I'm always trying to come up with interesting lunch ideas, for myself and for my son. There's always the tried and true soups, sandwiches and salads, but how about a little variety? I'm also not nearly artistically-inclined (or patient!) enough to fill my kid's plate with flower shaped carrot slices, duck shaped pieces of cheese, or a sandwich shaped like a sailboat - so some easy options are always necessary in my house. Here are some fun and healthy lunch ideas that we use in our house - enjoy!
Personal pizzas: Spread tomato sauce on a whole wheat pita, tortilla or english muffin and top with pizza favourites - peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, spinach, fresh herbs, and cheese of course! Bake until the cheese has melted and the base is nice and hot. This is also a great way to get older kids involved by making their own pizzas. I've also made these on a base of baked polenta when my son was younger and still not eating wheat.
Pasta salad: A great way to use leftover pasta - toss in veggies, beans, bits of cheese, tofu cubes, you name it! Toss it with a little olive oil, lemon and parsley and you're all set!
Veggie quesadillas: These are a quick stand-by in our house. Fold whole wheat tortillas filled with cheese, beans, and veggies and fry/bake/grill both sides until crispy and cheese is melted. Cut into triangles and serve with salsa. Yum!
Veggie burritos: Mash up red kidney beans and combine with cooked brown rice, diced onion and green pepper and any other veggies you want. Fill whole wheat tortillas and bake in a 375 degree oven until tortillas are crispy. Top with grated cheese before baking if you want. Serve with salsa.
Toothpick lunch: When I was little, my mom used to make this for me and it was by absolute favourite lunch to have. I now realize that it was probably a sinister plot to get me to eat my veggies! Fill a plate with cubes of cheese, marinated tofu cubes, chunks of fruit and veggies, beans, toasted bread cubes, etc.... Insert a toothpick into each piece and feast!
"Sushi" sandwiches: Spread any sandwich filling on a whole wheat tortillas, roll it up and slice horizontally into discs - the final product should resemble a maki roll. This can be done with a number of fillings: cream cheese and roasted red peppers, nut/seed butter and fruit spread, nut/seed butter and banana, spinach pesto and mozzarella, etc... You can also use regular bread, just roll it out flat with a rolling pin before spreading on your filling.
Sandwich on a stick: Make a sandwich "kebab" with a bamboo skewer. Great ingredients are: bread cubes, cheese, marinated tofu cubes, grape tomatoes, olives, pickles, cucumber, bell peppers, or fruit chunks.
Sandwich cut outs: As long as you don't mind eating the leftovers, use a cookie cutter to cut your kid's sandwich into fun shapes - stars, hearts, etc... This is about as creative as I am able to get when it comes to shaped sandwiches!
Thursday, 31 December, 2009
Sunday, 20 December, 2009
Conquering baby's dry skin
If your kids are anything like mine, their skin gets red and rough as soon as the cold weather hits. My son spent last winter with eczema all over his legs and belly and I already see the signs appearing in the same spots again this winter. I've tried a few different concoctions to try and battle the winter dry skin (on him and myself) and have found a few to really work.
Most importantly, in my opinion, is to not bathe your affected baby or child every day - 2 or 3 times a week should be enough as long as they haven't covered themselves head to toe in applesauce! Again, as long as they aren't filthy, you may also want to consider skipping the soap - or only use a natural pure glycerine soap. You may find a lot of baths, soaks and lotions on the shelf in the drug store containing oatmeal and for good reason - but instead of spending money on these products, just buy a bag of oatmeal! Oatmeal's texture can help to gently remove dry skin cells without irritating the skin.
Giving your child an oatmeal bath:
1) Grind 1/3 cup of oatmeal into a fine powder using a coffee grinder or food processor.
2) Add the oatmeal to a lukewarm (not hot - the excess heat will remove your skin's natural oils making it even drier) bath while the water is running, stirring with your hand several times.
3) Soak your child in the bath for at least 10 minutes, making sure that all of the affected areas are covered.
4) Rinse the oatmeal off with lukewarm water.
5) Dry by gently patting with a towel, instead of rubbing.
Other natural treatments that we've found effective:
- diluted tea tree oil mixed with lavender oil on small affected areas
- calendula cream
- cool mist humidifier while sleeping (gas or electric heating in your house can help to irritate dry skin)
Most importantly, in my opinion, is to not bathe your affected baby or child every day - 2 or 3 times a week should be enough as long as they haven't covered themselves head to toe in applesauce! Again, as long as they aren't filthy, you may also want to consider skipping the soap - or only use a natural pure glycerine soap. You may find a lot of baths, soaks and lotions on the shelf in the drug store containing oatmeal and for good reason - but instead of spending money on these products, just buy a bag of oatmeal! Oatmeal's texture can help to gently remove dry skin cells without irritating the skin.
Giving your child an oatmeal bath:
1) Grind 1/3 cup of oatmeal into a fine powder using a coffee grinder or food processor.
2) Add the oatmeal to a lukewarm (not hot - the excess heat will remove your skin's natural oils making it even drier) bath while the water is running, stirring with your hand several times.
3) Soak your child in the bath for at least 10 minutes, making sure that all of the affected areas are covered.
4) Rinse the oatmeal off with lukewarm water.
5) Dry by gently patting with a towel, instead of rubbing.
Other natural treatments that we've found effective:
- diluted tea tree oil mixed with lavender oil on small affected areas
- calendula cream
- cool mist humidifier while sleeping (gas or electric heating in your house can help to irritate dry skin)
Tuesday, 15 December, 2009
On the Menu: Winter warmers
After bustling kids in and out of snowpants all day, braving icy sidewalks and slick roads, all I want to come home to is a hot bowl of soup. Soups are a fantastic way to get lots of fruits and veggies into your little ones while also giving them a great winter warm-up. They're also a great way to use up that squash you don't know what to do with, or that frozen corn that's taking up room in your freezer. Here are some of our new favourites:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
3 MacIntosh apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, saute onion and curry powder in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add squash, apples, stock and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Puree soup and serve. Thin it out with a little apple cider, if desired. That's it!
6 tbsp olive oil or butter
2 cups chopped leeks
3 cups diced potatoes
6 cups water
6 cups corn (1 large package frozen corn)
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 cup almond milk (or other milk - the nuttiness and creaminess of almond milk really works with this soup!)
In a large pot, saute leeks in oil or butter. Add potatoes and saute for a few minutes longer. Add the water and bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the corn, parsley and other herbs. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Blend part of the soup and return it to the pot, or blend the whole thing for smaller children. Add the almond milk and heat through. Serve.
Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
3 MacIntosh apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, saute onion and curry powder in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add squash, apples, stock and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Puree soup and serve. Thin it out with a little apple cider, if desired. That's it!
Corn Chowder
6 tbsp olive oil or butter
2 cups chopped leeks
3 cups diced potatoes
6 cups water
6 cups corn (1 large package frozen corn)
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 cup almond milk (or other milk - the nuttiness and creaminess of almond milk really works with this soup!)
In a large pot, saute leeks in oil or butter. Add potatoes and saute for a few minutes longer. Add the water and bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the corn, parsley and other herbs. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Blend part of the soup and return it to the pot, or blend the whole thing for smaller children. Add the almond milk and heat through. Serve.
Friday, 11 December, 2009
I'm dreaming of a GREEN Christmas
The holiday season is upon us and what better way to kick it off then by thinking of ways to scale it back! This season is full of shopping and wrapping and packaging and just plain old wasting! This year, why not find some ways to get your family in the spirit by working together to "green-ify" your holiday. Here are some easy ways....
Green Gifts
- instead of buying a gift for everyone on your list, why not ask family members, co-workers etc... to draw names and buy just one gift
- instead of buying Aunt Joan that expensive perfume set when you don't even know if she wears perfume, why not think of a charity to donate to in her honour - find a charity that you feel best represents her and explain to her why you chose it
- go homemade! Homemade ornaments made by the kids for Grandma and Grandpa are always a hit, or frame a special photograph that you took during the year. Baking and other treats always go over well in our house (hint hint)!
- give the gift of time. Give your friend a weekend of babysitting so she can have time to herself, give your spouse a "get out of laundry free card" (or two), or give your child a "prince for a day" coupon where he gets to choose all that you do for an entire day
- give the gift of talent. Everyone's good at something! Offer to take a family portrait if you're an avid photographer, give a cooking lesson if you like to cook.
- use reusable gift wrap - cloth bags and boxes are good choices, or wrap food gifts/baking in tea towels tied with ribbon
Green decor
- you know all of those beautiful paintings that Susie brought home from kindergarten this year? Why not use them as wrapping paper (with Susie's permission of course!)
- cut out the front of holiday cards you receive in the mail and use them as gift tags
- opt for LED Christmas lights which use up to 95% less energy
- make your own decorations out of recycled materials found around the home/yard - a little glitter on a pinecone goes a long way!
Live tree vs. Artificial tree
- some people believe that an artificial tree is better for the environment, when in actual fact, a live tree is the way to go - here are my arguments....
- artificial trees are made of PVC and use up manufacturing resources
- artificial trees are made to last forever, but most of that forever is spent in the landfill as the vast majority are discarded after year three for an upgrade - this one comes with its own lights! (Uh oh, now you just tossed your old lights, too!)
- although live trees are chopped down, they are a renewable resource and are replanted regularly
- they contribute to air quality while growing and almost 90% are recycled into mulch - consider having yours chopped into mulch directly and use it in your own garden
- finally, live trees are generally harvested from local tree farms, cutting down on emissions from shipping
There are so many ways to cut down on our environmental impact at this time of year. It is also a great time to begin (or continue) to teach our kids about the importance of the holidays, whatever that may mean in your family. It is also a great way to get our kids involved in green initiatives by asking them to help find ways to reduce, reuse and recycle over the holidays.
Green Gifts
- instead of buying a gift for everyone on your list, why not ask family members, co-workers etc... to draw names and buy just one gift
- instead of buying Aunt Joan that expensive perfume set when you don't even know if she wears perfume, why not think of a charity to donate to in her honour - find a charity that you feel best represents her and explain to her why you chose it
- go homemade! Homemade ornaments made by the kids for Grandma and Grandpa are always a hit, or frame a special photograph that you took during the year. Baking and other treats always go over well in our house (hint hint)!
- give the gift of time. Give your friend a weekend of babysitting so she can have time to herself, give your spouse a "get out of laundry free card" (or two), or give your child a "prince for a day" coupon where he gets to choose all that you do for an entire day
- give the gift of talent. Everyone's good at something! Offer to take a family portrait if you're an avid photographer, give a cooking lesson if you like to cook.
- use reusable gift wrap - cloth bags and boxes are good choices, or wrap food gifts/baking in tea towels tied with ribbon
Green decor
- you know all of those beautiful paintings that Susie brought home from kindergarten this year? Why not use them as wrapping paper (with Susie's permission of course!)
- cut out the front of holiday cards you receive in the mail and use them as gift tags
- opt for LED Christmas lights which use up to 95% less energy
- make your own decorations out of recycled materials found around the home/yard - a little glitter on a pinecone goes a long way!
Live tree vs. Artificial tree
- some people believe that an artificial tree is better for the environment, when in actual fact, a live tree is the way to go - here are my arguments....
- artificial trees are made of PVC and use up manufacturing resources
- artificial trees are made to last forever, but most of that forever is spent in the landfill as the vast majority are discarded after year three for an upgrade - this one comes with its own lights! (Uh oh, now you just tossed your old lights, too!)
- although live trees are chopped down, they are a renewable resource and are replanted regularly
- they contribute to air quality while growing and almost 90% are recycled into mulch - consider having yours chopped into mulch directly and use it in your own garden
- finally, live trees are generally harvested from local tree farms, cutting down on emissions from shipping
There are so many ways to cut down on our environmental impact at this time of year. It is also a great time to begin (or continue) to teach our kids about the importance of the holidays, whatever that may mean in your family. It is also a great way to get our kids involved in green initiatives by asking them to help find ways to reduce, reuse and recycle over the holidays.
Friday, 4 December, 2009
"Good" fats for your vegetarian baby
Keeping our little ones growing and developing physically is important to all parents. And as we know focusing on a well-balanced diet full of a variety of healthy foods is the most important thing we can do as parents to encourage healthy growth. Although sugary and high-fat foods should be avoided, there are some "good" fats that we can introduce into our children's diets.
"Good" fats in the form of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are what we're looking for. Monounsaturated fats can be found readily in avocados, olive oil, nuts (including peanuts, almonds, walnuts and pistachios) and polyunsaturates which can most commonly be found in fish and fish oils, can also be found canola oil, flax oil, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, and leafy green vegetables.
Some easy ways to introduce these fats into your vegetarian baby's diet include:
- mashed avocado sandwich spread
- pumpkin seed butter sandwich spread
- flax oil stirred into oatmeal (add after oatmeal has cooled for baby to eat)
- soybeans (edamame) as finger food
- almond butter sandwich spread
- ground almonds added to dishes
- olive oil drizzled on vegetables
Keep in mind that we should never restrict fat from our child's diet before the age of 2 - unless this has been specified by their doctor. Babies and children need these good fats to help them grow and develop and benefit greatly from their nutritive properties. It is always good to be able to differentiate, though, between good and bad fats. Pick the pumpkin seeds over the potato chips!
"Good" fats in the form of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are what we're looking for. Monounsaturated fats can be found readily in avocados, olive oil, nuts (including peanuts, almonds, walnuts and pistachios) and polyunsaturates which can most commonly be found in fish and fish oils, can also be found canola oil, flax oil, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, and leafy green vegetables.
Some easy ways to introduce these fats into your vegetarian baby's diet include:
- mashed avocado sandwich spread
- pumpkin seed butter sandwich spread
- flax oil stirred into oatmeal (add after oatmeal has cooled for baby to eat)
- soybeans (edamame) as finger food
- almond butter sandwich spread
- ground almonds added to dishes
- olive oil drizzled on vegetables
Keep in mind that we should never restrict fat from our child's diet before the age of 2 - unless this has been specified by their doctor. Babies and children need these good fats to help them grow and develop and benefit greatly from their nutritive properties. It is always good to be able to differentiate, though, between good and bad fats. Pick the pumpkin seeds over the potato chips!
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