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When it comes to children and food, creativity is always at the forefront of ensuring adequate nutritional intake. Given the amount of effort parents undergo to cater to the dietary requirements of fussy kids, coming up with solutions that combine their favourite foods with a bit of a ‘sneaky’ twist is a great way to cultivate eating habits that benefit them. Think base sauces made using Usha’s Mixer Grinder, which are versatile enough to be incorporated across a variety of preparations. Besides, one of the biggest advantages of having veggie-based sauces handy is the ease of meal-prepping—meaning a warm, home-cooked meal is only a matter of few steps before it is ready to eat.
Tomato ‘Veggie’ Sauce
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Whether you prefer using the sauce on pizza or to toss cooked pasta in, a tangy tomato sauce can be a great medium to hide vegetables such as bottle gourd, carrots and pumpkin in. Simply cook the base ingredients as one would for a regular tomato sauce before adding in chopped vegetables of choice and simmering it until soft. Cool and blend to a smooth paste, check for seasoning and stash it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Amplify the red colour of the sauce by adding in some bell peppers, which provide colour as well as an inherent sweetness that complements the tang of the tomatoes.
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Cauliflower/Squash Bechamel
A great way to eliminate the use of maida from the French mother sauce is by substituting it with florets of cauliflower or cubes of butternut squash. Cook the cauliflower along with a handful of cashews in vegetable or chicken stock until soft before cooling and blending into a smooth paste. Boost the flavour of the ‘bechamel’ by simmering it with some onions and garlic in butter or olive oil and add a pinch of paprika to introduce a light hue similar to that of melted cheese. Add a quarter cup of cheddar, parmesan or nutritional yeast to give the sauce a cheesy taste—using it as the foundation for Alfredo pasta, macaroni and cheese as well as to layer in sandwiches.
Broccoli Pesto
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Understandably so, children can be fussy when it comes to eating their greens, and there’s no better way to mask the flavour of broccoli than to combine it with fresh herbs like basil or carrot leaves, roasted cashews, parmesan cheese, olive oil and lemon juice. Blanch the broccoli slightly to cook it before pulverising it in a high-speed mixer grinder until fairly coarse before combining it with other ingredients using a mortar and pestle to maintain an authentic, pesto-like texture. Spread the pesto as a layer in wraps or sandwiches, toss with cooked millet pasta, serve it as a dip with chips or even mixed with high-protein condiments like hummus or garlickly Greek yoghurt.
Avocado-Spinach Sauce
A delicious base that can even be used in Indian food—the creamy avocado and spinach sauce is a fun way to introduce good fats and mineral-rich leafy greens like spinach to kids in an approachable way. The delicious sauce, which starts with a base of onions, garlic and ginger is enriched further with blanched spinach, steamed green beans and a ripe avocado or two. Blend it and dilute further to make a soup that can be served as an accompaniment to a grilled cheese sandwich, or add paneer to it and pair with rotis or rice. The nutrient-dense sauce transforms into a delicious salsa-like condiment that can be used for dipping chips into, drizzling over eggs and as salad dressings.
