HOMEMADE DELI SALADS
Aunt Cathy’s Crunchy Ramen Coleslaw
Dilled Brown Rice & Kidney Beans
Emerald City Salad with Wild Rice, Fennel & Greens
Tabbouleh Salad with Parsley & Cherry Tomatoes
Asian Noodle Salad with Broccoli & Toasted Sesame Dressing
Seared Steak Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta, Pine Nuts & Mint
WRAPS, ROLLS, SPREADS & SANDWICHES
Sticky Rice Balls Rolled in Sesame Salt with Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce
Collard Green Wraps with Spiced Beef & Quinoa Filling
Miso-Tahini Butter with Carrot & Pepper Dippers
When Cookus Interruptus, a web cooking show I cocreated, was launched in 2008, we immediately began looking for a way to support the site. Landing big advertisers required huge traffic numbers. Start-ups depended on each other to trade shout-outs and links to help build viewership.
One small web company we traded links with was Laptop Lunchboxes. The two women who started this company (now called Bentology) met in a new-moms group in 1995. As their babies grew into children and started school, they felt compelled to find a way to pack school lunches that would reduce food and packaging waste. Through extensive research, Amy and Tammy found that the bento-style lunch box system lent itself to well-balanced meals and set out to manufacture containers in an environmentally sustainable way. Their affordable lunch boxes were produced from plastic with no polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or bisphenol A (BPA). Sales skyrocketed.
The bento box is common in Japanese food culture. They are used for takeout or carefully home-packed meals. The box holds four or five smaller compartments so that several individual dishes can be included. The Japanese bento box typically includes one compartment with rice, one with fish, and two or three more holding vegetables and pickled vegetables.
Bento boxes are showing up as the latest trend in packing creative, healthy lunches for children. Those small inner compartments help promote variety and lend themselves to appropriately sized portions. As bento boxes become popular, so do the ideas to jazz things up by slicing and arranging food in the shape of cute animals and flowers. Creative ideas abound on Pinterest and food blogs.
We were always proud to highlight Amy and Tammy’s products on Cookus Interruptus, and they were generous in linking to our videos. Helping each other out—can’t overdo that.
My daughter’s godmother, Karen Brown, made these for our potlucks when we lived in New York, and they were the first entrée to disappear. Different nut and seed butters can be interchanged in this recipe to vary the flavor.
PREPARATION TIME:
15 minutes; 15 minutes (for chilling)
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 (8-ounces) soba or udon noodles
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)
1 tablespoon almond or cashew butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 to 4 tablespoons warm water
2 green onions, chopped, for garnish
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
1 Fill an 8-quart pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and salt and boil for the amount of time suggested on the package directions, usually 6 to 8 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small bowl, put the tahini, vinegar, tamari, almond butter, syrup, oil, and coriander and stir well to blend. Add the warm water, a little at a time, to create a creamy, pourable consistency.
3 Rinse and drain the cooked noodles. Pour the sauce over noodles and toss to coat. Add the green onion and sesame seeds. Chill the noodles in the refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving or packing.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Omit the sauce. Cut plain noodles into bite-size pieces and serve.
VARIATION FOR CHILDREN: Try serving the sauce on the side and letting children dip the noodles in the sauce.
Look for ramen made from whole grain flours. This slaw uses smashed dry noodles to give it the crunch factor.
PREPARATION TIME:
15 minutes
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
¼ cup sunflower seeds
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
3 green onions, finely sliced
1 small carrot, grated
½ (single serving) package brown rice ramen
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon unrefined cane sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 To toast the sunflower seeds, in a small dry skillet over medium heat, put the seeds. Stir or shake the pan constantly until the seeds begin to emit a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes.
2 In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, green onions, carrot, and toasted seeds. Set aside. Put the ramen noodles on a cutting board. Using a rolling pin, roll over the uncooked noodles to break them into small pieces, then add them to the vegetables and toss.
3 In a small jar, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Shake to emulsify. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss again.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Cook the unused half of the ramen noodles according to the directions on the package. Cut them into small pieces and serve plain.
Summer cooks welcome this easy-to-make dish. Dill and red onion give the grain-and-bean combination its zip. Umeboshi plum vinegar, the leftover juice from the plum-pickling process, gives a unique salty-sour taste to food. Lemon juice and salt can be substituted for umeboshi vinegar.
PREPARATION TIME:
10 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
1½ cups cooked kidney beans
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon umeboshi plum vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried dill
1 To take the sting out of raw onion, in a small bowl, put the onion, cover it with boiling water, and let it sit for 1 minute. Drain and put in a large bowl with the rice and beans.
2 In a small bowl, mix the oil, vinegars, and dill with whisk (or shake to combine in a small jar). Pour the dressing over the rice mixture and toss gently. If possible, let the dish set for 1 to 2 hours, as flavors integrate into starchy foods better with time.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some of the cooked brown rice and blend it with water or breast milk.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some plain cooked kidney beans and blend them with a pinch of dill to a smooth consistency, adding a little water if necessary.
Combine Southwestern ingredients for this “to-go” dish and serve with corn tortillas or Polenta Slices. Frozen corn can be thawed and used if fresh corn is unavailable.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 red bell pepper
2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup fresh corn off the cob (about 1 ear)
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 To roast the peppers with a gas stove, put the pepper directly on the low flame of a gas burner, letting the skin char. Keep turning the pepper until skin is charred on all sides. To roast the peppers with an electric stove, put the pepper in a shallow pan and put in the oven under the broiler. Let the skin char. Turn the pepper every few minutes until skin is completely charred. Remove the pepper from the oven.
2 Place the blackened pepper in a paper bag, allowing it to sweat and cool for about 5 minutes. Remove any black char under cool running water. Cut the pepper open and remove the seeds and stem.
3 In a medium bowl, combine the roasted pepper, beans, corn, and cilantro and set aside. Put the garlic and salt on a cutting board and chop to a paste-like consistency. In a separate small bowl, mix together the garlic paste, oil, lime juice, cumin, and cayenne. Pour the dressing over the beans and vegetables and toss gently. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Blend fresh corn kernels into a puree before serving (or they will come out the other end whole!).
This PCC deli salad is so popular that I have filled classes with the mere mention that I would be demonstrating how to make it.
PREPARATION TIME:
75 minutes
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
1¼ cups water
1 cup Easy Vegetarian Stock, Simple Chicken Stock, or store-bought
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup black wild rice (½ inch long)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 small lemons)
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped fennel
½ red or yellow bell pepper, diced
½ cup chopped red cabbage
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
6 to 7 Swiss chard leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Pecorino cheese (optional)
1 In a 2-quart pan over high heat, bring the water and stock to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt, the butter, and rice. Bring the pan to boil again, cover, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until all water is absorbed, 55 to 60 minutes. If after 55 minutes the grain has opened up, but when tipped, there is still liquid in the pot, remove the lid and let the remaining water cook off.
2 In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk in the oil to emulsify.
3 Place the fennel, bell pepper, cabbage, and parsley on top of the dressing. Remove the thick stems from the parsley and Swiss chard. Stack the chard leaves, roll up the pile (like a rug), and cut into ¼- to ½-inch ribbons. Pile the chopped greens on top of the other vegetables.
4 Once the rice is fully cooked, let it cool until it quits steaming but is still warm, and then lay it like a blanket on top of the raw greens to wilt them. When the rice cools to room temperature, fold it into vegetables and dressing. Taste the salad and adjust seasonings, adding addition salt or lemon if desired. Top with grated pecorino if desired.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Add 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped parsley to baby’s cereal.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Offer baby 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooked wild rice grains. The flavor is strong. Stirring in a little baked sweet potato sweetens it.
Traditional tabbouleh salad makes splendid lunch box fare and packs well for a picnic or potluck. Serve the tabbouleh with Roasted Garlic Hummus and Classic Greek Salad. Substitute three cups cooked quinoa for bulgur for a gluten-free tabbouleh.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 cup whole wheat bulgur
1 cup boiling water
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 green onions, finely chopped
½ cup cucumber, chopped into small pieces
8 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 small lemons)
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 In a medium bowl, put the bulgur. Pour the boiling water over bulgur, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes. Make sure all the water has been absorbed, then fluff the bulgur with a fork.
2 When the grain has cooled to room temperature, add the parsley, green onions, cucumber, tomato, and mint to the cooled bulgur and toss gently.
3 To make the dressing, in a small bowl, blend lemon juice and salt with whisk. Drizzle in the oil slowly, while whisking, to emulsify. Pour the dressing over the bulgur and vegetables and toss again. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator in a covered container.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some plain bulgur and serve it to baby as finger food with chopped cucumber and mint on the side.
VARIATION FOR CHILDREN: Keep the chopped vegetables separate from the bulgur and serve small piles of each on one plate.
Consider growing basil in your yard or in a pot on the kitchen windowsill. Your child can learn about how food grows by assisting in the planting and harvesting.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 pound (about 6 to 8) red potatoes, cut into chunks
3 to 4 cloves garlic
⅓ cup tightly packed fresh basil
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 small lemons)
1 Place a steamer basket in a large pot and fill it with about 2 inches of water. Bring the water to boil over high heat, then add the potatoes, cover the pot, and allow the potatoes to steam until a fork slides into the center of a potato easily, 15 to 20 minutes. Baby (1- to 1½-inch diameter) potatoes will take about 15 minutes, while larger (3-inch diameter) potatoes will take about 20 minutes.
2 Put the garlic, basil, zest, and salt on a cutting board. Chop the ingredients together to a paste-like consistency. In a small bowl, combine the paste with the oil.
3 When the steamed potatoes are warm but can be easily handled, slice the potatoes into a serving bowl and dress with the lemon juice. Add the basil paste and toss gently. Serve immediately or chill to serve later.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some steamed potato and mash with water or breast milk.
PACKING A WHOLESOME LUNCH BOX
Here are some suggestions for caretakers who pack lunch regularly for children:
• Include one item in the lunch box for each of the categories: vroom-vroom vegetables, giddy-up whole grain, power-on proteins, and fantastic fruits.
• Make a lunch box chart (sample chart follows). If your child is five or older, let them help plan and make the chart. Children are more likely to eat the food if they have helped plan the menu. Renew the chart as the seasons change. Post your chart where the less tall can view it.
• Though many food companies make convenient lunch foods wrapped in happy-looking packaging, remember to be discerning and read labels. Avoid foods with additives, preservatives, food coloring, cheap oils, and an excess of sweeteners.
• Rather than packing juice, tuck in a small container of fruity herbal tea if liquids need to be included. Juice does not signal a sense of fullness and metabolizes as quickly as table sugar.
• For an earth-friendly lunch box, use a cloth napkin and silverware instead of wasteful paper and plastic.
• On days where you feel like tucking in an extra treat, add a dried flower, poem, a special rock or crystal, a jingle bell, a cartoon, a finger puppet, or a love note from you instead of candy.
• If the staff and parents of your child’s school are open to the idea, consider having “Hot Soup Fridays” where parents bring in enough hearty hot soup for the whole class on a rotating basis. This is especially appropriate during the winter months when warm food will be welcomed.
Let’s Plan Your Lunch Box!
You can create an impressive summer meal by serving this with Nori-Wrapped Wasabi Salmon—nutritionally impressive too!
PREPARATION TIME:
20 to 25 minutes
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1 (8-ounce) package soba noodles
3 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon hot pepper oil
2 cups Blanched Broccoli
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds (see toasting instructions)
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse the noodles.
2 In a small bowl, combine the tamari, vinegar, sesame oil, syrup, and hot pepper oil and whisk together.
3 In a large bowl, put the noodles. Add the broccoli, sesame seeds, and cilantro. Drizzle in the dressing and toss gently.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some of the blanched broccoli. Cut it up into tiny pieces.
VARIATION FOR CHILDREN: Omit the hot pepper oil. Some children may prefer plain noodles without any dressing and cut-up vegetables on the side.
Choosing beef from healthfully raised cows is important nutritionally, ecologically, and politically. If you can’t find grass-fed or humanely raised beef from a local farmer, ask at your food co-op or grocery store to find beef from cows that were not given antibiotics or hormones.
PREPARATION TIME:
1 to 12 hours (for marinating); 20 minutes (for preparing)
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
For the marinade:
⅓ cup lime juice (from 3 limes)
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons honey or sugar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound (1 inch thick) sirloin or rib-eye steak
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons high-heat vegetable oil, such as safflower or peanut
4 cups salad greens, torn
½ small red onion, cut into half moons
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into half moons
1 To make the marinade, in a small bowl, combine the lime juice, oil, cilantro, garlic, honey, hot pepper oil, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and set aside.
2 Season the meat with salt and pepper. Place the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap and, using a meat tenderizer mallet, pound the meat on both sides. (Alternately, you can massage the meat with your hands, breaking up the fibers.) Remove the plastic wrap and place the meat in a shallow pan. Pour half of the marinade over the meat. Cover the pan and let the meat marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
3 When the meat is finished marinating, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4 In a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Place the marinated steak in the skillet and sear it for 1 minute on each side.
5 Transfer the steak to the oven then bake until the meat has browned and is firmer when pressed, 6 to 7 minutes if the cut is thicker, less if the steak is less than ¾ inch thick. Check the center for doneness (red for medium rare, pink for medium) or use an instant-read thermometer and aim for 130 to 135 degrees F. Remove the pan from oven when the meat is slightly redder than you desire. Transfer the meat to a carving board and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into thin slices on a diagonal, against the grain of the meat.
6 To assemble the salad, in a large serving bowl, toss the greens, onion, and cucumber with the remaining marinade and divide it among four plates. Top each plate with an equal portion of steak slices. If packing in a lunch box, consider replacing the salad greens with 2 cups of cooked noodles or keeping the dressing in a separate container, as lettuce leaves will not hold well after being dressed.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Cut a strip of cooked steak into tiny ¼-inch pieces or pulse it in a food processor before serving to baby.
VARIATION FOR CHILDREN: Instead of arranging this dish like a salad, keep the meat, noodles, and vegetables separate and serve a few tablespoons of the dressing on the side for dipping.
Quinoa has high protein quality and is typically regarded as an adequate source of all essential amino acids, including lysine and isoleucine. This unique whole grain, which was a staple food of the Incas, also has appreciable amounts of manganese, a mineral associated with good bone formation.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1¾ cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup raw pine nuts
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 small lemons)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup currants
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 green onions, chopped
⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 In a 2-quart pot over high heat, put the water, quinoa, and salt, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until all the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t stir the quinoa while it is cooking. Remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid, and let the quinoa rest for 10 minutes.
2 While the quinoa is cooking, in a skillet over low to medium heat or a 300-degree-F oven, dry toast the pine nuts until they begin to change color and give off a nutty aroma, 5 to 7 minutes.
3 In a large salad bowl, put the lemon juice. Whisk in the oil a little at a time to incorporate. Add the currants. Using a fork, add the warm cooked quinoa a little at a time. Then add the toasted pine nuts, mint, parsley, and green onions; toss gently. Finish by crumbling the feta on top. Serve at room temperature.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Puree a small amount of plain quinoa with water or breast milk.
Nori and other seaweed products are available at natural foods stores and Asian markets. These rolls travel well, making them perfect for the bento-style lunch box.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 24 PIECES
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 cups cooked short-grain rice (see cooking instructions)
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
4 ounces tempeh, cut into 3-inch strips
4 sheets toasted nori
½ ripe avocado, cut into thin slices
1 carrot, cut lengthwise into long, thin strips
For the dipping sauce:
¼ cup tamari (soy sauce)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon grated daikon (Japanese white radish)
¼ teaspoon prepared wasabi (optional)
1 In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the mirin, syrup, and vinegar until pourable, 1 to 2 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the mirin mixture with the rice to combine. It is best to season the rice while it is still warm.
2 In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the tempeh, turning the strips until brown on all sides, about 1 minute on each side. Remove the tempeh to a paper towel.
3 Lay a sheet of nori shiny side down on a bamboo rolling mat or a clean dish towel. Spread a quarter of the rice mixture onto the nori, leaving ½ inch uncovered on the top and bottom of the nori sheet. Place a quarter of the tempeh, avocado, and carrot lengthwise in the middle of the rice. Lift the rolling mat or towel from the edge nearest you and begin to roll, tucking firmly into the center while lifting the mat up. Continue pulling in with your fingertips, tightening the ingredients, while rolling the nori. Gently squeeze the roll to make it even. With a sharp, wetted knife, using a back and forth sawing motion, cut the roll into 1-inch pieces. Repeat with the remaining three nori sheets.
4 To make the dipping sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the tamari, water, and daikon. Add the wasabi (not too much, if any, for young children). The sauce will hold well for several hours placed in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some of the rice before dressing it. Puree the rice and a few bits of nori together with water or breast milk and serve. Mashed avocado is also an option.
During an after-school program, I led a cooking class and had children help make this simplest of snacks. To my surprise, they literally licked the plates.
PREPARATION TIME:
20 minutes
MAKES 12 TO 15 RICE BALLS
2½ to 3 cups pressure-cooked sweet and short-grain brown rice (see cooking instructions)
1 cup brown sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
For the dipping sauce:
¼ cup water
¼ cup tamari (soy sauce)
1 teaspoon freshly grated gingerroot
1 Simmered or rice-cooker rice will not hold together to form balls. It is best to pressure-cook the rice and use a combination of ¼ cup sweet brown rice and ¾ cup short-grain brown rice. Allow the rice to cool to room temperature before making the rice balls.
2 Rinse the sesame seeds and drain them through a fine mesh strainer. In a medium dry skillet over medium heat, toast the seeds, stirring constantly, until the seeds begin to pop, change color slightly, and give off a toasty aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes. In a suribachi (a serrated ceramic mortar), put the toasted seeds and salt and grind with a pestle or pulse seeds and salt together. (Alternatively, you can grind the seeds and salt in a blender or food processor.) This condiment can be stored in a sealed container and used to flavor many foods (like on popcorn—yum).
3 To make the rice balls, on a plate or in a shallow baking dish, spread about ⅓ cup of the sesame salt. Moisten your hands with water and gather a small handful of cooked rice in your hand. Press your hands around the rice, packing it into small ball about the size of a pingpong ball. Roll the ball in the sesame salt, covering all sides. Repeat until all the rice is used up or the desired amount is obtained. The rice balls will keep for 5 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
4 To make the dipping sauce, in a small bowl, combine the water, tamari, and gingerroot.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Pulverize a few tablespoons of the toasted sesame seeds before adding salt. Use this as a condiment on cereal or vegetables.
They sky is the limit as to what combination of grains, beans, nuts, and herbs you can use for the filling. Utilize leftovers! This fun use of collard greens works for lunch boxes, potlucks—and even makes a unique appetizer.
PREPARATION TIME:
40 minutes
MAKES 10 TO 12 ROLLS
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ pound grass-fed ground beef
2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup cooked quinoa (see cooking instructions)
5 to 6 large (10-inch wide) collard leaves
Tzatziki Sauce or store-bought
1 In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beef, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and pepper. Break up the beef with a spatula until incorporated with the onion and spices and in small bits. When the beef is thoroughly cooked, about 5 minutes, fold in the cooked quinoa and remove the skillet from the heat.
2 Fill an 8-quart pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Make a V-cut and remove the thickest part of the collards’ center stems while leaving the leaves intact. Bisect the leaves lengthwise. You will have ten to twelve leaf halves, each approximately 5 inches wide. (If you are working with smaller leaves, remove the stem but keep the leaves whole.)
3 Put the leaves in the boiling water with the 1 remaining teaspoon salt. Don’t stir but make sure the leaves are completely submerged. Allow them to boil until still bright green but limp, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the contents of the pot through a large colander and rinse the leaves in cold water to stop the cooking.
4 Place each cooked leaf on a cutting board, stem end closest to you. Place 2 rounded tablespoons of the filling toward the bottom third of the leaf. Fold the edge closest to you over the filling and pull the filling in firmly. Fold ½ inch of each side toward the center and then roll the leaf closed—like you would roll a burrito. The rolls will be about 3 to 4 inches wide. Repeat the procedure until you have used all of your cooked leaves and stuffing.
5 Store the rolls in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some cooked quinoa and blend it with water or breast milk.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Mix some of the beef and quinoa filling with a few bits of cooked collard greens.
Tahini is a creamy paste made of crushed, hulled sesame seeds. Sesame is uniquely resistant to rancidity, which is perhaps why it has been enjoyed by many cultures for centuries. The miso adds a probiotic touch.
PREPARATION TIME:
5 to 10 minutes
MAKES ⅔ CUP
½ cup tahini
1 tablespoon white or mellow miso
About 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water
2 to 3 green onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, cut into 3-inch sticks
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into thick strips
1 In small bowl, put the tahini and miso and mix well. Add the water, a few drops at a time, to get a creamier consistency. Stir in the green onions.
2 Serve as a dip for the carrots and pepper or any other fresh vegetables.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Stir ½ teaspoon of the tahini into baby’s warm whole grain cereal for added fat.
VARIATION FOR CHILDREN: For a sweeter flavor, omit the green onions and add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup to the dip.
This traditional Middle Eastern dish makes excellent vegetarian sandwiches, and it’s a perfect dip for vegetables. The combination of chickpeas and tahini creates a high-protein spread. Roasting garlic (instead of adding it raw) softens the sharpness of the spread, which children may appreciate.
PREPARATION TIME:
35 minutes (for roasting); 10 minutes
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
1 head garlic
4 to 5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups cooked chickpeas
5 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more if needed
⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1½ to 2 medium lemons), plus more if needed
¼ teaspoon ground paprika
1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2 Peel away some of the papery outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Cut ¼ to ½ inch off of the stem side or top of the head, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.
3 Put the garlic head in a baking pan or a square of aluminum foil, then drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil over the open side, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover the baking pan or enclose the head in the aluminum foil. Bake until the cloves feel soft when pressed, 30 to 35 minutes.
4 Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small knife to lightly score the skin around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. Children like helping with this.
5 In a blender or food processor, blend the cooked chickpeas, tahini, salt, and lemon juice until smooth. Taste the garlic and decide if you want all of the roasted garlic or just some in the hummus. (The remainder can be saved and spread on toast or added to salad dressings.) Hummus presents an exercise in finding the right taste and texture. Add the roasted garlic a little at a time, tasting the mixture each step of the way. If a wee bit more salt or lemon is needed to please your palate, adjust those flavors as well.
6 If the mixture seems too thick, add some water, a tablespoon at a time. The hummus will thicken some as it cools. Place the hummus in a serving bowl, indent the top with the back of a spoon, and pool the remaining 1 tablespoon oil on top. Sprinkle the paprika around the perimeter.
7 This hummus stores well in the refrigerator for at least 1 week.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Serve 1 teaspoon of soft hummus to baby.
These rolls are way yummy served with Coconut Peanut Sauce as a dipping sauce. Rice wrappers are available in most Asian grocery stores.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 10 ROLLS
10 spring roll skins
1 medium ripe avocado, thinly sliced
2 lettuce leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
1 medium carrot, cut into matchstick slices
1 medium zucchini, cut into matchstick slices
Fried tofu (optional)
Grilled chicken (optional)
Cooked shrimp (optional)
Fresh basil, mint, or cilantro leaves (optional)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Fill a large, round pie plate or cake pan with warm water. Soak the spring roll skins, one at a time, for about 15 seconds on each side, until soft but still firm to the touch. Remove the soft skin from the water and lay it flat on a hard surface—plastic or metal work best.
2 Build the rolls one at a time. Place a couple of avocado slices on the bottom third of the softened skin. Top with some of the lettuce, carrot, zucchini, and any other additions, forming a line. The key is not to add too many vegetables and overstuff the roll. Next, sprinkle some of the lime juice over the fillings.
3 Working quickly, fold the edge closest to you over the filling and drag the filling in toward you. Use a firm touch or the rolls won’t hold together. Fold the sides toward the center and then roll it closed. Rolls should be about 4 inches long and 1½ inches wide. Repeat until you have made ten rolls.
4 Place the rolls in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Any of the finely cut-up vegetables can be blended into baby’s cereal or served as a finger food.
Served with Cream of Tomato-Basil Soup, this sandwich dazzles. Be sure to buy the real-deal sauerkraut, which contains just cabbage and salt, and is found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, or make your own (see here)!
PREPARATION TIME:
10 to 15 minutes
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Avocado slices (optional)
Ketchup (optional)
Mayonnaise (optional)
Mustard (optional)
4 slices rye bread
½ pound smoked salmon, cut horizontally into ¼-inch pieces
2 slices Swiss cheese
¾ cup sauerkraut
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 To make each sandwich, spread avocado slices, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, or other preferred condiments on all four slices of bread. Place the salmon on two slices and the cheese on the other two. Put half of the sauerkraut on top of the salmon. Repeat for second sandwich.
2 In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the butter. Put the sandwiches together and place each sandwich in the skillet, salmon side down, to toast the bread. When the first side is toasted, 2 to 3 minutes, flip the sandwiches, cover the skillet with a lid, and toast the second side until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 more minutes. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Mash up a few slices of avocado for baby.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Break up some of the smoked salmon into tiny bits and serve with mashed vegetables or cereal.
French lentils are the tiny gray variety. This spread can replace the “B” in a “BLT” sandwich or be used as a dip for fresh vegetables. For basic lentil cooking instructions.
PREPARATION TIME:
10 minutes
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
2 tablespoons raw walnuts
1 cup cooked French lentils
2 button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, sliced
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 In a food processor, pulverize the walnuts. Add the lentils, mushrooms, green onions, garlic, mustard, tamari, and pepper and blend until smooth. Add a little water if necessary to get the consistency you desire. This spread will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some plain cooked lentils and puree with a little water. Add baked sweet potato to puree for a nutritious combination.
This sweet and nutty combo offers a fresh twist on the usual peanut butter and jelly.
PREPARATION TIME:
5 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
⅓ cup unsweetened apple butter
1 to 2 teaspoons white or mellow miso
8 slices Whole Grain Honey Oat Sandwich Bread or store-bought
¼ cup smooth almond butter
1 In a small bowl, put the apple butter and stir the miso into it. Spread four slices of the bread with a light layer of almond butter and four slices of the bread the applemiso butter. Put the slices together.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Stir ½ teaspoon of apple butter into baby’s whole grain cereal for a new flavor.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Stir ½ teaspoon of almond butter into baby’s warm whole grain cereal for added calories and other nutrients.
