Jul. 16, 2009 - How to get children to eat veggies.
How to encourage Children to Eat Their Veggies:
1. Whatever types of foods children are introduced to when they are young, they will develop a taste. If they are introduced to raw veggies then they will like raw veggies (except for those things they might have allergies). Of course they might not like it at first, but reintroduce it several times later. Sometimes they make faces at things they have never tasted, but if reintroduced a couple of times, they develop a liking for it, especially if mom likes it.
2. Have you ever noticed that children like to eat whatever is on your plate? Children enjoy the foods you enjoy. When they hear or see you enjoy something you enjoy, they will want to enjoy it with you. If you eat raw carrots or fresh green peppers and say, "mmmmm, this is sooo good", they will learn to enjoy it. Doing this several times really helps them enjoy what you enjoy. I have experienced this with my children. My son's favorite veggie is tomatoes. My daughters is fresh green peppers. They all have their favorites, but they will happily enjoy any fresh veggies.
3. While your children eat, discuss what makes the food so healthy for them. Talk about broccoli with all the calcium it has in it when it is raw. It is loaded with green chlorophyll. That is so good for you. Talk about all the vitamin C in carrots. When you talk about this get excited about what you are sharing. Get really animated and into it-wow, this is sooo exciting because it is so good for you. When they understand that certain foods like avacado or nuts are full of great oils for your brain to develop and be smart, they will feel encouraged to eat it.
4. Plant a garden. Veggies or fruits taste a lot better when they don't have the bitter pesticides on it or when they are rippened by the sun. Children will also enjoy feeling like they are eating from the work of their own hands. It gives them a new perspective on veggies and fruit. By the way, did you ever notice that navy beans from the health food store taste drastically different than from the grocery store? You can't sprout the ones from the grocery store becaus of the chemicals applied to prevent growth. However, you can easily sprout the ones from the health food store. The taste between the two is remarkable. One is bitter and the other is sweet.
5. Encourage your children to cook with you. Use lots of fresh veggies in making a salad together. My children love our fruit salad. Just carmelized some great fresh pecans (taste a lot better from health food store than grocery store) with some brown sugar and butter. Put that aside. Cut up some green or red leaf lettuce. Top with blueberries, strawberries, and pecans on top. My children especially love Balsamic vinegar on this salad. You can top with parmesan cheese. The children and I made this salad up ourselves. I think they especially love it because they created it.
6. Shop together for groceries- I really have fun trying out samples of fresh fruits or veggies at the store. If the children put it in their minicarts and purchase with me, they really feel like it is theirs to eat. I especially love to shop at the local farmer's market, especially the organic ones. It is fun to come home and whip up a great fruit salad together.
7. Use fresh herbs together on your veggies and Fruits- I have the children go out and pick the basil or cilantro. We cut it up together and put it in the mix of things. Fresh Basil is especially good on veggies, and cilantro on fruits (we think). Oh, and don't forget the best olive oil (don't buy the cheap stuff-look for basil olive oil). The better the oil, the better the taste. Vegtable oil gives a yucky greasy taste while a good tasting olive oil will add to the flavor and health benefits (olive oil is great for the brain).
8. Use Sea Salt and fresh Ground Pepper on your veggies or meals- The difference in Sea Salt and grocery table salt is drastic. Study it for the health difference. One is bleached and the other is not. One has all the minerals your body needs and the other is stripped. You can really taste the difference. It really makes a difference on the foods. Also, fresh ground black pepper from your local farmer's market or from the health food store (you can buy in bulk). It is also drastically different. One has additives and is aged from sitting long on the shelves and the other is without the additives. I especially noticed this when I was hosting a Korean student (they use a lot of black pepper in their foods).
9. Use Good sweetners in your meals or cooked veggies-I especially like to use healthy natural maple syrup. Be sure to get the one without fermaldahyde. I also like to use local honey (yummy). I have heard that using local hunny from local bees it helps to fight against allergens in your area. Creams are great swetners. I have not found a local farmer to help me with this, but I like to buy the good stuff. Lastly, Jams (no sugar-love the Amish ones at our stores), andSucanat (natural sugar without the bleaching). All these different sweetners are so much better for your children than bleached white sugar. By eliminating or cutting back on white sugar, your children will much better concentrate on their school work.
10. Check your attitude towards veggies and fruits. Children pick up on our attitudes. If you are strugglign with this from your own negative experiences, try and create some fun with it. Work on some lapbooks together. Here is a link for lapbooking, Stone Soup http://www.homeschoolshare.com/stone_soup.php Here is another great one for cooking http://www.homeschoolshare.com/cooking.php Or, create your own cookbook together, one that is started but added to through your journey of trying foods. Try this great lapbook http:////www.homeschoolshare.com/cookadoodledoo.php You could also venture out and sew your own aprons with your children to be used with your cooking time together. Check out this fun video clip: http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-DIY-Aprons-38347474
Mar. 16, 2009 - Easy,Simple, & Fun Chicken Casserole for kids
Here is a recipe that is great for those times you are too tired to cook. It does take a good 45 minutes to an hour to cook if the chicken is frozen, and you use brown whole rice (not minute rice). It is inexpensive, and easy enough to be cooked by an older child.
Ingredients:
1 bag of chicken
1 extralarge can of mushroom soup
2 cups of rice
1 can of milk (using the soup can when emptied)
1 tbs. Worchestershire sauce (adjust to your taste-we like a bit of a pep)
*optional stove top stuffing mix
*optional fresh musrooms and/or chopped celery
Mix soup, milk, rice, Worchestershire together. Place in super large casserole. Place frozen chicken in casserole dish. Place lid over it. Cook at 350 degrees. You can put the stuffing over it about 20 minutes before it is done, topping with Parmesan cheese (makes it a bit crunchy when you take the lid off to cook for a bit).
P.S. Go visit Canadagirl. She has a great links listed from http://www.blogtalkradio.com/WATCHTalk
Jan. 13, 2009 - More Recipes
Vegtable Sandwiches
Hummus (original)
white cheese (optional)-swiss, provolone...
vegetables of your choice (green pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, red onion or whatever your choice.....)
slices of real whole wheat bread (Ezekiel is especially healthy)
Spread Hummus on bread. Slice vegetables and place on bread. (My husband was afraid to try this at first. He was hooked after trying it, as well as everyone else. He makes this sandwich every day for work. All the children love these as well, even our friends who protested that their children don't like vegetables-only later were shocked that their children gobbled it all up and wanted seconds.)
Tomato & Parmesan Open Face
sliced tomatoes
bread or french bread sliced
cream cheese mixed with dill (put enough dill to taste)
shredded Parmesan cheese
On a piece of sliced bread, place cream cheese mix, tomato and a nice portion of sprinkled Parmesan cheese. Put this under the broiler for a couple of seconds until it browned.
I did this as an experiment when I was surprised by guests for dinner and held my breath. The husband reluctantly tried it after his wife's pleading. Then he couldn't get enough. He even asked his wife several times to get the recipe, making sure as he left that she did indeed get the recipe. I had to laugh, as I thought how God is so faithful to provide- I prayed as I looked at the pantry as to what to fix due to their unexpected visit.
Favorite Blueberry Muffins (from foodnetwork)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for preparing the muffin tin
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the top of the muffins
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly brush a 12-muffin tin with butter and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, zest, and 2/3 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Take care not to over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack. Serve warm.
Sloppy Joes with Lentils
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 c. water
one 8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 c. dried lentils, rinsed
1/2 c. ketchup
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 to 8 hamburger buns
In a skillet, cook beef and drain. Add onion and garlic over medium heat until meat well cooked. Add water, tomato sauce, lentils, ketchup, vinegar, mustard and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 60-70 minutes until lentils are tender. Serve on buns. Awesome meal!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spanish Rice
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 garlic clove minced
1 Tbs. cooking oil
one 28 oz. can cut tomatoes
1/8 tsp. pepper
dashes hot pepper sauce
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
3/4 c. long grain rice
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp chili pwdr
In a large skillet cook onion, green pepper, garlic in oil till tender but not brown. Stir in undrained tomatoes, rice, sugar, chili pwdr, pepper, hot sauce and 1 c. water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 min or until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
Rigatoni Sole Mio
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
2 tsp. butter
2 tsp. pesto sauce
1/2 c. of black olives (Greek are best), chopped very fine
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 lb rigatoni noodles
2 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
1/4 pkg of the best dried tomatoes
Add olive oil, garlic and saute. Add butter, pesto, olives, tomatoes...Cook one minute. Stir occasionally. Add wine and stir one minute. Heat until mixture reduces slightly. Take off heat and let stand. Return sauce to heat. Add pasta and toss. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley.
Black Beans and Rice
Put on 2 cups of uncooked rice. While it is cooking:
2 cans (15oz) black beans
2 cloves of garlic
3/4 of a large onion
1/2 green pepper
1 tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. oregano
1/4 c. red or white wine
fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Chop peppers and onions. Mince or press garlic. Add into a hot sauce pan with olive oil. As soon as soft, add drained beans (at least 1/2 of liquid), wine and seasoning. Add cilantro. Let it simmer for 30 min. Serve it on top of cooked rice. This is sooooo goood!!!!
Lentil Rice Casserole
3 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. uncooked lentils
1/2 c. uncooked brown rice
3/4 c. chopped onions
1/2 tsp of the following: basil, salt garlic pwdr, oregano, thyme...
3/4 grated cheese
Mix all ingredients except cheese. Bake covered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 300 degrees. Top with cheese at last fifteen min. of baking. Serve with green beans. This is a very fast easy meal for one of those very busy days!!!!Throw it in the oven and forget about it for a while!!!
5 Star Cabbage Soup
2 slices lean ham, chopped
1 to 2 onions diced
1 turnip diced
2 carrots, thinkly sliced
2 potatoes, cubed
1 small green cabbage shredded
4 c. chicken stock or broth
2 c. water
6 parsley springs, minced
2 bay leaves
In 8 pt sauce pan, combine all ingredients except salt and pepper. Simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. discard bay leaves and season to taste. To serve garnish with more minced aprsley and shredded carrot. This is my husband' second favorite soup!! Remember that Cabbage lowers you ph to fight the germs!
Asparagus-Tomato Stir Fry
3/4 ob. asparagus spears
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp. grated gingerroot
4 green onions bias sliced into 1 inch length
1 1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 small tomatoes
Snap off and discard woody bases from fresh asparagus. Bias slice asparagus into 1 inch length pieces. For sauce, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Preheat a wok or skillet over high heat and oil. Stir fry ginger root in hot oil for 30 sec. Add asparagus and green onions, stir fry for 3 min. Add mushrooms, stir fry about one min. (more or until veg. are tender). Push vegetables from center of wok or skillet. Stir sauce and add to center of wok. Cook and stir til thickened and bubbly. Add tomatoes. Heat thoroughly. Su
