Want your kids to expand their list of acceptable foods beyond buttered noodles and french fries? Fluffy bread, warm spices, chicken and lots of vegetarian options make Indian food a great option! Brightly colored and easy to adjust the spice factor, we’ve rounded up some of the best Indian food recipes that will have your kids asking for more naan in no time!

Homemade Naan

Gimme Some Oven

Once you make homemade Naan, you may never go back to store bought. This simple recipe from Gimme Some Oven uses basic ingredients, and only takes an hour to rise before dropping in the skillet and devouring.

Red Lentil Dahl

The Wanderlust Kitchen

Dahl makes the perfect addition to rice or to eat with naan. This easy red lentil version from The Wanderlust Kitchen takes just 30 minutes and is perfect for anyone who loves plant-based recipes.

Chana Masala

Cookie Kate

When it comes to quick vegetarian Indian recipes, this Chana Masala recipe from Cookie + Kate will be your go-to. Substitute canned tomatoes and dry spices to get the same authentic flavor of this chick pea dish that you would at your fave Indian restaurant.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Damn Delicious

Need the perfect Indian chicken recipe? Here it is! Our editors love this slow cooker recipe from Damn Delicious that takes the grunt work out of cooking. It cooks in just a few hours and pairs perfectly with basmati rice.

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Pinch of Yum

It takes just five ingredients to make your own Chicken Tikka Masala and it's way easier than you think. This flavorful dinner idea from Pinch of Yum works great as a go-to comfort food and tastes just as amazing heated up for lunch the next day.

Biryani

Food Fanatic

Make sneaking in the veggies a breeze with Food Fanatic's Vegetable Biryani! While this recipe does have quite the ingredient list, your kiddos will hardly notice their scarfing down carrots, green beans and peas.

Samosas

Gitanjali Roche

Perfect as an "entry level" snack to get your kids hooked on Indian food, these fried samosas from Gitanjali Roche are packed with flavor and veggies. Made with homemade dough and fried to perfection, they pair nicely with a side of chutney for even more flavor.

Chicken Curry

Cooking Classy

Packed with aromatic spices but still easy on the palate, Cooking Classy's Chicken Curry will quickly become a family favorite. It takes just 20 minutes to sauté and simmer, then you'll be slurping this down in no time!

Paneer Pokora

My Food Story

Did somebody say "fried cheese?" This crispy, battered dish is perfect for introducing littles to delicious Indian food. Make it plain or stuff with chutney––both take this cheese recipe from My Food Story to the next level.

Shrimp Tandoori

Rasa Malaysia

While you likely won't be making this dish in a traditional tandoori oven, you can still get an authentic flavor using traditional Indian spices. And because you're whipping up shrimp, dinner will be ready in no time. Rasa Malaysia's easy recipe uses Greek yogurt, garam masala and turmeric before tossing on the BBQ.

Aloo Paratha

My Ginger Garlic Kitchen

For little foodies ready to up their naan game, this recipe for stuffed flatbread from My Ginger Garlic Kitchen is perfect. A traditional breakfast dish, Aloo Paratha is made with a spiced potato filling and is simply cooked in a fry pan.

––Karly Wood

Feature image: Andy Hay via Unsplash

 

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The winter is the perfect time to cozy up to a little local lit with your kiddos by one of the following authors who hails from our home state. From the familiar Pete the Cat to the lesser known Listening Me, these books are awesome, no matter where you’re reading them. We just think it’s really cool that the authors have spent their fair share of time traveling Peachtree. Keep reading for our favorite children’s books by local authors, below.

Lift as You Climb by Patricia Hruby Powell & R Gregory Christie

Caldecott Honor winner—and Atlantan—R. Gregory Christie’s powerful pictures pair with the narrative of Patricia Hruby Powell in this children's book about the civil rights activist Ella Baker. Long before the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, Ella Baker worked to lift others up by fighting racial injustice and empowering poor African Americans to stand up for their rights. Her dedication and grassroots work in many communities made her a valuable ally for leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and she has been ranked as one of the most influential women in the civil rights movement. In the 1960s she worked to register voters and organize sit-ins, and she became a teacher and mentor to many young activists.

Available for $11.79 on Amazon.

Holiday! by Natalie Nelson

Have you ever thought how it must feel to be the day that follows a holiday? Atlantan Natalie Nelson’s ingenious characterizations of the days of the week will delight readers in this story that pokes fun at how set in our ways we can be and how we might instead choose to be open to change and embrace the unexpected.

Available for $15.80 on Amazon.

Dog Days: The Carver Chronicles by Karen English and Laura Freeman

Originally from New York but currently living in Atlanta, illustrator Laura Freeman knows a thing or two about moves, and making new friends, and learning how new places work—just like the main character in The Carver Chronicles. This series starts as a young boy moves to a new school, where everything that could possibly go wrong seems to do just that. 

Available for $6.99 on Amazon.

Thread of Love by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal

This mother-son duo collaborate to bring colorful stories about from India alive on the pages of children's books. In Thread of Love, readers learn about the Indian festival of Raksha Bandhan—a celebration of the special lifelong relationship between brothers and sisters—in a literary reinterpretation of the song Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping). 

Available for $10.39 on Amazon

Hands Up! by Breanna J. McDaniel

This picture book by Atlanta author McDaniel celebrates Black joy by reclaiming a charged phrase and showing readers how resistance can be part of their everyday lives. In it, a young Black girl lifts her baby hands up to greet the sun, reaches her hands up for a book on a high shelf, and raises her hands up in praise at a church service. She stretches her hands up high like a plane’s wings and whizzes down a hill so fast on her bike with her hands way up. As she grows, she lives through everyday moments of joy, love, and sadness. And when she gets a little older, she joins together with her family and her community in a protest march, where they lift their hands up together in resistance and strength.

Available for $8.89 on Amazon.

Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed

What six-year-old doesn't wrestle with patience and sharing? This Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019 and Asian/Pacific American Award Winner for Literature Honor Book in 2019 explores patience, teamwork, community, and sharing through the eyes of six-year-old Bilal. He's excited to help his dad make his favorite food of all-time—daal—but the slow-cooked lentil dish from South Asia requires lots of ingredients and a whole lot of waiting.

Available for $17.69 on Amazon.

The King of Too Many Things by Laurel Snyder

When you can have everything you want, it's easy to get lost in what you have. This story about a young King Jasper who can order his wizard to conjure up anything at all is a modern fairy tale that shows how always wanting more can ultimately lead to less...happiness, that is.

Available for $12.98 on Amazon.

Featured image via iStock.

—Shelley Massey

Vegetarians, rejoice! Slow cookers aren’t just for pot roasts anymore. As plant-based diets become more and more popular, we’ve seen an explosion of vegetarian and vegan Crock Pot recipes among foodie types. We’ve rounded up an impressive list of plant-based recipes to make in your slow cooker, from vegetarian chili to shepherd’s pie. Whether you embrace the Whole 30 diet, love plant-based protein or just want to up your veggie intake, keep reading for all the healthy goodness.

Vegan Slow Cooker Chicken & Rice

Plant Power Couple

Healthy and gluten free, this "chicken" and rice recipe will pass muster with any kiddo. It takes just six ingredients (one of which is WATER) and three hours to get this tantalizing comfort food ready.

Find the recipe over at Plant Power Couple.

 

Slow Cooker Risotto with Butternut Squash

Well Plated

White wine, goat cheese, butternut squash and shallots are just a few of the beyond delicious ingredients for this slow cooker dish. Perfect for a fall evening, this meal cooks in as little as three hours and makes for tasty leftovers.

Find the complete recipe at Well Plated.

Slow Cooker Vegan Saag Paneer

Delish Knowledge

Tons of tofu and spinach come together in this delicious dish that tastes much better than it looks. Once you get past the appearance, get ready to sink your teeth into crispy tofu in a savory saag sauce.

Find the complete recipe at Delish Knowledge.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili Mac

Kristine's Kitchen

Whether it's Meatless Monday or you're meal prepping for a busy week, this crock-pot friendly meal is a no brainer. With two types of beans, cheese and pasta, this hearty dinner can be enjoyed year round, and freezes wonderfully, too!

Get the full recipe at Kristine's Kitchen.

Quinoa Black Bean Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Pinch of Yum

No chopping or pre-cooking? This quinoa black bean crockpot stuffed pepper recipe from Pinch of Yum couldn't be easier. The protein and fiber packed meal is easy to whip up and keeps you full until breakfast. Click here to get the full recipe.

Enchilada Bake

Dizzy Busy & Hungry

This cheesy, saucy dish from Dizzy Busy & Hungry is almost like biting into an enchilada—but it’s way easier to make! Most of the ingredients are pantry staples you probably already have on hand. Click here to get the scoop on how it’s done.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Peas and Crayons

We love this tasty twist on stuffed peppers from Peas and Crayons, made with plenty of bell peppers plus some lentils for added bulk. It’s hearty and healthy, making it the perfect weeknight meal. To grab the recipe, click here.

Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Real Food Whole Life

This recipe from Real Food Whole Life is so simple but so genius—cook up a delish black bean and salsa mixture at the same time as a few sweet potatoes, and dinner will be ready before you know it. Click here to get the recipe.

Sweet Potato Chili

Build Your Bite

This sweet potato chili from Build Your Bite is the perfect meal for reluctant vegetarians because it’s so hearty, filling and delicious that no one will notice you skipped the meat. Get the recipe by clicking here.

Sloppy Joes

Peppers and Peaches

Sloppy Joes aren’t just for meat eaters after all. This recipe from Peppers and Peaches uses unexpected ingredients to create a veggie sandwich rivaling the ones you remember from your childhood. To get the recipe, click here.

Tomato Soup

Well Plated

Skip the canned soup and go for the real thing! It’s easier than you’d think, thanks to this recipe from Well Plated. Serve up grilled cheese sandwiches on the side and you’ve got the perfect meal. Click here to get the recipe.

Korean Quinoa Bowl with Chickpeas, Carrots & Potatoes

Veggies Don’t Bite

This Korean-inspired dish from Veggies Don’t Bite is bound to be a favorite with your crew. Hearty veggies are flavored with a savory, not-too-spicy sauce and served over quinoa. To get all the details, click here.

Lentil Tacos

The Every Kitchen

It’s easy to overlook the humble lentil, but it can be the star of a meal when paired with the right ingredients. These lentil tacos from The Every Kitchen fit the bill: they’re bulked up with quinoa, flavored with just the right seasonings, and finished with whatever toppings your heart desires. Click here to snag the recipe.

Veggie Lasagna

Pinch of Yum

This just might be the perfect lasagna: it’s assembled in the crock pot in less than 20 minutes, you can fill it with whatever veggies you like, and it’s perfectly saucy and cheesy. Click here to get all the details from Pinch of Yum.

Burrito Bowls

Becca Heyes / Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

Burrito bowls have never been easier, thanks to Easy Cheesy Vegetarian. Veggies, rice, black beans and spices come together to make a flavorful, healthy bowl that’ll put Chipotle to shame. Click here to get all the details.

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Hey Nutrition Lady

Sunday dinner, vegetarian style! This shepherd’s pie recipe from Hey Nutrition Lady is comfort food at its finest, and it’s a breeze to make. Click here for the recipe, including Instant Pot instructions if you’re so inclined.

Pinto Bean Enchiladas

Oh My Veggies

These enchiladas from Oh My Veggies are about to become a permanent fixture in your dinner rotation. They’re filled with pinto beans and corn and smothered in a homemade enchilada sauce. Get the recipe by clicking here.

Mashed Potatoes

Food Fanatic

The next time you’re cooking mashed potatoes, try this recipe from Food Fanatic. Not only will the potatoes turn out delicious, you’ll free up space on the stove for anything else you’re making. To get the recipe, click here.

Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Gimme Some Oven

Warm up with a comforting bowl of wild rice soup from Gimme Some Oven. It packs in the nutrients with plenty of veggies, but the creaminess makes it feel a little indulgent, too. Click here to get the recipe.

Lentil Quesadillas

Pinch of Yum

We love this simple idea from Pinch of Yum. Just cook up a flavorful filling of lentils and brown rice in the slow cooker, then pile it into quesadillas when you’re ready to eat. It’s cheesy, crunchy and hearty—what’s not to like?! To grab the recipe, click here.

—Susie Foresman & Karly Wood

Feature photo: OksanaKiian via iStock

 

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When it comes to making dinner, no one knows the struggle more than author, nutrition coach and chef, Sarah Adler. The woman behind Simply Real Health is committed to making no muss, no fuss dinners that are healthy and easy. That’s where her Veggie & Red Lentil Curry Stew comes in. With less than 10 ingredients, this family-friendly meal can be made three ways and is the perfect way to sneak in those veggies.

Veggie & Red Lentil Curry Stew
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups red lentils
5 cups water
1 large bag frozen broccoli (or 3-4 cups fresh)
1 large bag frozen butternut squash (or 3 cups fresh)
1 yam, cubed
5 carrots, roughly chopped
1 TB red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)
2 tsp sea salt + 1 tsp pepper

Directions:
For a IP: Add all ingredients to an Instant Pot, close tamper to high pressure and set for 30 minutes.

If making in a crockpot: add all ingredients in and cook for 4 hours high or 6 hours low.

If making traditionally in a stock pot: sauté veggies first, then add lentils, curry, s + p and liquid and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat until lentils are cooked and broken down, about 15-20 minutes.

For more recipes from Sarah check out her cookbook, Simply Real Eating which is available on Amazon for $19.89.

––Karly Wood

 

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It doesn’t get more simple than a one step recipe. Created by food bloggers Diane and Dave of Homemade Food Junkie, this hearty and healthy soup dish is high-fiber, dairy-free and gluten-free. The secret ingredient that makes this slow cooker recipe so fab? Kale. While normal greens don’t usually fare well in soups and stews, Diane points out that kale holds up well and adds great color and texture to this dinner.

Serves: 10

Ingredients:
one 12 0z. package spicy chicken sausage sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 Cup lentils any color
2 to 3 large carrots-sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
several garlic shallots or chives-minced
2 celery ribs sliced small
several leaves of kale, any variety, torn or cut into small pieces
1 14 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 14 oz. can kidney beans
1 14 oz. can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

Method:
Put all prepared ingredients into the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or low 6 to 8 hours.

“Like” this recipe if you plan to make it this winter, and then tell us how yours turned out in the Comments below.

For more great recipes be sure to check out Diane and Dave’s food blog, Homemade Food Junkie by clicking here.