Do you have fussy eaters at home? I sure do… my preschooler just refuses to eat any vegetables at all. So, like many moms out there with the same problem, I have to think of ways to make her eat her veggies. I often “hide” them in foods that she enjoys eating and these patties are a very good example of “yummy food with hidden veggies”. You can add any vegetables you like to it, I tend to make it with onion and carrots as they grate well and leave “no traces”… yes, you got that right, my little one has the sight of a hawk and if she spots a little “veg-something” in her food, she is not going to even touch it! The carrots tend to show a little colour, but I always tell her it is “orange cheese” (she LOVES cheese)… And guess what??? She loves these patties and finishes them up pretty fast. She usually does not like red meat too much either, so these patties are a great way to make her eat some of the proteins and vitamins that she needs. And I have to tell you, they do taste very good! So… if you have a fussy eater, do try making these… you’ll be surprised at how much he/she will like them!
Ingredients (for 4 people):
500 gms of beef mince
5 tbsp of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
1 egg
¼ tsp of grated nutmeg
¼ tsp of ground pepper
1 tsp of salt
5 tbsp of breadcrumbs
1 small carrot, grated
1 small onion, grated
To make the patties, put the mince, egg, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, grated nutmeg, grated carrot, grated onion, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Mix well with your hands, until the meat comes together.
Then roll and flatten the patties with your hands. Keep them aside.
Shallow fry them in batches in hot vegetable oil.
Drain the excess oil on kitchen paper and serve warm. They go well with a simple tomato salad and/or with creamy broccoli and pine nuts.
Very interesting recipe and I’ve got all the ingredients in my cupboard/fridge already 🙂
Apparently my mom had to hide everything between slices of tomato or of taleggio when I was a kid… now I eat everything but minestrone and passato….
Those patties look great! I am sure picky eaters and not picky eaters would anjoy them very much!
Oh the things we mummies do!
My daugther had a phase like that but now she asks for veggies and fruits…have hope
Looks wonderful, Manu! What a great way to lighten up a hamburger :o)
Super kids friendly recipe….I love to add many different veggies to the burgers even cheeses…..they munch it all….thanks for sharing:)
https://mywanderingspoon.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/w-a-t-e-r-youth-program-rileys-farm-and-mighty-peanut-butter-smoothie/
Problemi da mamma…I understand…
I am bog fan of patties. Be it vegi or meat or fish. These looks great .. I would love to enjoy it even as my evening snack!!
Yeah, I have picky eaters at home… me! 😀 This dish is sure to please even the pickiest eaters!
Mmmm! love it.
Like the ways to sneek the vegetable into the prefered food, good job manu.
Delicious I am sure, and they look great …well done thanks for sharing.
Rico-Tried and Tested Recipes
Hehehee I am doing the same way. Your meat & veggie patties look delicious with lots of cheese in it! Let’s hope our kids will eat veggies without us trying to be sneaky one day… 😉
Ih ih! Orange cheese… I love kids… and parents 😛
Very good patties, BTW 🙂
Io ho una bimba di due anni e mezzo che fino a poco tempo fa mangiava tutto… ora scarta verdura e frutta (…hai detto niente!) Resistono il passato di verdura con olio e parmigiano e le polpette di macinato con verdure cotte nascoste! Con le verdure crude saranno ancora meglio, devo provare a grattugiarle anche io. Cmq i bimbi sono imprevedibili: a Viola piacciono molto le polpette di melanzane!
La mia mangiava tutto prima di cominciare ad andare all’asilo… ora e’ disastro! 🙁 La piccola invece ancora mangia qualunque cosa… ha 1 anno e mezzo e oggi ha divorato la pasta al pesto…….. Speriamo sia una fase passeggera!
I love this! I am not above tricking myself to eat more veggies as well. These look great. =)
hahaha I do the same..my boys are so picky when it comes to cooked veggies..they love raw but cooked is huge no no in their diet:))) Your patties look and sound amazing..I love it!!!
Clarise & Cherlin love patties too! I alternately make fish, pork and beef patties for them. They eat it with rice, bread and sometimes with mashed potatoes…and just like Victoria, they finish eating really quick!
looks delicious manu 🙂
These look delicious! I know kids of all ages would love these– I certainly would. I’m bookmarking this to try!
Great way to get the little ones to eat veggies. Great recipe.
These look and sound great! We would like them on the grill.
Oh, these look so yummy, Manu! I’m still sneaking grated carrots in my kids’ food and they are BIG and OLD!
Carrots as “Orange Cheese”? Very very clever!!! I am hiding carrots and zucchinis in muffins for my nephews, because both of them refuse to eat ANY vegetables… And it works 🙂 Love this patties Manu, they look soooo delicious!
Ah…sneaky ninja chef. It’s a fine art, my friend and you’re a right pro 🙂 Well done! Buzzed
My son won’t get a near a vegetable! Great idea for these patties – I will have to try making them soon! Thanks!
She’s gonna grow up looking for that orange cheese. 🙂 Clever mum!
I don’t have any little ones at home but I think these would make lovely light dinner.
Carrots as “orange cheese” – that is so creative Manu! These patties are a great way to smuggle vegetables into kids.
They look delicious! I am not big fan of beef, maybe I would change it to mutton mince, but sounds really great!
That would work just as fine! Even turkey mince would be nice made this way!