Meals and Snacks my Kids are Actually Eating

Anyone else feel like their kids are eating all day, every day during this social distancing period? I was at a loss and sick of gathering garbage snacks from the pantry for them, so I took a look at what cookbooks I had on hand to try to start cooking from.

I purchased “It All Begins with Food” years ago (seriously, 3 years this month) in an attempt to get the kids eating a bit better and to learn more about what I should (in theory) be feeding them. When given the chance, OMG, there are so many amazing recipes in here! I hate to feature more than one recipe from one cookbook without saying this, you should definitely buy this cookbook. Jeff and I have been eating from it and the smoothie and protein bars, in particular, are something I want to recreate regularly… for me! It’s also super informative if you’re looking for information about how to get your kids to eat better, or where to start from if you’ve got a baby that’s starting with solids.

I’m mad we have had it for three years without fully diving in. Georgia is on the pickier side and Bodie really only eats chicken for protein. This has seriously changed, the kids almost ate an entire pound of ground turkey in one sitting of the Turkey Meatballs! A little trick of the trade: I let Georgia go through with post-it’s and mark recipes she wants to try. That way she has ownership over the food she’s eating and is more likely to try it! She looked forward to the lasagnas all day! I’ll start with a lunch/dinner option and move on to my two personal favorites:

Individual Baked Vegetable Lasagnas
makes 12 lasagnas 
*here is the muffin pan I purchased, we somehow didn’t have one!
Ingredients:

  • Butter to grease pan (we used coconut oil spray)
  • 1 cup uncooked regular or gluten-free pasta (small macaroni or shells work best)
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup of your favorite ready-made tomato pasta sauce
  • 1/3 cup ricotta cheese (we had cottage cheese on-hand and used this!)
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds (we used ground flax, we had on-hand)
  • 1/2 cup navy beans, freshly cooked or canned (sodium-free from a BPA-free can)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped baby spinach leaves
  • 1 1/2 cups + 1 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with butter. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the zucchini and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, and chia seeds (or cottage cheese and ground flax!). Let set for 10 minutes.
  4. Using clean hands, squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini, then add the zucchini to the tomato sauce mixture. Add the navy beans, spinach, and basil, then 1 cup of the mozzarella and the drained pasta (it’s fine if it’s still warm). Stir until fully combined.
  5. Divide the mixture between the muffin cups, then top with the remaining shredded cheese.
  6. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before running a knife around the edges and gently easing them from the pan with a spoon.
**You can cook these ahead and store them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently from frozen in the oven at 375ºF until heated through, approximately 20 minutes. Great for adults too!
Pink Smoothie
Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups dairy or non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 Tbsp flax oil
  • 1 tsp honey (we used agave)
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen (we use frozen)
Directions:
  1. Add ice and blend! We feel the ice gives it the extra touch and OMG is this good! Serve with a fun straw for picky toddlers.

Peanut Butter Protein Bars
makes 16-24 bars
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, plus extra to grease the pan
  • 2 1/2 cups quick (not instant!) oats
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup cooked, cooled quinoa (leftover quinoa is perfect for this recipe)
  • 1/4 cup spelt flour (we used whole wheat flour we had on-hand)
  • 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, creamy or chunky
  • 2/3 cup honey or maple syrup (we used agave)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 heaping cup very finely chopped dates
  • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8×11-inch baking pan with coconut oil.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the quick oats, rolled oats, cooked quinoa, flour, flaxseed, and salt. Break up any lumps of quinoa as you do this.
  3. In a pot, over medium heat, stir together the 1/4 cup coconut oil, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until they are all melted and fully combined, but not bubbling (this smells incredible).
  4. Add this to the dry ingredients, stirring until they are incorporate completely.
  5. Mix in the dates and the seeds.
  6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Using dampened hands, press down on the mixture until it’s evenly spread out and smooth on top.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until starting to crisp at the edges and golden brown on top.
  8. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack until warm, then transfer the pan to the refrigerator to set for an hour.
  9. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Store into an airtight container, with a piece of parchment paper between layers.
**You can store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

So really, you should buy this cookbook. I am obsessed. Goals for the next year include figuring out an easy way to feature printable recipes… and to actually get my real camera out when shooting food. Let’s be honest, these aren’t the most appetizing photos, but I promise every recipe we have tried from this book has been amazing!

Molly Knorr