Dinner.
Everyone needs it, but the process of getting it on the table every
night can raise the stress levels of even the most calm and organized among
us. One of the best solutions I
have found is to bring my daughter into the kitchen with me. This accomplishes many things: we
get to spend time together doing something we both enjoy and share about our
days with each other; she
has a sense of contributing to me and the family through her participation; and she doesn't pester me for snacks, instead, she snacks
on what we're going to be eating for dinner as we make it- perfect!
So now that you have your
kiddo in the kitchen with you, what do you make? Much of that depends on how much time you have. Here is a series of recipes that build
on each other determined by the number of minutes you have before tummies
complain!
Feature Ingredient: Chickpeas
Chickpeas are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most
other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, garbanzos' high fiber content
prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these
beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin
resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice,
garbanzos provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.
10 minutes: Hummus on Pitas with Carrots and
Tomatoes
-
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
-
Open a 15 oz can
of chick peas (preferably organic!)
-
Drain and then help your little chef remove the
outer casings and discard them.
- Add
in 1T lemon juice, 1 clove of garlic, minced and 2T olive or sesame oil.
-
Using a potato masher, have your little chef
mash away on the mixture. After a
bit, use an immersion blender to smooth it out completely.
-
Place 4 pitas in
the oven and warm them while you arrange carrots
and tomatoes on plates.
-
Spoon the hummus on the warm pitas and serve!
20 minutes: Add Grilled Bratwursts
Grill 4-6
Bratwursts to add to the plate of Hummus on Pitas with the Carrots
and Tomatoes
30 minutes: Make Turkey Burgers
-
Put 1 lb ground
turkey into a bowl and mix in:
- ½ C chopped green
olives
- ½ C feta cheese
- 1 egg
-
Form patties (don't forget to have little chef
wash hands after)
-
Grill 4-5 minutes each side (stove top grill pan
works great as well)
Serve with the hummus, pitas, carrots and tomatoes -
YUM!
Christine Mackstaller co-founded Sticky Fingers Cooking in Denver, Colorado. She has been cooking on
her own since she was six. Luckily, her skill has improved over the years, and her love of
cooking prompted her to include her daughter Cleo in the kitchen from a
very young age. Christine's repertoire of Cleo-friendly recipes has
grown rich, and Cleo now loves toting her stool around the kitchen so
she can be right there in the thick of it! www.stickyfingerscooking.com