You come home from work, your little one’s hungry, you’re exhausted, and the last thing you want to do is cook and clean (isn’t that every day?).

Well, the name of this recipe may sound fancy, but it’s actually my 1, 2, 3 super-easy, super-fast, no clean-up dinner. It’s extremely healthy and fun to make because you can tailor it to you or your little ones favorite tastes and flavors. My husband asks for this meal at least twice a week and so now of course Kenya has followed suit. Since it takes me only minutes to prepare, I can actually make one dinner for the whole family and I’m thrilled that it makes them so happy.
We seem to love this recipe most with asian flavors such as ginger, garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce, but you could make it Italian using basil and tomatoes or Mexican using cilantro and a scoop of mild salsa. Be creative! The options are endless. You can add any vegetable or cooked grain that you have in the refrigerator that you don’t want to go to waste. And as I said, the best part is that there’s NO clean up since this whole dish is made in a piece of parchment paper. So, when you’re finished, you’re really finished — no pots and pan to clean. Now that’s my idea of easy, fast and fresh.

Fish and Veggies in Parchment (Makes 2 Toddler Servings or 1 Big Kid Serving)


1 Fish Fillet, skinless and boneless (whitefish, tilapia or sole are good choices)
2 Shitake Mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

1/4 Cup Sugar Snap Peas

1/4 Cup Red bell Pepper, sliced

1 Baby Bok Choy, chopped

1 Garlic Clove
1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 1/2 Inch piece of garlic, peeled and sliced into 4-5 coins

2 Tsp Braggs (you could also use soy sauce or tamari (I like Braggs because it has less sodium and more amino acids then soy sauce)
1 Long piece of parchment paper, just over a foot long (you could also use foil)



1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place the piece of parchment or foil on a work surface and fold in half like a book.
3. Make layered stacks dividing the ingredients in the center of the parchment where you made a fold like a book (I usually make a layer of the bok choy, garlic and ginger, add some of the mushrooms and snap peas, place the fish and remaining vegetables and then sprinkle the top with the sesame oil and Braggs)
4. Place the top of the parchment over the ingredients closing the “book”.
5. Starting at one end of the parchment, fold the edges of the paper over several times continuing to make creases all around the fish until it’s completely enclosed and no air can escape.
6. Place on a cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Cut open top to let out steam. Be careful, it’s hot!
9. Serve hot for adults and cool for kids (also remember that there are big pieces of ginger and garlic that are really good for you, but you may want to remove them since they will be a surprise to a toddler not expecting them!

I remember the first time I encountered seitan. It was at a vegetarian restaurant in New York City. So many of the ingredients on the menu were completely foreign to me and I felt like I was butchering their names. Seitan for example. Was it, “see-ten”, “s-e-i-ten”….oh, whatever!! Finally, the waiter came to my aid and told me that it was pronounced “say-tan”.
Anyway, seitan isn’t exactly a common ingredient in American kitchens — but luckily most health food stores carry it. Seitan is a great alternative to meat and its versatile texture is perfect for absorbing the full flavor of sauces and has a texture similar to chicken, although a bit spongier. Although it seems like and odd choice, this was my total craving when I was pregnant with Kenya. I wanted seitan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That’s probably the reason Kenya loves it so much. I think he consumed pounds of it in utero.
Seitan, also know as wheat gluten or “wheat meat”, is made by rinsing away the starch in wheat, leaving a high-protein gluten behind. Seitan is popular in vegetarian cuisine because of its unique ability to replicate the texture and flavor of meat. It’s also easier for little ones to chew then beef.
When I made this dish, I had so much fun telling people it was chicken stir fry. Everyone got that it wasn’t chicken, but couldn’t figure out what it was. They were shocked at how delicious it tasted and couldn’t believe they hadn’t tried seitan before.
This dish only take minutes to prepare which is an added bonus. I like to make plenty to have leftovers for at least a day or two. Of all the people that tried it, though, Kenya seemed to enjoy it the most!

Seitan Stir fry (6 Toddler Servings)

1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Tsp Ginger, minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Broccoli, chopped
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Cup Shitake Mushrooms, julienned
1 Cup Seitan, chopped
2 Tbsp Braggs (or low sodium soy sauce)
1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

1. Heat a wok or saute pan over medium heat with olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic for one minute.
2. Add the broccoli, bell pepper and mushrooms. Continue to cook for 3 minutes. Add the seitan and the remaining ingredients and stirfry for 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Cool and serve.