You love spending time with your children and one way you do this is to get them involved in helping you in the kitchen. If you’re one of those lucky parents that have kids who aren’t finicky or they love to try new foods then that’s a blessing for you and makes preparing meals easier. But it can become difficult to invent new recipes. We can help you with that—these first three recipes are simple to make and can be enjoyed by the entire family on a weeknight—or any night.
Pizza Soup (Serves 6)
Ingredients:
- 1 25 oz. jar of Marinara sauce
- 1 lg. onion, chopped
- 12 oz. of chicken sausage
- 1 14½ oz. can of fire-roasted tomatoes
- 4 oz. of uncured pepperoni, sliced into quarters
- 16 oz. of sliced mushrooms
- 1 tbsp. of dried oregano
- ½ tsp. of salt
- 1 tsp. of garlic powder
Directions:
In a large pot, blend all the ingredients.
Cook the mixture on medium heat until the mushrooms and onions are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add in extra salt if needed.
Paprika Salmon and Green Beans (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 4 4-6 oz. room temperature salmon steaks
- 1-2 tsp. of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. of smoked paprika
- 2-3 tbsp. of fresh basil, parsley & thyme
- 1 lb. (or more) of green beans
- ¼ c. of olive oil
- ½ tbsp. of onion powder
- ½ tsp. of salt
- ½ tsp. of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Black pepper for seasoning
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400˚ F and move one of the oven racks to the middle of your oven. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, lightly coat with olive oil then put aside.
Over medium-low heat, mix ¼ c. of oil, basil, parsley, thyme, onion powder, minced garlic, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika in a small pan. Mix for roughly 30-60 seconds then allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Put the salmon steaks in a big bowl and add the salt; then pour in the spice mixture and toss until steaks are coated. Lay them on the baking sheet.
Perform the above step again with the green beans.
Bake the salmon and green beans for 15-18 minutes. Cook times will be different based on the thickness and preferred doneness of your steaks.
Spinach and Ground Turkey Stuffed Mushrooms (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 12 lg. mushroom caps (remove gills and clean caps)
- 1 lb. of ground turkey
- 12-16 sliced grape tomatoes
- 4 tsp. of coconut oil
- 2 sm. onions, cubed
- 1 handful of baby spinach leaves
- Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, to season
Directions:
On medium-high heat, melt 2 tsp. of coconut oil in a large skillet. Once melted, put mushrooms in the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until tender; be sure to turn them after 2½-3½ minutes. Place mushrooms on a plate and put aside.
Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes or until soft. Next, add the ground turkey and, with a wooden spoon or spatula, chop up into tiny pieces. As it cooks, add in the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; cook for 10 minutes or until juices run clear.
Take the pan off of the heat and toss in the baby spinach; the remaining heat in the pan should cause the leaves to wilt.
To serve: With a small spoon, scoop the turkey filling into each of the mushroom caps. Place a couple of grape tomato slices on each mushroom. Bon appétit!
Okay, so your tykes don’t care for mushrooms, but they can’t like everything, right? Maybe you could substitute peppers or stuffing tomatoes (and top with pepper slices).
There are other easy, scrumptious recipes like these that your children can help you prepare and are sure to enjoy. Just wait until you see the yummy dishes in part two!
