Edible Sweet Rakhi

Happy Rakshya Bandan to all sisters and brothers!!

Ingredients:
Store bought sweet kuwa pedas
Gummy strechy candies
1 pkt gems(colourful candies)

Idlis Traffic Light

Colorful idlis used as traffic lights will add fun to your children's breakfast.  Sandwich is topped with colorful idlis.

Red Idli : Idli batter with tomato juice
Yellow Idli : Idli batter with little saffron powder
Green idlli : Idli batter with peas paste

Grilled Zucchini Boat

Grilled zucchinis are great in summer. Its healthy and yummy. 

Ingredients:
3 medium sized zucchini
4 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped chicken sausages
3 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper according to taste

Method:
Cut zucchini in half length wise and scoop out its pulp. Brush with oil, salt, pepper and set aside.
 Preheat your grill and workout for stuffing. Start by browning your sausages. Fry for 1 minute and add chopped zucchini pulp, minced garlic and onion. Cook for 3 minutes until onion is tender. Add breadcrumbs and cook for more 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Stuff the zucchini shells with the mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on the top.
Grill, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes until zucchinis are tender.

Hello Kitty Lunch Box

Healthy Kitty Lunch box for my son!

Kitty was made with rice balls.
I added 1 tsp of sushi vinegar on rice and made these rice balls
I punched nori sheet for kitty's eyes and whiskers
Small corn was used for nose
Tomatoes for aprons & bow
Other items in the lunch box are boiled corn, chicken fried pieces, spinach wraps, sausages, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Fried Icecream

It is a perfect dessert in summer. Kids love this crunchy fried ice cream.

Ingredients:
2 scoops of vanila icecream
4 pieces of white bread
Nuts and maple syrup for topping
Oil for deep frying

Method:

 Cut 2 slices of bread in round shape and add a scoop of ice cream in between like sandwich. Put in a freezer for 2 hours. Half fill deep fryer with oil and heat it. We need to work quickly, add sandwiched ice cream bread in the hot oil and fry for 10-15 seconds until bread turns golden brown. Drain briefly on paper towel and serve immediately with maple syrup and nuts on top.

HouseSandwich

Being a mom of picky eater is extremely tough. Now, I simply buy right food, prepare it nutritiously and serve creatively and leave the rest up to kids.

Ingredients:

Bread Slices

Cheese Slices

Cucumber

Carrot

Apple Wedges butterfly

If your children hate fruits then add tiny bits of chocolates, peanut butter or cream cheese.
Butterfly apple wedges for kids:)

Apple wedges for butterfly wings

Banana pieces for body

1 tsp chocolate paste to cover body

2 mini chocolate for eyes

Baked Tofu

Tofu is rich in protein. Tofu tastes great and is good for the health. Kids love this as snack.

Ingredients:
1 small packet firm tofu
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp white sesame seeds

Method:
Drain tofu by pressing between two plates with heavy object on top to remove excess water. Cut tofu into cubes and put them in zip lock bag. Add soy sauce, lime juice, olive oil and zip it close. Shake it gently to coat seasoning on tofu nicely. Marinate them for 10 minutes. In the mean time preheat oven at 300 F and bake them for 30 minutes.
After baking add some teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds on top and serve hot.

Mothers Day

Sunnyakkykitchen wishes all beautiful mothers a very happy mothers day. May you all have a great day:)

Ingredients:

Bread

Apple

Carrot

Grapes

Marshmallow

Fruits car

Watermelon is a summer favorite fruit. It is healthy and delicious. We made this toy car with this fruit.

Ingredients:
Watermelon for body
Banana pieces for wheels
Banana skin for number plate
Blue marshmallow for eyes look

Sponge bob sandwich

I made this sponge bob sandwich with cheese and bread. You can help your picky eaters into healthy eaters by making characters they admire.

Body: slice of brown bread and cheese
Eyes: bananas and blue marshmallow
Eyelashes: nori (seaweed)
Mouth: Tomato

Sesame street fruit snacks

Kids love characters and it is a great way to encourage healthy foods using these characters. We tried to make Elmo and big bird fruit snack out of an apple, mango, banana, carrot and raisins.

 
For Elmo:
Half sliced apple for face
Cheese for Eyes
Raisins for pupils
Carrot for nose
Dark part of apple skin for mouth

For Big Bird:
Mango for face and beak
Bananas for Eyes
Raisins for pupils
small carrot for tongue

Potatoes Snack

This is a very simple potato dish that are good for snacks. Children around the world like potatoes. Potatoes have lots of health benefits also. They are easy digestible and rich in vitamin C and B complex.

Ingredients:
2 thinly sliced Potatoes
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried basil
1  tsp butter melted
Salt and pepper according to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 300°.Wash and slice potatoes. Cut sliced potatoes into fun shapes as children love fun shapes more. Add salt, pepper, dried basil, olive oil and mix well. Keep the potatoes in a baking tray and pour melted butter over it. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Mixed Beans soup

Bean soup is very healthy and tasty. They are rich in protein and provide immense energy. You can serve this soup with rice or bread or even drink as a soup.

Ingredients:

250 gm of different kind of beans

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin coriander powder

1 tsp vegetable oil

Salt according to your taste

Method:

Mix up all beans and soak overnight. Before using them clean with fresh water.

Heat cooking pot or pressure cooker over a medium heat. Pour some oil, when the oil is hot add onions and ginger garlic paste. Fry until mixture becomes brown. Add beans and turmeric powder. Stir well. Keep on frying till water disappears. When grains become brown, add salt, cumin coriander powder and tomato, then mix well. Stir fry for 3 minutes.  Add hot water until all beans get drowned in it. Cook well either in pot or pressure cooker. 

Now the soup is ready you can garnish with coriander leaves and lemon. 

Serve warm with bread (Naan, Chapatis) or rice.   

Creamy Vegetable Risotto

It is an Italian way of cooking rice with cheese and tomato puree. I made this more soft and creamy as my both children love this. Kids get all the benefits of this colorful vegetables and tasty grain mixed together with cheese flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked short grain rice- washed and soaked
2 tsp butter
1 finely chopped onion
1/2 carrot -cut into small cubes
1/4 cup sliced mushroom
2 tsp tomato puree
50 gm grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper according to taste
1 small grilled shrimp
1 tsp Parmesan cheese for topping

Method:

Wash rice several times and soak for 30 minutes. Cut vegetables into small cubes. Heat the butter and fry onions till transparent. Add vegetables are fry for 2 minutes. Add rice and tomato puree and stir fry for more 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and put salt and pepper according to your taste. Boil in a low flame  Add milk and grated cheese and cover till rice is fully cooked. Serve warm with one grilled shrimp and cheese sprinkle on top.

Mushroom Gratin

This food is very tasty for all who loves cheese and it is also a comfort food for kids. I made this gratin with mushrooms, onions and pasta. You can add anything in the gratin, chickens, hams, veggies or only with pasta it will taste great. 

Ingredients:
200 gm of pasta (Penne, seashell etc)
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup of chopped onions
2 tsp of olive oil

For Sauce

2 cups of milk, 1 tsp flour, 25 gm butter, 200 gm cheese(cheddar or Swiss)

Method:
In a large pot boil pasta with pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Fry mushrooms and onions in oil over hot skillet. Heat and turn until brown.
To make sauce, shred 200gm of cheddar or swiss cheese. Keep 50gm cheese aside for topping. In a hot pot over a medium heat melt butter and add 1 table spoon of flour. Stir well. Add 1 cup of hot milk to the pot and stir continuously. Add remaining milk and cheese to the pot, keep stirring. Add salt and pepper and reduce heat to low.
Preheat the oven 350 F. In oven pan, place the pasta at the bottom and layer sauteed mushroom and onion  over it. Pour the sauce to cover the layer. Topped the layer with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

 

Angry bird rice balls

My son loves angry birds so I made these rice balls for him. This is my first try to make angry bird rice balls though I have made onigiri (japanese rice balls) many times.

Ingredients:
1 tsp tomato ketchup for red bird
1/2 nori sheet for eyelashes
Cheese for eyes
Cooked sticky white rice
Small carrot for beak and feather
1 tsp peas paste for green pig rice
2 peas for pig ears
Small cucumber for pig nose

Method:

For the red bird, I mixed white rice with tomato ketch up. It has also little white rice on the bottom. First I made onigiri of red rice and shaped into egg shape then again added little white rice on the bottom and shaped. Cheese and nori sheet are used for eyes and eyelashes. Carrots are used for beak and feather on the top. 

For green pig, I mixed white rice with pea paste to make green colored rice. I used pea pods for ears and  round shaped cucumber slice for nose. Cheese and nori sheet are used for eyes and eyelashes.

Herbed Chicken Burger

This chicken burger is made with chicken minced patties held together with vegetables and cheese. Home made chicken burger would do a trick to kids and it is satisfying and healthy. I used extra lean ground chicken instead of ground beef.

Ingredients:
1 tsp crushed almond
200 gm extra lean ground chicken
1 tsp each of chopped parsley and basil
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp soy sauce
2 whole wheat burger bun
Lettuce leaf
Tomato sliced
Cheese
Salt and pepper according to taste

Method:
To make chicken patties mixture, take a big bowl and mix ground chicken with parsley, basil, almond, garlic,  soy sauce, salt and pepper. Combine the mixture gently with hand and form into round patties.
Now bake these patties for 25 mins at 200 C.
Toast the buns and arrange for burger with lettuce leaves, tomato, cheese and your preference dressing sauce.

Fried Fish Eggs

Fish Egg or fish roe is rich in omega 3 fatty acid, vitamin A, D and zinc.  This is a super food and necessary for healthy children. This is very easy to make and tasty food.

Ingredients:

500 gm fish eggs

1 tsp turmeric powder

Oil for frying

1/4 cup chopped spring onion

1 tsp crushed garlic 

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp cumin and coriander powder

Salt according to taste

Method:

Clean the fish eggs nicely. Cut into small pieces. Take a bowl and add all other ingredients and mix well. Marinade eggs in the paste for an hour. Deep fry in hot oil till crispy. Serve hot with sauce.

Tangy Chicken Wings

This is a easy recipe for barbecue tangy chicken wings. Almost every kid i know loves chicken wings, no matter how they cook, deep fried, pan fried, baked or grilled. My kids loved this version. We used honey lime barbecue sauce for sweet and sour taste.

Ingredients:
6-7 washed chicken wings
Barbecue Sauce:
2 tsp liquid honey
1 tsp ginger minced or grated
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper

Method:
For making barbecue sauce mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Stir well and pour in chicken wings. Distribute the sauce equally all over the wings.
Marinade and place in a refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Grill for 30 minutes depending on how hot is your grill or how big is chicken wing.
Serve hot as it is or with some rice.

Vegetable Cabbage Roll

This is a hearty and tasty meatless cabbage roll. Pretty easy to prepare and healthy dish.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped  nutri nuggets
4 large cabbage leaf
1/4 cup cut carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp tomato sauce
1 cup cooked white rice
Salt and pepper according to taste

Method:
Cook cabbage leaves in boiling water with pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
In a large sauce pan fry nutri nuggets with onion and garlic until brown. Add carrots and fry for more few minutes. Add cooked rice and stir well with soy sauce, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
Spoon 1/3 cup rice mixture on each cabbage leaf. Fold sides and roll up. Bake at 350 C for 30 minutes.
 Serve warm with some tomato sauce

Potato and Leek Soup

Potato and leek soup is common and easy to make. Kids love this with some bread to dip in. It is delicious and true comfort food.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sliced leeks (white parts and tender green parts)

1 cup boiled diced potato

1 tsp butter or olive oil

1/2 tsp freshly grounded white pepper

3 cups water or vegetable stock

1/2 cup fresh chopped celery

1/2 tsp fresh thyme

Salt according to taste

Method:

In a large pot heat oil or butter over medium heat. Add leeks and little salt, cook until it becomes soft and wilted. Pour in water or stock. Add potatoes and celery in it. Cover and simmer until potatoes become tender. Now puree the soup with white pepper and little salt if necessary. Check its consistency if it is thick, add little stock. Stir nicely and garnish with thyme. Serve warm.

Moong Dal Kachauri

Kachauri is flatted puffed bread stuffed with moong dal (yellow lentils). Moong are healthy food for kids as they contains iron, high protein and high fibre. They are easily digestible food and can be eaten as breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:
For dough
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp ghee or oil
1/2 tsp baking power
Pinch of salt for taste

For filling

1/2 cup moong dal (soaked in water for 2 hours)
1/2 tsp of mango powder (amchur)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp olive or canola oil
1/2 tsp of ginger pieces

Pinch of asafoetida
Pinch of salt


For frying
2 cups canola oil

Method:

For making dough, take whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt in a big bowl. Add oil. Use required water and kneed to make firm dough. Put aside for 30 minutes.

For making filling, grind soaked dal in the processor with ginger pieces and salt. 

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle add mixture of dal and fry for few minutes. Add dried mango powder and mix well. Now turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. 

For kachauris:

Divide the dough into small ball size and roll into your palm without any crack. Make 3 inch circle of dough and add mixture in the center. Close the edges like dumpling. Again roll into 4 inch of circle. Make all kachauri in a same process and keep them aside for 3 minutes. 

Heat a deep pan and add oil. when the oil is heated add kachauris and fry until they turn golden brown. Remove the kachauris and drain oil in a paper towel. Serve hot with sauce.

Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Kids love chicken nuggets anytime. These little chicken chunks are good for making quick snack for kids.


Ingredients:
250 gm chicken mince
1 Egg, beaten
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup breadcrumb
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tbs dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Add  grated cheese, dried oregano, salt and pepper to the chicken mince. Mix well.
Rub your hand with some flour, take some chicken and make shape into nuggets. You can also use cutter to give different shape. Roll each nuggets into flour covering nicely. Roll in beaten egg and coat with breadcrumb.
Preheat the oven to 200 degree C. Coat baking pan with some oil and place nuggets in it. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 200 degree C. Serve hot.

Mixed fritters

Kids love fritters. It will be great to make when you want to use your remaining vegetables from fridge.

You can eat them with your favorite dipping sauce. Here I have used shrimps, spinach, onions, eggplant, cheese and potatoes.

Ingredients:
7 shrimps washed
5 spinach leaves
1 thinly round cut potato
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup thinly cut cheese
1 round cut egg plant

Batter
1/2 cup gram flour
1/2 cup rice flour
A pinch of baking soda
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup cold water

Method:

In a mixing bowl add all ingredients for batter and set aside. In a meantime wash shrimp nicely and prepare  vegetables according to your shape. Heat oil for frying. Add all cut vegetables and shrimps in the batter. Once oil is hot enough, fry fritters one by one. Remove and place on paper towels to drain oil. Serve hot with your favourite dipping sauce.

Tortillas sushi wrap

These colorful sushi makes great lunch or supper. This is made of whole wheat tortilla wraps filled with cucumbers, carrots, onions, spinach,grilled tofu and grilled chicken.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup thinly slivered cucumbers, carrots, onions

1/2 cup grilled thinly cut chicken and tofu

1 cup thinly sliced spinach leaves

1 tbs olive oil

2 whole wheat flour tortillas

Salt and pepper

Method:

Grill chicken and tofu and keep aside. 

Set a nonstick frying pan over a high heat. When it is hot add oil , onions, cucumbers and carrots. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add spinach, grilled tofu and chicken. Mix well, add salt and pepper. Cook vegetables briefly to make them crisp.

Make tortillas in a skillet or microwave. Put chicken and vegetable mixture along one side of tortilla, 1 inch from front and side. Fold front edge over mixture and roll nicely like a sushi. Cut the wrap making into two pieces and place on a plate. Serve with sauce.

Peanut butter chicken skewers

Kids love peanut butter and it also makes mouth watering sauce for chicken. Both children and adults will love this dish.

Ingredients:
500 gm chicken breast
3 tsp peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic minced
1/2 cup sliced onions and tomatoes

Method:
Slice chicken breast, tomatoes and onions into small equal pieces. Combine peanut butter, soy sauce and 1/2 cup water. Mix until smooth texture is formed. Add chicken and marinate for 15 minutes. Place in a skewer and grill uncovered over a medium heat. Turn and grill again until chickens become golden brown.
Serve hot.

Monkey breakfast

We made this monkey breakfast with regular pancake, a banana and small chocolate chips. My little 1.5 years old got excited to see this monkey.

Ingredients:
Regular cooked pancake
1/2 tsp chocolate powder
1 banana
Few mini chocolate chips

Method:
This is so easy and fun breakfast. Make your regular pancake batter. Separate half of it and add little chocolate powder. Make monkey head with this chocolate batter. Make face, nose and ear with other regular batter. You can use scissor to cut monkey's face. Place on a plate and decorate. We used banana for eyes and little chocolate chips for pupils and smile. My older one put chocolate chips for monkey's smile.

 Keep one banana on side.

Phineas and Ferb snack

Phineas and ferb characters are fun and healthy snack made out of fruits and pancake.

Ingredients:
1 small cooked pancake
Small pieces of banana
1/2 Kiwi fruit
Small piece of apple skin
Few mini chocolate chips


For Phineas
Body - We cut the pancake in a triangular shape.
Hair- Used scrap skin of an apple
Eyes- Round pieces of banana
Ear- A small piece of pancake
Pupils- Mini chocolate chips

For Ferb
Body-We cut pancake in a retangular shape.
Hair- Half cut kiwi fruit
Nose, Ear- Small pieces of pancake
Eyes-Round pieces of banana
Pupils-Mini chocolate chips

Mango Protein Shake

Homemade protein shakes can be kids healthy snacks. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Mango pieces
1 walnut
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp honey(optional)
1 tsp wheat germ(optional)

Method:
Add soy milk, water, mango and walnut. Blend the fruits in the liquid. Add 1/2 tsp honey for sweetness if desired. You can also add one teaspoonful of wheatgerm that will add more protein, vitamin and minerals. Top with a slice of fruit, add a straw and serve.

Egg and potato Curry

It is a popular dish and made of hard boiled eggs and potatoes. It is very healthy and kids like this anytime.
Eggs are excellent and cheapest available source of protein. 

Ingredients:
2 hard boiled eggs
1 boiled potato
1 Tomato diced
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp olive oil
Pinch of turmeic powder

1/2 cup fresh chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup fresh yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Remove the shell of boiled eggs, cut in to four pieces and keep aside. Heat oil and fry onions and ginger garlic paste  for 2  minutes. When the paste becomes brown, add boiled potatoes and tomatoes.

Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and mix well. Cover the lid and cook for 3 minutes. When tomatoes become tender add yohurt and mix well. Add boiled eggs and coriander leaves. Pour some water, salt and pepper. Boil for 3 minutes. Serve hot with bread or rice.

Mickey mouse fruit snack

Making my boys eat fruits is a hard job. So we came up with their favorite character mickey fruits snack. It is very simple and healthy snack and also children finish while talking about their characters.

Ingredients:

Apple for face.
Black grapes for big two ears.
Half grape for Nose.
Small red part of apple for mouth.
Two small sliced banana for eyes and tiny grapes for pupils.

Rice mini Pizza

It is crepe made out of rice flour topped with chopped meat, eggs, vegetables etc. It is very healthy and delicious food. Kids love this.

Ingredients:
For Rice base:
1 cup rice flour
1 egg
11/2 cup water
pinch of salt

 For toppings:
1/2 cup chopped or minced chicken (any other meat can be used)
1/2 chopped onion
1 tsp minced ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped celery
1tsp olive oil
Salt and peeper according to taste

Method:
First we need to prepare toppings. For that fry onion, garlic and ginger paste until brown. Add minced meat, salt and pepper and fry for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and celery until meat is nearly done. Keep aside.
 For base mix rice flour, salt, water and egg to make cake like batter. Heat a pan, pour some batter and spread like a crepe. Cover it and cook for 2 minutes. Don't turn to other side. Now add toppings and cook few minutes with the cover lid. If you like you can add egg yolk on top. Serve hot.