Tag: vegan

Homemade “Marshmallows”

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Homemade Marshmallow (7)

Okay, so the following recipe won’t really make marshmallows… To achieve that, we probably need to get trendy and try using aquafaba. But really we just had a leftover box of vegan jel dessert in the kitchen and wanted to play with it – Travis has loved the wobbly dessert ever since I amused him with fake juice cups. The result was a goopy sugary mess that he adored eating by the spoonful!

To start, dissolve 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of your favorite vegan “gelatin” dessert in 1/3 cup cold water; let stand for about 10 minutes. We used peach flavor, which meant our “marshmallows” had a peachy tinge.

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Meanwhile, combine 1 and 1/2 cups sugar and 3/4 cup water in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Add the gel mixture to the sugar, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for 15 minutes, without stirring.

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Remove from heat and cool slightly, then beat with an electric mixer on high speed until frothy. We were under no illusions that our mixture was going to get as thick as a real gelatin mixture would have, but we do love the mixer!

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Pour into a 9×9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray and let stand overnight.

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The dessert won’t set, but it will be wobbly and thick. We dusted the top with 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup powdered sugar before eating it right from a spoon!

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In sum, you’re going to stop eating after a couple of spoonfuls because this is pure sugar, but really the point is to savor moments together in the kitchen. I loved watching Travis whisk, stir, sift, and more. My favorite sous-chef!

Cheesy Broccoli & Split Pea Soup

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This creamy soup might just convince your kids to eat their broccoli… and their split peas, too!

Ingredients: 

  • 3 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
  • 1 small leek, chopped
  • 2 small garlic cloves, smashed
  • 4 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup green split peas
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 and 1/2 pounds broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded Daiya cheddar
  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
  2. Add the water or broth, split peas, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover, reduce heat, and cook for 30 minutes.
  3. Stir in the broccoli and almond milk; simmer for an additional 10 minutes, covered.
  4. Let the soup cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and process until smooth.
  5. Return the soup to the saucepan and whisk in the cheese. Heat over low heat until the cheese is stretchy and mostly melted.

We like this with a few Gardein chick’n nuggets on the side!

Surprise “Juice” Cups

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Surprise Juice (2)

The jell-o surprise waiting in these clear plastic cups is sure to delight your kids! It’s a fun way to discuss the difference between liquids and solids, and of course they also get to eat a tasty treat. My favorite vegan “gelatin” dessert is the jel dessert from Simply Delish.

First, I prepared one package of the dessert according to package directions – in this case, dissolving the powder in 1/3 cup cold water, then adding 1 and 1/4 cups boiling water. Make sure you use a flavor with the color of juice! I used raspberry.

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Pour the mixture into clear plastic cups and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm.

I called Travis over for a juice snack; that’s a special treat in this household, so he immediately trotted over. Just as he arrived, I pretended to spill one of the cups – oops Except nothing poured out.

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He was instantly delighted and intrigued, and had to test for himself if he could pour out the “juice.” He also wanted to know what it felt like (squishy)…

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…and if he could turn the cups completely upside down.

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He tried drinking through a straw next.

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But of course I had a spoon on hand, knowing the straw wouldn’t work.

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In sum, this game is sure to elicit giggles and delight.

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Homemade Stickers

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Not only will these lick-and-stick homemade stickers really stick, but they taste great too! The secret is a little bit of vegan gel dessert (such as Simply Delish).

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To make the “glue,” first mix 1 tablespoon of any flavored gel powder into 2 tablespoons boiling water.

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Your kids may want to draw their own stickers, but Travis preferred to dictate what I should draw, and I put together a little set for him.

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Cut out your stickers, and paint the back of each with a generous layer of the gel; let dry.

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While I don’t recommend sticking these any place that shouldn’t have food on it, we decided it would be perfect to make a collage on construction paper. To adhere, give the stickers a lick!

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Travis was absolutely delighted with the taste, and had to lick every single one, meaning we had our collage in short order.

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Keep this activity in mind for the next time your little one is under the weather. It’s the perfect calm game to play, with an added sweet treat at the end as a bonus.

White Bean & Quinoa Pizza Burgers

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Quinoa Burgers (2)

This complete little meal features hefty quinoa burgers and roasted broccoli on the side. I have a hard time finding vegan burger buns at our local grocery store, but we like to serve these on sandwich rolls (try O’Dough’s sub thins) cut in half so they are closer to the size of the patties.

Ingredients:

For the broccoli:

  • 3 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  1. Toss the ingredients together on a baking sheet; roast at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes, until browned and crisp at the edges; set aside.

For the burgers:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 and 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 Ener-G egg
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 buns or sandwich rolls
  • 4 slices vegan cheese
  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce
  1. While the broccoli roasts, place the beans in a large bowl and mash until nearly smooth.
  2. Add the quinoa, Ener-G egg, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Shape the mixture into 4 patties.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 10 minutes, turning over halfway through. The burgers are delicate, so use care when flipping!
  4. To serve, place on buns or rolls. Top with your favorite sliced vegan cheese and spoon about 2 tablespoons marinara sauce over each patty. Serve with the broccoli on the side.

Quinoa Burgers (1)

President’s Day Fun

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President Cookies (4)

Happy President’s Day to all! We marked the occasion with some edible fun and a little magic trick thrown in for good measure.

First up, the trick. Grown-ups (or big kids), fold a bill of any denomination down the center of the president’s face. Now make two additional folds over the center of each eye (the folds will be close together, which is why grown-up hands worked better here).

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You should now have three accordion pleats. If you tilt the bill upwards, the president will appear to smile.

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Tilt it down, and he frowns!

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We tried this with Abe Lincoln and then Andrew Jackson on the $20.

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Who had a very pronounced frown:

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I would have used George Washington as well, except had no singles in my wallet. It was a great way to introduce the names of these men to Travis.

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We continued the fun with an edible presidential treat.

First, microwave a handful of chocolate chips in a glass bowl at 20 second intervals, until melted – it will take about 1 minute. Using a toothpick, paint smiles and eyes onto round cookies. Vegan vanilla wafers would work, but we like the lemon cookies from Back to Nature.

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For Abe, adhere mini chocolate chips using frosting as the “glue” to be his beard. Cut two pieces of dark chocolate to be his hat, and attach together with additional frosting.

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For George, cut mini Dandies marshmallows in half, and adhere around the top of his head with frosting, to be his wig. Add a collar at the neck, with a mini chocolate chip for a button.

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Our presidents were gobbled up in no time!

Destination: Meow Cat Parlor

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Meow Parlor (2)

Here’s the latest in my series of day trips for children if you’re in the New York City area. Meow Parlor was the first cat cafe in New York, modeled after similar spaces in Japan. The idea is to go in and spend time with cats, who are all available for adoption.

If you’d like to visit Meow Parlor with kids, plan in advance! There are only special time slots available to children ages 8 and under, including select weekdays at 4 p.m. and every other Sunday at 11 a.m. You have to book online in advance.

With our reservation underway, we headed off to the city.

We arrived a little early, which gave us the opportunity to check out the sister store next door, the food component of the Parlor. Travis was ecstatic to try his first vegan croissant!

croissant

Then we headed next door to play with the cats. There are only 10 to 15 cats on site at a time, making it feel manageable and intimate for both humans and felines.

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The cats have ample room to roam around, get up high, and sneak behind custom-designed cabinets with multiple entrances and exits, so none ever seemed bothered by even very loud or assertive children in our group.

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Travis was over the moon. The hour passed surprisingly quickly, between petting cats, dangling toys for those who wanted to play, and simply marveling at their antics.

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For kids who want additional stimulation, the Parlor provides crayons and markers, books about cats, and pictures of successful adoptees.

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We couldn’t take a cat home today, but we loved the experience! We capped off our city afternoon with brunch at the mainly-vegan Dirt Candy before heading home.

Trip Date: February 2018

Ages: 0 to 8 (designated times only), 9+ (any time)

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Creamy Tomato & Sausage Pasta

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Sausage Pasta (1)This hearty pasta is a crowd-pleaser for grown-ups and kids alike. Weeknight dinners are solved, at least in this house!

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Tofurky Italian sausage links, finely chopped
  • 5 ounces baby spinach, chopped
  • 1 and 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce
  • 1/4 cup plain non-dairy creamer
  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid, and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned.
  3. Add the baby spinach; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted.
  4. Stir in the marinara sauce and creamer. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water, tossing to combine.

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Yogurt Hearts

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Yogurt Hearts (4)

This sweet idea from our February issue of Ranger Rick Jr. was just one way to eat hearts this Valentine’s Day. And of course you can make them any day you want to share some love!

I set up a plate with two heart-shaped cookie cutters, one large and one small, and a container of non-dairy yogurt – for the prettiest result, choose a red berry flavor like strawberry or raspberry.

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Travis was a great helper scooping the yogurt into the big heart, and I filled up the trickier small one.

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Put in the freezer for 2 hours, until firm. If you need to, run a little hot water around the cookie cutters to release your hearts.

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The middle of the heart stayed a little mushier, more like soft-serve ice cream, and we worked our way out to the more frozen edges.

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Yum!

 

Pizza Hearts and Sweet Stuffed Celery

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Here’s the perfect little lunch to put together for your kids this Valentine’s Day! Serve it at home, or pack it up for school; it travels easily in the compartments of a lunchbox.

For the deli slices, you can use a good vegan pepperoni (such as Yves Veggie) if your children like the taste. My son finds pepperoni too spicy, so I use milder deli slices from Field Roast, torn into small pieces.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
  • 1/3 cup pizza sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded Daiya mozzarella
  • 1 package vegan deli slices or pepperoni
  • Celery sticks
  • Non-dairy cream cheese
  • 1 red bell pepper
  1. To prepare the pizza hearts, divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll into a 14×7-inch rectangle. Spread the dough with half of the sauce, leaving a 1/2-inch border free of sauce along one long edge.
  2. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese, and cut the rectangle into 10 strips. Top the strips evenly with half of the pepperoni or deli meat.
  3. Roll up two strips towards the unsauced end, leaving the end unrolled, and place next to each other on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pinch the tips of the “heart” together to seal. Pizza Hearts (1)
  4. Repeat with the remaining strips, and then repeat steps 1 through 3 with the remaining half of the dough for 10 hearts total.
  5. Bake at 425 degrees F for 18 minutes, until cooked through.
  6. To prepare the stuffed celery, fill celery pieces with your favorite vegan cream cheese.
  7. Wash and core the bell pepper. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, punch out heart shapes and top each celery piece with a heart.

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Hope your kids eat their heart out!

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