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Whether you are a new parent or an old hand, at some point you will probably face a battle with your child over food; what they will and won’t eat! Quite often this is based around trying to get them to enjoy healthier food or branching out of their comfort zones and trying new tastes. So what is the solution? Well why not try a dinner story or better yet tell your child they get to “Eat the Story!” This concept involves choosing a story that they love or finding a new one and recreating an image of that story on a plate using healthy and nutritious foods. Let’s take a look shall we…

The Owl and the Pussy Cat

Ingredients List

2 New Potatoes sliced

2 Meatballs (Quorn used but meat is fine)

Half a carrot, thickly sliced

3 tbsp of Peas

2 Black Olive Circles

2 tbsp of Green Pesto Sauce

1tsp Olive Oil

Method

1. Take a Large Frying pan and pop it on a medium heat with the teaspoon of olive oil. When heated, add the sliced potatoes and 2 meatballs and gently cook. Stir occasionally and flip with a Spatula to ensure colour on all sides.

2. Meanwhile, place the peas and carrots in a Steamer or Saucepan of Boiling Water, and

 cook until soft and tender.

 3. Warm the pesto through, either in a separate Saucepan or in the Microwave. Just ensure it is warm all the way through.

4. Finally, take the cooked peas, and Mash them together to create a textured puree and then you will be ready to begin plating!

Plating

1. Take a White Plate and first of all drizzle the Pesto along the bottom of the plate to look like waves.

2. Spoon the mashed peas onto the plate above the pesto in a banana/boat like shape.

3. Place one meatball “in” the boat. With the other meatball, using an Apple Corer, cut out a smaller ball and place above the other.

4. From the leftover meatball, cut a strip with a Knife and put in place as a “tail” and cut two smaller bits in place of “ears.”

5. Take one piece of carrot and cut into small triangles to put in place as “eyes” and the pussy cat is complete.

6. To begin the owl, place two pieces of your carrot aside, and any others place in a tall semi-circle shape next to the owl.

7. Taking the sauted potato slices, pat them with Kitchen Paper to remove any excess oil, then place them on top of the carrots, layering them in a pyramid fashion, resulting in one at the top.

8. Place your two black olive circles on the top piece of potato to create the “eyes”.

9. From the two remaining pieces of carrot, cut out 2 triangles on each and place the remains on the boat below the owl as “feet” and use one of the cut-out triangles as a beak below the olives!

 There you have it… “The Owl and the Pussy Cat went to see on a beautiful pea-green boat…” The ingredients are completely inter-changeable but include protein, vegetables and a sauce. Once complete, sit down with your child and let them enjoy the meal whilst perhaps you read them the story from which the meal comes from. This will not only encourage them to try their “new food” but it will also stimulate their learning and senses too.

Find a book that your children love or that you know they will enjoy listening to and have a god and see what amazing dishes you can create. If you’re feeling brave, why not ask them to join in too and see what wonders you can create together!

 Bon Appetite!

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