7 Interesting Healthy Recipes for Kids

Imagine it is between 3 to 4 pm, your child is back from school and the many extra-curricular activities and is hungry. While you do want to keep them satiated until dinner, stop and think for a minute before you grab that conveniently packaged snack off the counter. Do you really want to give your child a snack of artificial food with additives? Certainly not!

Would it not be great if you could find some quick and interesting recipes to make for your kids, while resting assured that you are giving them something they enjoy eating and yet, nutritious?

The simple solution is - incorporate almonds!

These nuts are not only a great snack option but are also convenient and deliver a host of nutrients like vitamin E, riboflavin, fibre, protein and many others. In other words, almonds are a healthy alternative for a variety of unwholesome snacks, readily available. In addition, since these nuts are tasty and crunchy, they can also satisfy your child's sensory cravings.

Here are some super yummy yet nutritious recipes that you could try out for your kids:

Badam Custard

Custard has always been a favorite with the tiny humans. With addition of almonds, you can add this to the list of wholesome snack recipes for kids!

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Serves 2

Preparation Time: 20mins

Cooking time: 15mins

Ingredients

Almonds (roasted) - 200gms

Milk -500ml

Sugar -100gms

Egg yolk - 6no

Vanilla essence - 3ml

Corn flour - 25gms

Method

Blanch almonds and make a smooth paste, keep aside. Mix egg yolk and corn flour in a bowl, keep aside.

Boil sugar and milk. Then, add some warm milk to the egg yolks and whisk, keep aside. Keep milk at simmer, add the tempered yolk mixture and cook for 5 mins.

Keep stirring and pour the almond paste and set in a fridge. Serve cold.

Nutrient Analysis

Calories

2530

Protein

76.8 gms

Total fat

174.7 gms

Saturated

28.6 gms

Monounsaturated

81.2 gms

Polyunsaturated

29.3 gms

Carbohydrates

163 gms

Fibre

21.4 gms

Cholesterol

1674 mg

Sodium

138.2 mg

Calcium

1216 mg

Magnesium

805.4 mg

Potassium

2255 mg

Vitamin E

53.1 mg

Almond Cookies

This quick and easy recipe not only gives you delicious cookies but will also leave your kids asking for more.

Serves 2

Preparation Time: 20mins

Cooking time: 15mins

Ingredients

Flour - 1kg

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon zest -2 tblspn

Salt - a pinch

Butter (unsalted)-700 gms

Powdered sugar - 300 gms

Almonds (finely crushed) - 200gms

Method

Mix cream, butter and icing sugar thoroughly. Fold in all the dry ingredients.

Shape it in small balls and roll it in crushed almonds.

On a greased baking tray, bake the cookies at 170 degree Celsius for 20mins. Serve.

Nutrient Analysis

Calories

11093

Protein

151.6 gms

Total fat

693.8 gms

Saturated

252.2 gms

Monounsaturated

179.7 gms

Polyunsaturated

44.7 gms

Carbohydrates

1060 gms

Fibre

24 gms

Cholesterol

756 mg

Sodium

822 mg

Calcium

690 mg

Magnesium

1286 mg

Potassium

2700 mg

Vitamin E

49.8 mg

Badam Elaichi Shake

This is one of the easy recipes to make which gives you a whole of lot of goodness from ingredients like elaichi, badam, honey and cardamom.

Serves 2

Preparation Time: 10mins

Cooking time: 15mins

Ingredients

Milk - 3 cups

Almonds (peeled and chopped) - 1/2 cup

Honey - 1tbl spn

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Saffron - 5 strands.

Vanilla ice cream - 2 scoops (optional)

Method

Mix all the ingredients and blend in a blender. Froth it up and serve chilled, garnished with almond flakes.

Nutrient Analysis

Calories

1216

Protein

38.8 gms

Total fat

82.8 gms

Saturated

22.7 gms

Monounsaturated

35.6 gms

Polyunsaturated

7.5 gms

Carbohydrates

78.1 gms

Fibre

1.25 gms

Cholesterol

108.4 mg

Sodium

317 mg

Calcium

1062 mg

Magnesium

355.9 mg

Potassium

1447 mg

Vitamin E

13.1 mg

Paneer Badam Ka Cheela

This Indian recipe, that pretty much every Indian household is familiar with, can be a great snack recipe for kids for mid-meal munching.

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 10mins

Cooking time: 20mins

Ingredients

Besan - 2cups

Baking powder - 1/4thtsp

Salt - ½ tsp

Ajwain - 1/4thtsp

Red chilli powder - ½ tsp

Oil - 3 tblspn

For the stuffing

Paneer (mashed) - ½ cup

Badam (chopped) - 1/4th cup

Jeera roasted - 1 tsp

Salt - ½ tsp

Green chilly chop - 1 no

Ginger chop - 2 tsp

Green coriander chop - 1 tblspn

Method

Make a thick batter using besan, salt, ajwain, red chilli powder, baking powder and water. Keep aside.

Mix together all the ingredients nicely for the stuffing.

Heat a non stick pan and drizzle a little oil. Pour a little batter and spread around thinly. Allow to cook on one side and then gently turn it. Flash cook on this side and turn immediately.

Now spoon out the stuffing and place in the centre horizontally. Fold the cheela like a dosa or a cigar.

Remove and serve hot.

Nutrient Analysis

Calories

1966

Protein

83.9gms

Total fat

99.5gms

Saturated

3.7gms

Monounsaturated

13.7gms

Polyunsaturated

10.9gms

Carbohydrates

184.2gms

Fibre

6.7gms

Cholesterol

4.2

Sodium

263.4 mg

Calcium

410 mg

Magnesium

462.9 mg

Potassium

2470 mg

Vitamin E

8.6 mg

Toasted Almonds and Tomato Uttapam Pizza

A western twist to a popular south Indian recipe can be all the excitement your kids can ask for, pre or post their play time.

Serves: 1 person

Preparation time: 8 - 10 minutes

Cooking time: 12 - 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Uttapam batter - 75 ml

Almonds cut into half(unpeeled) - 15 g

Tomato deseeded and chopped - 10 g

Chopped onion - 10 g

Chopped ginger - 2 g

Chopped coriander - 2 g

Pizza sauce - 5 g

Parmesan cheese grated - 3 g

Salt - to taste

Refined oil - 5 ml

Method

Pour the uttapam batter in the centre of a heated non-stick pan. Sprinkle chopped tomato, onion, ginger and coriander, evenly on top. Turn the uttapam upside down to cook it from top for about a minute. Then, turn it back and spread the pizza sauce. Add almond halves and turn it over, once again.

Then, remove from the pan and sprinkle grated parmesan on it. Cut it into 4 pieces like a pizza. Serve hot.

Nutrient Analysis

Calories

393

Protein

12 g

Total fat

14.7 g

Saturated

1.6 g

Monounsaturated

6.2 g

Polyunsaturated

5.1 g

Carbohydrates

56.5 g

Fibre

0.5 g

Cholesterol

0 mg

Sodium

967 mg

Calcium

76 mg

Magnesium

63 mg

Potassium

252 mg

Vitamin E

3.9 mg

Badam ki Kheer

This popular desert accompanies most Indian food preparations at home during festivals. However, since it is prepared so rarely, kids love it so much more.

Do not hesitate to make your kids happy every now and then by whipping up some kheeron regular days.

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 10mins

Cooking time: 20mins

Ingredients

Desi ghee - 2 tblspn

Almonds - 1 cup

Green cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Rice - 3 tblspn

Milk - 1lt

Raisins - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 150 gms

Almond slivers - 1 & 1/2tblspn

Method

Soak rice for half hour. Soak raisins in water for 15 minutes. Blanch the almonds, remove skin and grind to a paste adding little water.

Heat a pan and add desi ghee. Now lightly sauté the almond paste on low heat for 1 minute. Add milk and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and add rice. Cook for 15 minutes or till the rice overcooks and thickens the kheer. Add sugar and raisins. Garnish with almond slivers.

Nutrient Analysis

Calories

3000

Protein

70.6 gms

Total fat

169.4 gms

Saturated

34 gms

Monounsaturated

52.3 gms

Polyunsaturated

16.7 gms

Carbohydrates

298.7 gms

Fiber

3.5 gms

Cholesterol

99 mg

Sodium

173.3 mg

Calcium

1748 mg

Magnesium

778.9 mg

Potassium

2847 mg

Vitamin E

31.9 mg

Almond and Soya Milk Smoothie

A healthy recipe to serve your kids, anytime of the day, a glass of this smoothie can give them the goodness of soya milk and almonds which can provide essential nutrients such protein, calcium and many vitamins and minerals.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: no cooking time

Ingredients:

Almond Flakes - 100 g

Soya Milk - 750 ml

Honey - 150 g

Whole almonds - 350 g

Banana - 200 g

Method:

In a mixer jar, take whole almonds without skin add soya milk, honey and banana in it. Blend it and garnish with roasted almonds flakes.

Tip: Add a berry flavour as per availability to enhance flavour.

Nutrient Analysis

Calories

3588

Protein

122 g

Total fat

240.6g

Saturated

17.4 g

Monounsaturated

144 g

Polyunsaturated

56.6 g

Carbohydrates

267.6 g

Fibre

40.8 g

Cholesterol

0 mg

Sodium

440.7 mg

Calcium

2154 mg

Magnesium

1407.6 mg

Potassium

4351 mg

Vitamin E

118.5 mg

The author loves to talk about healthy food and how balanced diet can help live a fuller life. Also, the benefits of almonds can not be neglected in our daily diet. A list of easy to make healthy recipes are also uploaded regularly. http://www.almonds.in

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Anurup_A/2189162

Elderberry benefits: good Healing Herb

Do You Make the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies?

My children used to ask me how I make such perfect chocolate chip cookies. Do I think my perfect chocolate chip cookies are perfect? No, not necessarily, but my children do and my grandchildren, do as well. That is all that really matters to me. However, I will say that many people always tell how much they enjoy my cookies and often ask the same question: "How do you make such perfect chocolate chip cookies?".

They are nearly all perfectly round. They are all nearly perfectly browned, but not over-done, and they are light and fluffy, not flattened and/or crunchy.

I really don't have a huge secret or special recipe that makes the cookies seem so perfect, however, I do have a few things that I'm consistent with when doing my baking, especially for chocolate chip cookies.
First of all, I truly believe that elevation and humidity can play a huge role in how any baking may turn out. It can affect how high your oven temperature should be and potentially how long you may need to bake your goodies. Most importantly for me, I am particular with my ingredients.

I have found that all granulated sugars are not the same. Some can have a larger grain to them, while some can be more fine. Some sugars seems to have more moisture in them than others. Because of these differences, I have found that my cookies can be different when I use different brands.

There can be differences in flour as well, as some are self-rising, some are made for lower elevations, and some have some slightly different consistencies.

Since I can't control the humidity, I try to be consistent with the brand. When I make what seems to my kids as the perfect chocolate chip cookies, I use Domino sugar, and Robin Hood flour.

After mixing the ingredients and preparing the dough for baking, I take the careful time to roll each cookie dough into one inch (1") or slightly smaller size dough balls.

Typically when you bake cookies, especially those calling for baking soda as one of the ingredients (much like the recipe I use does), the cookies will puff up through the baking process. When they are in the last minutes of baking they will tend to flatten out. Therefore, I remove them from the oven in advance of the "flattening" process, just before the cookies is completely baked.

One last little tip that I have for making these seemingly perfect chocolate chip cookies, is that although the recipe calls for the use of butter, I choose to use shortening instead. I'm also particular about the type of shortening. Do I think there is a different in shortening? Not really, I guess I'm just a particular in this department. Butter can often make the cookies tastes more rich, and creamy, but shortening will make them more light and fluffy.

Below is the recipe that I use:

¾ Cups of Domino Granulated Sugar
¾ Cups of Domino Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream these items together and then add:

2 ¼ Cups of Robin Hood Flour

After it is blended well, fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand.

Roll the dough in 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned, but not yet flattened. Remove from the oven, let sit on the tray for about 30 seconds before removing to a paper towel to cool. Store in a container that will seal tight, so that the moisture stays with the cookie and doesn't dry out.

Tip: Do not leave on the cookie tray, too long because the cookies will continue to bake on the heated cookie tray.

For more helpful kitchen ideas, visit http://www.JLMarkerKitchens.com

For additional helpful hints with kitchen gadgets and baking, visit http://www.JLMarkerKitchens.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jennifer_Wagner/2295679