Navigating the nutritional needs of your little ones while ensuring they enjoy every bite can be a challenging aspect of parenthood. As the school year recommences, the routine of preparing the same meals and snacks may set in. Fortunately, B-well, in collaboration with Munchie Monster and his vibrant friends, presents the delightful Taste Explorers Cookbook to make this task easier.
This free, downloadable cookbook features over 25 recipes, co-created with dietitian Dr. Monique Piderit. It includes nutrition tips and a convenient 2-week meal plan, offering an ideal breakdown of meals and snacks for busy parents. The cookbook, adorned with cute space critters throughout the design, aims to involve kids in meal preparation.
B-well, a renowned producer of oils, mayonnaises, and dips using locally grown canola, is the driving force behind this colorful back-to-school cookbook. Monique emphasizes the importance of good-for-you fats, with canola oil being a prominent ingredient in B-well products. The range is rich in heart-smart monounsaturated fats and low in saturated or trans fats. B-well’s mayos and Sandwich Spread are also eggless and dairy-free, catering to children with food allergies.
Lunique Theunissen, Brand Manager for B-well, expresses the brand’s commitment to producing ingredients for better living. B-well Canola Oil, endorsed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, carries the CANSA Smart Choice seal. With up to 12% omega-3 fatty acids and an excellent omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio, it can reduce inflammation-linked substances.
Lunique, a busy mom herself, shares her enthusiasm for the Taste Explorers Cookbook, designed to cater to time-strapped parents. The recipes, such as Veggie-Packed Meatballs and Sneaky Cauli Chicken Curry Mayo Wrap, focus on quick assembly or use of leftovers, allowing more quality time with kids.
The cookbook offers more diverse recipes like Egg-Free French Toast Fingers, Sweet Potato Fish Cakes, Creamy Veggie and Potato Salad, and Mac ‘n Cheese Slices. Each recipe is accompanied by nutritional insights from the Munchie Monster crew, providing parents with a deeper understanding of the dishes’ impact on their children’s growth.
To access the B-well Taste Explorers cookbook, purchase any B-well canola oil, mayo, or sandwich spread from major retailers. Scan the QR code on the tag attached to the lid to download the free cookbook, meal plan, and a Munchie Monster-themed alphabet download. Additionally, participants have a chance to win weekly prizes!
You can also visit the B-well website and download it directly from there.
2 RECIPES AS A SNEAK PEEK
Here is a taste of some of the nutritious, quick-and-easy recipes from the B-well Taste Explorers Cookbook.
Sweet Potato Waffles
2 cups cake flour2 tablespoons brown sugar½ teaspoon ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon ground gingerA pinch of ground nutmeg3 tablespoons B-well Thick & Creamy Mayonnaise1¼ cups milk1 tablespoon B-well Sandwich Spread1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
· Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
· Mix the mayonnaise, milk, sandwich spread, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
· Add the wet ingredients and mashed sweet potatoes to the dry ingredients, stirring until well combined.
· Follow your waffle maker’s instructions to cook the waffles.
Veggie-Packed Meatballs
500 grams lean minced meat1 cup finely chopped mixed veggies (carrots, bell peppers, spinach)2 tablespoons B-well Canola Oil2 tablespoons B-well Sandwich Spread1 teaspoon mixed herbsSalt and pepper to taste
· Preheat oven to 180°C.
· In a bowl, mix the minced meat, finely chopped veggies, canola oil, sandwich spread, mixed herbs, salt, and pepper until well combined.
· Shape the mixture into meatballs and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
· Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
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For the kids: Stamped cookies recipe to keep them busy during school holidays
