Buying Organic

How do you know which produce to buy organic?  Here is an invaluable list.  Print it out and put it in your wallet so you have it when you shop.  Basically a good rule of thumb is if you eat the "skin" of the fruit or vegetable, buy organic.


http://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/foodnews/pdf/2011EWGPesticideGuide.pdf

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/

Mac and....Squash!

This is a great quick meal for kids.  On days when you have little time to cook, grab a box of Mac and Cheese - I prefer Annie's which is a good price at Target- and a can of pureed butternut squash.  I stock up on canned butternut from Whole Foods.

Make mac and cheese as directed.  Add 1-2 tbsp of squash and mix until smooth.  Try using only a little at first and taste before you add more.  My boys are use to the flavor so I can add a good amount.  Sprinkling with Parmesan cheese helps add some extra cheese-y flavor if needed.  

You can also use acorn squash which I added the last time I made mac and cheese for the boys.  It is mild and sweet so it is easy to sneak in.

Pureed baby foods work too if don't have time to cook or can't find a canned version.  Enjoy!

Fruit and Spinach Smoothie

My husband also has trouble eating his fruit and vegetables so this is the smoothie I make for him.  I also give a little to the boys (see below).  Ingredients vary depending on what I have around but here is the basic recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of organic baby spinach (a large handful)

1/2 cup frozen mango (pineapple or banana)

1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries

2 cups juice

2 tsp chia seed (or flax)

splash of almond milk 

Directions:

Add all ingredients to blender or Magic Bullet and spin for 2 minutes or until smooth.

Add enough juice to pretty much cover the other ingredients.

 

Here is the juice I am currently using.  I like it because it adds another vegetable - carrots- and is made with mango puree.

Juice choice is important.  Choose 100% juice blends with no added sugar preferably one that contain purees.  I have used orange juice, pomegranate and green drinks (like Odawalla's Superfood Green Drink) with good success.  If color is important to you, orange colored juices are the best.

Chia seeds are high in protein, fiber and Omega 3s.  Similar in taste to flax but milder, they also absorb liquid and nicely thicken smoothies.

I take put a couple tablespoons of the smoothie and add it to a juice and water mix for my boys.  They don't like the thickness of the fruit smoothie so watering it down with juice and water works well.  Again I always use the colander to remove any big pieces that might clog the sippy cup.

For picky eaters, it helps to use cups that hide the color.

Enjoy!

Parsnip Chips

Tried making parsnip chips today.  The recipe calls for lots of oil and frying to make the chips crisp but I reduced the oil and baked them instead.  I liked them so much I ate most of them warm out of the oven.
Ingredients:

1lbs parnips
2 tsp vegetable oil
Salt

Directions:

Shave long thin strips with a peeler turning it as you go. 

Save ends and cores for soup or other use.

Add oil and salt - toss by hand.  Place on a cooking sheet and spread thin.  Be sure to spray the sheet with oil first so they don't stick.  Place in the oven at 365 degree for 5-10 minutes checking often to be sure they don't burn.  Remove when browned and crisp. 

You can use this recipe for pretty much any root vegetable - sweet potato, carrot, rutabaga, radish, turnip...etc. They make a great healthy snack, add texture to salads and are nice paired with a sandwich. Enjoy!

Chocolate PB&J (and Spinach!) Milkshake

After trial and error, this is the smoothie my boys like the best.  It is also the most filling.  They have it for breakfast and for an after nap snack.  It is not just because they love it that I make it - although that helps- but because I can worry less about what they eat when they drink a handful of spinach every day.

Here are the ingredients:

3 cups almond milk (original)
1/2 banana
2 tbsp organic blueberries or other fruit
1 tbsp peanut butter or other nut butter
small handful organic baby spinach
1 tbsp chocolate Ovaltine

Directions: Spin in a blender or Magic Bullet for 2 minutes.  I use a little mesh colander because the boys are still using sippy cups and they get clogged up if there are any large pieces left after being blended.  I also always taste it to make sure it doesn't take too spinach-y!  I have found with sneaking healthy food into kid food, you have to make sure it tastes good so you don't scare them off!

I have other variations that I will post soon. Enjoy!

Super Salads

Salads are my go to - you get the most nutrition "bang for your buck" with salads.  My dad calls the these salads "Super Salads" which is a good name given the high energy ingredients.  Done right salads can be filling and very satisfying.

I don't start with the lettuce but with all the extras first.  The extras is what makes the salad flavorful and healthful.  Here is my "starter" for the the salad I made last night:

The ingredients are as follows: blueberries (always get organic but more on that later), cucumber, edemebe, beets, and goat cheese.  Blueberries are packed full of antioxidants.  Cucumber give the salad crunch.  The edemame are loaded with protein, fiber, and omega 3s.  This is when Trader Joes is great - you can get precooked, shelled edemame for a couple bucks:

I also get my beets there which are a purple root vegetable high in antioxidants, fiber and has even been used as an aphrodisiac:

I use goat cheese because it has a strong flavor so you can use less and it is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than cheese made from cow's milk.  It also has more calcium.

Finally I add the lettuce.  Last night I used romaine which is the lettuce highest in protein.  Surprisingly a 100 calorie portion of romaine lettuce has more protein than one serving of steak!  Check out this link to see how meat stacks up nutritionally to green leafy vegetables: http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/healthy-food-nutrient-density-of-green-vegetables.html

Next comes my favorite part - the dressing.  But while dressing is essential for flavor, it also has the power to add back all the unhealthy fat, calories, and cholesterol you were trying to avoid by eating a salad in the first place!  So beware of your dressing choice.  I usually choose something that has less than 6 grams of fat per serving.  I prefer tart balsamic dressings and this one from Trader Joe's is amazing.

Today I made a variation of this salad by adding chickpeas, mango, strawberries, olives and a White Stilton cheese with apricots.  This cheese is perfect for salads - crumbles well and is a perfect balance of sweet and sharp. Yum! Enjoy!