Time to read: 5 minutes. You need to get nutritious foods into your child’s body — not to be educated on their benefits.  Preferably without the crying, begging or attempts to con your child.  Fail, fail, fail.  Today I’m revealing a three step process to do-away-with your veggie-refusin’ picky eater — forever.  Don’t give up yet.  Read on and join the many parents who’ve overcome picky eating to create happier, healthier kids!

First, please don’t think that you’ve heard all there is to hear — and tried everything there is to try — only to fail.   Yes, your child will give it a try.  Follow me.  Success will not happen overnight but it will happen if you are consistent yourself — and patient with your child.

Action step #1:  Make a smooth move

Got an infant?  Steam some green (this is critical) veggies for 4-5 minutes and put them in the food processor for 1 minute.  Done.  Let cool and serve or freeze for later.  Do you have minutes to make a healthy meal PACKED with nutrients?  Yes, you do, hot mama.   Plan your day otherwise the day will plan you.

Got a full-blown, militantly anti-veggie child?  Or maybe the only thing they’ll eat is “foods with colors that are a variation on beige” as my husband’s friend once said about his son.  No problem.  Make your child a healthy drink.

As an example:  A green smoothie.  How to create a green smoothie?  More importantly one that your child will honestly crave?  Here we go…

Use pure water, or coconut water, as a liquid base in the blender.  Use the fruit that your child loves.  Take your pick.  Toss in a few dark green leafy vegetables (they must be dark green, please) and a little honey to make it more sweet if needed.  Honey is an insanely-nutritious, beneficial, natural form of sugar.  Don’t go overboard but get that honey going.

The Golden Rule for picky eater success:  Start with 80% fruits and 20% greens in the beginning and, over time, slowly decrease the fruit and honey and increase the greens to maximize health benefits.

Here is a sample recipe you can start with.  Again, use your child’s favorite fruits.  Mine are just examples.

Killer green smoothie

1 cup coconut water (coconut water is full with electrolytes and is great way for re-hydration)

1 mango

1 banana

1/2 cup strawberries

1/2 cup organic spinach 1/2 cup ice

Blend in the blender and and serve.  This way your child receives a mega-dose of vital nutrients that are necessary for the day.  If you can work 2 smoothies in per day you won’t need to wage battle over eating veggies at the dinner table.

Go crazy and toss in some chocolate.  Yes, you can say yes to chocolate but in its raw form.

Toss 1 tsp. of raw cacao powder into the above smoothie.  Raw cacao powder is the best source of magnesium on Earth.  It’s FILLED with powerful anti-oxidants that will keep your child healthy, happy and disease-free.

Brave enough?  Toss in 2 tbs. hemp seeds (a tremendous source of protein).  They don’t really taste like anything and your child gets a natural protein boost.  (essential because most artificial, man-made protein supplements don’t actually absorb into our bodies!)

Or you can use dates for sweetening up the taste.  Natural forms of sugar are MUCH more healthy and beneficial for kids.  PLUS your child gets tons of needed fiber from dates.

Action step #2:  Create desserts using tasty, nutrient-dense Superfoods

Create desserts (like cookies) out of Superfoods.  Skip the bleached flower and refined sugars.  Here’s how.  This is one of my son’s favorite recipes you can use.  Rip me off!

Goji berry cookies

1/2 cup goji berries

1   Tbs. hemp seeds

1/2 cup almonds (raw)

2   Tbs. coconut butter

1   Tbs. coconut oil

3   Dates

First put the goji berries and the Almonds in the food processor.  After they combine well add the rest:  coconut butter, coconut oil and the Dates.  Blend for another minute.  Put the dough in a bowl and add the Hemp seed.  Fold gently.  Roll as a balls or make a flat cookie shape — take your pick.  Put them in the freezer for at list 30 min.   Enjoy. This is a treat that you do not have to use restriction rules.  No, seriously.  Cookies without restriction.  They’re Superfood cookies!

Action step #3:  Create snacks using Superfoods

Create snacks from dark green leafy vegetables as an example.  No, really.  Hear me out.  I have yet to meet a child who rejected these and I meet a LOT of kids in my business.  I want to share my kale chips recipe with you.

Kale chips

1 bunch organic duno (or “elephant”) kale (this is best but any kale will do)

3 tbs. raw honey (must be raw to get the nutrients!)

1/2 organic lemon

pinch celtic salt (again, loaded with nutrients)

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Cut the stems from the kale leaves.  In a bowl combine the squeezed lemon juice, honey, salt.   Mix together.  Add the kale leaves and make sure every part of the leaf is coated with the mixture in the bowl.  Leave it for ah hour so — let the kale absorb the mixture.  Put the leaves in a dehydrator on 115F for 8 hours — or in your oven on the lowest setting for 2 hours.   Enjoy crispy nutritional chips with great health benefits.

Empower yourself by getting real

Be honest with yourself.  If you do this one thing you’ll multiply your chances of success — you’ll win over the picky eater.

Reality:  Our palates are “trained” the moment we start eating solid foods as kids.

Reality:  WE (parents & caregivers) are in control of what our kids eat.  If we want to, we can start serving them food — real food — rather than buying jarred baby food or other processed foods from the store that are nutritionally poor.

Reality:  You have the time.  You have nothing but time.  You simply need to adjust your priorities.  Sure, you have nothing but priorities — got it.  But if you truly care about your child’s health you will invest MINUTES per day to make better health a reality.  It will feel great to make your child’s health a priority — far better than showing them a good time at Chuck E Cheese.  Trust me.  There’s something in it for you too.

When you start is critical

The earlier you start with your child the faster and the better result you will have. But if you child is of an age where eating habits are already formed do NOT give up.

Parents and caregivers create the eating habits our children have today.  We bear this responsibility.  But it’s not a burden.  We make the food choices we make every day.  Our children don’t have any idea what is good for them and what is bad.  They do not go to the store and buy the food that is in our pantry and our fridge.  We do.

This is how, unknowingly, we create their eating habits.  This… my friends… is how we train their taste buds and develop their palate. And this process is on-going.  This is why there’s hope… opportunity.

If you start from early days to introduce conventional, nutritionally depleted foods — made with highly refined sugars and additional fillers — this is what your kid will crave throughout his/her life.  But if you start with home-made or natural, organic nutritionally-dense food (Superfood snacks, green smoothies) this is what your child will learn to crave.

So take action now and start making these delicious recipes – take the first step towards raising a healthy, happy child.  Not to mention saving yourself a lot of headaches!

photo credit: technopinoy

Why are most of us so obsessed with the smell, taste and look of chocolate? Because our body NEEDS it. What if I told you that the more chocolate you eat the longer you’re likely to live — AND  you even may lose a few pounds too.  No, I’m not lying, trying to sell you something nor have I lost my mind.  It’s scientific fact.  One of the oldest people to ever live was a French woman who ate 2 pounds of cacao every week!  But put down your Hershey bar – there’s a rule.   Read on and I’ll show you how to live longer, lighter and happier eating as much chocolate as you want.  This includes addressing child obesity by creating low fat, chocolate-rich snacks and desserts. 

Chocolate is one of the most desirable desserts of all.  We love everything from sauces to cookies that are made with the stuff. But I’m talking about the real chocolate — something called cacao.  Sure, you’ve heard of it.  This is the “naked” (eek!) form of chocolate that has never been processed — the virgin stuff.  It’s what’s mixed with milk and sugar to create what most of us know as chocolate.

Raw cacao powder is Mother Nature’s natural form of chocolate.  Unfortunately, processing often destroys or takes away from cacao’s powerful benefits.  Example: Raw chocolate is the the #1 antioxidant in the world… followed by cacao nibs and Acai powder.  Not the diet pills — the natural powder form of Acai berries.

How to grow old & look good (eating lots of chocolate)

One of the oldest people who to live on Earth was a French woman who ate 2 pounds (about 1 kilo) of cacao every week.  She lived 137 years.  Was it chocolate alone that enabled this?  Of course not but it DID contribute significantly and can for YOU too.

Because of its rich concentration of antioxidants  raw cacao powder protects us from age-related health problems, diseases and illnesses.  Raw cacao is the #1 magnesium source — and that is one of the greatest alkaline minerals.  I won’t bore you with why that’s important unless you ask!

Briefly, magnesium supports the heart, increases brainpower, helps build strong bones, causes strong peristalsis (bowel movements).  Magnesium is a problem for most of us.  Over 80% of Americans are not getting enough magnesium.  From constipation in children to heart disease we’re suffering.

But wait, there’s more!

In addition to magnesium raw cacao powder contain 314% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance per ounce. Chromium, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Vitamin C, Omega-6 Fatty Acids are all preset to complete the picture.  Chocolate IS healthy stuff, folks!

What about caffeine?

Who made this stuff up?  Ugh.  Contrary to popular opinion, cacao is poor source of caffeine.  However, cacao contains Theobromine that is from the same Methylxanthines group (as caffeine).  The good news: Theobromine is an effective antibacterial substance that kills the primary organism that cause cavities. Theobromine is a chemical relative of caffeine but it is NOT a nervous system stimulant.

Did I just tell you that chocolate can help prevent cavities?  Yup. I did.

Ready for a South American taste sensation?

I’ll give you a little help by teaching you how to make my Chocolate-Acai  Ice cream. Your children and your husband will fall in love with it too.  Mine did!  We discovered it while on a public speaking, hang gliding and rock climbing adventure in Brazil.

1 cup almond milk

2 Tbs. cacao powder

1 Tbs Acai

5 dates

splash of raw honey

1/2 banana

1 cup ice

Put together in the Vitamix or any other blender. Blended for 2 min. Voila! Chocolate Acai Ice cream to die for. Enjoy.

Need to purchase the ingredients?  No problem — look here!

Time to read: 2.5 minutes

Acai (pronounced “ah-sah-ee”) is a nutritional, energizing fruit that gives you more antioxidant and amino acid bang-for-the-buck than nearly every other food on Earth.  Forget about the scam advertisements, weight-loss pills etc.   It’s a superfood with remarkable powers:  supporting your immune system, digestive functions, eye health and — many suggest — mental clarity.   You’ll notice that I didn’t mention weight loss or quick fix pills being pumped by everyone from Oprah to email spammers.  I recently came back from Brazil where I tasted fresh berries.  WOW!  Acai is street food in Rio de Janiero has been used for FAR longer than down there versus the U.S.   It’s valued for NOT for weight management — more for it’s nutritional properties.  Did I mention how addicted I became to its taste in the form of an ice-cream like smoothie?  Keep reading and I’ll share a rockin’ recipe with you too.

You haven’t heard of the Acai berry? Well get on board… it well known in Brazil but not in the States until recently. Today every one is talking about Acai and how to lose weight by taking Acai pills.  Is this the most important benefit of this nutritious fruit and if so why? Well isn’t not a surprise.  Again we are facing the influence of marketing. Once again marketing is setting trends and consumer buying habits.

Acai actually possesses far more benefits including boosting our immune systems and digestive functions.

Acai pills are being promoted  everywhere from Oprah to filling up you spam box every single day. Unfortunately, losing weight (sometimes with deadly pills) earns the public’s attention.  It’s more important for us to find a quick fix to get slim rather than develop healthy habits — work at our health a little.  The result?

Mother nature’s superfoods get reduced to marketing gimmicks.  Acai just happens to posses qualities that can BOTH aid weight management and energize our body in remarkable ways… but weight loss gets all the attention.

Mega-antioxidant!

So now let’s get serious and discover the nutritional properties of Acai.  The berry is grown in the Eastern Amazon and Guianas, Northen Brazil, Venezuela and Trinidad… and flooded areas.  Hence, it’s no surprise that Acai isn’t very well known in most parts of the world.

Acai offers us:

- a remarkable concentration of antioxidants
- an almost perfect essential amino acid profile (like few other foods)
- a healthy fatty acid content similar to olive oil
- a uniquely full array of natural vitamins, minerals and trace minerals.
(Vitamin B1, B2, B3, C ans E. Very high in potash, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorous)
-  large amounts of plant sterols (phytochemicals with numerous health benefits)
-  significant amounts of natural fiber

The payoff: A simple, fast acai superfood recipe

Now let’s take an action on what we know.  Let’s experience the benefits of Acai.  Here is a simple recipe  I’ve developed in my own practice for a great start in the morning.

3 Tbs. Acai (pure juice)
2 Tbs. raw cacao powder
the meat of one young coconut
1 cup organic baby spinach
1 cup water
ice cubes

Blend everything in the blender.  Enjoy together with your child and thank Brazil for producing this fantastic fruit!

And I highly recommend you take a trip to Rio and fly with the rather famous Chico Santos — who I just happened to run into. What luck. I got to fly with a world famous hang gliding pilot! Thanks, Chico and also to my hosts, James Heffernan and Gianpaola Guidotti.

Don’t ever say ‘NO’ again when your child ask you for ice cream… Forget weight loss programs for kids that TAKE AWAY pleasures from children… or failed potty training techniques.  Check out my recipe for what I call my Cranberry ‘Ice Cream’ Sensation.

1 pound of cranberries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup of spinach ( Yes, spinach…trust me you wont taste it)
2 tbs. raw agave syrup ( add additional tbc. to satisfy your sweet teeth)
2 banana
1 tbs. coconut oil
1 cup coconut water (add the coconut meat if you wish, it will cut the sourness of the cranberries)

Start with a liquid base in your blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for 2-3 min.  Pour into molds, freeze, enjoy and thank me later

Looking for more healthy dessert recipes that create results in kids?  Check these out.

Cranberry ‘Ice Cream’ Sensation

Ingredients:

1 pound of blueberries

1 avocado

1 banana

1 cup of spinach

1 tbs. coconut oil

1 cup water

Put everything in the blender. Remember any blender will do the work. Start with the liquid base then add all the ingredients.

Blend for 1-2 min. ( depend on the blender you have).

Enjoy this elixir ( packed with antioxidants) for the body.

Note: If you go over each ingredient you will be able to see the nutritional value including protein and carbohydrates. Do not freak out about the content of saturated fat in coconut oil. Bare with me and we will get to this point.

“My child doesn’t eat veggies. My child stopped eating vegetables at 18 months. No matter what I do I can’t get my child to eat his/her veggies.”

Does this sound familiar to you? Do you hear yourself when you read these words? Do you battle with this every single day?  Does your child ever eat those very important dark green leafy vegetables?

What if I told you I found the answer to these important questions?  Well, I have and I’m sharing them with everyone because I care about your family’s health.  But my answer is only for those of you who are ready to step up and be bold.  In the end, our kids’ poor eating habits are based mostly on our own. Can we break the bad and begin forming better habits?  Yes we can.  I’ll guide you through the steps but you must be willing to make the change. Here we go….

First, please note that when I say vegetables moving forward I’m referring to dark green leafy vegetables.  I’m NOT talking about broccoli and green beans.  Big difference in terms of vitamin intake and absorption.

Start introducing a cup of green smoothies to your child’s diet. What is a green smoothie?  A classic green smoothie is a blend of dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, parsley… and (here’s the best part) any of your child’s favorite fruits. The best proportion is 60% fruits and 40% dark green vegetables.

What do you need?

You need a blender, fruit, dark green vegetables and 10 minutes of your time.

If your child does not consume any dark green veggies at the moment make it easier for him/her by mixing 90% fruit and 10% dark green veggies the first day. Increase  the percentage of the dark greens by 5% during the following days till you reach the right proportion.

Make it fun. You know your child best. Ask yourself questions — regarding your child’s likes and dislikes.  Incorporate the answers in creating your new habit.

Please, do not be lazy. Don’t tell me that there’s too much time involved to prepare a green smoothie and wash the blender. It takes 10 minutes all together. Our children are worth 10 minutes of our time no matter what we do.  Right?

How much dark green leafy vegetables  does my child need?

Honestly, I haven’t seen any “food pyramid” that shows the amount that is truly necessary. The best rule of thumb is 2, 8 oz. glasses per day. Some days your child won’t take any especially in the beginning of creating his/her new habit.  Yet this is OK — do not get crazy.  Children are just like adults we all have different moods on different days.

Is your baby or child constipated? Try a natural, yummy laxative for potty training problems involving constipation.

4 pears
1 bunch parsley
1 cup coconut water

All together in the blender and get ready to start the day re-charged. Not to mention a serious “movement inducer” for those moments where your child has trouble “going.” Another potty training tip for you!

NOTE: You can play with fruit/veggie proportions to suit your taste. Any time you need another noche of sweetness feel free to use dates or honey.   Also, I always keep my greens in the freezer so when I use they to make my smoothies I rarely need to add ice.  I’ve noticed that my family enjoys them that way — cold.  Believe it or not the right temperature is very important to make you smile.