Oman dining: Yum snacks for your little ones

Lifestyle Monday 27/November/2017 18:51 PM
By: Times News Service
Oman dining: Yum snacks for your little ones

VEGETABLE QUESADILLA
A nutritious snack box meal for your child that has the goodness of whole wheat with vegetables.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup red pepper
• 1 cup green pepper
• 1/2 cup corns
• 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped green chilli
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 whole wheat flour tortilla
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons butter

PREPARATION
Sauté mushrooms, red and green pepper, and corns in hot oil in a pan. Add garlic paste, green chilli, black pepper, stir and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Once the vegetables are done cooking, season them with salt. Please make sure they are not soggy and are crunchy. Do not overcook them. Now heat a skillet over medium heat. Roast one side of tortilla on a skillet till it gets light golden colour. Lower the heat, flip the tortilla and spread the cooked vegetables on tortilla covering half way through. Top up the vegetables with cheese. Fold over the tortilla to cover the cheese and vegetable mixture. Apply butter and pan fry tortilla folded from both the sides till it gets nice crisp and golden colour. Cut in small triangles and pack in the snack box with a salsa dip.

BROCCOLI PESTO PASTA
This delicious recipe is made with pasta, pesto and steamed broccoli. A healthy snack box meal made in 20 minutes with hidden flavours of broccoli will leave your child asking for more.

INGREDIENTS
• 400g broccoli, cut into florets
• 350g whole wheat pasta
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp-tender. Maintain water at a boil and use a slotted spoon to remove broccoli to a colander. Cool slightly. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile, transfer the broccoli to the bowl of a food processor. Add the Greek yoghurt, grated Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and then drain. Transfer pasta back to the empty pot. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water to the food processor. Process until smooth, adding more pasta water as needed. Stir the broccoli pesto into the pasta in the pot, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

BEETROOT BURGER BUNS
Very few vegetables can match the nutritional value of the humble beetroot. Beetroot contains potassium, magnesium, and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C, and folic acid. It also contains carbohydrates, proteins, powerful antioxidants, and soluble fibre that’s a must for kids. Tuck these wholesome beetroot burgers in buns and your child’s healthy snack box is ready.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 large potato
• Roasted spices – cumin, coriander, fennel seeds in equal amount
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 3 green chillies, chopped
• 2 large size, grated beetroots
• 1 large, grated carrot
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• Salt as per taste
• 1/2 cup green peas, optional
• 2 tablespoons peanuts, roasted and peeled
• 1 tablespoon raisins, soaked
For Coating
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 egg beaten, optional if we are not making it pure vegetarian
• 1/4 cup water
• Oil for frying
• 2 burger buns
• Some ketchup and mayo
• 2 lettuce leaves

PREPARATION
Boil potato and mash it slowly with hand. Keep it aside. Dry roast cumin, coriander, and fennel seed and then grind into fine powder. Heat oil in a pan and add fennel seeds. Add ginger paste and chopped green chillies. Fry for some time and then add grated vegetables and sauté for few minutes. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt and cook till veggies become soft. Add mashed potato and stir again.
Add boiled peas and roasted peanuts and roasted spices. Mix well with the veggies. Cook till veggies get mixed completely. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool for some time. Take a small portion of the mixture in your palm and roll it and then press to give the shape of a round patty. Take a bowl and add cornflour, plain flour and pinch of salt and water to make a batter of medium consistency. Beaten egg (optional) can also be used. Take another bowl and pour some breadcrumbs and spread it.
Dip each patty in the batter and then roll them into breadcrumbs and make sure the patty is coated well with that. Coat all patties like this and keep them refrigerated for an hour. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the patty on medium flame until it turns golden brown.
Now assemble your burger, by taking 1 burger bun, spreading some ketchup and mayo on one side of the bun. Place lettuce leaves and beetroot patty and close the bun. Secure with a toothpick.

HEALTHY BANANA PANCAKES
Fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside with delicate flavours of banana, these three ingredient pancakes are simply phenomenal for your child’s snack box.

INGREDIENTS
1 large overripe banana
2 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

PREPARATION
Whisk eggs and banana in bowl until no banana chunks remain. Whisk in flour until batter is thick and smooth. Spray frying pan with oil and turn stove to medium heat. Pour a small circle of batter on pan. When pancake begins to bubble, flip over to other side and cook until done. Repeat with rest of the batter. [email protected]