If I only had a clue…

My daughter’s favorite meal is Lentil Beans, Rice and Buttered Bread. We stumbled upon this by accident. I had been in the soup aisle looking for soups that my toddler would like hoping that soup would be the perfect blend between baby food and real food. He stopped eating well several months ago and reverted to drinking as much milk in on any given day that he could get his hands on.

Anyway, we tried lentil bean soup one night and I added rice and carrots to the meal to round it out. My 4-year, skeptical of all new food items and anything that looks “icky”, wouldn’t touch anything but the carrots. The toddler dived in to the rice and carrots but wouldn’t touch the lentil beans.

Dinner was going downhill fast, time for some creative thinking.

I grabbed some bread and butter and cut a buttered slice into four squares. Next, I showed both kids how much fun it was to pile the rice and beans on the bread and see how much each of us could get in our mouths.

The game was a hit…beans, rice and carrots were piled on bread and eaten with relish! It’s not the cleanest of meals (expect plenty of rice and beans to get on the table, floor, chair, clothes and anything else in range) but it is fun.

To this day, my daughter asks for Lentil Beans, Rice and Buttered Bread at least twice a week when asked what she wants for dinner. And, she gets it. Healthy, simple and fast…my kind of mommy meal.

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Rice – cook as instructed, usually takes about 20 minutes. I like to make 2 cups and save the leftovers for later. Leftover rice heats up well in the microwave with a bit of water – I also add a bit of butter.

Lentil Beans – I use Progresso soup. Not too many preservatives, no MSG (as far as I know) and there are more beans than broth. It’s hearty and we never eat it all in one meal.

Bread/Butter – I butter the bread for the kids lightly. Just enough for them to see it. Cut into 4 pieces – I let them decide if they want squares or triangles. The toddler gets whatever his sister wants; right now, he wants everything the same.

Vege: vegetable of choice. I use frozen or canned. If canned, look for a brand that states “No Salt Added” on its label as this is generally the healthiest.

Shopping List: Rice, Lentil Soup, Vege, Bread and Butter

Cost for Four (two kids under five and two adults): about $5.00