Parents, please. If you are lucky enough to have a child that loves cabbage, look away modestly. For the majority of the population, children eating cabbage is the equivalent of those much-coveted Jimmy Choos going on sale at 90% off just in time for a special night. It's a culinary home run.

However, cabbage is one of those things we know we should really love and get children to love as it's got a multitude of health benefits, and getting them to love it now avoids dramas at the dinner table later - not to mention a future of sneaking pureed vegetables into their food a la Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious (not that there's anything wrong with that, as Jessica's husband Jerry would say).

Cabbage is a good source of riboflavin (Vitamin B2), beta carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C and fibre. To choose a cabbage, look for one that has a compact head; fresh, crisp outer leaves; no bruising or signs of bugs nibbling; and feels heavy for the size. There is also savoy cabbage, which has much softer leaves and cooks down a lot quicker and is lighter in weight. Some children have an aversion to all things green, so purple cabbage is an alternative, although I personally find this a little bitter which is can also be an objection for many children.

To store, wrap it in a plastic bag for up to seven days - the plastic bag is important as cabbage "breathes" and the more it breathes the quicker it ages. The older cabbage gets, the more the odour develops when it is cooked, so try and use it quickly (savoy cabbage only lasts a few days). When cabbage is overcooked it becomes watery, and that's again when the less-than-lovely odour comes out (and that's what probably has the kids running a mile from it). When cutting up cabbage, remove the core and use the leaves.

Getting your kids to eat cabbage whilst not resorting to doctoring your own diet too drastically is a challenge. Kids tend to like novelty things whereas adults tend to like 'proper' food. One way around cabbage and its challenges are cabbage rolls. I've never met a human - full grown or miniature - that didn't like these, and the idea of eating rolls appeals to children. The cabbage is merely a wrapper that is essential for easy eating so they may even forget that it's there (especially if you cover the rolls with a tomato-based sauce). They can also be made as vegetarian and at a low cost.

Bubble'n'squeak is another item that kids love, not just because of the cute name (kids have an innate savviness and respond to being marketed to).

Another recipe is a Japanese favourite called okonomiyaki. So many kids nowadays love Japanese food and this curious item is like cross between a pizza and a pancake, and is also wonderful for introducing less popular "bits" of food like cabbage. This Japanese pizza pancake is easy to make and can be done in a healthy way, as it's essentially a pancake batter with vegetables included.

There is plenty of protein in it via the eggs and whatever meat or meat substitute you want to use, plenty of fibre via the vegetables, and if you want to up their dairy, the water can be replaced with milk too.

And that smart marketing I spoke of? If you need to draw a smiley face in that extra effort to cajole them to eat it, it's the perfect shape for it. It can also be done economically and relatively quickly using whatever ingredients you may have to hand - in fact, as the word okonomiyaki means "as you like it".

The preparation time is quite minimal and I do this when I need a good, nutritious meal in under 30 minutes. Indeed it's sold as street food in Japan as it's so easy to prepare, requiring only a hot pan and a mixing bowl to create.

The children can get involved in the mixing and in putting on their sauces. Most of the time is spent waiting for the pancake to cook thoroughly.

Recipe: Okonomiyaki

An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
300ml water
½ cup green shallots, sliced
1 ½ cups cabbage, torn into smallish pieces
1/3 cup thin carrot sticks
½ cup chicken slices (or prawns or bacon or whatever you have Oil for frying
Mayonnaise* (preferably Japanese Kewpie Mayo. Praise and Kraft are not suitable for this)
Okonomiyaki sauce* (in a pinch mix some BBQ sauce with some Worcestershire sauce but I urge you to try and get the real thing)
Bonito fish flakes* (optional)
Seaweed flakes* (optional)

* Buyer's tip: All of these ingredients can be found at Japanese grocery stores and some Asian grocery stores. Some larger supermarkets will also have these items in their Japanese/Asian aisles.

Method

1. Heat frying pan on medium. Whilst it is heating, in a large bowl, empty flour, lightly beaten eggs and water to form a thick pancake type batter. Add the cabbage, carrot and green shallots to the batter and mix thoroughly.
2. Using 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the chicken, prawns or bacon until cooked through. Add this to the batter mix. Add more oil to the frying pan and then spoon ¼ of the mixture into the centre of the pan in a circle that is about 1.5 - 2cms thick. Do not add too much mix or make it too thick or it will not cook properly inside (and will taste overly floury).
3. Place frying pan lid on top and cook for a few minutes until the bottom is cooked and then carefully turn over and cook again with the lid on until it is thoroughly cooked (you can insert a skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean then it's cooked). The total cooking time per pancake is about 10 minutes.
4. Once fully cooked, transfer to a plate brush liberally with Okonomiyaki sauce and or squirt patterns of it along with the mayonnaise in a lattice pattern or whatever pattern you like. Top with seaweed flakes and bonito flakes if desired (the bonito flakes sway in the breeze and children find them rather cool as they look "alive").

An adult's version might have some red pickled ginger on top as well, or use seafood in the filling instead of chicken.

About Lorraine Elliott

Lorraine Elliott is the founder of the popular food blog Not Quite Nigella, which features a new story every day alternating between a cooking story, a restaurant review, store visit or interview. Focussed in Sydney but with a posts from across Australia and the world, Not Quite Nigella has received awards and media attention both locally and internationally.