Creamy Mushroom Linguine – (Toddler Meal)

Hello friends! Today I am going to make my fourth recipe of my 7 days 7 easy meals for toddlers. It is a delicious easy recipe of creamy mushroom linguine. Mushroom is a very good vegetable to include in your child diet; they are anti-oxidants and rich in zinc. They lower cholesterol level, support immune system, increase vitamin D level, maintain healthy skin, and contain natural insulin. In addition, red pepper is good for the eyes, maintain a healthy heart, cure anemia, boost immune system, lower bad cholesterol, regulate blood pressure, and prevent hypertension.

Tip of the Day: kids need to eat at regular times. Kids’ blood sugar drops fast so when you ignore a meal you will misbehavior and moodiness. The rule of thumb is that a young child needs to eat every three hours, which means three meals, and two snacks spread throughout the day. 

Ingredients

-       1 tsp of minced garlic

-       ¼ cup of sliced mushrooms

-       1 cup of cooking cream

-       30 gm of linguine

-       ¼ cup chopped red peeper

-       1 tsp of Italian seasoning

-       ½ tbsp. of olive oil

-       1 tbsp of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1.    Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente, about 9 minutes, then drains.

2.    In a large saucepan add some olive oil, the garlic, the red pepper and the mushrooms. Cook for about 7 minutes on medium heat until the mushrooms become soft and dark then add the cooking cream, parmesan and Italian seasoning, cook stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.

3.    Reduce heat to low, add the pasta to the sauce and combine.

4.    Serve in a small bowl.

Pumpkin Rice – (Toddler Meal)

Hello friends! Today I am going to make my third toddler easy and quick healthy meal. Today’s meal is pumpkin rice. Pumpkin is an extremely nutrient dense food, it is a very rich source of vitamin A and minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus, which your child needs for his development. It is also known as one of the best sources of beta-carotene.

Tip of the day: It is not only the food you give to your child to eat and the quantities you offer are what matters, but also the style you cook also matters. For example: steaming, baking, broiling and baking are healthier than frying.

Ingredients

-       ½ tbsp of olive oil

-       1 small finely chopped red onion

-       1 cup of peeled, deseeded and finely chopped pumpkin

-       1 homemade chicken stock

-       ½ cup of white rice

-       ¾ cup of water

-       ½ tbsp of freshly chopped mint leaves

-       ½ tbsp of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1.     Put the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes until softened.

2.     Add the pumpkin and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

3.     Add the rice and cook, stirring for 2 minutes then put the stock and slowly simmer, stirring constantly, until the stock is absorbed.

4.     Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat uncovered, without stirring, until the surface look dry.

5.      Cover with a tight fitting lid, and reduce heat to low for about 20 minutes.

6.     Add the freshly chopped mint, stir for 10 seconds then hen remove from heat and let sit covered, about 5 minutes.

7.     Transfer into a small bowl and top with the Parmesan cheese.

Note: you can cook this meal to the whole whole family not only for toddlers..  it is delicious, healthy and smells great! I personally love it!

Rice with Sweet Red Pepper Sauce - (Toddler Meal)

Today I am going to make my second recipe for my series of 7 days 7 fun easy healthy meals for toddlers.

How does not love red sauce?! It is delicious and healthy especially if we add some vegetables to increase its nutritional benefits. Today we are going to make a delicious sweet pepper sauce to add on steamed rice that makes a healthy tasty meal.

 Tip of the day: be a role model when it comes to healthy eating. Feeding your child is your responsibility; you buy the food, cook the food and decide what amount they eat. Now you are in control so the set the standard of what is appropriate to eat. Remember! Your child is watching you and sees the choices you make.

Health benefits

-       Spring Onion is anti-viral, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and great for the eyes. It maintains healthy heart, prevents arthritis and cancer, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce nasal congestion.

-       Zucchini contains vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B2magnesium, folate, potassium, copper, calcium and phosphorus.

-       Red Pepper is anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. It is good for the eyes, burns calories, maintains healthy heart, cure anemia, boosts immune system, lowers bad cholesterol, regulates blood pressure, and prevents hypertension.

-       Tomatoes are anti-inflammatory. They reduce heart disease, lower risk of stone formation, lower cholesterol, reduce migraines and prevent cancer. In addition, they purify blood, boost immunity, improve bones and promote healthy skin.

-       Rice is an essential source of vitamin B1, it has the ability to provide fast and instant energy, regulate and improve bowel movements. Other benefits include its ability to boost skin health, increase the metabolism and aid in digestion.

Ingredients

-       1 trimmed spring onion

-       ¼ trimmed zucchini

-       ½ trimmed red pepper

-       2 medium tomatoes cut into small pieces

-       1 tbsp of tomato paste

-       1 cup of steamed rice (check the recipe for making Steamed Rice)

-       ½ tbsp of grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1.     Add an inch or two of water to a medium saucepan with a lid, and then insert a steamer basket. The surface of the water should be under the basket. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. When you hear the water bubbling and see steam starting to emerge from the pot, it's ready. Scatter the vegetables over the steamer basket. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Steam the vegetables for 15 minutes until tender.

2.     Put the vegetables into a food processer and add the tomato paste. Blend 2 or 3 times for about 10 seconds each. To reach the right consist either add some more tomato paste to thicken or some boiled water to thin.

3.     Place some steamed rice to a bowl them top it with the sauce.

4.     Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

Note: you can refrigerate or freeze the rest of the sauce and use it later.

Pipe Rigate with Asparagus - (Toddler Meal)

It is very rewarding for any parent to see their kids growing and developing happy and healthy. Good nutrition is vital for the healthy growth and happiness of your child. Making sure your child eat properly is not just a matter of serving any kind of food. When you feed your child properly, you are giving his (her) body and mind not only what they need for today but also the raw materials for her healthy growth and development throughout his (her) childhood. That’s why as a mother, I’ve decided to make a series of 7 days 7 fun easy healthy meals for toddlers. Hope you find it helpful!

Today I am going to start with a very simple dish “the Pipe Rigate with Asparagus”. Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, copper, selenium, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, potassium, choline, vitamin A, zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid.

Tip of the day: parents are not always aware of whether their child is overweight. That’s why it is better to measure his (her) Body Mass Index (BMI) while taking him (her) in for his (her) physical check-up starting from age two.  Kids who measure at the 85th to 94th percentiles are considered overweight, because of excess body fat or high lean body mass. A child whose BMI is between the 5th percentile to 85th percentile is in the healthy weight range. A child with a BMI below the 5th percentile is considered underweight.

Ingredients

-       30 gm pipe rigate

-       3 trimmed asparagus spears (small pieces)

-       1 tsp olive oil

-       1 tbsp fresely grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1.     Add an inch or two of water to a small saucepan with a lid, and then insert a steamer basket. The surface of the water should be under the basket. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. When you hear the water bubbling and see steam starting to emerge from the pot, it's ready. Scatter the vegetables over the steamer basket. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Steam the asparagus for 15 minutes until tender.

2.     Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente, about 9 minutes, then drains.

3.     Mix the asparagus and the pasta in a bowl then season with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.