Vegetable noodles

My son loves any type of noodles. I think most kids enjoy this because of the texture and the shape. I had this ching's noodles in my pantry for a long time.So i thought of making something for him and also to suit our tastes.

Ingredients:
any noodles- 1 packet( cook it according to the instructions)
Onions- 1 small cut into thin strips
Garlic and chilli paste -1 tbsp
Carrot-1/2 cup(Cut into long thin strips)
Beans- 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
tumeric-1 tsp
Oil- 2tsp

Method:

1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions and keep it aside.
2. Then in a pan/wok, heat the oil, add the Ginger garlic paste and fry for few minutes. Make sure id doesn't turn brown, otherwise it will give a slightly bitter taste.
3. Add the onions,fry for few minutes till it turns slightly brown.
4. Add the Vegetables and fry for minutes. cook the vegetables and add salt and turmeric.
5. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the noodles and cook for few minutes,till it is very nicely mixed.
6. When adding the noodles, make sure there is no water in the pan/wok.
7. Your hot noodles is ready to serve with Maggi sauce.

Variations:

1. you cook the vegetables in the microwave and then add to onions, instead of directly adding to the pan.
2. You can add peas, broccoli or any vegetables of your choice.
   

Pumpkin Dhal

It is Halloween season, so pumpkins are available in abundant.I thought of doing something for my little one to suit his taste. you can give him at lunch or dinner.


Ingredients:
Yellow Pumpkin- 1 small cup ( cut into small pieces by scraping the skin)
Moong Dhal- 1/2 small cup
Milk-2 ounces
Jeera and pepper powder-2tsp
Turmeric- a pinch
Salt to sate

Method:

1. Pressure cook the yellow pumpkin with the moong dhal and turmeric for 5-6 whistles with water covering the vegetables.
2. Once the cooker is cooled down,add the jeera ,pepper and salt and boil for few minutes.
3. Mash the dhal and the pumpkin with a spoon.
4. Once the raw smell goes, add milk and boil for 1 minute.
5. The Pumpkin dhal is ready and it is very healthy.
6. You can give it like a soup or mix it with hot rice and ghee in it. I am sure your kid will love it.

Variation:

1. You can add white pumpkin also to it.
   

Vegetable Pasta

For a change i thought of cooking pasta according to Indian style with the vegetables in hand.It came out very well and my son loved it.

Ingredients:

Rotini or any type of Pasta- Handful
Onions-1/2
Tomato-1
Beans-4 pieces
Potato-1/2
Carrot-1
Dried Basil or fresh Basil-1tsp
Olive Oil-2tsp
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cook pasta according to Package instructions and keep it aside
2. Cut all the above vegetable finely
3. Heat pan with oil and add onions.
4. Fry Onions for few minutes, then add the tomatoes. The more ripe the tomato, the more flavor it will have.
5. Once tomatoes is cooked, add 2- 3 ounce of water, then add all the vegetables with salt and pepper.
6. Once the vegetables is fully cooked, add dried basil to the content. Make sure there is some water, add pasta and cook till the water evaporates.
7. Let all the vegetables get mixed with pasta and serve warm.

Hint:

1. You can add any number of vegetables to this
2. You add butter to the final content, when it is hot.It gives a very nice aroma.
   

Banana and Apple Rice cereal

My son doesn't like Apple that much, so I thought of mixing apple and banana.There are so many readily available apple cereal, but i would like to add fresh fruits as much as possible. Apple and Banana are least allergenic fruits.

Ingredients:

Any Rice cereal - 4 tbsps
Apple cut into small cubes
Banana-1/2
Milk or formula- 20unces

Method:

• Pressure cook the cut apple removing the seeds with or without skin with very little water.Apple with skin contains lot of nutrients.
• Once the apple is cooled down, you can add the apple,banana as it is,milk and cereal in a blender.
• You can warm the milk or add the cold milk before blending.
  
• Blend all the above ingredients in the blender and serve immediately.
• If you leave the contents outside it may turn brown due to oxidation.It doesn't means it is turned bad, but just the color has changed.
  

Moong Dhal Porridge

This is one of the porridge which can be given starting at 6 months.At 6 months, you can boil the moongdhal in the water and sieve it through colander, and give the filtered content to your baby. It relives the baby of constipation problems.

Ingredients:

Moong dhal -150ml
Milk or Formula or coconut milk-2ounces
Jaggery-to taste
Cardamom a pinch

Method:

• Clean the moong dhal first and pressure cook the moong dhal with water for 6 whistles.
• Then once it is cooled down, add jaggery , milk or formula or coconut milk and pinch of cardamom boil it for 3- 4minutes.
• If it is thickened you can add milk or formula or coconut milk just before serving.

variation:

• Sometimes I add carrot which is cut into small pieces with the moong dhal and proceed with the above method.
  

Millet Porridge

I have been using the ragi ( Millet) flour which i got from India.But now I buy from Indian grocery.It is one of the porridge which is very healthy and filling.For some children it gives constipation,In that case you can add banana to the ragi porridge or high fiber diet.


Ingredients:

Ragi(Millet) flour- 3 tbsps
Almond powder-1tbsp ( optional)
Sugar or Jaggery to taste
Milk or formula-2 ounces

Method:

• Mix Ragi flour and almond powder with water or milk to a watery consistency.
• Then heat the mix in a medium flame. It thickens easily so be nearby.
• Once it starts boiling and thickening,add the 2 ounces of milk and sugar or jaggery to the porridge.
• Then boil for a minute or two and switch off the stove.
• Your hot and healthy Ragi porridge is ready to be served.

Variation:

• Instead of sugar you can mash the banana in a blender and add it to the porridge.In this case you need not add sugar or jaggery.Boil a minute or two with the porridge and serve your little one.
  

Macaroni with Tomato Sauce

My friend has been asking me to write about Macaroni to be given to kids. Atlast I have decided to write about it.

Ingredients:
Alphabets Macaroni- 1/4 cup
Tomato-3/4 ( cut into Small pieces)
shallots-2 (cut into small pieces)
Pepper-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Olive oil-1tbsp

Method:

• Cook the alphabet macaroni according to the instruction and keep it aside.
• Then in a small pot heat the oil and add the onions and tomato pieces.
• cook with little water and add pepper and salt if you need.
• If you have added salt with macaroni , then don't add it to the sauce otherwise it will become very salty.
• Once the sauce is cooled down,blend in the blender.
• Then mix the tomato sauce with the macaroni that you have made and heat it for 3-4 minutes.
• Do it with little watery conistency otherwise it will become very dry once it cools down.
  
• Serve it by adding with little cheese or as it is.

Variation:

• You can add any type of macaroni of your choice.
• You can add carrots,cauliflower or any vegetable of your choice to the sauce.