Lately, I've been trying to get my family to eat more vegetables. Probably most moms attempt this at some point in their mom career. It can be discouraging but I refuse to give up. Taking good care of our bodies has become more important to me since we have had health problems with my youngest.
Here are some of the things I've tried:
When I get out the food for lunches every day, I get out a big plastic container which I keep stocked with baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and sometimes green peppers and cucumbers. My kids will take a very small amount in their lunch and I have no idea what actually gets eaten.
Another tactic I've been trying lately is to buy big bags of spinach from Costco and try to use it up before the spinach goes bad. Once a week I make smoothies at breakfast time and try to put in a good amount of spinach. Frankly, it's really not that much, but I'm hoping to increase it. I have to mask the spinach with lots of berries because if the smoothie is green, no one's going to touch it. I've actually been able to use up the spinach, mostly because the spinach stays good for about two weeks. I want to make more smoothies in the morning but mornings are already pretty hectic.
I also tried out a spinach recipe which we can eat in small amounts. I haven't actually served cooked spinach ever (except in lasagna) until last month. Here's the link for the recipe I've been using. It's actually pretty good with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and some chopped tomato. The trick is not have any leftovers because the dish doesn't keep well at all. And don't believe the recipe serves just two people--it serves more like 8-10. I think I'm going to try other spinach recipes and see if I can find one that's more popular with my family.
I recently read about a mom who serves her children a big plate of salad first at dinnertime. They don't get more food until they have eaten all the salad. That seems a little extreme. My kids are pretty good about eating salad, especially if I serve croutons. I just need to serve it more.
Last night I made roasted vegetables at the recommendation of a friend. I have roasted vegetables before but didn't know that asparagus and cauliflower would turn out so well in the oven. It was easy, tasted really good and my kids loved it. I can totally see myself making this more.
Don't they look good?
Here's what I did:
Take 1/2 head cauliflower, 2 large peeled carrots, 1 bunch asparagus, 1 red pepper, 1/2 onion and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large cookie sheet with sides. Drizzle with 1/4 c. olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cook uncovered in oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately. Delicious! Serves about 6-8 as a side dish.
*I have also peeled sweet potato, chopped it up and cooked it with other vegetables with good results. My children won't eat sweet potato any other way.
Here are some of the things I've tried:
When I get out the food for lunches every day, I get out a big plastic container which I keep stocked with baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and sometimes green peppers and cucumbers. My kids will take a very small amount in their lunch and I have no idea what actually gets eaten.
Another tactic I've been trying lately is to buy big bags of spinach from Costco and try to use it up before the spinach goes bad. Once a week I make smoothies at breakfast time and try to put in a good amount of spinach. Frankly, it's really not that much, but I'm hoping to increase it. I have to mask the spinach with lots of berries because if the smoothie is green, no one's going to touch it. I've actually been able to use up the spinach, mostly because the spinach stays good for about two weeks. I want to make more smoothies in the morning but mornings are already pretty hectic.
I also tried out a spinach recipe which we can eat in small amounts. I haven't actually served cooked spinach ever (except in lasagna) until last month. Here's the link for the recipe I've been using. It's actually pretty good with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and some chopped tomato. The trick is not have any leftovers because the dish doesn't keep well at all. And don't believe the recipe serves just two people--it serves more like 8-10. I think I'm going to try other spinach recipes and see if I can find one that's more popular with my family.
I recently read about a mom who serves her children a big plate of salad first at dinnertime. They don't get more food until they have eaten all the salad. That seems a little extreme. My kids are pretty good about eating salad, especially if I serve croutons. I just need to serve it more.
Last night I made roasted vegetables at the recommendation of a friend. I have roasted vegetables before but didn't know that asparagus and cauliflower would turn out so well in the oven. It was easy, tasted really good and my kids loved it. I can totally see myself making this more.
Don't they look good?
Here's what I did:
Take 1/2 head cauliflower, 2 large peeled carrots, 1 bunch asparagus, 1 red pepper, 1/2 onion and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large cookie sheet with sides. Drizzle with 1/4 c. olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cook uncovered in oven at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately. Delicious! Serves about 6-8 as a side dish.
*I have also peeled sweet potato, chopped it up and cooked it with other vegetables with good results. My children won't eat sweet potato any other way.
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