Mushroom Spinach Cheese Square Paratha | Kids’ Lunch Box Recipe

Category: Breakfast / Dinner / Tiffin
Preparation Time: 10–15 mins 
Cooking Time: 2-3 mins per paratha
Servings: Makes around 4-6 parathas, depending on size and thickness

Packing lunch boxes every morning always makes me look for recipes that are simple, quick, kid-friendly and easy to customize. This Mushroom Spinach Cheese Paratha is one of those recipes I make quite often for my kids’ lunch boxes.

Mushroom Spinach Cheese Paratha

I usually make a simple filling with mushrooms, spinach and cheese, seasoned with Italian herbs and black pepper. The combination is mild and flavorful, and the melted cheese makes it something the kids really enjoy.

Instead of making the usual round stuffed paratha, I like to make these square-shaped and neatly closed. For my younger one, I make them mini-sized, which makes them easy for little hands to hold and perfect for lunch boxes.

What I love most about this recipe is that I don’t always make the exact same filling. I customize it depending on what I have in my refrigerator that morning.

If I have spinach, I add it. If I don’t, I simply make mushroom and cheese parathas. I sometimes add finely chopped bell peppers or sweet corn as well. And on especially busy mornings, I may use a cheese slice instead of grated cheese to make things even quicker.

The seasoning can also be changed. I usually like Italian seasoning and black pepper with mushrooms, spinach and cheese because it gives the filling a mild, pizza-like flavor that my kids enjoy. If you prefer Indian flavors, you can use simple Indian spices instead.

So there really isn’t a strict combination for this recipe. Mushroom + cheese, mushroom + spinach + cheese, mushroom + bell pepper + cheese, or mushroom + corn + cheese — they all work beautifully.

That’s what makes this such a useful lunch-box recipe for me: one basic paratha, but so many easy combinations depending on what I have on hand.

Ingredients

For the Paratha Dough

• Whole wheat flour – 1 1/2 cups
• Salt – as needed
• Oil / Ghee – 1 tsp
• Warm Water – as needed
• Oil or ghee – for cooking

For the Filling

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

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

Bottle gourd Paratha / Suraikkai Chapathi / Lauki Paratha

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

Bottlegourd Paratha

Bottlegourd / Lauki / Suraikkai is one of the lowest calorie vegetables and has a lot of healthy benefits. We usually make poriyal (stir-fry), kootu, kuzhambu, rice, paratha or even raita. 

For the picky eaters / toddlers, we can make this Paratha and for sure they wont even realize there are veggies inside 😉. 

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 2 to 3 cups (Use as needed)
• Bottlegourd - 1 no (Small / Medium sized)
• Carrot - 1 no (Optional)
• Ginger, grated - 1/2 Tbsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp 
• Green chilly paste / Red Chilli powder - to taste 
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Ghee- to taste 
• Wheat flour - for dusting

Avocado - Spinach Chapathi (Avocado-Spinach Flatbread)

Category: Chapathi / Paratha
Preparation Time: 10 mins 
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Servings:3 to 4 servings

Avocado-Spinach Chapathis

Avocado and Spinach both are very nutritious and very versatile. I regularly make avocado rotis and sometimes will add spinach into it:) Avocado-Spinach Chapathi has the goodness of whole wheat flour, avocado and spinach in a single dish. 

Super Soft!

Kids will surely like this and the color of the parathas are very appealing - Isn't it? These are super soft and can be packed for lunch boxes as well. These can also be used as wraps.

Ingredients: 

• Wheat flour / Atta - 2 to 3 cups as required
• Avocado, ripen - 1 big
• Spinach leaves, cleaned - 2 cups tightly packed
• Salt - to taste
• Ghee - for spreading on cooked chapathis,  if needed 
• Wheat Flour - for dusting
• Method:
• Wash and drain the spinach leaves

Sweet Potato Chapathi

Category: Chapathi / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Waiting Time: 30 mins      
Cooking Time: 20 mins    
Servings: Yields around 10-12 Chapathis

Sweet Potato Chapathis

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 2 cups
• Sweet potato - 1 no
• Roasted Cumin seeds, coarsely powdered - 1 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Warm Water - as needed

Method:

1. Wash, chop and cook the sweet potato in steamer or cook in a vessel placed inside the cooker
   
2. Once it gets cooked, peel off the skin and mash it well 
   
3. In a wide bowl, add the wheat flour, required salt, cumin powder and mix well
4. To this add the mashed sweet potato and knead well to form a smooth soft dough. Sprinkle water only if necessary; at times moisture in the sweet potato will be enough for kneading. Keep it aside for atleast 30 mins
   
5. After 30 mins, knead the dough for 2 mins and divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls 
   
6. Take one dough ball, dust it with flour, flatten it and roll into a thin chapathi
   
7. Heat the tawa, place the chapathis and cook till bubbles started to appear on the surface
   
8. Turn over and cook the other side
   
9. Once it's cooked transfer to plate or place it in hot box till we serve
   
10. These  chapathis are soft and can be had with any dal or gravy
    

Cauliflower Paratha - For Kids

Category: Chapati / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 15 mins      
Waiting Time: 30 mins      
Cooking Time: 20 mins      
Servings: yields 5 parathas

Cauliflower Paratha

 Ingredients:

For Dough:

• Wheat flour - 1 cup + 1 tbsp for rolling
• Ghee - 1-2 tsp
• Ajwain / Omam-  1/4 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Warm Water - as required 

For Stuffing:

• Cauliflower, grated - 1 cup (tightly packed)
• Ginger, grated -  1 tsp
• Curry Masala Powder (Home made) - 1/2 tsp *
• Pav Bhaji Masala Powder (Home made) - 1/4 tsp*
• Salt - to taste 
• Oil - 1 tsp 

*Can be replaced with Garam Masala / Chilly powder / any spice powders of our choice

For Toasting:

• Ghee - as required

Method:

1. In a wide bowl, add wheat flour, Omam, 1-2 tsp of ghee and required salt, mix well and knead into a smooth soft dough by gradually adding warm water. Keep aside for atleast 30 mins and prepare the stuffing
   
   
   
   
2. In a vessel bring water to boil, add cauliflower florets and switch it off. Afetr 5 mins, take the florets and drain well (here I used green coloured cauliflower)
   
3. Finely grate the florets using grater and keep it ready
   
4. Heat oil in a pan add ginger and then add grated cauliflower, saute for a min
5. Then add the dry masala powders and required salt, saute till the raw smell goes off
   
6. Allow the stuffing to cool down
   
7. Divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls, dust them with flour, flatten them to a small thick circle
   
8. Place about 2 tbsp of stuffing inside, cover it up and then roll again to a thin paratha
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. Heat the tawa, place the parathas and cook till bubbles started to appear on the surface; Turn over, apply few drops of ghee and cook the other side
   
10. Once it's cooked, spread a little ghee / oil on the paratha and transfer to plate or place it in hot box till you serve
    
11. Serve warm with Raita!
    

Beetroot Chapathi

Category: Chapathi / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 20 mins      
Waiting Time: 30 mins      
Cooking Time: 20 mins      
Servings: 12-15 Chapathis

Beetroot Chapathi

Beetroot Chapathi or Paratha is a nice way to make our kids eat the veggie:) Also sprinkling sesame seeds gives an extra health boost, crunchiness and also attractive to kids!

Since this is kid friendly recipe, I have not added any spice powders but its purely upto one's own choice. We can add Cumin Powder / Red chilly powder / Garam Masala

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 2 cup 
• Beetroot - 1 no (Small / Medium sized)
• Oil - 1/4 -1/2 tsp
• Water - as required
• Salt - to taste
• Sesame seeds - 1-2 tbsp 
• Wheat / Rice flour - for dusting

Optional: 

• Any spice powders of our choice can be added to taste such as Cumin powder, Red chilli powder, Garam Masala Powder 

Method:

1. Wash, peel the skin and chop the beetroot into medium sized pieces; Cook it in little water until it becomes tender
2. In a blender, take the cooked beetroot pieces and grind to a smooth puree by adding required water if needed
3. In a wide bowl, take 2 cups of wheat flour, beetroot puree and required salt
   
   
   
    
4. Mix well and knead into a smooth soft dough (Add water only if required). Coat the dough with 1/4 tsp of oil and keep covered for 30 mins to one hour
   
5. After an hour, knead the dough for 2 mins and divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls 
   
6. Take one dough ball, dust it with flour, flatten it, sprinkle around 1/4-1/2 tsp of sesame seeds and roll into a thin paratha
   
7. Heat the tawa, place the parathas and cook till bubbles started to appear on the surface
   
8. Turn over and cook the other side
   
9. Once it's cooked, transfer to plate or place it in hot box
   
10. Serve hot with any gravy of your choice