RECIPE 4 KIDS - Cheesy Pumpkin & Spinach Mochi Cakes
- Mr T
- Nov 23, 2020
- 2 min read
Get your kids to eat pumpkin & spinach willingly with these delicious, moreish mochi cakes!
Ok, so this is technically not mochi, but it does have the umptious chew of mochi, along with the deliciousness of stretchy melted cheese! While this is definitely a cheat meal/snack, containing ingredients I wouldn’t recommend eating regularly, it is definitely not devoid of all nutritional content - It packs a healthy punch with its majority ingredients of fresh pumpkin & spinach! This is a super quick & easy recipe that, with supervision, the kids can definitely get involved with making!
Shopping list (makes 6 kid palm sized cakes):
Essential items:
Common Japanese pumpkin 1/4 (approx. 300g)
Spinach 1/2 bunch/pack
Potato Starch 40g
Shredded melting cheese
Salt pinch
Pepper grind
Non-Essential items/items you can substitute for your favourites/what you have:
Cream cheese
Ham/Salami/Pepperoni/cured meat of your choice
Pickles/Jalapeños - for the adults!
Other than what is listed above, you will just need some butter/olive oil for frying. Cream cheese, while on the non-essential list, does add a certain creaminess that you can’t achieve with the shredded cheese. I find it is nice to balance this creaminess with the acid of pickles/jalapeños & a salty hit of your favorite type of cured meat!
Method
This first part should be done by an adult:
Remove the seeds from your pumpkin quarter and remove the hard skin with a sharp knife.
Chop the pumpkin into small pieces/slices and place into a microwave proof bowl.
Cover with cling film and microwave for approx 5mins until ‘soft’.
While the pumpkin is microwaving, wash the spinach, remove the roots and finely chop.
Add this finely chopped spinach to the pumpkin in the microwave for the last minute.
The kids can get involved now!:
Mash this pumpkin & spinach mixture with a fork/masher into a smooth consistency.
Add the potato starch, salt & pepper and mix thoroughly until well combined.
Separate/eye the mixture into six portions.
After first wetting your hands, remove one of the six portions and roll into a ball.
Next, flatten the ball into an approx 5mm-1cm thick disc.
In the center of this disc, place an appropriately sized piece of your cured meat, a dollop of cream cheese, your pickles/jalapeños and as much grated cheese as you think you can sensibly fit in.
Close the disc around these ingredients and seal your mochi cake well.
Repeat for the remaining other five portions and place your mochi cakes on a baking sheet with some separation, to avoid sticking.
Heat some butter/oil in a frying pan, over a medium-high heat. Fry the mochi cakes on each side until golden brown & serve immediately.
Doesn't it just MAKESENSE to find fun & delicious ways to get nutritious vegetables into your children, especially if they are fussy eaters? Your kids will love the texture and cheesiness of these cakes and will willingly eat up all that pumpkin & spinach! Who cares if there’s a little potato starch & cheese in them too, right?!
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