For fussy vegetable eating children.....Vermicelli Upma

7:27 PM

Fruits and vegetables may not top the list for kids' favorite foods, but good reasons exist to include more of these foods in your child's diet. At the same time, many children, are eating more junk foods . The best way to drop consumption of junk foods is to eat more fruits and vegetables –everyday. Children’s growing bodies require good nutrition, and fruits and vegetables contain a multitude of vitamins, minerals and other healthy compounds. Citrus fruits are rich in immune system-boosting vitamin C, helps the body defenses against infection and plays a vital role in bones, blood capillaries, cartilage, teeth and gums .carrots are loaded with eye-healthy vitamin A and spinach is a good source of iron, a mineral that helps prevent anemia. Eating fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors will provide a wide range of nutrients that help keep kids healthy.

Fruits and vegetables are high in filling fiber, but low in fat and calories. This helps keep the intestine functioning well and slows down the rate at which foods are broken down to form glucose in the blood. Soluble fiber can also help control blood cholesterol levels. Encouraging kids to eat fruits and vegetables instead of sugary snacks and fat-laden fast food can help children avoid obesity.

It’s a good idea to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables and to include some in every meal. There are lots of interesting and tasty ways to do this – fruit and vegetables can be served raw, baked, grated or diced. They can also be added to other ingredients.

Put sliced banana or strawberries on cereal.
Add chopped fruit to yoghurt.
Make a smoothie using fresh fruit.
Try vegetable kebabs with your dinner.
Top your pizza with sliced mushrooms and capsicum.

Eating fresh fruit is much better for you than a glass of fruit juice, which can have up to six teaspoons of sugar and very little dietary fiber. Establishing the habit of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables at an early age provides children and youth with a foundation for life-long healthy eating habits and reduces the risk of diet-related chronic diseases.

As a mother it is always a challenge for me how to make my child eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables, which leads me to try out different dishes with fruits and vegetables and on this endevour is trying to share my experiment with vegetables and fruits as both sweet and savory dish.

Vermicelli Upma

Ingredients:
Vermicelli ( Simei)- 1 cup
Assorted Vegetables of your choice-1 cup
Onion-1 finely chopped
Green Chilli- 1 finely chopped
Curry leaves- 5 to 6
cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Water- 2 cups
salt
Oil- 2 to 3 tbsp

Method:

Fry the vermicelli( Simei) with a little oil in the pan and keep aside.

Now in the same pan, put 2 tbsp of oil and once hot, put the cumin seeds.

Once it starts to crackle, add the green chillies, curry leaves, Onions and fry for 1 to 2 minutes.

Now, add the vegetables, salt and cook for another 2 minutes on slow flame.

Now add 2 cups of water and let it boil. Once the water boils, wait till it reduces to half of its quantity and then add the fried vermicelli along with 1 tbsp oil, so that the vermicelli do not stick with each other.

Cook till dry and serve hot with Tomato sauce. It smells really nice and kids will definitely adore this.

NB: I have used only potato, carrot and okra here as my son hardly eats this vegetable , but I am surprised this is getting to be his favorite snacks after coming from school.