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Kid-Friendly Chopped Salad with Sweet Strawberry Dressing

6/17/2020

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Salad can be tricky for most kids to enjoy. For one, we don’t often serve kids salad and two, lots of greens can have a slightly bitter taste. Here are some things I’ve found that help my kids eat and enjoy salad greens:
  1. Chop everything very small so it’s less intimidating for kids to eat.
  2. Add fruit. Seeing pieces of their favorite fruit makes the salad feel more exciting.
  3. A yummy dressing. Figure out what kind of dressing your child enjoys by trying a few different kinds.
  4. Try a different presentation. Separate parts of the salad into bowls then let your child add them to a plate or bowl. You can also try serving the dressing on the side to dip pieces of lettuce into.
Keep experimenting with new ways to eat lettuce and exposing those kiddos to let them make friends with the crunchy greens!
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For this easy, colorful salad, you can really use whatever fresh veggies your family enjoys. Mix up the types of lettuce you use and try out different toppings as well. I really love to make this salad a more complete meal by adding some crumbled feta or goat cheese and some sliced almonds. You could also add some cooked chicken or shrimp too. The dressing is so simple and sweet. Plus, the pink color makes it so fun for kids
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Kid-Friendly Chopped Salad with Sweet Strawberry Dressing

INGREDIENTS
Salad
  • 1 head of Romaine or Bibb lettuce (or a combo of both)
  • 1/2 large cucumber
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1/2 pound strawberries
Dressing
  • 6 to 7 large strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Chop or rip lettuce into small pieces and add to a bowl. Chop cucumber, snap peas, avocado, and strawberries. Everything should be small enough to fit onto a child-size spoon or fork. Add on top of the lettuce or keep toppings separated into different piles on a cutting board or plate.
  2. To make dressing, add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. Dip a piece of lettuce into the dressing and taste for seasoning. Adjust with more honey/vinegar/salt as needed.
  3. Serve by either tossing the salad components with the dressing or serve the dressing on the side as a dip. Enjoy salad immediately. Dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
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This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 6 and 4, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather.happykidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.
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Mashed Chickpea Salad Lettuce Boats

6/10/2020

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June is Lettuce Month at Veggie Buds Club and we are excited to bring you a creative and tasty kid-approved recipe from Taesha at The Natural Nurturer! You can find more kid-friendly lettuce recipes and activities that are guaranteed to make lettuce tasty for your children in Veggie Buds Club's Lettuce Activity Book!
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Taesha Butler is the creator, blogger and recipe developer behind the site, The Natural Nurturer. A preschool teacher and mother, Taesha has a passion for healthy and natural living. Through her veggie-loaded family-friendly recipes, natural living tips, and honest parenting talk, Taesha aims to empower parents and caregivers to raise their families in healthy ways that fit into their busy lives.

Mashed Chickpea Salad Lettuce Boats

This mashed chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of the classic tuna salad! The perfect no-cook meal that you can easily make in minutes. When served on lettuce “boats,” this quick meal instantly becomes extra fun for littles to eat as well as getting some extra veggies in!

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, or to taste
  • 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup mayo or Greek yogurt, or to taste
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Pour the cooked and drained chickpeas into a medium bowl. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the chickpeas until there are no more whole beans and to your desired consistency.
  2. Add diced celery, lemon juice/apple cider vinegar, mustard, mayo/Greek yogurt, onion powder, salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix well.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more mayo/yogurt for a creamier salad.
  4. Arrange the prepped lettuce leaves (these will become your “boats”) on a serving platter or individual plates. Fill each one with a scoop or two of the mashed chickpea salad.
  5. Enjoy as is or top with sliced tomatoes, shredded carrots or diced avocado.
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Monochromatic Meal: GREEN!

6/1/2020

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June is Lettuce Month at Veggie Buds Club and we are excited to bring you this yummy kid-approved recipe from Katie at Eat Pretty Darling! You can find more kid-friendly lettuce recipes and activities that are guaranteed to make lettuce tasty for your children in our Lettuce Activity Book!
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Katie Blauser is the mama of two boys, wife of a picky eater, and food lover at Eat Pretty Darling. She believes in making food fun, healthy, & pretty! Katie’s not only outnumbered by boys in her little family, but also by picky eaters. She loves trying to find new ways to get both kids and adults to eat healthy while making food pretty yummy, pretty healthy, and pretty fun! Find Katie on Instagram (@eatprettydarling), where she shares colorful and cute food ideas for both picky and adventurous eaters.

Monochromatic Meal: GREEN!

We love making whole meals in one color! It helps get my picky eaters more interested in the foods that they are still exploring. Have your children pick 4-5 green colored foods to serve for a meal. They can even help prepare them with you! Serve them up on a color themed plate or even in a muffin tin to make it more like a sampling platter. Do the different foods taste, look, and smell different even though they are the same color? There are SO many great green foods out there. Have fun picking which ones to add to your monochromatic plate!

Green Food Ideas

  • Lettuce
  • Avocado
  • Cucumber
  • Green Grapes
  • Green Peppers
  • Kiwi
  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Green Onion
  • Asparagus
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Peas
  • Green Beans
  • Lima Beans
  • Edamame
  • Pears
  • Limes
  • Celery
  • Zucchini
  • Green Apples
  • Cabbage
  • Kale
  • Okra
  • Green Olives
  • Matcha
  • Fresh Herbs
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