Jeanette's Healthy Living

What's the one food you could never live without?

That's a tough question. I love so many different foods, but if I had to chose one, I think I'd have to pick mangoes. I've always loved mangoes ever since I was a child. My favorite mangoes are ataulfo or champagne mangoes - I love the silky smooth flesh in this variety.

What's a treat your kids love that's actually healthy?

I've made two treats that my kids loved and were actually pretty healthy. One was what I call "Pistachio" Ice Cream made with coconut milk, spinach, agave, and some almond extract (so it looks and tastes like pistachio ice cream - you can't taste the spinach). The other was Chocolate "Mousse" made with tofu, cocoa and honey.

What's your best tip for feeding a picky eater?

Try introducing foods in the same family (e.g., different root vegetables, cruciferous vegetables or legumes; a variety of leafy salad greens) and using different cooking methods.

For example, my oldest son is my pickiest vegetable eater and used to only eat peas, green beans and romaine lettuce. Now he eats snow peas, sugar snap peas, spinach (salad), and arugula (salad). Although he still doesn't like broccoli, he does like roasted cauliflower. I also gradually added fresh tomatoes and avocados to his salads, and today, he enjoys these as well. Children's tastes change over time and often they will accept new foods more easily as they get older.

I've gotten my other three boys to expand their vegetable repertoire as well by trying different cooking methods, such as roasting vegetables (asparagus, carrots, brussels sprouts) or using them in stir-fries (bok choy, red bell peppers, broccoli). They actually prefer some vegetables raw (broccoli).

Another idea is to try different ethnic cuisines to see what your child likes. If they like Italian food, try using Italian seasonings when cooking. If they like tacos, try using a different protein for the filling and topping (shredded chicken instead of ground meat; coleslaw instead of lettuce)

Last summer, I joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) so each week we would pick up a box of seasonal assorted fresh vegetables. Since we never knew what we would be getting each week, it was a great way to introduce a wide variety of vegetables to my family. It was a fun way for my kids to learn about new vegetables.

What are your favorite Blog Posts?

• Strawberry Banana French Toast
• Easy Chocolate Mousse (dairy-free and egg-free)
• Food as Medicine - Anticancer Foods