News: Health and wellness

The Meals My Kids Can't Get Enough Of

By Tammy Woeppel

The Meals My Kids Can't Get Enough Of
Last week I touched on some of the ways that I convince my boys to eat a variety of foods. This week, I'm offering up a roundup of their favorite dishes. Some people are surprised to learn that my 2 and 4 year old will eat dishes that are somewhat spicy, or that have strong flavors in them, like curry. We just started young, and assumed they could handle it- and they did! We've definitely gone through picky phases (my older one took about 1.5 years 'off' from eating anything other than rice/beans, simple carbohydrates, and eggs, but he is now is back on the train and even asked for vegetable soup as his special birthday dinner haha!). Here are the meals that we rotate into the menu pretty regularly...along with a fair dose of takeout burgers and pizza! 

 

1.Homemade Granola: I can't bring myself to spend $$$ on store-bought granola when homemade is so simple and frankly, so much yummier. All three of my guys basically eat this every.single.day for breakfast. I just make tweaks based on what I have in the house. 

 

2. Fried Rice, Egg, and Avocado Bowl: On the off-chance that someone prefers eggs to granola, or I just plain forgot to meal-plan something for lunch, this is an easy go-to. We typically make a big batch of brown rice at the beginning of the week and can always throw together a bowl with egg and avocado, or any other veggies we have on hand.

 

3. Chicken Tikka Masala: This is seriously such a hit in my house. If we've overdone it on the meat for the week, we'll switch this to a vegetarian version. 

 

4. Whole30 Pumpkin Chili: A great way to sneak in some extra nutrients with creamy pumpkin. It sounds like a weird combination, but trust me- this will end up on your weekly menu plan!

 

5. Fiery Hot Chicken Chili: My mother in law actually made this recipe for me several years ago and we've been hooked ever since. I usually tweak it by subbing ghee or avocado oil for the butter, and omitting the sugar. I also sometimes sub veggies for the chicken in my quest to eat more plant-based. The combination of spices gives this a super addicting flavor, and despite the name, it's actually not that spicy.

 

6. French Lentil Soup: Beans in general are a big hit with my kids, and they especially love this lentil soup. We make it vegetarian, or sometimes crumble sausage into it for a heartier meal, and serve over rice. 

 

7. Almond Crusted Chicken: A healthier take on chicken fingers, this is actually one of my favorite meals- delicious with or without the strawberry balsamic sauce.

 

8. Stuffed Zucchini: My kids would never voluntarily eat zucchini, but the "boat" shape of these makes them fun to gobble up.

 

9. Savory Paleo Breakfast Meatballs: Amazing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever. 

 

10. Ina Garten's Roasted Chicken aka "Engagement Chicken": Whether you're looking to get engaged or just feed some picky eaters, this engagement chicken recipe will do the trick (it worked for me in both instances!).

 


11. Easy Fried Rice: If you need a very basic meal with a twist, this is your go-too. Make a big batch like we do, and you can use it all week as your base for any rice bowl you need to throw together. Having this on hand has saved me for many meals when I'm not on point with my meal-planning game. 

 

12. Beef Stir-fry: Our kids have been eating flavors like soy, ginger, and garlic since they were little thanks to their chinese grandmother, so they love a good stir-fry. The good thing about stir-fry's is that you can use whatever you have on hand and make it as basic or complicated as you want.  

 

13. Banana Chocolate Ice Cream: If you have a high-speed blender, and some ripe bananas, then you can make banana ice cream and add whatever you want to flavor it. Normally, I have cacao powder so that's what my kids get. They literally love this just as much as the real thing, and I love that it's a vegan treat.

 

14. Chocolate Peanut Butter Avocado Pudding: The Minimalist Baker Blog is one of my favorite food go-too's when I need inspiration, and this recipe is no different. Once again, it's very simple and I usually have the ingredients on hand but if nothing else, you can blend avocados/cacao powder/sweetener of choice and have an amazing chocolate pudding. 

 

Do you think you'll try any of these with your children? What are some other recipes that you swear by in your house? Let us know in the comments!

Header image c/o Glamour.com

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How I Get My Kids to Eat Healthy(ish)

By Tammy Woeppel

How I Get My Kids to Eat Healthy(ish)

One of the biggest challenges many parents face is dealing with mealtimes and picky eaters. It certainly was one of my fears before having my first son, and something that I really wanted to bypass if at all possible. Building a foundation to have a healthy, robust eater in the house is definitely a process, but with both of my children I have seen that it's totally possible to create good eating habits at a young age. I'm very lucky in that I think I was blessed with fairly adaptable children, but I also created a few guidelines that encouraged their good eating habits. Below is a list of things that worked for me- every child is so different, so I can't say it's failproof, but if you're struggling to find creative ways to feed your child, this may offer up some inspiration. 

1) You Don't Necessarily Have To Start With Rice Cereal

Right around the time I was starting my oldest on solid foods, the  dietary recommendations for introducing foods were changing from exclusively offering carbohydrates like rice cereal and plain oatmeal to foods with slightly more complex nutrient profiles like fruits and vegetables. I never saw the need to begin with cereal's as I knew my son would be fine digesting avocado, so that's what I started with (I did this with my 2nd son as well). Both have gone through phases where they ate copious amounts of this fruit, to months where they wouldn't consider eating it. At 2 and 4 years old, we are currently in a 'love' phase where they both go crazy over having guacamole as a side to whatever meal they're eating. As a mom, you need to trust your gut- if you think cereal would be safer to start with, or something different like sweet potato, homemade unsweetened applesauce, etc. go with it!

2) Show Them That You Also Eat Healthy

Setting a good example for your children can go a long way. Mine constantly saw me drinking green smoothies and it was only a matter of time before they started asking for a sip here/there and then it became a regular part of their routine. My oldest son actually calls them green milkshakes because to him, that is the only milkshake he knows! He is at the age where he wants to be big and strong just like daddy, so knows he has to eat his vegetables to achieve this. We've also been known to foster a little sibling rivalry by reminding him that his younger brother may just grow up to be bigger with all the veggies he's eaten and that always lights a little fire to finish his plate!

3) Don't Let Them Snack Their Appetite Away

I purposely held off on keeping snacks everywhere (thanks to Bringing Up Bebe) until my kids had their meal habits pretty established. I think my son was about 18 months before I bought cereal puffs/puree pouches for the 1st time and that was only to keep him occupied on a long flight. I never offered them anything in the stroller as infants, nor the carseat. Now, I'm much more lax because I know they won't opt to snack in place of eating meals. 

4) Juice Is A Treat, Not An Everyday Thing

Water is the most-requested things my kids want and I made sure to encourage that from the 12 month mark when we introduced non-breastmilk liquids. I actually hate the idea of juice boxes, and only allow them here/there when we are at playdates or birthday parties. In our house, we sometimes stock freshly-squeezed juices (the perks of living in South America where this is as common as having Coca Cola). If they want a little juice, that's ok but I make sure to dilute it with water before serving it. 

5) Offer New Foods To Them At Every Possible Opportunity, Along with "Safe Foods"

They can't try something if you don't offer it. My son got a tiny piece of plain lettuce with a carrot stick on his plate every night for weeks before I could get him to try it- along with foods I knew he already enjoyed. The salad inevitably got left on the plate, but little by little I convinced him to try it. Now, he eats a small plate of salad most nights. If he has indulged earlier in the day, he knows the salad will be a bit bigger to compensate. My 2 year old is in the 'tempermental' phase where one day, he loves a certain food, and the next won't even look at it, so we are not quite there in establishing the regularity with which he'll eat something, but I kow we'll get there.

6) Do A Pantry Audit

Does your pantry look like the cookie/cracker aisle of a grocery store? If you are trying to improve your child's picky-eating, then you need to get rid of the culprits. They won't insist on eating gold fish if they're not constantly in the house. 

7) Creatively Hide Nutritious Foods and Make Healthier Versions of Store-Bought

In this day and age of Pinterest, and a huge clean-eating movement, it's so easy to find healthier substitutions for just about any guilty pleasure. Your child will only eat sweet foods? Sneak spinach/kale/spirulina in their smoothies. Make black bean brownies, banana ice cream, whatever you need to do. I make my own granola so they get their sweet cereal fix but it's a healthier version of what I would find in the store. My toddler won't eat steamed veggies on their own but when we chop them up and mix them in with brown rice, he'll happily shovel it down. My mom also happens to be the best dumpling-maker on the planet and sneaks a ton of veggies into the filling so the kids don't realize how much they are eating. There are neverending opportunities to sneak in nutrient-dense foods.

8) Include Them in the Meal-Prep Process

Kids love to copy their parents, and this is no different when cooking is the activity at hand. If they are invested in the process, they are more likely to try the fruits of their labor (no pun intended). Something as simple as letting them sprinkle rosemary on the potatoes, putting the fruits and veggies into the Vitamix before you blend up your smoothie, or sprinkling the cinnamon on the granola mixture can generate a lot of curiousity and interest on their part. 

9) You Don't HAVE to Order From The Kid's Menu 

There is no reason that you can't order from a regular menu. My kid's have always loved soup, so I tend to order that and have them split 1 portion before I look at the hot dog/grilled cheese options. 

10) When All Else Fails, Bribe Bribe Bribe

If left to their own devices, my children would eat sugary cereals, cookies, lollipops, and pizza/pasta on a regular basis. Getting them to agree to healthy options can still involve a bit of negotiation and bribery. There have been MANY instances of "if you want to eat that, then eat this first". This has been especially useful when we are out at a birthday party where the meal looks a little something like chicken nuggets/fries/juice, followed by candies from a pinata, followed by cake, followed by a goodie bag with additional treats in it. If possible, I'll grab some raw veggies and tackle my sugar-filled child with the ultimatum that they cannot eat a slice of cake unless they compensate with some healthier foods first. He is so accustomed to this, he doesn't even think twice about accepting carrot sticks and broccoli. 

So there you have it, my simple-but-effective list of ways to make your child a healthier eater. Come find us next week, where I'll be sharing some of my kid's most-requested recipes. 

Do you have any tips and tricks to convince your little one to eat better? Share them in the comments!

photo courtesy of: @organicfoodforkids

 

 

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Read This if You Are Serious About Creating a Non-Toxic Home

By Tammy Woeppel

Read This if You Are Serious About Creating a Non-Toxic Home

We have so much information about health all around us. We start our days with lemon water and green smoothies, we all know to exercise on a regular basis, we turn to yoga and acupuncture just as much as we turn to medical doctors. There are no shortage of restaurants where we can find an organic, non-gmo, seasonal farm-to-table menu sourced with local, fresh ingredients through small-farmer cooperatives. Skincare and toiletries have seen massive growth over the last several years with demand for clean, non-toxic ingredients skyrocketing as people realize that it's not just what we ingest, but what we slather on and absorb through our skin. But one thing people rarely think about is the toxicity of their actual homes and everything we put in it, from the materials used to construct it to the throw pillows we casually toss on the sofa.

I recently made the switch to organic pillows (I plan to purchase the mattresses for our family once we make our next move), and I also had our sofa upholstered in organic fabric, so I've initiated the process to 'green' up our house a bit more now that I have a good system in place with non-toxic cleaning products (vinegar and water on #repeat). However, after reading this series in the Chicago Tribune, it was really eye-opening (and downright alarming!) to realize how prevalent these heavy-duty chemicals are in our everyday lives and especially those of our little ones. 

So, how is a busy family with a budget supposed to combat this? Well, we can only do what we can do and it's definitely overwhelming to try and make every change at once. I'm a big fan of starting small and working your way up to bigger overhauls and that's what I'm currently working on.

For starters, you can shop for non-toxic products such as low VOC paints or sustainable wood furniture, but this is obviously very limiting. Without the demand though, companies won't produce it so it's good to always ask and put the request out there! Another tip is to purchase a floor model or vintage pieces that have already had the opportunity to offgas (ie, release a chemical gas that was dissolved, trapped, frozen, absorbed or adsorbed in some material)- in other words, it has already 'aired out'. Considering vintage dressers make the cutest changing tables, this is a great option when decorating that nursery for your little one. 

As I mentioned previously, one swap I made was our pillows. Around the same time that I started educating myself more on this subject, a friend and her husband happened to start a 'clean' mattress company, Avocado Green Mattress, and I'm seriously so proud of what they're doing. From their responsible sourcing of non-toxic raw materials like latex, wool, and organic cotton to their made-to-order model to their super-competitive pricing (their most expensive california king mattress is only $2199 including an additional pillow-top), they just got.it.right. and if you look at the reviews, you'll see that a LOT of their customers would agree. I highly recommend reading this for in-depth information on why it's so important to sleep on an eco-friendly mattress.

Another company that has become my first stop when looking for fabric is Two Sisters Eco-Textiles. I originally contacted them when we were sourcing for NONA but I ended up loving them for all my home fabrics (they sell apparel, drapery, and uphosltery fabrics as well as my new go-to housewarming gifts, these adorable napkins and tea towels)! Their customer service has been on point, and the owners are all about helping, even if it means sending you somewhere else to get what you want. They are clearly passionate about educating consumers and ultimately offering safe products with a transparent process. 

So, it's a start. I still have a long way to go- this is just the tip of the iceberg. But, knowledge is power and living clean isn't a trend that is going anywhere. I hope that green construction and home furnishings is a category that will continue to grown like the skincare industry has, giving us consumers an easier way to provide safe spaces for our families. 

Have you made any changes (big or small) to live a cleaner life? Would love to get inspired- leave us a comment below!

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9 Super Healthy and Delicious Recipes to Keep You On Track For 2018

By Tammy Woeppel

The biggest barrier to staying on top of those New Year's Resolutions and 'lifestyle changes' is getting caught unprepared. If I want to maintain any type of healthy eating routine, it is essential that I plan our meals in advance and have a good variety of dishes so that we don't end up with engagement chicken 3x/week (which I do highly recommend if you are actually trying to get engaged- it worked for me!). Organizing all the meals and grocery lists is fun for about 5 minutes before my creative energy has been sapped and I'm ready to order take-out. Scouring the web for new recipes always provides fresh inspiration and excitement to get back in the kitchen so this week I thought I'd share some of my latest finds plus my tried-and-true dishes to help keep you on track as well!

 

1) Spiralized Beet Noodles with Arugula Pesto from Brooklyn Blonde 
spiraled beet noodles
Having just purchased a KitchenAid Spiralizer attachment myself, I was excited to go beyond the normal zoodles dished AND to add another plant-based meal to the rolodex of recipe ideas. I served this on a bed of lettuce and added bell peppers, cucumbers, avocado, and sunflower seeds to make it a little more hearty. 

 

2) Stuffed Zucchini from Rachel Ray

stuffed zucchini recipeThis is an oldie-but-goodie that I had forgotten about until recently. I used to make this as a Thanksgiving side dish but after my kids devoured these the other night, I think this will be added to the weekly lineup. The recipe is vegetarian but can easily be made into a main dish with crumbled sausage, or ground meat of choice. For gluten/dairy free, you can sub gluten-free bread crumbs and nutritional yeast.

 

3) Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad from What's Gaby Cooking

shredded brussel sprout saladMinetta Tavern (of the $33 black label burger fame) used to have a raw brussel sprout salad on their menu complete with a poached egg that was basically life-changing and got me hooked  on any type of variation, including this one with gorgeous pomegranate and filling avocado. While I am normally all for the DIY route, in this case, I do recommend buying the brussel sprouts pre-shredded if possible to save time and your poor little digits.

 

4) Sheet Pan Honey Glazed Salmon from Laughing Spatula
honey glazed salmon recipeWhen all else fails, a sheet pan dinner is your best friend and a sweet honey glaze stops this salmon/veggie dish from feeling too light & healthy but still keeping you on the clean-eating train. 

 

5) Vegan Taco Salad from Kimberly Snyder

vegan taco salad recipeDon't knock it till you try it- spiced, chopped walnuts make a perfect vegetarian sub for ground meat in this flavorful salad. If you need something more filling, add in the protein of your choice.

 

6) 1-Pot Pumpkin Yellow Curry from Minimalist Baker

Pumpkin yellow curry recipeThe perfect antidote for those bomb cyclone temperatures. Be forewarned that this curry gets spicy super quickly if you're not paying attention to the heat level (as I learned when I almost choked and my eyes immediately watered after giving it a taste). I made my own curry paste (also from Minimalist Baker ) but you can just buy premade to save a few steps.  This was a hit not only with my kids, but with the neighbor's kids as well! 

  

 7) Baked Lemon Chicken from Because I'm Addicted

baked lemon chicken recipeAdding lemon zest and wine take this engagement-chicken variation to the next level. Also, so easy to make in larger batches for big groups and dinner parties. #winning!

 

8) Cheesy Lentil Bolognese Casserole from Oh She Glows
cheesy bolognese casserole recipe
The words "casserole" and "clean eating" are not typically used in the same sentence but this one is packed with healthy ingredients and will surely fill that void that the truffled mac and cheese left behind. 

 

9) Whole 30 Super Bowl Pumpkin Chili from The Kitcheneer

pumpkin chili recipeI made this for the first time while on round 1 of Whole30 and I think I ended up eating it about 23 out of the 30 days (only because I discovered it a few days in). The addition of pumpkin puree sounds a little odd but it adds the most perfect creamy texture. The chili is amazing on its own, served over rice or quinoa, with a dash of buffalo wing sauce, over eggs, etc etc you get the idea. Make this now- you won't regret it!

 

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