Daunting as this may sound to parents, it’s quite easy to put together quick breakfasts for your little ones.
By Shweta Mehra
Time and again we hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But most of the time, in the morning rush, there’s barely any time to make a wholesome meal, and grabbing a breakfast bar seems like the best option.
But, what about kids? Breakfast bars aren’t really great options for them, and all breakfast cereals invariably come with tons of added sugar. Kids need a good breakfast after the long night’s sleep – especially considering that their little bodies are gearing up for the whole day’s activities. In times of COVID-19, this means online classes and not much of actual physical activities.
Daunting as this may sound to parents, it’s quite easy to put together quick breakfasts for your little ones. Something that is wholesome and nutritious and looks pretty enough for little hands to grab. Let’s see ten recipes that can be made in under 10 minutes and can be called breakfast of the champions.
Oat pancakes (savoury)
Ingredients:
1 cup ground oats
1 tbsp fine semolina
Finely-diced veggies (beans, carrots, onions)
2 tbsp unflavoured yogurt
Salt to taste
Water as needed
Mix all the ingredients and add water as needed until it resembles a thick batter. In a small pan, drop small dollops and cook well on both sides.
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Watermelon and cheese kebabs
Ingredients:
Watermelon — cubed
Feta cheese — cubed
Paneer — cubed
Grapes
Olive oil — 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
This is a fruit and cheese kebab that even parents will enjoy. The colours in this kebab attract little ones.
Take a small toothpick or a skewer. Thread through the watermelon, paneer, feta and grapes alternately. Lightly brush a mixture of olive oil and salt over the paneer and feta cheese.
Corn bhel
Ingredients:
1 cup boiled corn
½ cup chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp pomegranate pearls
¼ cup chopped onion/spring onion greens
Few sprigs of coriander — finely chopped
Salt to taste
A small squeeze of lime
Mix together all the ingredients. For kids who love ketchup, a small dash can be used as dressing.
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Colourful pinwheel sandwiches
Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
Mayonnaise – 2 tbsp
Grated carrot – 4 tbsp
Spinach puree – 1 tbsp or green chutney
Cheese slices – 3
– Cut off the sides of the bread and flatten it down using a rolling pin.
– Next, arrange the slices like a train, so that they overlap on the sides.
– Flatten using the back of a spoon. (You can use a little water to seal the edges)
– In a bowl, mix half the mayonnaise with grated carrots. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining half mayonnaise with the spinach puree/green chutney.
– Spread the carrot mixture on the bread slices. Layer it with slices of cheese. On this, spread the chutney/spinach puree and mayonnaise.
– Roll the bread starting from one edge. Once the whole log is made, cut into small discs. The sandwich is healthy and keeps kids full.
Ragi porridge bowl (finger millet)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp ragi (nachni)
½ cup water
¼ cup milk
1 tbsp jaggery sugar/jaggery
Chopped mixed nuts
A small banana/sliced apple
In a saucepan, heat the water and milk together. Add the ragi flour to this mixture. Once it boils, add the jaggery/jaggery sugar. As soon as the mixture thickens, pour into a bowl and add a handful of nuts for extra nutrition and crunch. Add a small sliced banana and serve.
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Veggie tots
Ingredients:
2 boiled potatoes, grated
Finely chopped vegetables (carrots, beans, boiled peas)
¼ cup flattened rice (poha)
Salt to taste
Mix herbs to taste
– Wash and soak the poha in water for two minutes.
– Mash the potatoes and add in the other ingredients.
– Mix well and shape into little tots.
– Shallow-fry them on a pan or in an air fryer.
These freeze well, too, so you can make and store them if you wish.
Red velvet pancakes
Ingredients:
Juice of 2 medium sized beetroots (boiled or raw)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar/honey
¼ cup milk
– In a large bowl, add in the dry ingredients.
– Next, add the milk and the sugar/honey.
– Keep mixing well.
– Add the beetroot juice and adjust the consistency. The batter should be flowy, but not runny.
– On a pan, brush some butter and make small pancakes.
– Drizzle some honey and serve.
Egg muffins
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cheese grated
Salt to taste
(Optional: Finely-chopped vegetables)
In a bowl, whisk the eggs well. Add all the other ingredients and line a muffin pan with some colourful liners. Pour the mixture into the liners about ½ way full. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Corn and pea fritters
Ingredients:
1 cup boiled corn and peas (mixed)
1 small onion chopped finely
¼ cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 tbsp rice flour
Salt to taste
Mash the boiled corn and peas roughly. Add the chickpea flour, rice flour, onion and season with salt. Add enough water to make a mixture. On a hot griddle, ladle out a small mixture and cook on both sides.
Banana pancakes
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp jaggery (can be substituted with sugar/coconut sugar)
½ cup water
– In a mixer, pulse all ingredients well, by adding the water in parts. The resulting mixture should be of pouring consistency but not too runny.
– Heat a pan and brush with butter. Add small parts of the mixture and cook well until golden brown on both sides.
– If the bananas are overripe, you can completely skip adding extra sweeteners.
Kids most often will emulate parents, so it’s a good idea to set aside some time and eat breakfast with the little ones. Apart from good nutrition, make sure kids stay hydrated, and get in enough exercise, too.
(The writer is a a leading nutritionist from Mumbai)
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