Who ever said that kids don’t like salad? Or don’t love cooking? Or that nuts aren’t the perfect snack for them? Cooking together isn’t only a fun way to spend time as a family, it’s also a great way of teaching kids that healthy eating needn’t be boring. So, how can you steer them away from ice cream, sweets and chocolate? Just follow these four delicious recipes (two in jars) that they can cook for themselves.
Pasta salad with chicken, beetroot and carrot… in a jar!
Just image the look on their faces when you tell them they’re going to cook in a jar. That’s right: a jar! First, choose a fun pasta (why not let them choose for themselves in the supermarket?), sauté some chicken breast, chop up the beetroot, cut the carrots into slices, add some sesame seeds and a handful of walnuts and make a dressing with extra-virgin olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice. Let them squeeze the lemon, as they’ll love struggling to get all the juice out. And definitely let them put the lid on the jar, give it a good shake and put it in the fridge.
How about making a Boomerang video of them on your mobile device while they’re hard at work? You’ll have a good laugh afterwards! You can tweak the recipe in any way you like (maybe quinoa or couscous instead of pasta?). Let your imagination run wild!
Greek yogurt with almonds, cereal, dark chocolate shavings and raspberries… in a jar, obviously!
This simply combination is utterly delicious. Start with the creamiest Greek yogurt possible (kids love licking up the leftovers) and add some almonds (grated, if you prefer) and a handful of the kids’ favourite cereal. Top off with some chocolate shavings and raspberries, or apple, banana, kiwi, strawberries or any other fruit in the fridge. How about some apricots?
Marie-style biscuit sponge cake with walnuts… in the microwave!
This guilty pleasure on the list makes an amazing teatime treat. In a bowl, simply add 55 g of normal flour, half a spoonful of baking powder, a spoonful of cocoa power, 30 ml of extra-virgin olive oil and a handful of chopped nuts. Fill a mug about ¾ full with the mixture and microwave on full for about five minutes. Get the kids to decorate their mug cake with some chopped nuts they put by earlier. Yum!
Mixed nuts.
Got a family meal coming up? Or having some friends round for some nibbles? Are you rushing round like mad trying to get everything ready? Let the kids take care of some simple, tasty snacks. And revamp your mixed nuts by adding butter, honey and a teaspoonful of paprika. How? Melt the honey and butter in a saucepan, add the paprika, coat the nuts in the mixture and then arrange them on a baking tray, adding a pinch of salt. Bake for 20 minutes. Watch out, though: they’re so tasty they might all be gone before they reach the table!
