I love my kids more than anything in the world. However, I hate feeding them. Some of the biggest daily conversations we have with our kids is about eating: what to eat, finish eating, eat the right thing. Feeding our 189 kids is an ordeal from beginning to end.
Luckily they do enjoy cooking with me. It makes them feel like they are a part of the process and a little grown up as well. It also keeps them occupied, which you know, is a big bonus.
As we head into a long holiday stretch, I wanted to find a way that I could make food for my kids, have them help and then, the miracle of miracles, have them eat what we made.
Let me be clear. I do not like kale. Kale in my mind is something that should garnish a plate of cold cuts while I watch football. However, as I sought out interesting, healthy, tasty and easy-to-make food for my kids, I met Whitney Fitzgerald, the owner of True Juice in Winnetka. I tasted her 100% natural, home made juices and believe it or not, I drank and enjoyed kale, beets and even spinach! None of which had cheese melted on it.
If Whitney could get me drink and enjoy kale (the Caillou of foods) I wanted to see what she could come up with for kids to make and enjoy. More than the owner of a juice store, Whitney is a mom, a food industry veteran and knows how to blend things together to make them not taste yucky!
Below are four recipes you can make along with your kids that not only taste great but will fill them full of that healthy stuff that normally gets fed to the dog or rolled up and flushed when they “go to the bathroom.”
If you want to check out more of Whitney's amazing recipes click here to learn more about True Juice.
KATY BERRY – (Get it?)
1 frozen banana
6 frozen strawberries
1 oz frozen blueberries
8 oz fresh apple juice
3 to 4 ice cubes
CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH – (A nice breakfast smoothie)
1 frozen banana
1/3 apple (Fuji, Pink Lady)
4 pitted dates
3 T oats
12 oz almond milk
1 T vanilla
4 T cinnamon
THE LAST MANGO IN PARIS
2.5 oz frozen mango
1 frozen banana
4 oz fresh orange juice
8 to 10 kale / spinach leaves
2 oz coconut water
8 ice cubes
THE GREEN LANTERN
7 frozen strawberries
1 big handful of baby spinach
8 oz coconut milk or almond milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 T local honey
