PB & J Pancake Bites / Whole wheat Strawberry Jam filled mini muffins with Peanut Butter spread

Category:  Breakfast / Kids Recipes
Preparation Time: 10 mins + 10 mins waiting time 
Cooking Time: 9-11 mins
Servings: yields around 15 mini muffins 

PB & J Pancake Bites

Peanut Butter and Jelly, or PB&J, is a classic combo that’s loved by many, especially kids in the US. On weekends, I like to switch things up and make pancakes, waffles, or muffins for breakfast. I’ve already shared some of my favorite pancake recipes with you, like these whole wheat pancake mini muffins and pancake doughnuts.

Whole wheat pancake mini muffins 

Pancake Doughnuts.

I’m experimenting with a new recipe for pancake muffins filled with fruit preserves or jam. It’s a tasty twist on the classic pancake! To make it even healthier, we can use homemade unsweetened peanut butter and fruit jam made with less sugar. What do you think?

These PB&J Pancake bites are made with whole wheat flour stuffed with strawberry preserves and topped with peanut butter spread. They’re absolutely delicious, super soft, and a hit with everyone!

Since we’re using fruit preserves, I’ve reduced the amount of sugar in the pancake batter, and we can even skip the sugar altogether!

For the eggless version, we can use the batter as in the pancake donuts recipe: Pancake Doughnuts

Super soft!!!!

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients: 

• White Whole Wheat flour / Whole Wheat Pastry flour / Atta  - 1 cup
• Baking powder -  1/2 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - a pinch

Wet Ingredients:  

• Egg - 1 no (at room temperature)
• Butter milk - 1 cup (I used 3/4 cup thick yogurt + 1/4 cup water)
• Sugar - 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp (I used Organic unrefined sugar)
• Unsalted Butter - 2 Tbsp, Melted 

Mixed Vegetable Paratha / Mixed Veggies Whole wheat Flatbread

Category: Chapathi / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 15 mins    
Cooking Time: 20 mins    
Servings: 3 - 4 servings

Mixed Vegetable Paratha

Mixed vegetable paratha is an easy breakfast recipe for toddlers and kids. This can also be packed in kids lunch box along with some raita or simple yogurt. This is a great way to include veggies in our kids diet :)

This is very simple, just steam cook the available veggies, mash them, knead it with the dough and make parathas. This is not a stuffed paratha so it s perfect for busy mornings too.

Choice of veggies is up to us, but adding sweet potato or potato will yield softer paratha  so try to include one of them. 

Also we can include greens along with the veggies. We can add finely chopped spinach, methi leaves, coriander leaves or even spring onions. No need to cook the greens, we can just add them while making the dough. If needed we can steam cook the spinach for couple of mins and mash it along with the veggies.

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat flour / Atta -2 to 3 cups (use as required)

• Mixed vegetables* -About 3 cups (I used 1 medium sized sweet potato, 1 carrot, 1/2 cup frozen green peas, 10 green beans)

• Ginger, grated - 1/2 Tbsp

• Ajwain / Omam - 1/2 tsp

• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped 

• Garam Masala ** - 1/2 to 1 tsp

• Red chilly powder -  to taste

• Salt- to taste

• Oil / Ghee - as required

* We can use the following vegetables for making this paratha 

• Sweet Potato

Ragi Semiya - Sweet & Savoury Version - Easy Breakfast Recipes

 Category: Kids Breakfast
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 10 mins  
Servings - 2 servings

Ragi Semiya - Savory & Sweet Version

Ragi semiya / Ragi Vermicelli is a healthy and also a very quick breakfast we can make on a busy morning. This also comes in handy for a relaxed week end morning breakfast:) 

Ragi Sweet Semiya

Kids will enjoy this, especially the sweet version :) Not only for breakfast, we can make this for evening snack or for the sudden hunger prangs.

Ragi Semiya Upma

For making it more nutritious, we can add finely chopped veggies while making the savory Upma version. For the sweet version, I usually add unrefined organic coconut sugar, but we can also add organic jaggery powder or unrefined cane sugar.

Ingredients:

• Ragi Semiya / Ragi Vermicelli - 3 cups
• Water - as needed

For the sweet version:

• Fresh Coconut, grated - 3-4 Tbsp
• Coconut Sugar / Unrefined Sugar - 1 Tbsp (Use as per taste)
• Cardamom powder - a pinch
• Ghee - 1 tsp (Optional)
• Cashews - few pieces (Optional)

For the savory version:

• Cooking Oil - 1/2 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal, split - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Small Onions / Sambar Onions - 5-6 nos, halved
• Green chillies - 1-2 nos, halved
• Mixed veggies like finely chopped carrot, green peas (Optional)
• Salt - to taste

Zucchini Mini Parathas (Whole wheat Zucchini flatbreads)

Category: Chapathi / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 20 mins           
Cooking Time: 20 mins      
Servings: 3 servings

Zucchini Mini Parathas

Zucchini is one of the few vegetables which I tried only after coming to US. Initially I tried Zucchini in Quesadilla, Pasta and Pizza only, Then I gradually started incorporating into our Indian dishes. It's a very versatile vegetable and loaded with nutrients.

This Zucchini Paratha is similar to our normal vegetable parathas and to make it more interesting for the kids, I prepared them as mini parathas. Bite sized foods are always hit among the kids😍 

You can view some of my Zucchini recipes here:  Zucchini

Zucchini Mini Parathas!!

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 2 to 3 cups (Use as needed)
• Green Zucchini - 1 no (Medium sized)
• Ginger, grated - 1 tsp
• Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Green chilly paste  - to taste (Optional)
• Ghee-for toasting
• Wheat flour - for dusting

Variations: 

• Any spice powders of our choice can be added to taste such as Cumin powder, Garam Masala Powder, Red chilly powder, Italian seasoning or just Ajwain seeds. If we are making for adults, we can add finely chopped green chillies

Dosai Pizza / Pizza Uthappam

Category: Kids Recipes
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: 3 servings

Yummy Pizza Dosai

Dosai Pizza / Pizza Uthappam is just making Pizza with the Dosai as the base :) Whenever kids crave for pizza but we didn't have time to make one, we can prepare this Pizza dosa. 

As a south Indian, we always stock up Idli Dosa batter. But kids often got bored with the regular foods. We need to find ways to make our regular foods look fun and fascinating for the little ones 😅

Dosai Pizza

Toppings are purely of our choice, We can use Onions, Bellpepper, Mushrooms, Olives, Baby corn, Sweet corn, Paneer, Zucchini, etc., Since we are cooking in low flame and only for short amount of time, the veggies can be sauted in little oil until they gets cooked just right.

If we want thin base, we can make this with normal thin dosa too.

Ingredients:

• Idli/Dosa batter - 2 cups
• Pizza Sauce / Pasta Sauce - 1/4 cup
• Mushrooms - 4-5, sliced
• Bell pepper / Capsicum - 1/4 cup, thinly sliced
• Black olives - few, sliced
• Sweet corn - 2 Tbsp, boiled
• Mozzarella cheese - 1/2 cup, grated (Use as needed)
• Italian seasoning - to taste
• Chilli flakes - to taste
• Garlic powder - a pinch (Optional - I like to flavour up the mushrooms)
• Salt - to taste
• Cooking oil - as needed

Butter Corn Pasta - Easy Pasta Recipes

Category: Pasta / Macaroni 
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 15-20 mins
Servings: 1-2 servings

Yummy Cheesy Pasta

Butter corn pasta is one of the easy pasta recipes and a favourite among the kids. 

If we have pasta sauce in hand, we can do this in a jiff, if not we can also use finely chopped tomatoes or pureed tomato. 

Butter Corn Pasta

We can also add finely chopped bellpeppers to it to make it more nutritious and colourful. 

Adding cheese is an optional here, it tastes good even without the cheese.

Ingredients:

• Pasta - 1 cup (I used small Ditalini Pasta)
• Sweet corn, frozen - 1/2 cup 
• Pasta sauce - About 1/2 cup (use as needed)
• Butter - 1 Tbsp
• Basil leaves / Italian seasoning - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper powder - to taste
• Mozzarella cheese, grated - as required (Optional)
• Water - as required

 Notes:

• This time I have used store brought Organic Garden vegetable Pasta sauce here and you can find one of my home made pasta sauce recipe here: Homemade Pasta Sauce
• If we are not having pasta sauce in hand, we can replace it with pureed tomatoes or tomato paste. In that case, add finely chopped clove of garlic while sautéing and a little more Italian seasoning at the end
• For make it more interesting and colorful, we can add finely chopped coloured bellpeppers along with the sweet corn

Oatmeal Nutella Smoothie (using home made Nutella)

Category: Breakfast/ Oats 
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 5 mins  
Servings: 1-2 servings

Oatmeal Nutella Smoothie

Oatmeal Nutella smoothie is a quick and easy on the go breakfast / after school snack for the kids. 

Store-brought Nutella is loaded with refined sugars and palm oil, so I never buy it. This is made with home made Nutella and you can find the recipe here: Home made Nutella.

Home made Nutella with Almonds

Ingredients:

• Oatmeal (Quick cooking or old-fashioned) - 1/2 cup
• Milk / Non-dairy milk -  1 and 1/2 cups (Use as needed)
• Home made Nutella - 1-2 Tbsp (Use as needed)

Optional Add-ins:

• Dates 
• Soaked Chia seeds
• Apple 

Sprinkle Chocolate Bark (Easy Holiday Treats)

Category: Easy Treats / Festive Recipes
Preparation Time: 5 mins 

 

Sprinkle Chocolate Bark

Chocolate bark with sprinkles is a very easy and quick holiday treat. Chocolate bark is actually a sheet of chocolate covered with nuts and dry fruits or even candies. 

Festive Treats!!!

If we are not having any cooking chocolate, we can just use our regular chocolate chips. There are lot of variations for the chocolate bark; We can use either dark chocolate or milk chocolate or even white chocolate to make these.

 

Also the toppings are purely of our choice. We can use chopped nuts, dry fruits, seeds, candied fruits, crushed candy canes, coconut, candies, etc. as toppings.

During this winter break, kids will enjoy making these quick treats. I try to avoid the artificial dyes so I used the sprinkles coloured with natural ingredients.

Ingredients:

• Chocolate chips - 1 cup (I used semi-sweet mini chocolate chips)
• Sprinkles - as needed

Mixed Veg Paniyaram

Category: Kids Recipes
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: 2 servings

Crispy & Yummy

Kids love to have bite sized foods. Paniyaram is always a hit among the kids. We can serve these for breakfast or even as an evening snack.

Mixed Veg Paniyaram

I had already posted Chola Paniyaram recipe in my blog. And this one is using left over Idli dosa batter and to make it more healthy we can add mixed veggies.

Crispy paniyarams😋

Ingredients:

• Idli/Dosa batter - 2 cups
• Big Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Carrot - 1 big, finely chopped
• Green beans - 10, finely chopped
• Green chilly, split - as needed
• Salt - to taste
• Cooking oil - as needed
• Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
• Split Urad dal - 1 tsp

Mapillai Samba Rice Idiyappam (Red rice string hopper)

Category: Idiyappam / Breakfast recipes
Preparation Time: 15 mins  
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: 3-4 servings

Mapillai Samba Rice Idiyappam

Mapillai Samba Arisi or “Bride Groom Rice” is a traditional and native variety of rice, which is red in colour and is grown predominantly in Tamil Nadu. In ancient period, the newlywed bridegroom would be asked to lift the rock in front of everyone to display his mental & physical strength and bravery. To improve the physical and mental power, they would be  served this rice which is high in nutritional value. Mappillai samba is one such native rice which has got a high nutritional value that will help them to stay focused while lifting the rock as well as give them the power to lift. Hence, this red thick rice got its name as “Mappillai Samba” and was often cooked and served to newlywed bridegrooms. 

Mapillai Samba Rice

Even though the name of the rice is “Bride Groom's Rice”, it is meant for all who wants to get good energy and strength.

Idiyappam with Mixed Veg Curry

Mappillai samba rice has great amount of iron and zinc. Iron protects the production of myoglobin and haemoglobin. They carry the oxygen to tissues and muscles which keeps the energy level high of the body. It also consists pro-anthocyanins which assist in reduction of the cholesterol level and hyper glycemia. Good for diabetics since it is has a low Glycemic Index. Children will achieve better growth.

Here I used home made Mapillai Samba rice flour. Wash and soak rice for about 2 hours; then drain the rice and spread it on a clean cloth; let it dry in shade until it gets completely dried. Then grind it to a fine flour in the flour mill. If making in small quantities, we can grind it in batches in the mixie.

Ingredients:

• Mapillai Samba Rice flour - 1 1/2 cups
• White rice / Idiyappam flour - 1/2 cup (optional and can be replaced with Mapillai samba rice flour)
• Water - 2 cups (Adjust as needed)
• Salt - to taste
• Sesame oil - 1/2 tsp

Mixed Vegetable Dosa Waffles

Category: Kids Recipes
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: 2 servings

Dosa Waffle Sticks

As a south Indian, we always stock up Idli Dosa batter. But kids often got bored with the regular foods. We need to find ways to make our regular foods look fun and fascinating for the little ones 😅

Mixed Veg Dosa Waffles

So how about making our dosa more interesting and attractive by adding colorful veggies and cook it in the waffle maker 👍 

These dosa waffles are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. With the addition of veggies, Doesn't it look tastier?

Dosa sticks or Dosa squares?

While serving for toddlers and small kids, we can cut them up into strips or even squares.

Bite sized foods are always liked by the kids, so lets be creative 😊

Ingredients:

• Idli/Dosa batter - 2 cups
• Idli Podi - 1 Tbsp (adjust as needed)
• Big Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Carrot - 1 big, finely chopped
• Green beans - 10, finely chopped
• Green chilly, split - as needed

Ragi Poori

 Category: Kids Recipes
Preparation Time: 10 mins 
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: 2-3 servings 

 

Ragi Mini pooris

Ragi is one of the healthiest grain and also easily available. Mostly it will be the first food given to the babies when they are ready to start with their solids. Ragi can be given to kids in various forms like Porridge, Idli, Dosa, Pakoda, etc. 

We can add Ragi flour along with wheat flour for making Ragi pooris :) Since I used store bought Organic ragi flour this time, the colour of the pooris are on little darker side.

Mini Ragi Pooris  served with Mixed Veg Kurma

Ragi pooris taste great with Channa masala, Potato Masala, Veg Kurma :)

Ingredients:

• Ragi flour - 1/2 cup

• Wheat flour / Atta - 1/2 cup

• Rava, fine variety - 1 tsp 

• Salt - to taste

• Ghee - 1/2 tsp

• Oil - for deep fry
• Water - as needed