Healthy dinner – what to include and what to avoid
July 30, 2021
Acai frozen packets
August 1, 2021
Healthy lunch ideas for kids: 4 recipes with an acai twist that even grown-ups will enjoy!
4 recipes to prepare delicious and attractive acai based menu
Healthy lunch ideas for kids – we know it is not an easy task to convince kids to follow a healthy diet: non-processed and nutritious food, loaded with vitamins and minerals like vegetables and fruits. And we all know the importance of a healthy menu.
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/CE19DBB41BD0C8BACA257BF0001F97DA/$File/HEPA%20-%20B5%20Book%20-%20Cooking%20for%20Children%20Book_LR.pdf
Nutrient reference values
We struggle with our imagination to find new ideas for healthy lunches for kids. We have separated recipes that incorporate acai fruit in “conventional” and well-known dishes: bread, candy, mousse and fish. The first 2, you can also pack them in lunchboxes.
These recipes were based in research and studies involving acai by Nutrition phD Raquel Botelho and journalist Thais Umbelino (UnB – Federal Brasilia University). Conducted mainly in Brazil, home of Acai and of a well established frozen acai industry
Involving kids in the preparation – it is very important to always o include kids as “sous chefs” in your cooking routine. There countless benefits, being one of them encouraging and stimulating healthy eating habits. So, always plan to invite kids to help you.
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Teenagers-and-healthy-eating https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-14-1161 https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cooking-preschool.html
Healthy lunch ideas for kids – Acai bread
- Preparation time: 02h00
- Serving: 10-12 breads
- Ingredients:
- 200g of frozen acai pulp
- 2,5 cups of whole wheat flour flower (if this is to radical, you can use regular wheat to start with)
- 4 teaspoons of natural dried yeast
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons of coconut water
- 2 tablespoons of water
- Heat the frozen acai pulp to a liquid state. In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients (tip: sieve the whole wheat flour flower) except for the coconut water and water. Now, start pouring them in the mixture while you knead it. It will be ready once it is not “sticky”. Wrap in plastic food film and let it rest inside your oven (in off mode) for 25min. Make 10-12 “balls” and let rest for another 20minutes in the same place. To bake them, grease your baking form and place them (2cm separated) for 14minutes in a pre-heated 200ºC oven.
Lunch ideas for kids – Candy
Note: this recipe is based on “Brigadeiro”, a famous chocolate dessert in Brazil.
- Preparation time: 40-45min
- Serving: 8-10 portions (“balls”)
- Ingredients:
- 200g of frozen acai pulp
- 250ml of non-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 200g tapioca flour
- In high heat, mix all ingredients (except the tapioca flour ) in a pot or pan. Keep mixing until the uniform mass formed loses from the bottom of the pot or pan. Once it has cooled down, make little balls format and cover them with the Tapioca flour (tip: put the tapioca flour in a soup plate, and just “roll” the sweet balls to cover them up)
Healthy lunch ideas for kids – Acai mousse
- Preparation time: 30min + 03h00 in the fridge
- Serving: 18-20 portions
- Ingredients:
- 1kg of frozen acai pulp (you can add a sweet syrup)
- 24g of unflavoured gelatin
- 500ml of non-fat thickened cream
- 2 cups of brown sugar
- 2,5 cups of tapioca flour
- Pinch of salt
- Prepare the jelly according to instructions and sweeten the acai if needed. Blend all ingredients, except tapioca flour. Pour mixture into a bowl, add the tapioca flour and mix. Pour into a form and put for 03h00 in the fridge.
Healthy lunch ideas for kids – Australian salmon with acai
- Preparation time: 01h00
- Serving: 2-3 servings
- Ingredients for Australian salmon:
- 800g-1kg of Australian salmon
- Garlic, salt and black pepper for seasoning
- Onions (optional)
- Ingredients for Acai sauce:
- 100g of frozen acai pulp
- 1 banana (Ladyfinger)
- 5 cashew nuts
- 1 Brazilian nut
- 3 nuts
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- Season the fish according to your preferences, and place in pre-heated 200ºC oven for 20 minutes. For the sauce, unfreeze the pulp and blend all ingredients until you have a uniform mass with pieces of nuts. Pour over the Australian salmon and serve.
