LIST: Immunity-boosting recipes for kids on lockdown
MANILA, Philippines — Strengthening one's immune system is important now more than ever. To achieve it, choosing the right selection of food packed with required daily vitamins and minerals is key.
While there are no COVID-19 vaccines yet for kids, they can spend their days on lockdown with grownups by whipping up nutrient-rich recipes as an immunity-strengthening bonding activity.
To make snack time even more delightful, parents can get creative in preparing goodies for their kids who do home learning. Whether their little ones need a quick pick-me-up in between online classes, or something to much on to energize them as they do homework, here are easy-to-make recipes that are sure to fit the bill.
First solid food option
Children start to develop a sense of curiosity as they grow, and this becomes a perfect opportunity for parents to start introducing them to new tastes and explore different textures.
As such, children’s food brand Cerelac aims to provide nutritious first solid food for babies available on Nestle’s official store in Shopee. Designed to be a yummy and nutritious infant cereal made with real fruits, veggies and carefully selected grains, Cerelac cereal reportedly contains 50% of a child’s daily iron needs and 18 essential vitamins and minerals. It also has no preservatives or artificial colors and undergoes over 100 quality and safety checks.
To turn mealtimes into fun, memorable bonding sessions with kids, the brand recommends mixing a bowl of the cereal or Nutripuffs with fruits and veggies like broccoli, squash, sweet potato, and even chicken, which could kick-start a lifelong habit of eating healthy and happily with the family.
Cloud Eggs
Eggs are a known source of protein and iron which are helpful for bones and brain development. It also contains Vitamins D and E, Zinc, and Selenium to help support a healthy immune system.
Put an interesting twist to the breakfast staple, scrambled egg or sunny side up, with this simple Cloud Eggs recipe. It only requires three ingredients which can easily be found in the kitchen: eggs, salt and cheese.
Start making a delightful plate of an old classic with a twist with this easy to prepare Cloud Eggs recipe.
1. Separate egg yolk from the white. Add a small pinch of salt to the egg whites and whip it until it forms clouds or stiff peaks.
2. Put the cheese and fold it in the egg whites.
3. Transfer on a baking sheet and put in the oven to bake for three minutes.
4. Add the yolk in the center of the nest and bake it for another three minutes.
An alternative to this recipe is the Eggs in the Nest, which puts the egg on top of a toasted bread.
Almondigas
There is no better dish to enjoy during a cold, rainy day than a warm and comforting bowl of soup. Kids will love the classic Almondigas, which has savory meatballs paired with thin flour noodles or misua.
The soup with patola is rich in Vitamin C and iron, which support the proper functioning of immune cells to help protect the body from infections and diseases.
Prepare the necessary ingredients, which include ground pork, patola, misua noodles, egg, onion, garlic, fish sauce, beef cube, flour, salt and pepper.
1. Make the meatballs by mixing the ground pork, onion, egg, salt, pepper and flour in a large bowl. Set it aside.
2. Sauté the garlic and onions. Add beef cube and fish sauce.
3. Pour water and let it boil.
4. Scoop meat and form it into a ball shape then place in the boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add patola and misua and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy with kids.
Go, go with Monggo
The humble yet delicious monggo may be considered a meal often had every Meatless Mondays or Monggo Fridays but it can be enjoyed any time of the day or week.
Kids will definitely get a fill of nutrients from this dish as monggo beans are a great source of Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, iron, selenium and zinc, which are helpful in supporting a healthy immune system.
Ampalaya and malunggay leaves give extra nutrition for the kids.
1. Boil water in a pan. Put the mung beans and simmer until soft.
2. On a separate pan, sauté garlic, onion and tomato, and pork for five minutes.
3. Put beef cube and fish sauce. Let it simmer until the meat is tender.
4. Pour in the cooked mung beans, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the leaves and sprinkle pepper for taste. Serve hot and enjoy.
Delightful Fried Cream-Os
With its crunchy, bitter-sweet chocolate cookies and rich creamy vanilla or chocolate filling, Jack ‘n Jill Cream-O is yummy on its own. With this new twist, parents can make this even more delightful for their kids.
Start by mixing pancake batter with water according to package directions, or creating his or her own batter by combining flour, water, milk and eggs. Dip the Cream-O into the batter then fry in hot oil for about two minutes or until they are golden-brown. Place the cookies on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve and enjoy.
No-bake Quake Overload Chocolate Cake
First, prepare the frosting by whisking an all-purpose cream until it thickens. Once it doubles its size, pour half (1/2) a can of condensed milk and mix it well together. Place it inside the refrigerator to chill for an hour.
When the frosting is ready, start assembling the cake by slicing the Jack ‘n Jill Quake Overload cake bars in half horizontally to create two even layers. Spread some of the frosting onto the bottom cake layer. Place the second layer and put the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Add some crushed cookie bits as the finishing touch. Put the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Magic Flakes Tuna Nuggets
Here’s an interesting twist on the classic tuna sandwich that both adults and their kids will surely enjoy.
To make this recipe, combine one can of tuna, two packs of crushed Jack ‘n Jill Magic Flakes Plain, two tablespoons of flour, one minced onion, salt and pepper.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and form into nuggets—get creative as you mold them into different shapes and sizes. Fry the Magic Flakes Tuna Nuggets until they are golden brown and serve it with your kid’s favorite dipping sauce.
Presto Peanut Butter Cups
This snack is a must-try for parents whose kids are peanut butter lovers.
To start, one will need one cup of melted chocolate bar and one cup of melted Presto Peanut Butter cream filling. In a cupcake tin, pour one to two tablespoons of the melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator to set. Top the chocolate with the same amount of the melted Presto Peanut Butter cream filling. Sprinkle some crushed Presto cookie bits on top and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Choco Knots Cereal Mix
Parents can prepare this easy-to-follow recipe for their kids who love breakfast cereals and Choco Knots.
In a nonstick pan, melt marshmallows over medium heat. To avoid burning, mix it every 30 seconds. Once it’s melted, pour in the rice cereal, chocolates, and Choco Knots bits. Stir the ingredients until fully combined then cut into smaller squares. Let cool and set before serving.
Parents can even try making strawberry or milk-flavored version of this by simply substituting with Berry or Milky Knots variants.
Wafrets Chocolate Milkshake
Simply cut Wafrets into smaller pieces and combine it with milk, ice cream, and sugar. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until it’s smooth and creamy. Garnish the milkshake with a stick of Wafrets and enjoy!
Dewberry Ice Cream Cake
After a productive session at school, adults can reward their little ones with this yummy dessert using Dewberry.
To make this, put crushed Dewberry into a bowl. Add a quarter (1/4) cup of melted butter and mix well. Once done, press the mixture into a greased pan -- this will be the crust of the ice cream cake.
Next, spread vanilla ice cream over the crust and let it freeze for two hours. Before serving, drizzle some chocolate syrup and add some Dewberry crumbs. This fruity cake would surely be a hit for kids at home.
Potato Carrot Cheese Balls
Ingredients:
• 1 cup boiled and grated potatoes
• 1/4 cup grated carrot
• 1 cheese cube
• 1 brown bread slice, soaked and squeezed
• a pinch of sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil for cooking
Instructions:
1. Cut the cheese cube into eight equal pieces and keep aside.
2. Soak the bread slice in a bowl of water. Squeeze out the water and mash the bread and keep in a bowl.
3. Add the potatoes, carrots, sugar, salt and mix well.
4. Divide into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a flat round.
5. Place a cheese cube in the centre of each round and shape into ovals.
6. Cook on both sides on a lightly greased non-stick pan till golden brown using a little oil necessary.
7. Serve hot.
Apple Milkshake
Paired with three balanced meals per day, this drink is not only tasty with the addition of apple which is high in fiber and Vitamin C, it is also nutritious with Lactum 3+ containing immuno-nutrients: Vitamins A, C, E, Zinc and Selenium that help strengthen your child’s immunity.
Beyond immunity, it also has key nutrients DHA, iron and iodine for the brain, and calcium and Vitamin D to help in bone development. Moms can use the plain flavor with the shake or liven up the recipe by making it using the chocolate flavor.
Frozen delights
Everyone needs a serving of happiness every now and then and nothing brings a sense of normalcy more than comfort food.
Those used to enjoying Happy at the BGC nook of Mimi & Bros with their fill of delightful comfort food, this one's surely for you. The restaurant is introducing another way for people to give in to their cravings anytime. They are launching a line of freshly-made, easy-to-order frozen food that anyone can add to their pandemic pantries.
“Stressful times call for feel-good, nostalgic food. These days, people find solace in more familiar and indulgent items but we want to make sure they have a healthier option. Our frozen items are made fresh daily, with no artificial preservatives and extenders — just 100% comfort food,” said Chef Ed Bugia, the head of the Food & Beverage division of MFT Group of Companies, which owns Mimi & Bros.
The brand'sm Homemade Chicken Nuggets, Corn Dogs, Sausages, Snapdogs, and Handcut Fries are proof that healthy comfort food can and does exist so there is no reason to feel guilty every time these are served.
“We know that working from home, managing the kids' online learning, thinking about the food to serve, and cooking them leave parents with little time on their hands. We are here to give them the best convenient solutions. Customers only need to fry a pack to golden brown perfection, and they can have the same comforting Mimi & Bros taste they know and love with all the nutrients that come with it, minus the hassle of preparation,” added Bugia.
The restaurant’s all-time bestseller, Corn Dogs, made with the brand's signature batter and juicy hotdogs is a good snack for after-work or after-class movie binging and online get-togethers.
For those in-between classes and online meetings, Homemade Chicken Nuggets are a good option. The Handcut Fries are also there for all-day snacking cravings at home. For those who want breakfast any time of the day, there are Sausages and Snapdogs. The Sausages are available in three variants — Chorizo, Andouille, and Tex-Mex. To order, just send a message to the restaurant’s Facebook messenger (m.me/mimiandbros) to launch the online ordering app. Payment can also be done on the restaurant’s Facebook messenger. Both ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat options are available for same-day delivery.
