I had the great pleasure of lunching today with Jenna Pepper from Food with Kid Appeal. Jenna is a mom on a mission to help spread the word about healthy nutrition for kids and is very active in school food reform. Her blog has great information on getting your kids to eat healthy foods, as well as great recipes. From the moment I found her blog and read about everything that she is doing and has done, I knew I wanted to meet her. I was specifically interested in the workshops she has done for moms and their preschoolers, as this is a big focus area for me in my future practice. I found inspiration from Jenna's blog and was inspired today by her words of encouragement. I came back from lunch and immediately started adding ideas to my "vision notes" - a listing of thoughts and ideas I have for taking my vision and turning it into action. Stay tuned as this vision unfolds over the next year!
"You can't just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream; you've got to get out there and make it happen for yourself." - Diana Ross
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Recipe Thursday - Greens with Carrots, Feta Cheese and Quinoa
After the success of my first kale recipe a couple of weeks ago, I felt confident to use the kale in another recipe that I had again found on the Whole Foods website last night. Much to my delight, the hubby liked it, had seconds, and didn't need to put additional hot sauce or garlic salt on it! (He puts hot sauce and garlic salt on everything!) Although she enjoyed the Kenyan kale recipe, my sweet daughter didn't enjoy this recipe as much but I think it had more to do with the quinoa than the kale. She is still getting used to eating quinoa. However, being the good eater that she has become, she still ate her three bites with only a little compliant. This was sufficient for me, as she had already eaten her turkey, roasted asparagus, and mixed greens/spinach salad. Yep my 10 year old loves her greens now!
I did make quite a few modifications to the recipe based on food preference, amount needed, and what I had on hand. I have listed the ingredients below as they are in the original recipe and then added comments regarding my modifications. If you are new to cooking, don't be afraid to change the recipe and make it your own. This was a great lesson that my husband really helped me understand. I still consider myself a "new cook" but I know the more I cook and experiment, the better I become. Remember it's not about perfection in the kitchen - its about enjoying the experience.
I did make quite a few modifications to the recipe based on food preference, amount needed, and what I had on hand. I have listed the ingredients below as they are in the original recipe and then added comments regarding my modifications. If you are new to cooking, don't be afraid to change the recipe and make it your own. This was a great lesson that my husband really helped me understand. I still consider myself a "new cook" but I know the more I cook and experiment, the better I become. Remember it's not about perfection in the kitchen - its about enjoying the experience.
Ingredients
2 carrots, shredded (I used three carrots)
2 bunches dark leafy greens (kale, collard greens or Swiss chard), tough stems removed, leaves very thinly sliced (I used only 1 bunch of kale)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped (I used a yellow onion)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled (I didn't measure the amount of feta used but I definitely didn't use 1/4 lb)
1 (20-ounce) package 365 Everyday Value frozen Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice, prepared according to package directions (I used 6 oz of Quinoa instead of brown rice, cooked with organic chicken broth)
2 bunches dark leafy greens (kale, collard greens or Swiss chard), tough stems removed, leaves very thinly sliced (I used only 1 bunch of kale)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped (I used a yellow onion)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled (I didn't measure the amount of feta used but I definitely didn't use 1/4 lb)
1 (20-ounce) package 365 Everyday Value frozen Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice, prepared according to package directions (I used 6 oz of Quinoa instead of brown rice, cooked with organic chicken broth)
I also added 3 cloves of minced garlic and a little olive oil
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A chocolate lover's dream
I am most definitely a self-proclaimed chocolate fanatic. I love everything about chocolate. But as I have grown more health conscious and realized the negative effects of the every day, processed chocolate that we typically consume, I have tried to eliminate a lot of chocolate from my diet. However, I find myself having a hard time breaking my love affair with chocolate.
Well you can imagine my joy when I received a package from my school, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, containing a box of chocolates. But not just any chocolates - raw, unprocessed and heavenly chocolates, supplied from Urban Goddess Chocolates in New York. I am already a fan of dark chocolate but also know that most dark chocolate is still processed and therefore not on the healthy side. But these lovely little bites of deliciousness are completely raw. According to the Urban Goddess website, "All of the ingredients in urban goddess chocolate are “live”-meaning that they have been processed at under 112 degrees Fahrenheit. This protects not just the antioxidants in the cacao but also the enzymes and nutrients of the entire product."
What does all this raw talk mean? It means that these chocolate treats are actually really good for you! Here's why:
Well you can imagine my joy when I received a package from my school, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, containing a box of chocolates. But not just any chocolates - raw, unprocessed and heavenly chocolates, supplied from Urban Goddess Chocolates in New York. I am already a fan of dark chocolate but also know that most dark chocolate is still processed and therefore not on the healthy side. But these lovely little bites of deliciousness are completely raw. According to the Urban Goddess website, "All of the ingredients in urban goddess chocolate are “live”-meaning that they have been processed at under 112 degrees Fahrenheit. This protects not just the antioxidants in the cacao but also the enzymes and nutrients of the entire product."
What does all this raw talk mean? It means that these chocolate treats are actually really good for you! Here's why:
- Raw chocolate is not subjected to high heat, chemicals, sugar or dairy.
- Raw cacao has the highest antioxidant value of all known natural foods in the world.The antioxidant levels in raw chocolate are significantly higher than those in plain dark “cooked” chocolate. These antioxidants help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure.
- Chocolate is also a good source of the minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese. Raw chocolate holds these minerals unlike other chocolate that is subjected to high heat.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Crazy Tennis
Last night my daughter and I played several games of what I like to call "Crazy Tennis." We had our rackets, we were on a court, and there were definitely tennis balls being hit. However, someone skilled in the sport of tennis would have looked at us like we were crazy. Hence the name. Crazy Tennis is not about the rules of the game - it is about having fun. It is a fun time of chasing that little yellow ball all over the place and laughing along the way. It is about spending time with my daughter with the added bonus of keeping fit and healthy.
There are so many fun things we can do with our kids that provide a means of exercise for everyone involved. Inspired by a post from Leo over at Zen Habits, I came up with a list of 10 fun activities we all can do with our kids or grand kids that are fun and good for the body.
1. Play a game of chase
2. Dance together (Be extra silly - your kids will love it!)
3. Go swimming
4. Try a game of Tennis
5. Jump rope
6. Ride bikes
7. Play catch (You can use any kind of ball)
8. Play Wii sports
9. Play a game of soccer
10. Jump on the trampoline
Our bodies not only need physical exercise, we need emotional exercise as well. Take the time to make memories with your kids. Love them and have fun with them!
There are so many fun things we can do with our kids that provide a means of exercise for everyone involved. Inspired by a post from Leo over at Zen Habits, I came up with a list of 10 fun activities we all can do with our kids or grand kids that are fun and good for the body.
1. Play a game of chase
2. Dance together (Be extra silly - your kids will love it!)
3. Go swimming
4. Try a game of Tennis
5. Jump rope
6. Ride bikes
7. Play catch (You can use any kind of ball)
8. Play Wii sports
9. Play a game of soccer
10. Jump on the trampoline
Our bodies not only need physical exercise, we need emotional exercise as well. Take the time to make memories with your kids. Love them and have fun with them!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Recipe Thursday - Kenyan Style Kale and Tomatoes
I still find it odd that I am posting a recipe using kale. A couple of years ago, this never would have happened. I thought Kale was just a decoration on your plate, something you set aside in order to eat your other "good" food. But my eyes have been opened and I am starting to embrace foods like kale for their wonderful health benefits. Kale is one of the most nutrient rich foods you can find and is an excellent source of Manganese, Iron, Copper, Calcium, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, B2, and B6, and Vitamin E.
Accepting foods like kale - easy. Cooking them in a way that your family will eat - not always so easy. But in my weekly quest to try new recipes and add new foods to my family's diet, I found a recipe for kale on the Whole Foods website that I thought would appeal to everyone and tried it last night. I am happy to say that my first attempt at cooking kale was a success! My husband, our 10 year old daughter, and 2 friends that were last-minute dinner guests all gave it a thumbs-up for taste. The verdict on the look was another story! It is MUCH tastier than it looks so just give it a try.
See the full recipe on the Whole Foods website
Accepting foods like kale - easy. Cooking them in a way that your family will eat - not always so easy. But in my weekly quest to try new recipes and add new foods to my family's diet, I found a recipe for kale on the Whole Foods website that I thought would appeal to everyone and tried it last night. I am happy to say that my first attempt at cooking kale was a success! My husband, our 10 year old daughter, and 2 friends that were last-minute dinner guests all gave it a thumbs-up for taste. The verdict on the look was another story! It is MUCH tastier than it looks so just give it a try.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
3 ripe but firm tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 bunches kale or collard greens (about 1 pound total), ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
3 ripe but firm tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 bunches kale or collard greens (about 1 pound total), ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
See the full recipe on the Whole Foods website
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