Here at Prinos Farm&Deli, we like to think of ourselves as advocated for good food and healthy, well-balanced eating. Which is why we stock our shelves with the best selection of premium supermarket goods in town! But we also know that sometimes, eating well can be difficult. Especially if you are trying to feed a fussy child who doesn’t like vegetables.

But don’t worry! We’re here to share some secret ways to get your children to eat vegetables – without them even realising. And while we also think it’s good to be honest with our children about what they are eating, sometimes hiding it is the only way! At least until they’ve tried the meals and realised how delicious they are.

So, without further ado, below are four of our favourite recipes with hidden vegetables for 2022. All can be made with ingredients from Prinos Farm&Deli, which will trick your little ones into eating a healthier diet!

1. Healthy Mac and Cheese

Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Almost all kids love it – thanks to the pasta, combined with creamy melted cheese, it’s a popular option even for fussy eaters. But what if we told you that we could sneak at least three of your kids’ five-a-day into the recipe. And that’s without sacrificing taste, comfort or flavour. In fact, we’d venture to say that our Prinos Farm&Deli healthy version of mac and cheese – full of secret hidden vegetables – is even better than the original. Moreover, the kids will get all the nutritional benefits of the vegetables, without even realising they’re eating them!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium courgettes (zucchinis)
• Half of a cauliflower
• Steamed carrots or squash
• Drizzle of Olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 350g of pasta
• 500ml of vegetable stock
• 300ml of milk or plant-based alternative
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp mustard
• 150g hard yellow cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp flour
• 4 strips of streaky bacon, diced

METHOD

First prepare the vegetables, peeling and grating the courgettes, finely chopping and steaming the cauliflower, and chopping and steaming the carrots or squash in a separate bowl. Next heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, before adding the onion and bacon and frying for 2-3 minutes. Once softened, add the garlic and stir for another minute. Add flour and mix well, before slowly stirring in the milk. Bring to the boil stirring regularly to avoid lumps, then reduce heat. Next add the grated cheese and allow to melt. Puree the steamed vegetables in a blender then add to the sauce. Now add the sauce to your cooked pasta and serve.

2. Courgette or Zucchini Spaghetti with Home Made Pesto

Not only are courgette noodles delicious and packed full of flavour, but they are also healthy! Made from only fresh courgette cleverly disguised as pasta, this dish is a great gluten-free alternative to the usual carbohydrate filled spaghetti. It’s smooth, but also lightly crunchy. And as an added bonus, your kids won’t even realise it’s a vegetable. Especially when you drizzle it in delicious handmade pesto using fresh rocket, spinach and basil!

INGREDIENTS

For the Courgette Spaghetti:

• Four large zucchinis (courgettes)
• Splash of Olive oil
• Salt

For the Pesto:

• 1 bunch of fresh rocca
• A handful of fresh basil
• A handful of fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup of toasted pine nuts
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 50g of Parmesan cheese
• ½ a lemon squeezed
• 70-100ml of Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

METHOD

First, spiralise or julienne your courgettes, then put them in a colander, add a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, then let it drain. Next made your pesto by putting all the ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth and creamy. Drizzle some oil into a pan on a medium heat, then lightly sauté the spaghetti for 2-3 minutes. Now lower the heat, then slowly add the pesto into the pan, stirring until the spaghetti is toasted. Serve with roasted cherry tomatoes for more adventurous kids!

3. Cauliflower Rice

While rice in itself is a healthy food that makes up an important part of any well-balanced diet, replacing it with this alternative is a great way to get your kids to eat vegetables without them realising. Cauliflowers are packed full of nutritional benefits, such as Vitamins C, K and B6, as well as antioxidants, folate, potassium, and fibre. And because this cauliflower rice is also deliciously tasty with a mild and subtle nutty flavour and a moreish crunch texture, your little ones will love it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cauliflower
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp vegetable stock
• unsalted butter
• Salt and black pepper

METHOD

First remove the leaves of the cauliflower then grate or blend the remaining vegetable. Next melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, before lightly sauteing the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower to the pan, stir for one minute before adding the stock and lemon juice. Let simmer for another 2 minutes then serve with salt and black pepper to taste.

4. Pasta with Secret Vegetables Red Sauce

Even the fussiest eaters usually love pasta. It’s simple, easy to make and when covered in our secret red sauce with hidden vegetables, it’s also very healthy. So, instead of buying processed ready-made pasta sauces, try this veggie packed recipe and watch your little ones beg for seconds! All the delicious fresh vegetables from Prinos Farm&Deli are blended together, making them unrecognisable to suspicious kiddies. And the added burst of flavour from the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar, give an extra kick of taste. The best thing? Your kids will get all the many nutritional benefits from the vegetables, without suspecting a thing.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
• 2 large aubergines, finely diced
• 3 red or orange peppers, finely diced
• 1 medium courgettes (zucchinis)
• 2 grated carrots
• 500g of crushed tomatoes or tins of tomato
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 350g of pasta
• 1 tsp of maple syrup
• Salt and black pepper
• Splash of Olive oil
• Drizzle of Balsamic vinegar

METHOD

First dice the aubergine, peppers and courgettes. Add then to an oven dish with one crushed garlic clove, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes. In the meantime, heat up the oil in a large pot and fry the diced onion until soft. Add the rest of the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes before adding in the tomato paste, then the crushed tomatoes and grated carrots. Stir well, then leave to simmer for 10 minutes while the vegetables roast. Next add the roasted vegetables to the sauce, then stir in the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Let everything simmer for another 10 minutes, then let cool before blending and serving with your kid’s favourite pasta.

So, now you have four great recipes to get started. And there are so many more recipes with hidden vegetables out there to experiment with. Next thing to do is head to Prinos Farm&Deli in either Nicosia or Larnaca or visit our e-shop online today. Pick up all the fresh ingredients you need, then get experimenting in the kitchen. Let us know if your kids enjoy the recipes.