Nutritious, fun and kid-friendly recipes that are faster than the drive-thru
The back-to-school rush is on. With homework, extra-curricular activities and earlier bedtimes added to the agenda, time to plan and prepare healthy homemade meals and snacks may be at a premium. Sonya Islam, registered dietitian in our Healthy Lifestyles Center shares some quick recipe ideas that are healthy, flavorful and kid-approved.
Go-to recipes for your busy back-to-school schedule
Eggroll in a bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound protein such as lean ground meat (chicken, turkey, sirloin, etc.) or extra firm tofu, crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger (optional)
- Cooking spray
- 12 ounces (1 bag) broccoli slaw mix
- ½ cup chopped multicolor sweet bell peppers
Stir-fry sauce ingredients
- 1/4 cup tamari (gluten free soy sauce) or regular soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
Optional ingredients
- 2 scallions, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint
- Cooked accompaniment such as cauliflower rice, rice or noodles
Cook protein over medium heat in a skillet (with optional ginger) and cooking spray until thoroughly done, 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
Using same pan, cook slaw mix and bell peppers until barely tender, about 4-6 minutes.
Mix prepared protein into vegetables in the pan and drizzle over stir-fry sauce. Toss to combine thoroughly.
Garnish with scallions and herbs (if using) and serve with additional cooked accompaniments if desired. Refrigerate in sealed container(s) for up to 4 days.
Watch registered dietitian Sonya Islam and her friend Ibrahim whip up eggroll in a bowl
Allergy-friendly Asian sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup unsweetened nut/seed butter (can use sunflower seed butter, sesame seed paste (tahini), peanut butter, etc.)
- 2 Tablespoons tamari (gluten free soy sauce) or regular soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Mix/shake together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Makes a great dipping sauce or dressing! Store sealed in fridge for up to 5 days.
Rainbow noodles
Ingredients
- 7 ounces dried noodles (e.g. ½-1 package high-protein noodles, rice vermicelli, etc.)
- 6-12 ounces (½-1 bag) broccoli slaw mix
- ½ cup chopped multicolor sweet bell peppers
- 2 scallions, chopped
- ½ - 1 full batch allergy-friendly Asian sauce recipe
- Optional cooked protein additions: shelled edamame, skinless chicken, shrimp
- Optional garnish: ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint
Cook dried noodles. Drain and cool under running water. If mixing sauce into noodles later, toss cooled noodles lightly in cooking spray before refrigerating.
To assemble, toss cooked noodles with vegetables and sauce. If desired, toss in cooked protein and top with chopped fresh herbs. Refrigerate in sealed container(s) for up to 4 days.
Gently-pummeled cucumber salad
- 2 mini cucumbers or ½ large English cucumber, about 4 ounces
- 2 mini seedless bell peppers, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) or regular soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Place cucumbers into zip-top bag, seal and tap them with a rolling pin or the back of a pan to break cucumbers open. You can also use the back of a cup to gently press down and break the cucumbers.
Cut/snip the cucumbers into bite-size pieces. Add the remaining ingredients in the bag and toss to combine. Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.