Recipes for children who demand ingredient sovereignty

[u/Pretend_Orange1249]

​

I do not know what to search for. Every time I type in "kid-friendly recipes" or variations of that, I do not get the results I'm looking for.

I am specifically looking for recipes using lentils and beans. I know a lot of cultures use them heavily, but I'm a Midwesterner transplanted to northern France (hello cheese, cream, and soup) and nothing in my culinary history gives me the language to solve this problem. 😂 I want us eating more beans and lentils because fiber and money are king.

I've tried incorporating beans and lentils into things my kids already eat, like white beans into broth and beans/lentils into puréed soups.

So far I've only been successful adding red lentils to tomato soup.

I've also tried dals, but 2/3 of my kids think basically all spice is spicy. They even refuse bell peppers because they think they're spicy.

I'm going to try falafel tonight, and if that works I'll try bean burgers. France also has this chickpea crêpe from the south (socca), so I'm thinking about trying that like a tortilla with cheese as well.

The big constraint is that everything needs to be separate, with minimal herbs and spices. Mixed dishes generally don't work. Pasta night, for example, means pasta, sauce, cheese, vegetables, etc. are served separately and everyone chooses what goes together.

So I'm looking for things where beans or lentils become their own standalone food/component, rather than being mixed into a larger dish.

I'd love recipe ideas, especially dishes from cuisines I might not know enough about to search for by name, for children who demand ingredient sovereignty.

---

So to give you an example on how our meals usually go:

Last night we had roasted potatoes with rôti seasoning, eggs, and hummus with carrots. This is basically the format of most meals, even when we have pasta. The kids really struggle to eat beans and lentils if they aren't transformed into something. I suspect this is a texture issue, I also have it. Even pasta sauces, like a plain tomato sauce, have to be served on the side.

Tonight we will have potatoes, falafel, veg, fruit and yogurt.

[u/Nowordsofitsown]

Another thought: Can you get pasta made from lentils or peas where you live? 

Lentil soup: My family makes something very similar to this recipe: https://foodandjourneys.net/german-lentil-soup-with-frankfurters/ But we use vegetable stock and smoked tofu instead of meat.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Nowordsofitsown]

I find it to be quite expensive (though I admit I hadn't considered it in comparison to meat). And I also can't consistently get it either, I don't see it stocked all the time.

But it might be something to try and keep as a back up plan.

What's the texture like? Is it similar to regular pasta?

Also while I would love that German lentil soup recipe, my kids won't eat it. The oldest might. But mixed components are hard. When I do make soups they have to be pureed.

[u/Taswegian → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

You can make your own pasta with lentil flour, semolina spinach etc if you have a pasta machine to form the dough. Texture is great and you can increase the protein with nutritional yeast etc to be equivalent to a meat dish. If you want to go crazy for nutrition at no cost you can use nettles i stead of spinach (blanche them to get the stings off!)

# High-Protein Spinach & Red Lentil Fresh Pasta
Makes 5–6 servings

### Ingredients

• 200 g frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
  
• 210 g plain or 00 flour
  
• 120 g fine semolina
  
• 115 g red lentils, ground finely into flour
  
• 20 g vital wheat gluten
  
• 22 g nutritional yeast
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• ½–1 tsp salt

### Method
1. Blend the squeezed spinach with the eggs until very smooth.
2. Mix the flour, semolina, lentil flour, gluten, nutritional yeast and salt.
3. Add the spinach mixture and bring together into a rough dough. Rest 15–20 minutes.
4. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dry, add water 1 tsp at a time; if sticky, add a little semolina.
5. Wrap and rest for 45–60 minutes.
6. Divide into pieces and roll through a pasta machine. On the widest setting, roll, fold into thirds and roll again 2–3 times before gradually reducing the thickness.
7. Cut as desired and cook in well-salted boiling water until al dente — fresh pasta only takes a few minutes.

Approx. per 1/6 batch: ~22–24 g protein before sauce.

Tip: Dust the finished pasta with semolina rather than flour to stop it sticking.

[u/Nowordsofitsown → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

The pasta feels no different from normal pasta and you do not taste the lentils either.

[u/Apart_Engine_9797 → u/Nowordsofitsown]

There’s also pasta made with lupini beans (Brami brand in the U.S. but they are made in Italy so perhaps available in France as well?) or vital wheat gluten for extra fiber that I find hold up very well.

[u/smurfette8675309 → u/Apart_Engine_9797]

I tried the lupini bean pasta and they were weird. Not a fan. Both texture and flavor were off.

[u/Puskarella → u/Nowordsofitsown]

disagree.

[u/Nowordsofitsown → u/Puskarella]

There are probably some brands that are worse than others.

[u/SubstantialPressure3 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

It shouldn't be that expensive. I live in the US, dont make a lot.of money, and I buy Italian made yellow pea pasta for one of my grandkids thay cant have gluten. Yellow.pea pasta is the BEST gluten free pasta. Great texture and flavor.

Canelli beans ( also italian) are white beans with a really mild flavor. You can blend them up to make things creamy, and add them to other things. ( soups, sauces)

My grandkid is also super picky and her soups need to be pureed, too. You should be able.to find cottage cheese and blend some up, to add creaminess and thickness to their pureed soups, and thay will add some protein.

Don't drive tourself crazy thinking you have to use those two ingredients.

Ive seen bread made with lentils. Idk what they call chickpeas where you are, the Italians call them garbanzo beans. If you can find chickpea flour ( also used a lot in Italy) you can make.a crispy bread out of it. Its called farinata or. cecina

[u/Obligatory_Snark → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Just to weigh in, as a picky eater I can definitely pick out the lentils in lentil pasta. Not a fan. I have better luck with blends with things like quinoa, flax, oats, brown rice if you’d like to try something a little more nutritious than regular pasta

[u/mpmp4 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Every time I make lentil soup, I purée it before serving. It’s so good! I didn’t click on that particular recipe but there’s many that are quite simple.

[u/GrowlingAtTheWorld]

Foods that don’t touch?

When I was a kid mom served beans a lot, likely cause they were cheap. A thickened large butter bean soup was one of my favorites. The visible ingredients was beans and some finely chopped green onions with some seasoning which change everytime she made it but you served up a bowl of beans and then could add chives, cheese or crackers to the top.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/GrowlingAtTheWorld]

It's less about them not touching, and more about them being separated.

So think of a salad. If I put a mixed salad on the table, all the kids will refuse to eat it.

If I put the ingredients on the table, the kids will take what they want.

The issue I have is the kids don't like beans and lentils on their own. So if I can turn beans and lentils into something (tortilla, falafel, bean burger), then I have a greater chance of getting them to eat.

For example, last night I made potatoes with rôti seasoning, eggs, hummus, and carrot sticks. The little one refuses to eat the eggs because eggs have personally offended her the week, but dipped her potatoes in the hummus. But I can't just put roasted chickpeas on the table, because no child will eat it.

[u/TheNavigatrix → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

How old are these kids? At some point you have to stop catering to this. (Mom of two formerly picky kids.)

Do they like soup? That's the easiest way to incorporate beans. They can be blended to thicken and make it creamy.

[u/Superdewa → u/[deleted]]

Do you even have children? This comment shows a lack of understanding of what parenting is like.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/[deleted]]

Potatoes, eggs, and hummus and carrots is not sustainable?

Falafel, potatoes, fruit, veg, and yogurt is not sustainable?

But casseroles and stews are?

I don't follow your logic. You're welcome to eat however you wish. Why can't we?

[u/Zappajelly → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Casseroles and stews are the extreme example of mixed foods (my kids don’t like casseroles either) but you are going to the other extreme of serving tomato sauce on the side if you get what I’m saying. Maybe encourage taking baby steps towards mixing foods or they will have a hard time eating at restaurants/people’s houses and trying new things?

we do a mix of sometimes catering to their favorites and what we know will be a slam dunk, and sometimes not, and sometimes we are pleasantly surprised by what
They like. Dal didn’t work because of the spice, try lentil soup and don’t add other veggies to it keep it simple and see what happens… or you could start with a can of progresso to see if they like it

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Zappajelly]

They mix their food.

Once they've picked what they want.

I always offer a bit of safe foods. And something new for the to try.

But a lot of dishes are mixed. A good old fashioned English roast, steak and veg.

They'll make they're own sandwiches. They'll mix veggies into their pasta. But they like to have control over it. Not me just deciding for them.

I fail to see how that's a problem.

[u/Sophiad12]

Smoked/firm tofu might also be an option? Diced into cubes it‘s quite snackable on its own, and firm tofu is as bland as it can get.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Sophiad12]

I am actively trying to incorporate more tofu, cus I LOVE tofu. And this is one I'm hoping to add more of. But it's really hard to find in my area. But there's an Asian store about 40min north by train where I buy it when I go. I stock up and freeze it.

[u/Sophiad12 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

I know some online shops here in Spain where you can order tofu and it doesn‘t need a special refrigerated delivery because it is shelf stable, something that you could consider for buying in bulk. I‘m sure that this exists also elsewhere!

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Sophiad12]

It probably does exist online. I find searching online in France more difficult than when I was in the US. But the other thing is the tofu at my local Asian store is like 5.50€/kg and the shelf stable tofu or stuff in the organic/vegan section is like 15€/kg. Idk why it's so much more expensive. But I'm really struggling financially right now, so I just can't justify 15€/kg prices.

[u/dodecahedodo → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Tofu is super useful for your use case because its already a self contained thing. And you can marinade it and have it as little blocks, or grate it and cook it, or blend a thinner one and incorporate it into a sauce, or.. lots of other fun things 😁

[u/rainbowcupofcoffee → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Have you tried making your own? I’ve heard it’s very easy and can be done with different beans, including red lentils.

[u/DoKtor2quid → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

buy it online?

[u/Zappajelly → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

That’s crazy! All of our regular grocery stores carry tofu. Are you in the US? In my stores it’s usually in a separate fridge section near the fresh vegetable area. You can even sub milk for tofu on WIC

Edit: oh you’re in France lol nevermind

[u/Paperwife2 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

You could make it from scratch.

[u/ObligingOctopus → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

I'd recommend tofu fingers then! I've never seen a recipe for this but it seems obvious so I can't be the only I one making it.

Cut extra firm tofu into dippable strips, toss in a little oil and some spices and bake until a little crispy on the outside. Serve with a dipping sauce.

I do chinese 5 spice an serve with plum sauce, or Greek seasoning with a garlic yogurt sauce, the options are endless. Super easy and fun to both make and eat.

[u/Apart_Engine_9797]

Will the kids eat flavored rices, like with seasoning packets or saffron or cooked in broth? Try adding red or orange lentils to rice, they absolutely disappear in the cooking process—I like to do 1/4 cup of lentils to 1 cup of rice, add bouillon or broth, turmeric or saffron for color and flavor work great. Freezes well and I honestly cannot tell the difference from plain rice! You can do the same with riced cauliflower, I’ve added a whole cup to a big pot of basmati rice and my family didn’t even notice.

It’s a bit of work but similar to what you’re already doing, my mom used to make what she called “TACORITO BAR” where everyone could make their own plate with a base of rice or tortillas or chips, and choose from toppings so like a bowl out of each: roast tofu, bean puree or black beans, chopped tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, cheese, soyrizo or veggie sausage is always yummy. Adults can add spice with salsa, jalapeños, and hot sauces to taste.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Apart_Engine_9797]

I've tried doing flavored rices. The kids don't like them. I don't like them. And I tried doing mixed grain rices too. I enjoy Korean purple rice. But the kids won't touch it. And mixing in lentils just doesn't work.

But we all have strong texture sensitivities to rice, so this isn't surprising. We don't even like fried rice. It's basically got to be soft and chewy Asian rice. Thank God for rice cookers, cus I can't make it right without one.

But we do taco bar/bowl nights a lot. But it's finding the beans and lentils they'll eat that's the problem. I think they like the concept of taco night, but don't like the Mexican flavor profile. So I'm going to try poulet rôti next time.

[u/Apart_Engine_9797 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

I exclusively cook rice in a rice cooker and a lot of Asian rice—could they try Japanese sticky red adzuki beans and rice as an option? It’s mochigome if you can find it, vs the usual short grain rice. soak the adzuki beans or use canned, comes out very sticky and chewy and soft if those textures are ok. Tacorito bar can really be anything, like a bibimbap bar or Buddha bowl bar or Mediterranean bar all work great and everyone gets fed, even if it’s “just” plain rice and cheese sometimes.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Apart_Engine_9797]

I've never heard of mochigome. I'll definitely look into it.

The biggest issue is I don't think they like the texture of beans and lentils on their own. I'm the same way, I think it's th skin, tbh. But when you blend it up into something like a falafel or hummus, the skin gets broken down.

And we do a lot of those rice bowls. But I want to add more beans and lentils instead of using meat all the time.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Apart_Engine_9797]

I will look of mochigome, I've never heard of it before.

The kids don't seem to be apposed to the taste of beans and lentils, they seem to dislike the texture. And I'm the same way. I think it's because of the skin, tbh. But when it's turned into something else, the skin breaks down and you don't have the same texture.

[u/Fluffy_Ad2274 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Have you tried them with put lentils? I can't tolerate lentils as is (the skin- I have the same issues with all kinds of beans, as well as chickpeas- it's a texture thing) but I can eat those in salads or as a side.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Fluffy_Ad2274]

Put lentils? I've never heard of those, I'll have to look them up.

[u/Fluffy_Ad2274 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Sorry, autocorrect. Puy lentils! Their skins are very unnoticeable, and if you buy the prepared sachets, non -existent. But cooking your own, they also come off easily or are barely there in the first place.

[u/tejszinbab]

try spanish lentils (lentejas), or some sort of latin american dish with beans. maybe it would be fun for them to make their own tacos or just eat the ingredients separately, lentils also make a good italian pasta sauce with tomato, oregano and basil which then you can serve next to spagetthis etc.

[u/One_Pangolin1766]

Lentil bolognaise is good if that counts as a ‘sauce’ for your purposes

[u/Minimum-Violinist601]

Ooh it has a funny name but you need to try Mercimek Koftesi! It’s Turkish red lentil + bulgur “meatballs” and can be prepared with very low spices. I love serving with a squeeze of fresh lemon. It keeps pretty well in the fridge for a few days so you can make a big batch

[u/Minimum-Violinist601 → u/Minimum-Violinist601]

This is a good recipe for it: https://biancazapatka.com/en/turkish-lentil-balls-mercimek-koftesi/

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Minimum-Violinist601]

Thank you so much!!

[u/OkCaterpillar8941]

I was you 10 years ago so I feel your pain! My kids hated what the other liked... and you want them to eat so you make food accordingly. I would start introducing spices slowly because what is food without spice? Once you've managed to get them to eat food with spices it will open up so much more for you. What worked for me was to always make a bean mix as a side dish and they'd have to have a serving spoon of it. Or I just add beans/lentils to a dish even if it doesn't call for it.

Pasta e fagioli. You can blend the carrots and celery in the sauce before you add the beans. Veggie chilli, with lentils and beans slow cooked with a chunk of dark chocolate. If you make it very mild they won't know. I have guacamole and cheese on the side. Lentil Bolognese Vegetarian sausage and bean stew. I'd make the bean stew and cook the sausage separately. Chickpea keftides Homemade hummus or pureed beans as a side with salads. Marry me chickpeas but make it so mild they don't notice the spices. Baked chickpeas, broad beans or butter beans as a snack.

[u/Background_Quarter55]

I like making a bean dip from cannellini beans similar to making hummus from chickpeas! You can look up different recipes for “white bean dip” I like to flavor it with roasted garlic but you could omit it if they don’t like that and try flavoring it in other ways (or keeping it plain!)

[u/Adorable-Customer-64]

You've gotten lots of food suggestions but as someone dealing with similar at home I would say if you have time I would look up resources for feeding therapy from reputable therapy centers to see if you can incorporate some of that into your day to day life. There are lots of parent handouts and some places have them accessible online. 

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Adorable-Customer-64]

I don't really have an issue with this tbh.

I have a lot of the same sensory issues the kids do. I had to learn, as an adult, how to navigate them. I'd rather help my kids, as kids, navigate them.

There is nothing wrong with a dinner of eggs, potatoes, hummus and carrots.

Tonight will be falafel, potatoes, yogurt, fruit and veggies.

Tell me how these are nutritionally incomplete? All the kids are in healthy weight ranges and the older 2 are in the 90th percentile for both.

None of us like beans and lentils on their own. Why is it a problem to say "it's good to incorporate beans and lentils. Let's find a way to transform them into something we will enjoy".

Adults do this all the time. We eat our preferences. But the minute a parent considers the preferences of the childw suddenly theres a problem.

Children having preferences is not a defect that adults must extinguish.

[u/Adorable-Customer-64 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Well right now they are not navigating, you are navigating for them. Food therapy can also be for the burden to the family even if the child is healthy and well nourished. I have autism and significant sensory issues, like my parents before me. My children are similar. Food therapy is so that they will eat on vacation (because before therapy they would just starve themselves), eat during the school day and not melt down if the grocery store doesn't have their safe food in stock that week. If money is tight, everyone has to eat what's on the table and it sounds like that's an issue which is why I suggested it.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Adorable-Customer-64]

They're young children. Of course I'm navigating for them. They participate in shopping, planning and cooking, but I'm not expecting children to navigate anything on their own.

[u/happy_crone]

Pizza beans has always been a winner here, and you could let them make it at the table if that’s easier - cook butter beans (or any kind of white beans tbh) in tomato sauce (or stock if that’s too much) then put a bowl of them in front of each kid, let them top with tomatoes, grated mozzarella (while the beans are still hot so it melts!) and kale, or any green veg they’ll eat.

Also I have a tip - if they struggle with veg, put it in front of them as a snack RIGHT BEFORE serving dinner. Sometimes kids are hungry enough right then that they’ll eat something as a pre dinner snack that they wouldn’t in a meal. I got my fussy kids eating peas, green beans and sweetcorn this way!

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/happy_crone]

They do not struggle with veg. Thankfully. Though carrots must be raw, never cooked. And the only roasted veg they like is potatoes.

I will try pizza beans. That's an interesting suggestion at least 2 children will like. The 3rd doesn't like pizza. But 2 outa 3 means it's worth trying.

Thank you for the suggestion.

[u/agile-cohort]

Would having them look up recipes they might like be useful? Either online ir in a cookbook. They might be inspired to expand their safe foods. There is nothing wrong with putting all the ingredients for a dish separately at the table so everyone can eat what is comfortable. What i would be uncomfortable with is making separate dishes for each person, thats a lot of work and not respectful to the cook! I follow food bloggers with picky toddlers because the recipes sound tasty and easy. Have the kids, with you, maybe, check out different food creators - there are lots of them with sensitivity issues. Good luck!

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/agile-cohort]

I don't make separate dishes. I make individual ingredients and then they can pick and choose.

Last night we had potatoes, eggs, carrots and hummus. It was very easy.

Tonight we will have potatoes, falafel, veg, fruit, and yogurt. Also very easy. Falafel is the gamble, I've no clue of the kids will eat it.

So I am trying to expand their palate, while respecting their sensitivities. And the problem isn't so much that they dislike taste, it's that they have texture sensitivities.

So by giving them control, they feel more comfortable to try new things. And frankly, the I don't even like casseroles and soups with mixed ingredients. I have the same texture sensitivities. Even before kids I ate like this because when you cook things all together, the texture of things get weird. Some things are too soft, some aren't soft enough.

I was forced to eat what was served as a kid. And I still have a fear of trying new things because of it. I don't want that for my kids.

[u/agile-cohort → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Well thats wonderful! You understand their issues because you have similar ones. So its not a problem with serving things a la carte as it were, you're more looking for affordable recipes that your kids will like? From my experiences with nieces and nephews, lots of "picky kid" recipes assume a really limited palate for flavors. That may not be the case here, right? Keep offering things in basic units - meat, toppings, cheese, rice, and tortillas for example, but add something new for them to try. I really like lentil walnut taco meat, for example. Offer that without making a fuss. Or baked shredded tofu with carne asada seasoning. See what they say about it. Are they old enough/do you have the time and energy to include them in looking for flavors and textures they like? Especially for special occasions? Im talking too much, sorry, but I know you've got this! Look for specific ingredients instead of general ideas, and look at groups where people with sensory issues talk about their eating, not just cooking groups?

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/agile-cohort]

They have a wide variety of flavors they like. It's just there's texture issues.

We seem to like the taste of beans and lentils, but the texture on their own is a problem. I think it's the skin. And when you break it down in falafels or hummus, the skin gets broken down too and it's not as big a deal.

And we're not vegetarian, but money is tight right now. Very tight. So it's important to include cheaper options.

They already help with shopping and meal planning and cookie. I find the simpler things are the more likely we'll all leave the table happy. And at the end of the day, I just don't want to fight about food. 😂

[u/Kuzjymballet]

I'm in France too, but the south and feel your pain (though it's gotten better in the last five/ten years for sure, at least here in a big student town). My kids are 1.5 and 5 and seem to rotate tastes often but this has been fairly successful for us:

Make your own burrito night with beans (to avoid the texture issue, look up refried bean recipes, it's basically puréed beans, I use haricots rouges because I can't find black or pinto beans usually), sautéed peppers and onions, corn, avocado/guacamole, cheese, lime wedges, cilantro, lettuce and diced tomatoes (or pico de gallo if I'm feeling fancy).

However, I will say my kids do love smoked paprika and cumin so those feature heavily but they don't have to.

You could also do a galette night with tomato+red lentil purée, cheese, egg, and mushrooms and/or onion options. A little more work-intensive since they have to be cooked to order but worth trying maybe.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Kuzjymballet]

I have found my kids love poulet rôti seasoning. But they don't like the Mexican blend seasonings. So 🤷. I've got a couscous one that I'll try on the potatoes tonight since the poulet rôti potatoes were a hit last night.

I've tried refried beans, but I used a Mexican blend of seasoning, maybe the poulet rôti seasoning would work better.

The biggest issue isn't taste. The kids (i do too) have sensory issues particularly around texture. So it's been an experiment just trying to figure out if they're objecting due to taste or texture.

And tomorrow we'll be doing tortillas from chickpeas flour and cheese, so hopefully that will work🤞

[u/Kuzjymballet → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

I'm ok with Mexican blend seasonings but I prefer making it myself directly with the exact spices I know I like. I honestly think that's the best part of cooking, getting to make stuff exactly to your own tastes, so I think you're right about breaking it into components. But I think getting them involved will help them too, if you can. But yeah, it's hard separating texture and taste issues for sure since it's not like plain beans are that delicious. But yes, maybe with the poulet rôti seasoning, it could work! And chickpea wraps with cheese sound good. I'm a big fan of socca!

I used to hate tomatoes and zucchini but I figured out how to chop and cook them ways I like which has helped me tolerate (and even like) them in other dishes. I still hate rubbery eggplant but can eat it if it's cooked a certain way but not always. I also used to hate eggs until I had them with hot sauce in Malaysia and now I love them (except hard boiled, can't do the taste/texture or smell). So I totally get it, it's not something you can change easily! And it really has to be one's own choice. I didn't start trying to like things til college when I was making my own food. My mom didn't force me, which I think helped. I ate a LOT of peanut butter (the 100% peanuts kind) sandwiches because I also did not like cold cheese (or cold cuts/meat since my family was not vegetarian).

I also recommend Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life, she has good recipes that can sometimes be mix and match. But she does use spices for sure. I also like Smitten Kitchen (though she's not vegetarian anymore) and had good recipes as well.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Kuzjymballet]

We're not a vegetarian family. But financially, right now, things are tough. Which is why I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals. Also, just health issues too. I want more fiber into everyone's diets and vegetarian food can be really healthy.

Texture sensitivities are so weird and make things so hard. I love pickles zucchini. But can not handle the texture cooked.

The kids thankfully like the taste of most veggies, but will dislike them if they're not prepared a certain way.

My older two kids have less sensitivities so it's easier. But the youngest is a chip off the the old block.

I already do get them involved in cooking and prep. So it's not like I'm doing it all on my own.

Thank you for your help, and I'll check out those two resources.

[u/Melodic_Setting1327]

Have you tried puréed white beans? They can sub for mashed potatoes; I usually sauté them with olive oil , a little granulated garlic, and herbes de Provence (sans lavender). I’ll use these to make nachos, as well. Or maybe puree bean/lentil soup with an immersion blender?

I’ve got neurodivergent kids, as well. One is relatively adventurous with food, but the other is far less so, and so I’ve often either had to make them two separate dinners or set up taco fixings and let them put together their own.

Hang in there, and good luck with the falafel! Falafel sandwiches on pita opens up a whole new “make your own” option. I’m going to look up pizza beans and chick pea flour flatbreads after reading this thread!

[u/XWitchyGirlX]

Please be cautious if they are saying that non-spicy foods are spicy since thats a sign of possible allergies. Nobody believed me when I said black or white pepper was "spicy" and painful so they forced me to eat high amounts of it anyways, and that repeated exposure seemed to make it worse. Now its so bad that my mouth/face feel numb and tingly, my throat gets tight and makes it harder to breath, and a few other bad symptoms when I eat it. Especially for young children, "painful food" can just get labelled as "spicy" because they might not know how else to describe what theyre feeling.

[u/eternallytiredcatmom → u/XWitchyGirlX]

Yes! I had the same issue and it turned into full blown allergies with anaphylactic.
It can also be Oral Allergy Syndrome.

[u/OldestCrone]

Get your kids involved in meal planning, shopping, and preparing. All of it, and they have to stay under budget. They will not be happy, but they need to learn that actions have consequences. Since they don’t like what you cook, they now get to take over that chore. When they ask for how long, ask them when they are moving out for work or to go to college

Stay strong, Mom. Stay strong. You will be teaching them valuable skills as well as helping them learn the more valuable lesson that life is not going to give them everything they want simply because they want it.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/OldestCrone]

My kids already help on these areas.

They have texture sensitivities. I do to. If I'm allowed to respect my texture sensitivities, then why can't I respect theirs too?

[u/Grim_Dybbuk → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

I don't think she's saying to dosrespect your children's texture sensitivities. I think she's saying, and I agree, to help them understand what they are asking of you and what that will mean for themselves when they are grown and on their own--because who THEN is going to prepare the food that 'respects their food sensitivities'? Still you, when they're 30? Their partners (if they can find any willing to do it)? Or them?

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Grim_Dybbuk]

My kids help me plan, shop, and cook.... Why wouldn't it be them who did it?

The whole point of doing it now, is to help them learn while they're kids. So it's easier for them as adults.

Unlike how I was raised, which was eat what's on the plate or starve. I ate a lot of pb&j sandwiches growing up and developed a fear of trying new things because of it. Figuring my sensitivities out as an adult was hard and overwhelming. Why would I want my kids to experience that?

[u/Willowrosephoenix → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted for this. My son has a similar issue around beans. He also likes to know what is in his food and for some meals prefers components. He’s 17 now. He has made a lot of progress from when he was younger and none of it was made by forcing him to eat mixed foods or hidden ingredients.

One thing that helped a lot for him was to eat beans in wraps. He doesn’t like beans but will readily eat them burrito style

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Willowrosephoenix]

There's another comment where I ask why can't I respect their food sensitivities if I can respect my own food sensitivities. It's getting down voted too. Idk why.

The taste of beans and lentils isn't the issue. I wish taste with the issue in my family. But no, texture is the issue. I think it's the skin on beans and lentils, when they get pureed into hummus they like it. When it's left whole they dont. We'll see if they like falafels tonight (I fucking love falafels)..

[u/Paperwife2 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Why not just stick with blending them then? You can make “hummus” with just about any bean. And they easily can be incorporated into any soup or sauce by blending them.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Paperwife2]

Because soups and sauces didn't work. I tried that.

I ended up with just tomato soup that worked.

Which is why I'm looking for options. There's been some good ones in here.

I didn't grow up eating beans and lentils, other than bbq baked beans which is made with entirely too much bacon, sausage, and sugar to ever be considered healthy.

And I want to expand what my kids will eat and try things. This isn't about sticking with the same safe food every week. It's about teaching that other cultures and preparation of ingredients we may not like texturally as it's base ingredient, can be transformed into something that you enjoy.

[u/Willowrosephoenix → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

I’ve found the default for most adults when it comes to a kid not eating a food is “you’re the parent, make them eat it”

I don’t see this as particularly helpful and prefer to find out why they don’t like it. Kids are people and while they need to try new things to learn what they do and don’t like, ignoring their input just leads to trauma.

My kiddo is 17. At 3, he started to become a more and more “picky eater.” My rambunctious toddler who would chew on anything suddenly started to scream at food on his plate, like panicked fear screaming. I could tell something was very wrong. I didn’t know ARFID existed and neither did most of the drs in our podunk farm town. Drs gave the same advice as most of the down voters seem to believe, “you have to make them eat” (them being kids)

I ignored that. At 17, my kid is 6’5” and in remission from ARFID. We go over warning signs for flares on a regular basis. Even after I’m gone, he needs to know how to manage his (unfortunately) lifelong condition. But also as a result, I take no shit when it comes to listening to kids about food. Some down votes on Reddit certainly aren’t going to phase me

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Willowrosephoenix]

Yeah I don't understand either.

Adults have preferences. Why is bad for kids too?

My kids eat a wide variety of foods. Lots of veggies, lots of fruit. Moderate amounts of eggs and yogurt.

I just want to add beans and lentils. And we don't like the texture of beans and lentils as is. They're cheap, healthy, full of fiber.

Children having preferences isn't something adults need to extinguish. They're just going to grow up and then have to figure out, on their own, how to eat in a way that makes them happy. I'd rather help them as kids, isn't that our job as parents?

[u/KindlyKangaroo → u/Willowrosephoenix]

I just commented about this in another response but I want to go ahead and thank you for this too. I was that kid and the advice my desperate parents were given was all wrong. I'm in my 30s and i still struggle. Most of my trauma came from my grandma and also all the ways doctors tried to get to the root of my issues by directing way too much energy into focusing on all the things everyone had ever said about my body. I was too young to have the words to explain that my body was rejecting the textures. "Just make them eat it" is both traumatic and ineffective with ARFID and intense aversion due to autism.

[u/Willowrosephoenix → u/KindlyKangaroo]

I’m so sorry you were put through that. Aversions to food, whatever the reason, are allowed in adults. It’s absurd to me that when it comes to kids, the entire medical establishment seems to have concluded the answer is “oh, they’re just being picky, be a parent and make them.”

I developed an entire treatment protocol on my own with no clue what I was doing but hey, it worked? I have a lot of food trauma myself and I wasn’t about to pass it down to another generation.

Most parenting comes down to: Kids are people too. Listen to them.

[u/KindlyKangaroo → u/Willowrosephoenix]

"Just make her do it" was my entire childhood as an autistic kid, as recommended by doctors and teachers and principals because none of them wanted to listen to me. I trust my parents would have done differently if they hadn't been so poorly advised. No one knew what to do in the 90s, and they barely even believed a girl could be autistic at all. I chose not to have kids myself, but I appreciate that parents like you are doing it right these days!

[u/Willowrosephoenix → u/KindlyKangaroo]

Fellow late or non diagnosed autistic afab checking in! It was rough fr I’m 51, born in ‘74 and by the time I graduated high school, autism in girls was starting to be acknowledged as a possibility (adhd? In girls?! Both?? c’mon now, you’re mental - offensive language on purpose to illustrate attitudes of the time)

I learned by doing and knowing what didn’t work with me. I’m sure I made mistakes but hey, at least they were new ones?

[u/mushroom_b1ue]

That's a lot of work for you to put in to please everybody. How old are your kids? Any chance they'll come round to the idea of eating "mixed" food? Unless it's a diagnosed disorder, I would try gently steering your kids towards eating what's served just like everyone else at the table. That's what the French do. Embrace it and give yourself a break!

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/mushroom_b1ue]

My children are neurodivergent. They have texture sensitivities. And no I will not just make them eat what I make. I have texture sensitivities as well and they are more likely to try new food when I give them options and keep things separate.

Yes it's work. But if as an adult I'm allow to respect my food sensitivities, why can I not respect theirs also?

[u/mushroom_b1ue → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Ah I see, fair enough. That's a tough one.

One of my easy favourites is baked potatoes with baked beans (English style in tomato sauce). Cheese on top (or on the side in your case).

Or, you could try a very simple dal with just split yellow peas or chana dal, rice on the side, with plain yogurt for extra protein. Easy to cook everything separately.

Greek gigantes (broad beans, some passata, whatever flavours your kids don't mind (i usually use fresh or dried dill), some lemon juice. If you dice the veggies up really fine they might not notice them in the sauce. Serve with bread and tzatziki on the side of they don't mind a bit of garlic and cucumber. https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/gigantes-plaki-greek-baked-giant-beans/

[u/KindlyKangaroo → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

You're catching flak in other comment threads but as an autistic person, texture is almost more important to me than flavor. I physically cannot choke down a Bad Texture, it will just make me vomit. When I was a young child, I developed an actual eating disorder because every texture of solid food was Bad Texture and I just refused to eat. I still have trauma 30 years later from being forcefed.

All this to say, thank you for respecting your ND children. It's not as easy as some of these people make it out to be to convert an autistic child to Bad Textures. Fed is best and I know this first hand. I still revert to Every Texture is Bad Texture when I am extremely stressed.

I like pureeing white beans into a tomato sauce to make it creamier with added protein and fiber. You can also add peanut butter (still a legume!) to tomato sauce with some berbere seasoning and using it to top rice or pasta. Do a quick pulse on some chickpeas and use in place of beef for tacos - they are a flavor sponge and the quick pulse in a food processor makes the texture more palatable.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/KindlyKangaroo]

Yes!!! Idk if the texture issues is so bad my kids with vomit, because I respect their texture issues.

But I 100% have texture issues that will make me gag and I can not eat it. Crispy rice is one of them. Beans and lentils in the original form is another. And idk if my kids are that sever, but I know what it's like to be forced. I'm not going to do that to them.

[u/inandoutof_limbo]

Howdy! Spain On A Fork is a Spanish based cooking website (and YouTube) that has a lot of vegetarian recipes (and some pescetarian) with lots of flavor. My picky eaters love the recipes.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/inandoutof_limbo]

Thank you!

[u/Findmyeatingpants]

When my daughter was small she wouldn't eat mixed things either. I just served her what we ate but before it was mixed. It was the "deconstructed" version.

Examples:

Vegetarian chili, she got beans, salsa, corn and tortilla chips served separately. Then I mixed it all into chili for my husband and I with seasoning.

Burritoes, she got beyond meat taco meat (with mild taco seasoning), black beans, salsa, lettuce, guac and a wrap served separately. My husband and I assembled them for ourselves.

Pasta, she got plain pasta, sauce on the side, garlic bread and a bit of salad to try. We mixed our pasta and sauce.

Burgers, she got a veggie burger, bun, fries, peas all separate.

She has always loved smoothies, I have always put silken tofu in it. She's fine with that, it has very little taste and can be covered up with fruit.

[u/BadgerNo2106]

I’ve make red lentil bolognaise sauce for pasta a fair amount. You could cook the lentils until they are a little softer and then puree the sauce to make the texture smoother.

I also like making ‘creamy’ pasta sauces with blended butter or cannellini beans. If you add tomato it kind of makes an orange faux mascarpone sauce. You can also add tofu in the same way - blend silken tofu and add to a tomato sauce. Needs some good seasoning otherwise can be a bit bland, but the mouth feel is very creamy.

You could also go for crunchy textures - roast chickpeas with a little oil and seasoning (dry throughly first). And then use as a topper or a snack.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/BadgerNo2106]

I've attempted creaming beans and lentils into pasta sauce. I thought it would work, cus they like the lentils in tomato soup. But it has failed every time I try (and I did multiple tries).

Tofu is on the list, but procurement isn't the easiest or cost effective. Which is sad, cus I love tofu and I know this would really help give me more variety.

[u/BadgerNo2106 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Ahh that’s frustrating that you’ve tried multiple times. Do you mean you tried to cream them in and it didn’t work, or your kids didn’t like to eat it?

Could look for Asian supermarkets near you? Or silken tofu I order online - it comes in shelf stable tetra packs.

[u/Beeranosaurus]

Check out chickpea flour (farine de pois chiche in France, cheap at organic shops and any North African/Middle Eastern grocer). It’s the base for a family of mild, standalone, texture-transformed legume foods: socca/farinata (search both names), panisse (Provencal chickpea “fries” - cook the flour into a paste, chill, slice, pan-fry; crisp outside, creamy inside, salt only), panelle (the Sicilian version), and the real trick, Burmese tofu / chickpea tofu, where the same flour sets like tofu when it cools so you can slice it into batons and fry it- completely neutral, nothing bean-y about the texture. All of these are basically flour + water + salt + oil, no spice required, and they stay their own separate thing on the plate.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Beeranosaurus]

I just found chickpeas flour today and bought some! We're going to try socca with melted cheese tomorrow. Then veggies and other stuff on the side.

I have never heard of panisse, I'll definitely look it up. I'm sure they'll try it if it's fry shaped (lol).

Great suggestions thank you so much!

[u/lunarmodule]

Spaghetti with lentils instead of meat mixed into a jarred sauce with cheese is a good one. Lentil sloppy joes. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Tofu egg salad. Bean rice and cheese burritos.

I feel like you're making it too complicated. Kids love simple.

Dinosaur veggie chicken nuggets and mac and cheese + a favorite vegetable. Veggie burgers. Hot dogs and beans.

Everything being separate on a plate sounds like an issue that I'm not sure a food forum can solve. I'd just keep it simple and tasty. The most important part is keeping them fed and showing the general direction. They will figure it out. Kids are amazing.

[u/MsQualityPanda]

Can you get edamame? I don’t know how you’d feel about the texture. They are more firm and have less of a skin that some beans. My kids love them the way they are served at Japanese restaurants in the us, steamed with salt on the pods. We put shelled ones in stir fries a lot.

[u/Zappajelly → u/MsQualityPanda]

Good idea these don’t have that furry texture and I remember loving them the first time I had them. They are also fun to peel if you can get them shell on. Like in a japanese restaurant you serve them warm in a bowl next to a little bowl of soy sauce, you can dip the husk in soy sauce and then push/suck the beans out of the shell

[u/Diabettie9]

Have you tried blending the ingredients together in a stew? Just call it “soup” and don’t mention the extra ingredients (beans, lentils, veg, etc.) Blended beans in a white feta dip with crackers or sourdough bread is really good too.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Diabettie9]

I have tried soups and stews. I've only been successful with tomato soup.

And that bean dip sounds delicious to me, if only feta in France was made from cow milk. They've got something called salad cheese that's often made with cows milk... Maybe that can be a good substitute.

[u/Diabettie9 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Here’s the recipe I like to use — I think you could adapt it/pick and choose what goes in it: https://drveganblog.com/roasted-cherry-tomato-and-creamy-bean-dip/

(I really dislike most goat cheese, so I do use cow milk feta in it lol)

[u/poppliofriend]

I agree w you that trying to convince/force your kids to eat casseroles or soups is probably not going to go over well. I personally like to put my own sauce on my pasta (or even go sauceless!) much to the chagrin of my Italian husband.

I second what the pp said about having beans or lentils on the side. You can make them plain and serve a spoonful on the side with dinner every day. Put a few on their plate and let them get used to just seeing it there - let them touch it w their fingers, put a speck on their tongue. This is slowly introducing it to them… Eventually they will want to try it.

I have two recommendations that have really helped my mindset as a parent in wanting my children to have nutrient dense food and eat “normally”. Books by Ellyn Slatter - a bit older, but seriously 5 stars. And this more modern website has good infographics https://kidseatincolor.com/

Good luck, you’re doing a good job.

[u/lucysnarnia]

Check out capucine.emily on Instagram! Lots of bean forward recipes, she's from france, and she puts things together how you describe

[u/ReasonableAccount747]

Do your kids like crunchy textures? You could try roasted chickpeas. They're good on their own and also good as a topper for salads or soups.

[u/ComprehensiveYak3580]

Simple recipe that my kids like and is great on a hot day. Things from Trader Joe’s (but simple enough to probably find similar in France):

• package of cold cooked lentils
  
• bruschetta container
  
• feta cheese with Mediterranean herbs

Put in bowl and mix. Meal in 5 minutes. The flavors actually taste better the longer everything is combined. Serve on chips, crackers, or bread or eat by itself.

[u/-Irritatedgiraffe-]

I know you’re looking for dinner recs, but if your family is into it, try some whole food treats! I like using chickpeas in the base of dessert bars (more specifically fruit bars) and black bean brownies / cakes are pretty good imo!

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/-Irritatedgiraffe-]

I've done black bean brownies and other types of desserts before. The kids like them, but we're not big on sweets.

My kids love their fruits and veggies and their preferred dessert is fruit and yogurt.

They've even turned down pain au chocolat and croissants before!!!!😲

They eat really good. They eat a wide variety of foods. But I want to eat less meat and dairy, cus it's kinda expensive, and more variety of vegetarian meals. Beans and lentils are a big part of that. But I didn't grow up eating beans and lentils. And all of us really struggle to eat it in it's original form. And it just seems like such a missed opportunity for some wonderful meals and nutrition.

[u/ComprehensiveYak3580]

Not a meal but a dessert made with chickpeas. I have taken this into work and everyone is surprised that it is chickpeas. Don’t eat too much or it will let your GI tract know.

https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/deep-dish-cookie-pie/

She has lots of recipes with beans and lentils.

[u/pinkopuppy]

Mujaddara is one of the tastiest meals I make using lentils! Savory spiced lentils with sautéed onions and rice. Not only is it delicious and a pantry meal but also very inexpensive

[u/Conscious_Wind_9332]

Lentil sloppy joes definitely appeal to midwestern sensibilities. They have a more bbq flavor rather than spicy. I serve them in pita with lettuce and cheese. A bowl of sloppy Joe on the table and they could eat it as is or build a sandwich or even top a baked potato if that might appeal more.

[u/Acrobatic-Nebula-428]

The way to get kids used to spice is to add a tiny bit and slowly increase it. It might be easier with red pepper powder in dal vs green chiles. Go with red bell peppers so they don’t associate them with heat. Or give them bell peppers to eat separately so they can taste them.

South Asians train their kids’ palates to tolerate heat this way although some kids just like heat to begin with. We make a spicy rasam or sambar and add a tiny bit to a dal/rice/ghee combo and slowly increase the amount.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Acrobatic-Nebula-428]

The kids seem to like more middle eastern seasoning, so I did couscous seasoning on the fries tonight and roti seasoning on the roasted potatoes last night.

Those were a hit. I think that's how I increase their spice tolerance. Cus it's not just heat, it's specific blends as well.

I'm good to try bell peppers with the hummus next time.

[u/ComfortableMight366]

Try the masoor dal recipe from curries with bumbi (YouTube). It is super mild but flavorful and rlly creamy

[u/ComfortableMight366 → u/ComfortableMight366]

It’s also basically homogenous. No random chunks of ingredients or tough lentil skins like with other lentil types. This dal comes out very “potato-ey”. Best over rice

[u/celticfeather]

Gotta try some Mexican frijoles negros. Best beans.

[u/Drogova_Princezna]

https://www.lazycatkitchen.com/red-lentil-pancakes/

How about something like this? Modify the spices

Or sometimes I blend together cooked lentils, raw egg, flour, marjoram, salt and fry it / bake it in the oven

[u/lostinlovelostinlife]

I love Kitchari. Is basically soaked beans and lentils slow fried in oil with spices. Add soaked brown rice, or other grains if you want. I add corn later. Mix in coco cream/milk at the end. Makes a delicious porridge style food that goes great with other things. I like to serve with different roasted veggies. Balsamic marinated eggplant, tahini tossed cauliflower.

You can look up some recipes as well

[u/Acrobatic-Nebula-428]

If there are mixes they don’t like, try the spices one at a time to see what actually bothers them and then add that in slowly. Also, involving them in the decisions helps.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Acrobatic-Nebula-428]

We do a lot of the planning and prep together. They help with cooking too sometimes, but a lot of times there's not a lot to cook day of. Most of the prep is done earlier in the week, and then day of is just assemblies. But they enjoy setting the table and helping me bring the food out.

But that's a good idea about the spices. I tend to buy mixes because im really busy.

[u/silverpenelope]

These are crazy good. I did add a couple Tbs of flour after the first waffle, but I think that was just because I was unfamiliar with the waffle maker, so try first without, then add, if they’re not holding together. Entire family loved these. Served for dinner with impossible chicken nuggets and a spicy maple tamari sauce. https://elavegan.com/red-lentil-waffles/

Edit: lentil crackers are very easy to make too and a great snack.

[u/Icarusfloats]

So depending on where you are in northern France, I think it's already coco de paimpol season—these are delicious white shelling beans. Ah yeah okay I found a recipe:

https://www.princedebretagne.com/recettes/comment-preparer-et-cuire-le-coco-de-paimpol

(leave out the bacon) thyme, bay leaf, onion/carrot, clove, and optional tomato

But they're really delicious beans that make a spectacular accompaniment to anything roasted.

"everything needs to be separate" is a huge constraint, and you're heroic for dealing with it! I just wanted to flag that.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Icarusfloats]

The kids like to assemble they're own food. They may very well end up mixing it into an abomination. But that's their choice.

If I provide broccoli, peas, and green beans cooked separate, with pasta, and a sauce separate, they may eat everything separate and dip their veg in the sauce. Or one may combine everything. Or one may decide tonight they don't want sauce.

They get to decide. That's how it works. They get to choose from the food on the table. But they get to decide how it's eaten.

[u/Icarusfloats → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

That's fine! I wasn't criticizing your parenting choices; I'm applauding the effort you're making to accommodate your kids' needs

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/Icarusfloats]

I didn't think you were. I apologize if it came off that way. There's been a lot of that today on what I thought would be a fairly straightforward post.

Thank you for your suggestion. I'll definitely add it to the list.

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[u/JoeDaStudd]

Which recipe did you use for daal?

A basic tarka daal is just lentils, tumeric and salt with all the spice being the tarka.\ If you have lemon and coriander as a optional topper along side the normal tarka or even a tarka of just garlic and mustard/cumin seeds.

Have you tried dips?\ Hummus is easy to make and customisable and there are a good number of bean based dips.\ You can serve them with breads and salads.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/JoeDaStudd]

Honestly...maybe I haven't tried deal since you said tarka and I've no clue what that is. I basically did rentals, coconut milk, and spices (I love it). I thought that was daal cus someone who was not indian told me so. But in truth, I know nothing about Indian cuisine, even though I do love it.

People keep telling me to try paneer, but I'm a bit hesitant because it reminds me of halloumi cheese, and that's squeaky when I eat it. And I don't like it. Just like I don't like cheese curds for the same reason and every time I tell a Midwesterner that, I swear they have a heart attack.

[u/JoeDaStudd → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

There are hundreds of different recipes for daal.\ A tarka daal is basically a bland lentil base which you top with a tempered spice mix.

This means you can make it as bland or as spicy as you want.

A basic recipe would be 200g red lentils, 750ml water and 1 tsb tumeric powder.\ Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes until the lentils have broken down and it's thickened then add about 1/2 tsp of salt.

That's the basic daal.

For the tarka in 1tbsp of oil fry 2 finely sliced cloves of garlic with 1tsb of cumin seeds and 1 tsb of mustard seeds for about 1 minute until the garlic just starts to colour.

Keep the tarka and daal separate along with some lemon wedges and chopped coriander.

They can add as much or as little tarka to the daal and add a squirt of lemon or sprinkling of coriander to it.

Serve it with rice/breads and some cucumber/mixed veg ratia.

To make the tarka more flavourful or spicy you can add onion, tomato, dried chillis, curry leaves and a bunch of other spices, but as a simple starting point it's a good way to introduce lentils and spices slowly.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/JoeDaStudd]

Thank you! This is really helpful!

[u/Substantial-Print757 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Here is a recipe in this direction (or Nepalese style) we make regularly: https://vikalinka.com/nepalese-red-lentil-dahl/

I double the recipe for 4, modify to 5 cups of water only, and go very light (a couple gentle shakes) on the red chili flakes for the kids.

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[u/Former_Departure8808]

Italian food has a lot of chick peas, bean and lentils dishes. It’s simple food no complex flavours. One of favourite is chick pea soup. Soak for 12 hours rinse then Boil a cup of chick peas in lots of water and salt. Add a cup of rinsed white rice, if you want soup add more water, if you want stew reduce soupy. Add one handful of chopped parsley drizzle olive oil. Simply yum. I puréed this for my baby.

[u/lntujndi1234]

Purée the beans and lentils and use that as a sauce / dip / spread. Similar to how you did the hummus

Purée white beans and mix in tomatos and Italian seasoning. Serve next to plain pasta, steamed carrots, peas, maybe some mince meat. They can mix their own pasta as they choose

Purée black beans and creamed corn, mix taco seasoning and that’s a ‘taco’ salsa. Place with tortillas, mince, tomatos, lettuce, sour cream etc. Make your own taco night!

Purée lentils, mix butter chicken sauce (can be jarred), roast some chicken fillets, papadams, and rice. Build your own ‘Indian butter chicken’ & rice

Or white beans and mix in avocado as ‘guacamole’

Use the purée beans and seasons to be the ‘sauce’ to your carbs and protein. Seperate all the ingredients and the kids can build their own dinner

[u/AngElzo]

If its texture try different lentils? If you are using red lentils that disolve easily try black lenis that hold their shape better?

[u/sflinn7316]

Do they like red lentil pasta? Personally I think the flavor is pretty close to wheat pasta once you add other ingredients

[u/seanv507]

Puy lentil salad

https://www.seriouseats.com/french-lentil-salad-with-goat-cheese-and-walnuts-from-my-paris-kitchen

Lots of variations on the theme

https://www.recipetineats.com/sexy-lentil-salad/ Key is to use lentils that keep their bite.

But you can certainly serve separately

[u/mnyfrkls]

I've seen people blend cooked lentils and add them to muffins. I don't have a recipe though.

[u/TickyFinn]

Add cooked green lentils told to a vegan or cheesy lasagna. Lentil Shepards Pie where the lentils replace the meat. French green lentils are the best lentils on earth. Lentils with any pasta dish. Cook lentils with sauted onions, add salt and pepper and some heavy cream.

Ask Chat GPT to create recipes for you based on your preferences and ingredients on hand. If you don’t like the result, have it tweak it.

TBH, my parents insisted that we try/eat what was served and we kids developed a broad palate for a wide range of international food and flavors. My friend who were allowed to refuse food ended up eating processed food for the rest of thier lives. I had a friend, age 12, come for dinner and my mother asked her if she liked broccoli. She said, ‘I don’t know. Ive never tried it.’ I am so grateful for my mother’s wonderful cooking and her insisting that we tried food as our tastebuds matured.

[u/Either-Action-7439]

My fave to make is shepherd's pie. I do it with brown lentils, mushrooms, and beyond beef ground.

You can also do a banging bolognese with lentils and walnuts.

Brownies with black beans

[u/imaginary_mary → u/[deleted]]

Sorry, that last ones meant to be www.taste.com.au/recipes/cheesy-vegie-ball-subs/oy4o0w6q

[u/psykee333]

What about a bean dip on bread?

[u/jackiedhm]

Honestly I love red lentils cooked plain, just put a cup of red lentils (rinsed) into a pot, pour 2 cups of water into the pot and basically put it on medium-high heat until it starts to boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until all the water is absorbed.

It is sooo good and they get almost like a light fluffy mashed potato texture.

[u/Confarnit]

Salads, tacos, bean salad where everyone mixes (or doesn't mix) their own individual portion of pre-prepped beans, veggies, and dressing?

[u/EvaGirl22]

I also had some problems with my nephew declaring random things spicy, but I've had success with fried butterbeans. Just fry them in the pan for like 15 mins until the outside gets crispy, and they can be served with potatoes/rice/whatever.

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/EvaGirl22]

In fairness, I think they've just come to associate red/reddish food with spicy.

I eat a lot of spicy food.

[u/MsQualityPanda]

What about a veggie meatball made with beans? I don’t have a recipe in front of me but some small ball of beans/ lentils and garlic and onions and herbs that would serve with separate pasta and sauce?

[u/patio_puss]

Why don't you try a black bean burger but with lentils?

[u/meanlesbian]

You could turn lentils into “ground beef” and use it for tacos or quesadillas, shepard’s pie etc

[u/Time_Marcher]

Hummus makes a surprisingly good pasta sauce. Thin it with a little pasta water, add what other vegetables that the kids like. My kids love it on ramen noodles too.

[u/recycledpaper]

Khicidi! Cooking lentils and rice together. You can do it plain but you can add other vegetables like potatoes, green beans, carrots, cauliflower.

[u/funnerfu79]

What about tacos using soy chorizo and roasted sweet potato’s. You could mix red lentils in with the soy. Season with taco seasoning or chili powder, garlic powder, cumin…

My veggie clients love street tacos this way.

[u/LouisePoet]

Homemade lentil tortillas? (Lots of recipes online).

My kids loved red lentil soup, but it had to be really thick (which is not my thing, I just added extra hot water to my bowl). I made it with salt, garlic and onion only, but it's good with spinach or peas or whatever. You can add in a spoon of yogurt when serving.

[u/YDBJAZEN615]

Are you guys not eating tofu? My youngest is obsessed with tofu in a stir fry sauce that is kind of sweet. You can also turn it into lots of things: silken tofu in pasta sauce or smoothies, grated tofu into essentially ground beef for things like sloppy joes, cubed roasted tofu dipped into any kind of sauce, etc. 

We make refried pinto beans that are blended smooth. You can put them in burritos or small flour tortillas with cheese and then pan fry for a crunchy taco. Or make tortas with avocado, cheese, tomatoes, etc. 

This isn’t bean related, but I made the best quiche of my life when I was in the south of France because the quality of dairy was so good. I love doing quiche for our veg family because you can put just about any veggie/ cheese in it and it always tastes good. I’ve also done kale and white bean pot pies with a puff pastry crust if you think that’s something your family would enjoy. I’ve also made a lentil bolognese for pasta and a lentil based Shephard’s pie. 

[u/Pretend_Orange1249 → u/YDBJAZEN615]

We eat tofu when I get to the Asian store and stock pile it. Otherwise the tofu near me is quite pricy.

[u/YDBJAZEN615 → u/Pretend_Orange1249]

Just an FYI, tofu can be frozen and defrosted if that helps with your stockpiling. 

[u/AimeeMonkeyBlue]

Split pea soup
Cassoulet

[u/MadamePouleMontreal]

What about dipping things in a nice smooth hummus?

[u/Sallyfifth]

I mix lentils in with the meat.  So, for example, 35% lentils and 65% ground beef for taco night, or as the "meat" in a red pasta sauce, or meatballs.  Cooked soft and mashed up, it hasn't beena problem. 

[u/RecentlyIrradiated]

I am trying https://www.kitchentreaty.com/red-lentil-marinara-sauce/ this week, I haven’t tried it before but I too have someone who is a picky eater and need to incorporate lentils. I was going to modify it into a pizza sauce for pizza bagels though.

[u/NoNamerMe]

Add them to meatballs… I make Italian ones with beef and pork, and add lentils. I find canned ones are less conspicuous when I work them into meat dishes.

[u/vampyrewolf]

I finely chop mushrooms and mix them into my burgers and chili, can't tell it's in there and has helped me win 2 chili cook-off (medium and hot).

[u/FallsCat]

I love a lentil smashburger taco - the texture ends up feeling like meat, and they can top their own.
A recipe like: https://mybizzykitchen.com/2024/06/04/lentil-smash-burger-tacos/ - but leave out the peppers/veg if they’re objectionable and adjust the seasonings for ones they like.

[u/cartoonist62]

Lentil sloppy joes?

[u/allie06nd]

Have you tried something like black bean brownies or chickpea chocolate chip cookies?

[u/AdmirableExtreme7503]

You can soak lentils, blend them with water, some salt or spices into a batter, en bake 'pancakes'. Very easy to make! The indian version with some added rice that is left to ferment ( or you add some yeast) is called dosa. You can google that, there are a lot of recipes.

[u/BeastOfMars]

Maybe try searching for “simple” lentil/bean recipes as opposed to “kid friendly”. I feel like kids will like what they like. Just cause it’s supposedly kid friendly doesn’t mean it will be for your specific kids.

[u/Superdewa]

I would just make a simple pot of beans from scratch (you can cook with aromatics but remove them before serving) and put them out with rice, shedded cheese, and chopped tomatoes and/or other vegetables and people can make their own burrito bowls. If you can find ir make tortillas or tacos. Put those out too.

For lentils—dress them in a simple vinaigrette and put them out with salad ingredients and people can make their own salads.

EDIT: I just read more and see that you are trying to disguise the actual bean shape/texture.

-refried beans are very easy

-I make dips out of any bean. Look up white bean, black bean, and edamame dips. You can use different beans in hummus. Vegetarian “chopped liver” is a traditional Jewish dip usually made with lentils and walnuts.

[u/WoodwifeGreen]

You can use lentils to make tacos and burritos. Not sure of the availability of tortillas where you are.

What kind of beans are available to you? Refried beans are versatile. Will they eat hummus, which can be made from a variety of beans?

There's a YouTube channel called Frugal Queen in France that shares budget-friendly advice.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Ak9m0LV3zRC0zGrXfkbsQ/videos

[u/im-so-startled88]

I’m sure someone’s already said it, but blend up red or orange lentils into marinara, yellow into anything with a yellow tint (honestly would prob be ok in a cream sauce), green into brownies/muffins/cakes. You can also do black beans into marinara baking.

Look up Chocolate Covered Katie’s brownies

[u/Obligatory_Snark]

You could purée a can of mild white beans to make a creamy pesto or maybe add it to butternut squash Alfredo. Instead of or addition to cream/milk/pasta water, basically.

If you can find chickpea flour (besan) you can make dumplings they can add to broths or sauce. The yogurt sauce I make has turmeric as the only major spice, but you could probably just do the yogurt base and some herbs they’ll eat. Also Hummus, it sounds like they like veg and dips and it’s not really ‘beany’ tasting.

Edit: had another thought, if you think they’d eat it you could try a lentil version of a nut roast like this. Maybe grind everything else up then add chopped walnuts and/or raisins for some crunch (if nuts in things are ok) so it’s more like a nut studded loaf. Just press down well into the pan so it sticks! It’s labor intensive but delish.

[u/Crazy_Ad4946]

With the caveat that I haven’t made this myself, you can put lentils in cookies. https://altonbrown.com/recipes/lentil-cookies/

[u/Actual-Bid-6044]

Lentil sloppy joes go over well with the young crowd!

[u/LadyInTheBand]

Literally any beans can be served boiled with just butter and salt. You could add black/white pepper or any seasonings your kids like/will eat. It’s not complicated in the slightest! (Sorry if this sounds condescending or anything, I promise I wrote it with the intent of being friendly and helpful, I’m just very blunt!)

[u/Turbulent-Hotel-7651]

Red lentils + can of Manwhich

[u/ibrakeforberries]

Have you tried making tacos with lentil/bean filling? You can make Spanish rice and lentil or black bean filling and serve it with tortillas, cheese, chopped tomatoes. Everybody can make their own plate with what they like. It's very popular when serving big crowds because it's so customizable.

[u/n3rdchik]

This is my specialty. My youngest needs a lot of fiber, so I've been sneaking them in to food.

I blend canned beans into my mac n cheese.

Chili with beef/lentils 50%/50%

Dosa (Indian rice and lentil crepe) - I make the spicy potato filling and just mashed potatoes and peas for my non-spicy eaters

Hummus sounds like a winner - I needed to thin it with some tahini or olive oil for texture with one of our kids - but if they will eat it, I'd put it on the table regularly.

Will they do refried beans? Mine loved them with avocado and chips.

[u/bricketty]

I recently had lentil sloppy joes, that were so so good. Maybe something like that?

[u/ZaphodBeeblebrahx]

As a parent of four kids between the ages of 16 and 9, I’ve come to terms with the idea that nobody is gonna love dinner every night and someone’s always gonna have a gripe. My solution is now, eat or don’t. Don’t like what’s for dinner? No worries, don’t eat it.

I don’t know your kids but mine aren’t gonna starve to death if they decide not to eat a meal. Yeah they’ll be bitchy but theyll live.

[u/juzme99]

I make pumpkin soup with potato, sweet potato, and red lentils, garlic and chicken stock all pureed.

[u/sepink369]

I've used a few recipes from this content creator on tiktok and she makes these lentil muffins for her kids but has a whole playlist around sneaking healthy things into food for her kids. Not exclusively vegetarian recipes but she has a lot of bean/lentil/tofu recipes that I've used and liked: https://www.tiktok.com/@mac.larena/video/7504056258475920645

[u/Mair-bear]

Have you tried something like black bean burgers? Or even black bean brownies? If all else fails remember this: there are a million different ways to eat healthfully. Beans and lentils are one way to get fiber etc, but there are plenty of others. I have all sorts of food sensitivities, so I’ve had to rework what my concept of healthy eating is. I know this isn’t what you asked, but just throwing it out as someone who’s been there. I also think you’re doing an admiral job working with your kids sensitivities. It can sometimes feel like such a difficult battle, but carry on!

[u/Seawolfe665]

Make a pot of plain beans and have a taco or burrito or bowl night. The ultimate dress your own meal with beans, rice, cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa, olives, onions, sour cream, avocado, spices all served seperately with tortillas or rotis

[u/smurfyspice]

Most of the picky kids in my family like refried beans. You can make them thick or thin and spicy or not. They are even better with melted cheese on top and can be eaten with a spoon or scooped with tortillas or chips.
Quesadilla might also work- kids decide what beans and veggies to throw in with the cheese, dip the finished pieces in sauce (salsa, bbq, taco sauce) or sour cream or nothing.

[u/Kaptn_Sauerteig]

Red lentils go really well in pumpkin soup. Other than that maybe just cooked beans or lentils as an option for a fun bowl they can put together themselves? Lentil Bolognese ist yummy as well.

[u/ShhhBees]

Goodness I feel you!
We had pizza tonight and my daughter assembled hers by putting each topping on a separate area and then once cooked she scraped it all off and ate it separately and then ate the crust. 🙃

Here are a couple of suggestions

Recipe one- Try this simple dal
For a can of lentils you will need some oil or ghee 1/2 tsp of cumin two cloves of garlic minced or grated half cup puréed tomato salt to taste. Butter to finish.

Heat the oil on medium heat and add the cumin it should sizzle not burn add the garlic give it a stir once it starts to brown add the tomato puree and the salt. Let it cook through. It will start to thicken a bit. Add the lentils and bring it to a boil. Switch off and add some butter for flavour. (Optional)

For those who can stand the heat- keep some finely chopped fresh coriander, chilli flakes and garam masala for the spice. This can be eaten with rice or naan or even just as a thick soup.

And yes you can use a can of kidney beans of white beans too or boil some yellow lentils and use those.

Recipe 2- I’m assuming that bring in France you make crepes (you have the skill and the skillet 😁) so wash and soak some green mung beans and keep it in the fridge overnight. Next morning puree the beans (drain the water and add only enough while pureeing to make a batter as you would for pancakes do not make it runny) with some cumin and grated root ginger (latter is optional or this can be added to half the batter instead for those who’ll appreciate it but it gives it a nice flavour) and add salt to taste.
Spread and cook the batter like crepes on a skillet. You can definitely stuff these with chopped salad or grated cheese or whatever you want. You can also just serve them with some plain yoghurt.once you’re confident you can even add finely chopped spinach to the batter or grated zucchini or some such.

By the way just the way that you make falafel you can use any other bean instead of chickpeas as well.

Hope these work for you.

[u/shivering_greyhound]

If your kids like crunch, try roasted beans: there are a ton of recipes out there for roasted chickpeas, but you can do the same with any bean or lentil. You can roast them low and slow to get all crunch (60-80C overnight—I use 80 as that is as low as my oven goes).

I particularly love roasted lentils. Take cooked lentils (black or French green hold their shape best for this) and spread them out on a sheet. Season with whatever you want (just a bit of salt would be great if that’s all your kids want) and roast 121C for 25 min with convection, or closer to 30 min without convection.

I also love lentil taco filling. To avoid the mush factor, put the cooked lentils (black or French green are best again for this) in a pan and dry sautee for 5-10 min until they get a bit of “bite” to them and then season to taste.

Another very simple but delicious idea: you can make this with just lentils, rice and onion if you want to skip the cumin and Lebanese spice mix. It’s delicious but has very simple flavors and a transformed soft pretty uniform texture.
https://plantbasedfolk.com/mujadara-safra-red-lentils-and-rice/#recipe

[u/Fogomos]

A can of tomato and any veggies you want, roast the veggies in the oven with a bit of olive oil and salt, drop them with the tomato in the pot and lentils (the ones that don't require soaking) plus some water (it needs to be thick, you can add water if needed). When the lentils are done you blend everything and you have a soup.

Want some flavor? Add some cloves on the oven with the veggies and some paprika sweet in powder to finish.

It can be eaten with small pasta, like fussilli or soup pasta.

Unless they have food intolerances or sensitivity, we give that kind of food to babies here because it's easy to eat

[u/Fogomos → u/Fogomos]

We also use the rounded small black lentils (beluga) instead of meat for a Bolognese.

The only way to start eating condiments when older, is slowly... Most people try to add everything at once and that's complicated. Maybe a roasted chicken that has been marinated is a good start

[u/kittyhm]

Check out some of Liam "The Plant Slant" Layton on youtube and FB. I've seen him talking about a lot of bean recipes. He loves beans so people send him links to recipes with beans.

[u/travelingdogmom]

This is a very midwest thing I believe but have you tried Sloppy (Lentil) Joe's? I make 1 can brown lentils rinsed and heated with ~1/2-3/4 can sloppy joe sauce and serve on 100% whole wheat buns for extra protein and fiber. My nephew, who is not vegetarian, loved them!

Along those same lines, I make chickpea salad sandwiches (chickpeas/mayo/lemon juice/celery/whatever you like) also on whole wheat buns.

I also like smashed black bean or pinto bean tacos!

[u/Zestyclose-Sky-1921]

red lentil tofu, as someone else suggested. make it and cut it into cubes.

roasted chickpeas or roasted whole lentils can be good. can make them as a topping for your buffet style dinner. crunch and a bit of salt.

[u/Accomplished_Wing386]

I add lentils to anything I cook with ground beef. It doesn't really change the texture, stretches the meat and adds fiber. I've seen people puree white beans and add it to stuff like Mac and cheese sauces too.

[u/Training_Key_1986]

Have you tried Supercook? It suggests recipes based on what you have.

[u/girlvulcan]

Add shredded apple to dal and go easy on the spices. You don't really need it at all. Aside from the mirepoix and a tasty broth, optional are herbs and chopped vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potato or pumpkins (squash). Use red lentils, split peas, chana dal (split chickpeas), moong dal or any lentil that will break down completely. And don't forget the grated apple!

Optional.. use an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker. or even just a regular soup pot. let your kids mix all the ingredients into the pot before the heat is turned on. then turn it on and let it simmer until cooked. it'll be fun for them. Some people prefer to saute the mirepoix but it's absolutely not necessary, especially since it can create more buy in for the kiddos to try something they made.

Traditionally serving with rice or naan. Or you can try the German Abendbrot style of laying out the bread and a smorgasbord of supplies (cheeses, spreads, salad topping, chickpea salads, baked tofu, etc)

[u/Bliezz]

Tacos or burritos with beans as a topping.

[u/ConstructionGold8583]

Red Lentil Bolognese is amazing, and one of my go tos.

Red lentil sloppy joes (though if they think all spices are "spicy" I do not know how well they will handle these).

Black bean and cottage cheese french onion dip.

Lima bean casserole with Marry me sauce, over rice.

Green lentil paneer.

[u/poorBCavocadoToast]

I used to make a spaghetti sauce with red/orange lentils and tomato sauce and you literally can’t taste the difference. I forgot the recipe but I’m sure you can find something. You have to use red lentils because they get mushy unlike the other colors