aromas and spices. Feel free to change and adapt the seasonings as you'd like.
* 1 cup short-grain brown rice, rinsed
* 3 cups soymilk
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup orange juice
* 3/4 cup Sucanat or Rapadura sugar
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1/2 tsp. sea salt
* Zest of one orange
* Optional: raisins or other diced fruit, or nuts.
Bring soymilk, water, and orange juice to a low boil. Add rice, sugar, cinnamon, sea salt, zest, and vanilla. Maintain simmer, stirring often, until rice is soft and sauce is thick (40-50 minutes). Add nuts and raisins while cooking to soften, if desired, or just top as a garnish. Makes about 6 cups.
Author Bio:
Amy O'Neill Houck is currently living in Washington with her husband James and daughter Selma. She's a vegan chef, a Web developer and the new food editor for VBC.
