This is a nutritious, fun and easy to prepare snack or desert for kids. It makes a fantastic breakfast too!
Kids can be picky eaters. Setting them up for success with good nutrition is key to maintaining good health. Including a variety of foods, like yogurt, fruits, veggies, and nuts in their daily routine lays a great foundation in good nutrition choices.
Adding nuts (for those who are not allergic) is a great way to boost nutrition. There are so many different kinds of nuts to choose from. The most popular nut used, peanut, isn’t even a nut but is actually the seed of a legume. But there is a huge variety of nuts and seeds that are seldom included in the standard American diet for kids that are great options.
A few of the nut and seed varieties to try out with your kids are:
Cashews
Almonds
Walnuts
Pecans
Macadamia
Coconut
Hazelnuts / Filberts
Hickory Nuts
Hemp Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Pine Nuts
A fun way to get nuts like walnuts in your kids diet is putting them into special treats like a sundae. If you grind the nuts, they hardly know the nut is there. Walnuts have a stronger taste and most kids don’t usually choose to eat them on their own. If I leave out a big bowl of nuts of different varieties, my kids would eat all the cashews! Next they might finish of the peanuts. Then the rest of the nuts would sit there until Dad and I ate them. So to get more variety of nuts into their diet, a sneaky banana nut sundae piled high with lots of yummy ingredients is a win win!
Walnuts are great for brain food. They also help to purge parasites from the body. They contain essential fatty acids that are needed by the body
Banana Nut Sundae
Set out your ingredients out on a table or counter and let the kids fix their own sundaes.
Yogurt
Banana
Nuts
Optional: Syrup, berries, chocolate chips, chocolate covered nuts, ground nuts, whole nuts in the shell that they must remove before using, nut butter, ice cream, angle food cake, cookies, pumpkin cake, etc.
We used vanilla yogurt, ground and halved walnuts, bananas, chocolate covered peanuts, and chocolate syrup. I also set out some grapes and nut butter covered pretzel crackers in case they wanted to experiment with some other ingredients.
Desert:
We have made similar treats for desert too. This is a fun and delicious way to eat nuts and eat healthy!
Similar ingredients with pecans and whip cream.
Substitute angel food cake for the yogurt.
Serve as a fancy desert for company.
We also made homemade nut butter with a mixed nuts. We ground some smooth and some chunky and mixed it together for a delicious spread for our pretzel crackers.
You can add mini chocolate chips and these will taste like Reese Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Treats! Even Daddy likes these treats!
Powdered produce is basically fruits, berries, ancient grains, and veggies that have been juiced and dried and ground to a powder. Powdered produce has made a difference in my life. Since we started adding them into our diet, our immune system has gotten stronger and I have saved money.
Fresh fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water and they spoil quickly after harvest. Many are as much as 85% to 95% water. Water activates enzymes that help digest the fruits and veggies and also cause the food to spoil quickly soon after harvest. If you remove the water, you preserve the nutrients and deactivate the enzymes. The enzymes are reactivated again once the dried produce is re-hydrated. It is a lot cheaper to buy produce that has been dried vs fresh, because once the water is removed, it takes up very little space, and has a long shelf life maintaining all its phyto-nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Having the raw nutrient dense produce in powdered form makes it easy to add them to your regular diet and boost your needed fruits and veggies that we all try so hard to get in every day. I am saving money because I don’t have to throw anything away, it doesn’t spoil.
With the addition of powdered produce to our diet, I can add a lot of additional fruits and veggies for pennies a day. For example, by taking two berry + two veggie + two fruit capsules, I am eating the equivalent of over 30+ plants. If I bought all those foods fresh at the store, it might cost me over $100 for the week to buy them fresh, and I might have some that spoils.
By adding all these amazing healthy powdered foods to my diet, I can save a huge amount of money over buying all of them fresh. For example if I just want fruits and veggies powders it will cost me about $10 a week, or I can also add in the berry powders too for another $6 a week. That is over 30 fruits, veggies, and berries a day for about $2.30 a day or about $16 a week. That is a huge savings! I buy only the fresh fruits and veggies we need now in season, and then add in these wonderful powders and I am money ahead.
This is all natural food. Each plant’s produce is fresh picked at the peak of ripeness. Here are some videos to tell you more about the farms that grow these amazing foods and how this process is done.
It is harvested from organic and all natural farms, then right after harvest is juiced and dried at a low temperature to preserve all the nutrients and packaged for convenience.
Powdered produce has made a difference in my life! My family and I have been using the powdered produce from Juice Plus+ for a whole year now.
The convenience and savings of eating this way is amazing. It is really easy to take the capsules or the chewables, and some days I substitute an entire meal with the powdered shake mix for smoothies too.
The complete food shake mix is so easy to use. I make all kinds of delicious shakes and smoothies for my family. It is made with pure whole foods without any preservatives, fillers, or artificial ingredients. It comes in two flavors: French Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate.
I always feel like I am eating a delicious desert like a DQ blizzard or a Wendy’s frosty when I eat them because they taste like ice cream. But with the Complete shake powder, I am avoiding all of the artificial ingredients those restaurants put into their products. And it is so easy to make. Just use 1 scoop (or a 1/2 scoop if you want less) of powder to one cup of any liquid of your choice and blend. It comes out creamy and smooth.
You can get fancy if you wish and add in more fruits and veggies or ice cubes or even coffee and top with whip cream for all kinds of tasty treats for about $1.85 per serving. That is a complete meal with all the macro nutrients and micro nutrients of 20+ plant foods that feed your body for less than a cup of coffee. You just can’t buy good food at these kinds of prices anywhere and you will be able to do it yourself and it will taste better and nourish your body at the same time.
The biggest change we have seen in our life so far, in addition to savings in our food budget, is our health and wellness budget. We have been healthy for an entire year, without even 1 day of sickness since we started. No sickness for 8 people living together in our home. That is amazing! This produce is boosting our immune system.
Also my husband used to get a gout flare up every few months before adding this to our diet. We are so grateful that he has not had even one episode of gout (a form of arthritis) in a whole year. Without a doubt it has reduced the inflammation in his body that was causing it, and he has been pain free.
Also Kids can be enrolled in the Children’s Health Study and get chewables or capsules for free when their parent or grandparent places an order.
The study sends out a quick survey once every four months with a few questions to inquire what improvements you have seen from using the products.
After many years of learning about nutrition, and previously owning a healthy foods store too, I wish I had known then what I know now about this wonderful product. You can’t get it in local stores. It is only sold person to person and online. That way the costs are kept as low as possible. I believe in it so much that I opened my own business to sell it so all of my friends and family can have access to these wonderful food products. It is a not a vitamin or supplement. This is simple pure food.
This is real whole food and has a food label, because it is FOOD!
Juice Plus is concentrated pure food nutrition from the purest fruits, vegetables, berries and ancient grains grown on family farms. It is gmo free, and gluten free too.
There are a lot of great doctors who are getting behind these true food products because they know their patients are getting healthier and recovering faster and seeing lasting changes and improved bio markers and labs. If you want to get your doctor to join you on this journey, a great way is to have your blood drawn and then four or five months later after using these great foods daily, have your blood drawn again. Most doctors see huge improvements in their patient’s lab work. Here are some videos where doctors share what they have seen using Juice Plus powdered produce in their medical practice and at home.
Powdered produce is a great cost saving way to add more nutrition with real whole foods into your family’s diet and save money at the grocery store and the doctor’s office too. The powdered produce comes in capsules, chewables (free for kids), shake & smoothie powders, and food bars.
Real and delicious wholefood food grown on family farms. Juiced, powdered, and packaged by Juice Plus+
I offer these food products in my online store to share it with friends and family and anyone who would like to add this to their daily routine to improve their health with powdered produce. I am glad to host healthy living workshops and talk one on one to share more information with you about using these wonderful foods too. Let me know if you would like more information.
Be blessed!
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and I do not give medical advice. I am sharing about my experience using this whole food product and how it has impacted me and my family. Please consult your medical practitioner before making changes in your lifestyle to create a plan that is right for your particular situation.
I am trying to stay healthy and I set a goal to drink one half of my estimated pounds I weight in ounces. This sounds easy, but for some reason, I have a hard time getting it all in. It is about the equivalent of 3 quart jars of water. For example, a 200 lb person would try to drink 100 ml of water per day. Water is necessary for all functions of the body.
You can add flavor and healthy nutrients to your daily water intake by adding fresh fruit, herbs (tea), pink sea salt, extracts or a drop of a food safe essential oil. For a delicious treat, I like to add one drop of lemon essential oil to an 8 ounce glass of water for flavor and health benefits.
I’m very excited to learn some new recipes, meet new friends, and getting healthy one simple change at a time. I have been getting my smoothie recipes lined up, and planning some healthy simple tweaks to my life.
A few of the goals I have during the challenge and I will add more as I go on this journey:
Drink more water and add lemon essential oil to each glass.
Drink a complete whole food smoothie once a day.
Eat a salad once a day.
Take my fruit, veggie, and berry capsules once a day.
Take my superfood supplements once a day.
Use essential oils everyday to help detox, cooking, detox my body, cleaning, etc.
Menu Plan each week to help me stay on track to reach my goals.
Our chickens have been on egg production overdrive this summer. I am not complaining though. We have enjoyed having an abundance of eggs because they were on strike all winter and I would have given anything for some fresh eggs then. So I will take it while it’s available and not complain!
There are many ways of preserving eggs to keep them into the winter such as freezing out of the shell, boil them and pickle them in a sweet pickle or even beet juice, or storing whole eggs in buckets of sand in a cellar, and you can also crack them and dehydrate them to use in baking or smoothies later. I have tried freezing them in the past and may put up some this way before winter arrives again.
I may put some eggs under a hen too and try to get her to hatch out some babies too. It takes 5 to 7 months for a chicken to start laying eggs, so it is a long waiting process when you get started. Then they usually lay 1 egg a day for a few months. Then many stop laying for at least a month and up to three months in the winter depending on temperatures and the amount of daylight. They also use this rest time to shed their feathers and grow new feathers each year. Usually by their second or third year, the hens don’t lay every day, but maybe evey second or third day. Most people butcher the hens for soup by their second season when they are less productive.
With farm fresh eggs, it is best to store them unwashed but wash them just before using. This way they keep fresh longer. In the photo above you can see how the eggs look right out of the nest, some are very clean and some have a little dirt on them. This won’t hurt the egg because they naturally have a protective barrior on the outside of the shell that protects them. But once you wash them, you also wash away the protective barrier too.
Another wonderful thing about farm fresh eggs is that if there is a rooster around, your eggs will be fertile. The yolks are also more yellow orange colored than store bought eggs and this is due to all the grass and insects the chickens eat all day and it creates an omega 3 richer egg.
I am thankful my kids love eggs and their favorite way to eat them is in Egg Burritos. This is one of the fastest main dishes I make for my large family. It cooks up in just a few minutes and is ready to serve.
Kid Approved Egg Burritos
Eggs (2 per person)
Butter for cooking
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Tortilla (any soft kind will do, there are many options for different diet needs)
Add In Options: cheese of your choice, sauted veggies, meat, salsa, guacamole, rice, leftovers, etc.
Place a tablespoon or so of butter in a nonstick pan and add your eggs. Scramble and continue to stir as they cook until desired doneness.
Fill tortilla shells. I find it very handy to place them in a cake pan while I am filling them as it helps hold up the sides of the burrito for me to fill. Add cheese and even salsa if you wish and serve. You can make these ahead, then cover and set in a warm oven until ready to eat. They are also great frozen and reheated when needed.
Eggs are such a great source of complete protein and easy to digest for most people. They are delicious served anytime of day or night. Eggs are very satisfying and help you feel full while nourishing your body.
Do you like root vegetables? I sure do. One of the easiest way to make them is to roast them in the oven. This method keeps all the flavor and nutrients in the vegetable instead of in your water or broth. It also carmelizes the sugars in the vegetables and they taste really mild and sweet.
I enjoy eating several roasted root vegetables all together and taste the seperate flavor of each one.
CHOOSE YOUR ROOTS
You can use any roots that you like. Some root vegetables have amazing health benefits and all are full of minerals and vitamins. Here are some ideas:
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Radishes
Red Onion (or white or yellow)
Parsnips
Beets
Radishes
Potatoes
Carrots
Leeks
Etc.
Peel and chop your veggies to the desired size for cooking. The smaller sizes will cook more quickly than the larger sizes because roots are very dense. I like to leave my beets slightly larger than everything else because honestly I want the nutrition of part raw part cooked beets and this is the best way I have found to achieve that. Bake in an oiled pan at 300 degrees until done, about 45 minutes or so.
Everything got nice and soft except for the center of the beets and that is what I want. However, you can get the beets very soft by keeping all your veggies the same size and baking for the same length of time. Again, if you leave some big and some small, the small ones will get soft all the way through but the larger ones will take longer to achieve if that is your desired result. Check on them often to be sure they are not burning and also to rotate them in the pan if needed.
When they are done, they have the most amazing flavors. You can use them many ways now like blend them into purees for soups or smoothies, pancakes and quickbreads, and also use them in roasted root sides and salads. YUM!!!
Here are some things to think about regarding healthy and unhealthy foods for you and your family. Check out the link for more information. Be wise and be blessed!
This infographic “9 Unhealthy Foods to Avoid” uncovers shocking facts about unhealthy foods found in your local grocery stores, and why you should absolutely keep away from them. Use the embed code to share it on your website.
<img src="http://media.mercola.com/assets/images/infographic/9-unhealthy-foods.jpg" alt="9 Unhealthy Foods to Avoid" border="0" style="max-width:100%; min-width:300px; margin: 0 auto 20px auto; display:block;"><p style="max-width:800px; min-width:300px; margin:0 auto; text-align:center;">This infographic "<a href="http://www.mercola.com/infographics/unhealthy-foods.htm">9 Unhealthy Foods to Avoid</a>"" uncovers shocking facts about unhealthy foods found in your local grocery stores, and why you should absolutely keep away from them. Use the embed code to share it on your website.</p>
Do you ever wonder why some foods are allowed in our country, but have been banned in other countries? Is there more we need to know to make informed decisions about what we eat and what we feed our families?
Check out this info graph about 10 foods that are allowed here, but banned in other countries. There is so much more to know, and you can read about it at the link posted. Be wise and be blessed!
Are you eating food that’s already banned in other countries but is still allowed to poison and kill Americans? Learn these pernicious ingredients and common foods through this infographic. Use the embed code to share it on your website.
<img src="http://media.mercola.com/assets/images/infographic/superfoods.jpg" alt="10 Banned Foods to Avoid" border="0" style="max-width:100%; min-width:300px; margin: 0 auto 20px auto; display:block;"><p style="max-width:800px; min-width:300px; margin:0 auto; text-align:center;">Are you eating <a href="http://www.mercola.com/infographics/10-banned-foods.htm"><strong>food that's already banned </strong></a> in other countries but is still allowed to poison and kill Americans? Learn these pernicious ingredients and common foods through this infographic. Use the embed code to share it on your website. </p>
This dish smells amazing! It is fast, simple, and nutritious! I am putting one foot in front of the other as I make wise choices to eat healthy. Healthy doesn’t have to mean you spend hours in the kitchen. Healthy meals can come together fast and easy.
Talk about fast, this meal comes together in 5 minutes by premaking some ingredients once a week and storing them in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to use them. I make a big batch of several healthy foods like quinoa use them for several dishes throughout the week.
I use my premade quinoa, and fresh salsa from the fridge to make this quick lunch. But if you don’t have those on hand, allow yourself an extra 15 minutes or so to cook your quinoa (dry quinoa and water and heat for 15 minutes), and to chop your fresh salsa veggies.
Black Bean Quinoa Pilaf
1 can Black Beans, drained
1/2 to 1 cup fresh salsa
1 cup pre-cooked quinoa, (or use 1/2 cup dry quinoa plus 1 cup water )
1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
1/4 tsp cumin (optional)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Heat everything in a sauce pan over medium heat about 5 minutes if using premade quinoa. You will need to cook for 15 minutes with a lid on if using dry uncooked quinoa and add the extra water. Don’t cook too long or you might over cook your quinoa. If you like your beans softer, heat them on the stove first until they become the texture you like. Then add your quinoa after that.
Use this dish as the main meal, or as a side dish. For the main meal, you can serve it with a side salad and fresh cucumbers, or use it as a filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, stuff it into peppers or potatoes or zucchini or serve it like a taco salad, or blend it smooth into a dip and serve with veggies or tortilla chips for dipping. You can also put this in the blender and cream it with water, broth, or milk of your choice to make a smooth protein packed soup and serve with tortilla chips or warm bread.
My personal preference is to make my quinoa ahead and add it with raw salsa both right at the end so this dish stays nice and fresh tasting. I keep a double batch of quinoa so I have this ready to go in my fridge and another batch in my freezer to use for super quick nutritious meals. It’s all good!!!
