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Meals

Melissa’s Recipes and Tips for Kids’ Meals and Snacks

Oatmeal
Prepare to the consistency you like best. We like the ratio of 2/3 Cup oats to 1 Cup water. Microwave one minute. Add 2 teaspoons sugar. Or sugar plus maple syrup.

White Bread

1 package active dry yeast
3/4 Cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 Cups coconut milk
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 Tablespoon salt (non-iodized/non-sea salt)
7-8 Cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in milk, sugar, oil, salt, and 4 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic—about 10 minutes. Place in lightly oiled bowl; turn dough oiled side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about an hour. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

Punch down the dough; divide into halves. Roll each half into rectangle 18 x 9 inches. Fold 9-inch sides into thirds, overlapping ends. Roll up tightly beginning at narrow end. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal; fold ends under.

Place loaves seam side down in two oiled loaf pans. Let rise until double, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place loaves on low rack so tops of pans are in the center of the oven. Pans should not touch each other or the sides of the oven. Bake until loaves are a deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Usually 25 to 30 minutes. Immediately remove from pans. Cool on wire racks or turn loaves on their sides on a tea towel on the counter. Slice thin when completely cooled. Enjoy.

Vegetables

Green Beans
No-salt-added canned green beans. In a 1-quart saucepan combine 1 can of green beans with 2 cans of water. Add 1 teaspoon non-iodized salt. Add 2 teaspoons dried onions. Cook until boiling; then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 min.

French Fried Potatoes
The secret to this is a heavy skillet, steady heat, and patience not to turn the potatoes until they are brown.

Peel 6 medium potatoes and cut them into thin slices. They look like thick potato chips when you are done. Boil water with noniodized salt (1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup water). Add potatoes cook for ten minutes.

Heat 2 Tablespoons canola oil in 10-inch skillet. Layer the potato slices into the skillet. Sprinkle with non-iodized salt and a dash of pepper. Repeat twice—you'll have three layers of potatoes in the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook turning once so all the potatoes are brown.

You can also do this by cutting the potatoes into traditional French Fry shapes, but I found it faster to cut them this way.

We also found one local brand of frozen French fries that baked in the oven quite nicely.

Mashed Potatoes
Make traditional mashed potatoes using coconut milk instead of dairy to help make them fluffy.

Baked Potato
Some low-iodine diets say to remove the skin. Add noniodized salt to taste on the inside of the potato. I also added a little canola oil. Forget about the butter flavor extract. Extracts can contain salt. I'd suggest a salt-free, dairy-free, soy-free margarine. Soften it. Stir in some salt, put it in a container and use like butter.

Meats and Meat/Noodle Dishes

Hamburgers
Fresh ground beef patty cooked. Take two slices of homemade bread and cut out hamburger-sized circles. This makes your bun. Make your own ketchup by taking 1/2 cup Hunts no-salt tomato sauce. Add 1 teaspoon non-iodized salt and1/2 teaspoon sugar. Mix in small container that has a lid; then use and store in the refrigerator.

Goulash
In a 2-quart saucepan, boil 8 ounces of elbow macaroni noodles (most brands are fine—just avoid the ones with eggs) for 10 minutes. Drain. Set to the side.
Brown 1 pound fresh ground beef with fresh onion. Drain fat.

Add hamburger to noodles in saucepan. Add one 15-ounce can of no-salt tomato sauce. Season with 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, ½ teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt (non-iodized, non-sea salt). Mix until noodles are well coated, heating on low to medium heat. It takes about ten minutes after combining it all and you can enjoy.

Chicken Breast
One fresh chicken breast skillet cooked or broiled. Make sure the chicken is not injected with broth or coated with a broth glaze.

Roast Beef
Place a 2-pound chuck roast in a roasting dish. Surround the roast with fresh sliced onion and baby carrots. Add enough water to cover all. Add 2 Tablespoon salt. Cover and cook at 350 degrees for 4 hours.

Spaghetti Sauce and Noodles:

1 pound ground beef
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
1 15-ounce can of no salt tomato sauce

Cook and stir ground beef, onion and garlic in skillet until the beef is browned; drain.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Boil spaghetti noodles (most store brands are fine--just avoid the ones with eggs). Drain. Serve the sauce over noodles.

Spreads and Snacks

Peanut Butter
Grocery store unsalted peanut butter made from just crushed peanuts. I kept it refrigerated so it wouldn't separate. Take out a small portion to store in a small container. Mix in salt (non-iodized, non-sea salt) to taste. This way, if you don't mix it right the first time, you have more.

Jelly
My store's name brand grape was just fine. Check the labels.

Boxed Juice Drinks
Check labels to make sure no Red Dye #3 dye added.

Tortilla Chips
I bought unsalted tortilla chips at the grocery store. Then I spread them out
on a cookie sheet, spritzed them lightly with canola oil, and salted them with non-iodized salt. Then bake in oven at 400 for 10 min. Yum.

Boxed Fruit Snacks
Just check box to make sure the flavor you're buying doesn't have Red Dye #3.

Fruit Leather
My store had many varieties that we could use just off the shelf. It's a reading game. Watch for soybean ingredients (soy oil and soy lecithin are okay, but not plain soy). Avoid Red Dye #3. I bought my store’s name brand.

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