Little Visions - Cooking with Kids

Yian making Naan

Many parents have issues with 2 things...keeping their children occupied and keeping their child healthy.  I have combined the two into one solution - COOKING!  It is a great way to get your children interested in the foods they eat and gives them a new respect for your hard work in the kitchen.  My son has been cooking with me since he was 2 years old.  Now, at 5, he loves be my "little chef".  Cooking has introduced him to a wide variety of new foods and taught him about health and science.  I have included photos of some of our edible projects in hopes that they will inspire you to employ your own "little chef".    

One of the easiest and tastiest things we make is PB&J Trail Mix.  Instead of a recipe, I will just let you know what we add and you can decide on how much, how little or if at all.  Any substitutions may be made but you might need to change the title accordingly.

Naan hot out of the oven!

PB&J Trail Mix

- walnut pieces

- sliced almonds

- peanut butter chips

- chocolate chips

- dried cranberries

- raisins, reg and golden

- granola (we use homemade or Post Trail Mix Crunch cereal)

My son is a huge fan of Trix yogurt, I am not.  So much sugar, artificial flavor and coloring!  My solution is semi-homemade yogurt.  I take a pint of vanilla low-fat yogurt and blend in fruit then allow him to add a drop of food coloring. It saves a lot of money and hassle!

Another easy-peasy snack - PB & J burritos! We LOVE peanut butter and need no excuse to eat it, but this makes a great after school snack without all the bread.  Simply spread peanut butter and your favorite jelly or jam on a tortilla and roll.  You can microwave it for 15 secs or put it in the oven for a few minutes, if you prefer it warm like we do!

Tortilla Pizzas
My son is a huge fan of pizza.  Really, what kid isn't?  It was a pain to keep dough or pre-made crusts in the fridge.  I decided to use tortillas instead.  We always have them in our fridge and always seem to be leftover from Mexican dinner night.  We make them any time of day with a multitude of toppings.  You can spread on your typical pizza sauce and cheese. But we like to be adventurous...peanut butter and jelly with chopped nuts and  granola, Parmesean dressing with feta and avocado, bbq sauce with cheddar and chicken.  No matter what you like you can make it into a pizza!  Pre-heat your oven @ 400 degrees and pop your topped tortilla directly on the rack.  In 5 minutes or less, you have a wonderful snack or meal!

Pepperoni & Garlic Tortilla Pizza

Feta & Avocado Tortilla Pizza