Kid-Friendly Dinner Recipes with Chia Seeds

Fussy eaters often go back to the same foods again and again, so to encourage healthy eating, a good place to start is with their favorite dinners. Chia will go unnoticed in most dishes so start with their favorites before moving on to more nutritious foods. These recipes are classic kid dinners that are not only economical but also healthy.

Lasagne

Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/robynmac

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Yield: 8 servings

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 zucchini

One 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons tomato puree

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1-1/2 cups 2 percent milk

Salt, to taste

Ground white pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons whole chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 dry lasagna sheets

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1. In a large frying pan, cook the beef over medium-high heat for approximately 20 minutes until cooked through. Drain off any excess liquid.

2. In a separate large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms to the frying pan with the onions.

3. Cut the zucchini lengthways twice, so you have four longs strips, and then slice those strips into 1/2 -inch cubes. Add the zucchini to the vegetables, and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes.

4. When the beef is cooked through, add it to the vegetables. Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, and tomato puree; mix well.

5. Dissolve the vegetable bouillon cube in 1/2 cup boiling water, and add it to the pan with the meat and vegetables.

6. Add the vinegar, oregano, and pepper to the pan. Mix everything together well, turn down the heat, and let simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the flour to the saucepan with the butter.

   Mix well, until the flour is well absorbed, and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk gradually, stirring continuously. Add the salt and ground white pepper.

8. Bring the milk and flour mixture to a boil, stirring continuously with a whisk. Let it boil for 1 to 2 minutes; then remove from the heat. Set aside.

9. Stir the simmering meat and vegetable sauce really well, and remove it from the heat. Add the chia seeds, stirring well to ensure they’re dispersed evenly.

10. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, and add the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the lasagna, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the lasagna into a colander and blot dry with paper towels.

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

12. Spoon one-third of the meat and vegetable sauce into a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of 4 lasagna sheets.

13. Spoon one-third of the white sauce over the lasagna sheets and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese over the sauce.

14. Repeat with meat and vegetable sauce, lasagna sheets, white sauce, and cheese until everything is gone. Keep most of the cheese for the top layer.

15. Place the lasagne in the oven and cook for 30 minutes until the cheese on top is golden.

Per serving: Calories 482 (From Fat 233); Fat 26g (Saturated 12g); Cholesterol 96mg; Sodium 707mg; Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 31g.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)

1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 carrots

1 stick celery

1/2 cup green beans

1 garlic clove

4 cups vegetable stock

2 sprigs thyme

1 small bunch parsley

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

1/2 pound thin egg noodles

2 tablespoons whole chia seeds

1. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips, and add them to the frying pan; cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion to the pan and cook for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure all the chicken cooks through.

3. Peel and thinly slice the carrots; add to the pan. Thinly slice the celery stick; add to the pan. Cut the tops and tails off the green beans and chop into very short sticks; add to the pan, mixing everything together and cooking for 5 minutes.

4. Peel and mince the garlic clove; add to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil.

6. Tip everything from the frying pan into the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add more water if you think it needs it or you prefer a lighter broth.

7. Finely chop the thyme and parsley; add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper; simmer for 20 minutes.

8. In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water.

9. Add the noodles and chia seeds to the soup; return to a simmer.

Per serving: Calories 443 (From Fat 91); Fat 10g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 137mg; Sodium 1,192mg; Carbohydrate 51g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 35g.

To make a larger portion to feed more hungry mouths, or if you want the soup to last a couple days, simply double or triple the ingredients.