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Healthy Living

Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

One of the biggest challenges for any parents is to get their kids to eat vegetables. Any parent (or aunt like myself) can empathize with trying to convince, cajole, or downright force their child to eat at least one vegetable. But are we going about things the wrong way? While we can certainly agree that it’s never easy to introduce vegetables to our kids, especially if we’ve been trying for a long time, here are a few things to consider to make it a more palatable experience.

Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

Focus on Texture

If your children do not like the way a vegetable feels, can you change the texture? Nowadays you can use one of the many top roasting pans to change the texture in the oven. When you start to crisp up carrots in the oven, rather than boiling them into mush, this could make all of the difference.

You can also change the texture by mixing different vegetables together. My mother got me to eat spinach by mixing it with rice and got me to eat carrots by mashing them into potatoes. These became two of my favorite childhood comfort foods!

Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables by Making them “Interactive”

Vegetables don’t just have to be something lying on a plate. You can change how they work with meals. Something like vegetables dipped in hummus or salsa can completely change the flavor and make eating them fun.

Reconsider Your Flavorings

Seasoning vegetables is a crucial part of how you make them attractive. Think about dishes that are vegetable-based, but are covered in delicious butter and herbs. There are plenty of Italian dishes that use vegetables as the main ingredient but are drizzled in olive oil, seasonings, and butter. If you are concerned about butter being too high in fats or being unhealthy, it’s vital to remember that you should not fear the fat anymore.

Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables by Turning them Into a Sauce

If your children really don’t get along with textures, one of the best ways is to cheat by blending vegetables into a fine sauce that can go with pasta. It is a big battle, but this is one of the best ways to get over the hurdle. You can always add vegetables into dishes that are already firm family favorites, such as tacos or spaghetti. A spaghetti bolognese with a pasta sauce made from a variety of vegetables but still tastes like tomato sauce is a very easy way to get more healthiness into your children’s lives.

Think About the Experience for the Kids

If your children just come to the dinner table and don’t like to look at the food, they aren’t going to appreciate it, so your children could help prepare it. If your children are more involved, they are more willing to sample their creations. When you prepare meals for your kids, they are not going to have that same appreciation.

Keep Trying to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

While you may think family mealtimes struggle when your kids don’t eat any vegetables, and this can greatly override any sense of enjoyment, you must remember that it is not a short battle but can be a long war. Even if your kids are not eating vegetables now, you may worry about it, however, if they are healthier in other parts of their lives, you’ve got to look at it in the grand scheme of things.

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Creative Cookery

Why Family Mealtimes Are So Important

Why Family Mealtimes Are So Important

Eating is an important part of your routine, but it is even more so when you have a family and want to share the experience with them. Having home-cooked, sit-down family mealtimes can have positive benefits for both you and your kids, so it is good to actively encourage it.

Why Family Mealtimes Are So Important

Family Mealtimes Are an Opportunity to Talk to Each Other

When you are all sitting around the dinner table, it is the ideal opportunity to have discussions about how your day went and talk about anything you like. Even a friendly debate can be fun. It is a great way of strengthening family bonds and remaining close compared to sitting on the couch staring at the TV screen. This can be particularly beneficial as your kids get older and start spending more time on their cellphones or wanting to meet friends. You still want to have the opportunity to bond together as a family, so family mealtimes are the ideal chance to do so.

Experiment with New Cuisines

You will most likely have certain meals that are a family favorite that everyone enjoys, like a beef stew, an easy chicken dish, or vegetarian curry. But it also allows you all to try out various different cuisines at home with the kids by experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. This can also be a more cost-effective way of trying new foods compared to going to a restaurant and ordering lots of different dishes that you might not even enjoy.

Encourage Kids To Eat More Healthily

child eating watermelonThe good thing about cooking meals from scratch is that you can get your kids to try out various different foods and flavors from a young age. It is not easy to get kids to enjoy vegetables, but if you try out various different ways of cooking them this can help encourage them to get a taste for them from a young age and become less picky eaters.

Family Mealtimes Teach Your Kids Life Skills

If you actively encourage your kids to have sit-down meals with you from a young age this can help their developmental skills. They will learn how to communicate and listen effectively and will also become accustomed to learning how to eat properly with a knife and fork, which is certainly useful for good table manners.

Meals Out

Now that restaurants have opened up again it makes a nice change to be able to go out and enjoy family mealtimes together too. It enables you to try different cuisines and eat food that you do not necessarily cook at home yourself like Famous Dave’s BBQ Ribs. It is a great opportunity to all sit down together and enjoy various different foods. Another benefit is not having to cook which makes a nice change if you are usually the one that cooks at home.

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Cooking Techniques Ingredient Spotlight Special Occasions

Hot Dogs: A Guide for Cooking the Perfect Dogs at Your Next Barbecue

Hot Dogs - A Guide for Cooking the Perfect Dogs at Your Next Barbecue

Hot dogs are an American classic and they are enjoyed throughout the world. No summer barbecue is complete without a round of delicious hot dogs, but so many people struggle to cook them properly.

There’s nothing more disappointing than a bad hot dog and they often end up being a bit lackluster because people don’t give them enough care and attention. If you throw some sausages on the barbecue and stick them in a bun with some mustard, you’ll have an average hot dog, but it could be so much better. This guide will help you make the perfect hot dogs every time, so your barbecue guests always leave happy.

Hot Dogs - A Guide for Cooking the Perfect Dogs at Your Next Barbecue

Cooking the Perfect Sausage

The first and most important step is obviously the sausage itself. It’s the star of the show and if you don’t get it right, you can’t just cover your mistakes with toppings. You could go for classic American hot dogs but a German Bratwurst makes for a much better hot dog. You could argue that it’s not technically a hot dog because you’re not using an American sausage, but you won’t have any complaints once people taste it.

People often struggle with bratwurst because they don’t know how to cook it. Knowing how long to grill brats on a gas grill is key, but you need to know how to prepare it first. If you throw them straight on the grill, the juices expand and they burst, so you lose a lot of the flavor. That’s why it’s best to parboil them first. You can do this in water or even in beer for extra flavor.

Once they are boiled, they are mostly cooked, so you just need to sear them on the grill for 4-5 minutes, making sure to get all sides.

Bread and Toppings Pefect the Hot Dogs

Now that you have the perfect sausage, you need to sandwich it in some delicious bread and add your toppings. Most of the time, people pick up hot dog rolls from the store and they’re fine. But the perfect hot dog deserves more than that, so you should consider making your own hot dog rolls. They’re simple to make and they taste so much better than store-bought ones.

When it comes to toppings, everybody has their own preference, so giving people plenty of choices is key. Make sure that you have all of the most popular hot dog toppings to hand, including mustard, ketchup, relish, and even some sauerkraut.

Sides

No hot dog is complete without some delicious sides to complement it. There are a lot of classic options like fries or coleslaw, but baked beans are often the biggest hit with hot dogs. They pair perfectly and they’re simple to make yourself. This is an easy side for a barbecue because you can just make a big pot ahead of time and let everybody dig in, leaving you free to focus on cooking your delicious hot dogs.

Next time you have a barbecue, follow these tips to make the perfect hot dogs and wow all of your guests.

Categories
Recipes

Australian Coleslaw

Australian Coleslaw

This Australian coleslaw is a bit unusual from what we are used to in America but great for the hostess who thinks “outside the box.” The original version had hot peppers in it, but I don’t do spicy, so I left them out.

Australian Coleslaw

Australian Coleslaw
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Australian Coleslaw

A twist on the coleslaw salad.
Course Salad
Cuisine Australian
Keyword cabbage
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cabbage, shredded
  • 3 carrots, grated
  • 3 onions
  • 4 stalks of celery
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed

Instructions

  • In a deep bowl, toss together the cabbage and carrots.
  • Dice all the remaining vegetables.
  • Mix into the bowl with the cabbage and carrots.
  • Sprinkle the sugar over the vegetables.
  • In a medium-sized pot, bring the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and celery seed to a boil.
  • Pour over the vegetable mixture while hot and do not stir!
  • Let cool and then cover and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
  • Pour off the excess liquid before serving.

What is the difference between red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar?

Although red wine has a bolder flavor than white wine, the opposite is true when these beverages are further fermented into vinegar. According to Difference.guru, red wine vinegar has “more subtle flavors and comes in more varieties” than white wine vinegar. Perhaps, that’s why this recipe called for it originally. A bolder vinegar would not have gone well with a Jalapeno.

However, since my version of the recipe got rid of the spice, I suspect you could easily use white wine vinegar and get good results.

What’s so Australian about this coleslaw?

This question was foremost in my mind when I started working with it and you know what? I could not find an answer. For all I know, someone just thought it would be cool to call it Australian and it caught on from there.

A note about Australian cuisine

Australian cuisine is a hodgepodge, at least these days, of Aboriginal fare, colonial cuisine, and foreign influences. Given the environment, Australia has put its own vibe and stamp on all these influences, of course. Where else will you find kangaroo meat in the grocery store?

Creative Cooking Tips Banner

I’ve already provided one hint at how you can get creative with this recipe — switch out the vinegar. You can also play around with the cabbage, as I suggested in a previous coleslaw recipe.

You can also experiment with the oil. Try different grades of olive oil, or even go for a different oil such as avocado oil or sesame seed oil. Also, feel free to leave out the sugar or substitute with a light drizzle of honey.

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Recipes

Sweet Maple Green Beans

Sweet Maple Green Beans

If you’re being good and eating your green beans, you may as well make a treat of them. These beans, sautéed in butter and maple syrup, are tender, sweet, and delicious.

Sweet Maple Green Beans

green beans
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Sweet Maple Green Beans

Green beans sautéed in butter and maple syrup.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword green beans, side dish, vegetables
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups green beans
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Steam green beans until softened, about 15-20 minutes.
  • In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
  • Add the maple syrup and green beans. Saute for a few minutes.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Need help with steaming green beans to softness? Check out these tips from The Spruce Eats.

Why do I recommend pure maple syrup? Read my post on the topic.

Creative Cooking Tips Banner

This recipe is really a proof of concept that empowers you to play around with different flavors to come up with different but similar recipes. Here are some ideas:

Tangy Molasses Green Beans: Instead of maple syrup, sautee with molasses. Molasses is less sweet and will give the beans a slightly more earthy or bitter taste.

Sweet Honey Green Beans: Instead of maple syrup, use honey. There is a wide variety of honey flavors, so you can even experiment within the honey palate!

Glazed Green Beans: Instead of maple syrup, use a combination of brown sugar and your choice of white wine, red wine, sherry, brandy, or even water. Heat together until it forms a syrup and then proceed with the recipe as normal.

If you’re not satisfied with salt and pepper to taste, there are other herbs, spices, and even some sauces, you can mix and match with your syrups. Here are some ideas:

  • yellow mustard
  • lemon pepper
  • garlic salt
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • basil
  • pesto sauce
  • lemon zest

Also, if you wish to go completely off the rails, you can toss the maple syrup and butter out completely and use a touch of soy sauce and olive oil. Toss in some sesame seeds, and you have an Asian-inspired green bean dish.

Still not happy? Use honey instead of maple syrup, and curry powder instead of salt and pepper. Now you have curried green beans!

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This recipe was originally posted in 2015 and was updated in 2021.

Categories
Recipes

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Asian Turkey Meatballs

If you’re looking for some favorable but light meat dish, these Asian-inspired Turkey Meatballs just might do the trick.

Asian Turkey Meatballs

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Asian Turkey Meatballs

Simple turkey meatballs with an Asian flair.
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound turkey breast, ground
  • 1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup plum sauce, heated
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Place the turkey, onion, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
  • Using your hands, knead all the ingredients together until well blended.
  • If the mixture doesn't hold together, add a bit more bread crumbs.
  • Make 18 meatballs approximately the same size.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil to a medium temperature.
  • Add the meatballs and stir until brown on all sides.
  • Cover and allow them to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Place the meatballs on a platter and top with the plum sauce, scallions, and sesame seeds.
  • Serve at once with noodles or brown rice.

How do turkey meatballs differ from beef meatballs?

The biggest difference between turkey meatballs and beef meatballs is the flavor. On its own, beef is simply more flavorful than turkey. However, because turkey has a more mild flavor profile, it can take on the flavor of the herbs and spices you mix with it, something that beef doesn’t do as well.

In addition, ground beef is higher in protein, iron and potassium than ground turkey does.

So why go with turkey meatballs if beef has tastes bolder and more distinctive and has more protein per serving?

The answer is the fat. Ground turkey has lower levels of saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. However, if you want to get that benefit, you have to purchase a LEAN ground turkey or ground turkey breast meat.

Creative Cooking Tips Banner

As with all recipes, you can play around with this one to make it unique, fresh, and very much your own. Here are some ideas:

Play around with the ground meat: You can switch out with another meat, such as ground chicken, beef, pork, or even lamb. Or, you can blend more than one kind of ground meat, creating a hybrid meatball.

Instead of regular bread crumbs, use panko breadcrumbs, or crushed crackers.

Pump up the Asian flavor with some Chinese, Japanese, Thai or other Asian herb and spice blend you find in the grocery store. Here are some suggestions you can find on Amazon:

Of course, if you switch up the seasonings, you may also have to switch out the sauce. Plum sauce may not taste as good with some of these blends. Other Asian-style sauces you can try include:

Categories
Recipes

Applesauce Banana Bread

Applesauce Banana Bread

Applesauce is often used as a substitute for fats or sweeteners, as well as an additive for moisture. Using it in this recipe gives this banana bread a sweet moistness without making taste like apples.

Applesauce Banana Bread

Applesauce Banana Bread
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Applesauce Banana Bread

A great snack or part of a weekend brunch.
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 cup of applesauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups of bread flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.
  • Into a large bowl, slice the bananas. Use an electric mixer to mash.
  • Add the sugar and blend. Let mixture stand for 15 minutes.
  • Add applesauce and eggs. Mix well.
  • Blend in the remaining ingredients.
  • Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let stand again for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Applesauce to the Rescue

A great way to reduce the fat and processed sugar in a recipe is to use applesauce instead. That’s what was done in this recipe. Here are some pointers for doing so in other recipes:

  • In cake, muffin, and quick bread recipes that call for oil or melted butter, you can use applesauce instead. It does not work well if the recipe calls for softened butter.
  • Applesauce does not work well as a substitution in cookies because it can cause them to get mushy or lose their shape.
  • Substitute using a 1-to-1 ratio. For example, in a recipe that called for 1/2 cup melted butter, you would use 1/2 cup applesauce instead.
  • It is best to use unsweetened or homemade applesauce in these substitutions, especially if you are trying to reduce processed sugar!

You need not substitute 100% off of the fat. You can go 50/50 or some other ratio. Experiment to find out which ratio gives you the best results for your recipe.

Homemade Applesauce for Baking

It is easy to make homemade applesauce for use in other recipes! Simply wash, core, and quarter 2 pounds of apples and follow these simple instructions:

  1. Place the apples in a large pot and fill it with water to about an inch deeper than the apples.
  2. Boil until the apples are soft.
  3. With a bit of the cooking water, put them through a blender or food processor.

If you use naturally sweet apples, you can reduce the sugar in the recipe that you use this apple sauce in.

Creative Cooking Tips Banner

Additions to Make this Uniquely Your Own

This recipe is pretty plain. What to spice it up? Here are some ideas for making this banana bread uniquely your own.

  • Add chocolate, caramel or butterscotch chips
  • Add chopped pecans, walnuts, peanuts, or almonds
  • Swirl your favorite jelly, jam or preserves into the batter after pouring it into the pan
  • Add shredded coconut
  • Substitute crushed pineapple for the applesauce
  • Add in some chopped strawberries
  • Mix in some cinnamon or cardomom
  • Add in peanutbutter
  • Mix and match the above sujestions
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