Boats at sea – A food art post for children

Food art is becoming very popular among children.Mothers are concerned about their children not having nutritious and healthy food and often resort to food art to make the plate look attractive to the child and they eat the natural goodness.That was precisely the theme for the 132nd FoodieMondayBloghop and I came up with this tempting platter to attract the most stubborn toddlers.It worked as my neighbour’s 3 year old gobbled it up and pestered me for another attractive looking plate.

The food pattern has become so complex that children are introduced to junk food even as they become teething and develop a craving for them.As a result they refuse essential food items like fresh vegetables,fruits and salads and start inducing toxins from preserved and junk food early in life the negative effects of which are bound to be seen in later years.They refuse daily diets of rice,lentils,vegetables,salads and fruits and resort to eating Burgers,Pizzas,Chips and Fries which cause childhood obesity and in some cases,early onset of diabetes as young as within 2 – 3 years of the child’s life.

The plate has been especially developed for children who fuss and don’t eat their fruits and vegetables!You can use your ideas as well to create attractive salads and meals for your child.I used the fruits and vegetables I had at home.The platter contains :

• Apple
• Orange
• Orange peel
• Green Grapes
• Broccoli
• Olive
• Edible blue colour to create waves and sky

You can also add whipped cream for clouds.

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Makes : 1 plate salad

INGREDIENTS

1 Apple

2 Oranges

A piece of Orange Peel

3 – 4 Broccoli flowerettes

1 Black Olive

1/4 cup Green Grapes

1 tsp powdered sugar

The salad dressing :

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp vinegar

a pinch of salt

For the fruit dressing :

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp white pepper powder

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sugar

METHOD

Prepare the plate :

Take a white ceramic/melamine plate and sprinkle powdered sugar on it.The sugar helps the colour stick to the plate.If using powdered colour,mix it with 1 tsp water. With a silicon brush,apply the colour on the powdered sugar swirling the brush to create waves.Paint swirls covering almost 3/4 of the plate cascading down.Apply a straight line at the top of the plate for the sky.Keep the plate in the refrigerator for the colour to set before you start plating.

The Broccoli :

Mix the ingredients for the dressing.Boil or steam the Broccoli till tender.Cool to room temperature and toss with the dressing till well coated.Keep aside

The fruits :

Segment the Oranges for fishes.Keep a set of 3 segments for the body.Using a knife slit a segment in half to attach as a tail.Cut a piece of Orange peel for the mouth of the “fish”.Prepare 2 “fishes”

Cut the Apple into 4 slices and cut out 2 “straight line pieces” and 2 triangular pieces.The “straight line pieces” become the mast of the boat while the triangular pieces represent the “flags”.

Halve the grapes and cut 4 of them into small pieces to form the “bubbles from the “fishes'” mouths!

Mix the dressing for the fruits and toss all the chopped and segmented fruits till well coated.

Assembling the Plate :

Put the two “3 orange segments” at different places on the “blue water” painted on the plate.Keep the split segment at the back to form the “fish tail”.Cut a small piece of peel and place a small Olive piece on that and put it on the 3 orange segment to form the fish eyes.Keep a piece of peel at the free end to form the mouth.Put Grape pieces starting at the mouth for “bubbles”.

Repeat with the other “fish”.

Keep an orange segment per boat for the “body” of the boat.Put grape pieces underneath the “body” to form bubbles under the boat.Arrange the Apple slices as shown in the picture to form a boat with a mast and flag.

Put grape halves on top on the “sky” to form birds.

Put the Broccoli flowerettes in between the “fish” on the plate.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Serve.