Trojan veggie crepes for kids.

Elbrich Fennama | December 2008 issue

All parents have faced this dilemma: How do I get the little ones to eat a decent meal? Making sure they get their carbohydrates and protein isn’t a challenge, thanks to pizza, pasta and crepes, but how do you sneak in enough vegetables and vitamins? One effective approach is the Trojan Horse strategy: Make something they like and casually add the important stuff. Vegetable crepes are one example. Of course, you will give it a different “Trojan” name. You might also create a Trojan story about invincibility or power to go with it.

The Greeks make their Trojan crepes like this: Grate one or two zucchini, sprinkle with salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Squeeze the grated zucchini dry, mix with a diced onion, an egg, some finely chopped mint leaves, small blocks of feta cheese and enough flour to make a sturdy dough. Heat oil in a frying pan and use two soup spoons to slide in three or four dollops of dough. Flatten them and cook for about three minutes on each side until they are a nice golden brown. This theme supports endless variations. Replace the feta with grated cheddar, ricotta or crumbled tofu; instead of zucchini, use finely chopped vegetables; replace the mint with curry, ginger powder or mustard seed. Put a crepe-laden plate on the table and tell everyone they’re limited to two. Pretend not to notice if someone snatches an extra couple. Then sit back and enjoy the sight of veggie-filled kids.