Kids are naturals in the kitchen. Don't be afraid to involve them because, I guarantee, you will be amazed with what they are capable of when you entrust them with these very basic tasks. Getting your children involved in food acquisition, food preparation and/or cleaning up afterwards are critical skills that can help them develop greater independence and confidence. Having a say in what they eat can give kids a real sense of accomplishment and can ensure that they experience more complete nutrition and better health. When these activities are a normal part of a child's life, they are less likely to see eating as a chore and more of a natural and (if you're fun with it,) an enjoyable part of one's day. Here's a few ways to get kids involved.
There are so many ways in which we can each participate in meal preparation, find the one that works best for each individual kid. Much like us adults, each kid has different strengths and interests. Some are more into cooking, some are happy to be the one cleaning up after the chef and keeping the work space in order. Some are more interested in coming up with the meal and getting the goods needed to make it happen, some like to do it all. Find out what your kid really enjoys - is it food acquisition? Is your child into growing and tending to food or foraging for mushrooms and wild plants? Are they into meal planning and organizing the grocery lists? Is your child really interested in organizing the cooking area and keeping dishes clean? Are they more interested in the actual cooking? How does their age and skill level affect your determining where they can make the biggest impact? There's always a spot where your kid will thrive, your job is to help them find that and be flexible enough to know when to let them step into a different role as their interests and skills change. Here's a recipe the whole family can make:
Super Green Smoothie, Photo Ana Segota
Super Green Smoothie
The smoothie is really a super food playground; the combinations are endless. Smoothies that contain green leafy vegetables really are best prepared using a very sharp-bladed blender so that the plant's cell walls are properly broken down and the texture is smooth and uniform, especially if you're dealing with picky kids. A favourite of foodies is the VitaMix; it is an investment, but well worth it! The following smoothie uses baby spinach as the base. Baby spinach offers a more tender leaf and is lower in oxalic acid than mature spinach (read: better for inflammatory conditions and for the thyroid.) Spinach contains high amounts of iron, the bio-availability of which is increased with Vitamin C; Strawberries provide that Vitamin C. Spinach is also a good source of fat-soluble vitamins A, K and E, we use coconut oil or flax oil to help facilitate the absorption of these nutrients. Any greens powder would be a lovely addition. A favourite is Spirulina which is freshwater, blue-green algae that is densely packed with easily-absorbed protein. It contains a full spectrum of amino acids that absorb rapidly into our bloodstream. Spirulina is about 60 percent protein in its natural form, so it contains more protein ounce-for-ounce than meat. It is also a source of fatty acids, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Maca is known for it's ability to support hormonal health. You can vary the amount of bananas and dates depending on how sweet you like it. Bananas are of course, rich in potassium, but also Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Manganese and contain a good amount of fibre. Dates are a concentrated source of iron and also contain B-vitamins, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
**WHOLE BODY HEALTH NOTE:
While smoothies can help ease digestion because the blender pre-masticates all the food for us, it's important to remember the use it or lose it principle of the human body. If we don't regularly chew our food, our jaw may become weaker from lack of use and our whole musculo-skeletal health may be compromised. Plus, the moving of our jaws tells our stomach to start releasing the ol' HCl, which helps break down our food and make digestion even more efficient. What I'm trying to say is chew your smoothie, at least make the action, even though the blender's already chewed it up for you. ;)
4 cups/227 grams tightly packed baby spinach,
2-3 large bananas
3-5 Medjool dates
5 strawberries
1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil or flax seed oil
3 1/4 cups water
Superfoods (optional – wheat grass or barley green powder, spirulina, maca, chia seeds, coconut, dried berries)
Mix all the above ingredients in a sharp-bladed blender and enjoy! Remaining smoothie can be refrigerated and consumed within the day. Makes about 4 servings.