We love to make salads all year long, but as the weather turns colder we prefer a heartier salad that has some staying power. Pulses (such as lentils and beans) are best eaten together with whole grains because the combination makes a complete protein that your body can digest and absorb easily.

If you are not eating lentils yet what the heck are you waiting for?! There is no better time to introduce lentils and beans than with small children. I often gave Liv black beans, garbanzo beans, lentils with raw cheese (a complete protein) as a snack instead of refined starches such as fish crackers. Now she loves them!

That being said, I remember the first time I cooked with lentils. My husbands brother, in his early twenties, came to visit. As a regular consumer of junk food, I decided it was my mission to get him healthy while he visited. His welcome dinner was a lentil Shepard’s pie with miso gravy. Unfortunately, it was bland, dry and chewy.  The poor kid was so polite trying to eat it up, but he was clearly being tortured. This particular recipe was not a good introduction to healthy eating. I promise you’ll love this salad…it’s not dry or bland.

Eat for lunch or as a healthy dinner companion. I usually pull some of the lentil salad out for Liv before I add the parsley and red onion.

*Update 01/10 – Remember to soak your lentils at least 12 hours (overnight) in a-2 tablespoons of yogurt, buttermilk, whey or Kefir before cooking and skimming. This helps to “predigest” the outer layer so that you can receive the full benefits of the nutrients available ans also to help prevent digestive disorders commonly accociated with certain grains. Read more about soaking lentils and other grains.

Healthy Lentil Rice Salad With Cranberries

1 Tbs lemon zest – a grater or micro-plane zester works best for this.
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
1 can of lentils (540ml) drained and rinsed or 2 cups cooked
2 cups long grain brown rice – cooked
1 cup parsley – loosely packed & chopped
3/4 cup red onion – diced
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbs fresh mint – finely chopped

In a large bowl whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, cinnamon and cayenne.
Add lentils, toss and then add rice and toss gently.
Add parsley, onion, currants, cranberries and mint. Toss gently and serve.
Serves 4-6.  Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Originally published in Alive Magazine

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Healthy Lentil Rice Salad with Cranberries

We are all recovering from ??? we’ve got. When I read the symptoms of the H1N1 virus, I find that we have many of them (although mild) so maybe we have swine flu. Do I care if we have swine flu, a regular flu or a cold? Not really.

The symptoms of swine flu / H1N1 seem to be pretty standard so it puzzles me why the big scare from the media’s (not so objective) reporting. Plus, the big push for getting as many people vaccinated as possible is, in my opinion, a big scam and possibly a big health risk.

My in-laws are visiting. Having immigrated from Communist Poland, they are pretty quick to respond when asked about the threat of mandatory vaccinations. “They inject me? Without my permission? We left this type of government years ago.”

Control can be difficult to detect in our own country. They often suck your blood but leave no hole. It’s difficult to question, much less fathom, that there could be other motives besides protecting our health by imposing mandatory vaccine regulation.

The development of the H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine and a push for mandatory vaccinations just reeks of post election promises to Big Pharma. I’m just saying…I hope your not surprised by my stance on this.

Is our health top priority? Britain is paying their doctors for every jab of the H1N1 vaccine. People have a hard time believing that their doctor could be “bought” however my years in the service industry showed me that lavish dinners for doctors (while promoting the latest drug) on Big Pharma’s tab occurs often. Interestingly, I recently read about a little known law that holds big Pharma accountable regarding this unethical practice.

Recommending that we test a new vaccine on pregnant women and small children also has me shaking my head in disbelief…

However, the (suspicious) Swine Flu  H1N1 hype also creates mixed emotions in me. A pandemic? How scary.

They make it sound like healthy people are going to drop like flies.

But why should I be scared?

Do I live with the trust and knowledge that we can handle illness or not?

I often find I have to fortify myself against the constant suggestion that we are somehow inadequate to handle anything by ourselves.

Don’t trust simple remedies. Don’t trust the Natural Laws that govern health (and much of our lives for that matter). Don’t trust your baby, your parenting instincts,  your body, your intuition.

Instead, leave it to the experts because they  have all the answers.

And yet, despite constantly relying on the experts, a simple thing like being strong and healthy, remains an elusive concept for many. (Obviously I’m not referring to experts such as natural health practitioners, therapists etc)

What if we begin to trust ourselves, learn a little more and start seeing ourselves as the expert of our own body for a change?

Dis-ease of all types begins with a thought. Then an emotion about that thought and so the cycle goes.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the first step to health is also through the mind and emotions.

Too many invite sickness and disease into their home simply because their thoughts and emotions are wrapped in fear.

And perfectly healthy people feel it is not enough and get jabbed. Why?

Because the message is loud and clear that your health cannot be trusted in your hands.

In our home, we are the experts. We are not vulnerable to suggestions that we should lose faith in our body’s defenses.

This does not mean that we don’t ever get sick, but that everyday we choose to live as though we are healthy, even when we have a stomach ache or a runny nose.

How many people literally invite sickness into their home? Signing up for the hotly debated H1N1 vaccine is inviting sickness into your home. Constantly watching the news and feeling fearful is inviting sickness. Feeling vulnerable because you do not possess the knowledge to protect your immune system is also inviting sickness. “Bracing yourself” for sickness (mental and emotional) is not empowering your immunity by any standard.

Instead of injecting ourselves with yet another flu vaccine, although for the record I have never been jabbed and almost never get the flu, we choose to take 100% responsibility for our immune system.

Off the top of my head, here’s how we help our immune systems year round:

• We keep our stress in check and try to play as often as we can
• We have gratitude for our life and our health
• We wash hands often and wipe counters and knobs with a Norwex cloth.
• We eat a healthy diet rich in veggies, fruit and whole grains
• We drink lots of water
• We get enough sleep
• We take a whole food vitamin and mineral supplement – the synthetic and isolated supplements are a waste of money and likely not beneficial for your health either.
• We take daily Probiotic to empower our immune system (since health begins in the gut and intestines)
• We take a daily teaspoon of cod liver oil or Vitamin D3 supplement which also empowers the immune system (not D2 – the synthetic form in most fortified foods and drinks that your body does not recognize)
• We Juice everyday. The juicer I chose is working out great. My new favorite is yams and sweet potatoes with oranges and a touch of ginger! Sooooo good.
• Homeopathic medicine also works great for us – our symptoms are much milder.
• We (adults) treat with high doses of Vitamin C in a whole food form such as Camu berry. Whole forms like these stay in your body 3 times longer and have longer lasting benefits. The synthetic and isolated forms of Vitamin C widely available are not a complete Vitamin as found in nature and therefore harder for your body to assimilate, therefore much is peed out.
• We eat raw garlic. 1 teaspoon chopped and swallowed without chewing.

Although media does not report it, your best defense against swine flu is a strong immune system, not a jab in the arm.

As I re-read my post, I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m flippant or aloof about the health troubles people face. I know it’s hard. I have confidence now, but this was not always the case. At one point, I didn’t think I’d reach my 30th birthday.

I can’t say the road to health has been quick. Nor has it been just about taking a bunch of natural health products.

I do know that a huge part of my health has been to take responsibility for it. To be open. To listen. To respect what my body is telling me, even when it’s inconvenient or terrifying.

Don’t live in fear of H1N1 or any other illness. Take your health in your own hands and learn the unique recipe that helps you feel your best and stay healthy.

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H1N1 Not Welcome Here

One of my favorite sources of energy is fresh juice from my juicer.  A fresh glass of orange & grapefruit juice really hits the spot in the morning and a carrot, apple, beet and ginger at 2pm helps lift the afternoon lull.

Although it looks pretty good in the picture, my juicer has definitely seen better days. I’ve had my old Braun for over 15 years and the time has come to retire old faithful and find out what is the best juicer to buy?

A lot has changed in juicer technology over the years and they can be an investment depending on what you are looking for. My criteria for picking the best juicer is:

• Easy to clean – not too many small parts
• Efficient – must make good use of the veggies and fruit
• Stainless steel or type of material that limits staining
• Can juice the hard vegetables like beets, carrots and ginger
• Fits nicely on my kitchen counter for daily use
• A bonus would be that it can juice leafy greens like spinach and kale, or even Wheatgrass

You basically have two options in juicer technology when choosing the best juicer:

Masticating juicers or Centrifugal juicers.

A masticating juicer can be thought of much the same as your jaw. It grinds or “chews” the juice from the  fruit and veggies rather than the spinning and cutting action used by centrifugal juicers. A masticating juicer is considered to be the better choice if you want to juice leafy greens although not all juice greens. They tend to be quieter and there is less friction/heat produced due to the grinding nature of the juicer which preserves the enzymes and nutrients better, allowing you to store the juice for a couple of days. The drawback of masticating juicers is that they can be more time consuming for those who want to make a quick glass of juice however they are considered to be more efficient, producing more juice from the same amount of fruit as a centrifugal.

The centrifugal juicer spins at high speeds to grind the food into a pulp while simultaneously spinning the juice from the pulp. A centrifugal can juice high volumes of juice at a time, is considered to be a great starting juicer for household use and kids may prefer juice from this juicer as it tends to be less pulpy. If you drink this juice within 1-3 hours, you still benefit nutritionally in the same way as a masticating.

So what is the best juicer to buy?

I researched quite a few juicers (Jack Lalanne, Omega 8005, L’Equipe, Dr Weil 9816 1000, Breville 800JEXL, Champion 2000+)  with similar features like price range and horsepower. I also read all the comments from Amazon customers to get a better idea of possible problems or additional benefits. The reason I looked past 4 of the above juicers is either they did not meet my criteria or the reviews were too hit and miss for me to be confident that they would be the best juicer.Also, if there were too many functional or warranty issues, I moved on.

Finally, I narrowed down my top 2 picks for what I feel is the best juicer to buy:

one from each option: one masticating and one centrifugal juicer.

Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000 Watts

• This particular juicer is very stylish because of the die-cast steel housing
• It has 2 speed controls with the highest reaching 13,000RPM and the lowest going to 6,500RPM (high speed is used for harder fruits whereas the lowest is for softer fruits)
• It contains a micro-mesh filter basket to catch the pulp, which makes it very easy to clean
• One of the best features is that you don’t have to stop to clean in between your juicing session and the easy cleanup
• Another great feature is the wide-mouth opening for whole fruits and veggies, which measures 3 inches
• The price for this one is $259.88 on sale (retail $399.99)
• Approximately 20 pounds

Champion 2000+ Commercial Model Juicer G5-PG-710

• This juicer is heavy duty
• It contains 1.75 inches diameter feed tube (need to cut F&V)
• It is relatively quiet for a commercial unit
• Nylon as opposed to plastic parts
• Can make coconut milk, baby foods, fruit sauces, nut butters however it is not great for leafy greens although some reviewers say it juices Wheatgrass just fine.
  
• Juice comes out cold if cold F&V used
  
• Has full power 1/3 horsepower
• It is easy to clean
• 10 year warranty
• The price for this one is $232.99 on sale (retail $289.99)
• It is a bit heavy compared to the rest at 24 pounds and takes up slightly more space on counter

What is the best juicer for us?

Finding the best juicer (for the price )depends on what you are looking for. Both the masticating and centrifugal types have their benefits and limitations. I’ve been analyzing these two juicers for a while and I’ve been stuck on whether I want a fast, pulp free juicer that may be a little less efficient with food VS a slower, pulpier juicer that takes up more room on the counter but the nutrients in the juice may last longer and may a little more efficient with the food?

We decided that Breville is the best juicer for our family. It is a fast machine, will juice anything and at high volumes, is easy to clean, has TONS of positive customer reviews, saves time through feeding whole foods into it, and it was highlighted by Fresh Restaurant’s juicing gurus as a good one to choose for the home. The Breville, in my opinion, is the best choice in it’s class for a “juicing family on the go” with children who don’t care for pulp. We’ve decided to pass on juicing our greens (we’ll eat them instead) and stick with green smoothies instead.

This isn’t the same type of decision as buying a toaster. I always hum and haw over the more expensive online purchases and analyze the options to death! I’m sure I’ve picked the best juicer for our family. The Champion is also great juicer and my parents have decided to buy it so I’ll be able to try them both and report back. I’m excited to create some awesome healthy juices for my kids!

I hope I’ve helped you determine what is the best juicer for a family on the go – stay tuned for some juicing videos!

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Who Makes the Best Juicer?

The following article is written by HGM contributor Dr. Scott Olson.

Your kids don’t eat as well as you want them to. I know this because I have been studying health and nutrition all of my life, I know the importance of a good diet and even my kids don’t eat how I want them to.

You may struggle from time to time with what to do with your picky eater, or the kid who won’t eat their broccoli, or your kid who is a sugar hound, but there are ways to encourage your children to make better choices. The key is helping kids make better choices without giving them a complex about what they are eating; healthy or not. My wife and I practice teaching our children to learn how to listen to their bodies.

Food Crazy

If you think about it, we are all a bit food crazy; we think about what we are eating more than any other species.
Part of the reason why we do this is because we have wandered too far away from food in its natural state. Our diets have slowly evolved over time from foods simply eaten as they appear to us on the earth, to more and more processing of our foods.

Most of the foods you put in your mouth (if you are typical) have been processed in some way. Breads, chips, candies, jams, sauces, sodas, bagels, and even restaurant foods are highly processed and far removed from the original foods and eating these types of foods is a recipe for ill health.

Even though it is true that many of our food choices are not good, I have to admit another feeling about the food we eat: To me, food is also a celebration and a miracle. Think about how wondrous it is that you can grow something in your garden and that food then can become energy and nourishment for your body. Simply amazing! Sitting down and sharing foods with friends and family is one of the greatest joys of life.

The challenge becomes to maintain this joyous relationship to food for us and our children and lead them in the right direction towards better, healthier, choices. The question is: How do you do that?

Learning to Listen

The ideal goal is to have your children take on the responsibility of their own health and not have you standing over their shoulders all the time.  Simply dictating what they should and shouldn’t eat puts the responsibility for their health on you (as it should be when they are very young), but does nothing to develop your children’s sense of taking care of themselves. Dictating food choices can have the effect of creating kids who hide food, feel ashamed about eating, and who go crazy when they are out of your reach.

I have three kids, one aged sixteen, one nine years old, and one four years old. When I look at the four-year-old I despair that she will never eat well in her whole life, that is, until I look at the sixteen-year-old. My sixteen year old son eats mostly fruits and vegetables and proteins. He will occasionally have some cake, candy, or other junk foods, but generally regrets having eaten it. When I think back, I can remember him eating more junk than he does now; what has happened?

What has happened is that my wife and I constantly talk to our children about the choices they make and how it affects them and their health. How do they really feel when they eat that cake? Sure they get a burst of energy when they first eat cake and it tastes good, but that stomachache one-half hour later – how does that feel? What about their mood? Do they like feeling grumpy and fighting with their siblings after eating cake?

While asking kids to take responsibility for their health is a daunting task and takes a long time (you have to be patient as they make wrong choices) it is the best way to not only keep the spirit of food and sharing alive, but to also to teach them that what foods they put in their bodies do matter and that foods can radically change how they feel and function.

Being too insane and aggressive about food choices may only create a child who will rebel against eating healthy. My wife and I play both roles (dictator and encourager), and, in truth, we don’t give them too many choices that are not healthy. But then when our kids head over to a friend’s birthday party, we don’t police them. It is a balance.

Healthy Choices That Are Fun

Besides encouraging your children to make good choices, you can also show them what you want them to eat. Here are some ideas that work for us:

• If you child will only eat one type of vegetable, then give it to them as often as possible. Try putting butter or cheese on the vegetable to vary its presentation.
• Use food “bribes” such as peanut butter (I prefer the no-sugar version) or whipping cream (once again: no-sugar) on all sort of foods such as celery, apples, carrots, berries, bananas and anything fresh. Many of these ideas work great for dessert.
• Leave snack-sized food around where the kids can find them. We use grapes, small carrots and dried fruits and simply place them in bowels where the kids can reach and find them.
• Tell them what is important: when we sit down at the table, our kids often ask us what they have to eat before leaving the table. We usually highlight the protein and vegetables.
• Eat something crunchy with every meal. This is a principle in our house, and, no, it doesn’t mean chips and crackers, but something fresh and crunchy, something that grows that way.

If you balance between good choices and encouraging your kids to use their bodies as the barometer for what is good for them, your work will pay off with children who make better choices as they grow older.

Let’s discuss. Do you have any tips that help teach children to listen to their bodies?

Dr. Scott Olson is a Naturopathic doctor, expert in alternative medicine, author and medical researcher. Spurred on by his patients’ struggles with sugar addiction, he was determined to discover just how addictive and harmful sugar can be and ways to overcome that addiction. The result of that study is his book Sugarettes, which describes the addictive qualities of sugar and the harm that sugar does to our bodies. Dr. Scott also writes a blog (www.olsonnd.com) which highlights the latest in health and healthy living.

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Teaching Kids To Listen To Their Bodies

In almost every class that I have taught for parents someone raises their hand to say, “My (husband, daughter, son) hates vegetables.  What should I do?” This is a common worry, especially since the “Five a Day” fruit and vegetable campaign hit the media.

Vegetables are rich in vitamins not found in refined foods so parents are right to be concerned if their children subsist mainly on refined processed foods, sugar and white flour products.

Here are a few suggestions for managing this worry and some creative ways to add more veggies to their diet:

First, what are your own thoughts about vegetable eating. Make sure that you love them, like them or at least appreciate them before asking your children to eat more of them.  What you are thinking about foods also has an affect on your kids.

Next help your child create a relationship with vegetables. One excellent way to improve your child’s interest in vegetables is to let them help you plant and harvest a small vegetable garden. If you don’t have space for a garden, take them to one for a visit.  Let them see, touch and even smell vegetables being grown.

Bring your child with you to the grocery store or market and let them pick out fruits and vegetables that look good to them.

Invite your child to help you prepare vegetables. Let your child make beautiful arrangements on the plate using the bright colors of vegetables.

Don’t make a big fuss if your child refuses vegetables. Instead, eat them yourself and regularly offer them to your child.

Remembering that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, here are some ways to prepare and serve vegetables that may appeal to your child.

Juices

Students who take my classes report great success in getting children to drink various vegetable juices.  Carrot juice is a favorite, especially mixed with a little apple juice.  But remember, juice is not a whole food; the fiber is gone and the sugars become highly concentrated.  Dilute vegetable and fruit juices; one half juice, one half water.

Dippers

You can use raw vegetables as dippers for your child’s favorite dip.  Bean dips, guacamole and tofu dips can be scooped up on a carrot stick, celery stick or a slice of zucchini.  To make vegetables easier to chew and digest, as well as enhancing their flavor, try blanching them.

Soups

Children who refuse a serving of vegetables will often eat the same vegetable in a soup.  If vegetables in their whole form are a turn-off, puree the soup instead.

Muffins

You can add vegetables to muffins and other baked goods. Zucchini, corn, squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes taste great in a muffin mix.

Sandwich spreads

When you’re pureeing beans or tofu or avocado into a tasty sandwich spread, add vegetables.  Parsley, cilantro, fresh basil, red pepper or scallions work well to enhance flavor and nutritive value.  Sometimes I add corn, grated zucchini or chopped green peppers to burritos.  Amidst the beans, salsa, tortillas and all, they are hardly noticed.

Salads

Sometimes it’s just the sight of combined ingredients that turn kids off to salads.  Experiment by offering a single raw vegetable or raw vegetables in separate piles, not mixed together.  Try different shapes and sizes.  Grated beets or radishes, finely sliced cabbage, zucchini, summer squash or daikon (white radish) or even plain lettuce bites can be fun to pick up with small fingers.

With children who eat their fair share of whole grains, fruits, and beans, you can relax some; these foods contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals are present in these foods.

Here’s my video on making roasted potoatos kids will love!

I hope these suggestions will help you to introduce a gentle and fun way for your children to appreciate eating and cooking with vegetables.

How do you help your kids appreciate vegetables? Please share your experience in the comments below!

Original HealthyGreenMoms article. You can learn more about how to cook fresh local organic whole foods despite life’s interruptions by visiting www.cookusinterruptus.com

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Healthy Tips When Your Child Won’t Eat Their Vegetables

Have you ever tried to make your grandma’s favorite cookie recipe substituting whole grain flours and less refined sweeteners?  As well intentioned as this is, the results can be disappointing – sometimes the cookies make great door stops, other times they fall apart trying to scrape them from the cookie sheet.  Every quarter in cooking classes at Bastyr University we make cookies using a variety of whole grain flours and unrefined sweeteners.  I’ve seen some pretty bizarre results and have learned while how to troubleshoot the process. Here are some tips that might help next time you attempt a wholesome cookie conversion.

Flour Power

The type of flour you use as well as the amount is very important to outcome.  For baked goods choose whole wheat pastry flour.  Regular whole wheat flour is great for bread making because of its gluten content which helps develop a structure for the bread.  This protein in the flour can make baked goods tough.  Spelt and kamut are also gluten-rich making them a bit better for bread making, not as great for cookies. If you want to decrease the amount of wheat you’re eating, try barley flour for baked goods.

When replacing 1 cup white flour use 7/8 cup whole grain flour.  This is because the fiber in the whole grain flour tends to absorb more liquid.  To make the wet to dry ratio work, less whole grain flour is needed.

Remember that even a tablespoon or two of flour can make a huge difference in cookie outcome.  More flour will give cookies a cakier texture. If too little flour is added the cookie won’t have enough structure to hold together. Too much flour and you have hockey pucks.  Measure carefully and error on the side of less flour rather than more.  Whole grain cookie dough that yields a light outcome will tend to have a slightly stickier texture than white flour dough.  If in doubt, bake one cookie and check the outcome before proceeding with the rest of the dough.

Wheat, kamut, spelt and barley all contain gluten.  For the family-member that is gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive, a substitution needs to be made.  I find the formulas with bean flours to give baked goods a funny beany taste and prefer this simpler one. Replace 1 cup gluten flour with ¾ cup brown rice flour, 3 tablespoons potato starch, 1 tablespoon tapioca flour, ½ teaspoon xanthum gum.  This will make an okay cookie, though without the gluten it is difficult to get the familiar structure folks are used to.

Fabulous Fats

You can make cookies with oils but oil often doesn’t incorporate well into the flour and sugar.  Also, most oils that one would choose to put in a cookie are refined, meaning the color, flavor, aroma and nutrients of the oil are gone due to high heat steam deodorizing, filtering and bleaching.

Many bakers feel that butter works best for texture and flavor.  It creams beautifully with sugars and the naturally occurring lecithin helps disperse the fat nicely throughout the batter.  Choose one of the many brands of organic butter on the market.  Dairy products from cows who are allowed to move and graze on grass can be higher in those important Omega 3 fatty acids.

If dairy products are on the not-allowed food list for your cookie lover, try coconut oil, a saturated fat high in lauric acid that has been used in the tropics for centuries.  Spectrum Organics makes a nice unrefined coconut oil that works well though it will impart some of its coconut flavor into your cookie.

A third alternative is lard.  It is difficult but not impossible to find lard from well-kept pigs at your natural foods meat counter or from a local farmer.  Often the lard will need to be rendered – melted and any membranes removed. This is a strong tasting fat but there is no doubt that pastries made with lard have the flakiest texture.

Margarines, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and fats concocted from soy are highly refined and in the case of hydrogenation downright dangerous for your health.  Skip those and go for the simple, stable fats that have been used by various cultures for generations.

Show Me the Sugar

I like to taste the sweetener in my cookies.  Refined white sugar has no depth of flavor; it’s just a powerfully sweet empty calorie.  There are a number of sweeteners that are less refined and that add distinctive flavor to your cookie – honey and maple syrup are two of my favorites.  When replacing a granulated sweetener with a liquid sweetener, add 3-5 tablespoons of flour for each 3/4 cup of liquid concentrated sweetener.

Another option is to use one of the less refined cane sugars on the market.  Both Rapadura (made by Rapunzel) and Sucanat (made by Wholesome Foods) still contain the molasses from the cane syrup giving them a rich flavor.  I recommend giving these sugars a short pulse in the blender or coffee grinder as they tend to be coarse.

Natural cane sugars, as well as honey and maple syrup can give cookies a softer texture.  If you desire a crisper cookie, try using part rice syrup or barley malt; both cool to a hard texture.

Taking the time to really cream the fat and the sweetener can’t be overstressed.  Cream it until you can’t tell one from the other.

Chill Out

How the fat melts makes a big difference.  Butter melts at 82-96 degrees F., while coconut oil melts at 76 degrees F.  Cookie dough made with either of these fats benefit from chilling.  Putting cold dough in the oven gives the cookie time to build its structure before the fat begins to melt and spread the cookie.  Chill dough for 30-60 minutes.

Ready to give it a try?

Chocolate Covered Coconut Macaroons – no wheat or flour used!

To learn more from Cynthia Lair, visit her at Cookus Interruptus.com or read her helpful book Feeding The Whole Family: Recipes For Babies, Young Children and Their Parents.

Hey, come visit the me and leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this article, thank you for giving it a boost on social media. © All rights reserved. This post is from HealthyGreenMoms and cannot be republished without express written permission.

Healthy Baking: Whole Foods Cookie Primer

The following article is from new HGM contributor Cynthia Lair. Cynthia is a certified health and nutrition counselor who has been coordinating and teaching whole foods cooking programs since 1994. She is a regular contributor of Mothering Magazing, runs Cookus Interruptus, and is the author of Feeding The Whole Family: Recipes For Babies, Young Children and Their Parents.

Unfortunately, we often give the power of deciding what to feed our children away to food manufacturers by letting them train our children’s taste buds to prefer poor quality food.  All is not lost to the food giants however and you can take control again and be the main source of influence for your kid’s nutrition. Learn some ways you lose the food battle from the beginning and some simple tips for getting back in charge and successfully making the changes you want at home.

It’s so easy to go with the flow when you have a new little one at home. So many products are suggested as being ideal for our kid’s from trusted brands and one by one, the cupboards are slowly packed with boxes of “easily digestible” or “nutritionally superior” refined foods. We unknowingly encourage our kids to become picky eaters right from the start by:

1. Choosing formula over breast milk.  We buy into the myth that it is more convenient and that it is somehow the same (or better!) than breast milk. (Obviously this does not apply to Mothers that are not given the option of nursing their little one.)
2. Introducing manufactured refined baby cereal when babies are ready to start trying solids instead of simply feeding them fresh food from the family meal.  This teaches children to expect “special food” and prefer bland refined carbohydrates. (Do I hear macaroni calling?)
3. Believing that toddlers and small children need “kids food” and purchasing boxes and bottles of refined manufactured foods.  This perpetuates the myth that they need “special food” that only comes in cute packaging with smiley animals.  Put you money into a trip to the farmer’s market with your child, or into planting a small garden.
4. Choosing from a nutritionally inferior “kid’s menu” when dining out.
5. Making separate meals for our children instead of eating the dinner that is prepared for the whole family.

There is no doubt that parents who want to choose healthier options for their family will have many challenges when it comes to changing habits at home. Rest assured, the benefits of a wholesome diet are numerous and it is well worth some “growing pains” to get back on track.

If you have nutritional habits you would like to change at home or just want to start off on the right foot, keep these suggestions in mind:

• Be Aware of your own food preferences. Many times we transmit our taste onto our children. What foods do you love, and which ones would you never care to eat again?  I have a friend who would always make a scrunchy face when serving her baby mashed yams. Sure enough, yams became the baby’s least favorite vegetable! What about sugar? It it considered a reward for good behavior in your family? The idea is to take stock of your food attitudes and decide which ones really serve your children. Be a model, not a critic.
• Set boundaries about food choices. Gentle but firm boundaries help children feel secure and protected and this applies to food as well. Set boundaries that you can follow too. If you don’t want your young children to have ice cream, it’s not fair to have a tub in the freezer just for the parents.
• Create fun rituals around food. Create a fun tea and cakes day where you invite guests over. Get the children involved in setting out the special plates, tablecloths and napkins. Fun days like these can be very rewarding during the ups and down of life.
• Take time to educate. Offer simple reasons why you don’t want them to eat certain foods such as “this soda has things in it your body can’t use, let’s buy something else to drink.” Reflect back to school age children how it sems they act or look after eating certain foods, skipping meals or eating too much. Preteens will respond with suggestions on foods that help their skin look clearer.
• Spread Joy! Let your children see your appreciation of fresh picked summer fruits and delicious home cooked meals. Be expressive in your enjoyment of good wholesome foods rather than sweets or candies.
• Be adventurous when shopping. Take your kids shopping, ask them to be detectives and find items without certain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or to look for organic canned black beans. Try something new, grab a fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried and sample it as a family when you get home.
• Let go! You will be able to relax around birthday parties if you know what is being served at home is nutritionally sound. Let your children have fun without the guilt and rules. Watch out for “forbidden fruits” which can seem even more appealing to children once denied. Respect their food choices and individuality, while maintaining the integrity of the nutritional plan you have for your family. Have you ever witness your child deny food all day only to later realize they are coming down with a cold? Children have a great food intuition to select bits and pieces of what they need. It’s up to you to provide a variety of healthy choices.

Check out my Cookus Interruptus video about picky eaters:

Children are remarkably flexible. They invite us to experience the world with awe. Give them the opportunity to be flexible and make changes to your family’s nutrition with confidence because they may just surprise you!

Original Healthy Green Moms article

Do you have a “picky eater” at home? What creative ways do you ensure they get their nutrition?

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5 Ways We Teach Our Kids To Be Picky Eaters and How to Fix It

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