“My child loves these baked recipes!”

You are worried about your child’s eating habits. So how do you ensure that she finishes her food on time and eat healthy food too at the same time? Proparent Priya Mankotia says that baked items are always a hit with a child and she should know it, as she has tried some baked recipes that are loved by her child. So here she shares some of them. It’s such a joy to see your child eat – I decided it’s time for me to spread this joy! I won’t say they are the easiest recipes to make, but I’ll say this: “Fun to make, packed with health and yummy to eat!”

Vegetable Canneloni

Ingredients

For the dough:

• Wheat flour, 1 cup
• Chilled butter, 2 tsp
• Salt, 1/4 tsp
• Ice cold water to make the dough

For the stuffing:

• Fresh mixed veggies (beans, carrot, cauliflower, capsicum and cabbage), 2 cups finely chopped
• Paneer grated 2 tbsp
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Italian sauce:

• Tomatoes: 8 large
• Garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Oregano powder: 1 tsp
• Sugar: 1/2 to 2 tsp
• Oil: 1 tbsp for cooking

For the topping:

• Cheddar cheese, grated, 3/4 cup
• Capsicum, chopped, 2 tbsp

Method

Prepare the dough: Mix flour, butter and salt and knead till it is smooth (like when you make dough for pooris). Cover and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Prepare the veggies: Add vegetables, salt and pepper and cook covered in little water for 2 minutes. Now add grated paneer and cook for 30 seconds. Strain – vegetables should be nice and crunchy.

Prepare the sauce: Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic paste, chilli powder and mix. Add tomato puree, tomato sauce, sugar, salt, oregano powder. Cook until it thickens.

Now, assemble and bake: Divide the dough into equal balls, dust and roll into thin oval rounds. Boil 3/4 litres of water in a kadhai. Add 2 tbsp oil. Take one round at a time, cook for 30 secs and remove it on a greased plate - do not stack one on top of the other. Take each round, add half tsp stuffing and fold it like a pancake. Pack it from all the sides. Arrange the pancakes on a greased baking tray. Cover pancakes with Italian sauce, sprinkle cheese and capsicum. Bake at 160 degreesC for 15-20 mins or until cheese has melted. Serve hot. Delicious-ness guaranteed!

​Baked Corn Herb Rice

Ingredients

• Basmati Rice, 250 gms
• Spring onion, only leaves, 1 cup
• Chopped parsley, 1 tbsp
• Chopped celery, 1 tbsp
• Boiled corn, 1 cup (if American corn, no need to boil)
• Milk, 1 tbsp
• Cream or malai, 2 tbsp
• Freshly grounded pepper, 1/2 tsp
• Butter, 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For the topping:

• White sauce, 1/2 cup
• Cream, 1 tbsp
• Parsley and celery, 1 tsp, chopped (check with a premium veggie store)

Method

Prepare the rice: Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes. Heat butter in a pan, add pepper powder, spring onions, celery, parsley and corn. Cook for 30 seconds. Now add soaked rice, water (water should be double the quantity of rice), sprinkle salt and cook it, slightly covered. When the rice is half done, pour in cream and milk and cook until it’s done.

Prepare the topping: Mix all the ingredients together and keep aside

Now, assemble and bake: Grease a baking dish and first spread a layer of rice. Next, layer the rice with the topping and grated cheddar cheese. Top it up with crushed Monaco biscuit for that crunchy-munchy texture.

Bake in the oven at 140 degrees C for 15-20 minutes and watch your child gobble it up!

Trifle Bake & Cheese Toast

Ingredients

For the potato layer:

• 4 large boiled potatoes
• Chopped coriander, 2 tbsp
• White sauce, 2 tbsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the green peas layer:

• Boiled peas, 1+1/2 cup
• Italian sauce, 4 tbsp (scroll up for the recipe)
• Salt and pepper to taste

​For the paneer layer:

• Paneer cut into medium cubes, 250 grams
• Chopped celery 1 tbsp
• Chopped capsicum, 1 tbsp
• White sauce, 1+1/2 cup

Method

Prepare the potato layer: Peel and mash potatoes, mix everything and keep aside.

Prepare the green peas layer: Mix everything and keep aside.

Prepare the paneer layer: Mix everything and keep aside.

Now, assemble and bake: Grease a baking dish and start layering – put the potato layer first; followed by the peas layer and finally the paneer layer goes on top. Grate cheese and add a little crunch with sprinkled Monaco biscuits. Bake at 160 degrees Celcius or until the cheese melts. Garnish with oregano and chilli flakes. Serve hot.

Your child will find these restaurant-style home baked dishes just too irresistible! The best part for you: These are all healthy recipe – baking preserves the nutrients. I will be waiting for your feedback – please do write in. Meanwhile, I will try some new recipes to serve and share!