Tag: cooking with children

Here’s a new recipe from Stacie Dong and Simran Singh of A Little Yumminess that will get you cooking with kids and getting them trying new flavors.

Chicken curry may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think “kid food”, but this simple chicken curry will convert even the pickiest of eaters. Plus, the younger you start introducing kids to spices and unfamiliar foods, the easier it is to integrate new flavors, textures and tastes into your family eating repertoire.

If you’re not a curry maker, this is a great “curry starter” as it requires minimal spices, preparation, and cooking skill. It’s also a great recipe for kids to make. You can serve it with rice or store-bought naan bread. Add a dollop of yogurt to further “cool” the dish.

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Chicken Curry Recipe

(Serves 4)

• 1 pound chicken thighs or breast cut into 1-inch cubes (save time by asking the butcher to do this for you)
• 2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 inch piece ginger, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 cup Greek or other plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon garam masala (see recipe below)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• pinch of chili flakes or powder (optional)
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (you can also use ghee or a combination of oil and ghee)
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• ½ cup water or chicken stock

1. Marinate chicken in yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, coriander powder, salt and chilli (if using). Marinate for a few hours or overnight.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, or until onion is golden and softened.
3. Add the chicken with the marinade along with the water or chicken stock. Stir and continue cooking over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
4. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 20-25 minutes till the sauce is thickened and the chicken is fork tender.

Simple Garam Masala Recipe

Many grocery stores these days carry spice blends, including garam masala. Pop into a local Indian market if you have one nearby as the spices are usually fresh and inexpensive.

If not, it’s easy to make your own garam masala for this and other Indian recipes by blending spices you may already have in your pantry. Whenever possible, grinding whole spices will yield the most flavorful, vibrant results. With fresh, fragrant garam masala on hand you can experiment by using it to season roast chicken, vegetables or even popcorn! Spice mixes also make wonderful teacher gifts, so consider making extra!

(Serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

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You can also follow @alittleyum on Instagram for more fast and furious recipes!

Neelam Patil’s Bliss Belly Kitchen takes a whole new approach to culinary skills. They not only offer eco-conscious and soul conscious cooking classes using farm fresh ingredients, but they also take the time out to use yoga and mindfulness to give children the best possible connection to themselves and to the land — the source of where their food comes from. At Bliss Belly Kitchen, a happy mind starts with a healthy belly.

Here, Chef Neelam shares a simple, fresh salad to add to your warm summer days that is perfect for outdoor parties or indoor family dinners.

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Yummy Strawberry Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup French Lentils
• 1 bunch of Curly Green Leaf Kale
• 1 cup Strawberries (or one Apple if fall, winter, or spring)
• 2 Carrots
• Juice of one Lemon
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tsp Organic Coconut Sugar
• Salt, Black Pepper, & Oregano to taste

Recipe:

1. Soak Lentils in water overnight
2. Drain water from Lentils
3. Boil Lentils in water; add Black Pepper and Oregano to taste
4. Tear Kale into bite size pieces
5. Shred Carrots with a grater
6. Cut Strawberries into bite size pieces
7. Pour Olive Oil and Lemon Juice onto the Kale
8. Massage Kale until it is as soft as lettuce
9. Add Cocount Sugar, Lentils, Strawberries, and Carrots to Kale
10. Mix all ingredients together and serve.

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The Culinary Dude‘s goal is simple and meaningful: Empower students with the culinary skills to become self-sufficient, and to make healthy choices for themselves, their families, and their future. Here, owner and chef, Scott Davis, shares with us a fresh and simple recipe to try along with your kids – the perfect summer salad for the pool or on the beach!

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Black Bean & Corn Salad

(Makes 8-12 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can sweet corn, drained
• 2 carrots, small diced
• 3 ribs celery, small diced
• 2 garlic cloves, fine minced
• 4 green onion, small chopped
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. cumin
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 tsp. lime zest
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

1. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

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From ‘MasterChef Junior’ to ‘Chopped Teens’, more kids than ever are learning to navigate their way around the kitchen. Cooking with kids not only teaches them a valuable life skill, but encourages them to use math and critical thinking skills, gets them trying new foods, and provides plenty of opportunities to talk about making healthy food choices.

Here’s a recipe from Stacie Dong and Simran Singh of A Little Yumminess that will get you cooking with kids and getting them to try a few new flavors.

By varying the basic theme of “rice with toppings,” you can take your family on a world tour: from New Orleans-style red beans and rice to Japanese donburi, Puerto Rican arroz con gandules (pigeon peas), Hawaiian loco moco, to Korean bibimbap.

Korean bibimbap, which means ‘mixed rice’, is one of our favorite global rice bowl variations. It’s a feast for the eyes, as well as the taste buds. Traditionally, it combines a variety of fresh and cooked seasoned vegetables, as well as small portions of marinated meat, egg, or tofu (sometimes all three). You can keep things simple by choosing just a few toppings, or go all out with six or seven. In any case, it’s always fun to use bibimbap as an opportunity to try out a new ingredient or flavor alongside more familiar ones.

Another reason we love bibimbap is because it’s a great example of the vivid flavor and color combinations you’ll find throughout Korean cuisine. In fact, a guiding principle of Korean cooking is to bring together five colors (red, yellow, white, green and black) and five flavors (sweet, spicy, salty, sour and bitter). Kids will love the chance to go on a culinary scavenger hunt, looking for these colors and flavors in their own unique bowls.

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Bibimbap Basics

• Hot, cooked, short grain rice (or rice of your choice)

Suggested toppings:

• Bulgogi (Marinated beef – see recipe below. This can be pan-fried as well, if you do not want to use the oven)
• Cucumber, cut into thin strips
• Red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• Mung bean sprouts, blanched in boiling water for several minutes until they begin to wilt, then seasoned with salt and a few drops of sesame oil
• Sautéed spinach, dressed with soy sauce, a few drops of sesame oil and sesame seeds
• Sliced mushrooms, sautéed with soy sauce and a pinch of sugar
• Zucchini, grated and squeezed to remove excess liquid, then quickly stir-fried and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Nori (sheets of seaweed used for sushi), cut into thin strips
• Seasonal vegetables, stir-fried with minced garlic and red pepper flakes
• Fried egg (We like to make the yolk runny and then mix it in with the rice and other toppings)
• Extra firm tofu, dried well, then pan-fried until golden, cut into cubes and drizzled with soy sauce
• Gochujang (Korean chili paste), mixed with soy sauce.

Bulgogi Recipe

(Serves 2 adults and 2 kids as part of a bibimbap bowl)

• ½ pound beef (rib eye or top sirloin)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ cup grated Asian pear (or substitute pear puree)
• 1 chopped scallion (white and light green parts only)
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients except for beef, stirring well to dissolve sugar.
2. Slice the beef thinly, against the grain, then toss with marinate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with vegetable oil. Drain excess marinade from beef and lay slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Broil for 5 minutes or until cooked through.

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