How to get toddlers to eat "greens"

 When he was younger, Dom would eat lots of greens. But now it seems that all he will eat is broccoli. So this afternoon as I as making my "green smoothie" I thought "I bet he would like this!". So I gave him a taste and he immediately begged for more. That's awesome! Now he will be getting so much more nutrition!!

This is what I put in it:
1 c kale
1 c spinach
 1/2 green apple
1/3 c pineapple
 Ice
 Approx 6oz of cold water
 I blended in all in my magic bullet until it had the consistency of orange juice(with pulp). It worked perfectly and he even used the straw on his silly to drink it! This to me is super exciting!!! Have any other recipes that are good for kids?? Feel free to share!!!! Any questions or comments.. Find me onFacebook!!

Do you really know how much sugar is in the fruit you eat??

I know I'm guilty of saying "Hey, its fruit- I can eat as much as I want". But remember, fruit is still sugar..and even though its natural sugar, it all adds up at the end of the day.

I used to think that I could eat all the fruit I wanted. When I would go grocery shopping I would just grab any fruits that looked appealing. It wasn't until I started to write down what I was eating on a daily basis that I realized I was eating way too much!! I'm talking 5-6 servings a day. So I took a closer look and realized I was only getting about 1 serving of veggies a day. So I adjusted. I wrote out a meal plan, counted how many fruits I really needed in the house for me and the family and replaced veggies where I used to eat fruit.

 Its recommended to eat 2-3 serving of fruit a day. Eating fruit earlier in the day also allows for you body to have more time to process it. I also learned that pairing fruit with protein is a great snack. The fruit has a whole bunch or water and fiber in it...that is what helps you feel full. The protein will slow down the digestion process and also help you to feel fuller longer. My all time FAVORITE snack is a medium apple with 1/4 cup of whole almonds. Believe it or not, I have never liked almond before. Turns out, I had only had coated almonds and never tried them just plain! It tastes so good and keeps me full until my next meal!!! I hope you gained some knowledge that you didn't know before! Comments or questions feel free to shoot me a quick email!!

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You???

Did you know that.....

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C, E, B6, and Beta-Carotene? 
That they help keep your heart healthy and are good for your eyes?
They aid in weight loss and helps to lower blood pressure?

The sweet potato will keep all the benefits of its status of a "super food" in this recipe!! This is a perfect substitute for french fries. Sweet enough to satisfy that craving, yet you get all the benefits! 



Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated orange rind (optional)
1 small garlic clove, minced

Preparation
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until tender, turning the potato slices after 15 minutes.

Combine parsley, orange rind, and garlic in a small bowl; stir well. Sprinkle parsley mixture over sweet potato slices.

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

source-Cooking Light NOVEMBER 1995

Super Nutritious Green Smoothie

Super Nutritous Green Smoothie

Up until recently I was never one to make my own smoothies. I had no idea where to start, what to mix together or how much. Then one day I saw this recipe posted on facebook and thought I would give it a try. I'm so glad I did!!! So here it is....

2 cups kale
2 cups spinach
1 green apple
1cup frozen pineapple
8 oz water to blend

Chop up spinach, kale and apple. Mix all ingredients in blender and enjoy!!!!
It's very healthy and tastes so good! I have one at least 3 times a week. It makes a perfect and quick snack! Even my 1 year old son loves it!!! Hope you enjoy!!

Clean Eating Snack Ideas

As a mom of 2 things can get very busy! I'm always looking for quick healthy snacks for me and the kids! One of the problems I had was that the kids would always get hungry when we would be out in the car traveling from place to place or just running errands... It was so much easier just to stop at a fast food place. But.... Now I don't do that anymore!

I found a medium sized insulated bag that I fill with small containers of pre cut snacks. Watermelon, pears, oranges and yogurt is what I mostly pack in it. That has always been enough to hold over the kids and I until we get home to make a real meal!!!
So here are some ideas.....

Clean eating snacks

*1 cut apple with 1tbs of natural peanut butter
*1 cut apple and 14 raw unsaltes almonds
*1 cup baby carrots 1-2tbs hummus
*2 plain brown rice cakes with 1-2 tbs of natural peanut butter
*1 cup strawberries and a handful of raw unsalted cashews
*Shakeology
*2 cups celery with 1-2 tbs natural peanut butter
*1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup blueberries
*1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup berries (drizzle of agave nectar to add sweetness)
*1/2 sliced Banana on top of whole wheat bread with 1tbs natural peanut butter-- my favorite!!!!

I hope this face you some good ideas for some quick healthy snacks! Feel free to comment with any other healthy suggestions!!!!