You're Gonna Wanna THIS Penne Italiana!

This MEATLESS meal couldn't be EASIER, or more TASTY! think I had thirds!

To read more about the benefits of meatless meals CLICK HERE :)

FOOD Attitude for Picky Eaters!

Even though my 3YO daughter was fussing that she did want this dish, she LOVED it! She even went on and on, explaining how very much she was LOVING EVERY part of the dish -- even the green leaf parts! HOW?

When she was all upset while I was making dinner, I talked to her about considering the fact that the meal MIGHT ACTUALLY be yummy. I asked her if she usually, or even sometimes, likes foods that I cook.  She said yes. That was about it, but really just talking about another PERSPECTIVE changed her ATTITUDE for when she actually tried the meal a little later. I had told her if she didn't like it, she wouldn't have to eat it all up, just a taste. So she felt independent, and in control. Turns out she had SECONDS!

Click HERE for 8 Tricks and Tips for PICKY EATERS!

Penne Italiana (quick pasta dish, healthy pasta recipe!)

1 box whole wheat pasta OR click HERE for yummy PASTA ALTERNATIVES
3-4 Tbsp garlic, minced
5-6 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped in wedges
~1 Tbsp basil (or plenty of fresh -- yum!)
3-4 Tbsp nutritional yeast!
1-1/2 to 2 lb fresh baby spinach

Saute garlic, tomatoes, and basil in a bit of water on a hot pan, for 5-10 min, until tomatoes appear loose.  Then stir in yeast, simmer for another 5-10 min.  Add spinach and cover for 5-10 min.  Stir in pasta, and enjoy!

COMMENTS: How did you spend this beautiful day? Did you get outside and enjoy some fresh air?

Easy Sandwich Snack!

Hungry?

Try this quick snack!

Simply chop half an avocado and spread it on your bread of choice -- whole grain!

Add generously good old-fashioned regular mustard!

Great with the roll-up (above is a piece of Multi-Grain Flatout!) heated 10-15 sec for a warm treat,

or by toasting a Whole Wheat Bagel Thin!

Multi-Grain Flatout bread is awesome!  Just 100 calories, 8 g fiber, 9 g protein, omega-3 fats, no saturated or trans fat, a huge variety of grains from bulgar to millet to rye to oats and more!

Enlisting help from the little ones increases the chance they'll eat it all up!

Toddler EATING TIP: Read them a book, reading another page with each eaten bite.

If there is a challenging food on the plate, a page is earned with a bite of that food.

For more Picky Eater Tips click HERE.

You likely know by now that AVOCADO is a HEALTHY FAT

full of FIBER (~10g per whole fruit - yes it's a fruit!) and 

They are among the HIGHEST fruit sources of vitamin E (an ANTIOXIDANT), folate (this is key for potential MOMMYS), potassium (higher levels in diet correlate with lower blood pressure), and magnesium.

Let's discuss MAGNESIUM tonight: it's important for having a healthy blood pressure, overall cardiovascular function, blood sugar control, bone health, and may be helpful with migraines!

Check out this comparison to butter and cheddar (UNhealthy fats).

This chart is from www.avocado.org/nutrition

For MORE avocado BENEFITS click HERE!

One more thing: MUSTARD!

Did you know it is healthy for you?  Did you know why?

Mustard is a RICH source of TURMERIC!

Top 3 Reasons TURMERIC (which contains CURCUMIN) is good for your health!

1. Powerful anti-inflammatory: this can help about every part/system of our bodies -- we're all inflamed :~

(this is a link to a nice summary of the research on Tumeric from University of Maryland Medical Center)

2. Powerful antioxidant ~ helpful in many ways,
including preventing a variety of cancers, aging, and more!

3. Makes platelets less likely to clump and clot (like CHOCOLATE and ASPIRIN!)

Ok, that's it for now, go enjoy a nice avocado and mustard roll-up now!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Can you replace other fats with avocado?  What creative ways can you think of to do this?

8 Tricks/Tips for Picky Eaters

1. Offer 2 or 3 healthy CHOICES -- this increases the likelihood that your child will eat!  As a bonus, you will builds his or her CONFIDENCE at the same time.
2. Enlist little HELPERS for ANY of the steps in the food process -- there are so many chances: gardening or grocery shopping, cleaning fruits and veggies, chopping at your discretion!, cooking and baking!
3. Always serve and require the child to taste a "THANK YOU PORTION".  Perhaps a bite per age, 2 bites for a 2 yr-old, etc.  It can take up to twenty "tries" before a person's taste preferences change.
4. Be a good EXAMPLE -- this one is simple: EAT what you hope you're kids will!!  They love you and want to be like you, so they will follow suite whether or whether not you eat your spinach :)  I came across an interesting article about "Taste Psychology" that may be especially interesting to you if you may need to work on this tip!  Summer Tomato looks like a great website overall!
5. Finger foods and dipping (Greek yogurt, homemade hummus low on spices) always go over well!
6. Get CREATIVE with faces - animals - monsters - it's easy AND fun for everyone!
7. Notice what your little one likes: flavor, texture, color, temperature, smells AND combine familiar with NEW!
8. Sometimes FROZEN is FUN!  Below these foods are all listed!

100 DAYS OF REAL FOOD is another great WHOLE foods website/blog that has some other awesome suggestions to add to your tool box!  and some other terrific tools here!


This PURPLE BABY FOOD is simply a combination of the foods above in a food chopper: frozen blueberries, edamame beans, and a mango chunk or two!  My 18 mo-old ate it all up in a flash!  Here are some other BEGINNER BABY FOODS!

Frozen RAINBOW above:

Each are a great VALUE:

Super sweet organic white kernel frozen CORN by Bybee Foods, Costco.
Organic frozen RASPBERRIES from Cascadian Farm, Costco and other grocers.
Frozen shelled EDAMAME beans, Whole Food, and I think Trader Joe's.
Wyman's wild BLUEBERRIES, Costco and other grocers.
Frozen MANGO chunks (YUM!!), Trader Joe's.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Organic or conventional?  Fresh or frozen?  For me, if the price is right - organic for sure!  Fresh AND Frozen -- frozen is often even healthier!!