Cooking For Children - Tips To Make Your Dishes More Attractive

Meal times so easily become a battle field when we are cooking for little ones. We spend hours preparing a nutritious meal but it all ends in tears with a toddler tantrum at the tea table.

Are there any simple guidelines we can follow when cooking for little ones? I would say after many years of experience and many tantrums, mine as well as the kids, that it is possible to take some of the tension out of cooking for little ones.

My first rule when cooking for little ones is don't cook. Or at least cook less. Children love raw foods and they are very healthy. Keep some cut up carrot sticks in the fridge. Washed, peeled and sliced into finger sized pieces they make an excellent snack. With a little houmous, or peanut butter maybe, they are extremely nutritious. Raw food really is good for children.

On the same principle why not try homemade smoothies. They can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge. This is one of the simplest ways of getting children to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. You can also turn smoothies into a kind of ice pop by freezing them. They are lower in sugar than commercially available products.

A thing we easily forget when cooking for little ones is that they have small stomachs. They need to eat little and often. The large meals we habitually prepare for adults are just too much for children. They simply cannot wait four hours from one meal to another. You need to have lots of healthy food in small portions ready to hand.

When it comes to the main family meals the single biggest problem is vegetables. So many small children will not eat vegetables, especially green vegetables. The answer is to get creative. Sauces exist for a reason. Broccoli was surely made for garlic butter or cheese sauce.

Some people will object that children will not eat garlic. But if they are introduced to it slowly they will. It will soon become a favourite and it is very healthy. The same is true of cheeses. It is worth introducing children to variety of cheeses. They might not like them all but they will develop a taste for some. Cheese is a valuable source of calcium and vitamin D which are important to growth of strong bones and teeth.

It is important to introduce children to what we think of as "adult" tastes because that is the way to ensure that their diet is varied. You will also avoid the trap that so many parents fall into of having to cook two meals. One word of warning here: when cooking for little ones never add salt. Salt is very bad for babies and small children.

Many of the problems associated with cooking for little ones can be overcome by cooking with little ones rather than just cooking for little ones. That is to say let them help you in the kitchen. I know that will make twice as much work and twice as much mess, but it will be worth it in the long run. Cooking for little ones should be about introducing them to the world of food and encouraging a healthy relationship with food. It is better for a child to learn that a muffin is something you bake with care and love rather than something you grab in a hurry and eat without thinking. You can guarantee that the peas they have shelled themselves will be eaten and not left on the plate.

Even after we have done all these things there will still be time when the kids simply will not eat the meal you have lovingly prepared. This brings me to what is perhaps the golden rule when cooking for little ones. At this point you must resist the temptation to scream at them and throw dishes across the kitchen. Their refusal to eat is not a reflection on you or your cooking. They are only human and so are you. The best solution is to learn to make soup or keep some chickens in the backyard. They will always eat what you cook. Well, nearly always.

Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking

Product Details

With more than ten reprints, it's clear cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey wins the popular vote for delicious Indian recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Now with a beautiful new design and all-new photographs, Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking is ready to wow another generation of home cooks. Written by the world's foremost authority on Indian cooking, this terrific volume boasts a tantalizing array of appetizers, entr es, beverages, and desserts for every occasion. From Silken Chicken and Pork Vindaloo to Fresh Red Chutney with Almonds and Sweet, Pale Orange, Mango Lassi, Quick & Easy Indian Cooking makes this exotic cuisine accessible and enjoyable as perfect for entertaining as it is for everyday cooking.

This title was selected in the New York Times list of "most-stained" favorite cookbooks from a miscellany of chefs, authors, shop and restaurant owners, stylists and bloggers.

• ISBN13: 9780811859011
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Ever get a midnight hankering for onion fritters, or for a plate of lamb stewed in coconut milk? The recipes for these Indian delicacies are widely considered to be on the forbidding side. Yet Madhur Jaffrey, an international authority on Indian food and the host of several tandoori-driven TV shows, makes it all seem relatively easy. The kicker: more than 70 of the dishes can be prepared in a half-hour or less.

Customer Reviews ::

Wonderful introduction to great Indian food - trp - Woodville
I caught Madhur Jaffrey on an episode of the PBS cooking show "Sarah's Weeknight Meals" and Madhur cooked several recipes from this book. I couldn't believe how simple and straight forward they were and trotted over to my computer to check out this book on Amazon. When it arrived, I read it through and started cooking: first up, the onion fritters in the first chapter. They are simple to make (if you don't have besan flour, you can use all purpose white flour, but it won't have the wonderful nutty flavor) and my "boys" -- the hubby and my son, loved them. I served them with a quick raita I whipped up out of yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, tomato and onions (no cucumbers in the house). Next night we had the cauliflower with ginger, garlic and green chilis as a side dish. Tonight we'll try the Royal Chicken, made with yogurt. All of the ingredients in this book are readily available from a grocery store with a well stocked ethnic food aisle or on the web and none of them requires exotic equipment. You will enjoy cooking from this book.

The Picture Cookbook, No-Cook Recipies for the Special Chef

Product Details

There has never been a cookbook like this, nor has there been a book that could improve the lives of families with special needs members more than this book has the potential to do. After a futile search to buy a book for teaching her daughter to cook, the author eventually wrote the book she had sought to buy. The first in a series of four cookbooks for budding chefs with special needs including autism, attention deficit disorder, DownÂ’s Syndrome, AlzheimerÂ’s disease, illiteracy, advanced or young age, The Picture Cookbook is the result of the authorÂ’s four years of efforts teaching her own autistic daughter to cook and bake.The title says it all, but the book is not simply a series of pictures leading the potential chef through the steps. All aspects of avoiding injury and ensuring success have been cleverly thought through. Using modern kitchen tools, the authors have written recipes that are safe for anyone to use, be they young children, confused adults or people with special needs. Furthermore, for the benefit of teachers and caregivers, instructions on the process of teaching someone to use the cookbook are detailed, as well as discussions of issues that can arise.

The picture index allows cooks to easily spot their favourite recipes without the need to read or understand names. The book boasts lay-flat binding, extensive colour-coding, and beautifully laid out colour photography.

• ISBN13: 9781894694520
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews ::

Fast Appetizers (Fast Books)

Product Details

The authors of the immensely popular HOT series put their taste for international flavors and visual flair on the fast track to quick, easy-to-prepare appetizers with dazzling results. Each of the 100 recipes in FAST APPETIZERS, from spring rolls to pizza to caviar, can be made in a flash, most in under 15 minutes. Whether you're hosting a cocktail party or an intimate dinner, Carpenter and Sandison deliver maximum flavor in minimum time.

Customer Reviews ::

the best - Elizabeth Corwin -
I've used these recipes for cocktail party after cocktail party and the majority of guests ask for the recipes each time.

Why is your quinoa taste bitter?

For people new to the pleasures of eating quinoa, can be a bit 'a shock to discover that to be a slightly bitter taste. There is always the impression that everything you eat is healthy and good for you good taste. When it comes to quinoa This seems to be true, because they can taste bitter if you do not prepare to do it correctly.

Benefits

That is very unfortunate, because quinoa is one of the best food you can eat. This is a completeProtein and gluten. In fact, for people who eat to have a very restrictive diet quinoa is ideal as we know, the food one of the least allergenic too. Because this is an alkaline food, it is good for diabetics. There are also benefits for many other diseases and disorders such as hemorrhoids, asthma, high cholesterol and blood problems.

The solution to the problem

The reason for this slight bitterness because quinoa has on it iscoating, which is on freshly harvested seeds. If you grow up, of course, quinoa has a coating on each grain. This coating is called saponins. These saponins are and what they offer the taste bitter and unpleasant.

A further complication is that some varieties are grown, a layer largest of these saponins have on them than others.

Apart from the diversity of quinoa buy is a simple solution to the problem. It removes a simple rinse quinoa under running water for a minute or twobitter finish. A doctor commented on my YouTube channel told me that you rinse with hot water to do a better job of this and I seem to do it faster.

In practice, I use only cold water. I discovered that some varieties of quinoa are available and others do not pre-washed Sun When you buy, sell wholesale, you certainly need to rinse your quinoa before cooking. In the UK, I know that most species have also been prepared prior to packing. The only one I found washing necessaryMorrison.

Regardless of the brand you buy is just one little thing that just rinse quinoa under running water, and to remove the bitterness. Of course, if you eat as much as I quinoa could be done to get done, like the bitter taste. Will remove any remaining bitterness when cooked quinoa are cooked in water.

Kawaii Bento Boxes: Cute and Convenient Japanese Meals on the Go

Product Details

A bento box meal (single portions of different foods packed in one reusable container) is a Japanese tradition that lends itself well to today's busy lifestyle. Although bento boxes are available to take out from restaurants and food stands, they are most frequently prepared at home, very often by parents wishing to provide their children with delicious, healthy, fun--and environmentally responsible--lunch and snack-time alternatives.

Kawaii Bento Boxes offers dozens of recipes and menus. For each box, the authors include detailed instructions for cooking, seasoning, decorating and assembling the components as well as an icon indicating how long it will take to prepare. The meals are not just easy to make, they are tasty, nutritious and economical, with each portion carefully calculated so that there are no leftovers. There are also suggestions for the right container for each meal. Most of the ingredients used are familiar and available to American cooks. Here are whimsical creations like soccer balls and animal faces made from shaped rice, tulips cut from dyed hardboiled eggs, hearts and stars carved out of vegetables, and much more. Perfect for parents looking to liven up their children's school lunches or park snacks, or for busy people who want to fix a quick and cheerful meal to take to work, KawaiiBento Boxes highlights the Japanese passion for making food a treat for the eyes as well as for the mouth.

CONTENTS:

ONIGIRI BENTO
(16 variations including faces, soccer ball, animals, triangles, spheres)

RICE BENTO
(11 variations including bear, rabbit, ship, seasoned rice, teriyaki chicken over rice, etc.)

SUSHI BENTO
(12 variations)

BREAD BENTO
(12 variations including mini-sandwiches, rolls, etc.)

NOODLE BENTO
(9 variations including spaghetti, yakisoba noodles, udon)

SUMMER AND WINTER BENTO
(12 variations including summer dishes that wont spoil in the heat and winter dishes that are better when eaten warm)

TRADITIONAL/POPULAR/FAVORITE BENTO
(11 variations including favorite dishes like hamburgers, fried shrimp, fried chicken)

TIPS ON HOW TO STUFF THE BENTO BOX
WHAT TO STUFF IN THE BENTO BOX (including calories, carbohydrates, protein, etc.)
CUTTING AND DECORATING
MENUS BASED ON COLOR
EASY DESSERT RECIPES

• ISBN13: 9784889962604
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews ::

Cool book - Jeffrey A. Hensley - Harrisonburg, VA
My wife loves bento boxes. She said that she really liked this book too.

The Classic 1000 Microwave Recipes

Product Details

Customer Reviews ::

Not for modern microwaves - S. Kessler -
This book was a great disappointment. First of all, it is written by a British author and calls for many ingredients and has many recipes that are not well suited for the American kitchen. But most important, it is written using 750 watt ovens as the standard. This is such an old standard. I installed a microwave in October and it is 1200 watts. What a difference that makes. I thought the book was recently published, but it turned out that it was really older than I thought, as the paperback edition publishing date Amazon provides is misleading.

What I don't understand is why there are no recent cookbooks for the microwave. Every book I've perused seems to be more than 10 years old. You'd think someone would write an up-to-date book as a comprehensive guide to the many things you can cook in a microwave (believe me, I've experimented since I got mine). But that doesn't seem to be the case.