Easy, Healthy Recipes for Kids and Teens
Here is a sampling of easy fruit preparations that are a bit more exciting than plain fruit on a plate. For another nifty idea for using fruit, see Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits. And make sure to explore the entire Veg Kids and Teens page on VegKitchen for lots of easy, healthy recipes for vegetarian and vegan kids and teens. Recipes in this topic adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook.
CHUNKY APPLESAUCE
The perfect thing to make after you’ve gone apple-picking or to celebrate the first crop of apples at local farmers’ markets. Please, use organic apples!
Serves: 4 to 6
- 6 to 8 large sweet cooking apples, such as Cortland or Rome, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 2 tablespoons natural granulated sugar, or to taste
- Cinnamon to taste
Combine the apples and juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Add sugar and cinnamon to taste, and allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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BANANA-YOGURT AMBROSIA
Young children often balk at dishes in which ingredients are “touching.” However, I served this often when my sons were younger and had friends visiting. I found that if kids decide for themselves what’s touching what, they don’t seem to mind a mixed dish. In fact, most kids loved creating patterns in their yogurt with the other items, and often asked for seconds.
Serves: 4 to 6
- 1 to 2 medium bananas, sliced
- 1 cup (about half of one 16-ounce can) unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained
- 1 large pear, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup small seedless grapes
- 1/2 cup dark or golden raisins or dried cranberries)
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
- 1 cup granola, optional
- 2 to 3 cups vanilla soy yogurt
Place all the ingredients except the yogurt into separate, small bowls.
Divide the yogurt among 4 to 6 individual serving bowls. Let everyone take a little of whichever ingredients they’d like to dress up their ambrosia.
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CLASSIC STRAWBERRY OR BLUEBERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIE
If you’re looking for just one fruit smoothie combo to fall in love with, this strawberry and banana is a classic for good reason! It’s a good way to start the day
Makes: Two 12-ounce smoothies or three 8-ounce smoothies
- 1 large banana (freeze banana ahead of time
during warm weather for a refreshing effect) - 1 heaping cup sweet strawberries, hulled,
or 1 cup blueberres (use frozen off season) - 1/2 cup vanilla almond, rice, or other nondairy milk
- 1/2 cup orange, mango, or berry juice
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds, optional
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smoothly pureed. For a thinner smoothie or more servings, add more nondairy milk or juice. Serve at once.
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Cooking with the participation of my children and their friends, when they were young, was always an instant spirit-lifter for all. I found this activity particularly successful when my sons and their friends were between the ages of 5 and 8, when hand-eye coordination is excellent and the willingness to do adult-supervised activity is still a plus.
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Halloween used to scare me. My kids coming home with all that junk food sent shivers through my spine. But with a selection of healthy Halloween treats and snacks, it’s a joy, a chance to play dress-up with the kids, and parade around the neighborhood at night, greeting friends, nibbling on healthy, all natural candies, marveling at carved candle lit pumpkins and houses decorated with creepy masks and hanging skeletons. Read More→
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Americans are a snack-crazed culture. And for better or worse, our children seem to be born with this passion for snacking. From the time you become a parent until you pack the kids off for college, snack foods will constitute a sizable portion of your food budget, and the interior of your car will be blanketed with crumbs and wrappers. Instead of loading up on store-bought snacks, which are high in sodium and often high in fat (nearly all supermarket snack foods contain unhealthy partially hydrogenated fats), try these simple home-made snacks.
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When my sons were really young, my idea of meal planning during those truly frantic days was to rush into the kitchen at six o-clock, thinking: “Quick! Cook the noodles!” Pasta is the perfect food when you want dinner in a hurry and need to accommodate both adults and children. Most varieties cook quickly enough to accommodate ravenous hunger, yet allow enough cooking time to prepare a simple sauce and a salad. It’s hard not to love pasta, and wonder of wonders, even kids will eat it (even if you have to leave the sauce you like off their portion and just add a little vegan buttery spread.
Here are a few tasty dishes for kids who have gone beyond the plain noodles phase. Simple as they are, I think adults will enjoy these comforting dishes as well. And make sure to explore the entire Veg Kids and Teens page on VegKitchen for lots of easy, healthy recipes for vegetarian and vegan kids and teens.
PEANUT BUTTER NOODLES
Adults may like to spice up their portion of this dish with an Asian hot sauce and a sprinkling of scallion.
4 to 6 moderate servings
- 8 ounces pasta, your choice of shape
(spaghetti, spirals, wagon wheels, small shells, etc.)
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon soy or teriyaki sauce, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook the spaghetti (or other pasta) until just done, then drain.
Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour over the cooked spaghetti or pasta and toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.
NOTE: When reheating leftovers of this dish, add a small amount of water, as the sauce thickens up quite a bit.
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GREEN NOODLES
For kids who don’t mind a bit of green on their plate, here’s a simple, tasty veggie sauce on pasta.
4 to 6 moderate servings
- 8 ounces pasta, your choice of shape
(spaghetti, spirals, wagon wheels, small shells, etc.) - 1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated margarine
Sauce:
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 1 cup finely chopped broccoli florets, steamed
- 1/2 cup crumbled soft tofu
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup rice milk
- Salt to taste
Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook the pasta until just done, then drain.
In the meantime, combine the frozen peas and broccoli florets in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and drain well.
Combine the peas and broccoli with the remaining sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smoothly pureed. Pour over the cooked spaghetti or pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and serve at once.
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VEGETABLE LO MEIN
This is a fun Chinese restaurant-style dish to recreate at home, and has the advantage of being far less oily than its take-out counterpart.
4 to 6 moderate servings
- 8 ounces udon noodles or Chinese wheat noodles
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
- 8-ounce bag preshredded coleslaw (preferably with carrots included)
- 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half,
or frozen cut green beans, thawed - 15-ounce can cut baby corn, drained, liquid reserved
- 2 to 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch-long segments
- Vegetable stock or water, as needed
- Natural soy sauce to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Cook the noodles in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a wok or stir-fry pan. Add the coleslaw, green beans, and 1/4 cup of the liquid from the baby corn. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
Add the baby corn and scallions and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are all just tender-crisp, adding just enough liquid from the baby corn to keep the bottom of the pan moist.
Combine the cooked noodles with the vegetables in a serving bowl and toss together. Add the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil, then season with soy sauce and grind in pepper to taste. Serve at once.
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Is there anyone out there who isn’t instantly comforted by the thought of a nice warm bowl of soup? Here are a few easy, appealing vegan soups that can become the favorites of kids and teens. Even kids who balk at vegetables may be more likely to enjoy them when enveloped in a tasty broth. See also Creamy Corn Chowder in Tofu 101. And make sure to explore the entire Veg Kids and Teens page on VegKitchen for lots of easy, healthy recipes for vegetarian and vegan kids and teens.
SIMPLE SWEET POTATO SOUP
Nutritious sweet potatoes need little embellishment to make a flavorful soup. This one is made extra easy by baking or microwaving the sweet potatoes ahead of time, sparing the cook from having to and dice them. Just scoop, mash, and heat for a comforting, nearly-instant soup.
Serves: 4 to 6
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 2 cups plain rice milk, or more, as needed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt-free herb-and-spice seasoning mix,
(such as Spike or Mrs. Dash), or to taste - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground or fresh nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Wilted baby spinach for garnish, optional
- Vegan sour cream and/or chives for garnish, optional
Bake or microwave the sweet potatoes until very easily pierced with a knife.
When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each in half, scoop them out of the skins, and transfer to a bowl. Mash well.
Combine the mashed sweet potatoes in a soup pot or large saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Stir together, then heat slowly until the mixture comes to a simmer.
Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add more rice milk. Taste to adjust seasonings. Let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through, or serve at once. Top with any of the suggested garnishes, if you’d like.
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CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP
This soup gets a thick, creamy base from pureed white beans or tofu. Either way, it’s a comforting and nourishing soup.
Serves: 4 to 6
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium-large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 large or 3 medium broccoli crowns, coarsely chopped
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 16-ounce can great northern beans or cannellini, drained and rinsed,
or one 16-ounce tub soft tofu - Rice milk, as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or small soup pot and add the onion. Sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the broccoli, bouillon cube, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the broccoli is tender but not overcooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the mixture in the saucepan to a food processor and add the beans. Puree until smooth, then transfer back to the saucepan.
Add enough rice milk to give the soup a medium-thick consistency. Stir in the dill, then season with salt and pepper. Cook over very low heat for 5 minutes, then serve.
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ALPHABET SOUP
This tasty soup doesn’t need a lot of time to simmer. Start it about 30 minutes before you want to serve it. As kids get older, you can leave out the alphabets (or replace them with ditalini orzo, or other small pasta), but those letters floating around in the soup gives it great appeal to young eaters. This soup will recall the canned version you may have eaten as a child—but better.
Serves: 4 to 6
- 1 tablespoon nonhydrogenated margarine
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
- 1/2 cup tiny alphabet noodles
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 1 cup diced ripe tomato or about half a 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, (see Notes)
Heat the margarine in a medium size saucepan. Add the diced carrots and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add the potatoes, alphabet noodles, dill, paprika, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
Add the peas and tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add a little more water if the broth seems crowded and cook just until heated through.
NOTES: If you like a more tomatoey soup, use the entire can. If there are leftovers, much of the broth will be absorbed by the noodles. Add water as needed, then correct the seasoning with additional paprika, dill, and salt if needed.
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COLORFUL TOFU-VEGETABLE SOUP
This quick and colorful soup will please kids and teens who enjoy Asian flavors. Just toss everything into a soup pot and in a few moments, it’s done!
Serves: 4 to 6
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 15-ounce can cut baby corn, with liquid
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into short narrow strips
- 1 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut in half
- 8 ounces soft tofu, sliced, well blotted, and cut into small dice
- A good handful of spinach or dark green lettuce leaves
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine 5 cups of water with the bouillon cubes, baby corn, bell pepper, snow peas, and tofu in a large saucepan or small soup pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, then simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, if using spinach, rinse it well, remove the stems, and chop coarsely. If using lettuce, cut into narrow shreds. Add to the soup and simmer for another 2 minutes or so, just until the greens are wilted, and serve.
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SIMPLE RAMEN NOODLE SOUP
Full of curly noodles, this easy soup has long been one of my sons’ favorites.
Serves: 4 to 6
- One 32-ounce container low-sodium vegetable broth
- 4- to 6-ounce package curly ramen noodles (see note), broken up
- 1 or 2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
- 1 cup sliced small white or brown mushrooms, optional
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
Bring the broth and 1 cup water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add the noodles and cook for a couple of minutes, until you can separate the strands with a fork.
Add the scallions and optional mushrooms and cook until the noodles and mushrooms are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. If you’d like to make the strands of noodles even shorter, reach a pair of kitchen shears into the saucepan and cut the noodles here and there. Add the green peas. Simmer just until they’re cooked through, then serve.
NOTE: Look for packages of plain curly ramen noodles (not noodle soup) in the Asian foods section of well-stocked supermarkets. If you can find them, short, fine egg-free noodles are a good substitute.
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Potatoes are the most widely used vegetable in the United States, but unfortunately, that’s because french fries reign supreme. If your kids enjoy this versatile veggie, let them enjoy it as nature intended, fresh out of its skin—not deep fried in goodness knows what! Make sure to explore the entire Veg Kids and Teens page on VegKitchen for lots of easy, healthy recipes for vegetarian and vegan kids and teens.
SILKEN TOFU SCALLOPED POTATOES
Here’s a deceptively rich-tasting version of scalloped potatoes. It gives you the benefits of soy, minus the bother of making a flour-thickened white sauce.
Serves: 6
- 6 large or 8 medium potatoes, preferably red-skinned or Yukon gold
- 2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine
- 2 large onions, quartered and thinly sliced
- One 12.3-ounce package silken tofu
- 1/2 cup rice milk
- Salt to taste
Bake or microwave the potatoes in their skins until done but still firm. When cool enough to handle, peel, and slice about 1/4-inch thick.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the margarine in a medium skillet. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until soft and golden.
Puree the tofu in a food processor until very smooth, and drizzle in the milk with the blade still running.
Combine the potato slices, onions, and pureed tofu in a large mixing bowl and stir together thoroughly but gently (don’t worry if the potato slices break apart). Season with salt.
Transfer the mixture to a oiled large shallow baking dish. Bake until the top is golden and slightly crusty, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes, and serve.
POTATO OVEN “FRIES”
A terrific way to enjoy low-fat “fries,” this is a great accompaniment for veggie burgers and soy hot dogs.
Serves: 4
- 4 to 5 large potatoes, preferably red-skinned or Yukon gold,
or 3 large sweet potatoes, or a combination
(try 2 sweet potatoes with 3 white potatoes) - 2 tablespoons light olive oil
- Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into long, 1/2-inch-thick fry-shaped strips. Combine them in a large mixing bowl with the oil and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with a little salt.
Transfer the “fries” to a nonstick baking sheet. Bake, stirring gently every 10 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp and lightly browned, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve at once.
PIZZA POTATOES
Steamed broccoli and a colorful tossed salad complete this simple meal.
Serves: 4 or more
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 1 cup marinara sauce, or more as needed
- 1 to 1/2 cups grated mozzarella-style nondairy cheese
Bake or microwave the potatoes until done. When cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise. Fluff the inside of each potato half with a fork.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce on each potato half, followed by 2 to 3 tablespoons grated cheese. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve at once.
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Getting tofu to taste great and appeal to kid of all ages is easy when you have just the right recipes and tips at hand. If you’re ready for tofu to become a staple in your repertoire, you’ll also find lots more recipes in The Vegetarian Family Cookbook and The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, from which the recipes in this article were adapted. And you can also browse Tofu Recipes: Easy and Versatile here on VegKitchen for more recipes and bolder flavors.
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If you’d like an easy resource for family-friendly tofu recipes, you might enjoy Easy Everyday Tofu Recipes, the first in pdf e-book series, The Best of VegKitchen. Featuring 35 or so recipes that have proven most popular on the site, these well-priced, compact e-books let you to delve into specific food niches without poring through lots of web sites. If you’re a tofu fan you’ll love having a focused array of recipes right at hand. To learn more, click on Easy Everyday Tofu Recipes.
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Parents always welcome new options for healthy eating, and tofu is a superb food to add to the repertoire of growing children. It’s high in easily digestible protein, low in fat, and is a good source of calcium, iron, and B vitamins. Here’s a brief lexicon of common tofu varieties:
Silken tofu: Available in 16-ounce tubs or 12.3 ounce aseptic packages, this type of tofu is very soft and smooth. It’s great pureed and used as a base for soups (Creamy Corn Chowder, following), dips, and sauces (Macaroni and Cheese With Secret Silken Tofu Sauce, following). It also makes an ideal dessert puddings or pie filling (Tofu Chocolate Pudding, following). This may be the best type of tofu to use when you need to sneak it into your child’s meal!
Soft tofu: This comes in 14- to 16-ounce tubs and is good for using crumbled, as in scrambled tofu, eggless “egg salad” or patties (Gently Curried Tofu Burgers). Finely crumbled, this is also a good substitute for ricotta cheese in dishes like lasagna. Like silken tofu, soft tofu can also be pureed and used as a soup or sauce base, with a somewhat heftier consistency.
Firm or extra firm tofu: Available in 14- to 16-ounce tubs, use this when you want the tofu to hold its shape. Firm tofu is ideal for use in stir fries, stews, and as cutlets or nuggets such as the Baked Tofu Nuggets, following, or Barbecue-Flavored Tofu Nuggets.
Baked tofu: Of the tofu varieties listed here, this one is the most difficult, alas, to get in supermarkets. Look for this chewy, dense, and flavorful form of tofu in natural foods stores. Sliced, diced, or (with effort) crumbled, it can be used as a chicken or tuna substitute in stir fries, sandwiches, casseroles, and tortilla dishes (Tofu Fajitas, following). See also 5 Simple Ways to Use Baked Tofu.
TOFU FAJITAS
Makes: 8 fajitas (2 fajitas per serving)
In this super-easy, nearly-instant tortilla recipe, chewy baked tofu stands in for chicken. Letting the kids make their own fajitas becomes part of the fun!
- 8 fajita-size (6- to 7-inch) flour tortillas
- 10- to 12-ounce package baked tofu, cut into strips
- Prepared salsa, your favorite brand
- 1 cup vegan sour cream
- 2 cups finely shredded lettuce
- 1 cup grated cheddar-style nondairy cheese, optional
Wrap the entire batch of tortillas in foil and warm in a preheated 400-degree oven or toaster oven.
Place the tofu strips on a plate and microwave briefly until well warmed, about 3 minutes.
Spread a little salsa and vegan sour cream down the center of each tortilla, then arrange a few tofu strips over them. Sprinkle with some lettuce, and if desired, a little cheese. Roll up snugly and eat out of hand.
BAKED TOFU NUGGETS
4 to 6 kid-sized servings
These breaded nuggets become firm and chewy as they bake. Kids enjoy dipping them into their favorite sauce.
- 16-ounce tub firm or extra firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons wheat germ
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- Marinara or barbecue sauce (warmed), or ketchup
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Blot well between clean tea-towels or several layers of paper towel, then cut into 3/4-inch dice. Combine the wheat germ, cornmeal, and seasoned salt in a mixing bowl. Add the tofu chunks and stir gently until evenly coated.
Arrange the tofu on a lightly oiled non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice during this time, or until golden and firm. Serve at once with sauce of your choice for dipping or topping.
MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH SECRET SILKEN TOFU SAUCE
6 to 8 kid-sized servings
The same children I tested this on 5 years ago still request this each and every time they come to my house for dinner. This basic macaroni and cheese is rich and comforting. Using pureed silken tofu as a base for the sauce gives the kids a good dose of soy goodness.
- 10 to 12 ounces elbow macaroni (or other short pasta shape such as cavatappi)
- 12.3-ounce package silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine
- 1 1/2 cups firmly packed cheddar-style nondairy cheese
- Salt to taste
Cook the macaroni in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.
Meanwhile, puree the tofu until perfectly smooth in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a medium sauce pan and add the margarine and cheese. Slowly bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often, then cook over low heat until the cheese is thoroughly melted.
Combine the cooked macaroni and sauce in a serving container and stir together. Season with salt to taste and serve at once.
VARIATION: Bake in a casserole dish at 400 degrees F. for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and crusty.
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CREAMY CORN CHOWDER
8 kid-sized servings, or about 6 average servings
Pureed silken tofu is a superb base for creamy soups, such as chowders. It provides substance without the need for thickening. The mild, familiar flavors will entice kids of all ages to enjoy a soothing bowl of soup.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 medium-large potatoes, peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 3 cups cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
- 12.3-ounce package silken tofu, well pureed in a food processor or blender
- Rice milk, as needed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and celery and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the carrots, potatoes, bouillon cube, and cumin, plus just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Stir in the corn kernels and pureed tofu. Add just enough rice milk to give the soup a medium-thick consistency. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 10 minutes over very low heat.
If time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or so before serving, then heat through as needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
TOFU CHOCOLATE PUDDING
4 servings
Silken tofu is a great base for pudding—it has just the right consistency, and it spares you from bothering with a flour-thickened milk sauce, which tends to scorch and lump.
- 16-ounce tub silken tofu
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 to 4 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
Puree the tofu in a food processor or blender until completely smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and add the chocolate chips. Cook over medium low heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips have melted. Stir in the maple syrup and optional vanilla.
Allow to cool completely, then serve at room temperature.
- Explore the entire Veg Kids and Teens page for lots more easy, healthy recipes.
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