Is the title of this article – ‘Yummy salad recipes for Picky Eaters” making you frown in disbelief?
Read on then – this really is a collection of kid-friendly salad recipes.
If you are the parent of a picky eater – I am sure you have a tough time getting her/him to eat vegetables. Most children proudly declare that they ‘hate’ vegetables and so salad recipes for kids are practically non-existent. No one thinks a child who hates vegetables will like a salad.
But surprise surprise!!
When you dare to embark on an adventure with fruits and vegetables with your child – some recipes for kids salads do emerge that become your fussy eater’s favourite foods. And this is what amazing mom with an adventurous streak – Anitha Kannan discovered when she made the conscious decision not to force her picky eater to eat.
She discovered salads for picky eaters! And she shares them here.
About Anitha Kannan
Anitha Kannan
Anitha Kannan is a blogger , an author and an adventurous cooking enthusiast. Anitha loves to surprise herself and everyone around her with the variety and quantity of work that she does and excels at. Anitha has been working closely with children’s interactive apps, games and stories for over a decade now and many of her games are now available on the app store. She is the self-published author of the comic book Poppy ’N Pals for little readers, When she is not creating books and games for children – she busy exploring and creating in her kitchen lab. The recipes that emerge out of her adventures find their way to her blog www.raniyinsuvai.blogspot.in In her own words – “Being a mother has given me a chance to be a child again”
4 summer salad recipes for Picky eaters using fruits and vegetables
I am delighted to share my thoughts and recipes here. Over a casual conversation with the wonderful Dr Debmita Dutta, we touched upon children being picky eaters and I ranted on about how I was one as a child and until a year ago, so was my little one. However, being aware of my own eating habits helped me plan better for my child. And what a difference that has made!
We parents are constantly concerned about the child’s eating behavior and pattern. We want to ensure our children eat their three meals, two small snacks and drink up the portion of milk. Not to mention all the toffee treats that probably snuff their healthy appetites. A challenge indeed, to provide healthy nutritious and balanced diet day after day for the little tikes.
But hey, let us relax. Think about the varied choices of food and drink we adults enjoy. A child is entitled to the same. The simple thing to do is to fill your plate with goodness. Children learn through observation, be it behaviour or love for food. They are curious creatures who, trust me are noticing your plate more keenly than you yourself are. I can vouch for this because my rather disinterested 4-year-old daughter took a great liking to mushrooms and broccoli when she figured I was enjoying them so often and in so may ways. It is a personal lesson that I learnt. What we eat will be what our children eventually crave for, as they are growing.
Food is like religion, unique to each family. Respect and Love it. Do not force it.
You will be amazed when you let the kitchen doors open for your child. They learn so much from science to math to creative thinking. They learn untold values such as team work, responsibility, patience, respecting food and above all you and your child create a repertoire of memories and love that create a special bond. Priceless.
I invite every parent to use the kitchen as a creative studio for your child to grow and nurture, be it peeling a fruit or pounding ginger. There is a lot going on.
Here are some simple salad recipes that you and your child can relish before the summer ends.
“Kitchen is my place of worship, bringing in the five elements of nature”
Also read How does a Child become a Picky Eater
Recipe 1
TWIN CRUNCH
(Watermelon surprise in Cucumber Cups)
Twin Crunch_summer salad
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of chopped watermelon
2 tbsp of chopped coriander
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground pepper
2 tbsp of hung curd
1 big cucumber
Method:
Place the chopped watermelon in a bowl, add the salt and pepper. Mix gently.
Now peel the cucumber and cut it into two halves. Slice out the edges to make them stand firmly on a plate.
Scoop out the seeds to make the cup. Ideally one cucumber makes two cups.
Now we will add all the ingredients in a layer, first a little of the hung curd, sprinkle a layer of coriander, top with watermelon. Repeat till the cucumber cup is full.
Serve it cold.
Recipe 2
SPROUT’S SUNNY DAY
(Delightful Sprouts, Raw Mangoes and Juicy Tomatoes)
Sprout’s sunny day_summer salad
Ingredients:
1 cup of par boiled Sprouts (Green gram/ black eyed beans/ Chickpea)
1/2 cup grated raw mango
1/2 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 tsp of chaat masala
1/2 tbsp of powdered jaggery
1/2 tsp of chilli powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 lemon wedge
1 tbsp of chopped mint leaves for garnish
Method:
Mix the sprouts, grated mango and tomatoes in a wide bowl.
Now in a small bowl mix the dry seasonings together.
Just before you serve it, toss the seasonings into the sprouts and give a good stir.
Place a lemon wedge and sprinkle mint leaves for garnish. Goes well with a tall glass of Lassi.
Recipe 3
MELON-DRAMA
(Ripe Musk Melon with pomegranate pearls on a bed of mango and cucumber relish)
Melon drama_summer salad
Ingredients:
2 cups of chopped musk melon
1 cup of pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup of chopped dill leaves
1/2 cup of mangoes (julienned with a spiral slicer)
1/2 cup of cucumber (julienned with a spiral slicer)
1 tbsp of honey
1/2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of chopped ginger
2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds
Method:
Soak the mangoes and cucumber in a seasoning of salt, apple cider vinegar and chopped ginger for 30-40 minutes.
Mix the melon, pomegranate seeds and dill in a wide ceramic bowl.
On a large plate make a bed of cucumber and mango, spread out evenly.
Top it with the mix of melon and pomegranate salad. Refrigerate this for 10-15 minutes.
Before you serve, garnish it with pumpkin seeds accompanied with a buttery toast.
Recipe 4
SWEET BEET AND MANGOES SALAD
Sweet beet & mangoes_summer salad
Ingredients:
1 beetroot
1 ripe mango
1/2 cup of orange juice
1 tbsp of honey
1/2 tbsp of finely chopped ginger
1 cup of water
1 Chana papad (optional)
Method:
Peel and slice the beet root. The slices should be very thin.
On low heat, coat the pan with very little olive oil. Place the slices on the pan and gently roast it.
Add a little water and cover the pan. Check after 2-3 minutes and flip the slices.
Repeat this for about 20 minutes. Don’t be in a hurry. This process needs a lot of patience.
In the mean time, Add the honey and ginger to the orange juice. Mix well.
Check the slices, they should be very soft. One it is done, toss them in the orange sauce. Once it is cooled, let it rest in the refrigerator.
Now cut the ripe mangoes and refrigerate.
In a pan, roast half the papad and quickly make a cone while it is still hot. You could use a paper towel to roll it.
Now remove the beetroot slices from the sauce and mix with the mangoes. You could place it in the papad cones (optional).
Pour the Orange sauce into a serving dish along with this absolutely delicate salad.
Hope you all have a chance to try out these recipes.
Can’t wait to hear more from your Kitchen! Keep cooking what you love and love what you cook!
Wishing you the best of Summer!
Also read 6 Easy Healthy And Tasty Snack Recipes For Children
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