Want to make a child happy at dinner? Serve sandwiches. PB&J, grilled cheese, BLTs all are perennial favorites, but even though they might be crowd pleasers, it's always nice to mix it up with something new and perhaps a little healthier, too.
Sometimes the best way to introduce new flavors or ideas into your family's diet is to "sandwich" them in between a couple of pieces of bread. It's always easier to get a child to try new foods in the context of familiar favorites.
I particularly like this concept when it comes to veggies. In addition to the traditional lettuce and tomato option, I like to add cucumber slices to egg salad sandwiches, roasted red peppers to ham and cheese, and avocado to a plain-Jane turkey sandwich. Not only are the additions healthy, they're also delicious.
In the case of these Spiced Beef Pita Sandwiches, Moroccan Carrot Slaw is like a surprise nestled inside a pita pocket. While carrot slaw may seem like a strange ingredient to include in a sandwich, this brightly flavored condiment adds just the right amount of acidity and crunch when combined with the cumin-, coriander- and cinnamon-scented beef patties and creamy Greek yogurt dressing.
The fact that these sandwiches seem a lot like burgers only makes it easier to convince young diners to give them a try.
Meredith Deeds of Edina is the author of "Everyday to Entertaining" and "The Big Book of Appetizers." Reach her at meredith@meredithdeeds.com. Follow her on Twitter @meredithdeeds.