Seventeen months ago my life changed. Along came this wonderful bundle of joy named Isabella. It has been a blessed journey of many challenges and rewards beyond what I could have ever imagined. Even as a tiny baby, children have a way of teaching us many things. They are really a true reflection of ourselves. They teach us to judge less and give more.
One invaluable lesson we can teach our children is: what is real food. The oh so awesome real food advocate, Jamie Oliver, has made May 19th food revolution day. You too can join the movement by teaching your children that their food should come from the earth, and not a box that contains a list of ingredients we can’t even find in a dictionary. Yes, this includes those little glowing orange little fish crackers.
Every decision we make as parents, and every bite they take, effects the way they feel and how they act. Next time your child in acting out, check out the ingredient list. Yellow #5, a food colour added to many children’s products, including KD and even children’s tooth paste, has been linked to hyperactivity. Not to mention high-fructose corn syrup, white sugar and wheat. Check out the real food recipes below (Isabella approved :))
Lesson # One – Be in the moment Whatever children do, whether it’s eating, playing, cuddling, laughing, or crying, they are intensly present in that moment. Nothing else seems to matter. It is really beautiful. And the best part is that they take you along with them, into the eternal presence.
Lesson #2 – Forgiveness Sometimes, as adults, we carry around with us this baggage of old resentment for years. Instead of saying what we feel and finding solutions, we carry it inside us. Children don’t do that. You ask them for forgiveness and they accept, give you a hug and move on. Amazing.
Lesson # 3 – Love unconditionally You see it in their eyes. They love with open hearts and no fear. When you love a child, they love you to the moon and back. A hundred times.
Wild Blueberry Pear Smoothie
1 cup wild blueberries
1 pear ( I prefer Bartlette)
2 cups water
Big handful kale
1 tsp vanilla
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I prefer Sunwarrior Vanilla Protein Powder)
How to make:
Combine all ingredients into a blender and buzz until smooth.
Makes 2 toddler sized portions.
Gluten-free Brown Rice Cranberry Cookies
1.5 cups brown rice flour
½ cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
2 bananas
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp almond butter
1 cup unsweetened cranberries
1 tsp baking powder (aluminium free)
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp sea salt
Pinch of nutmeg
How to make:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine flour, baking powder, coconut sugar, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a big bowl and mix well.
In a big bowl, mash bananas. Add coconut oil, almond butter, eggs, and mix on high speed until well blended. Mix in cranberries.
Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon. Line baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and scoop about a table spoon size of batter, 1 inch apart onto sheet. Press cookies flat and bake for 13 minutes.
Makes 25 cookies.
Oatmeal with Blueberries, Dates and Hemp
1 cup large flaked oatmeal
2 cups filtered water
1 tsp coconut oil
2 dried medjool dates, chopped
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
To serve:
Handful fresh blueberries
Handful hemp hearts
Milk of choice
How to make:
Add oats and water to a medium pot and let sit overnight. (If you’re not soaking oatmeal overnight, use a bit less water and increase simmer time to 30-35 minutes)
Bring to a boil and add coconut oil, pitted dates, cinnamon and sea salt. Simmer covered for 20-25 minutes.
Stir oatmeal so the dated fall apart. Serve with blueberries, hemp hearts, and milk of choice. I like vanilla almond milk.
Makes 2 servings.
In health,
Annaliisa
