From Snacks to School Lunches: A Complete Recipe Guide for Vegan Moms

From Snacks to School Lunches: A Complete Recipe Guide for Vegan Moms

Word Count: 1748

Time to Read: 9 minutes


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Vegan moms would always want a variety of snacks and lunch for their kids.

It’s understandable.

Many children have got the sweet tooth. You can’t blame them, but you can’t afford to indulge them either. The restraint is for their good.

A vegan lifestyle can be demanding and foisting it upon your children may be difficult.

Studies show that Vegan diet protects the heart and bones and even prevents cancer.

So you see, in the long run, you are raising healthy children.

It’s the job of vegan moms to drum this into their ears - lovingly though.

The one stereotype of vegan foods is the taste. Naysayers tell you it’s bland, too simple and borderline tasteless. Bolder critics even call it ‘yucky.’

Well, that’s only true if you don’t get creative with your cooking. You can and should!

Now vegan moms can give their kids a treat!

Puffed Quinoa Peanut Butter Balls – A Favorite Of Vegan Moms

These snacks are for vegan moms whose kids have got an extra sweet tooth. They also make an excellent meal for lunch. Careful though, you sure don’t want them overeating. It’s that good.

The puffed quinoa is a simple snack made with quinoa and peanut butter. It is also easy to make and takes little time.

Ingredients

  • One cup of puffed quinoa
  • Half a cup of peanut butter
  • Four tablespoons of agave nectar
  • One tablespoon of crushed peanuts (optional)
  • Vanilla extract to taste - One tablespoon is fine though.

Directions

  1. Mix the peanut butter, vanilla, and agave in a mixing bowl. If you find that the texture is too thick, you can heat it up a little bit over low heat.
  2. Put in the puffed quinoa and stir to combine. You can also get creative here by adding peanuts too.
  3. Place the mixture in the fridge for 15-20 minutes so that it firms up.
  4. After the time has elapsed take out the mixture and roll into medium sized balls.
  5. Return the balls to the fridge for another 15 minutes.

Time to munch away!

Vegan Carrot Dogs with Spiralized Toppings

Vegan moms can exhale now. Your kid doesn’t have to look away when someone bites down on their hotdog.

You’ve got something better, healthier and even tastier. Say hello to carrot dogs!

The carrot dog is a lunch ready solution for your kid’s desire to munch down on some nutritious sandwiched bun.

Here’s how vegan moms can prepare this appetizing delight.

Spoiler alert – it takes 45 minutes.

Ingredients

  • Four thick carrots
  • Two tablespoons liquid smoke
  • Two tablespoons reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • One tablespoon maple syrup
  • One quarter teaspoon onion powder
  • One quarter teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pepper

Directions

  1. Get your oven up to 425 degrees. Use parchment paper to line your baking sheet.
  2. Wash, clean and peel your carrots. To get the shape of a real hotdog, try to round their edges as you peel.
  3. Get a small mixing bowl. Mix the liquid smoke maple syrup, soy sauce, onion, and garlic powder. Whisk to mix thoroughly.
  4. Put the carrot in a small baking dish. Then pour over the prepared mixture. You can allow marinating for two hours if you have the time. If you don’t, it’s okay, just roll the carrots in the mixture and massage the mixture into them. Use your fingertips for this.
  5. With the carrots laden with the mixture season with pepper. Place them on the baking sheets. Roast, until the carrots are tender.

When you finish, place the carrot dog on a hot-dog bun and splay it with your favorite topping.

Vegan Mexican Burrito Bowl

How can food look so good, taste so heavenly and still be healthy?

Well, the Mexican burrito bowl ticks all boxes without trying.

Vegan moms who have got boys that love chips are in for a treat. This meal is so flexible you can include those healthy grains and veggies you’ve always wanted them to take. There isn’t any better way to get them to gobble them down than this.

Ingredients

For the rice

  • One and a half cups brown rice
  • 2 3/4 to three cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Eight corn tortillas, cut into quarters

For the beans

  • Two 15 Oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Half teaspoon ground cumin
  • One-quarter cup mild salsa
  • A quarter/half a teaspoon of salt (Use 1/4 teaspoon if the beans is pre-salted. If not, then use 1/2)
  • Two cups sweet corn
  • Extra salsa for assembly
  • Optional: shredded lettuce (Splay in some veggies)
  • Easy Cheese Sauce
  • 3/4 cup raw cashews
  • 3/4 cup salsa
  • 3/4 cup water
  • Six tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • Two to three teaspoons of ground cumin (Depends on taste preferences)
  • 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/16 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

  1. Prepare cheese sauce the way you like it. Prepare the rice. Put the water and salt in a small pot. Heat until they start boiling. Allow simmering for 25 minutes or until the liquid evaporates entirely from the base.
  2. Cover the pot and allow it to sit for 3-5 minutes then shake with a fork to fluff.
  3. Prepare your tortilla chips while cooking your rice. First, heat up your oven to 400 degrees. Get two sheet pans and cover with parchment paper. Slice your tortillas into quarters (i.e., into fourths).
  4. Spread out and put into the oven to bake until the edges begin to turn golden brown. This process makes them extra crispy! Take them out and allow to cool.
  5. Get a small pot, add your beans, cumin, salsa, and salt. Heat inside a microwave or over a stove. Also, heat your corn in a small bowl in the microwave or using the stove.
  6. To assemble your bowl, you can place some rice on the bottom, layer with beans, corn, salsa. Then decorate the edges using the chips and sprinkle the shredded lettuce on top. Pour a little more salsa and add plenty of cheese sauce.

Now sit back and let them do justice to the meal.

Vegan Moms Special: Cauliflower Wings

You know what’s better than chicken wings?

Cauliflower wings!

It’s one of the trendiest snack-ready chops vegans can eat all day and still stay healthy. That includes your kids. Vegan moms who want to treat their kids to a tasty lunch snack should try out this recipe.

Ingredients

  • One head of cauliflower (approximately 4-5 cups of florets)
  • 1/2 cup of unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond or soy work best)
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (can sub gluten-free rice flour)
  • Two tablespoons of garlic powder
  • Two tablespoons of onion powder
  • One teaspoon of cumin
  • One teaspoon of paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoons of sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoons of ground pepper
  • One teaspoon of earth balance buttery spread
  • One cup of frank’s red hot sauce

Salt & vinegar wing sauce:

  • One tablespoon of earth balance buttery spread
  • Three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
  • One tablespoon of water
  • Sea salt

Directions

  1. Get as much baking sheets as you will need and line them with parchment paper. Heat up the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Wash the cauliflower and cut into bite sizes/florets.
  3. Set aside the earth balance and hot sauce. Proceed to mix the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Ensure that the mixture is not too thick that it doesn’t drip nor too thin that it doesn’t stick to the cauliflower.
  4. Dip each bite-sized cauliflower piece in the prepared batter. Decant the excess on the side of the bowl.
  5. Arrange the florets neatly and evenly on the parchment. Bake until golden brown. This usually lasts 25 minutes. Flip the florets over halfway to get all sides golden brown too.
  6. While the cauliflower is still baking, prepare your wing sauce. Using a small saucepan and over low heat, melt the earth balance and mix in hot sauce. As soon as it starts to melt, remove from heat. Stir and set aside.
  7. After the first bake of the cauliflower, remove from the oven. Put the baked floret inside a mixing bowl containing the wing sauce. Toss them to coat evenly. Spread them back onto the baking sheet and bake for another 25 minutes.
  8. To also make salt and vinegar wings, melt the vegan butter and remove heat. Stir in apple cider, vinegar, and water. Sprinkle sea salt on the cauliflower wings after you have coated them with this sauce.

Broccoli Cheese Chickpea Burgers

Burgers are an all-time favorite for kids. But for vegan moms, only healthy burgers will go down their kid’s throat. For valid reasons too!

Good news is that there’s such a burger in town. And it’s also just as yummy as it is healthy.

Ingredients

  • One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • Two cups of broccoli florets
  • One medium onion, diced
  • Three cloves of garlic, minced
  • One medium carrot
  • 1-15 Oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup plus one tablespoon of oat flour (or old-fashioned ground oats)
  • 1/4 cup whole grain breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • Two tablespoons of ground flaxseed
  • One heaping teaspoon salt
  • Pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Clean up a skillet and pour in some oil. Heat up over medium heat. When it heats up, add onions and saute for seven minutes. Add the broccoli and garlic and saute for another five minutes. Set aside.
  2. Put your carrots in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the cooked mixture, chickpeas, oat flour. Also, the nutritional yeast, flax, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Pulse again until well combined. Ensure there is still texture.
  3. Form into patties. Place the patties on a baking plate lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more. Return pan to burner and add some oil. Once hot, cook the patties until browned.

Time to serve!

A Wealth Of Taste And Health Benefits

Vegan moms who have determined to treat their kids to tasty meals should be spoilt for choices.

These recipes are rich with benefits. The diets contain more vitamins and minerals than regular foods.

Everyone knows how vital these nutrients are to your kids. Their growing years depend on them. However, you don’t need to forego taste to enjoy these health benefits.

Your kids should be having the best of both worlds.

Try out the recipes above and check out the Vegan.io blog for more vegan tips.

About the author

Julia Ott
Hi! I'm Julia and I'm a vegan recipe inventor, furniture collector and mum to a little boy. I've been a vegetarian for 25 years, and a vegan for 4. I spend all of my spare time visiting farmers markets, searching for antiques at flea markets and cooking up a vegan storm in the kitchen! I co-founded Vegan.io to make the world a better place.

Want to try a vegan diet?

We created a meal planner app to help you! Get your fresh customized meal plan full of delicious, quick, budget friendly, healthy recipes.

GET YOUR MEAL PLAN!