Category: Recipes

Mac and Cheese in a Mug

Leave a comment

mac-n-cheese-mug-5

Yes, your toddler can make pasta nearly him- or herself alone! This comfort food recipe is just right for a winter lunch or dinner.

In an oven-proof mug, have your child pour in the following: 1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni or small shell pasta; 1/4 cup shredded Daiya cheddar cheese; 1 tablespoon flour; and 1/2 cup non-dairy milk.

mac-n-cheese-mug-2

Now give the mug a big stir to combine the ingredients!

mac-n-cheese-mug-3

Adults, place the mug on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes – the mixture should be bubbly on top.

mac-n-cheese-mug-4

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon melted Earth Balance butter and 1 tablespoon fresh bread crumbs. Spoon over the mac and cheese, then return to the oven for a final 5 minutes.

Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Travis was so proud to have stirred the ingredients together, and couldn’t wait to try the recipe – especially because of the novelty of eating from a mug!

mac-n-cheese-mug-6

You can double the recipe and use two mugs; reheat the second portion of mac and cheese in the microwave the next day.

Mac in mug (2).JPG

Gingerbread Cookies

Leave a comment

gingerbread-cookies-2

We’ve made gingerbread men ornaments and played with pretend gingerbread cookies, so it felt like time to make the real thing, before this Christmas season comes to a close. As with the sugar cookies we made, kids can play a large role in mixing ingredients, rolling the dough (or just playing with a portion!), and using kid-friendly cookie cutters to cut out shapes for this recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance butter
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 3 cups flour
  1. Cream together the butter and molasses in a large bowl; set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. Finish kneading the dough with wet hands.
  3. Divide the dough into portions and roll out to 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Use gingerbread men cookie cutters, and place the shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
  4. Let cool for a minute on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

We sprinkled half of our gingerbread people with a dusting of sugar before baking, to give them a sparkly appearance.

gingerbread-cookies-1

For the others, we added a bit of frosting and vegan chocolate chips as buttons, for a cute finishing touch!

gingerbread-cookies-4

Chocolate Oatmeal

Leave a comment

Chocolate Oatmeal.JPG

If this cocoa-infused bowl of oatmeal doesn’t get kids to eat their hot cereal, nothing will! It’s the perfect decadent bowlful on a snowy morning.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1 and 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup vanilla nondairy milk
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Shredded coconut (optional)
  • Vegan chocolate chips (optional)
  1. Combine the oats, salt, water, and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder and maple syrup. If the oatmeal is too thick, add a little more milk or water to taste.
  3. Top each serving with shredded coconut (I use about 1 teaspoon per serving) and sprinkle with vegan chocolate chips for an extra decadent treat!

Strawberry Santas

1 Comment

strawberry-santas-2

Well if these strawberries aren’t just the cutest (and easiest!) Christmas snack I’ve ever seen. Ready?

Chop the stem end off of a few plump strawberries; discard the stems.

Slice a small bit off the tapered tip of the strawberry – save that for Santa’s hat.

Place the strawberries on a plate, and top with a dollop of whipped cream for Santa’s beard. Add the strawberry cap, and a final dot of whipped cream for a pom pom.

strawberry-santas-1

Ho ho ho!

Tortilla Roll-Ups

Leave a comment

Tortilla Roll-Ups.JPG

This is just about the easiest lunch or dinner ever, and remains the only successful way I’ve gotten Travis to love his beans (key, for a vegan!). With a few embellishments, it can be adapted to suit older children’s taste buds as well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole wheat or spelt tortilla
  • 3 tablespoons refried black beans
  1. If desired, warm the tortilla briefly in a skillet. You can also simply use the tortilla cold.
  2. Spread the refried beans over the tortilla in an even layer. Starting at one end, roll up tightly. Cut into 2-inch pieces and serve.

For those who like spicier food, sprinkle on about 1/2 teaspoon cumin before rolling up. You can also serve with salsa for dipping!

Rocky Road Brownie Mix

1 Comment

Rocky Road Mix (7).JPG

Layer the ingredients for this rich chocolate brownie mix in a gift tin; it makes the perfect gift for a teacher or neighbor during the holidays! Travis loved helping to measure and pour out the ingredients as we arranged them in the jar. And of course, don’t forget to whip up a batch to enjoy at home! Omit the pecans if your recipient has nut allergies.

rocky-road-mix-8

First, the recipe itself:

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup melted Earth Balance butter
  • 2 Ener-G eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup vegan mini marshmallows (such as Dandies)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
  1. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt (a.k.a. “the brownie mix”) with the butter, Ener-G eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
  3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle the chocolate chips, marshmallows, and pecans over the batter. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes – the marshmallows should be puffy.
  5. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before cutting into 16 squares.

rocky-road-mix-4

To prepare the recipe as a gift, layer the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a glass jar with lid. Omit the wet ingredients. Place the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and pecans in a zip-top plastic bag, and set over the dry ingredients. This was Travis’ favorite part, especially because he stole a few marshmallows for snacking!

rocky-road-mix-2

Make sure to seal the gift jar tightly.

Write out the recipe instructions on an index card so your recipient can add the wet ingredients at home. Use a hole punch to punch a hole in one corner, and tie the index card to the jar with a ribbon.

rocky-road-mix-5

Travis helped add stickers to the index card as the finishing touch!

rocky-road-mix-6

Cream Cheese Spirals

Leave a comment

Cream Cheese Spirals maybe.JPG

A couple of these adorable nibbles are the perfect toddler-sized snack, or can be a component of a larger lunch. You can use other herbs in place of or alongside the parsley, if desired.

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 tablespoons non-dairy milk
  • 6 tablespoons non-dairy cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  1. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Combine the flour and baking powder in a large bowl, then stir in the oil and milk. A very workable dough will form.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into an 8 x 11-inch rectangle.
  4. Spread the cream cheese over the dough in a thin layer, and sprinkle evenly with the parsley. Starting on one long edge, roll up the dough tightly.
  5. Slice the log into 16 to 20 slices, and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

No-Cook Oats

Leave a comment

No-Cook Oats.JPG

Here’s my new go-to oatmeal recipe. Because you prepare it the night before, mornings are a breeze. Use a different non-dairy milk in place of the almond if you prefer.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped dates
  • 2 teaspoons chia seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 and 1/4 cups almond milk
  • Mashed banana (optional)
  1. Combine all of the ingredients except the banana in a large bowl, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. In the morning, stir and add a little more milk if necessary. Add about 2 tablespoons mashed ripe banana per 1/2 cup serving of oats, if desired.

With or without the bananas, Travis has eaten every spoonful from his bowl every time I serve this.

Cream Cheese and Cashew Sandwiches

Leave a comment

Cream Cheese and Cashew Sandwich.JPG

If you need to get out of a peanut butter-and-jelly rut, these sandwiches are for your child! Just different enough to taste novel, the flavors are similar enough to good old PB&J that even a picky toddler will be tempted!

Ingredients:

  • 2 slices whole wheat bread, lightly toasted
  • 1 tablespoon vegan cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon strawberry jelly
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped cashews
  1. Spread the cream cheese on one slice of bread and the jelly on the other.
  2. Sprinkle the cashews over the cream cheese, pressing in slightly. Top with the jelly slice and serve!

Date Nut Candy

Leave a comment

date-nut-candy

These little confections are so delicious that your little one will never believe the ingredients are good for them too! If you prefer, use a mix of walnuts and cashews instead of all walnuts.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped and pitted dates
  • 2 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons shredded coconut
  1. Place the oats and walnuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, until toasted. Let cool.
  2. Transfer the oat mixture to a food processor and process for about 2 minutes, until the mixture resembles a nut butter.
  3. Add the dates, agave, oil, and vanilla, processing until blended.
  4. Divide the mixture into balls and roll in the coconut. Store, covered, in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 3 days.