Encourage your child, starting with simple tasks such as preparing cold beverages, salad or other dishes that require assembly or baking rather than stove-top skills. As they gain confidence they can graduate to stove-top cooking with your guidance. With more practice, they can soon prepare snacks, drinks and salads for themselves and for the family.
Some of the easiest recipes for children use condiments to impart flavours that uplift even the simplest preparations to the next level. Alce Nero™, a leader in organic food including, pasta, pasta sauces, honey, jams, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar among others, has compiled four simple recipes to get children started on a culinary journey for World Parents’ Day Celebration on July 24 and for everyday thereafter.
The condiments featured are Alce Nero™ Apple Cider Vinegar, Alce Nero™ Balsamic Vinegar, Alce Nero™ Organic Wildflower Honey and Alce Nero™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil. These organic condiments are packed with health benefits, being a mainstay of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet[1].
Share these recipe ideas with your kids and help them pamper you!
Caprese Salad
Caprese salad offers great flavour from the combination of just a few ingredients. Only the tangy balsamic glaze requires minor stove-top time.
Make the balsamic vinegar glaze by placing the Alce Nero™ Balsamic Vinegar into a small saucepan, bring to a gentle boil on low heat. It should reduce and thicken in 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside. Select fresh, juicy and sweet tomatoes, Roma tomatoes are best but any large red tomato can be used. Slice tomatoes and fresh mozzarella into 1 cm thick rounds. Eat the less than perfect rounds of tomatoes and cheese – chef’s treat!
On a plate, arrange the tomato and cheese slices, overlapping and alternating them. Wash and pat dry fresh sweet basil leaves. Arrange over the beautifully assembled tomato and cheese slices. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar glaze and Alce Nero™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil before sprinkling with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Why this recipe: Output is greater than input. You will be impressed, kids will be delighted by their own capabilities, and everyone can dig in to one of the simplest and tastiest salads.
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 10 minutes, serves: 4 pax
Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Limeade
The kids can energise weekend meals, or weekday dinner with this sparkling apple cider vinegar limeade. So easy and so refreshing, especially on hot days. In a jug, combine 3 litre sparkling water, 3 tablespoon of Alce Nero™ Apple Cider Vinegar, juice from 5 limes, and 4 tablespoon of Alce Nero™ Organic Wildflower Honey. Mix well, then top with ice cubes. Pour into pretty glasses, garnish with lime slices, take a sip, sigh with happiness and enjoy with the family.
Why this recipe: Great for young children as it is so simple but can look so fancy with a bit of garnish and a metal or glass straw. For parents, it is a healthier option to coffee.
Prep time: 10 minutes, no cooking required, serves: 5 pax
Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Garlic (Aglio e Olio)
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Perhaps the simplest spaghetti dish for beginners but the taste is worth much more than the minimal effort. Your child may require help with this one if they are inexperienced with stove-top cooking.
Prepare 450g Alce Nero™ Spaghetti according to the pack instruction. Six minutes in boiling water for al dente pasta. As the pasta cooks, in a large fry pan combine garlic, Alce Nero™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, and red pepper flakes to taste, and warm over low heat until the garlic softens and turns golden. Chef’s tip if you love garlic add more for a more intense flavour.
Drain the pasta, reserving about a ½ cup of the cooking water. Add the Alce Nero™ Spaghetti and the reserved water to the garlic mixture. Mix well until the Alce Nero™ Spaghetti is well coated in garlicky olive oil. Transfer to a large serving bowl or divide among individual plates. For garnish, add parsley and lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Why this recipe: Simple pantry staples come together quickly and easily in this Italian classic. Kids will feel accomplished making this, and you won’t need to make dinner.
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 15 minutes, serves: 5 pax
Tomato Bruschetta
Café quality starter that is as tasty as it is pretty.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Rub the toasted side with cut garlic. Set aside. In a bowl, toss chopped tomatoes, cheese, Alce Nero™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Alce Nero™ Balsamic Vinegar, onion, basil, salt and pepper together. Divide evenly over the toast.
Why this recipe: Kids love making something that their family can enjoy together, and this recipe is simple and stunning.
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 10 minutes, serves: 5 pax
Make the balsamic vinegar glaze by placing the Alce Nero™ Balsamic Vinegar into a small saucepan, bring to a gentle boil on low heat. It should reduce and thicken in 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside. Select fresh, juicy and sweet tomatoes, Roma tomatoes are best but any large red tomato can be used. Slice tomatoes and fresh mozzarella into 1 cm thick rounds. Eat the less than perfect rounds of tomatoes and cheese – chef’s treat!
On a plate, arrange the tomato and cheese slices, overlapping and alternating them. Wash and pat dry fresh sweet basil leaves. Arrange over the beautifully assembled tomato and cheese slices. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar glaze and Alce Nero™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil before sprinkling with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Why this recipe: Output is greater than input. You will be impressed, kids will be delighted by their own capabilities, and everyone can dig in to one of the simplest and tastiest salads.
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 10 minutes, serves: 4 pax
Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar Limeade
The kids can energise weekend meals, or weekday dinner with this sparkling apple cider vinegar limeade. So easy and so refreshing, especially on hot days. In a jug, combine 3 litre sparkling water, 3 tablespoon of Alce Nero™ Apple Cider Vinegar, juice from 5 limes, and 4 tablespoon of Alce Nero™ Organic Wildflower Honey. Mix well, then top with ice cubes. Pour into pretty glasses, garnish with lime slices, take a sip, sigh with happiness and enjoy with the family.
Why this recipe: Great for young children as it is so simple but can look so fancy with a bit of garnish and a metal or glass straw. For parents, it is a healthier option to coffee.
Prep time: 10 minutes, no cooking required, serves: 5 pax
Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Garlic (Aglio e Olio)
Perhaps the simplest spaghetti dish for beginners but the taste is worth much more than the minimal effort. Your child may require help with this one if they are inexperienced with stove-top cooking.
Prepare 450g Alce Nero™ Spaghetti according to the pack instruction. Six minutes in boiling water for al dente pasta. As the pasta cooks, in a large fry pan combine garlic, Alce Nero™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, and red pepper flakes to taste, and warm over low heat until the garlic softens and turns golden. Chef’s tip if you love garlic add more for a more intense flavour.
Drain the pasta, reserving about a ½ cup of the cooking water. Add the Alce Nero™ Spaghetti and the reserved water to the garlic mixture. Mix well until the Alce Nero™ Spaghetti is well coated in garlicky olive oil. Transfer to a large serving bowl or divide among individual plates. For garnish, add parsley and lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Why this recipe: Simple pantry staples come together quickly and easily in this Italian classic. Kids will feel accomplished making this, and you won’t need to make dinner.
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 15 minutes, serves: 5 pax
Tomato Bruschetta
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Rub the toasted side with cut garlic. Set aside. In a bowl, toss chopped tomatoes, cheese, Alce Nero™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Alce Nero™ Balsamic Vinegar, onion, basil, salt and pepper together. Divide evenly over the toast.
Why this recipe: Kids love making something that their family can enjoy together, and this recipe is simple and stunning.
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 10 minutes, serves: 5 pax
Malaysians can use Alce Nero™ products with confidence as it is certified Halal by official certification bodies recognized by JAKIM.
Alce Nero™ products are available at AEON, Ben’s, Cold Storage, Giant, Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer, TF Value and via the Ayam Brand Shopee Official Store & Ayam Brand Lazada Official Store.
For more easy, quick and healthy recipes that kids can be prepared by their own, please visit https://alcenero.asia/recipes.html and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AlceNeroMalaysia/.
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/balsamic-vinegar-health-benefits
