Looking out at the boys as they throw rocks out into the waves at the beach I think are they too skinny? And then I realize I am looking at what healthy looks like. I can see their little muscles and the strength of their ribs as they stretch and run. It’s a real reflection of what society in America has done to skew our vision of healthy. Too skinny or "overweight" might be just right. How could I doubt for even a moment whether these two boys were healthy. I know exactly what goes into their bodies. And there are few things that make me more proud.
Some mom's might jump for joy at their children's first steps, some might relish the moment their children first went pee pee in the potty....my proudest moments are when my boys say "this is the best dinner we've ever had Mommy." My kids have been raised from their first bite of "real food" to eat what's been prepared. Since we prepare almost all of our meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner just about every day, they have gradually learned the one rule at our table is that you have to try everything. Whatever you don’t like you don't have to eat. (O.k. there are other rules...don't pick your nose at the table, don't use your shirt as a napkin, and save the potty talk for dessert to name a few…) Since Mommy likes to test all kinds of recipes out on her family, they've tried just about everything at a very young age. When new moms ask me for advice this is the first one I share (and only when they ask...new mom's get enough unsolicited advice!) Start where you want to end up, with everything, especially eating. Don't cook something special or separate for your kids. And don't assume because they are children that they will only eat 4 things (generally chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and spaghetti from what I've seen).
Let's be clear, my kids have things they don’t like...Kai won’t eat raw tomatoes (Max loves them) and he's not a fan of purple cabbage. Max will eat anything but would live off fruit and pickles if he could and they both like a good mac and cheese as much as the next kid, but they also love pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, Brussels sprouts, and quinoa. Their diets are diverse, full of color and generally made from fresh, organic and preferably local ingredients. We talk about where our food comes from and what it means to eat seasonally. These are things we have to teach our kids because our schools don't.
Here are some great places to start so that you end up where you want to be;
Whole wheat bread and pasta - trust me no one knows the difference if this is where you start.
Have fruit around, beautifully displayed in a bowl where they can reach it...they can't resist colorful things shaped like balls!
Represent as many food groups as you can on the plate it’s much more interesting and provides more choices and more opportunities for learning.
Don’t give up on anything – just because they say they don’t like it keep putting it out there – like everything else related to kids – nothing ever seems to stay long. They are changing all the time. I’m not a fan of hiding or slipping in the good stuff. Kids won’t learn anything this way, but I’m also a fan of getting nutrients in anywhere possible so here's a few "tricks" that worked for us
* "Chocolate milk" - one part chocolate soy milk 3 parts low fat milk – this way they get some soy and some Vitamin D without so much sugar.
*Sprinkle ground flax on oatmeal, yogurt and in your pancake batter for a nutritional kick
*For juices add a bit of water to dilute the sugar
*No Soda – if they want a little fizz every now and then (because w all do don’t we?) try flavored sparkling water.
*Shrimp are fun.
Here's a Kid Friendly meal plan for the week using the following seasonal ingredients I found in my Garden of Eden Co-Op box this week;
Lettuce ,broccoli, broccoli leaf. carrots, Russian kale, cilantro, Asian pears,Asian guava, tangerines, and avocado
Sunday Broccoli Mac and Cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Cheddar-American cheese blend
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (10-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed and coarsely chopped
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked
1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs or 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and whisk in all-purpose flour; cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes.
Whisk in milk gradually; cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add shredded cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in broccoli and pasta. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs; dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.
To lighten: Substitute equal portions reduced-calorie margarine, 2% reduced-fat milk, and 2% reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, and reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Cook as directed, and pour into baking dish. Stir together remaining margarine, melted, and breadcrumbs; sprinkle over pasta mixture. Bake as directed, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Uses; Broccoli
Whisk in milk gradually; cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add shredded cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in broccoli and pasta. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs; dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.
To lighten: Substitute equal portions reduced-calorie margarine, 2% reduced-fat milk, and 2% reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, and reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Cook as directed, and pour into baking dish. Stir together remaining margarine, melted, and breadcrumbs; sprinkle over pasta mixture. Bake as directed, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Uses; Broccoli
Monday Sliders
I get Trader Joe's Slider buns and hamburgers (already pre-made in bite-size portions) and grill them on my indoor or outdoor grill with all the fixings. Serve with sweet potato fries and a green salad....and lots of pickles for Max. These are a fun twist on the everyday Hamburger and fries.
Tuesday Off or leftovers
Wednesday Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese
Uses; Carrots
Thursday
Avocado-Banana Smotthie and Slow Cooker Oatmeal
This Otameal is great to throw together in your slow cooker the night before so it's all ready to go in the morning;
1 1/2 cups steel cut or old fashioned oats
3 cups water
2 cups chopped peeled apples or blueberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
Combine all in your slow cooker cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Smoothie
Blend 1 avocado, 1 banana, 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, 1 1/2 cups fresh orange or tangerine juice (from 3 oranges or 5 tangerines), 1/4 cup honey, and 1 1/2 to 3 cups ice.
Uses: Avocado and tangerines
Friday Cauliflower Pizza
This was so fun to make with the kids and REALLY yummy!
Saturday Bacon and Butternut Pasta
Uses; Kale
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