Spring in the Kitchen: Recipes to Make and Enjoy with Your Child

David Kirby April 07, 2021
Stella GarlicSPRING ONION FLATBREAD

The Acton children love to bake! One of their favorites is bread from scratch. Add spring onions and sesame seeds to give a fresh twist and let your child knead the dough flat for some extra fine motor activity at home.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dried instant yeast
  • 1 cup water, lukewarm
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 - 2 stalks spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
Start by proofing the yeast, mixing it into warm water, and letting it sit. Let your child measure out all of the other dry ingredients into a bowl. Once done, allow your child to mix in the water and yeast. Once mixed, sprinkle some flour onto your kitchen surface and begin kneading the dough. When the mixture is no longer sticky, you can place it back into the bowl, cover it ,and let it rise for 45 mins. After that, take the dough out. Knead on a floured work surface until the dough goes back to its original size. With a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a rectangular shape (roll it as thin as you can; dust with flour to avoid sticking). Brush oil on the dough and then add the green onions (let your child wash and chop them too!) and sprinkle on the sesame seeds before popping the bread in a baking tin to bake at 375 f for 25-30 mins.

DRIED APRICOT & OAT BARS

Acton learners have enjoyed coconut oat bars all winter, and this recipe adds our spring friend, the apricot, with its sweet and subtle saffron color!

Ingredients

  • 2-3 apricots, cut into small pieces
  • 1 2/3 cup of all purpose flour
  • 1 2/3 cup of rolled oats
  • 1 cup of packed brown sugar
  • 12 tablespoons of butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Let your child help measure out all the ingredients required into 1 large bowl. Then let your child mix it all up with a wooden spoon or spatula and pour the mixture onto a greased baking tray or onto parchment paper. Bake the bars at 350 f for 45 mins or until they are golden brown. Let the bars cool before having your child help cut them up into squares (the chopper we use at Acton) or cut them into different shapes using a cookie cutter. Store the bars in an airtight container. (You can also add seeds, raisins, or a pinch of cinnamon to the mixture.)

FRUIT SALAD

With all the delicious fruits in season now, a fruit salad is an enjoyable snack for the children. Start by collecting assorted fruits of choice (cantaloupe, watermelon, apples, kiwis, etc). Cut larger fruits into smaller pieces or peel a fruit for your child who can then use cookie cutters to make fun shapes for their fruit salad. Once you have the fruits all cut up, place them into a bowl. Squeeze lemon juice and rip up a few fresh mint leaves before diving in!

Other enjoyable kitchen activities that your child can help with:
  • Setting the table! We love placemats like this one to get young ones started or you can print a simple template like this
  • Grating, chopping, or juicing fruits and/or vegetables at lunch or dinner times
  • Loading & unloading the dishwasher or, better yet, washing the dishes
  • Preparing a snack for themselves or a sibling
  • Emerging readers can assist in reading a recipe!
In: Montessori

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