One of my favorite weekend activities involves spending quality time with my toddler in the kitchen, whipping up all kinds of fun and kid-friendly recipes. Cooking with your kids is a great way to get them interested in eating healthy and summer is a perfect time to try some light and yummy recipes with your little ones.
A staple in our house is banana bread, which is an especially fun recipe to make with kids because it there are so many variations to this delicious treat. We typically make banana bread on Saturday mornings in our house and the scene usually involves a toddler in his jammies on a step stool furiously stirring batter with his “special spatula” in a flour-speckled kitchen. I make sure to go through each step and explain the ingredients so that he has an understanding of what goes in to the food that we create.
We use a basic banana bread recipe that can be altered in any number of ways to suite the tastes of your family. I often use whole wheat flour and agave nectar instead of sugar, which is substituted in equal amounts to sugar. You can also make it healthier by using apple sauce in place of the butter, and I tend to add cinnamon for some spice.
As far as yummy “extras,” toasted walnuts and shredded coconut are popular additions with our toddler. In the winter, I sometimes add dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots, as well as a pinch of nutmeg to give the recipe some holiday flair. I would encourage you to let your kids choose their favorite combinations of nuts, dried or fresh fruits, peanut butter, chocolate chips, or if you want to sneak in some veggies, add shredded carrots and zucchini for a healthier variation. The possibilities are endless—the important part is that you are teaching your children to appreciate food and understand where it comes from as they help build their fun, and messy, recipe one healthy ingredient at a time. Have fun cooking with your kids!
Banana Bread
Ingredients:
1 stick of un-salted butter
2 eggs
2 cups of plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of sugar
4 medium bananas
pinch of salt
Directions:
-Cream the butter for a couple of minutes in the mixer, then add the sugar, cream for a few more minutes and then add eggs one at a time.
-Sift flour, salt and baking soda together in a separate bowl
-Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter/sugar mixture and add vanilla
-Mash bananas and add to mixture
Pour in one large greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour
