SingaporeMotherhood | Family Fun

April 2021

Earth Day 2021: 6 Kid-friendly Plant-based Recipes to Try

By Mandy Lim Beitler

There’s no doubt that the movement to go meatless is taking off in a big way in Singapore. New vegan and vegetarian restaurants are popping up like mushrooms after a rainy day. At the same time, many other F&B establishments are adding more green options to their existing menus. This Earth Day, why not work on your family’s #KosongPlan and #MeatGoals by trying these kid-friendly plant-based recipes at home? You may discover that reducing your carbon footprint and eating more healthily can be more enjoyable than you think!

1. OmniMeat Luncheon Toast

The most important meal of the day, or so they say, is breakfast. We have no doubt that the whole family will fall for this yummy OmniMeat Luncheon Toast. It’s also a great way to sneak some veggies into the kids’ meals. This recipe comes courtesy of Green Monday, the people behind one-stop vegan café and grocery store concept, Green Common.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 pcs OmniMeat Luncheon
• 2 eggs
• 40 g spinach, chopped
• Pinch of salt
• 2 slices extra thick sandwich bread    
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 slices cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and pan-fry OmniMeat Luncheon until golden brown.
2. Whisk egg and mix well with chopped spinach and salt.
3. Cut a square hole in the middle of each slice of bread, then place in a skillet and melt 1 tbsp butter over low heat in the hole.
4. Place OmniMeat Luncheon in the hole, and cover with egg and spinach mixture. Add cheese and place the cut-out bread over the hole.
5. Flip over once the egg is cooked and pan-fry till toasty and aromatic. Enjoy!

2. Rainbow Salad with Asian Dressing

Next up, for lunch, consider this vibrant salad for some immune-boosting goodness. During last year’s Circuit Breaker, Talent Coach and Multi-Disciplinary Learning Designer Louise YT Phua consolidated her plant-based recipes and health tips, publishing them in a book called Myrita2. This Rainbow Salad with Asian Dressing is one of the 16 colourful recipes in it.

Ingredients (for dressing):

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp rice vinegar or the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp fried shallot and/or garlic

Ingredients (for salad):

• 1 cup raw chickpeas, soaked overnight in water
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 10 baby carrots, halved
• 1 capsicum, thinly sliced
• 2 pieces firm tofu, diced
• 1 head of lettuce, coarsely shredded
• Handful of alfalfa sprouts, optional for garnish
• 1-2 tsp pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds, optional for garnish
• 1-2 tsp roasted white sesame seeds, optional for garnish

Method:

1. Combine the ingredients of the dressing in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
2. Drain soaked chickpeas and cook in boiling water for about 45 minutes or until softened. Drain and set aside chickpeas to cool.
3. Combine the chickpeas, tomatoes, carrots, capsicum, tofu, and lettuce in a salad bowl.
4. Add the dressing to the salad and toss well.
5. Serve in individual salad bowls and top each serving with your preferred garnishes.

(See also: Easy Steps to a Zero-Waste, Eco-Friendly Household in Singapore)

3. Impossible™ Japanese Potato Croquettes

Looking for a midday snack that’s tasty, filling, and nutritious? These Impossible Japanese Potato Croquettes are impossible (pun intended!) to resist. Get the kiddos to help mash the potatoes and shape the croquettes. And instead of deep-frying, you can also shallow-fry in a skillet or use an air-fryer. This recipe by Impossible Foods yields about 8-10 croquettes.

Ingredients:

• 3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and halved
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp milk
• ½ small onion, diced
• 1 pack Impossible Beef
• 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ cup plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 6 cups oil, for deep-frying

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil potatoes for 20-25 minutes till tender. Add salt to season potatoes while boiling.
2. Drain excess water and mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Add milk and stir till well incorporated.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in frying pan over medium heat and sauté onion till fragrant.
4. Crumble Impossible Beef into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes until brown.
5. Add soy sauce and sugar. Stir until the sauce is absorbed into the meat.
6. Add the cooked ingredients into the mashed potato and mix till well combined. Set aside to cool.
7. Using hands, form the potato croquettes into desired shape, coat in flour, dip in beaten egg, and cover with panko breadcrumbs.
8. Deep-fry the croquettes in hot oil at 180°C till golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel to soak off excess oil. Serve immediately.

4. Vegan Spring Rolls

Perfect as a side dish or addictive snack, try these Vegan Spring Rolls by Porta at Park Hotel Clarke Quay. Store extra uncooked spring rolls in the freezer and deep-fry them frozen whenever you feel peckish. An air-fryer works too. Pair it with your favourite dips — kids love it with tomato ketchup, while we like Thai sweet chilli sauce, or even vegan mayonnaise.

Ingredients (for filling):

• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine (optional)
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 500 g minced OmniMeat
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 stalk green onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 100 g cabbage, shredded
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

Ingredients (for wrapping):

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• Frozen spring roll wrappers, defrosted
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine, pepper, and cornstarch. Add OmniMeat, mix well, and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Heat a wok over high heat and add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Stir-fry OmniMeat until fully cooked and set aside.
3. Wipe the wok clean and add remaining vegetable oil. Stir-fry green onion and garlic for 30 seconds on medium heat.
4. Stir in carrots and cabbage, and turn the heat to medium-high. Stir-fry for two minutes or until carrots have softened.
5. Add in cooked OmniMeat and oyster sauce. Mix well.
6. Spread the filling on a baking sheet to let cool. Prop up the baking sheet on one end to drain off any excess liquid.
7. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and water together.
8. Fill spring roll wrappers with the filling, wrap, and seal the edges with the cornstarch slurry. This recipe makes about 10-15 spring rolls.
9. Deep-fry the spring rolls in hot vegetable oil at 175°C for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel to soak off excess oil and serve warm.

(See also: What do Chefs and Foodie Parents put in their Child’s Lunchbox?)

5. Meat-free Tom Yum Meatball Soup

Chef Nipaporn Tuk of Blue Jasmine at Park Hotel Farrer Park shares a simple Meat-Free Tom Yum Meatball Soup recipe. Suitable for kids, the recipe can be easily adjusted for taste. If a lower spice level is preferred, for instance, simply use less chilli padi. Pair with a bowl of rice for a tummy-warming dinner, especially comforting on a rainy day!

Ingredients:

• 100 g Quorn® Meat-free Meatball
• 150 ml vegetable stock
• 5 g chilli padi
• 20 g shallots, quartered
• 10 g galangal, sliced
• 10 g lemongrass, sliced
• 1 lime leaf
• 50 g Shimeji mushroom
• 50 g oyster mushroom
• 30 g cherry tomato, halved
• 50 ml coconut milk
• 10 ml lime juice, to taste
• Coriander, for garnish

Method:

1. Deep-fry Quorn Meat-free Meatball.
2. Boil vegetable stock with chilli padi, shallots, galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaf until fragrant.
3. Add in mushrooms, meatball, and tomato.
4. Thereafter, add in coconut milk and let simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Just before serving, add in lime juice to taste and garnish with coriander leaves.

6. Minced OmniMeat with Lotus Root

From the chefs at Cantonese restaurant Yàn comes this Minced OmniMeat with Lotus Root dish. It’s a quick and easy recipe for kids and novice cooks alike and goes well with rice or porridge. Introducing different textures, it offers layers of flavour that combine into a delightful plant-based dish. For added crunch, dice the vegetables into larger pieces.

Ingredients:

• 2 g vegetable stock powder
• 3 ml sesame oil
• 3 ml vegetable oil
• Black pepper and sugar, to taste
• 30 g lotus root
• 6 g Sichuan vegetable
• 20 g black fungus
• 3 g ginger
• 150 g minced OmniMeat
• Lotus root, sliced thinly for garnish

Method:

1. Combine vegetable stock powder, sesame oil, vegetable oil, black pepper, and sugar in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
2. Dice lotus root, Sichuan vegetable, black fungus, and ginger till fine. Blanch quickly in hot water and drain well.
3. Combined diced vegetables with OmniMeat. Add seasoning blend and mix well.
4. Transfer the mixture into a dish suitable for steaming. Pat lightly to shape it into a neat patty. Arrange slices of lotus root on top.
5. Steam the dish over boiling water on high heat for 6-8 minutes until fully cooked.
6. Remove from heat and drain excess water that collected in the dish. Enjoy!

(See also: 12 Postnatal Nutrition Tips for New Mums (+ Bonus Recipe!))

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