Thursday, June 28, 2007

Make My Kid Eat.

Deborah, who posts the most mouth watering recipes over at The Humble Housewife is hosting a competition which she describes below:

I get several emails each week asking for recipes that will appeal to kids. As a mother of two picky toddlers I know that this is a constant challenge for many of us. So why not pool our knowledge? So to celebrate my 100
th blog post I am hosting a competition to find the best recipe for kids.

Competition, food, blogging, children, great prizes...I can do that I thought and promptly signed up for it before going off on a three week holiday. So here is my recipe that will hopefully encourage your kid eat some healthy food.

Many years ago I was listening to a nutritionist on the radio who was saying that burgers and chips are not necessary bad for children if the burgers are homemade and contain some vegetables they can be better than other seemingly healthy foods. After listening to this I have experimented with making burgers and this works for us. I haven't included weights because I use what is handy adding a dollop of this and that so it doesn't matter if you are not precise.

Burgers

I pack round steak mince
I onion
1 courgette
handful green beans
1 yellow pepper
fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
A good dollop of tomato ketchup

You can use any vegetables you like, I tend to use green vegetables as these are the ones my children are least keen on.

Grate the all the vegetables (this take seconds in a food processor). I find that by grating the vegetables they are hidden in the food and the children can't see them and therefore don't complain.

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well with your hands.
Shape into balls and flatten.
Bake for 20 minutes at 180 oC

I serve these burgers topped with iceberg lettuce in lightly toasted wholemeal pitta bread.

Instead of chips I served the burgers with chessy potatoes skins

4 large baking potatoes
Grated cheese
Sour cream
Chopped chives

Pierce the potatoes with a fork and microwave for 10 minutes.
Place in a hot oven for 30 minutes.
Remove, cut in half and scoop out the potato.
Cut each half in half again and lay out on a baking tray. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and bake for 15 minutes.
Mix together the sour cream and chives and serve as a dip.


Finish the meal with a fresh fruit salad of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, nectarines and grapes.

If your child is old enough to help in the kitchen there is lots for them to do, they will enjoy mixing the burger mixture with their hands or chopping the fruit. If they have helped to make the dinner they may be more enthusiastic in eating it.

The compteition ends in two days so pop over to Deborah to sign up if you have the (the prizes are fantastic).

I appologise for the quality of the photographs, our camera is quite basic and I find it really difficult to take pictures of food.

21 comments:

Yvonne said...

That all looks really good! I love homemade burgers, we tend to eat them with ciabatta bread, so good.

Anonymous said...

My daughter would love the burgers,and I would love that fruit right now!

la bellina mammina said...

That looks yummy - thanks for sharing!

Mr. X said...

Hmm, Wish we'd had that as a kid rather than soggy brussel sprouts!

Unknown said...

Slaver! Looks yummy!!

I'm having a doner kebab with all the salad, and a separate pot of chilli sauce tonight. (that sauce is tooooooooo hot to pour it on)!

laurie said...

my mom used to make eggs and peas. it was more than just eggs scrambled with peas--it might have had bacon bits in it. but we loved it.

also, what she called "farmers' breakfast." diced potatoes, chunks of ham or bacon, green pepper, scrambled up with eggs. YUM.

do i win??? though your fruit salad is the most gorgeous thing i've seen in a while.

Anonymous said...

Looks good - I like the idea of shredding a vege in there (like zucchini this summer!)

Thanks for the reminder. I had seen this contest earlier and had planned on doing it. Yikes, I'd better get hopping!

Marmite Breath said...

I do that with meatloaf and burgers aswell. Carrots, courgettes, etc, all go in there. The kids don't know the difference!

Now I'm craving a burger though!

Emma in Canada said...

That fruit salad looks really good. I don't think I could eat a burger knowing it had beans in it, even if I couldn;t taste it. I'm worse than a little kid!

my4kids said...

My kids have always been good eaters. As in they will try whatever they just don't always eat alot (well except the boys).
The fruit bowl looks fabulous!

Anonymous said...

mmmm you made me hungry...LOL

headless chicken said...

This all looks delicious but what do you do with a 3 year old who just refuses to eat almost everything? All my kids have been good eaters, loads of fruit and veg etc but my 3 year old will only eat cereals,bread,cheese,potatoes/chips (sometimes),pickle,pasta (sometimes)and most fruit. She will also eat yoghurt and icecream and treats (cake, biscuits etc.)but absolutely refuses to even try hot dinners. I don't fill her up with snacks between meals and we do all sit down together at the table but to no avail. She is tiny but seems to have plenty of energy. Any ideas anyone?

headless chicken said...

Sorry Beccy...hope you don't mind me using your post to ask!!!

Anonymous said...

I hate making burgers! I'd rather drive to McDonalds and have them handed to me through the second window....

But,these look too good to pass by! I promise I'll give it a go during the hols!

BTW Your pics are better than my cameraphone efforts. My digicam died and I'm posting all my pics by e-mail from my phone...

Beckie said...

Goodness! I don't have anything that can compete with that, but can I come to dinner?

Sam said...

my friend puts avocado in his burgers (you can't see it at all), but they are always deliciously juicy.

Steffi said...

Delicious pictures and thank you very much for your recipes. I think the most children love burgers and I would like your fruit salad!

Pamela said...

Sneaky... putting veggies in the burger. I'll remember that when the grandkids come to visit.

your fruit salad is beautiful.
it's that time of year, too.

Brooke - Little Miss Moi said...

Dear beccy. Oooh what a great idea for burgers! Not that i have trouble eating veges, but I love putting veges in things (e.g. if I make a bolognese sauce, I'll steam cauliflower and zucchini and add that into the sauce on my plate. Mr Moi can't stand it).

sallywrites said...

What a good idea to put grated veg in the burgers.

The fruit salad looks delicious !

frannie said...

great idea on the burgers!!!

everything looks yummy!