Book Review

Healthy Cooking for Kids: Building Blocks for a Lifetime of Good Nutrition
by Shelly Null
Review by Doh Driver

Let me start this review by saying that this cookbook is not vegan. Vegetarian author Shelly Null includes honey in several recipes although she is skilled with the typical alternatives for honey, such as brown rice syrup and maple syrup. The recipes containing honey which I substituted with brown rice syrup worked perfectly well. Ms. Null considers honey to be healthy and thus deserving to be included in her recipes. That said, this book is still a good choice for vegans because what recipes include honey are few and easily converted (or ignored, in favor of the many other delicious recipes).

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Typical American toddlers and babies are not the "Kids" to which the author refers in her title. The subtitle of the book, Building Blocks for a Lifetime of Good Nutrition, might lead a reader to think that a section about "first foods" or introducing solids would be included, but there isn't so much as a mention of the very first "building blocks" of a new person's solid-food diet. The author believes her recipes are suitable for all kids of all ages and there are certainly a number of recipes that toddlers will enjoy. Indeed, in the appendix are theme-party menus that will aid in birthday party planning. But for everyday meals in everyday households, many recipes are either too involved to be reasonable when you have a hungry child tugging at your pantleg, or contain such unusual flavors that even the author noted in one recipe that "smart parents will introduce [this ingredient] early, so children can acquire a taste for it." Unless your toddler is very adventurous (and patient!) or you have a baby whose palate is as yet undefined, this cookbook is more appropriate for school-age children who are accustomed to healthy eating. It is also great for teenagers who themselves enjoy cooking and trying new flavors. Other families who will find this book helpful are those who like less-common ingredients but are new to animal-free cooking.

A bonus for many families is that Ms. Null gives due consideration for folks with food allergies. A section in the beginning of the book addresses this topic, and recipes often include footnotes in which she offers suggestions for replacing common allergens found in that recipe. I also like her information sections covering such issues as kid-safe kitchens, "Kid Meets World," modern agriculture and production, and purity of food and water.

The strengths of this cookbook are the variety of flavors, the author's enthusiasm for healthy cooking, and the delicious recipes! The bulk of the recipes will appeal to kids and parents alike, and if your children like to help in the kitchen, they'll probably really get a kick out of the skills and tastes they'll develop. If you find yourself in a cooking rut, this cookbook can give you a hand. If you like to spend an unhurried afternoon sampling new concoctions, this is also an excellent source of interesting ideas. There are recipes which are short in prep-time and ingredients, but they are not the majority within the entree and pasta categories. Breakfast foods, juices and shakes are terrific categories, for both ingenuity and ease.

Many ingredients were beyond a trip to the local grocer; they ranged from typical health food store finds (mochi) to specialty shop or special order items (cardamom pods), unless you live in a metropolitan area. Also, I seldom can just open up the cookbook and find an entree I can throw together from my moderately well-stocked pantry, despite the author's promise in a section called, "Be Prepared." Careful menu planning was helpful in this regard. The 14-Day Menu Plan will appeal to the organized cook. A minor note is that the preparation times given were rather understated for this unskilled cook. The number of servings was fairly consistent, with most recipes usually serving four. I think this would be a plus for many families; I easily halved the recipes, or enjoyed the leftovers.

I think Healthy Cooking for Kids is a useful addition to a collection of vegan cookbooks. It introduces "unusual" healthy foods in appealing ways, and discusses issues that tie in with the author's missive, which is to provide children a basis for life-long healthy eating habits. If I were an organized, talented and skilled cook I would probably use it frequently, but it's still a cookbook I'll return to often.

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Doh Driver is the full-time single parent of Griffin, her 3-year-old healthy, breastfeeding, joyous little vegan. She is also a part-time yoga instructor in Florida, and became completely vegan as of New Year's Day, after 12 years of saying, as a vegetarian, she could never be vegan. By making peaceful and compassionate choices in her life, she hopes to provide her son with a model of mindful, gentle living.

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