Hide the Veggies...

[SilverStarfish]

My friend's 3 year old has gone on strike when it comes to eating vegetables (can't say I really blame her, I was carnivore as a kid too :o) and I was wondering what ways mums have of sneaking them in? Or do you have any yummy veggie recipes that your children like?

[Foxy]

Hi Faeml,

I have just started making little vege muffins for DS to have at lunchtime. I just kind of make up the portions as I mix, but a rough idea is -

*2 cups mixed veges (I use frozen winter veges that have carrots, broccoli, beans etc) and then a wizz in the mixer for desired chunkiness.
*Approx 1/2 cup self raising flour
*Approx 1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)
*2 eggs
* 1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix togther, then into a mini muffin tray and bake on 180 deg for 10-15 mins.

As I said, I just sort of throw it together guessing the amounts, so you can experiment to get them how you like them. The amount above makes 12 mini muffins. If you add salt and pepper - they make great adult snacks too!

[the_queen]

Oooh I have a "won't eat her vegetables" child too!!

The good ole "bog sauce" (as my mum used to call it) mince, a jar of pasta sauce (or if you're really domestimacated, tin of tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, onion and herbs) and then grate grate grate whatever vege's you have on hand!! Zucchini, sweet potato, mushrooms (although they can just be chopped), carrot, celery (again just chopped) eggplant, even things like swede or turnip! This meat sauce can be made into lasagne, or just piled on top of spaghetti/other pasta, or just "savoury mince on toast" which was a staple in our house growing up!! You can add corn and peas, although in my experience kids will pick them out because "you can see them" LOL.

Another good idea is meatballs, Vallerie loves helping to make them, and again you can put whatever grated vege's you want in there! Mince, egg, breadcrumbs, onions, herbs, then add vege's. Mix with hands (VERY important to mix with your hands, not only does it work the flavour through the meat, but it also breaks up the meat, making it more tender) and then shape into balls, coat with flour, and then either fry or oven-bake until golden brown!


I made Vallerie some "Extra Special Vallerie-Only Mash" the other night :rolleyes: she loves her mashed potatoes but won't eat any other vegetable. So I mashed some pumpkin, added some nutmeg and a little bit of chicken stock, and made this big deal out of getting her to taste it: "OK this is magic Mash so you have to close your eyes and open your mouth" [I did not expect her to comply, but she did!!] I put a bit in her mouth and she liked the taste of it :smiliedance: and then at dinner time I think she ate 3 spoonfulls of it (which is not much, but is 3 spoonfulls more than she usually eats).

I think it was Martha who also suggested a fabulous idea (this also works with Vallerie!) Cook up some carrots (cut into little circles, you know) and then make up a story about how they are pictures of the full moon. (Vallerie is fascinated with the moon, so I think that's partly why this works with her) I tell her (and show her, by doing it myself) that if you take a bite out of the side, it changes from a full moon to a crescent moon!! She then ate a few bites of carrot - again, not much, but better than the "nothing" she usually eats. THANK YOU MARTHA!!!!:yelclap:

Pizza is another good idea, the child gets to help make her own dinner, and she is the one choosing what goes on there. I use Lebanese bread for the base. Then pizza sauce (which I personally either use jarred pasta sauce or I make my own up - so you can sneak heaps of vege's in there!!!) then a bit of meat (if desired - we use a bit of ham, or sometimes some leftover roast chicken meat) then lots of vege's - capsicum, mushroom, corn, beans, etc etc etc. Whatever Vallerie can cut up with a butter knife, she will cut it up very methodically and then arrange it on her pizza. You can basically put whatever fresh vege's you want on pizza, it's a magnificent way of getting kids to eat! Olives, sundried tomatoes, slices of left-over roast pumpkin, etc etc. Then grate some cheese and put that on top, cook until cheese is bubbly and melted well, et VOILA!!


Or you can make "chips", cut up chip-looking pieces of potato, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, pumpkin; basically any hard vegetable. Spray with a little oil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or so, depending on the size and shape. I also put a bit of "Season-All" on sometimes, makes it a bit more BBQ-y. And my Vallerie loves especially when I serve these with a variety of dipping sauces: tomato sauce, bbq sauce, sweet and sour sauce, sweet chilli sauce, etc etc.

:thumbsup:

[Nanny]

A little trick I was told when DS No 1 was just 3yr old and refused to eat his vegies was to make monster brains, sounds sick I know but trust me works with all three of my boys and any other child I've tried it on since. Anyway what you do is get mashed potato peas and corn and mix them all together (kids like doing this too) then squit some Tomarto sauce (the blood) on top and stir it through just a little make a big fuss over the fact that its not vegies its monster brains. I don't even have to do this anymore my boys will make their monster brains themselves, it's the only time I let them play with their food LOL

[the_queen]

ooh great idea Nanny!! Vallerie (who is at her grandparents farm for the holidays) doesn't like eating stew either, until last night Grammy told her it was WOMBAT stew LOL she proudly rang me up and told me she ate a wombat's leg :laughing:

[suemp]

i juice vegies and at it to juice or buy v8 juice.
also i make a dip out of frozen spinach cooked (1 packet)
1 tub sour cream
1 packet french onion soup mix
mix together
i tell ds its a dip and he has it with bread or rice crackers

[SnoozesWithCats]

I have just started making little vege muffins for DS to have at lunchtime.

I just have to pop in and say - I made some veggie muffins today using your recipe (sweetcorn and zucchini in this case) and dd1 absolutely STUFFED herself - they made 19, I ate two, dd2 ate one, there's four left over which means she ate twelve in the space of about three hours, and the only reason there's any left at all is I FORBADE her to eat the last four and stuck 'em on top of the fridge out of the way

:D :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[ButterflyKisses]

my DS went through a stage where he wouldn't eat his vegies and then I tried mashing them all together (he loves mashed potato, carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin and I just stir in some cooked peas as well) and stirring through some grated cheese and he loves it. I heat it up in the microwave for 10-15 secs or so and the cheese melts.

[cheezelkat]

Mushrooms work REALLY well in bolognaise when food processed. Completely undetectable to even the keenest anti-vegetabe detective! LOL

I'm a big fan of vegie burgers personally. :) Easy to make on your own as well!

[Foxy]

dd1 absolutely STUFFED herself


That's great! :)