Photo by mitsan
As the mother of a toddler, I know how hard it can be just to get a meal prepared, much less one that is nutritionally optimal. Yet more and more research indicates how important nutrtition is to our health. As America’s consumption of processed foods continues to climb, so do the rates of autoimmune diseases like diabetes, allergies, asthma and cancer. Even more disturbing are the growing rates of these conditions in children. More and more children are taking medications for health concerns, dealing with obesity and struggling to maintain their health.
A growing body of research continues to provide evidence that eating a primarily plant-based diet is the key to reducing your risks of disease and to living a longer, healthier life. Yet corporations spend millions of dollars advertising unhealthy products to kids too young realize what they are being "sold." For busy parents, it can be hard to eat enough vegetables ourselves, much less get finicky kids to eat them.
Recently my mom has come up with a great way to get some veggies in my child, who prefers food that is french fried and dipped in ketchup (though she does eat some fruits and vegetables). She simply blends them up in a high-powered blender with some fruit and juice. Nutrient powerhouses like spinach and kale taste a lot better when accompanied by pineapple, strawberries or apples. Plus kids just seem to like smoothies. They’re easy, fast, and most people already have the equipment right in their home.
Here’s my mom’s favorite fruit and veggie smoothie recipe:
1 Banana (or Avocado)
1 cup Frozen Strawberries (or Blueberries)
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 handfuls of spinach (or Kale or Romaine)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup water or coconut milk
I had a glass this morning, and it was yummy. The cashews and banana give it a delicious creamy texture and the bright green color is fun for kids. My 2 year old gulped it down in no time. Fruit & veggie smoothies are also great for adults and especially for nursing mothers who need to eat healthy but find it hard to cook with a baby.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Lisa 11.06.08 at 3:52 pm
I am a huge fan of juicing using whole foods and organic produce. I have used it as a primary method of rebalancing nutritional deficiencies in myself and am also using it to ensure great nutrition in my eight year old daughter while building her iron stores (which are below normal). Given the choice of daily liquid iron supplements or Mom’s “Green Go-Go juice” she chose the juice. I recently purchased the Blendtec Home Blender which is a very high powered blender similar to a Vitamix. I purchased mine from everythingkitchens.com for $335. That’s a lot of money for a blender but I decided to trade in my supplement routine (which was costing at least a couple hundred dollars per month) for the blender and lots of locally grown organic produce. The results have been fantastic! I always feel great after drinking a large glass of green juice and I no longer have ANY nutritional deficiencies! My favorite combo: 1/2 cup purified water, a couple of huge handfuls of organic watermelon chunks (including seeds), a large bunch of organic spinach, a handful of fresh or frozen organic raspberries and a handful of ice cubes. With the Blendtec, use the whole juice cycle and in 50 seconds you have a powerful glass of “Go Go juice.” Peace and health.
Lisa 11.08.08 at 3:22 pm
Here is a great smoothie recipe:
1/2 cup water
1/2-1 cup fresh organic pineapple
1 banana, fresh or frozen
1/4-1/2 unsweetened organic coconut milk
a handful of raw organic cashews
a handful of ice cubes
With the Blendtec, use the whole juice cycle.
Very smooth, very satisfying!
Debra 11.10.08 at 11:11 pm
This is probably a great way to get kids used to the taste of vegetables, in an unobtrusive manner. Great idea! I actually just posted about how many fruits and vegetables to give your kids- check it out at http://www.beyondprenatals.com (a fairly new blog)
Thanks, Debra
TwinToddlersDad 11.16.08 at 8:33 pm
Great post. I love the picture! I think it is a good idea to offer blended veggie/fruit juice. One question though - do you know if there is a risk of allergy for cashews? Is there any research on this topic?
I write a blog on Toddler Nutrition. Check it out at
http://www.littlestomaks.com/about/
tara 11.17.08 at 12:23 am
I’ve seen recommendations to withhold nuts until anywhere from 1 year to 5 years. I’ve also read that withholding a food does not decrease the risk of developing an allergy. I personally, gave nuts at 1 year of age, and fortunate my daughter did not have an allergy. She eats A LOT of nuts and they are a good source of protein and fat, and since she doesn’t eat dairy products, nuts are a good replacement.
tara 12.04.08 at 10:20 am
I just wanted to note that I use a Magic Bullet blender and it’s awesome. You can get it pretty much anywhere for around $60. I’ve had it for years, and it still works well.