Expert’s healthy food recipes kids will actually eat

Getting kids to eat vegetables instead of throwing them on the floor can feel like an uphill battle for many parents. To take the hassle out of getting your kids to eat healthy, here are four easy to make recipes kids will actually want to eat.

Getting kids to eat vegetables instead of throwing them on the floor can feel like an uphill battle for many parents.

But an expert says some simple, consistent strategies can help children expand their tastebuds and move on from fussy eating.

Soon to be mum-of-four Jessica Beaton, an accredited practising dietitian and co-author of One Handed Cooks: Boosting Your Basics, said food refusal was common in the 18 month to 2.5 year age group.

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Sometimes, kids develop ‘food jags’ — when they will only eat a few select foods and want them prepared in a particular way for days, weeks or even months.

“It can happen quite quickly and when you’ve got a tired toddler or multiple children, sometimes you suddenly find you’re catering to different food preferences or creating different meals without you even noticing,” Mrs Beaton said.

But there is hope. Mrs Beaton said there were two main techniques, detailed in the book, that could bring variety back to kids’ plates if coupled with positivity and patience.

Parents should offer small portions of new foods alongside a child’s favourite nosh, so they feel comfortable as they begin to engage with different dishes, Mrs Beaton said.

“The other way is to start off with a simple idea of what your child might accept, it might be plain pasta, plain noodles or a simple Vegemite sandwich,” she said.

“And then slowly begin to stretch them. It might be mixing a small amount of avocado with the Vegemite instead of butter and then slowly reducing the amount of Vegemite and increasing the avocado as they become more familiar.”

Jessica Beaton (left) says food refusal was common in the 18-month to three-year-old age group.

So why do children who enjoy carrots one day decide they can’t stand them the next?

Mrs Beaton said there were many different reasons why kids might stop accepting certain foods, from negative associations such as teething to a lack of oral motor skills required to chew harder foods, or simply tiredness.

“Sometimes it is a slow journey to get to fussy eating, so it can be a slow journey to get back to a more varied diet,” she said.

“If we can create a happy meal time structure and expose them to new foods while continuing to provide them food that they do eat and enjoy, over time it is going to be OK.”

Mrs Beaton said parents who were concerned about their child’s eating habits or believed there could be a medical issue should seek advice from an appropriate health care provider, such as a dietitian, speech pathologist, occupational therapist or psychologist.

A delicious baked spelt and cinnamon doughnut.

SIMPLE BAKED SPELT AND CINNAMON DOUGHNUTS

Makes: 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

50 g butter, softened

1 cup (150 g) rapadura (or brown)

sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 egg

1¼ cups (170 g) spelt flour

1¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (125 ml) buttermilk

50 g extra butter, melted

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Grease a 6-hole doughnut tin.

2. Place the butter and half the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat

until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and egg and mix until well combined.

3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add

half to the butter mixture. Mix gently until just combined. Follow with the

buttermilk and then the remaining flour mix, being careful not to overmix.

4. Fill a piping bag or zip-lock bag with the batter, snip off a corner and pipe

mixture into the doughnut holes so they are half full.

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until the doughnuts spring back to the touch. Leave

to cool in the tin for a few minutes.

6. Meanwhile, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon on a plate. While

the doughnuts are still warm, dip the tops first in the melted butter and then

sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Best enjoyed warm with seasonal fresh

fruit.

A chicken and cauliflower pizza is the an easy to make healthy meal

MEXICAN CHICKEN CAULIFLOWER PIZZA

Makes: 2 pizzas (serves 4-6)

Pr ep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

1kg cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1⁄3 cup (25 g) finely grated parmesan

olive oil or olive oil spray

1⁄2 cup (125 g) mild taco sauce

2⁄3 cup (70 g) coarsely grated mozzarella

1⁄2 cup (100 g) tinned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1⁄2 small green capsicum (pepper), thinly sliced

50 g button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 cup (160 g) shredded cooked free-range chicken

Fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Method:

1. Working in batches, place the cauliflower in a food processor or blender and

process until finely chopped.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and

cook for 2—3 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Drain and leave to

cool completely.

3. Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Line 2 large pizza trays with

baking paper.

4. Combine the cauliflower, egg, oregano and parmesan in a large bowl and

mix to combine.

5. Press the cauliflower mixture over the trays to form two 22cm rounds,

about 3—4 mm thick. Brush the bases with 1—2 teaspoons of the oil, or spray

lightly with oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden and firmly set.

6. Spread the bases evenly with taco sauce, then sprinkle with 1⁄2 cup of the

mozzarella. Top with beans, capsicum, mushrooms and chicken. Sprinkle

with the remaining mozzarella.

7. Bake for 12—15 minutes or until golden. Serve topped with coriander.

Ditch regular boring scones for savoury pumpkin, carrot and cheddar scones.

SAVOURY PUMPKIN, CARROT AND CHEDDAR SCONES

Makes: 20

Prep time: 20 minutes

C ooking time: 15—18 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1⁄2 cups (375 g) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

Pinch of salt

75 g butter, chilled, diced

1 cup (400 g) cold, cooked, smashed pumpkin (squash)

1 small carrot, peeled and finely grated

1⁄2 cup (60 g) coarsely grated cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

1⁄2 cup (125 ml) milk shaved ham or cheese, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line 2 baking trays with

baking paper.

2. Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in the

butter until the mixture resembles very fine breadcrumbs.

3. Add the mashed pumpkin, carrot, cheese, chives and milk and use a flat-

bladed knife to mix, using a cutting action, until a soft dough forms.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead, adding a

little more flour if the dough is too sticky. Shape the dough into a disc, about

2cm thick.

5. Use a lightly floured 7.5cm star cutter to cut out scones and place on the

lined tray, re-rolling the scraps if necessary. Dust the tops with a little flour

and bake for 15—18 minutes or until risen and lightly browned.

6. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm with ham or

cheese.

A pancake with plenty of fruit can make for a healthy breakfast.

RASPBERRY BAKED PANCAKE

Makes: 1 large pancake

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes (+ 5 minutes cooling)

1 cup (160 g) wholemeal plain flour

1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

3⁄4 cup (180 ml) milk

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 egg

1 punnet (150 g) fresh raspberries

20 g butter

Fruit salad, to serve

Extra pure maple syrup, to serve (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced).

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, maple syrup and egg. Stir in the raspberries. Add the flour, gently stirring until just combined.

3. Melt the butter in a medium ovenproof frying pan and swirl around to coat

the base. Pour in the pancake batter and use a spoon to distribute evenly.

4. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan, and use a pizza cutter to cut into 8 triangles. Serve with fruit salad, and extra maple syrup if you like.

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