Vegetables and Sides

BAKED VEGETABLE STICKS

Serves 2

These veggies are oven-roasted to tender-crisp. Because the shape is similar to that of French fries, they may be more readily welcomed into the diet. Turning the sticks during baking will make for a more uniform texture.

4 carrots, 12 ounces or
1 large russet potato, 10 ounces or
1 large sweet potato, 10 ounces or
2 small to medium zucchini squash, 12 ounces
up to 1 tablespoon canola oil
⅛ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400 °F.
Lightly grease a baking sheet.

 

For carrots: Wash and peel. Cut into French fry shape, approximately ¼ inch thick. Toss in oil and place on a prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until tender-crisp.

 

For potato: Wash and peel. Cut into French fry shape, approximately ¼ inch thick. Toss in oil and place on a prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for approximately 30 minutes until tender-crisp.

For sweet potato: Wash and peel. Cut into French fry shape, approximately ¼ inch thick. Toss in oil and place on a prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until tender-crisp.

 

For zucchini squash: Wash, but do not peel. Cut into French fry shape, approximately ¼ inch thick. Toss in oil and place on a prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and bake for approximately 8 to 9 minutes until tender-crisp.

MASHED POTATOES

Serves 4

 

Without dairy, mashed potatoes lack creaminess. Oil is added to this recipe to offset this characteristic.

1 pound of russet or Yukon gold potatoes
½ cup rice milk
2 teaspoons canola oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt

 

Wash, peel, and chop potatoes into large chunks. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Over medium heat, boil for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes are very tender. Drain potatoes and return them to the pan or mixing bowl. Add milk, oil, and salt. Beat until light and creamy.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES

Serves 4

If your child likes mashed potatoes, this recipe may be good for introducing a new food in a familiar form. Lightly sweetened by the apple juice, they are tasty.

1 pound of sweet potatoes or yams
½ cup apple juice
pinch of sea salt

 

Wash, peel, and chop sweet potatoes into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Over medium heat, boil for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are very tender. Drain potatoes and return to the pan or mixing bowl. Add juice and salt. Beat until light and creamy.

QUICK FRENCH FRIES

Serves 2

Although it is traditional to twice-fry fries to achieve that delicious crispness, this recipe has been shortcut to do the initial cooking in the microwave. The fries are crisp outside and tender inside, just as they should be.

1 large russet potato, 10 ounces
2 cups canola oil (not olive)
⅛ teaspoon salt

 

Pierce potato with a fork or a knife. Microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes to partially cook the potato. Cool for several minutes. Cut into ¼ inch thick-fries.

Heat oil in frying pan to 370 °F. (A fry will sizzle when added to the pan.) Add cut fries and cook them until they are nicely browned and cooked through, approximately 10 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

SPANISH RICE

Serves 5 to 6

This recipe is so easy, you may wonder why you bothered with mixes in the first place! This was preferred over the boxed competitor by our testers.

3 cups water (filtered)
1½ cups rice
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
½ small onion, finely chopped
¼ small red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
1½ teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon salt

 

In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed. If you prefer softer rice, add an additional ⅓ cup of water and cover with lid for several minutes.

VEGETABLE PUREE

Makes approximately 3 cups

Use this simple puree in the spaghetti and meatballs recipe (page 196) or add to soups and other sauces to increase nutritional value. A vegetable puree can be made from nearly any vegetable. Experiment with whatever is in season.

 

one 16-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup water (filtered)

 

Place vegetables and water in a medium-size saucepan. Cook over high heat (covered) until vegetables are very tender, approximately 5 minutes after boiling.

Place in a blender and puree until very smooth. Pulsing the blender helps to move the cooked vegetables during the process. Add additional water (as little as possible) if needed to puree.