Being a mother has its perks, one of them is thinking of new healthy, hearty and easy ulam ideas for your child’s next school day. It’s hard to prepare dishes that are healthy yet appetizing for our kids, that’s why we have here 3 ulam ideas that will surely be loved by the kids and give them the most nutrition whenever they’re at school. 

Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops

Want to make your kid eat healthier? We’ve got some great ulam ideas just for you! We have this colorful, hearty dish that includes two vegetables and protein. This oven-fried pork chop will save your kids from fat and calories they would get from deep frying. We can guarantee that the chops will be crispy on the outside, yet juicy on the inside. To balance out the meal, we’ve included steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato for a healthy and hearty meal for the kids that will energize them for school activities.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¾ cup Mega Prime Choices Bread Crumbs (230g)
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 (4 ounce) 3/4-inch-thick boneless pork chops

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine beaten egg and mustard in another small dish. Combine breadcrumbs and pepper in a third shallow dish.
• Sprinkle salt over both sides of the pork. Dredge each pork chop in flour, shaking off the excess. Coat in egg mixture, then panko, pressing to adhere. Place on the prepared rack. Coat the pork chops with cooking spray. Bake until the chops are beginning to brown and are cooked throughout (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 145 degrees F), 18 to 20 minutes.

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

An easy way to sneak some extra vegetables into your child’s day are with these easy one-skillet pasta ulam ideas. Finely chop the mushrooms to resemble the texture of ground beef and stir them into a classic meat sauce for an extra-healthy and hearty twist on a classic dish that your kids will surely enjoy during their school lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
• 8 ounces Mega Prime whole mushroom (425 g), finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 ounces whole-wheat rotini or fusilli
• ½ cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup Chopped fresh basil for garnish

Directions

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef, mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink and the mushroom liquid has mostly evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder.
• Add pasta. Bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat and cook, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 16 to 18 minutes.
• Sprinkle the pasta with cheese, cover and cook until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Garnish with basil, if desired.

Chole (Chickpea Curry)

Here are some easy and healthy ulam ideas for your kid’s next school day. Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

Ingredients

• 1 medium serrano pepper, cut into thirds
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1-inch)
• 6 tablespoons canola oil or grapeseed oil
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 ¼ cups no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes with their juice (from a 28-ounce can)
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cans of Mega Prime Garbanzos (ChickPeas 225g), rinsed
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

• Pulse serrano, garlic and ginger in a food processor until minced. Scrape down the sides and pulse again. Add onion; pulse until finely chopped, but not watery.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Pulse tomatoes in the food processor until finely chopped. Add to the pan along with salt. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add chickpeas and garam masala, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more. Serve topped with cilantro, if desired.

Let us know in the comments how your kid loved their school baon with these ulam ideas! We would also love to know more about which ingredients you want new recipes for. Don’t forget to share this article with your family and friends, we hope you continue to support the Prime Mom Club.

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