10 delicious recipes to get your kid to try new flavours

Ricotta is a smooth operator that you’re probably most familiar with in lasagna, but it also makes a happy home spread on toast, stirred up in spaghetti, in a fruit and nut salad or whipped up into fluffy flapjacks. Try it: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Calamari is the Italian word (and more appetizing term) for squid. This traditionally battered and fried seafood has a mild flavour and, when cooked properly, isn’t too chewy. Our version crisps up in the oven and is fun to swipe through a creamy dip. This is a great intro to deep sea cuisine. Try it: Crispy Oven-Fried Calamari

Made from soybeans, this fermented paste is a flavour saviour. It’s great for sprucing up vegetarian dishes and can be whisked into dressings and soups, or used as a marinade. Try it: Miso Chicken Noodle Soup

Some people accuse tofu of being bland. Those people aren’t preparing it right. It needs to be patted dry and pressed (to release excess moisture). Marinate it, bake it, roast it or whirl it up for pudding or vegan ricotta. Try it: Sheet Pan Sesame Tofu and Veggies

Artichokes are a safe bet for developing palates. They’re flavour isn’t aggressive and they have a soft texture when cooked, similar to a boiled potato. Little ones may have already eagerly eaten it in the form of a creamy dip. Try it: Shakshuka

Compare these tiny but bold arils to sour candies, and they just might pass the taste test. Stir them into yogurt, sprinkle over oatmeal or salads, or serve as a snack. Try it: Jewel Salad

You can buy these soy beans shelled, but getting them in the pod (most grocery stores sell them frozen in bags) can be super fun, too. Give them a quick steam and a sprinkle of coarse salt, and then challenge your kids to pop the beans out of the pods. (Be prepared for projectile edamame.) Try it: Thai Tofu-Quinoa Bowl

Boil cornmeal in water, add butter and cheese, and you have the creamiest porridge to side roasted meat or vegetables, or anything stew-like. Once it cools, cut firm polenta into small pieces (or buy a tube of the precooked stuff) and fry or roast to use as a gluten-free pizza base or croutons for salad. Try it: Grilled Polenta Cakes with Shrimp and Tomatoes

If this hearty green veg is new to your kid, we have one word for you: roast. Toss bite-sized florets lightly with oil, spread in one layer on a baking sheet and roast. Add a squeeze of lemon and a shower of finely grated Parmesan, and it will be devoured. Trust. Try it: Zesty Roasted Broccoli

This vegetable is crunchy like celery but not as stringy. Sliced raw, it has a sweet, subtle black licorice flavour. To mellow it out, add fennel to your mix of vegetables around a roast chicken—it will become way sweeter and more tender. Try it: Easy Fish Stew with Tomatoes and Fennel

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8 forgot-about-dinner dinner recipes
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