Bean Appetit: Hip and Healthy Ways to Have Fun With Food by Shannon Payette Seip and Kelly Parthen, with Carisa Dixon with illustrations by Russell Dietrich (Andrews McMeel, $14.99)
One of the more innovative ways to excite children about healthy eating is to lure them into the family kitchen. This delightful new cookbook should do just that.
With playful recipe steps, whimsical presentations, and food-themed games, crafts, and activities, “Bean Appetit” is an absolute delight. The recipes are based on favorites served up at Bean Sprouts, the healthy kids’ cafe and cooking school based in Middleton, Wisconsin.
The recipes are divided into fifteen main categories: Chickpea: Rise and Shine – It’s Breakfast Time; Let It Bean: Make Music With Munchies; Beanbag: A Trip to the Market; Peacasso: Create a Master-Peas; Bean Our Guest: A Cooking-Themed Birthday Party; Baked Bean: for a Sizzling Summer Day; Snow Pea: Food Fun For a Wintry Day; World Peas: Around the Globe We Go; Balanced Peas: Stack and Snack; Pea Party: Time for a Tiny Tea Party; Susan Bean Anthony: Make Money With Your Tasty Treats; Peanocchio: Book-Themed Food and Fun; amd Sweet Pea: Delicious Deserts.
Fresh flavors, new takes on old favorites, and fun ingredients are certain to make the family kitchen one of the most popular gathering places for children in the family home.
Shannon Payette Seip and Kelly Parthen, in addition to being the co-owners of the Bean Sprout Café and Cooking Cook, write a syndicated column which has appeared in more than 50 regional parenting magazines. They are currently working on a cooking show geared for kids.
One recipe was tested from this collection, “Dough-Re-Mi Cookies” which had a nice cinnamon flavor. Another recipe that looked like a perfect choice for especially young children was “Camp Fire Crunch.”
Camp Fire Crunch
2-4 green grapes, sliced in half
3-4 red grapes, sliced in half
1 slice cheddar cheese
2-3 medium carrots, finely sliced
6 pretzel sticks, broken into pieces
Run hands together to get them nice and warm. Place the grape halves, cut side down, in a small circle, about the size of a cup.
Use clean scissors or rip the cheddar cheese to look like flames. Gently press in the center of the grape fire pit. Lay the carrot pieces on the cheese, upright.
Place the pretzel pieces around the flames and enjoy while singing a campfire song.

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