International Legumes Day: 5 original recipes for children

If you have bread and lentils, why do you complain?

Popular proverb

Taking advantage of the fact that February 10th is International Legumes Day , we want to pay tribute to this inexpensive, complete and exquisite ingredient, and help you introduce them into your children's recipes in a fun and original way.

Legumes are all about the benefits: whether dried or canned, they last a long time in your pantry , they are extremely versatile - they are good for appetizers, salads, stews or pottages - and they have a very high nutritional density. The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition recommends eating them at least 4 times a week.

Unfortunately, legume consumption has fallen dramatically : previous generations ate twice as much. For example, 60 years ago, 443 grams were consumed daily, and today, only 294 grams. According to data from Our World in Data, in Spain, healthy proteins - such as those from lentils, chickpeas, tofu or quinoa - only account for 1.7% of daily intake, while ultra-processed foods account for 13.2%.

Five nutritional benefits of legumes

• They improve cardiovascular health : according to data from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming four weekly servings of 100 grams of legumes can reduce the risk of heart disease by 14%, helping to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
• Ideal nutritional profile: not only do they provide you with high biological value vegetable protein, but they are also rich in folates, antioxidants such as polyphenols, slow-absorbing complex carbohydrates, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and fiber, both soluble and insoluble.
• Protective against cancer : The PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) study points to a protective link between the consumption of legumes, especially lentils, and the risk of mortality from cancer. In addition, legumes reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes , as they stabilize blood sugar levels.
• Guardians of intestinal health : they are fantastic for your microbiota, enriching the microbial diversity of your intestine, which in turn is closely related to a strong immune system. Their soluble fiber helps you go to the bathroom regularly.
• Positive environmental impact : They have a very low environmental footprint compared to meat, dairy and eggs. They require less water and resources, and help improve soil fertility.

5 recipes to get children to eat more legumes

Coloured hummus : Start by making a classic hummus - the original recipe includes chickpeas, cumin, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and, if you like, a little paprika. You can make a version of it with other legumes, such as beans or lentils and, the most fun thing is to turn it into a green, fuchsia pink, purple or orange hummus to enjoy with sticks or crudités. How? By adding foods of the colour you want, such as beetroot, carrot, pumpkin, coriander, avocado, red cabbage or basil.

Crispy tofu sandwich

Tofu is a great way to eat soybeans, a legume packed with benefits. To achieve an exquisite texture, you must dry it, coat it with a starch or bread it in panko and toast it in oil. Then, prepare your favorite sandwich with it. For example, the Peace Love Vegan blog suggests a corn loaf with cashew cream, crispy tofu, tender sprouts, avocado and lime. More options? Try it with vegetables and peanut sauce, or with roasted tomato and pesto.

Chickpea nuggets

Anna's YouTube channel recetasfáciles teaches you how to make this delicious and fun dinner: with a can of cooked chickpeas, a handful of fresh spinach, egg, cream cheese, flour and spices you can prepare 6 burgers or 14 nuggets . Serve them with a salad and a good homemade sauce, such as BBQ or avocado mayonnaise.

Lentil burgers

Discover how to prepare lentil burgers in five steps with Paulina Cocina, the sure way to make your children love this legume. They have other delicious vegetable ingredients such as onion, dehydrated tomato, bell pepper or carrot and, in addition to being tasty, they look very pretty.

Golden bean tacos

If your kids like Mexican food, get ready to enjoy it with recipes like this one . You will need corn tortillas, some guacamole or diced avocado, sour cream, queso fresco and queso latino and of course, refried beans.

On TikTok they also teach how to prepare healthy bean sausages for babies.

With legumes, it's all a matter of imagination.