Always Amazing...

I picked the first carrot of the year today whilst visiting family. Such a joy and something so simple to harvest your own vegetables!!

This is not just for a select few - even if you don't have much room in the garden or even no garden you can grow alfalfa sprouts, cress, herbs or salad leave in your kitchen - something that is great for children to be involved with. For them to know where their food comes from and how their food has arrived to their plate should be one of the most important factors in their education and not just from their school lessons...I am sure many would agree that education starts at home.

So lets start the fun! Details on how to grow alfalfa sprouts are under the March 2012 posts on this blog.

More Beetroot Loveliness...

Hello lovely people!

Check the recipe section for a delicious pasta sauce recipe made with Beetroots - lots of vegetables crammed in this sauce to compliment pasta which makes it perfect for children. Due the nature of Beetroot this sauce is very good for creating healthy blood unlike regular consumption of many acidic ingredients found in usual pasta suaces - tomato, vinegar, sugar etc.

Do let me know how your children respond :)

Fruit Kebabs

Delicious, attractive and healthy too!

Simply chop some fruit and slide onto kebab sticks - depending on their age your children can help with peeling bananas, and chopping soft fruit with a child safe knife. Check the recipe section of this blog for the recipe of the peanut butter toffee sauce - completely sugar free but sooo good!

Please note: Be sure to always supervise while your children eat fruit off the kebab sticks.

It's Trade Fair Week!

I am so looking forward to this week as I am off to the well known Eco trade fair this week in Barcelona, and will be able to have a good old nose at all the new products on the market...I will keep you posted of any exciting news/tips and recipes.

Lovely Colourful Beetroot

There some people who have been put off by Beetroot over the years after trying it with excessive amounts of vinegar in salads. This is a shame as it is probably one of the most versatile vegetables there are. I have added a Beetroot pate recipe in the recipe section of this blog for you to try - perfect way to introduce Beetroot to your children along with a few (lightly) salted corn chips. Great for parties and not just childrens parties!

So what is so good about Beetroot anyway?! It is thought due to its levels of potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6, C and along with antioxidant properties, it is great for improving stamina, assisting the muscles as well as helping the body to produce good quality blood. All essential for growing children.

There will be more beetroot recipes coming your way soon including a fabulous pasta sauce.

Mmmm!

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?!

Yum Yum Yum

Add some fun in the kitchen and get your children involved!

Why not melt a few spoons of carob spread with a little water and your children can dip strawberries or other fruit into the delicious sauce. Carob spread (naturally sweetened versions available) can be found in health food shops and is great if you find your children become hyper with regular chocolate, as unlike chocolate it does not contain any stimulants.

YUM!

Dips Dips Dips!

Vegetable sticks and dips!

Children are growing FAST and one of the things they need as well as fresh fruit and vegetables is a constant source of excellent quality protein. So why not combine the two and make some of the delicious pates (see recipe section on this blog) to go with some fresh vegetables cut into sticks?

For example carrot sticks and hummous or cucumber sticks and Tofu and walnut pate? All great for growing children.

More pates will be added shortly...

Get Them Growing!

One way to increase your children's interest in fruit and vegetables is to get them involved in the growing process. You can start of with something simple and easy such as such alfalfa sprouts. 


You can buy growing kits from health food shops, online and other stores or simply use an empty jam jar with some moist tissue sprinkled with some alfalfa seeds (these are available from gardens centres or health food shops). Water twice a day and you'll be amazed how quickly the sprouts grow. Your children will love seeing the progress each day and they can easily help with the watering.

Knowing that they helped with the growing process will increase the likelihood of them wanting to try the food

Alfalfa sprouts are known to contain all vitamins (even B12!) as well as calcium, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, sodium and zinc - perfect for growing children!


If your children still are apprehensive at first, then try introducing a few alfalfa sprouts into their sandwiches. If they are well recieved you can then experiment and add them to salads, or on soups as a garnish (see previous blog post) or even juicing some sprouts along with your children's favourite fruit.


Do let me know how you get on :)


PS/If you haven't done so already please read my disclaimer at the bottom of the welcome page. As with all raw fruit and vegetables there can be bacteria present so be sure to wash thoroughly before eating and only ever eat when very fresh.

Top Tip of the Day

Struggling to get your children to eat their nutritious veggie soup? Why not add a little bit of fun to it with some alfalfa sprouts and seeds in a shape of a smiley face. Guaranteed to put a smile on any ones face :)

Lovely

Such a beautiful day it is outside! Perfect lighting for the photographs that I am taking of the recipes. I currently have bunches of carrots, wooden chopping boards and bowls of hummous decorating the balcony - who knows what the neighbours think! They are looking good and I cant wait to share them with you all...

Alphabet Soup

Check out the recipe section in this blog for a delicious recipe by Montse Bradford. What a great way to learn the alphabet and enjoy lots of wonderful vegetables at the same time!

Recipes

Recipes and tips will be added shortly….watch this space!

Welcome!

As the saying goes...children are our future.

They are such bright, intelligent little beings starting out a new life, on this at times, a demanding and confusing planet. Therefore I believe excellent health is essential for all.

I started this blog for a place to share ideas, tips etc to help us to encourage children to eat fruit and vegetables. To do so in a fun way but also not forgetting to explain to children why fruit and vegetables are so important. They are a lot smarter and open to learning about health than we give them credit for sometimes.

If you have any tips or ideas that you wish to share please join in the fun…

Thank you for visiting and enjoy!

With love,

Emma Bradford

Disclaimer: This blog contains thoughts and opinions expressed by myself, other individuals along with links to other websites. Please use your own discernment related to all material and always seek advice from a health care professional.