Kid friendly vegetarian/vegan ideas please!!!!!

[ComaWhite]

The title says it all.... I dont even know where to start. Im also really interested in grain free + gluten free.  I hope some of you can throw out a few ideas, blogs, books, etc to get us going on the right track!

Edited by ComaWhite - 2/4/12 at 3:40pm

[catnip]

Gluten free veg*n kid friendly, I can do. Grain-free I have limited ideas for. Off the top of my head, I'd suggest cream of broccoli soup, I make it with soymilk and puree in a can of white beans, ants on a log (celery and PB with raisins on top), nut butter spread on apples or bananas, bean soups, lentil shepherds pie, baked potatoes topped with cheesy sauce and broccoli, sweet potatoes and black beans. Baked sweet potato topped with hummus.

If I'm just avoiding gluten? Refried bean tacos with corn tortillas, soft or crunchy. Tofu "chicken" or "fish" strips with an almond-cornmeal coating (you could probably just do almond meal on them and avoid the corn). We usually have those with oven "fried" sweet potato slices, garlicky kale with tahini sauce and quinoa or rice. Gluten-free pastas of many sorts with cashew alfredo, marinara, or whatever sauce strikes your fancy. My daughter loves the Pumpkin baked ziti from Veganomicon, I've made versions with GF pasta and GF toaster waffles thrown in my food processor to make bread crumbs for the topping. I usually use whole wheat pasta for it, and I thought it was lacking a bit in texture with the brown rice noodles, but she loved it.

Oh! And polka dot rice - various little chunks of cooked veggies - we use corn, carrots, peas, broccoli and green beans usually, and super firm tofu, all cut up to be about pea-sized, mixed into hot brown rice, with a little coconut oil and a sprinkle of soy sauce, then topped with ketchup. BIG favorite here.

[es1967]

Originally Posted by catnip 

Gluten free veg*n kid friendly, I can do. Grain-free I have limited ideas for. Off the top of my head, I'd suggest cream of broccoli soup, I make it with soymilk and puree in a can of white beans, ants on a log (celery and PB with raisins on top), nut butter spread on apples or bananas, bean soups, lentil shepherds pie, baked potatoes topped with cheesy sauce and broccoli, sweet potatoes and black beans. Baked sweet potato topped with hummus.

If I'm just avoiding gluten? Refried bean tacos with corn tortillas, soft or crunchy. Tofu "chicken" or "fish" strips with an almond-cornmeal coating (you could probably just do almond meal on them and avoid the corn). We usually have those with oven "fried" sweet potato slices, garlicky kale with tahini sauce and quinoa or rice. Gluten-free pastas of many sorts with cashew alfredo, marinara, or whatever sauce strikes your fancy. My daughter loves the Pumpkin baked ziti from Veganomicon, I've made versions with GF pasta and GF toaster waffles thrown in my food processor to make bread crumbs for the topping. I usually use whole wheat pasta for it, and I thought it was lacking a bit in texture with the brown rice noodles, but she loved it.

Oh! And polka dot rice - various little chunks of cooked veggies - we use corn, carrots, peas, broccoli and green beans usually, and super firm tofu, all cut up to be about pea-sized, mixed into hot brown rice, with a little coconut oil and a sprinkle of soy sauce, then topped with ketchup. BIG favorite here.

Do you have a good recipe for lentil shepards pie?  Thanks

[catnip]

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/vegetarian-shepherds-pie-ii/Detail.aspx This is the basic recipe I use. If you want to avoid the barley, add another 2 TBS each nuts and lentils. I make it with pecans because I have a walnut allergy.

Edited by catnip - 4/22/11 at 9:01am

[askew]

Here is my favorite: :)

http://www.plantfoodfabulous.com/2010/10/lentil-shepherds-pie.html

[madskye]

DD is six and she loves pea soup.  Sometimes I make croutons (not grain free or vegan) and sometimes I sizzle up some veggie sausage and put it on top of the soup.

She also likes a portobello stew that is vegan.  Saute sliced portobellos with sliced garlic and onions in a pot, add 1 cup of red lentils, 6 cups of veg broth, and a can of diced tomatoes.  Cook it till the lentils are tender.  The last five minutes, add in 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar.  You can add fresh basil and parmesan, too.  (The parm, obviously,not vegan)

She loves pesto, which is veg but not vegan.

I make easy empanadas that are vegetarian--I don't think they're very healthy but they are fun to eat and good with a big salad or tomato soup. I buy pie crust circles and use a margarita glass to cut out smaller circles.  I fill the circles with leftover mashed potatoes and leftover veggie chili.  Fold the circle over and brush with an egg wash and they make cute little handpies.  One package of pie crust is just enough for our family of three, so if you are a bigger family you would need more crust. 

DD also likes leftover veggie chili taco's.

This might fit all your criterion--Sultan's Delight Eggplant.  Take smaller, oblong eggplants.  (Not japanese, but not big fat Italian eggplants either) and slice them long ways in two halves.  Scrape out the halves so you have two bowls.  Dice the eggplant you scraped out and add to a pan with sauteed onion and garlic in olive oil.  Add some raisins, cashews or slivered almonds, and either garam masala or cumin and cinnamon to taste.  Lastly, add a can of of diced tomatoes.  Soop the mixture into the eggplant halves and bake until the shells are tender.

It is really good with rice or couscous as a side, if you want to add a grain.

Edited by madskye - 4/21/11 at 4:39am

[es1967]

Originally Posted by askew 

Here is my favorite: :)

http://www.plantfoodfabulous.com/2010/10/lentil-shepherds-pie.html

That does look very good! Yum

Catnip-your link did not work.

Madsky-  I totally forgot about pea soup.  Also, love your empanada recipe.

Were kind of going thru a weird food stage too.  All my DS wants is pasta w cheese.  So I try to buy quinoa pasta hoping it will be a bit healthier.

[askew]

Have you tried pasta with peanut sauce? My kids really like it, and I feel like I got more protein in them. I can also put a lot of vegetables in there and they eat it, since it has peanut butter on it. ;) 

[catnip]

Try the link again, I edited and it works for me now.

[pers]

Originally Posted by catnip 

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/vegetarian-shepherds-pie-ii/Detail.aspx This is the basic recipe I use. If you want to avoid the barley, add another 2 TBS each nuts and lentils. I make it with pecans because I have a walnut allergy.

That was the same one I was going to suggest!  Though your link doesn't work due to an extra slash http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Vegetarian-Shepherds-Pie-II/Detail.aspx

Really yummy though, and while I love the pearl barley in it, easy to substitute something else or just increase lentils to make it grain/gluten free.  I skip the yeast extract due to never having any.  Occasionally I will add in a bit of nutritional yeast just because I like that, but generally I don't bother.  Also cook the lentils etc. with all the broth and just add the carrots/onions/walnuts and sometimes celery too about half way through rather than using two pots.  

[CatsCradle]

It has been super trial and error for me (DH and I are pretty easy when it comes to vegan/veg food) but now that DD is in the mix, it is a little harder to do things that are both healthy, balanced and likable for DD (she's 4.5).  DH and I both work too, so it is an additional challenge.  One thing that has been a big success for me is to keep a good stock in the fridge of cut-up veggies (carrots, celery, tomatoes, olives, etc).  We always keep either homemade or bought hummous on hand as well as supplement with babganouj, and DD can really pack in the raw veggies as well as olives and baked tofu.  We also make one big dish per week, usually a big soup or some other mush (like curried lentils, mexican beans or veggies) that can be served with rice.  We eat a lot of rice and almost raw food around our house.  It may be odd to people who want cooked three course meals, but it really works for us.  I know you're looking for gluten and grain free, but DD does like her home pizza and pasta too.  

[stanleytapp]

Thanks catnip... Love your recipe. My lil kids loved it.

[catnip]

She loves pesto, which is veg but not vegan.

Pesto is super easy to veganize - omit the parmesean, add a little salt, or what I've been doing lately is adding a spoonful of miso paste - super awesome.