Vegetarian Protein Rich Recipes for Kids, Protein rich food for kids

By Dr. Krystel Quadros|9 - 10 mins read| June 27, 2023

Vegetarian Protein Rich Food for Kids. In this article we will take you through some simple and delicious Vegetarian Protein rich recipes for kids.

Proteins are important component of every cell in the body.  It is found in muscle, bone, skin, hair and almost every other body part or tissue. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein . Our body uses protein to build and repair tissues.

Along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is a “macronutrient,”. Therefore it is important for parents to keep a watch on the protein intake of the kid. This will help in ensuring that necessary amount of protein is received by the child daily.

Today, food habits of kids and teenagers involves a lots of fried, oily, junk and fast food. In most of the cases their food habits deprive them from essential nutrition which is key to their growth and development. 

Enjoy our recipes for protein rich food for kids below.

Vegetarian Protein rich recipes for kids

Quinoa Pulav

Quinoa Pulav is gluten free and High in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all the nine essential amino acids necessary for the growth and development of children. Quinoa is also high in Magnesium, fibre, Iron, potassium, Calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, Vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants.

Ingredients

  • Quinoa – 1 cup
  • Onion chopped – 1 cup
  • Corn – 1 cup
  • Chopped carrots – 1 cup
  • Chopped mushroom – 1 cup
  • Bell Pepper chopped – 1 cup
  • Grated Ginger-garlic – 1 tablespoon
  • Oil – 3 tablespoon
  • Cumin seeds – 1/2 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Chili powder – 1 tablespoon
  • Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Water – 1 and 1/2 cup
  • Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Cilantro for garnishing

Recipe

  1. Heat oil in the Instant Pot and put it in saute mode.
  2. Add cumin seeds.
  3. Let it splutter. Add grated ginger-garlic and saute for few seconds. Now add onion, saute it for a minute.
  4. Add carrot, corn, bell pepper and mushroom. Season vegetable with salt and Saute for a minute.
  5. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, and garam masala. Let it cook for a minute.
  6. Wash the quinoa properly and add it into the sauteed veggie mixture. Cook for a minute and add water.
  7. Secure the lid.
  8. After the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
  9. Open the lid, fluff them up with fork.
  10. Add lemon juice and cilantro.
  11. Serve hot with cucumber raita.

Soya Upma

Soya Upma is a protein rich recipe for children. 

Ingredients

  • Soya granules-1/2 cup
  • Oil- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Jeera-1/2 teaspoon
  • Urad dal-1/2 teaspoon
  • Ginger and Green chilli paste-1/2 teaspoon
  • Onion and carrot-1/4 cup
  • Lemon juice- 1 teaspoon
  • Salt and pepper-As per your taste

Method

  1. Soak the soya granules in hot water for about 15 minutes.
  2. Drain and squeeze out all water from the soya and keep aside.
  3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add cumin seeds.
  4. When the seeds crackle add urad dal and saute in a medium flame till the urad dal turns brown in colour.
  5. Add the ginger and green chilli paste and onions and saute till the onions turn light brown in colour.
  6. Add the carrots and saute on a medium flame.
  7. Add the soya granules, salt and lemon juice. Cook well on a medium flame stirring occasionally.
  8. Garnish with coriander leaves

Flaxseed Raita Recipe

Flaxseed raita is a protein and calcium rich recipe for children. 

Ingredients

  • Roasted and coarsely ground flax seeds 1 tablespoon
  • Grated bottle gourd – 1/4 cup
  • Beaten low-fat curds – 1/4 cup
  • Chopped mint leaves 2 tablespoon
  • Roasted cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon
  • Black salt 1/4 teaspoon
  • Powdered Sugar 1/4 teaspoon
  • Salt to taste

Recipe

  1. Combine the bottle gourd with ¼ cup of water in a deep pan and mix well. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till all the water evaporates. Keep aside to cool.
  2. Combine all the ingredients, including the cooked bottle gourd in a deep bowl and mix well.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and serve chilled.

Moong and Paneer Soup

Moong and Paneer Soup is a combination of protein packed healthy moong and low-fat paneer broth brings different flavors and nutrients together.

Paneer being rich in calcium and protein helps to maintain bone strength and repairs damaged tissues in children. Moong serves the required amounts of protein and fibre content which in-turn leads to weight loss in overweight children.

Since the paneer used is a low-fat version, it is cardiac friendly too for overweight children.

Ingredients

  • Paneer (cut into half inch cubes)-30grams
  • Whole green grams-2 tablespoon
  • Spring onions (finely chopped)-1 tablespoon
  • Ginger (chopped)-1 inch
  • Green chilies (chopped)-1-2
  • Cumin seeds- 1/4th teaspoon
  • Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
  • Salt- as per taste
  • Oil- 1/2 teaspoon

Recipe

  1. Add moong along with water and salt in a pressure cooker and cook until the moong become soft.
  2. Allow it to cool for some time.
  3. Add the cooked moong in a grinder to make smooth puree, add water as required.
  4. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seed, spring onion & ginger and saute it for 1 minute.
  5. Add green chilies and saute again for another 1 minute.
  6. Add moong puree and allow it to boil.
  7. Add lemon juice and cook for few seconds.
  8. Add the cubed paneer and simmer for few seconds. Turn off the flame.
  9. Pour it in a bowl and serve hot.

Paneer Tikka

Paneer tikka is a protein rich recipe for children. 

Ingredients

For the paneer tikka

  • 2 cups cottage cheese
  • 1 medium sized onion (cut into 1 inch cubes)
  • 1 capsicum (deseeded and cut into 1 inch cubes)
  • 1 large tomato (deseeded and cut into cubes)
  • chopped Coriander or Cilantro, Lime juice for topping

For the marinade

  • 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Paste
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger Paste
  • 1/2 cup thick Curds (or Greek Yogurt)
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder(or Paprika)
  • 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder((available at Asian/Indian stores))
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi(crushed)
  • Salt to taste

Recipe

  1. Mix all the ingredients under marinade into a bowl and add paneer to it.
  2. Toss the paneer in the marinade till the cubes are coated well. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours.
  3. Pre-heat oven to 220 C/ 430 F 10 minutes before ready to cook. Place a cooling rack over a roasting pan and set aside.
  4. Skewer paneer cubes alternating with onions, capsicum and tomato. 
  5. Place the skewers on the cooling rack and bake for 15 minutes, turning once half way.
  6. After 15 minutes, switch on the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes till the paneer has a slight char on the surface.
  7. Carefully remove the roasting pan with the skewers out of the oven (the paneer tends to become really soft so be careful) and place the skewers on your serving platter.
  8. Top with chopped coriander and squeeze lime juice on them.
  9. Serve immediately with sliced onions.

Baked Quinoa cutlet

Baked Quinoa cutlet is gluten free and High in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain all the nine essential amino acids necessary for the growth and development of children.

Ingredients

  • Quinoa (uncooked) – 1/4 cup
  • Potatoes – 1 (boiled and peeled)
  • Carrots – 1/2 (cooked until fork tender)
  • Green peas – 1 tablespoon (cooked until soft)
  • Red chili powder – 1/4 teaspoon (adjust based on your liking)
  • Garam masala – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Dhania Jeera Powder / cumin coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Chaat Masala – 1 teaspoon (optional)
  • Salt – to taste
  • Corn flour / corn starch – 1 tablespoon dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
  • Bread crumbs – 1/4 cup
  • Oil – to brush on the cutlets.

Recipe

  1. Wash the quinoa under running water few times by placing it in a fine mesh strainer. This will help in removing the slight bitterness of the quinoa.
  2. Place the washed quinoa in a pan with 1 cup of water. Cook in medium heat until it comes to a boil. Then simmer the flame and cook until the quinoa is cooked and all the water evaporates.
  3. In the meantime, cook all the other vegetables until they are soft.
  4. Place the cooked quinoa, 1 tablespoon of corn flour and vegetables in a large bowl and mash them using a masher. Once they are half way mashed, add the spices and salt and mix/mash well.
  5. Make sure that there are no big lumps of vegetables and they all are combined well.
  6. Dissolve the corn starch in water and keep it ready.
  7. Place the bread crumbs in a wide bowl. Prepare two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
  8. Divide the quinoa-vegetable mixture into equal sized balls and flatten them slightly. Dip it in the corn flour mixture to coat evenly and then place it in the bread crumbs. Make sure that the cutlet is coated well with the bread crumbs.
  9. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the same with the rest of the mixture. Preheat the oven to 150 Degree. Brush the cutlets on both sides with oil. Make sure that you brush them on both the sides.
  10. Bake the cutlets for about 20 minutes flipping the cutlets once or twice in between. This helps in even browning of the cutlets.
  11. Remove from oven when they are golden brown on both the sides. Let it cool down a bit on the tray and then serve them warm with chutney or ketchup.

Vegetarian Protein rich recipes for kids – Smoothies

Nuts and Grains Smoothie

Nuts and Grains Smoothie is a protein rich smoothie recipe for children. 

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup (45 g) ice cubes
  • 1 banana, peeled, halved
  • 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon rolled oats
  • 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened rice milk

Directions

Place all ingredients mentioned in the ingredient list above into the blender and serve.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie is a protein rich smoothie recipe for children. 

Ingredients

  • 1 large banana, peeled
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 heaping Tbsp. peanut butter
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

In a blender, combine all ingredients.  Blend until smooth, and serve immediately.


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About The Author:

Dr. Krystel Quadros

Last Updated: Tue Jun 27 2023

This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the above blog/article text are the personal views of the author, and not necessarily reflect the views of The ParentZ. Any omission or errors are the author's and we do not assume any liability or responsibility for them.
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