Fun Plant-Based Recipes for Your Keiki

Looking for new, fun ways to engage your keiki around the house? Try these simple recipes perfect for kids!

Animal Grain Cakes
Source: Little Green Kitchen

Needing things for kids to do is a daily task. These are a craft and fun way for our kids to play with food and learn what makes them grow strong! Fruits and vegetables can have different textures, colors and shapes – and make for really great animal art!

Photo by Green Kitchen Stories

• 3 tsp nut butter
• plain puffed grain cakes
• 1 avocado, mashed with lemon juice
• small lettuce leaves
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 apple, sliced
• handful of blueberries 
• few strawberries, sliced
• raisins
• 1 celery stalk, thin slices

Snack Jars with Gold Dip
Source: Little Green Kitchen

With limited access to ingredients these days – here’s a simple snack with ingredients you can find from your local farmer, outdoor garden or {safely} from your local market.

Photo by The Simple Green

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp ginger root, grated
• 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
• carrots
• sugar snap peas
• celery stalks

Directions

1. Whisk together the peanut butter, honey and turmeric in a bowl. Add 2-4 tablespoons of water to thin as needed.
2. Grate fresh ginger into the dip.
3. Trim the ends of the peas. Peel the carrots and cut them into sticks, along with the celery.
4. Scoop the dip into mini jars.
5. Place veggies in the filled jars and munch away!

Mango Green Smoothie
Source: Well Plated

Mango season is coming up! Enjoy this refreshing smoothie to kick off summer.

Photo by Well Plated

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups frozen mango pieces
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
• 3/4 cup almond milk

Vegan Tofu "Spam" Musubi
Source: Veggiekins

A fun, plant-based spin on a local favorite! Vegan, gluten-free, oil free and refined sugar free.

Photo by Veggiekins

Ingredients

• 6 oz extra firm tofu (about 1/2 of a standard 14oz block of tofu)
• 2 cups freshly steamed white short grain Japanese rice
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1-2 sheets of unseasoned nori
• pinch of salt
• teriyaki sauce
  • 1/3 cup tamari, or soy sauce alternative of choice
  • 2 tbsp water, to thin as needed
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp liquid smoke
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch (optional, to thicken)

Ingredients

1. Slice tofu into spam sized pieces. Press the tofu using a tofu press, or allowing to sit, sandwiched between paper towels and a heavy book on top for pressure. Press for about 20-30 minutes, or longer if possible! This allows for better texture and more water to be released.
2. Once tofu is pressed, slice into pieces about an inch thick, and shape rectangles into spam shape, roughly 2 inches by 4 inches and round off the corners if desired.
3. Prepare the teriyaki sauce by whisking together all sauce ingredients and allow tofu to marinate in the sauce. Again, the longer the better, for maximum flavour absorption! I recommend at least 30 minutes to an hour, but if you’d like to, you can also let sit in the fridge overnight.
4. When tofu is ready, you can choose to pan fry tofu with any remaining sauce, until golden brown, and all the sauce is absorbed. Otherwise, you can bake at 375°F in the oven on a nonstick baking mat for about 10 minutes on each side, brushing with leftover marinade as you flip.
5. Prepare nori strips by cutting into strips about 2 inches wide, and prepare rice by tossing in a large bowl with sesame seeds and a pinch of salt. Use a spatula to toss, being careful not to break the rice grains or mush the rice.
6. To assemble, take about 1/2-2/3 cup of rice and using your hands, press together firmly with moist hands to form an oval shape. You can also use a form/mold to do this. This will be your rice ball base! Top with a slice of tofu, and wrap with a nori strip. To finish, brush with any remaining sauce.
   
   

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