Posted Feb 16, 2012
It’s a familiar refrain. One day a child’s favorite foods are chicken tenders or pizza with pepperoni, the next day the same kid swears off meat – forever. And cannot be persuaded otherwise.
Cookbook author Laura Washburn faced the same overnight conversion with her daughter, 10 at the time. Despite having several cookbooks under her belt, however, Washburn found herself unsure what to cook, she writes in “Vegetarian Food for Kids: Nutritious and Delicious Recipes for Healthy Children” (Ryland Peters & Small, $19.95).
Her project to educate herself on a balanced vegetarian diet for children, plus find recipes that would appeal to a child and offer enough variety to ensure proper nutrition, led to the book.
Her recipes can provide ideas to families with young vegetarians in the house, whether the entire household is dedicated to the diet, or whether, like Washburn, you find yourself suddenly the parent of someone you don’t know how to feed.
CHEESY POLENTA AND ROASTED VEGETABLE PIE
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Note: From “Vegetarian Food for Kids: Nutritious and Delicious Recipes for Healthy Children,” by Laura Washburn. The ingredients here are easily adaptable to your child’s palate. She doesn’t like broccoli or onions? Sub in another vegetable, such as carrots or green beans.
Ingredients:
2 small zucchini, halved widthwise, cut in 1/4-inch strips
1 red bell pepper, cut in 1/2-inch thick slices
10 ounces broccoli, sliced in long, thin trees
1 red onion, sliced in thick rings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2/3 cup grated cheddar (or vegetarian cheddar)
4 1/2 ounce fresh mozzarella ball, thinly sliced
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the zucchini, pepper, broccoli and onion in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil; drizzle with olive oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Roast until just tender and lightly browned, 10-20 minutes. (The broccoli may cook faster; check after 10 minutes. Remove if necessary; continue roasting remaining vegetables.) Coarsely chop the vegetables; transfer to a lightly oiled 10-inch square baking dish.
2. Meanwhile, heat the water to a boil over medium-high heat in a saucepan; season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add polenta slowly in a stream. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick. Take care as the polenta can bubble up. Lower heat to low; cook, stirring, 5 minutes. (Alternately, follow package directions for cooking 1 cup polenta.)
3. Remove polenta from the heat; stir in the butter and cheddar. Pour over the vegetables in the dish, spreading evenly with a spatula; arrange mozzarella on top. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 25 minutes.
Nutrition information:
Per serving: 239 calories, 13 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 28 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 560 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.