Kid-Friendly Recipes

These are all super simple, fast recipes for easy preparation. Many use leftovers as a base. There are several good cookbooks and websites for children with more ambitious options! See the “book” section of my blog for reviews and checkout WellnessMama.com for more kid approved recipes.

MAIN COURSES

Chicken or Turkey and Apple Salad
1 cup chopped leftover chicken or turkey
2 peeled, chopped apples
1-2T mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients. Sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy. For Waldorf version, add celery, walnuts and red grapes.
Approximately 175 per cup. Approximately 175 calories.

Baked Fish Sticks (or Chicken Fingers)
1 lb. any firm white fish (or chicken) cut into equal sticks
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
3-4 slices whole wheat bread, crumbed
Seasoned with black pepper, parsley, paprika to taste
1/2 lemon, in wedges

Dredge fish sticks or chicken in milk/egg mixture and then in seasoned bread crumbs. Place on lightly greased baking dish, squeeze lemon over wedges, and cook for 15-20 minutes at 475 degrees.
Approximately 200 calories per serving. Makes 4 servings.

Italian Tuna Salad
1 cup leftover tuna steak, chunked
1T olive oil
6 chopped green and/or black olives
1T capers (optional)
1/2 tsp. dried onion (rehydrated) or 1 T chopped fresh onion
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp. garlic powder or 1/4 tsp. fresh ground garlic

MIx all ingredients well and stuff tomato or lettuce wraps.
Approximately 250 calories per cup

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
2 cups chunked leftover chicken
2 Tbs. Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
2 T pine nuts
2 cup thinly shredded cabbage
8 Bibb lettuce leaves

MIx cooked chicken with peanut sauce and pine nuts. Wrap in Bibb lettuce leaves with shredded cabbage. Makes 4-6 wraps depending on how full you want them.
Makes 4 servings. Approximately 200 calories per wrap.

Sushi Wraps
1 cup leftover or raw tuna or salmon steak, chunked
1 cup cooked rice
2 T soy sauce
1 T wasabi
4 Bibb lettuce or (Nori) leaves, washed

Mix chunked fish with cooked rice (you can make *sushi rice by sprinkling with a cooked rice vinegar and sugar mixture). Roll in lettuce leaves, or Nori. Dip in condiments to taste. Makes 4 wraps. Approximately 200 calories per wrap.

VEGGIES

Roasted Broccoli Trees
2-3 broccoli crowns
4-6 chunked fresh garlic cloves (or 2T minced garlic)
2-3 T olive oil
1/2-1 lemon
2-3 T grated parmesan

Split broccoli crowns into large bite-sized “trees”. Toss with chunked garlic and olive oil. Spread out on cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 30 mins. Remove from oven and squeeze fresh lemon over all and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Approximately 100 calories per cup.

Crispy Kale
1 bag washed chopped kale
2 T olive oil

Toss the kale in a large bowl with olive oil Spread out on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the edges of the kale start to crisp.
Makes about 8 cups. Approximately 60 calories per cup.

Asian Broccoli Slaw
2 bags broccoli slaw
2 cans sliced water chestnuts
2T dark toasted sesame oil
4T white or wine vinegar
2T water mixed with chicken bullion
2T toasted sesame seeds (carefully!)

Mix together oil, vinegar and bullion water. Toss over slaw, water chestnuts and sesame seeds. Refrigerate overnight for flavors to blend. Approximately 75 calories per cup.

Eggplant Stacks
2-3 large egglplants
2-3 T olive oil
6-8 oz. part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
1-1/2 cup of your favorite marinara sauce

Slice eggplants 1/4 inch think lengthwise, brush with olive oil and grill or broil till lightly browned. Wrap in foil and set aside to “steam themselves” till cooked. When cool, slice eggplant into deck of card size slices and layer with grated mozzarella and tomato sauce. Four layers high works best. Reheat in warm oven or microwave just before serving to melt cheese. Also great with layers of roasted peppers and/or Portobella mushrooms. For each eggplant use 2 oz. grated mozzarella, 1 T olive oil and 1/2 cup sauce. Each eggplant makes 2-3 stacks. Approximately 75 calories per stack.

Cauliflower Popcorn
1 large head of cauliflower split into bite size florets
2 T olive oil

Toss florets thoroughly in oil. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Also good with squeezed lemon and parmesan as with the Broccoli Trees. Makes about 4 1-cup servings.
Approximately 100 calories per cup.

Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
1 2-lb. package organic carrots
2 T brown sugar
1 T olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon

Toss carrots in olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until easily stabbed with a fork. Toss with brown sugar and cinnamon. Makes 6 servings. Approximately 75 calories per cup.

Creamy Cucumber Salad
2 English cucumbers, peeled
1 cup low fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 T xylitol, honey, or other sweetener to taste

Slice cucumbers (with a mandolin if possible) into very thin discs. Marinate in vinegar and sweetener overnight. When you serve it, pour off excess liquid and mix with sour cream or yogurt. Also good with very thinly sliced onions added. Makes about 4 1-cup servings. Approximately 100 calories per serving with sour cream.

Red Pepper Bowls
2 red peppers
4 T any favorite salad dressing or dip
2 cups raw veggie sticks (zucchini, yellow and orange peppers, carrots, celery)

Slice top off pepper and remove seeds. Spoon salad dressing or dip int the bottom of the pepper and fill with raw veggie sticks. Great dips can be created using low fat Greek yogurt and dip mixes. Approximately 200 calories per pepper with veggies and dip. Makes 2 servings.

STARCHY VEGGIES

Confetti Corn Salad
1 large bag frozen corn
1 cup chopped red, orange, yellow, green peppers finely chopped
1/2 cup of your favorite salsa
1/4 cup French dressing

Mix all ingredients. For a heartier version, mix with 1 cup of any colorful, rinsed, cooked beans – black, pinto, red kidney, chick peas. Approximately 100 calories per cup without beans, 150 per cup with beans.

Apple and Sweet Potato Casserole
3 large yams, peeled and sliced into thin discs
6 apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1/2 cup water with 1T cinnamon stirred in

Combine and toss all ingredients and place in large shallow baking dish. Bake covered at 350 degrees till sweet potatoes are soft. Tastes like apple pie. Great with turkey breakfast sausage.
Approximately 100 calories per cup.

Stuffed Potato Skins
2 large pre-baked (or leftover) potatoes
2 cups cooked broccoli
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar reduced fat cheese

Halve potatoes and hollow out leaving as much potato rim as you like. Brush or spray with olive oil and roast empty potato halves in oven or toaster oven for 10 mins. at 350 degrees till slightly browned. Stuff with broccoli (or other vegetables) and sprinkle each half with 1/4 of the grated cheddar. Pop back in oven or microwave and heat till cheese melts. These are great for breakfast. Approximately 125 calories each.

Veggie Pizza Burgers
4 Morningstar Farms Pizza Veggie Burgers
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup any marinara sauce ( I like Classico Spicy Red Pepper Sauce)

Cook veggie burgers as directed. Spoon sauce over cooked burgers, sprinkle with grated mozzarella and bake at 350 degrees till cheese melts. These are a great breakfast choice.
Approximately 175 calories each.

Baked Acorn Squash
1 acorn squash, cut in half
1 T real maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Place acorn squash halves open side down on microwave safe dish, after scraping out the center seeds. Each half will take approximately 8 minutes to cook. After cooking drizzle with 1/2 T maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. These halves make great base for stuffing with mixes cooked of fruits, nuts and vegetables. Approximately 125 caloreis per half squash.
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DESSERTS

Fruit Kabobs with Yogurt Creme Dip
6 kabob sticks
4 cups mixed fruits (pineapple, red grapes, mango, banana)
1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1 cup Lite Reddi-Whip or equivalent
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Cut fruit into chunks and skewer. MIx yogurt, Reddi-Whip and vanilla for dip. This is also great with a little Frangelica or Amaretto liquer mixed in as a dessert for adults.
Approximately 100 calories per skewer.

Lite Bananas Foster
1 cup low fat Greek yogurt
2 bananas, sliced into discs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. xylitol or equivalent sweetener like Truvia

Mix yogurt with sweetener and put 1/2 cup on each of 2 small plates. Layer on each one sliced banana and sprinkle with 1/8 cup chopped walnuts. Heat briefly in microwave.
Makes 2 servings .Approximately 200 calories per serving.

Baked Cinnamon Apples with Ricotta Cheese and Nuts
4 large apples
1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (to taste)
1 T Xylitol, honey or Truvia or equivalent sweetener

Core apples to within 1/2 inch of bottom of apple. Place in baking dish in 1/2 inch of boiling water. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and bake for 30-40 mins. until apples are soft, but not mushy. Fill center hole with ricotta and sprinkle with nuts. Pop back in oven till ricotta is just warmed and sprinkle with additional cinnamon.
Approximately 200 calories per apple.

Smoothie Popsicles
Make your favorite smoothie recipe (I simply use Greek yogurt blended with frozen organic berry mixes and banana). Freeze in Tupperware Popsicle molds, or even ice cube trays for “bites”. Drizzle with or dip in low sugar chocolate syrup for a real treat. Approimately 15 calories per ounce.
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Kid-Friendly Recipes

Main Courses

Veggies

Starchy Veggies

Desserts

MAIN COURSES

VEGGIES

STARCHY VEGGIES

DESSERTS

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