Getting your Kids to love Healthy Food!

Maybe the title of this post is an overstatement…

My kids LOVE junk.  Our Friday "treat nights" are always the highlight of the week.  With the exception of a trip to Oma's or baking for company, my kids eat healthy all week.  Making homemade shakes is one of the ways we help them love healthy food.

I know talking kids into eating their veggies can be tricky, but this is one way your kids will love.  I let my kids help make what they've titled "Hulk Shakes".  

I think you can guess why they've named this drink the "Hulk Shake".  When we add blueberries or blackberries they just call it a "Healthy Shake" because the colour is more purple.  My husband and I play on the "Hulk" part and remind the kids how great it is for your body to give it nutritious food and how it helps build muscle and stay healthy.  My 5yr old wishes it would turn him green, so he drinks the lions share in hopes he will someday drink enough to change colour.  

Simply collect any fruits and veg you have in your house that will blend nicely.  I probably don't need to say skip the cauliflower.  Blend them with a bit of water or coconut water and ice or frozen berries.  We try to stick to fruits that are low on the GI 

http://www.glycemicindex.com

Pack as much leafy green as you can into the shake.  I usually add 6 cups of spinach to each batch, more if I can get it in!  

We also love to add things that aren't in this picture 

-Adding avocados makes it really creamy. 

- Frozen berries makes the drink ice cold and almost slushee like.  

- Chia seeds are a great add-in, and the kids can't detect them in the thick texture. 

- Bananas are a surefire way to sweeten the shake.  

- Cucumbers add an amazing fresh taste 

- Kale has a ridiculous amount of nutrients you just don't want to miss.  If the texture doesn't blend well enough for you, try baby kale!

One thing you always need to add is CITRUS!  Adding freshly squeezed lemon juice, pineapple or an orange cuts out any bitterness from the leafy greens.  If you don't like citrus, don't worry - you can't really taste it, it just hides anything you don't want to taste.  Trust me.  CITRUS.

I added protein to this batch because it's for my husband's lunch that he takes to work.  (I blend enough to fill 4-6 mason jars and freeze them)  I don't normally add protein to the children's shakes but if you chose to do that be sure to find ones that are safe for 18 & under. 

If you have food that is about to turn, just cut it up and put it in the freezer for a shake!  Cucumber, watermelon, pineapple, banana, etc.  Freeze the fruit or veggies on a cookie tray and transfer to a ziploc bag once frozen.  You will feel better about not throwing your money in the garbage and you will have readily available frozen items to make the shake nice and cold.  

Speaking of freezers, these make GREAT popsicles!  

You probably have a popsicle tray somewhere in your cupboards - just pour the shake into the forms and freeze.  It's a great snack for teething babies, and you can feel good about what they're teething on!

Stop fighting with your kids about their veggies and try making shakes with them! 

Green Eggs & Ham

Most children love Dr.Seuss books, and my kids are no exception.  While reading Green Eggs & Ham, my 5yr old asked if green eggs were real and I said I would make him some.  

I think these would have turned out nicer as scrambled eggs.  They tasted GREAT, but I only made it into mini quiche because I already had the oven on.  Scrambled would have been just as nice and the colour would have been brighter.

For 12 mini crustless Quiche

-Chop and carmelize 1 onion and a few cloves of garlic until soft and brown.  I used coconut oil, but any oil or butter will do.

-Add 4 cups of loose baby spinach and keep covered on the heat until the leaves wilt and become dark green.  No liquid is needed, the spinach will weep out moisture during the heating process.  

-When onions, garlic and spinach cool - blend in a food processor with a few tablespoons of milk until it is as pureed as it can get

-Whisk puree and 7 eggs together in a large bowl

Cook as you please from this point on.  This could be an omelette, scrambled eggs, or go ahead with the rest of the recipe and make quiche....

Preheat oven to 375

I used parchment paper muffin cups (they don't stick to ANYTHING), and filled each paper half way with the egg mixture.  I then added a pinch of shredded cheese and continued to fill muffin cup to the 3/4 mark.  The eggs will expand while baking and look like a giant cupcake or muffin while hot, but will quickly shrink back down once out of the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes, and if you're a carnivore - serve with a nice slice of ham.  

So... what did the kids think?

With the exception of my egg-hater, they all LOVED it.  My 5yr old said it was just like the book: he didn't think he would like green eggs, but as soon as he tasted them he loved them and would eat them... in a box, with a fox, in a house, with a mouse, etc.

Do you have a creative way you like to add veggies to meals?  Share with me in the comments box or send an email and I will share with The Good Kind of Crazy readers.  Happy Baking!