Exchange Sugary Desserts For This & Notice What Changes...

Here is November's archive file! 

Mmm comfort food that is healthy, delicious and can even help to relax your little ones with no refined sugar rush...

Homemade Compote With Granola

Gluten, Egg & Lactose Free Pancakes With This One Simple Ingredient...

Here we are with another Archive Gem from this blog for you and your family to try! And whats even better this one is GLUTEN FREE, EGG FREE, & LACTOSE FREE for those little ones with allergies as well as everyone else who wishes to enjoy some delicious, healthy pancakes!

Perfect for relaxed, family weekend breakfast or a dessert. Children will love to create their own toppings. Anything from fresh fruit, rice syrup, lemon and cinnamon, banana and melted carob, cashew cream and  strawberries...or perhaps some savoury avocado and salmon or scrambled tofu with sweetcorn.

100% Wholegrain & 100% Delicious 

What toppings will you and your family choose?

Fruity Pancake Recipe

Supermarket Power

How do you decide which to buy when selecting fruit and vegetables for your family? 

Do you go by look? Size? Value for money?...

I posted a while ago a picture of weird but wonderful carrots found in the garden (see below)...this video shows a French supermarket that takes it to a whole new level. Brilliant stuff and yes I agree this would be wonderful if brought to all supermarkets worldwide to reduce food waste.

Whilst its important we don't buy mouldy, rotten foods for our kids, some would say we have been conditioned too much in our society to only select those carrots that are completely straight or the perfect round apple with no lumps. 

Quite often these odd looking vegetables can be a huge source of entertainment for children, which in turn helps them to enjoy more fruit and vegetables. 

What do you think?

Top Tips

Top tips on helping children to try a new food… 
 

1) Stay calm and relaxed: Children can be very sensitive to what is going on around them and they will sense when there is pressure and tension around them about eating fruits and vegetables. Trying something new can be daunting and scary; in a relaxed atmosphere this can be easier.

2) Introduce new foods gently & consistently: Avoid pressuring, bribing, demanding…instead introduce a new vegetable in small amounts repeatedly with their favourite meals until they are willing to try it.

3) Make food appealing and fun: How can you present it in a fun, interesting way for your children? Pay attention to colour, cutting styles, flavour and texture.

4) Get them involved: Getting children involved with the prep work will make them more interested in eating it. They can help mix, cut (with a child safe knife), wash, peel fruits and vegetables.

5) Cut down on junk food snacks and fizzy drinks, especially in between meals: Not only is this harmful to children’s health, it can also affect their appetite for main meals.

6) Be Flexible and think outside the box: Just because your child doesn’t like carrots sliced and boiled doesn’t mean they won’t like grated carrot in a salad or carrot soup. Be inventive, creative and persevere.

Share your successes here...do you have any top tips that have worked for you and your family?

Homemade Lemonade!

Due to a Lemonade flash mob with Good Vibrations Barcelona I found myself in the kitchen full of lemons, lemon juice, lemon zest making up batches of homemade lemonade mmmm!

 

Very easy to make and wonderfully refreshing drink for the summer, especially for picnics, BBQ's and children's parties. Simply take a 1.5l bottle of water and empty the water into a saucepan or container to use later on. Add the juice of 5-6 lemons and the zest of half a lemon, water and agave syrup to taste (roughly 1/2 a cup), place the lid on the bottle and shake well. Before serving, use a strainer to remove the lemon zest. Can be enjoyed as it is, chilled or with some added mint leaves for an added extra.

 

Enjoy and do let me know how your kids respond to this recipe, especially in comparison to Lemonade with sugar. Notice what is different with their behaviour...

(For more health details on sugar see the post on this blog´A spoonful of sugar...´)

Hot Hot Hot!

How is everyones summer starting off so far? Enjoying the sunshine and all that summer has to offer?

So what is summer all about for you and your family? More outdoor time, camping, walks, swimming, reducing the amount of TV or simply having the opportunity to have some quality family time a after a busy year working or at school?

Whatever summer may represent for you and your family, it can also be a time to enjoy the fresh seasonal produce that is now available. Sugar snap peas, golden corn on the cob, fresh beetroot, green runner beans, crisp radishes and not forgetting sweet, juicy strawberries. Summer is a great time to incorporate a few smoothies, juices, salads and fruit to balance the warmth that the sunshine brings.

When children arrive home after a long day at school, feeling hot and bothered and often irritable as they are hungry, a small juice or smoothie can be great whilst dinner is being prepared. This needn't be a XL super sized juice as obviously that will affect their appetite. However a small juice can keep them going until dinner, helping them to cool down after a hot day.

Juice and smoothie recipe ideas to follow...

Good Vibrations Barcelona

If you haven't done so already check out the previous posts with the Hug Game Explained video. Great fun! For more fun, positive ideas, videos, news and activities have a look on the Good Vibrations Barcelona page on facebook...

Good Vibrations Barcelona - Facebook

Peter Sharp has organised some wonderful events to spread happiness and love socially, experimenting with new ideas, concepts, seeing what really makes humans tick, and the noticing how even though we can be complex individuals, deep down many are are seeking a similar and very simple thing...to feel happy, loved and accepted.

Whilst food plays a very important role in children's health, thoughts, emotions, lifestyle etc also play huge part. All areas need to be acknowledged and balanced in order for them to be able to grow up feeling happy, confident and healthy.

Try the Hug Game today and notice what difference it makes to your children's attitude and behaviour.

What changes?

How do they respond differently towards you and others after the game?

Feedback is always welcomed, do leave your comments on this blog and let us know how your family respond!

Hug Game

Ok so this is not really to do with fruit and vegetables however it fits in nicely with the bigger picture behind this blog, helping children to become the healthy and happy individuals they came here to be.

Spreading positivity and joy is always something of immense value, especially nowadays where there can be so much fear present. Children are no exception as many grow up surrounded by fear, lacking love and affection, and as adults, I believe it is our duty to encourage them to look for the positive things in life,  and experience the joy of connectingng with others in a positive way and this game works perfectly in doing so.

The idea is based on the famous rock, paper scissors game, however using hugs instead. Great video, great concept and works well for all ages. Below is a link for the video demonstration of the Hug Game by Peter Sharp and Matthew Watson Jones from Good Vibrations Barcelona (more information to follow).

Hug Game Explained by Good Vibrations Barcelona

Have a try with the family, notice how your children respond and most of all enjoy the positivity and feelings of love and connection that this game brings.

Happy hugging!

Great Offer!!!

Do you want to learn delicious, healthy recipes for you and your family?

Do you want to improve your family´s helath and vitality as well as your own?

I would like to invite you to a very special Natural Nutrition Course in English at the heart of Barcelona. Learn to cook tasty and healthy meals for you and your family as well as begin to learn the comprehensive study of the energetics of food and how we can use it to our advantage to create vitality and great health.

This course will include...

The 7 levels of Cooking

Our body’s needs. Why, what, how and how much

The modern way of eating and its effects

The move towards a healthier way of eating

Transitional steps. Changing for the better

Quick cooking for busy people

The inner journey of digestion – achieving its maximum potential

Creating good quality blood

Activating our body’s natural ability to detoxify

Breakfast – start a day with harmony and vitality

Introduction to the Energetics of our daily foods

Simple menu planning for daily use -theory & practise

Mastering the art of daily balance

Cooking for individual energetic needs

Learn about our Constitution

Self-diagnosis and its practical application in daily cooking

The wheel of life: our needs at different stages of life

Reclaiming our natural weight – general guidelines to achieve it

Seasonal cooking – how to achieve balance in each season

This course (In English) is an exclusive for 2013 at La Escuela de Montse Bradford, spaces are limited so book now!

For more information and bookings please email recepcion@montsebradford.es


Begin this summer with increased energy, health and wellbeing!

There Is No Failure - Only Feedback

Tip #2: Congratulate yourself for persevering and learning something new from every situation. If you don't receive the results that you were hoping for, try something else.

Children are great examples of this, they will try all sorts of methods to influence you to buy that new toy or chocolate bar!

...asking politely, demanding it, having a tantrum, saying that their friends have it etc...

Flexibility and creativity are key

Be Flexible: Try a different method and see what happens, if they didn't like carrots cut into stick shapes, try them cut in flower shapes (see vegetable shapes post)

Be Creative: You know your children better than anyone so use that to your advantage, be creative in presenting vegetables in a way that will be appealing for them.

"If you always do what you've done, you'll always get what you've got"

Henry Ford

NLP - What is it and how can it help?

What is NLP?

NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming, and I often describe NLP by saying that it is a tool...a tool to understand any unhelpful patterns we may be creating unconsciously in our lives, and to enhance or alter our patterns of thought, behaviour and emotion so to become the best version of ourselves.

So what does NLP have to do with Fruit and Vegetables?

I wanted to share some NLP skills on this blog that can help improve situations with getting children to eat fruit and vegetables - NLP can be used in any situation, for anyone - not just in coaching sessions!

Not only will you be equipped with great recipes and food ideas, you will also know how to positively influence your children through the use of body language and words!

So here is the first tip...

Tip #1: Building Rapport

You cannot lead and positively influence your child if you do not have rapport with them. Rapport is a sense of trust, a common ground, a connection which can be increased by a few simple steps.

First, a few things to take into consideration when building rapport are…

Be genuine – If you’re not genuine they will pick up on it

Be curious – Ask them questions, find out who they really are and how their brain works

Step into their shoes - Aim to see the world from their point of view

Body Language - adopt an open posture, subtly matching and mirroring your child's body language.

This means if you want to talk to them about the importance of vegetables, get down to their level physically so you can communicate at eye level to gain better results. You will come accross as more welcoming, friendly and less threatening.

Notice how differently your child will react if you stand over them with your arms crossed compared to talking to them at eye level with a friendly expression and posture.

Voice And Language - adopt a friendly way of speaking, subtly matching and mirroring your child's voice and language.

This means if you want to talk to them about the importance of vegetables, use language that they understand and also deliver it in a way that they understand.

Notice how differently your child will react if you shout and demand that they eat their vegetables compared to using a similar pace, tone and words to what they use?

PACE: Start by aiming to see the world from their point of view

RAPPORT: Build rapport between you

LEAD: Now you have the opportunity to positively influence them

One more thing to mention is your state. You cannot positively influence your children if you are in a negative state, and by state I mean feeling unhappy, sad, angry or irritable.

93% of communication is non-verbal!

Notice how differently the each of following two examples play out...

a) Parent is feeling angry and irritable, because of this they may stand over their child and demand that they eat their vegetables, they may have also adopted a crossed arms posture or tapping their foot, a harsh tone of voice and stern words...how willing do you think the child is to cooperate in this situation?

b) Parent is feeling optimistic and motivated, because of this they may to get down to the child's eye level and explain why eating their vegetables are important, they also may choose to use words that the child understands, a friendly expression and acknowledge the child's feelings...how willing do you think the child is to cooperate in this situation?

Your thoughts→  Your behaviour/physiology→ Communicated to other

Whatever you think will be communicated to others on some level. By thinking positive thoughts you will start to feel more positive. By feeling more positive you will start to behave in a positive way through your choice of words and body language, therefore gaining a more positive reception from others.

Try it and see what happens!

A Different Approach

As you may already know, one of my other passions is NLP. During the week I coach people to realise their goals, help to remove limiting beliefs so they can begin achieving the life they have always dreamt of.

So how does this fit in with My Fruit And Vegetable Friends?

Over the month of April I will be posting tips and ideas on how to improve children's diets through the use of language, NLP skills and other valuable tips that I have picked up along the way.

So watch this space!

Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Jamie Oliver! He has been such a great inspiration to many people around the world, campaigning for better education about food and improving school meals around the world.

Another great Ted Talk, well worth watching!

However you needn't be a public figure to make a difference, this change is down to everyone. We can all help, we can all make a difference no matter how big or small. Even a small change such as changing that chocolate bar in your children's packed lunches a few days a week for some dried fruit or fresh fruit slices will start to get the ball rolling...

Notice how great it will be to see children grow up to be strong, healthy and happy!

Ida Frosk

Some of you may already be aware of the talented, quirky food artist from Norway - Ida Frosk. If you haven't checked out her stuff you can do so through this link Ida Frosk.

I first came across her work through Instagram and absolutely love it! Goes to show that food doesn't need to be dull and boring, it can be fun, inspiring and creative!

Perfect for getting children involved with fruits and vegetables...

Video: The Real Bears

Fizzy Drinks: Great video for both kids and parents

Mmm Pancakes!

Pancake day on Tuesday!
Here are a few healthy and delicious ideas to try...pancakes are so versitle and a great way to get children involved with fruit and vegetables.

Savoury Pancake Fillings:

• Stir fried vegetables
• Stir fried vegetables with walnuts
• Stir fried vegetables with prawns
• Stir fried vegetables with braised tofu
• Scrambled tofu and sweetcorn
• Scrambled tofu, leeks and smoked salmon
• Pan fried asparagus and bechamel sauce (see earlier posts for cauliflower bechamel recipe)
• etc...

Sweet Pancake Fillings:

• Rice syrup and lemon juice (just like the traditional sugar and lemon but a healthier version without bringing hyperactivity to your kids!)
• Rice syrup, lemon juice and cinnamon
• Apple compote and caramelised nuts
• Rice Syrup and caramelised nuts
• Strawberries and rice syrup
• Mixed berries and rice syrup
• Banana and carob sauce (Carobella spread found in health food shops works great as a chocolate alternative without sugar and caffiene)
• Banana and caramelised nuts
• Pan fried banana and cinnamon
• Pan fried sliced apples, cinnamon and raisins
• etc...

The lists are endless...

Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

So how was Christmas? And New Years Eve?

I hope you all had a wonderful festive break and just to help you all ease into 2013 with a bit of fun I will be posting new recipes very shortly.

Whether you have a New Years resolution to try something new, eat more healthily, encourage your children to eat more vegetables, have fun in the kitchen etc there will be something for you on this blog so watch this space!

Do get in contact if you have any food related questions or want recipe ideas for a particular vegetable...and I will post answers on this blog.

So Happy New Year, welcome to 2013 and lets make it a good one!

Comfort Food

Ok so the blackberries may have disappeared by now but any fruit will do for homemade compotes. Apple and banana work really well together, making a delicious and comforting dessert - especially with the homemade granola and custard!

The trick is to use eating apples instead of cooking apples, which means you don't need to add any sugar (thus removing the hyperactive behaviour afterwards!) Bananas too add a wonderful sweetness and a tiny pinch of sea salt will bring out more of the natural sweetness of fruit.

Simply peel and chop the fruit (children can help with this with supervision), and season with some orange zest, little rice syrup, (tiny pinch of seas salt as previously mentioned) and a little Kuzu or Maize flour as a thickener and cook until soft. Perfect!

For the homemade granola, mix a packet of sugar free muesli with some rice syrup with a little olive oil and orange zest and bake until lovely and golden. Perfect on top of compotes and porridge etc.

This dessert is wonderful for the little ones around an hour or two before bedtime, as the natural sweetness will have relaxing effect on them by the time they need to go to bed.

Second Spring

I read a beautiful quote the other day which I thought was worth sharing...

Autumn... a second spring when every leaf is a flower - Albert Camus

So with the leaves beginning to change, the landscapes filled with hues of red, orange, yellow and gold its the perfect time of year to sample some of natures delights. Over this month I'll be focusing on a few of those delights, one of which is the humble pumpkin.

Pumpkin and squash are much over looked, often only used at Halloween as lanterns but they are one of the most versatile and delicious vegetables there are. Not to mention a great source of natural sweetness, something that tends to be lacking in modern day diets, often leading to cravings of the sugary stuff!

So lets wrap up warm, enjoy the second spring of colour around us and delight our senses with the delicious recipes to come. Your children will love them for sure!

New Recipe Posted

Check out the recipe page for details how to make a delicious avocado pate - great with vegetable sticks as well as the usual corn chips. Also delicious with pan fried vegetables such as asparagus, as a salad dressing or even to accompany fish - something for everyone!

Avocados are well known to be very rich in monounsaturated fats which is believed to help lower cholesterol and keep the heart healthy. Therefore they are a great, healthy fat and oil source, without the accumulating and blocking effect that saturated animal foods can have on the body.

Good stuff eh?!