2019-07-01+Health+&+Fitness

Quick tip

‘Don’tfocuson“good”or“bad”food.Describefoodassomethingthatwillhelptheirbodiesgrow,givethem

energyandmakethemstronger,happier,fasterandsmarter.’

recipes

WORDS:

Eve

Boggenpoel

PASTA SALAD WITH OJ PESTO

Serves: 2

Perserving: 410 calories,

31gfat(4gsaturatedfat),8g

protein,3.5gfibre,23gcarbs

(8gsugar),0.4gsalt

OJandbasilpesto

(makes185g)

3 tbsporangejuice

4 tbspoliveoil

1 largehandfulof basil

2 tbspcapers(babycapers),

drained

10 almondsor cashewnuts

Pinchof seasalt

Pastasalad

10–15greenbeans,topped

andtailed

100gcookedpastaof choice

4 heirloomtomatoes,halved

Mixthepesto

ingredientsin a food

processororgrindthem

witha pestleandmortar

untilsmooth.

Steamthebeansuntil

tender(youcoulddo

thisin a sieveoverthepan

asyoucookthepasta,

orevenaddthemto the

watertowardstheendof

thecookingtime).

Mixthepestointothe

cooledpasta.Addin

thetomatoesandbeansand

stirgently.Addto a lunchbox

withtheotheritems.

Tip:Pestois suchaneasy,

adaptablerecipe,soletthe

kids pour in the ingredients

and hit the mixing button

(witha littlesupervision,

ofcourse)untilit hasthe

consistencyandflavour

theylike.

Otherlunchboxitems

in image:2 tbspfermented

redcabbagesauerkraut;

1 mediumboiledegg,

halved;3 datestossedin

cacaopowder

1

2

(^3) ‘Orange juice
instead of lemon
juice makes the pesto
sweeter, and cashew
nuts give it a nice,
rich flavour.’
Get your children
involved in the cooking
and say goodbye
to fussy eaters
T
rouble getting your kids to eat more veg? You’re not alone.
Fortunately help is on hand, thanks to David Frenkiel and
Luise Vindahl, food bloggers (greenkitchenstories.com)
and authors of new book Little Green Kitchen: Simple Vegetarian
Family Recipes (Hardie Grant, £20) – their fifth veggie cookbook.
‘There are many things in parenthood that aren’t easy,’ say the
authors, ‘but if there’s one task worth a little extra effort, it’s your
children’s food and health.’ Yes, they may say they ‘hate’ broccoli
one day, or refuse to touch your lovingly prepared vegan traybake
the next, but with a little ingenuity, you can go a long way to
shifting their – and your – perception of eating more vegetables.
‘If there is one thing we’ve learned raising three young children,
it’s that many “outbursts” aren’t even about the food,’ say Frenkiel
and Vindahl. ‘It’s okay when all bowls aren’t licked clean. You still
did a great job and it will pay off in the future.’ How? You ask...
The Green Kitchen duo believe in playing the long game – your
child doesn’t have to eat everything on their plate. ‘Simply placing
beans and sauerkraut on the table has an important function. It
educates your children, shows them what it is and how it is served
and eaten. Eventually, they’ll also know how it tastes. But if you
stop serving them food they don’t like, they definitely won’t know
what it is, and you take away the opportunity for them to say,
“Yes” to it one day.’
In the meantime, the recipes in the book focus on everyday ways
for feeding your kids a healthy, veg-rich diet. The Roasted veg
soup with halloumi croûtons, for example, gives maximum flavour
with minimal effort, and there’s a spaghetti carbonara made with
parsnip and courgette. There are plenty of cute, rucksack-friendly
lunchbox ideas, such as Crispy rice paper rolls or Peanut butter,
houmous and carrot flatbread rolls. And even the desserts are
spiked with healthy veg – check out the irresistible-looking
Salted caramel freak shake (made with cauliflower and avocado,
alongside banana, cacao, nut butter and whipped coconut cream).
Most recipes include a ‘helping hands section’, suggesting how
kids can join in with the food prep – chopping softer ingredients,
stirring sauces, decorating – as this makes them more invested in
the food and increases the chance of them actually eating it. And
make the most of the ‘Adult upgrade’ advice where it comes – you
won’t regret it. We’re digging out our tahini to add to the Chocolate
chickpea spread. Yum!
HELPING
hands