Flowfit

Yesterday at Healthy Snack we served broccoli, cauliflower and carrot sticks along with cheese wiggles (new white cheese curd-like thingies) and crackers.  The grades JK to 5 loved all aspects of the snack, however, the six, sevens and grade eights dissed ALL the veggies.  Really!! This is the second week in a row our fresh veggie offerings have been met with harrumphs and grumbles….I have no idea what has changed!  Hopefully this is only a temporary set back.  Perhaps it is time to survey these grades… ask them what has changed?

Sigh…

Thankfully none of the food goes to waste.  We do pass any leftovers to the Halton Women’s Shelter, who are always happy to receive our produce.

Speaking of waste… I really do not like to see food going to waste.  I am one of those people who thinks of starving children every time I throw food in the recycle bin.  I can still hear my mother repeating over and over again….”do you know how many starving children there are in this world that would give their right arm for that food?!!”

Ah-hem

In keeping with that thought, I couldn’t throw out the broccoli stems left from the lovely flowerettes cut for the children’s snack now could I?  Nope.  I bagged em up, brought em home and made soup!  And Broccoli Stem Soup was born!  YUM!

Broccoli Stem Soup:

• broccoli stems, peeled and rough chopped
• onion
• celery (I used celery root)
• potato
• garlic
• broth
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and cracked black pepper

No measurements here.  Into heated heavy bottom pot add olive oil, onion and celery.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Add broccoli and potato.  Cover whole lot with enough broth so that nearly all veggies are submerged.

Bring to boil, stir and reduce heat to medium low.  Cover and cook for 45 miinutes or until all veggies are soft.  Remove from heat and puree (I use a hand blender but you can use your blender if you prefer – if using blender you must let it cool further).

That’s it!  Ladle it up, add salt and pepper to taste, serve with fresh bread, pitas or croutons and side salad.  Dinner is served!  And nothing went to waste )

YUM!

I am often asked, “how do you keep nutrition in mind when it has to be quick“?  Now when they say “quick” they mean, please give us something that will stop us from going through the drive through!  So many families are on the go and not just to one stop – multiple kids in programs, equals multiple stops.  They frequently eat in the car on the run and drive throughs sadly, are the go to for food on the go.

With this in mind, I scoured the grocery isles for something equally as quick and easy, but that was REAL food with REAL ingredients.  Something with substance, that was healthy and contained a good amount vitamins and nutrients.  For the last few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with partially prepared foods.  Things that come in a package that you can use to create your meals.  The Personal Home Baked Pizza featured last week is an example.  This week, I am featuring an Oliveiri Pasta.  I used Olivieri NutriWise Whole Wheat Five Cheese Tortellini (click here for ingredients list).  Each 3/4 cup serving has 12 grams of protein, not bad for meatless.  Of course you can add roasted chicken breast pieces or shrimp to this if you like.

This meal literally took me less that 10 minutes before it was served up in a mug and we were on our way out the door.

You’ll need:

• Oliveiri NutriWise Whole Wheat 5 Cheese Tortellini
• 2 cups broccoli stems
• 3 big handfuls fresh baby spinach, rough chopped
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and fresh grated black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Steam broccoli in 1/2 cup water in separate covered pan for 4 minutes.  Drain water from broccoli after 4 minutes and add  baby spinach, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.  Toss and cover.  Set aside.  This will give the spinach a chance to wilt.  When Pasta is done, drain and toss with broccoli and spinach.  Squeeze lemon over and gently toss.  Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

YUM!

Mugs are a great idea to take food on the go.  They have a handle and are easy for kids to hang on to.  I usually bring along a plastic grocery bag to put the dirty mugs and spoons into to save any messes.  I also bring water and fresh cut up fruit to round out the meal and offer some much needed energy.

And so this begins my “Drive Through” series… if you have any healthy ideas or tips on what you do to keep your family healthy on the run, please share!!

Monday night football anyone?  Not that I’d serve this up at a Superbowl party, but it sure does make a great quick and energy packed dinner for an 8 year old football player!  And all in about 10 minutes – swear!

Clean Green Asian Soup:

• 1 medium sized head of broccoli
• 1 large head bok choy
• 2 green onions
• large handful baby spinach
• large handful fresh cilantro, rough chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves grated garlic
• 1 mushroom bullion (or broth or bullion of choice)
• 4 cups boiling water
• 1 package rice noodles (mine had four separate “cakes” of noodles in package – we used one for 4 of us)
• 1-2 tbsp good quality soy sauce (I use Shoyu)
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• black sesame seeds for garnish

Into a heated wok or large saute pan, add oils, garlic and ginger, stir.  Add washed and chopped bok choy and broccoli – should still be a little wet, the extra water will help steam veggies.  Keep wok hot and stir continually for 2 minutes.  Meanwhile, add 2 cups boiling water to boullion in separate bowl, stir to combine.  Add the remaining boiling water to a bowl with noodles.  Cover with plate and set aside – will be cooked through in 3-4 minutes.  Add soy sauce, green onions, cilantro, spinach and boullion to wok.  Bring to boil.  As soon as it reaches the boil, remove from heat.

To serve – add noodles to bowl.  Top with broth and vegetables, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

YUM!

We like ours topped with some Li Ju An Dipping Sauce sauce!

I call this “Rainbow Pasta” because it’s filled with colour, and what kid wouldn’t like to eat a rainbow?!  Depending on what veggies I have on hand the colours will change, but the recipe is pretty much the same.  Please use this ‘recipe’ as a  jumping off point, as inspiration…. and of course, share your ideas!  Make it your own.  If your little one can not tolerate broccoli, replace it with something he/she does like, can’t stand red peppers, again make a change.  The point is to make this your own… or more specifically, something your kids will happily gobble up!

Rainbow Pasta Salad:

• Pasta shape of choice
• broccoli, finely chopped
• red peppers, rinely chopped
• small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• fresh squeezed lemon juice
• fresh baby spinach leaves, cut into thin strips
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and grated black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water. Do not over cook. When pasta is nearly cooked (last 2 minutes) add broccoli. Rinse pasta and broccoli under cold running water to stop cooking process and rinse off extra gluten.

To mixing bowl add all ingredients.  Taste…. is something missing?  Go ahead and add it. Tasting as you go is an important thing to get comfortable with…. plus, if you get your kids involved in the tasting process, they may be more likely to eat their own creations!  Have fun and think COLOUR!

To this lunch I added a deconstructed tomato sandwich…. do it yourself style along with a perfectly ripe pear – one of my kids favorites.  Funny thing about pears though – did you notice they only stay perfectly ripe for about 10 minutes?  They go from under ripe to perfectly ripe to over ripe SO fast!  Eat em while they’re good!

Notes on Pasta – I find kids really dig farfalle (bow ties) and fusilli (sprials) the best. Whenever possible choose a good quality pasta – the difference is substantial.  I like De Cecco, Barilla, Delverde and La Molisanna the best.

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. – Doug Larson

For the love of veggies –

They’re good for you and over a flame they taste like candy – well not literally, but certainly sweet.  Everything from asparagus to eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, zucchini…. the list goes on and on….all come to life when grilled – seriously!

I’ve never eaten a veggie I didn’t like… well, let me rephrase that… I’ve never eaten a properly prepared veggie I didn’t like – especially when grilled!  The combination of flavours – smokey carmelized crunchy juiciness – YUM!!  It’s natural goodness at it’s best.

I often read varying reports of just how many vegetables you should consume each day.  While you may question the amount necessary to get in all your vitamins and nutrients, one thing is absolutely certain – your mother was right!  Vegetables are good for you!  There is no question in that.  Veggies are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, and beneficial in hydration (veggies have a high water content).  A diet that includes a rainbow of veggies is simply smart.

I know so many people (shocking to me) that do not like veggies – children especially.  I would have to guess that this is largely do to how they are prepared and presented.  Vegetables offer their own natural sweetness.  Boiling them should be a crime!  So please hear me… DO NOT BOIL YOUR VEGGIES!  Potatoes of course are the exception.  With summer upon us… get outside!  Use your grill!  If you don’t already have a grill basket – go out and get one.  Try mixing a variety of colours and textures.  Toss them all together with some good quality olive oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper and something acidic like citris or balsamic vinegar.  Add in some herbs and garlic and presto!  Dee-lish!

The most wonderful thing about vegetables for me is, they are food from the earth.  Directly from the earth.  How great is that?

Veggies – go out and get some.  Have them for dinner tonight!

YUM!

Tell me…. did your mom ever say, “eat your veggies”?  Have you ever told  your children to, “eat your veggies”?