Oh what a beautiful day today is! From my office I look out onto the great open plains and they are covered (mostly) with a soft white blanket of sparkling snow. I love living in the country. I also love being able to raise my kiddos in the country.
We are focusing on simplifying this coming year and practicing being present. These are great lessons for me and I look forward to the changes that come with them. I feel it's a good example to set for my son, who at 4 (and 11/12 he'll quickly add) is quite impressionable.
Dominik always wakes up hungry, as did his sister. I love this time in the morning when he is revitalized and quite cuddly. Today our meals start off on the right track with a small cup of water. I've included whole grains and fruit as well as healthful vegetables in our days plan. Today, each meal is vegetarian, although we don't always eat vegetarian. I hope you enjoy today's meals and activities as well as Dominik and I have.
Healthy Kiddos Meal Plan Day 1:
Maple Oatmeal with Berries
Fruit & Yogurt
ST Sandwich, Carrots, Celery
Apple w/ Almond Butter and Flax
Whole Grain Wheat Pasta, Homemade Tomato Sauce, Rosemary Bread
Breakfast:
We are lucky to use a water cooler and I'm quite spoiled by the preboiled water that comes from it. This makes preparing our oatmeal quite simple. If you do not have a water cooler/warmer, or instand hot water tap, simply place your water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and add oats. Cook for 5 minutes, then add remaining ingredients. 1 Cup of oatmeal brings 6.1 grams of protein, as well as selenium, manganese, B1, B2, B3, B6, Vitamin A, E, Folate, a whopping 4 grams of fiber, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, as well as a beautiful spectrum of Minerals.
1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
2 Cups Water
1 - 2 Tablespoons Real Maple Syrup
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Frozen Organic Berries (Rasberries or Strawberries are really good with this recipe)
Serve with Almond Milk.
Mid-Morning Snack:
In place of sugary or super processed snacks, I try to offer a variety of healthful whole foods. Wild Blueberries are smaller than your traditionally boxed blueberries. I love the flavor and their deep blue color. You can find these in the freezer section at Whole Foods. Blueberries are loaded with nutrients and are in my book a superfood. Bringing as much as 3.92 grams of fiber, Vitamins A, C, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Ptassium they promote brain health and healthy elimination.
One single serving size blueberry coconut yogurt
1/4 cup frozen organic wild blueberries
2 tsp chia seeds
In a small child friendly bowl, empty the yogurt container. Top with blueberries and chia seeds.
Serve with water.
Lunch:
Sprouts are filled with life energy and vitality. Many different types are available, ranging from sunflower to broccoli. Always wash sprouts well before eating.
Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread
1/4 Cup Sprouts
1/2 Medium Tomato, sliced thinly into discs.
Veganaise Spread
3 Small Baby Carrots
1 Stalk Celery, ends removed, Cut in half
Make a sandwich using Veganaise, sprouts and sliced tomato. Serve carrots and celery alongside. Optionally serve hummus as a healthy dip.
Serve with milk or fresh made vegetable juice
Mid-Afternoon Snack:
As with my earlier snack, I love to offer a fun variety of foods. Dominik loves apples and they are seasonally delicious in early winter. This is a quick snack and I easily add the powerful nutrients of flax seed to the nut butter by shaking a teaspoon on top then mixing into the peanut butter. Nut butters are a great source of healthy fats for your kiddos, as well as a wonderful plant source of proteins. Almonds contain a huge amount of protein at 7.92 grams per 1/4 cup. I love serving Dominik Almond Butter as a peanut butter alternative.
1 Apple (Your child's favorite)
2 - 3 Tablespoons Almond Butter
1 tsp Flax Seeds
Serve with water
Dinner:
One of the gifts being a health coach has given me is working from home. I love being able to make my family dinner and have it on the table by the time my husband gets home, rather than the 7:00 or so it used to be. I also find that I'm slowing down and putting all my love into my meals, which adds the magic and powerful
Vitamin L to each and every dish! If you do not have time to make your sauce, buy the best you can, organic with lots of flavor. You can add the veggies right to this sauce and "upgrade" your nutrients quite easily. Spinach falls into the Dark Leafy Greens category that I'm always trying to persuade my clients to include daily in their diets. Chopping spinach to add to your pasta sauce is an easy way to include it in your meal.
Whole Grain Pasta, we are using Rotini tonight
1 Jar Tomatoes, peeled or one large Can organic Moir Glenn Roasted Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Fresh or Frozen Parsley
1 tsp Rosemary
2 tsp Oregano
Zucchini, Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
1/2 small onion
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 1/2 Cups Chopped Spinach or about 1 cup frozen
1 Loaf Rosemary Bread , available at Whole Food
In a medium skillet, heat olive oil. Add diced onions and saute until they are clear. Add parsley, zucchini, garlic then spinach. Heat until spinach has fully wilted but is not losing it's color.
Add tomato sauce and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Season to taste.
While above is simmering, prepare noodles according to package directions and warm bread in oven.
Serve with Almond Milk.
PLAY TODAY:
Simple activities for you to get the most out of your time with your child. Bonus: you'll burn calories!
We live on the Colorado Plains, so there is not a sledding hill in site. Yet, we have a sled. I put Dominik in the sled and dutifully pulled him around our yard for about ten minutes, laughing all the way! :) I realized outside of the giggles he gave me, that this was a great work out for my legs. He weighs about 40 pounds but on the snow he didn't feel that heavy. The fresh air and play lightened our mood and tired him out a bit.
BAKE TODAY:
Recently, my husband reminded me that one of the coolest things about Christmas time was the smells coming from the kitchen. While I don't believe in feeding my kids tons of sugar, I love to cook and today we took an adventure in the kitchen, crossing the baking line a bit to bake a home made loaf of Rosemary Bread. It was easier than I thought it would be. Kids love to be included in anything we do, but cooking can be a challenge, especially if you are in a hurry. I made a point today to let Dominik help. He gladly pulled up a chair and stood by to add the ingredients as a measured them into the bowl. Once the bread was done, he gleefully shouted, "MOOOOMMMMM, OUR BEAUTIFUL BREAD IS DOOONNNEE.." How can you beat that?!
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| Dominik and Breakfast |
Day one was filled with nutrients and laughs! I'm looking forward to tomorrow! I am sure you are too.
In Vibrant Health and Happiness,
Tammi Hoerner, CHHC, AADP, MH
http://tammi-hoerner.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/
