Cooking With Kids: Turkey Quesadillas & Cran-Apple Sauce

Encouraging Speech & Creating Yum! Turkey Quesadillas & Cran-Apple Sauce

Bring on the Turkey!!! The Thanksgiving holiday comes and goes so quickly, so much time is spent preparing for one meal that often times there is not time to actually enjoy the food. Here is an easy, fast, great tasting recipe you and your child can make together anytime.

Turkey Quesadillas Ingredients

• 8 (8-inch) whole grain tortillas (Food for Life brown rice tortillas)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Daiya delicious dairy free mozzarella shreds or (other cheese)
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
• 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon Vegenaise (or your favorite mayonnaise)

Cran-apple sauce

• 2-3 tablespoons cranberry sauce)
• ¼ cup apple sauce

Cooking Directions (for one)

Adult: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Adult/Child: Layout out two tortillas on a sheet of non-stick parchment.

Child: Spread Vegenaise (mayonnaise on one side of each tortilla.)

Child: Sprinkle about a ½ cup of shredded turkey on top of tortilla.

Child: Pick five to six baby spinach leaves and place on top of turkey.

Child: Top with Cheese

Child: Put the top of the other tortilla with mayonnaise side down over the first tortilla

Adult: Move Tortilla to heated pan, cook until the underside is lightly golden and flip over. Cook until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and serve on plate.

Child: Use a pizza cutter and cut quesadilla in half and then half again. Creating 4 wedges and serve with prepared cran-apple sauce

Eat! Talk! Enjoy!

Language Time Tips:

1. Build vocabulary with nouns and actions! Nouns that can be targeted are the actual ingredients in the recipe: tortillas, cheese, turkey, spinach, vegenaise, cranberry, apple sauce. Other vocabulary can focus on specific cooking materials you need including: a pan, parchment paper, pizza cutter and plate. Action words targeted can include: shred, spread, mix, spray, lay out, sprinkle, pick, top, cut, move, remove and serve. Eating of course is the most motivating!
2. Colors and Size: This recipe is very colorful with the cran apple sauce. The tortilla, turkey and cheese are within the yellow, brown and white family. The cranberry sauce is bright pink which is an excellent contrast to other colors in the recipe. With regard to size, ask your child “How large would you like your piece?” Cut the wedges into 2 slices and then cut the other half into 2 slices. Which wedges are bigger? Which are smaller?
3. Comment and Describe! Focus on commenting with the various tastes and textures of this recipe. The cranberry sauce can be chunky or smooth. The applesauce can also be smooth or chunky. How does the quesadilla taste? Crunchy and warm from the pan? Model words such as “sweet” (for the sauce), “tangy” (for the vegenaise), etc
4. Sequencing and recalling information: The steps are simple and easy which makes it a perfect task for recalling information and helping your child discuss the steps of the recipe. Ask your child, “What did we do first?”, “Did we cook the quesadilla before or after we put the cheese on?” If it’s easier for your child, take some photographs and use them as visual prompts.
5. Answering and asking “wh” questions: “What did we make today?”, “What ingredients did we use?”, “What are we dipping our quesadillas in?” Encourage your child to ask questions throughout cooking together. If needed, model a question for your child and leave the ending off, “What does the pan need to be __(hot) when we put the quesadilla in?”

Related: Talk with Me: Enhancing Communication through Natural Family Routines

Language Tips by Becca Eisenberg

Becca Eisenberg is a mother of two young children and a speech-language pathologist, author, and instructor. On her website, www.lifeskills2learn.com, she writes children’s book recommendations, app recommendations, and teaches life skills for children.

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This post originally appeared on our November/December 2015 Magazine