Super Toddler's Little Vegan Meals - Mac n' Cheese

Yes, I too sometimes feed my kid mac n' cheese and hot dogs, just like every other parent. The difference is that the mac n' cheese I make isn't from a blue box, and no animal ever had to suffer to make our hot dogs. Supertoddler's Little Vegan Meal on this occasion is mac n' cheese, sliced veggie dogs, orange sections, and steamed mixed vegetables. Quick, affordable, and nutritious!

I have many different mac n' cheese recipes that I make on a regular basis, but the quickest, easiest {and Supertoddler's favorite} mac n' cheese recipe is from the Fat Free Vegan blog. Supertoddler and I always halve the recipe {the full recipe makes a TON}, and we leave out the cayenne pepper. It can be whipped up in the amount of time it takes to boil the macaroni, and is made from ingredients that I always have on hand. As an added bonus, it has hardly any fat, lots of nutrients, and is extremely delicious {the Ninjahusband and I love it too!}

After you make the sauce, and while the macaroni is cooking, you have time to peel an orange, pan-fry a veggie dog {we like Smart Dogs brand}, and nuke some frozen vegetables. Dinner accomplished!

Supertoddler's Little Vegan Meals - Super Noodle Soup

Today I bring you another of Supertoddler's favorite Little Vegan Meals. In addition to fighting crime and destroying a tidy house in a matter of seconds, Supertoddler also souper loves...soup. This dinner features his favorite comfort soup - a brothy noodle soup with carrots and onions. Quick and easy to make, this pairs nicely with whole grain toast, fruit {Supertoddler's choice was grapefruit and blood orange}, and soy milk.

Super Noodle Soup
2 big servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 cups vegetable broth {I use Better than Bullion No-Chicken Broth Paste}
2 oz angel hair pasta, broken into thirds

1. Saute the onion and carrot over medium heat, until softened, about 8 minutes.

2. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the angel hair pasta, and allow to bubble for 5 - 8 minutes, until pasta and carrots are both tender. Serve with toast or bread for dipping.

You can add just about anything to this soup, including beans, panfried tofu, vegan "chicken", or other vegetables. Supertoddler prefers his Super Soup just like this...but maybe someday I'll sneak in some celery.

Supertoddler's Little Vegan Meals - Tofu Dinos, Roasted Broccoli, Strawberries

I figured, since I'm raising a little Supertoddler, it might be helpful to other parents if I posted his meals from time to time. Just like any toddler, the Supertoddler is picky and likes to exert his independence in every way possible, especially at mealtime. He may eat foods that are unfamiliar to non-vegan kids and families, but by involving your kids in the preparation of food, you'd be surprised what you can get them to eat!

A Little Vegan Meal that the Supertoddler recently enjoyed was tofu dinos, roasted broccoli, and strawberries.

Roasted Broccoli: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut broccoli into bite-size florets and place in a relatively large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground salt and pepper. Have your child toss the broccoli {with clean hands} to coat, and then spread the broccoli onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until desired doneness is reached, stirring half way through. Roasting broccoli makes it crunchy and nutty, and more friendly to a kid's palette.

Tofu Dinos: While the broccoli is roasting, drain a block of extra firm tofu. Give it a gentle squeeze in a towel to get out as much extra moisture as possible without compromising the structural integrity of the tofu. Slice horizontally into 4 large sheets. Pat each sheet dry with a paper towel. Let your little one help you cut shapes out of the tofu with cookie cutters, saving the scraps for a future date {did someone say tofu scramble? Yum!}. This time Supertoddler chose dino shapes, but you can use whatever you'd like. Heat a bit of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the tofu, and cook until golden brown on both sides {about 5 minutes on the first side, 3 on the second}. Remove the tofu shapes from the pan, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt while they're still hot. Serve with dipping sauce of choice {Supertoddler likes stone ground mustard}.

This meal can be rounded out with a fruit of your child's choice {in this instance, Supertoddler demanded strawberries with such conviction that I was sure his little life was going to end if he didn't get them}, and a grain {Supertoddler wanted whole wheat toast}.

Stay tuned for the next installment in Supertoddler's Little Vegan Meals.