Ingredients
zucchini
minced chicken
onions
mayonnaise
salt
pepper
Direction
Cut zucchini into halves lengthwise, scoop out pulp and grease with mayonnaise.
Finely chopped onion, mix with ground meat. Add salt and pepper
Fill zucchini with meat mixture and place in baking pan.
Pour mayonnaise and sprinkle with grated cheese
Bake in preheted oven (400F) for 20 minutes.
Freshly baked sandwich pocket fresh from your own oven…
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Season and bake chicken breasts in a 350 degree oven until no longer pink in center. Dice chicken and set aside.
2. Roll out a handful of bread dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Spread 1-2 tsp of softened cream cheese over dough. Add 1-2 Tbsp of alfredo sauce over the cream cheese. Top with 1/2 cup diced chicken, 1/4 cup steamed chopped broccoli, and 1/4 – 1/3 cup cheddar cheese.
3. Fold up ends of dough over the filling mixture. Fold other ends up and over and seal seams shut using a bit of water if necessary.
4. Place seam side down on a prepped baking sheet, cut a small steam vent in the top, and let rise for about 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place.
5. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Brush with oil mixture again after baking if desired.
Details
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 55 mins
Yield: 4 large pockets
That’s really an understatement, as food these days become more and more processed. What we put in our bodies is nowhere near what our bodies are actually capable of processing.
There’s a reason why food is processed in such a way, and it can be a whole article on its own, but suffice it to say that mass food production has advanced in such a way because there are just too many people consuming food and not enough of it being produced. So as time goes by, the food we’re putting in our mouths resemble real food less and less.
A Paleo diet seeks to reverse this, and eat things like meat, vegetable, nuts, seeds and fruits. This means absolutely zero alcohol, grains, legumes and dairy whatsoever. It also means steering clear of processed foods by any means necessary. In general, eating only what our thousands of years old ancestors would hunt and forage for and finally eat.
If you’re wondering how big a deal this is, simply look at the western patterns of food consumption. Most of their foods are refined with sugars, adulterated with vegetable oils, dairy products and grains. As a result, there’s an epidemic level of heart attacks, type-2 diabetes and obesity rampant there. In just America, diet-related diseases are the largest cause of death. Before, these diseases were rare or practically non-existent so you can tell right off the bat that it’s because of the change in our dietary intake.
My goal isn’t to scare you into swapping your eating habits 180 degrees into eating only Paleo type foods. If anything, all I want is to impress upon you the importance of eating well, and to avoid foods which would negatively affect your health and lifestyle. End of the day, if you remember this blog and this post, you’ll at least find out what is truly in the food that you eat on a daily basis.
If anything, just take a step back whenever you’re going grocery shopping. Check what you buy. Find out what the ingredients are and how natural it is for your body to process. Yes, it may be a lot of effort at first, but isn’t life worth it? After all, you’re only going to do it once and when you find out what’s in that favorite instant 2 minute TV dinner you used to purchase, you can start making a change.
Change doesn’t have to be drastic. It needs to be gradual if it’s going to be permanent. And the first step you need is to know more. Be involved in finding out what you eat, how you’re going to prepare food on a daily basis or where you’re going to be buying the ingredients for your next meal.
Most importantly, it starts with the first step.
I hope you’re with me in this all the way. If you’re looking to get jump started, you can also visit the site I used to get most of my information. I purchased a recipe book called Secret Paleo and I’m having a great time trying out dishes that I never knew existed.
For more information please click here.
Ingredients:
2 eggs,
4 tbsp of oat bran,
4 tablespoons of yogurt (I took Greek),
2 tblsp of Kefir
Direction
Stir eggs, oat bran, yogurt, kefir and let stand for a while in heat. Then add a little baking powder.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Sprinkle form with oil. In each cell put a tablespoon of the mixture and bake about 20 minutes.
Snacks are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Healthy snacks can help provide extra nutrients and also count towards our five a day target of fruit and vegetables. Healthy natural snacks should be eaten between meals and will help towards your health and nutrition.
Nutritionists recommend that healthy snacks should contain vegetables, fruit, nuts or cereal grains. They will also cost you less than buying junk food that has little nutritional value and is bad for your health. Combining healthy snacks with a good diet and exercise leads to an improved well being. The five ideas below, for healthy snacks, are suitable for everyone from school children to those at work.
Avocado and cheese sandwich made with wholemeal bread. Avocados are a good source of vitamin E and C as well as being high in fibre and potassium. They also contain folic acid, an important vitamin for pregnant women. Cheese contains important levels of calcium and wholemeal bread is high in fibre.
Dried banana chips. Dried banana chips are often fried in coconut oil and coated in honey. Bananas contain high levels of vitamin A and C. They are also rich in potassium. You can often find banana chips included in muesli. Great for a carbohydrate boost.
Crackers and cheese. A very popular snack after dinner. Cheese is high in calcium. Crackers also come in wholemeal varieties and these are a good source of extra fibre.
Fruit salad. You can combine any of your favourite fruits in this snack such as kiwi fruit, apples, pear, and nectarines. This snack will help you towards your five a day of fruit and vegetables.
Hummus in pita bread. Hummus is made from dried chickpeas, garlic and sometimes tahini. Hummus contains fibre and iron; tahini is made from sesame seeds and is high in calcium
There are actually diet rules out there that are meant to be broken?
Yes, recently many dated diet guidelines and myths are up for speculation. You’ve probably heard all these silly rules before, but experts weigh-in on the worthiness of these supposed truisms – most of which won’t help you lose weight or make dieting any easier.
10 Food Rules You Can Ignore:
1. Eating at night will pile on the pounds. The total calories you consume over a 24-hour period or over a week is what causes you to gain weight, and when you eat these calories doesn’t matter.
2. It’s best to eat at the same times every day. Eat when you’re hungry, not when the clock says it’s time to eat.
3. Dieting with a buddy always makes weight loss easier. Common goals may pay off but weight loss is a personal journey.
4. Dietary fat keeps you feeling full longer, so you’ll eat less. Fat does take longer to digest, but it will not help you control your appetite. Foods likely to fight off hunger the longest are protein foods, followed by carbohydrates, then fats.
5. When you blow your diet, you might as well wait until the next day to get back on track. Nothing could be farther from the truth- always try to get right back on track with your next meal.
6. Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude. Turning down food that you know will blow your diet is socially acceptable.
7. Skipping a meal every now and then will help you lose. Skipping a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to overeat. This can also help lead to a slowdown of your metabolism.
8. Bread is fattening, nuts are fattening, pasta is fattening. Whole-wheat bread/pasta is a great source of nutrients, and it won’t make you gain weight more than any other food with the same number of calories.
9. All calories are equal. This is somewhat true, however; you’ll get more nutrients from a 100-calorie apple than from a 100-calorie portion of white bread. Choose healthier items if you are losing weight, or controlling your hunger.
10. If you don’t clean your plate, you’re wasting food. If you just don’t feel right leaving the table until you’ve cleaned your plate, underestimate your hunger and put less food on your plate to begin with, or you may overeat.
Don’t believe everything you hear! Much of it is just superstition. Now you can tell your friends the real truth. In the end, nutrition experts say, many of the food and dieting rules we hold dear are meant to be broken – without guilt!
Long before winter comes, black bears in the forest spend all their time eating everything 
they can sink their teeth into. During the summer, bears eat and eat and eat, trying to get as fat as they possibly can, and when the weather turns cold, they look for a place to curl up and then they sleep the winter away.
Now, the habits of bears might not seem like something you should try to follow. After all, doctors are always warning us humans that we shouldn’t overeat, and that we shouldn’t spend all of our time lying around, doing nothing.
But there is one part of the black bear’s habits that you should actually try to imitate, because it would be good for your health.
Black bears eat a lot of berries, of many different varieties, such as raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
Berries contain natural sugars and wonderful flavors. Unlike many other foods that are really good for you, but which don’t taste good, berries taste great.
And unlike many foods that taste great but which aren’t good for you, berries are among the most health friendly foods you can eat.
It’s only been within the last decade that scientists have started to pay a lot of attention to the health benefits of berries. And what researchers are learning about the health benefits of berries has a lot of exciting potential for human diets.
One of the first major experiments on the health benefits of berries took place at Tufts University about ten years ago.
Researchers were working with a group of aging rats. They fed them diets of various foods to see what the effects would be. Among the foods they tested were strawberries, blueberries, and spinach.
Now these rats were fairly old in terms of “rat years”. In fact, their age was equivalent to humans about 70 years old.
The foods the scientists tested were all very high in beneficial antioxidants, so the scientists wanted to see if any of these foods would boost the physical and mental capabilities of these aging rats.
The researchers found that while several of these foods seemed to offer some antioxidant protection, the rats that had been fed blueberries were the only ones that actually improved in their abilities.
In fact, the rats which had been fed blueberries were able to perform like much younger rats!
This was a very exciting find, and the scientists then wanted to find what it was in the blueberries that produced this very beneficial effect.
It turns out that the chemicals responsible for making these aging rats act mentally younger and perkier were the pigments in the skin of the blueberries.
The compounds that give ripe berries their beautiful colors are the very substances that have such strong anti-oxidant powers. And antioxidants are compounds that help repair some of the damage that happens to our body cells every day.
Scientists have discovered that the darker the berry, the more health benefits it has! Eating two thirds of a cup of blueberries will give you as much anti-oxidant protection as five servings of apples or squash.
The dark pigments in these berries seem to offer protection against cardiovascular disease, degenerative eye disease such as cataracts, and may offer some help in preventing some cancers, and bladder infections.
If the exciting results of the rat studies turn out to also hold true for humans, it may mean that compounds in these dark berries may help protect brain cells from the degenerative diseases of aging.
You can get this fantastic antioxidant protection whether you eat your berries fresh, frozen, or dried.
You can eat berries raw, add them to your favorite cereals, or make a smoothie drink with various berries, fruits, milk and yoghurt. Get creative and find ways to mix berries into your favorite recipes.
In North America, blueberries are available fresh or frozen year round. If you can’t get fresh berries, dried berries are also filled with very concentrated levels of the valuable antioxidants.
If you live in a place where blueberries are not easily available, look for other fruits and berries that have very dark red or dark purple colors.
Foods such as pomegranates, bilberries, cherries, black raspberries, saskatoons or serviceberries also have high levels of these very beneficial dark pigments. These foods offer benefits similar to the benefits of blueberries.
So, think about incorporating at least one habit of bears into your lifestyle – and make berries a frequent part of your diet!
Moms are constantly on the go. Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mother, it is hard to find the time to sit and eat a meal, let alone a healthy one. Here are a few tips to sneak that healthy eating into the busiest of schedules.
Exercise is important but eating is the best way to get the nutrition that you need to keep the body healthy. If your eating habits are poor, then the benefits of exercise are decreased. In essence, you are working against yourself.
The world of work has necessitated the need for instant everything, including food. If you don’t have time for breakfast, you grab a pre-packaged granola bar. For lunch, you eat a frozen microwaveable meal and grab a soda from the vending machine. Dinner comes from a fast food restaurant or other takeout place.
For a busy mom, this type of processed eating is not going to yield the energy she needs to make it through the day successfully. These foods may be okay in a pinch, but they definitely should not be the rule of thumb. Healthy eating habits for mom also translate into healthy eating habits for the rest of the family as well.
Let’s start with what mom needs to eat. No more than twelve ounces of protein are needed per day. People don’t realize that getting that much protein is not hard. Usually we are getting too much protein which gets stored in the body as fat. One or two servings of fruit and five to seven servings of vegetables are recommended each day. Fats should be kept to a minimum with most being unsaturated oils. Carbohydrates should come in the form of whole grains, beans, and legumes. Very little processed sugar should be consumed.
The best way to achieve this is pre-planning. The evening before, plan what you will eat the next day. Package your snacks into portion sizes and put together your meals.
Weekends are a good time to cook several meals for the week ahead. This way, the meals can be separated into containers and frozen to be warmed up later. Because you have prepared the food, you know what types of ingredients are in it.
If you plan to be out during lunch, fix a salad or other meal that does not need refrigeration. If it does, carry an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. This way, you are never without something healthy to eat.
A busy mother can still be a healthy mother. Use weekends to prepare future meals. Get the family involved to lessen the work and increase the variety of the meals.
We all know by now that we should be eating at least five servings
of fruits and vegetables each day. But knowing and doing are two different things, aren’t they? Sometimes it is just not easy to get them all in there. We are constantly tempted to fill up on convenience and junk food. If your family is anything like mine, they’d much rather fill up on a bag of chips or a bowl of rice or pasta instead of trying an apple or a plate of steamed broccoli. So we’ll have to get creative. Here are a few ideas to “sneak” some extra vegetables and fruits in your family’s diet.
1. Start the day with a breakfast smoothie. All you have to do is throw some fruits, low-fat yogurt and ice in a blender. You may also want to add a scoop of protein powder in there for good measure. Just blend for a few seconds and you have the perfect breakfast ready to go. I like to sip mine in a thermal cup on the way to work. To make it even more appealing for your kids, use some frozen yogurt or a scoop of ice cream in the smoothie. They won’t believe that you are letting them have ice cream for breakfast.
2. Dried fruit makes an excellent snack any time of the day. Add some small cartons of raisins to your child’s lunch box, pack some yogurt-covered raisins in your husband’s briefcase and keep some trail mix sitting around for snacking. You can also add dried fruit to oatmeal and cereal in the morning. My family loves banana chips in their breakfast cereal.
3. Add some fruits and vegetables to your family’s sandwiches. You can add some banana, sliced apples or strawberry slices to a peanut butter sandwich. Top a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and anything else they will eat. You can even make a sub shop style vegetable sandwich by combining several different vegetables with some mayonnaise and cheese on bread.
4. Have a salad bar at dinner. Set out a variety of chopped vegetables, some cheese and croutons as well as several choices of salad dressing along with the lettuce and let everybody create their own perfect salad.
5. Let them drink their fruits and vegetables. Keep an assortment of fruit and vegetable juices in the fridge and encourage everyone to drink them as a snack. Get creative. You could start “family cocktail hour” by pouring everybody a glass of his or her favorite juice over ice. Add some straws, cocktail umbrellas and sit together to talk about how everybody’s day went.
6. Try this for dessert. Put a small scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt in a bowl and top it with lots of fresh or frozen fruit.
7. Offer fruits and vegetables as snacks. You can cut apples into slices and top them with peanut butter or cheese. Cube cheese and serve with grapes. Cut up some fresh veggies and serve them with ranch dip. And of course there’s ants on a log. Spread some cream cheese or peanut butter on the inside of a stick of celery and sprinkle raisins on it (wow, fruit and vegetable in one snack).
8. Try some new fruits and vegetables. Pick something exotic to get your family’s curiosity. With a little luck their curiosity will outweigh their initial apprehension to trying something new. You could try artichokes, plantains, papaya, mango, star fruit, or anything else you can find in the produce department of your local store.
9. Make a pot of vegetable soup or a stew that’s heavy on veggies and easy on the meat. Both of these make some great comfort food when the weather gets cold.
10. Start “My Veggie Day”. Each family member gets to pick a vegetable one day of the week. They qualify to pick a vegetable as long as they tried each vegetable the week before, otherwise they loose a turn and Mom gets to pick.
Incorporate a few of these ideas and you will have everyone in your family eating more fruits and vegetables in no time.
Here is another tip:
Now that everyone in the family has gotten a taste for it, make sure you always have plenty of fresh fruits and veggies available and ready to snack on.
Children everywhere in the world have an on-going love affair with junk food
such as hamburgers, pizza, candy, soda and salty foods like potato chips and french fries. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find a single child who has these same strong feeling for the healthy food that they need such as grains, vegetables, fruits and foods reach in nutrients such as meat, beans, fish and nuts.
Fortunately, there is one tied and tested strategy to make kids eat the kind of healthy food that some of them may not want — that’s by making it fun.
That’s right, make eating healthy food fun. And how do you do that? Here are some tips:
1. The Sneak Attack.
Try sneaking in some of those fruits and vegetables along with the kind of food they like, say, making muffins out of bananas or apples. There are lots of vegetables the you can throw in when you’re serving the kids pizza. You could also make them look funny by arranging them creatively on a plate or making them stand up like people. Sure, some people don’t want their kids playing with food, but if it will help them get healthier, it may be worth the effort.
2. Funny Name Game.
If your kids are below the age of four, here’s a nifty trick that gets them every time. Give the fruits and vegetables funny names and concoct elaborate stories. Some stories will end with these funny-named vegetables getting swallowed alive by the giant child. In another version, the vegetables run for cover and hide from their enemies by entering a big cave that happens to be your child’s mouth where they quickly get gulped down.
3. The Taste Test.
Kids dislike vegetables because they don’t like the taste. Therefore, make the healthy foods taste better and your child will love them. For instance, put peanut butter on celery or add a dash of flavor to broccoli with ranch dressing. I’m sure you can think of dozens of ways to spruce up healthy food.
The key is to find creative ways to make your children enjoy eating healthy food. And once they’ve acquired a taste for it, eating healthy foods will be second nature to them.
Diabetics and people who are trying to lose weight or control cholesterol should avoid all forms of ground-up grains,
and that includes bread. For everyone else, bread is a perfectly satisfactory food.
Breads have been made for thousands of years, in virtually every culture, to wrap, sandwich, or accompany other foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.When ground-up grains were used shortly after milling, there was no need to remove anything or to add ingredients to keep them fresh. Only in our recent history have we turned into junk food by removing the germ and fiber from the grains. Even worse, some bread manufactures add partially hydrogenated fats to their breads to prolong their shelf life.
The best way to assure that you are getting a bread that is made from whole grains, with nothing removed, is to bake your own bread made from flour you grind yourself, or buy from local bakers who grind their flour fresh every few days (these are hard to find). Not many people are going to be able to do that. So here are my goals for picking the best of the commercial breads:
1. Avoid any bread that made with partially hydrogenated oils.
Read the list of ingredients and if it contains the worlds partially hydrogenated, put it back on the shelf. Partially hydrogenated oils are totally unnecessary for making good-tasting bread.
2.Get as much whole grain flour as possible.
This isn’t easy to tell, because regulations allow bread makers to use the worlds whole wheat even is portions of grain have been removed. Words like stone ground, multi-grain, seven-grain or cracked wheat sound healthy but don’t tell you anything. Generally, breads that list whole wheat as the first ingredient are better that those that start with enriched flour of some sort.
3.Pick breads with higher fiber content.
2 grams of fiber per slice is better that 1 or 0 grams. One caution: breads promoted for their fiber content may have added pea or some such ingredient; that’s adding sawdust, not an indication that you’re getting the whole grains. Check the list of ingredients on these breads.
4. Added seeds are a bonus.
Many breads include seeds in the dough or as toppings. This is an easy way to add caraway seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds or other whole seeds to your diet.
5. Breads made from 100 % sprouted grains have all the nutrients of whole grains, may have more vitamins, and may raise bloon sugar less that breads made with dry flour.
6. Watch out for breads that taste too good.
Nothing is more seductive than a loaf of freshly baked bread. A reasonable portion is 1-2 slices. If you eat the whole loaf in one sitting, or the whole basket of rolls in a restaurant before dinner comes, you’ll get into trouble.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, crushed in garlic press
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
For the vegetables:
1/2 cup bouillon
1 bag frozen or canned (drained) shoe peg corn
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 cups cooked barley or other whole grains of your choice
Direction
Make the sauce: Mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the water into a smooth paste. Combine with the remaining water and the other sauce ingredients.
Heat the bouillon to boiling in a pot and add frozen vegetables; stir until thawed and heated through. Add the remaining vegetables and sauce; heat through. Serve over the whole grains of your choice.
4 servings
It is always surrounded by silly excuse of lack of time. And still no one denies that fact that “breakfast”
is the most important meal of the day.
Why such a hullabaloo about this early morning meal? Well, for starters, this meal comes after a break of 8 – 10 hours; hence your blood sugar level will be low. Since your body has gone with out food for such a long time, it needs nourishment to kick-start its day. Therefore “breakfast” is considered to be an important and essential meal of the day.
Breakfast benefits both, young and old. It is the key to jump start your muscles and your day. People who eat breakfast (healthy) daily are more likely to
- Consume more vitamins, minerals and less of fat and cholesterol.
- Increased strength and endurance.
- Better concentration and productivity all day long.
- Control over weight
- Low cholesterol = no risk or little risk of heart disease
Children who eat breakfast are likely to have better concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination. They will be alert, creative, and less likely to miss days of school.
If you think skipping this meal, will help you lose weight, think again. By passing over this meal, your body will go in the starvation mode and make you crave for snacks especially sweets. Impulsive snacking on unhealthy foods can lead to weight gain. So you motive of losing weight by skipping breakfast stays unachieved.
Try to choose healthy foods from at least two food groups each morning
- Fruits & Vegetables
- Grains
- Dairy
- Proteins
A glass of pure fruit juice, bananas, yoghurt, low-calorie muesli with semi skimmed or skimmed milk, fresh fruit salad with few spoonfuls of low fat yoghurt, fresh and raw veggies mixed with flavoured yoghurt, a slice of toast or plain bread with eggs, boiled or poached are some of the options for breakfast. Kids can enjoy a Smoothie with their favourite fruits; add dash of yoghurt or honey to make it more delicious.
If you look forward to eating different kinds of healthy foods for breakfast, you are less like to skip this meal. If time is your hurdle, think about packing your breakfast or eating on the ‘run’, its better than skipping it altogether.
Ingredients
2 garlic gloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
12-ounce package of tofu
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce or soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Direction
Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
Keeps well.
Yield: about 1 cup
Note: Toss into a bowl of romaine lettuce or your favorite salad greens. Add a little shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese and some anchovies (if you like) for a delicious Caesar salad.
Many parents are concerned that their children do not consume the proper foods they need to stay strong and healthy.
The truth is children can be picky eaters. Some children will go through stages where they will refuse to eat anything other than a favorite food, while other children will try new foods, but do not take to them.
Children’s vitamins are available to parents who want to ensure their children are receiving the necessary nutrients he or she needs to grow strong and healthy. Even parents who have children who eat well are supplementing their children’s diet with vitamins. The fact is the earth’s soil is rapidly being depleted of nutrients, and the rigors of food processing also leaves many foods deficient in vitamins and minerals.
Children’s vitamins are packaged in such a way that they are attractive to children. Most children’s vitamins come in colorful and fun shapes. Many manufacturers of children’s vitamins are packaging their vitamins in lollipop, gum ball and gummy bear varieties. Because these vitamins resemble candy, it is important that you keep them away from a child’s reach and that you monitor their intake. If you find your child has taken extra vitamins, you should consult their pediatrician or your local poison control center.
There are instances when a pediatrician will prescribe vitamins for a child. If a child has a vitamin deficiency, does not have access to fluoridated water, or has anemia or other illness or disease, vitamin supplements may be prescribed for a child. However, in general, many pediatricians believe that children do not need vitamin supplements if they are being fed properly. They feel that children can receive all the vitamins and minerals they need if they eat according to the Food Pyramid. Consult with your child’s pediatrician before starting them on a vitamin.
Vitamins are supplements and not replacements. Children’s vitamin supplements should never be looked upon as a replacement for healthy eating. Encourage your child to eat the foods they need, and do things to make nutrition fun and flavorful for them. For instance, letting children add grated cheese to their vegetables will make some children more interested in eating them. Allowing a child to drink calcium fortified orange juice over milk works well for a child who does not like milk. Let your child participate in making a vegetable pizza, or let them pick out fruit at a market and place it in their own special area at home. All of these tips can go a long way in helping a picky eaters overcome their fears so they consume the vitamins they need.
Ingredients
2-4 ripe bananas, sliced
2 cups cooked brown rice, barley or oat groats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon dessert spice blend or cinnamon
Direction
Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable dish and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, or until the bananas are soft and the grains are heated through.
Stir and serve.
4-6 serving
Ingredients
8 dried mushrooms, stems removed, broken in pieces
2 cups hot bouillon
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
freshly ground black pepper
Direction
Cover the mushroom pieces with the hot bouillon in a blender container. Let soak 20 minutes. When the mushrooms are soft, run the blender briefly to chop them fine.
Pour the mushroom-bouillon mixture into a pot and bring to a boil.
Add the fresh mushrooms and soy sauce; cook 5-10 minutes.
Stir in the cornstarch-water mixture and continue to cook 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
Season with black pepper to taste.
Yield: About 2 cups
A recent survey of nearly 700 Americans showed that 72 percent believe they are healthy eaters,
yet government data proves otherwise.
The USDA recently revealed that Americans get plenty of protein and carbohydrates, but often fall short on key nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and vitamins C and E.
“Fifty years ago, we only recognized extreme cases of vitamin deficiencies, like scurvy, which is caused by a lack of vitamin C,” said Carroll Reider, MS, RD, Nature Made vitamins director of scientific affairs and education. “Science has advanced. We now know that even small amounts of vitamin deficiencies hurt us much more than people realize.”
While most Americans appear well fed, a key question is: Are you nutritionally fit? To assess your nutritional condition, Reider posed the following questions:
Do you shun the sun? People who wear sunscreen, live in northern climates or have darker skin may not receive optimal levels of vitamin D, which is made following exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and may also promote ovarian, breast, prostate, heart and colon health. Reider suggests 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily for people who spend most of their time indoors and those who don’t synthesize vitamin D easily, such as darker- skinned individuals and the elderly. Vitamin D food sources include milk and fatty types of fish; however, it is hard to achieve optimal intake through food alone. It is also available in supplement form.
Do your meals lack color? Does dinner typically consist of meat, starch and the same green vegetable? For optimal health, add more colors to your diet. Vegetables such as steamed carrots, peppers and red cabbage add vibrant hues to the dinner plate while citrus wedges brighten the standard bed of greens. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables maximizes nutrient intake and provides antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that may cause premature aging. “A multivitamin formulated for your age and gender is also a good way to compensate for dietary imbalances,” Reider said.
Is fish a regular dish? The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per week. Reider suggests salmon and tuna, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some studies suggest omega-3 fatty acids may promote heart health. Other sources include walnuts, flaxseed or vitamins.
What makes up 70-80% of our planet? Water. What makes up 70-80% of our body? That’s right, water.
Water is the single most important nutrient you will give your body apart from oxygen. Water rejuvenates us and carries vital nutrients all round the body where it’s needed. Water picks up all the leftovers, wastes and debris that the cells throw off into the lymph system and transport them out of the body via the channels of elimination.
So when you drink more water it has the double combination of feeding your body and clearing you of all the waste products that were built up in your system.
Your brain needs water, and plenty of it. Without water, your brain will operate worn out, tired and sluggish. Water is the ultimate gift to give yourself to think with clarity. In addition, water acts as a kind of healthy lubricant moistening tissues and joints.
When you drink, you want to avoid tap water. Tap water is more like a dazzling mix of chemicals. It contains fluoride, chlorine, and many others. The amount of chemicals in water will fill up books – it’s more like a chemical soup. The evidence that fluoride is poisonous is so overwhelming that it’s being pushed to be banned in many countries by action groups.
The thirst mechanism when having been turned off for a prolonged period is often mistaken for hunger. As you drink more water your thirst mechanism will return to its natural state. Not only will you begin to feel thirsty when you need water again, but your appetite will decrease.
This brings us to the next big thing you need to understand about water. If I asked you the difference between inorganic and organic minerals, chances are you couldn’t tell me, right? Well let’s briefly explain the difference. It’s a simple difference. Organic minerals come from plants; inorganic minerals come from rocks and volcanic sources. Organic minerals can be broken down by the body. Inorganic minerals are not used by the body and are stored until suitable water can come and carry them out. Organic minerals can be broken down by the body, while inorganic cannot. One is derived from natural plant life; one is derived from rocks,filings and small pieces of grit. Which one makes more sense to use?
It’s better to get your plant minerals through the food you eat rather than the inorganic form in water. Bottled water is often taken, tested and found to have bacteria and very often isn’t rated much better than tap water.
Do you know the best water to use? The best water to use is the same water you use in your iron. The purest water in the world is distilled water. It’s as pure as rainwater should be if our atmosphere wasn’t polluted.
If you haven’t yet heard that 70% of the world’s population is dehydrated – you will soon, as the UN push to get proper water supply to people in the third world.
The second best method of filtering is a type of filtering called “reverse osmosis”. Unfortunately the standard bench top filter isn’t enough.
Most of the nasty contaminants in our water simply don’t have a taste. Some people feel it’s a case of out of sight out of mind. This may work for things people think, yet when it comes to your body, the life of your children, the health of those you care about and the line between getting cancer and surviving it’s far short of acceptable.
The opportunity for energy, for vitality, for a quality of life is only known to a select few who choose to raise their standards and take action to apply what they know. New discoveries are being made all the time as new research comes out of the United States, out of Germany, and out of Australia and other countries. How does this apply to me you may ask? Well, these contaminants can kill you. Is this a reason to get upset? No, it’s simply an action signal to act smarter.
The best bit is when you’re drinking absolutely pure distilled water it is so much easier to drink. It’s so easy to refreshingly flood your body with purity that will flush out chemicals, clear out the lymph system and contribute to expelling excess weight in the body. Distilled water is so easy to drink and be absorbed by your body without having to flush out the other nasties first that many people report who were struggling to drink half a litre of water a day, are now drinking 4 litres a day and up, with ease! If you can’t get distilled water, reverse osmosis filtered or table water is the next best option.
Many people in third world countries don’t have access to a clean water supply. We in developed countries have currently almost unlimited access to clean water. My suggestion to you is to use it!
It is a common misconception that coconut oil is bad for you. People all over the world are experiencing
the healthy benefits of using coconut oil. It is actually one of the healthiest oils you can consume. Here are the top seven reasons why you should use coconut oil as an alternative to other common cooking oils.
1. Coconut oil doesn’t turn to fat in your body.
Unlike many other common oils, like soy (vegetable) and corn, coconut oil won’t make you fat. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are an easy fuel for the body to burn, without turning to fat. Most other cooking oils and fats contain long-chain triglycerides (LCT). LCT’s are usually stored as fat. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is more easily absorbed and converted to energy quicker.
People in the tropics have relied on coconuts as a traditional staple in their diet for centuries. They consume large amounts of coconut oil every day. Instead of getting fatter, it helps them stay healthy, lean and trim. When they switch from coconut oil to our modern oils, they develop obesity and the health problems that our modern society faces.
Some other people who have known this truth for a long time are people who are in the animal feed business. When livestock are fed vegetable oils, they put on weight and produce more fatty meat. When they are fed coconut oil, they become very lean.
2. Coconut oil increases your metabolism.
Not only does coconut oil convert to energy quicker in your body, it increases your metabolism, which promotes weight loss. Because it boosts your metabolism, it helps your body burn fat more effectively.
Coconut oil may triple your calorie burn. Since coconut oil is a MCT, it is converted to energy so quickly that it creates a lot of heat. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT’s burn three times more calories for six hours after a meal than LCT’s.
The February 15, 2005 issue of Woman’s World magazine stated that coconut oil is the “underground high-metabolism secret.”
This is great news for people who have thyroid problems, since coconut oil improves sluggish thyroids by stimulating the production of extra thyroid hormones. Most other common oils, like vegetable (soy) and corn have been shown to inhibit thyroid function.
3. Coconut oil has omega 3 fatty acids.
Most cooking oils contain omega 6 fatty acids, something we get way too much of in the United States. Our omega 6 to omega 3 ratio should be 1:1 but it is more like 50:1. We need to drastically cut back our omega 6 oils and consume much more omega 3 oils to be healthy. And coconut oil is filled with these healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
4. Coconut oil gives you energy.
Because of the healthy omega 3 fatty acids and the fact that it increases the metabolism, most people that switch to coconut oil feel a burst of added energy in their daily life.
This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy.
This is because coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT’s), which increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCT’s promote thermogenesis, which increases the body’s metabolism, producing energy. Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia have found that adding coconut and coconut oil to their diet was helpful to them.
5. One of the best things you can use on your skin and hair is coconut oil.
Coconut oil one of the best things you can apply directly on your skin and hair. It gives temporary relief to skin problems like rashes. It aids in healing and restoring skin to a younger appearance. It has also been known to help with people who suffer from yeast infections in the skin, as well as many other skin problems.
Not only does is soften and smooth your skin, coconut oil has antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. Coconut oil makes excellent massage oil too.
6. Coconut oil has healthy benefits that most other oils do not.
Evidence is mounting that coconut oil has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral effects when both consumed and used topically on the skin.
Most oils oxidize and turn rancid very quickly causing free radical damage in our bodies. Coconut oil is not easily oxidized and does not cause harmful free radical damage like polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Free radical damage is thought to be responsible for many ailments in our body from arthritis to increased susceptibility to cancers.
Coconut oil also helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively, such as Vitamin E.
7. Coconut oil is one of the best oils you can use for cooking.
It has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which means it can take higher temperatures better. There are several healthy omega 3 oils we can choose to consume, such as flax and olive oil, but they don’t do well under the high heat we use for cooking. Coconut oil can be used in higher cooking temperatures.
It is harder for coconut oil to go rancid, unlike other cooking oils, which are usually rancid long before you even bring them home. Rancid oils cause free radical damage in the body, which is a leading cause of cancer. Coconut oil is stable for over a year at room temperature.
Because of the misinformation we have been given for years, we have lost out on the healthy benefits that coconut oil has given the people of the tropics for centuries. But now it has been rediscovered! Coconut oil is so effective, it won’t be long before we see coconut oil supplements promoted, but you can get the jump on the popular crowd and start consuming and cooking with coconut oil today!
Parents in some areas of the country were surprised to learn of a new regulation when their children
returned to school last year. Rather than being given the option to send their children to school with a lunch prepared at home, they were informed all children would be eating lunches prepared at school. For some, this decision has raised concerns.
What has caused some school districts to require families purchase school lunches? And is the lunch provided at the school really that much better? Below are some ideas to consider, both for and against allowing children to bring lunches from home.
Pros
Some children have food allergies. It is unlikely that schools have the resources to arrange separate meals for all different types of food allergies. By allowing the parent to send a lunch from home, the child is ensured it will have foods which are safe for their particular dietary needs.
Parents have more control over how much money they spend. School lunches can be expensive. Not all families will qualify for free or reduced lunches. By allowing parents to prepare and send lunches from home, they are able to pack a lunch that fits within their family’s budget.
Some children are picky eaters. Schools prepare the same meals for all students and have very little variety. It won’t matter that little Joey doesn’t eat pizza, if that is what is served for lunch that day, he will either eat it or go hungry. By allowing parents to send lunches from home, they can be confident their child will eat something rather than go hungry.
Many school districts provide meals that are too high in fat, salt or sugar. By allowing parents to send lunches from home, the parent is able to control the foods their child eats and can ensure the choices are healthy.
Cons
School lunches are planned by a registered dietician to meet the children’s dietary needs. Many schools are concerned the child won’t bring healthy food to eat and want to ensure the children get at least one healthy meal each day.
Parents don’t always have the time to prepare a healthy lunch so the child ends up fixing it. This could lead to a child putting only non-healthy items into their lunchbox.
Most lunches children bring from home are cold rather than the hot lunches provided by the school.
Parents in school districts which forbid or limit bringing lunches from home often feel the government is trying to control things too much. While there may be some merit to requiring school lunches, the parent ultimately wants to be able to decide whether a sandwich from home is better than the hot lunch from school which their child won’t eat.
I love salads with mayonnaise! And I prefer healthy food. This type of mayonnaise good for adult and for children.
Ingredients
150 gram olive oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar 5% (or lemon juice)
1/3 teaspoon of salt
Direction
In a blender pour the olive oil, add the egg, vinegar and salt. Beat all ingredients until the mayonnaise.
PS. You need to have a correct blender. I use this model:
If you are a parent who has school age children, you have most likely noticed your children making
a quick detour to the kitchen for an after school snack. If this is the case, you want to make sure your child has healthy snacks that will satisfy their hunger but not ruin dinnertime for them.
It’s not surprising that most children are hungry when they come in from school. School lunch times are often earlier than noon and by the time they complete their afternoon at school, they will have already digested their lunch and will be ready for something else to eat.
Here are some basic tips and after school snack ideas that will help satisfy your child’s hunger but will also leave room for a nutritious dinner.
First of all, you need to consider what type of eating schedule your child is on. Younger children may have a mid-morning snack, but the older school age kids generally do not. Find out the meal schedule your child follows on a daily basis and this will help you determine how hungry your child is when they come home from school.
Secondly, do not offer food or drinks that contain a lot of sugar. Offer water or skim milk as an alternative and if dinnertime is soon, water is most likely best because milk can be very filling. Knowing your child’s mealtime routines will help you determine what snacks are best for them.
Giving Your Child Some Choices
Talk to your child about what types of snacks they would prefer after school. It’s all about choices and if your child knows they have the option to make choices, you will most likely see your child reali es there are alternatives to chips, sodas and other low-nutrient snack foods. You don’t necessarily have to ban them from such snack foods or drinks, but these are things that you don’t want them to consume on a daily basis for after school snacks. Let your child help you make choices when grocery shopping and encourage them to choose snacks that are low in fat, sugars and sodium. Letting your child be involved in making choices related to their own foods will help them learn to make healthy choices for themselves.
Keep in mind that kids are most often going to choose snacks that are pretty much ready to eat and easy to come by. Don’t expect your child to do a lot of snack preparation on their own. If you intend to offer things like fresh fruits or vegetables, make sure those snacks are readily available and pre-prepared so your child can just simply open the refrigerator, make their choice and enjoy.
If your child is a teenager, they may want to prepare their own snacks. In that case, all you have to do is make sure the food is available and if preparation is necessary, you may want to show them how to do it or leave written instructions just in case you aren’t home when they get in from school.
Healthy Snack Ideas
Some healthy and creative snack ideas that you may want to consider for your child are things such as:
Fresh Veggies & Dip – Fresh veggies are a great option for children of any age. You want to make sure you offer a low fat/low calorie dip. You can use fresh celery, carrots, broccoli or other fresh cut veggies. When they know dip is available, it will make the veggies more appealing to your child. This is a snack that is good for children of any age.
Ants on a log – This is an easy option where you stuff celery with peanut butter and top with raisins. Younger children seem to love this option.
Egg Wedges – Take hard boiled eggs and cut into wedges. Put some cheese on top or pieces of fresh fruit.
Fresh Fruits – Try to make sure you have a supply of apples, oranges, bananas and other fruits available. Ask your child which fruits they prefer and give them a couple to choose from at snack time.
Those are just some suggested ideas for healthy after school snacks for your children. There are many more foods to choose from. Use your own creativity and although you don’t necessarily have to totally ban your child from snacking on other things, you don’t want them to be in the habit of choosing things like potato chips and soda instead of an apple and glass of water or skim milk. Once your child reali es they have healthy snack options to choose from and know those foods are just as satisfying, they will most likely begin to choose those healthy snacks versus the snacks that have no nutritional value.
What You Need:
1 1/2 C brown rice, cooked
1 C soy milk
1 banana, sliced
1 (15 oz) can fruit cocktail
1/4 C water
2 T honey
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
How to Make It:
Place the water, honey and vanilla in a large saucepan over low heat.
Add the bananas and fruit cocktail stirring well to cover with liquid.
Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and allow to cook 8 minutes or until very tender but not mushy.
Stir in the rice.
Pour in the soy milk and stir well.
Return to a boil and cook 10 minutes.
Best if served warm.
Ingredients:
1 smoked chicken breast
2 tomatoes
100 grams of pickled mushrooms
100 grams of cheese
50 grams of poppy
1 clove of garlic
3 slices of loaf
mayonnaise
redcurrant
Direction
Chopped chicken breast into the small pieces
Tomatoes and mushrooms chopped, garlic minced.
Stir tomatoes, meat, mushrooms, and garlic. Add mayonnaise
Put in a bowl. Sprinkle with grated cheese and poppy seeds
Toast bread, cut into cubes and put it around the salad
Decorate with green and red currants
Enjoy
Ingredients
- Vanilla yogurt (thick)
- Strawberries
- Chocolate sprinkling
Preparation:
Dip strawberries into vanilla yogurt then roll in chocolate and freeze.
Children love it!
Enjoy
Taking a lunch from home can save money and provide nutrition not found in fast food or school lunches.
It does require some time but the rewards make it time well spent. Think about who you are feeding and what needs are specific to that person.
For example, elementary age children have different needs than an adult or teenagers. Their lunches need to be small and a bit playful to hold their interest. Since they can’t eat a lot at one time, try to pack something that can be eaten during a different break in their day. Here are some ideas.
Pre-baked dinner rolls cut in half will make tiny buns just right for little hands. Fill with sliced meatballs, ham and cheese, egg or chicken salad. Add a little container of dipping sauce or their favorite condiment. Throw in a snack sized bag of whole grain chips, baby carrots or small pieces of celery with dressing and a 100% juice boxed drink. Let them help you make a home-made trail mix and fill a small baggie with enough to share with a friend.
Spread fresh goat cheese and sliced tomato on rice cakes. Look for small bananas in the grocery. Most children like mandarin oranges so pack a few in a container. Make some pasta the night before and toss with olive oil. In the morning add cheese chunks, snap peas, bell pepper slices or whatever vegetable your child likes. Those little mini bagels can be spread with hummus or peanut butter and paired with string cheese and mini sized pretzels.
And just for fun, hide a note written to them somewhere in the lunch. Assure them that they are loved and thought of even when you can’t be with them. They may not remember the special thought put into their lunches, but they will remember the notes and you will know you did your best to help them grow strong and healthy.
Once your child reaches middle school, their bodies are changing as well as their appetites. Boys will need more of everything because they’re always hungry! Girls, on the other hand, often need to be encouraged to eat. They tend to become self-conscious about everything and will skip lunch all together. You can tell them all day long how their brain needs fuel to function, but, you might have better results if you tell them how the food they eat will help their bodies grow into what they want them to be.
Provide roasted or grilled vegetables dressed with vinegar and olive oil or a small salad with dressing on the side. Add some cheese squares or whole wheat crackers. Wrap up a piece of leftover chicken, a container of coleslaw and a roll. Add a cold drink and lunch is ready. Wrap a piece of turkey around a cheese stick and include a condiment for dipping. Add some whole grain pretzels and a small piece of fruit.
Alternate cooked chicken with raw vegetables on a skewer. Lay on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with honey mustard and wrap tightly. Include some sunflower seeds or nuts and a fruit juice drink. Add some grated carrots to a BBQ and send extra sauce in a container along with a bag of chips. Using a hot dog bun, make them a mini-hoagie. Pile on some meat and cheese and top with sautéed peppers and onions. Send a container with olive oil and vinegar to pour on just before eating so the bun doesn’t get soggy. Add a container of fruit cocktail for dessert and a soft drink.
The important thing is to get them to eat so their brain works properly and they can learn as much as they can!
Children with food allergies which require special diets often feel left out. They may want to enjoy
the same snacks or foods as their friends but they know eating the wrong thing can have dire consequences. The same holds true when they eat lunches prepared by the school cafeteria.
While no state law requires that school systems cater to all children with special diets, they are encouraged to provide foods which are safe for these children to eat. Most children with special dietary needs will bring lunches from home to ensure they don’t accidentally eat foods for which they have an allergy.
What types of foods can you use as substitutes or alternatives for children with special diets? Here are some options to consider:
Vegetarians or vegans can be provided with soy-based foods. Soy protein can be seasoned to taste similar to most other protein sources as well as shaped to look similar. This will enable the child not to feel too different from their friends while providing the foods they can eat.
Many people are highly allergic to peanuts. If this is something your child has, you know how serious a peanut allergy can be. Perhaps your child would like sesame seed, almond or cashew butter instead. Keep in contact with your child’s school to determine days where peanuts won’t be used so your child can join their friends for lunch in the lunchroom.
One of the most recent allergies to be recognized is an allergy to gluten. Look on the grocery store shelves and you’ll see “gluten-free” this and “gluten-free” that. Schools may be more able to cater to students with gluten allergies as more and more people are finding they do have intolerance to gluten.
For children with an egg allergy, look for foods which do not contain eggs. Those having issues with dairy can look for non-dairy items. Both of these should be relatively easy to find in grocery stores but may not be offered as alternatives in your child’s school.
As a parent you have every right to be concerned about the foods your child is served at school. Establish a good working relationship with the head of your child’s cafeteria. They understand your concerns and may be able to make substitutions or alternative food available for your child with a food allergy. Just remember, you never know what is possible until you ask.
Families live fast paced lives these days. It seems there aren’t enough hours in the day 
* Mix up a healthy trail mix of your family’s favorite ingredients. You can use a variety of nuts, raisins or other dried fruit, carob or chocolate chips, dried coconut and seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower. Place the mixture in individual serving bags and have them ready to grab and go when needed.
* Always keep fresh fruit around the house and near the door you exit each day. Bananas, apples and oranges are the usual types of fruits you may think of. However, if your family doesn’t like these fruits, you can always slice melons or other in-season fruits and have them available in the refrigerator.
* Create breakfast biscuits the night before or on one of the days you have extra time. You can purchase frozen biscuits for a couple of dollars at most stores. Scramble some eggs and place on the prepared biscuits. Add a slice of cheese and whatever your family’s favorite breakfast meat is. There you have it! A complete breakfast ready to eat on the run.
* Make breakfast burritos using flour tortilla shells. These can be made ahead of time and frozen or you can make them a day or two ahead of time and keep them refrigerated. Scrambled eggs with sausage is what one fast food restaurant makes so why can’t you follow their lead? Use items you know your family will enjoy. Add salsa to give it some extra zip. Take them out of the refrigerator, pop them in the microwave to warm them up and you’re good to go!
* Hard boiled eggs are a good alternative if you want something that is easy to take with you. Pre-cook and peel them so all you have to do is take one out of the fridge and head out the door.
* Pre-cook or prepare as many food items as you can. Celery sticks with peanut butter, single size servings of cottage cheese or yogurt, turkey bacon slices, sausage patties are all things which can be prepared and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
There really is no reason anyone should skip breakfast. While it may be true that you don’t have time to fix a traditional meal, there are so many options to choose from to ensure your family has a good start to their day. Look at these options for breakfast-on-the-go and see which ones your family will enjoy.
You know it is important to keep your children’s food safe if you send lunches with them to school.
Sometimes accomplishing that safety isn’t easy to do. And depending upon the foods they have in their lunches, it may seem almost impossible. These lunch storage and cooling ideas will help you maintain the safety of your children’s school lunches.
One of the easiest ways to keep food safe is by using a thermos. Prepare a thermos meant for hot food by heating the inside with hot water prior to adding the hot food, and pre-cool with ice water when it will be used for cold food. This will allow you to keep the hot food hot which means bacteria can’t begin to grow in it. A thermos can also keep cold foods cold enough you can send frozen fruit sorbet and be confident it will still be frozen when your child gets to it.
Freeze bottles of water, juice boxes or other containers overnight and place them in your child’s lunchbox in the morning. The frozen liquid will thaw over time and keep your child’s food cool and safe. Ice packs will also perform this same function but using a frozen beverage means there will be more room for other healthy choices.
Purchase one of the new insulated lunch boxes or bags. These contain cold gel packs which will keep the food at the proper temperature. They come in all shapes and sizes; some come in ‘blankets’ of smaller packets which can be cut apart to fit the lunch container your child has.
Avoid foods which are unsafe in warmer temperatures. Mayonnaise and dairy products are generally considered unsafe unless you can guarantee they remain below 40 degrees. Raw fruits and vegetables may seem like a good idea but peeling and cutting these items may allow them to spoil more easily unless they are kept very cold.
Cherry tomatoes and whole fruit are good choices for warmer weather. You can also pre-freeze canned fruit and allow it to thaw in your child’s lunch. This will act much the same as the frozen beverages by keeping other foods in their lunchbox cold.
If your child will take items which could break such as baked chips or whole wheat crackers, find small plastic containers which will fit a serving and pack those in your child’s lunch. This will keep these items whole and make them more appealing to your child.
Remember to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold to ensure your child’s safety while preparing their lunches for them. Get your child to help you choose the items to pack but ensure their choices are healthy.
You can find a lot of good Lunch Boxes for children here.
What You Need:
1 C orange juice
1 C frozen peaches
1 frozen banana, cut into small chunks
2 TBSP toasted slivered almonds
How to Make It:
Pour the juice into the blender.
Carefully add the peaches and banana.
Add the almonds.
Blend until smooth.
Pecans also work well in this smoothie. For a little different taste, use pineapple juice in place of the orange juice.
Test Post from Healthy Meals for adults and children http://www.myhealthymania.com
If you’ve ever wondered how to get children involved with meal planning, chances are you have
either a fussy eater or A Kid Who Loves “Junk Food” Too Much.
And, then again, there are always the parents who will do anything to keep their high-octane balls of energy entertained.
One other reason to get kids involved with meal planning and prep: Experts such as researchers from the National Institute of Health say children are far more likely to eat healthy foods if these involve dishes the children themselves have helped prepare. But when it comes to involving your children in meal planning, do remember that children’s palates are not as finely developed as adult palates.
And be prepared to re-discover your worn-out imagination!
Ten Tips to Planning Food with Kids Success
* Listen to their ideas — Ask for your children’s input when planning your grocery shopping, and applaud them for their answers (even if their suggestions sound revolting to you!)
* Make it fun — Children take their tone from you. Make it a game: Let your child physically make the shopping list (on a special, colorful notepad); then take her grocery shopping with you and ask her to find the items.
* Think outside the box — Kids love things that aren’t “everyday”, so be prepared to jump right in when your child suggests you buy peanut butter to put in her celery sticks.
* Plan ahead — There are some wonderful cookbooks out there specially designed and tested to appeal to children’s palates and imaginations. Get one, and get into the habit of going over recipes together before your shopping trip.
* Think and buy in miniature — Children are often enchanted by anything that’s more in scale with their tiny fingers than yours. Dolls’ tea sets, tiny drinking glasses, mini marshmallows, baby bananas or miniature knifes and forks all go a long way to making eating feel like play.
* Combine fruit and vegetables — Let your child pick an array of fruits and vegetables (set a limit, if you’re on a budget!) Ask her to think up the most whacky combinations she can.
Make sure, once you get home, you set aside time for both of you to prepare the foods you’ve chosen.
Add a healthy, yogurt dip (a hint of raspberry juice helps enhance fruit or veggies alike) and watch your children eat raw foods with gusto
* Make or buy a special apron for your child — Nothing “cues” a child more easily than donning a special apron. You can even involve your child in making the apron, if sewing is your thing: Get him or her to choose the color, the fabric, the trim. Make a mini-BBQ apron, if your child is male.
* Create a routine — Create a special time during the week for together-time food planning — and prep. Every Saturday lunch, the afternoon snack, Friday after school and Sunday morning brunch are all occasions to consider. Whichever time slot you pick, however, go with your child’s natural rhythm — don’t try to make your child get excited about planning menus over breakfast, if he’s just not a morning person!
* Make your own “take out” food — There are plenty of places on line to find recipes for your child’s favorite fast foods: Look these up with your child. One added advantage to creating it yourself — you can substitute lower-fat ingredients.
* Prepare a picnic — Even if you go out to the deck to eat it. Remember to include the “special” touches such as a cheerfully-flowered or checkered plastic tablecloth (you can get these at any dollar store); or little paper umbrellas for your drinks or fruit salad). Planning involves allowing your child to think up items like paper plates or pick that flowered tablecloth.
To find more information click here.
Test Post from Healthy Meals for adults and children http://www.myhealthymania.com
