As a busy mom, I don’t always have time to make a meal. Therefore, I love the idea of preparing a batch of healthy homemade meals for my child and storing it in the refrigerator ready to consume whenever it’s needed. I especially like to serve steamed vegetables because I don’t want him to steer away from eating vegetables. I understand that there comes a time when children will refuse to eat their vegetables. But I think the key is to help remind them that vegetables do exist and are necessary to be included in their diet in some way or another. With that said, here are some of the nutritional benefits this meal will provide…
Lentils: Protein, Fiber, Iron, B Vitamins, Zinc, Folate
Sweet Potato: Beta-Carotene (an antioxidant rich in Vitamin A), Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin C.
Broccoli: Folate, Antioxidant, Vitamin A, Vitamins C & E, fiber
Cauliflower: Protein, Vitamin C & K, B-6 Vitamin, Calcium, Fiber, Folate
Kale: Vitamins A C & K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Manganese, Potassium, contains ALA, contains more Vitamin C than an orange.
Step By Step Instructions:
Prepare and cook the lentils.
For the simple instructions, please see How to Cook Lentils.
While the lentils cook, prepare and steam the vegetables.
Thoroughly wash and clean 1 medium or large sweet potato, 1 broccoli bunch, 1 small cauliflower (or half of a medium one) and 3 kale leaves under cold water. Pat them dry.
Cut the broccoli into florets, or any size you feel comfortable feeding your child.
Note: If the broccoli has a stem, cut the end off and peel the skin off of the stem (it can be a bit tough). Cut it into thin slices or strips and steam those as well. Since the stem tends to be more tough than the florets, it’s best to cut it a little thinner just so they all cook during the same amount of time.
Add the broccoli to the steam basket.
Cut the cauliflower into chunks, or any size you feel comfortable feeding your child.
Add it on top of the broccoli.
Add water to your saucepan, and place the steam basket over the saucepan. Make sure the steam basket doesn’t touch the water when placed inside the saucepan.
Once the water starts to boil, decrease the heat to medium low ( a temperature to where you can hear a low boil). Allow it to steam for about 10 minutes
Note: The broccoli and cauliflower take a little longer to steam than the sweet potato. Adding the sweet potato in a little later will ensure it won’t get too mushy.
Cut the sweet potato into wedges, or as big or small you feel comfortable for your child.
After the first 10 minutes, add the sweet potato on top of the broccoli and cauliflower.
Allow them to steam for another 10 minutes.
While those stem, prepare the kale.
I like to finely mince the kale. It can be a bit tough for infants to eat. So, I mince it and steam it for a little bit just so it’s easy to consume.
Add the kale, and steam everything for 5 more minutes.
After the last 5 minutes, they should be ready or almost ready. Cook times can vary. The vegetables are done and ready when they are fork tender or at a firmness you prefer.
I store the vegetables in one glass food storage container and the lentils in a separate one.
Into the refrigerator they go and are ready to serve for lunch and dinner for 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestion:
Add the vegetables to the large section of the mat or bowl.
Add the lentils to one section and fruit to the other.
I also like to mix the lentils with a tablespoon of yogurt.
Note: Please check with your pediatrician before serving yogurt to your infant. Yogurt is usually okay to serve to infants at or after 9 months of age.
I sometimes like to warm the vegetables and lentils before serving them. Only microwave it for a very small amount of time-15 to 20 seconds. The microwave can cause hot spots, where one spot gets very hot and warmed up while the others don’t. Make sure it isn’t hot before serving it to your child.
Recipe
Lentils, Sweet Potato, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Kale Meal Prep
Ingredients: Organic if possible
- 1 cup of dry lentils
- 4 cups of filtered water to cook the lentils
- 1 medium or large sweet potato
- 1 broccoli bunch
- 1 small cauliflower or half of a medium one.
- 3 kale leaves
Instructions:
Prepare and cook the lentils.
For the simple instructions, please see How to Cook Lentils.
While the lentils cook, prepare and steam the vegetables
Thoroughly wash and clean the sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower and kale under cold water. Pat them dry.
Cut the broccoli into florets, or any size you feel comfortable feeding your child.
Note: If the broccoli has a stem, cut the end off and peel the skin off of the stem (it can be a bit tough). Cut it into thin slices or strips and steam those as well. Since the stem tends to be more tough than the florets, it’s best to cut it a little thinner just so they all cook during the same amount of time.
Add the broccoli to the steam basket.
Cut the cauliflower into chunks, or any size you feel comfortable feeding your child. Add it on top of the broccoli.
Add water to your saucepan, and place the steam basket over the saucepan. Make sure the steam basket doesn’t touch the water when placed inside the saucepan. Once the water starts to boil, decrease the heat to medium low ( a temperature to where you can hear a low boil). Allow it to steam for about 10 minutes
Note: The broccoli and cauliflower take a little longer to steam than the sweet potato. Adding the sweet potato in a little later will ensure it won’t get too mushy.
Cut the sweet potato into wedges, or as big or small you feel comfortable for your child.
After the first 10 minutes, add the sweet potato on top of the broccoli and cauliflower. Allow them to steam for another 10 minutes.
While those stem, prepare the kale.
I like to finely mince the kale. It can be a bit tough for infants to eat. So, I mince it and steam it for a little bit just so it’s easy to consume.
Add the kale, and steam everything for 5 more minutes.
After the last 5 minutes, they should be ready or almost ready. Cook times can vary. The vegetables are done and ready when they are fork tender or at a firmness you prefer.
I store the vegetables in one glass food storage container and the lentils in a separate one.
Place them in the refrigerator. They are ready to serve for lunch and dinner for 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestion:
Add the vegetables to the large section of the mat or bowl.
Add the lentils to one section and fruit to the other.
I also like to mix the lentils with a tablespoon of yogurt.
Note: Please check with your pediatrician before serving yogurt to your infant. Yogurt is usually okay to serve to infants at or after 9 months of age.
I sometimes like to warm the vegetables and lentils before serving them. Only microwave it for a very small amount of time-15 to 20 seconds. The microwave can cause hot spots, where one spot gets very hot and warmed up while the others don’t. Make sure it isn’t hot before serving it to your child.
