Chef Recommends 3 Tasty Recipes to Make with Kids

April 2020 – Getting little ones involved in preparing meals is a great way to entertain children and, at the same time, an excellent opportunity to introduce them to the variety of tastes, flavors, and textures of foods.

Cooking with kids can be very educational: when separating ingredients, for example, you can encourage organization. In addition, following a recipe can spark interest in math, since you need to divide portions, measure, and even weigh.

Lisiane Miura, chef and nutritionist for the Umami Committee—an organization responsible for promoting umami, the fifth basic taste of the human palate—selected three tasty recipes to make with the kids: banana cookies, mini homemade burgers, and crunchy cheese bread. “The idea is for children to get hands-on with their parents and fill their free time with activities that stimulate their imagination,” she explains.

Check out the recipes:

BANANA COOKIE

Ingredients

• 1 “nanica” (Cavendish) banana (110 g)
• 5 tbsp rolled oats (60 g)
• 1 level coffee spoon canola oil (5 g)
• 5 drops vanilla extract
• 1 coffee spoon honey or demerara sugar (6 g)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (390 °F).
2. Mash the banana well.
3. Add the oats, oil, and honey.
4. Using two small spoons, form little balls and place them on a baking sheet greased with butter.
5. The batter will be soft—that’s normal.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 10 cookies
Prep time: 40 minutes

MINI HOMEMADE BURGER

Ingredients

• 80 g ground beef (eye of round)
• ½ small clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chopped parsley
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp chia seeds

Directions

1. Season the ground beef with garlic, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and olive oil; mix well.
2. Add the chia, then divide into mini-burger portions (split into two equal parts, shape into balls, then flatten slightly).
3. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Grill in a nonstick skillet over medium heat on both sides.
5. If needed, add a splash of water to prevent burning and ensure the meat cooks through.

Tip: serve the mini burgers with homemade carrot or broccoli bread.

Yield: 2 mini burgers
Prep time: 35 minutes

CRUNCHY BRAZILIAN CHEESE BREAD (Pão de Queijo)

Ingredients

• 4 cups sweet tapioca starch (400 g)
• 1 ½ cups milk (300 ml)
• ½ cup oil (100 ml)
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 cup grated queijo Minas padrão (semi-hard Minas cheese)

Directions

1. Place the tapioca starch in a bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and oil and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour over the starch and mix well with a spoon. Let cool slightly, then knead by hand until warm.
2. Add the egg and work it into the dough. Add the salt and cheeses, and continue mixing until smooth and homogeneous. Shape small balls and place them on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated medium oven (180 °C / 350 °F) for 20 minutes, or until golden.
3. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Yield: 42 pieces
Prep time: 30 minutes (+ 20 minutes baking)

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste in the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after ingestion. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.