Kid-Friendly Carotenoids

Celia, 7, and Simon, 5, kid-tested some carotenoids this week. Good thing too since Celia had just returned from a play date and needed the immunity boost.

Like all kids, they’re hit or miss on the veggies. Their mother Ana, of Ana’s Asian Chicken fame, tries to get veggies in with every meal and is always looking for a kid-friendly veggie side dish.

Mind you, this test was kind of rigged since Simon’s favorite veggie is carrots. Celia’s is corn but she also enjoys carrots. Least favorite veggie? Simon is not fond of anything green and Celia is opposed to snap peas and mushrooms.

And the verdict:

Celia: “I like them. When I eat the carrots with milk, my mouth tastes like carrot cake.”
Simon: “They’re kind of spicy but not too spicy; just spicy enough so I can eat them.”

In other words, they ate them, which is always good.

Here's the kid-friendly recipe adapted from Where Flavor was Born by Andreas Viestad:

Soy-Ginger Carrots
Serves 4

1 T butter
1 lb carrots cut into 1/3-inch thick sticks or thickly grated
2 T finely chopped shallots
1 T finely chopped fresh ginger or ginger paste
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp honey
1/3 cup fresh tangerine or orange juice (the juice of approx. one tangerine)
1 T soy sauce
Chopped cilantro for garnish.

Heat butter in skillet or wok over medium high heat. Once the butter has melted, add carrots and shallots and sauté for two minutes. Add minced ginger or ginger paste, ground ginger, and honey. Reduce heat to medium and sauté for another two minutes, stirring constantly. Add juice and soy sauce, sauté for another three to four minutes until liquid syrupy and carrots glazed.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Options for adults: Add 1-2 tsp coriander seed, slight crushed, at the same time as ginger. Also, add finely minced fresh garlic as a garnish.

Nutritional info (per serving): 83 calories, 13g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 2g protein, 3g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 8mg cholesterol, 324mg sodium