#BuckeyeBites: Kid-friendly recipes in a hurry

Author: Rose Shilling,   Carrie Beyer

Topics:

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Whenever kids and food are involved, you need to be as creative and fun as possible—especially if you want to encourage healthy eating. And if yours is like most families, you also want something quick and easy to prepare.

With a tall order like that, we turned to Jim Warner, program director of Nutrition Services at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, for help. He shared three easy-to-make, no-fail recipes that your kids will love: Apple Flatbread, Grilled Peach Frozen Yogurt and Edamame Stir-Fry.

Whether you’re in need of a healthy snack, a sweet dessert or a simple recipe that’s guaranteed to turn your kids into fruit and veggie lovers, we’ve got you covered.

Ready to get started? Simply watch the videos or scroll on for instructions.

Apple Flatbread

2 portions
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What you’ll need:
  • 1 multigrain flatbread
  • 2 wedges cheddar cheese spread
  • 1 Fuji apple 
  • ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
How to make it: 
  1. Place a piece of multi-grain flatbread on a baking sheet. 
  2. Use an offset spatula to evenly spread a wedge of cheese spread over the bread.
  3. Slice a Fuji apple into quarters, remove the stem and then cut into thin slices; the thinner the better because this helps to caramelize the apple.
  4. Arrange the apple slices on top of the cheese-covered flatbread, ensuring that the entire flatbread is covered. Fun tip: make a silly design with the apples.
  5. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the flatbread.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven, cut into pizza wedges and sprinkle with balsamic glaze; serve on a platter.
Chef Jim's Tips: An offset spatula, with its thin, flat metal blade or paddle, allows you to easily spread the cheese. And with only 35 calories per wedge, The Laughing Cow® cheese is a sensible substitute for a normal slice of cheese, which is typically about 100 calories.

Grilled Peach Frozen Yogurt

4 portions
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What you’ll need:
  • 2 peaches
  • 1 12-oz bag frozen peaches
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt 
  • 3 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 sprig of mint
  • 1/2 cup fresh blueberries 
How to make it:
  • Cut 2 ripe peaches in half and remove the pit.
  • Place the peach halves, flat side down, on a slightly oiled hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Grilling the peaches allows the natural sugars to caramelize, which enhances the flavor.
  • Remove the peach from the grill and cool.
  • Pour a 12-oz bag of frozen peaches and 1 cup of Greek-style yogurt into a food processor; start to pulse.
  • Add 3 tablespoons of agave nectar. This is a natural sweetener like honey and maple syrup so your body will quickly process it.
  • Use a lemon squeezer to add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
  • Continue to pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  • Scoop the frozen yogurt into a bowl, place a grilled peach half on the side and add a sprig of mint, and a sprinkle of blueberries.
Chef Jim's Tips: If you’re grilling outside, make sure your grill is extremely hot and super clean so the peaches don’t stick to the grill. For best results when squeezing a lemon, use a heavy-duty squeezer—not an inexpensive plastic one.

Edamame Stir-Fry

2-3 portions
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What you’ll need:
  • 1 12-oz bag frozen shelled  edamame 
  • 1 10-oz bag frozen cubed sweet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste (can be found in international foods aisle) 
  • ¼ cup orange juice 
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 lime 
  • 1 bunch cilantro, cleaned well and chopped
How to make it:
  • Add olive oil to a 10-inch pan, heat for 1 minute, add edamame and sweet potatoes, shake slightly so they do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes with medium heat.
  • Add  1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste and distribute evenly.  
  • Add ¼ cup orange juice and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add a small mixture of kosher salt and coarse black pepper. 
  • Cut a fresh lime in half and squeeze lime juice directly into the pan. Let it reduce to strengthen the flavors and thicken the sauce.
  • Add half the chopped cilantro at the last minute. This allows the heat to release the natural oils in the herbs so you immediately taste the flavor.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro and remaining lime juice.
Chef Jim's Tips: Make sure your pan is hot before you add the olive oil. If you put cold vegetables into a cold pan, they will start to steam before they saute. Listen for the sizzle; that’s a good sign. To avoid adding too much salt, the kosher salt and coarse-ground black pepper mixture allows you to pick it up with your fingers, so you'll know exactly how much you’re putting into your food. 

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