There are, by my count, at least seven levels of fried chicken. The worst of them is good; the best, which I waited forty-four years to find, led to what can only be called an out-of-body experience. Let’s start at …
Kid-Friendly Dinner Ideas
Kids can be picky and unpredictable, and they may seem to live on chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. Experts and celebrities hawking cookbooks tend to suggest sneaking pureed spinach into spaghetti sauce, but if subterfuge doesn’t work, come clean with your kids and let them choose what to eat for dinner. Having control over the specific contents of their meals gives kids a sense of power, while parents can choose the overall ingredients and control dinner’s nutritional punch. Add this to my Recipe Box.
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Wrap It
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Tortillas are just the beginning when it comes to wrapped food. Lettuce leaves, pancakes or crepes can be filled and rolled up with both ends open, folded over burrito-style or rolled in the shape of an ice cream cone--pointed at one end and open at the other. Protein-packed fillings include whole, mashed or refried beans; peanut or other nut butter; vegetarian or meat hot dogs or sausage; sliced or shredded cheese; hummus and cream cheese; and scrambled or hard-boiled eggs. Sweet wraps incorporate bananas or other sliced fresh or canned fruit; preserves; or chocolate hazelnut spread. Dipping sauces--yogurt, ketchup, honey, applesauce, barbecue or soy sauce--go in small bowls within reach of kids’ plates.
Roll It
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Even preschoolers can create a sushi roll with adult help. Sushi rice cooks easily in a rice cooker or pot on the stove; once prepared, it’s spread out on a cookie sheet or large platter and sprinkled with Japanese rice wine vinegar. Using a bamboo sushi mat coated with plastic wrap, the adult puts a sheet of nori seaweed on the mat and covers the nori with a thin layer of rice, leaving an inch or so free at one end. From that base, anything is possible.
Set the table with small bowls of each possible filling and let kids choose their favorites. Small pieces of scrambled egg; cubed or shredded meat, fish or cheese; little pieces of avocado; or tofu provide protein. Shredded carrot, cucumber and lightly steamed asparagus add some crunch. Sprinkle the non-rice edge of the nori with water and roll it up, and have an adult cut it into equal-sized pieces. Offer low-sodium soy sauce and any other sauces the children prefer. While their choices might not appeal to an adult palate, as long as the ingredients are healthy, the meal is a win.
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Skewer It
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Bamboo skewers, sold at grocery stores, attract kids because of the chance to stab their food. Not for the “you’ll-poke-your-eye-out” type of parent, this option works in much the same way sushi does. Set out healthy options cut (if needed) into skewer-sized pieces: fruit such as strawberries, grapes, melon and blueberries; cubes of cheese or hard-boiled eggs; and slices of roasted mushrooms, squash/pumpkin, peppers or potatoes. Meat and tofu can also be skewered, but all options should be OK to eat raw or already cooked and slightly cooled, so children can handle them safely. This is a simple summer night meal; make skewers in advance for an adult to cook on the grill.
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