Make These Healthy Vegetarian Veg-and-Potato Pancakes for Kids

If your kids are like my niece and nephew - who never met a veggie they liked except in a cartoon - you need a recipe for a quick, healthy vegetarian meal that's heavy on both veggies and great taste. Well, here it is: Veg-and-Potato Pancakes, an entree that's both vegetarian and kid-approved!

These are basically traditional potato pancakes, into which I've snuck some vegetables to help kids get their five-a-day as they enjoy a family favorite.

A "fried" entree may not sound healthy, but it can be, if you follow some healthy-frying tips:

1)always use fresh oil

2)use vegetable or canola oil, which are lower in fat than peanut or other high-fat oils

3)use a minimum amount of oil to fry, lightly coating your pan so as not to saturate your food

4)always drain fried foods on paper towels before serving.

Veg-and-Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

4 large potatoes
1 small yellow onion
2 large carrots
2 large zucchini
2 eggs, beaten (egg substitute may be used)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
ground black pepper to taste (optional)
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Shred carrot, zucchini and onion into small bowl, and set aside. Next, line a large bowl with a thin kitchen towel, and into it, grate the potatoes. Carefully lift towel from bowl, and over sink, squeeze moisture from potatoes by wringing them in the towel. (Tip: Work with potatoes as quickly as possible, before they start to turn purple-brown.)

Return the potatoes to the bowl, discarding towel. Mix in vegetables, egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper, if desired. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir, adding additional flour if needed, until the mixture thickens and holds together.

Turn oven to low, about 200 degrees. Heat about 1/4 inch oil in the bottom of a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Drop two or three 1/4 cup mounds of mixture into oil, using pancake turner to flatten them into pancakes. Fry, turning once, until golden brown, and drain on paper towels. Transfer pancakes to plate in oven, and keep warm until all pancakes are made, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

Pancakes can be served with sour cream, applesauce, or baked apples or other baked or stewed fruit.