I was one of those kids who preferred a Filet-O-Fish sandwich at McDonald’s over a cheeseburger. But my kids? Paul got Nathan to eat fish once, and he promptly threw it up. Always Little Miss Opposite, Lucie likes mahi mahi and grilled tuna but won’t eat lake trout. Both kids love the fish tacos at Del Taco, go figure.

I have a friend who swears her daughter begs her to buy crab legs and fish fillets, so there must be some kids out there who love fish. But I think most kids wouldn’t go near it with a 10-foot fishing pole. So here are a couple of recipes that may entice them.

This Fish-In-a-Sack recipe comes from Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Meals for Kids (there’s a more grown up version of this recipe at Foodnetwork.com). The draw here for kids is that you’re cooking food in a brown paper sack and can serve it that way, too.

Fish-In-a-Sack
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1. 4 brown paper grocery sacks
2. 2 zucchini
3. 4 scallions, chopped or snipped with kitchen scissors into 1-inch pieces
4. 1 cup shredded carrots
5. 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
6. salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
7. 1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped or snipped
8. 2 to 2 1/2 pounds fresh cod, cut into 4 portions
9. 1 lemon, very thinly sliced
10. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Cut each sack in half across, making shorter paper bags; discard the tops.
2. Open the bags up and place 2 bags on each of 2 cookie sheets or baking sheets.
3. Cut a thin slice off of the length of one side of each zucchini (this makes it more stable for you to cut the zucchini); slice them into 1/4-inch-thick disks.
4. Arrange a layer of about 8 disks in the bottom of each sack, like rows of dominoes that have fallen.
5. Scatter a couple of handfuls of scallions, a few tablespoons of shredded carrots, and some whole tomatoes over the zucchini in each bag. Try to keep the amounts even.
6. Season the veggies with salt and pepper as you are working.
7. Add the parsley to the veggies, about 2 tablespoons per sack.
8. Season the fish with salt and pepper and arrange each portion directly on top of the veggies in each sack.
9. Cover the fish with thin slices of lemon. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil down over each portion of fish and veggies.
10. Seal the bags by rolling them tightly – but stop rolling an inch or so above the fish.
11. Bake 20 minutes.
12. Place a whole sack on each plate and serve. Cut sacks open at the dinner table to reveal the cooked fish and veggies.

If you have a reluctant fish eater, try serving some sauces on the side. Teriyaki, barbecue, tartar sauce, and even ketchup are all good choices.

This fish recipe comes from Annabel Karmel’s Superfoods : For Babies and Children. Annabel is the author of 14 books on nutrition and cooking for babies, children and families. Her philosophy is that the one element you can control which can determine your child’s future health is what they eat. Her book is packed with wonderful, healthful recipes that should appeal to babies and young children.

Her Tuna Tortilla Roll-Ups are a twist on a tuna sandwich and are filled with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Tuna Tortilla Roll-Ups
Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 1 6-ounce can tuna in oil
2. 1 1/2 tablespoon light mayonnaise
3. 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4. 1/4 teaspoon paprika
5. 2/3 cup low-salt canned corn, drained
6. 1/4 cup sliced cucumber
7. 1 finely chopped green onion
8. 6-inch tortillas
9. shredded lettuce
10. 2 chives (optional)

Directions:

1. Drain tuna and mix with lemon juice, mayonnaise, and paprika.
2. Stir in corn, cucumber, and green onion.
3. Place tuna mixture along the center of each tortilla.
4. Cover with shredded lettuce and roll up or fold.
5. Tie a chive around each tortilla to secure.

More recipes:

• Hooked on fish recipes from Child.com
• Go Fish! recipes from Child.com

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