Vegan Snacks for Kids... that they actually eat!

Are my kids the only ones in the world who tire of freshly baked muffins, slices, cakes and cupcakes? 

Maybe there's a little too much desperation in my eyes and my voice is just that bit too high and insecure when I offer them?

Recent exchange between Sylvia and I on the way to the park to meet some friends:

Sylvia: Mum, did you bring some food for us to eat at the park?
Me: Yep, I brought the muffins I made!
Sylvia: Oh. Did you bring any fruit or anything else?

Hmmmmm...

Seriously, my kids seem so picky these days with what they eat. This seems to be confined to the food I make. From a packet? No problem! I could go on strike to make them appreciate my food more and ease off a little on my baking binges, but that would be too much of a deprivation for me! 

Anyway, I've had some success with the following items. Granted, two of them contain chocolate chips... 

These vegan goldfish crackers are really delicious, and a nice change from sweets! I use this recipe but use a bit less water than recommended, and I also add some onion powder. 

These chocolate chip muesli bars were pretty popular. Sylvia added the sprinkles because apparently everything is better with sprinkles! I used this recipe but substituted Nuttelex and rice malt syrup for the butter and honey.  

This is the only granola the kids will eat because they don't like bits of nuts and seeds. Lexie likes to eat the granola clumps on their own. We all love this one!

My mum used to make semolina for me when I was little, only instead of chocolate chips she put a mixture of cocoa and sugar on the top. To make this, I heat a cup of non-dairy milk, then add a heaped tablespoon of semolina and sugar and simmer until it thickens a bit but is still pourable (it sets as it cools). 

Vegan "Tuna" Salad

This salad is the best thing I've eaten on bread since vegan scrambled eggs. 

There are loads of mock tuna salad recipes on the internet. I've made one with chickpeas, which is delicious, but then I came across this version made with soaked almonds and sunflower seeds. I adapted it to suit my supplies and time constraints and loved the texture and taste of this one!

Of course, it's not in the least bit fishy (I guess it would be if you added kelp) but the combination of mayonnaise, celery and red onion does remind me a bit of the tuna salad I ate before I was vegan. 

The mayonnaise I used in this salad is this one from Vegan Dad. It's so easy to make - I never buy mayonnaise any more!

Vegan "Tuna" Salad (makes 2 large servings) (inspired by Save the Tuna Salad by Kris Carr)

2/3 cup almonds, soaked overnight or for a few hours
2/3 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight or for a few hours
2 celery ribs, chopped 
A quarter of a red onion, chopped 
2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise 
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
pepper to taste

Process all ingredients in a food processor until desired consistency is reached.

I had mine on toast with avocado, extra mustard and pepper - yum!

Our Perfect Pizza

Unfortunately, dinners that please everyone in our household are becoming a rarity. I am happy with a basic salad or brown rice and veggies most of the time, but I have my two gorgeous little fussy kids to cater for, as well as Peter's mysterious and changeable "allergies" (read: preferences, ha!).

But thankfully, this is one of those rare dinners! 

I have blogged about pizza a few times, fancy pizza and topped with vegan cheese, but this pizza is the reliably delicious and easy one I keep coming back to. 

This is a simple dinner as long as you remember to leave time for the dough to rise - only about an hour or even less. 

This recipe makes two pizzas, plus about four mini chocolate pizzas. Sylvia loves these! They are simply vegan chocolate chips on pizza dough baked in the oven for about 10 minutes. 

Our Perfect Pizza (makes 2 pizzas plus 4 mini chocolate pizzas)

Dough (slightly adapted from the Traditional Pizza Dough in Vegan Planet)
3 tsp instant yeast
1.5 cups warm water
few pinches of sugar
2.5 cups plain flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup spelt flour
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Topping
Pasta sauce (about half a jar - I use tomato, basil and garlic sauce)
Sliced mushrooms (about 3 cups)
Olives (about half a cup)
Diced capsicum (I used half a red one)
Drizzle of olive oil and salt to taste

Make the dough: Stir the yeast and sugar into half a cup of warm water. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until a bit frothy/bubbly. 

In the meantime, in a large bowl combine the flours and salt. 

Add the oil and the remaining cup of warm water to the yeast mixture and pour all of it into the flour mixture. Stir the liquid in and then knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. 

Form the dough into a ball and rub a bit of extra olive oil around it. Put it in a large bowl with a tea towel over it to rise (around 45 minutes to an hour). 

While your dough is rising, prepare the toppings and preheat oven to 210C.

When your dough has risen, punch it down and remove a bit of dough for the mini chocolate pizzas if making. Divide the rest of the dough in two and roll out two pizza bases and place on pizza trays. Spread on the pasta sauce, then the mushrooms, capsicum and olives. The secret is to cover all the dough without overloading it! Drizzle with some olive oil and add a bit of salt to taste.

Cook in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, depending on how well done and crunchy you like your crust. 

Healthy Chocolate Chip Pikelets (Mini Pancakes)

It's a half an hour before we need to leave for a play-date and I want to make something to take and share. None of us are dressed. I know I don't have time to bake anything (oh no!). Then the brainwave of chocolate chip pikelets comes to me! 

They were gobbled up by adults and kids alike and can even be made one-handed whilst holding a one-and-a-half year old - need I sell them more?

Healthy Chocolate Chip Pikelets (Mini Pancakes) (slightly adapted from the Flaxjacks in Raising Vegetarian Children)

1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder 
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tbsp oil, plus more for frying
a handful of vegan dark chocolate chips and a handful of vegan white chocolate chips (the combination is really good but of course just use whatever you have)

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add the milk and oil, stir until just mixed and leave to sit for 5 minutes. 

Heat a frying pan with a dash of oil in it to medium heat. Give the mixture another little stir (a few little lumps are fine). Put in small dollops of the mixture (I do about 4 at a time) and turn over once a few bubble start to appear. Cook until nicely browned. Put a bit of oil in the frying pan before cooking each batch. 

These are nice warm or cold!

Rawsome Vegan Baking

I think I could live on raw desserts. If money was no object and I had better kitchen equipment, that is! 

I really wanted to buy this book, Rawsome Vegan Baking, because I like Emily's blog This Rawsome Vegan Life. She has a very bubbly and fun way of talking about her recipes, and her love for raw desserts is contagious. 

Cashew Coffee Vanilla Crème Cake with Cinnamon Chocolate Crust

Another thing I like about Emily's recipes is that they are achievable with fairly basic blenders and food processors and (mostly) do not contain obscure ingredients such as Irish moss paste (I don't even know what that is but it sounds hard to find and expensive!).

Jungle Pie with Chocolate Crust, Banana Slices & Chunky Coconut Topping

The book is gorgeous and Emily's playful personality really shines through.  

I've only managed to make a few recipes so far, but there are so many I can't wait to make. 

Ultimate Caramel Chocolate Squares

Other vegan cookbooks I've recently blogged about: The Oh She Glows Cookbook

Crunchy Chocolate Buckwheat Cereal

Peter calls this cereal "gravel cereal". Yes, it is quite crunchy and does kind of resemble gravel, but it is totally delicious!

This is my favourite make-in-advance breakfast at the moment. It's inspired by the Loving Earth Chocolate Buckinis I sometimes buy. 

I've been making a version of this cereal, from the fantastic book The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook, for years. The plain version, with just peanut butter and maple syrup, is lovely too. But it becomes something really special when combined with the cocoa, coconut and goji berries. I'm not a big fan of goji berries on their own, but I love them in this!

Crunchy Chocolate Buckwheat Cereal (makes about 4 servings) (adapted from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook and inspired by Loving Earth Chocolate Buckinis)

2 cups raw buckwheat groats
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup goji berries

Preheat oven to 150C. Spread buckwheat on a large baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes, stir around and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until golden. While buckwheat is still in the oven, mix together the peanut butter, maple syrup and cocoa in a large bowl. When the buckwheat has finished roasting, immediately mix with the peanut butter mixture until buckwheat is coated. Add the shredded coconut and goji berries. I eat this with soy or oat milk - yum!

The Oh She Glows Cookbook

I've tried to slow down on my cookbook purchasing lately, but I got fully swept up in the Oh She Glows craze and had to have this one!

I've tried quite a few recipes from Angela's blog, including her quiche, pumpkin alfredo, taco salad, raw almond butter cups and muffins, and been really impressed by them all.

I love finding recipes on the internet, but I think there's something special about having a cookbook to leaf through and spatter with food. And I like to support people dedicating their time to create such worthwhile (delicious) vegan resources.

You can tell that a lot of care was taken with the recipes and photography in this book and that it was a labour of love. Angela's warm and approachable tone really inspires you to try her recipes.

Here are some recipes I've made from the book:

Mighty Chia Pudding Parfait

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Easy Mushroom Gravy

Healing Rooibos Tea

Effortless Vegan Overnight Oats

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Portobello "Steak" Fajitas

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites

Protein Power Goddess Bowl

Pan-Seared Garlic Tofu

The cauliflower mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, portobello fajitas, chia pudding and the cookie dough bites are stand-out delicious. 

I look forward to cooking my way through the whole book!

Other vegan cookbooks I've blogged about: Betty Goes Vegan, Whole Grain Vegan Baking