by Marcela M. | May 30, 2013 | Gluten Free, Mousses and ice cream, Recipe Box, Recipes, Sweets, Vegan & Raw
Summer is for ice cream, don’t you think? And how about ice cream sandwiches, aren’t they yumminess to the chore? Don’t they bring memories of childhood, leisurely days , friends and bikes, and ice creams trucks in the park? I thought so too, and this is why I decided to bring you a delicious ice cream sandwich recipe, that is also gluten free and dairy free, for you to enjoy like you used to when you were a child.
These ice cream sandwiches are made of delicious gluten free and dairy free chocolate chip cookiesand vegan chocolate ice cream (dairy free and egg free) because I believe that food allergies shouldn’t stop us from eating tasty treats.
The cookies were adapted from a shortbread cookie recipe by Aran Goyoaga that appears in her book Small Plates and Sweet Treats. I modified the flour combination that she uses because I didn’t have the same ones, and I added big chunks of chocolate that add a little crunchiness to the sandwiches.
Do you want the recipe? Here it is:
Gluten free and dairy free ice cream sandwich recipe
1) Make the Gluten free & Dairy Free chocolate chunks cookies
Ingredients: 110 grs of vegan margarine, 1 cup/200 grs caster sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 medium size egg, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 cup/115 grs almond flour (I used processed almonds), 1 1/4 cup/ 175 grs rice flour (plus a little bit more to dust the counter), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 100 grs chocolate (70%), cut in chunks, or chocolate chip cookies.
Preparation:
1) Beat margarine and sugar for 2 minutes. It is very important not to overbeat margarine or the cookies will turn out oily, so just incorporate both ingredients well and make sure the resulting cream has some fluffiness but don’t continue further than that.
2) Scrape the sides of the bowl, add vanilla and eggs and beat well, until fully incorporated.
3) In a different bowl, mix the dry ingredients and add them to the margarine cream in three times, mixing well and scraping the sides of the bowl after every addition. Again, don’t over mix or the dough will be too soft. Add the chocolate chunks or chips and incorporate them into the dough.
4) Wrap the foil in plastic and put it in the refrigerator for one hour. These cookies freeze very well, so if you can make the dough ahead of time, freeze it and bake the cookies at a later date.
5) Dust the counter with rice flour, remove the dough from the refrigerator, extend it with a rolling pin and cut the cookies with the desired shape. I made medium size flowers, but you could also try with a simple circle or square cookie cutter.
6) Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10-15 minutes, until barely golden on top. Remove from the oven and let them cool down.
2) Make the Chocolate coconut ice cream
Ingredients: 2 cans of 400 ml of coconut milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa
Preparation:
1) Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to the heat, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until it slightly thickens (very slightly). This will help dissolve well all pieces of coconut and cocoa and ensure that the ice cream turns out smooth.
2) Place the chocolate coconut milk in a container with a lid and put it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours
3) Remove the milk from the refrigerator, and churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I use the KitchenAid ice cream attachment, with which it takes 15/20 minutes for the ice cream to be ready.
4) Once the ice cream is ready, place it in the freezer for 2 hours for it to reach scoop consistency.
3) Assemble the ice cream sandwiches
1) Put a scoop of ice cream between two cookies, and place the sandwiches on a tray
2) Place the tray in the freezer until the ice cream hardens (or it will melt too soon!).
3) Serve, or store in the freezer in an airtight container.
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by Marcela M. | May 24, 2013 | Blog
Good morning dear friends!
We are now back in Cyprus, after 1 wonderful day in Athens (Greece) and 10 fantastic days visiting my husband’s family in Belgrade (Serbia). I am currently in full photo editing mode, so I will start posting about our trip very soon, but, in the meantime, and while I get all that and a few other personal things finished, I thought I could share with you a list of my very favorite blogs and sources of inspiration from around the web.
I have been following some of these blogs for a few years , while some others are fairly new in my feeder. They all feel to me like old friends, I love them and read them all frequently and I hope that you will love them too.
So here they are, with a little explanation of the reasons why I love them. Go ahead, read on, pay them a visit and get inspired!
A quick list of my favorite blogs:
I- Favorite blogs on food and baking- the ones that make me want to run to the kitchen and that have inspired to learn new things
Call me cupcake: Linda writes, from Sweden, one of my favorite blogs in the whole wide world. Yes, I like it that much. I have tried several of her recipes and they are all delicious and turn out perfect. Her macarons are easy to do and to die for. Her chocolate espresso cupcakes are heavenly. And don’t get me started on her photography or the fact that she also plays in a band called “Death in the Afternoon” (you can hear their music in her videos). A wonderful blog from a multi-talented lady.
Sweetapolita: Rosie writes from Canada and her blog is sweet as cotton candy. If you need cake inspiration, this is one of the best places to go for it.
Tartelette: The first food blog I read and the reason I fell in love with food photography. Hélène’s styles food to perfection, and her photography makes me dream of quiet meals with friends, grandma’s cooking and family gatherings. She cooks gluten free and her book, Plate to Pixel is my food photography bible.
Cannelle et Vanille : I started visiting Aran’s blog for her photography, in the late nights of 2008, when I was unable to fall back asleep after breastfeeding Luka and Zoe. I would spend hours browsing her beautiful pictures, where I was always struck by her incredible use of light, the sweet colors and styling of her photos and the warmth of her words. Aran’s book, Small Plates and Sweet Treats, published last year, is the most beautiful one I own. Every page is delightful.
Brave Tart Stella demystified macaron baking for me, and made me believe that I, too, could make some! That alone is a reason to love her, don’t you agree? But that’s not all: I also bought a kitchen scale and an oven thermometer because of her recommendations and I am forever grateful I did. I dream of going to Kentucky to taste her desserts but, until I am able to, I will have to continue making them at home. Look at these blueberry violet tarts with a white chocolate yuzu crust for a perfect example of her talent. She has a book coming soon, and I can’t wait to get it!
Glorious Treats: A wonderful blog, with perfect, fool proof recipes and detailed instructions for decorating cookies with royal icing.
The Sweet Adventures of Sugar Belle: OMG her cookies. That’s all I will say. You have to go and see for yourself!
II- Food blogs where the words are as yummy as the recipes in them
Tea and Cookies: Tea writes so beautifully, there’s so much heart put into each word that, after reading her posts, I find myself thinking about them for hours. This blog post is just an example of what I mean.
Not without Salt: Gorgeous pictures, beautiful writing and an inspiring series called “Dating my husband”
David Lebovitz: David is a professional American pastry chef who lives in Paris. His recipes are incredibly good, and his writing is funny and entertaining. He also organizes gastronomic tours in different cities in Europe, which I would love to take one day.
The wednesday chef: I started reading this blog after Tea reviewed Luisa’s book My Berlin Kitchen. Tea linked to THIS POST and I loved it so much that I kept reading one blog post after another. I didn’t get the book yet but, hey, my birthday is next week, so maybe I will soon 😉
III- Favorite blogs on healthy eating
My new roots I love Sarah Britton because she professes her love for whole food (which I share), without being judgy or fundamentalist about it. Her recipes are delicious and she has inspired me to try new ingredients and taught me how to cook certain others that I had barely noticed in the supermarket aisles before.
Gourmande in the Kitchen : Oh the pictures of this blog!
My darling Lemon Thyme: A beautiful blog with gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian recipes that are as delicious as they look in Emma’s pictures. The blog has a garden section that has inspired me to grow crops in pots this Summer (a post on that is coming soon!)
IV- Favorite blogs on design, crafts, parties and all things pretty
Going Home to Roost: Pretty, pretty, pretty. And girlie. And sweet. And inspiring. Those are just some of the words that come to my mind when I think about Bonnie’s blog. Read it to get recipes, inspiration, craft projects, gardening and biz advice, and ideas on simple living.
Decor8: A classic, an amazing source of daily inspiration.
Camille Styles: Camille is so stylish, that her blog is a real feast for the eyes. I particularly love her table settings, just gorgeous.
Damask love: I started following Amber after she guest posted for the TomKat studio, but I fell in love with her when she organized the fundraiser for the children of Newtown. Pretty crafts, beautiful cards, lovely, lively writing. You will love it.
Oh happy day :One of the most creative blogs out there. If you don’t follow it already, go do it now! The DIY projects are super doable and her zig zag streamers are now a staple in my children’s parties
Griottes: This blog is so pretty there are no words to describe it. You have to see it for yourself (in French).
V- Favorite blogs on parenting, children and play time.
Modern Parents Messy Kids: My go-to blog for all things children and organizing. Incredible source of inspiration, down to earth writing and tons of practical ideas.
Foodlets The tag “Mini foodies in the making…maybe”says it all, doesn’t it? A mother striving to get their children to eat a varied and healthy diet. I can totally identify with that!
All the blogs in this pinterest board are definitely worth following.
There you have them, my favorite food, crafts and parenting blogs! I hope you will like them as much as I do!
What are your favorite blogs, the ones whose posts you never miss? Please, share the list in the comments below!
And if you are not subscribed to my newsletter, now is a good time to do it because there’s a yummy, subscribers only recipe that will be sent out soon! Just enter your info in the pink box below this post!
by Marcela M. | May 13, 2013 | Cakes, Recipe Box, Recipes, Sweets, Vegan & Raw
Good morning dear friends!
We are still in Belgrade, enjoying the beautiful Spring days with our family and taking daily strolls with Luka and Zoe around the city.
Everything has been very quiet around here these past days because of the extended holiday of Labor Day and the Orthodox Easter, so the city, which is normally booming with energy, has had a lovely calm, leisure-like feeling, pretty much like the one you get on a vacation resort by sea. Really, really nice and relaxing 🙂
Today’s post, however, is not about Belgrade. It is a recipe I came up with in my quest to get my children to eat vegetables! I had seen online and read about different cakes and brownies made with veggies inside, but all the recipes I could find used dairy which, as you know, is an ingredient that Luka and I shouldn’t eat. So I decided to experiment a bit, and, after a few trials, I came up with this recipe. To make it even yummier, I also made a frosting that, instead of butter and tons of sugar, uses avocado and honey. And the best part? It tastes delicious!
I like to make this cake in a sheet cake or brownie pan because it’s ideal for cutting into small bites. One word of caution, though: The addition of the veggies makes this cake EXTREMELY moist, so make sure that it’s cold when you cut it. It is actually a good idea to put it in the fridge for 20 minutes before doing so, and to use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to do so.
And don’t worry: this cake does not taste like salad! If you let it cool down appropriately, you won’t be able to tell there are veggies inside. I advise you, though, to make it with your children because I think it is a good idea for them to get used to the idea that vegetables can be part of the food they like. The more they get used to you making vegetables a part of their diet, the more normal they will seem to them and, hopefully, they will be willing to try them in other ways as well.
Here is the recipe:
Chocolate sheet cake and frosting, with hidden veggies (dairy free, egg free)
Ingredients: 100 grs dark chocolate (70%), 1 cup vegetable milk, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup oil, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup beet puree, 1/2 cup carrot puree, 1/4 cup spinach puree, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt. For the frosting: 1 avocado, 1/2 cup honey (or agave), 2 tablespoons cocoa
Preparation:
1) Put the chocolate in a bowl, then place the bowl over a pot of boiling water and let it melt. Once it has melted, set aside and let it cool.
2) Put the milk in a bowl and add the vinegar. Wait a few minutes, until it curdles.
3) Add oil, sugar and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
4) Sift flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
5) Add 1/2 the flour mixture to the liquid ingredients and mix well.
6) Add the vegetables to the batter. Mix well.
7) Add the rest of the flour. Mix well to incorporate fully.
8) Add the melted chocolate and mix very well for a few minutes.
9) Grease a pan and dust it with cocoa. Pour the batter in it, tap it against the counter to divide it evenly and remove any air bubbles, and place it in the oven, pre heat at 175 degrees celsius, for about 1 hour, or until a knife stuck in the middle comes out clean.
10)Once fully cooked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool.
11) Make the frosting: Peel the avocado, remove the flesh and mash it with a fork. Add honey and cocoa and beat until light and fluffy. You may use an electric mixer if you have one.
12) Once the cake has cooled down, add the frosting on top. Place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, cut into small square bites and enjoy!
Do you hide vegetables in desserts? Which is your favorite recipe? Please share in the comments!
by Marcela M. | May 2, 2013 | cookies, Recipe Box, Recipes, Sweets
Good evening dear friends!
I am writing today’s post from Belgrade, Serbia, where we are currently visiting my husband’s family. Cyprus follows the Orthodox calendar, according to which Easter falls on May 5th this year, so we are taking advantage of Luka and Zoe’s brief break from school for a short family trip. I will tell you all about it when I get back home!
These truffles, which are ridiculously easy to make and are full of food that is good for our bodies, were made before I left and devoured by my family. If you read the two last posts, you already know that my children are picky eaters and that I keep looking for ideas to get them to eat food that tastes delicious but that also provides them with the nutrients they need in order to grow up healthy, food that helps them thrive.
These little balls of goodness may do just that. I came up with them while playing in the kitchen, trying to recreate my favorite store-bought nut bars (which are way too expensive for me to buy them too often). I looked at the list of ingredients in the package, figured out the percentages that seemed more accurate to me, added a few super foods and decided to try the method that I detail below. I
considered for a while whether it would be better to soak nuts and dates before hand, but didn’t, even though I will probably try that method in the future as well, at least to compare which one I like best.
These truffles are ideal to make with kids, because of their simplicity. If you don’t like any of the ingredients, feel free to replace it for something similar (I do that all the time). And did I mention that they have no added sugar?
Do you want to try them now?
Here is the recipe:
Raw vegan truffles with dates, nuts and berries (makes around 40)
Ingredients: 250 grs dates, 160 grs cashews, 100 grs currants or raisins, 15 grs goji berries, 15 grs dried cranberries, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 3 tablespoons water,shredded coconut for rolling the truffles in it (optional)
Preparation.
1) Put the cashews in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they turn into flour.
2) Add the pitted dates, currants or raisins, berries, chia seeds and water. Process until you get a dough that separates from the sides of the bowl.
3) Put the dough in an airtight container and put it in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
4) Remove from the refrigerator. Take small pieces of dough with a teaspoon and form them into balls. You may then roll the balls on shredded coconut, as in the pictures, or leave them without. It’s your choice.
5) Keep stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to a week.
Have you ever made raw truffles or cookies before? Please share in the comments below!
by Marcela M. | Apr 30, 2013 | Blog, Children
Good morning dear friends!
As promised, here is the second post about ways to cure picky eating habits, with the 14 tips list itself. I hope it will hlp you design a strategy that is right for your family, and to end mealtime struggles.
Here are Claire’s tips:
14 tips to cure your child’s picky eating
1) The very first one is DON’T PANIC. Quite often, fussiness is more about control than it is about the food in question. If you get stressed, your kids will know, and they’ll push that stress button of yours as much as they can. Unless there is a specific and urgent health matter going on, trust that your kids will be ok.
2) If your child is not eating at all, check what else may be going on (see Part I of this post here for more details).
3) Establish a mealtime routine. Kids need regularity.
4) If your mealtimes have turned into a battle ground, see if your children can have a meal with someone else to see whether they eat or not.
5) Offer something fresh at every meal: fruits, veggies, nuts or seeds.
6) Make it a vague rule that people do have to try foods. I say ‘vague’ because just making it a rule won’t work. Instead, when your kids say they’ve finished, and want their pudding now, just sweetly remind them to try the green beans/sauce or whatever. They’ll fight it, but if they know that pudding is waiting on them just sticking one tiny piece of greenery in their mouths, they may well be up for it.
7) If your kids nag you for food when they come home from school, happily give in by only offering them a raw piece of the veg that they will be having later. So, if you are chopping cabbage, just give them a piece of cabbage. If you make it clear that the only snack is the same as what they’ll be eating later, they’ll either take it, or quit asking. It might take a few days to get it to sink in, but once it does, you’ll be happy regardless of whether they eat the raw veg or just leave you alone
8) The Spring is a great time to really move picky eaters forward. Our bodies naturally want to eat less fatty, sugary foods in the Spring, mainly because we don’t need to be storing up energy to survive the Winter. Our bodies naturally crave the magnesium in green veg and it craves the freshness of fresh foods. If there was one time of year when the odds are in your favour for getting your children to prefer healthy foods, it is NOW!
To take full advantage of the Spring, you could try growing your own foods such as sprouted green lentils, cress and salad leaves all grow super fast. Kids are so much more likely to try foods which they helped to grow. But remember, you have to take part too – if you sit there thinking that this is all rabbit foods, please don’t be surprised if your kids think the same. You may well enjoy the sunshine that seems to burst from fresh foods yourself
9)Foods that are great for the Spring are all the ones which are appearing where you live – fresh leafy things, fruits and veg that are coming up now are perfect. And they taste better. A fresh orange picked from your tree tastes sooo much better than an orange flown in from half-way around the world. Go fruit picking perhaps, or visit a farm so that you have a good idea of what is in season, but also so that your child can develop an independent idea about food without your direct input.
10) Make your own salad dressing. Seriously. My kids will eat any kind of salad, because they have been trained by my nifty take on a salad dressing to love it. I take olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a dash of honey to sweeten it up a tad and splash it on a salad. Now, even if there is no dressing, my kids will happily eat plenty of salad.
11) Don’t confuse your children. They will watch and learn from you. If you only eat salad when you are on diet, or you make jokes about eating grass when you serve up broccoli, your kids will know that your heart isn’t in it, and they’ll feel just the same. If you at least try something new, or make an effort to have a mouthful or two of something that you don’t really like, they’ll see it, do their best to ignore it, but at least the precedent has been set. You can then say ‘I don’t like peas either, but I always try a few just in case these are the ones that I will like’. (or something similar).
12) Get Dr Seuss book ‘Green Eggs and Ham’- it has been a brilliant addition to our family because it’s all about trying new foods and really does inspire kids. And give massive praise at mealtimes for trying something, and don’t worry if they don’t like it.
13) One of my biggest bug-bears and one which we all do (myself included occasionally) is when a child says ‘I don’t like that’ and we say ‘Yes you do’. It totally negates the little bit of power that the child is trying to put out there. Instead of telling them that they do like it, try just saying ‘Ok. Well, I’ve given you a little bit so you can see how you feel today’ and leave it at that. Remember, it’s all about the power – let them have a little bit of power when they want it, and they won’t then be fighting with you in every other way.
14)Hiding veggies and fruit is absolutely a brilliant way to get kids to eat food. But I am not really one for being sneaky. My reason for suggesting this is that it helps to slowly, without stress, train their taste buds. For example: my daughter HATES courgette. With a passion. But, I’ll make a pasta sauce, with some grated courgette in it. She eats it, perfectly happily. So, her taste buds get to experience the courgette and realize that it isn’t something strange. She gets the lovely goodies in courgette without having to feel she is being forced to eat something she doesn’t like. And I get to know that it’s not the TASTE of courgettes that she doesn’t like, it’s the texture. If that sounds a bit crazy, hear this: I only like courgette if it is finely cut up. Big bits of courgette turn my stomach. Why? I have no idea, but I can totally relate to her story. Eating isn’t just about the taste, it’s about the texture, the look, the smell of foods. Children can’t explain this – they just either ‘like’ it or they ‘don’t like’ it. Hiding foods, or changing the texture is a great way to explore foods without the stress of actually ‘trying’ something. Be careful though – if you hide a vegetable in foods, and your child then hates the food even though they aren’t aware that there is something in the food, there is the slight chance the food doesn’t suit them which is making them dislike it. So, as an example, they may be slightly intolerant to it, perhaps.Finally, be mindful and gentle with yourself: it is hard and you are not alone in this battle. Sometimes you have to step back and trust in your child. Give them the right tools, and you might well be surprised by what they will eat. Try not to do what we all do, which is worry that they haven’t eaten enough and give a sugary pudding or treat when they refuse their food so that they ‘have at least eaten something’. Kids are fast learners, and if you do want them to try new foods, you just have to go with the flow and trust they’ll eat enough if the good stuff is there.
So, there you have it. I don’t have all the answers because each and every child is different, and each and every parent is different. It would take me hours to give all the possible solutions that I know, and even they might not be enough. But take a look through the list above, and see if one or two or three of my suggestions sound like something that would work for you.If you are really struggling, I’d love to help you. Drop me an email, and outline your problem, and I’ll get back to you with a couple of suggestions crafted just for you. They might or might not work (who can tell), but sometimes you just need an outside eye on a problem that is close to your heart.Sign up to my website – and get a short (but sweet) list of some of my favourite nutrition books. There are two books all about children and food in that list, both of which not only got me through the weaning and toddler years, but are still useful to me now, both as a nutritionist, and as the mum of two girls who know exactly what they like to eat and precisely what they don’t! Ahh, that’s got me thinking – I can’t remember who likes cooked carrots again this week.
Isn’t Claire wonderful? I love her tips because they are easy to put in practice, all we need is little courage to get started and to brace ourselves for the initial resistance we may encounter.
Did you like the tips? Which are the ones you are most likely to put in practice soon/that you think will work better for your children? Please, share in the comments below!
Con sabor latino…
Buenos dias queridos amigos! Tal como lo prometi, aqui esta la segunda parte del post acerca de como curar las mañas alimenticias de nuestros niños. Espero de todo corazón que los ayuden a diseñar una estrategia adaptada a sus familias, que acabe con las batallas a la hora de la comida!
Ahora los dejo con Claire:
14 tips para curar las mañas alimenticias
1) El primero de todos es que NO ENTRES EN PANICO SI TU HIJO ES MAÑOSO. Muy frecuentemente la mañosidad es más una cuestión de control que de gustos alimenticios. Si tu te estresas, tus hijos lo notarán, y jugarán con eso de muchas maneras. Salvo que haya un problema de salud específico, confiá en que tus hijos estarán bien.
2) Si tu hijo no come nada de nada, fijate qué mas puede estar ocurriendo (recuerda revisar los puntos que Claire mencionó en el post anterior)
3) Establece horarios y rutinas de comida. Los niños necesitan regularidad.
4) Si las comidas se han tornado en un verdadero campo de batalla, fíjate si tu hijo puede comer con alguien que no seas tu para ver si así comen o no, y qué comen.
5) Ofrece algo fresco en cada comida: fruta, verdura, nueces o semillas.
6) Incluye vagamente como regla de la casa la idea de que todos tienen que probar la comida. No seas muy rigido, porque el solo establecerla como regla no va a funcionar. En lugar de esto, cuando tus hijos declaren que han terminado de comer y pidan el postre, recuerdales dulcemente que deben probar aquello que no han tocado. Se van a oponer, sin dudas, pero saber que tienen la promesa del postre esperándoles los hará mas proclives a ponerse un pequeño trozo de lechuga en la boca.
7) Si tus hijos te acosan por comida cuando llegan de la escuela, dales un trozo del mismo vegetal crudo que piensas darles en la comida. Por ejemplo, si estas cortando repollo, dales un trozo del mismo. Si les dejas bien en claro que el unico snack que obtendran será ese, puede que lo tomen o lo dejen pero en cualquier caso aprenderán la regla rápidamente y tu estaras contenta de saber que comen verduras crudas o bien de que te dejen cocinar en paz.
8) La primavera es la estación ideal para introducir nuevos y buenos hábitos alimenticios. Nuestros cuerpos están programados naturalmente para querer alimentos reducidos en calorías y sin tanta azucar, fundamentalmente porque no necesitamos guardar energia para el invierno. Nuestros cuerpos desean naturalmente el magnesio de las verduras verdes, y la frescura de los alimentos crudos. O sea que si hubiera una época del año ideal para que tus hijos prefieran comidas saludables sería justamente ESTA.
Para aprovecharla lo más posible, es una buena idea, plantar tus propias verduras, como hojas de lechuga, y brotes de lentejas verdes, que crecen super rapido. Los niños son más proclives a probar alimentos que han visto crecer. Sólo recuerda que tu tambien tienes que participar en el proceso, si tu solo te sientas al lado pensando “esta es comida de conejos” no te sorprendas si tus hijos piensan los mismo!. Disfuta del sol y del proceso junto a ellos.
9) Los mejores alimentos son los de estación, o sea aquellos que están apareciendo en las góndolas de los supermercados en este momento. Y saben mejor. Una naranja recogida de tu propio arbol sabe mucho mejor que una que ha viajado del otro lado del mundo. Por eso otra buena idea es ir a recolectar frutas junto con tu hijo, si tienes quintas cercanas, llevalos a una granja donde tus hijos puedan ver cuales son las frutas de estación y pueda desarrollar sus propias ideas acerca de la comida.
10) Haz tus propios aliños para las ensaladas. Yo hago el mio con aceite de oliva, acetto balsamico y u poquito de miel para darle dulzura y mis hijos devoran las ensaladas gracias a eso.
11) No confundas a tus hijos. Si ellos ven que tu sólo comes ensaladas cuando estas a dieta y haces bromas acerca de comer pasto cuando sirves brócoli, tus hijos sabrán que no te gusta y tampoco les gustarán esos alimentos. Si al menos pruebas y haces el esfuerzo ellos lo notarán,intentarán ignorarlo pero al menos sentarás un buen precedent. Incluso puedes decirles “A mi tampoco me gustan las arvejas, pero siempre pruebo algunas a ver si esas sí me gustan” (o algo similar)
12) Consigue el libro de Dr. Seuss “Huevos verdes y jamón”, que ha sido una adición brillante a nuestra biblioteca porque trata justamente acerca de probar nuevas comidas y es super inspirador para los niños. Pero no te detengas allí: alaba muchísimo a tus niños, haz una fiesta cada vez que prueban algo nuevo sin preocuparte si no les gusta.
13) Uno de los mayores problemas es cuando el niño dice “no me gusta esto” y los padres respondemos “si te gusta”porque niega su individualidad y el pequeño rescoldo de poder que el niño pretende tener en esa situación. En lugar de eso, diles que está bien, que por eso justamente haz puesto solo un poquito en su plato para que el pueda ver cómo se siente al respecto en el dia de la fecha”. Y dejalo ahí. Recuerda que estas son peleas por poder, dejales que tengan un poquito de poder en pequeñas batallas para que no peleen por absolutamente todo.
14) Esconder frutas y verduras es una manera fantastica de hacer que los chicos prueben distintos sabores. Yo no soy muy escondedora, pero sí suelo sugerirlo porque ayuda a desestresar la situacion y tambien ayuda a acostumbrar las papilas gustativas a los distintos sabores. Por ejemplo, mi hija odio con pasión los zapallitos, pero si los incluyo en salsa de pasta, rallada, lo come feliz de la vida. Eso me permite saber que no es el sabor del zapallito lo que no le gusta, sino su textura. En el acto de comer estan en juego muchos de nuestros sentidos, no es solo el gusto lo que está en juego sino tambien la textua, el olor y el aspecto de la comida. Los niños no pueden explicar esto, para ellos es sólo algo que les gusta o no. Esconder alimentos o cambiar su textura es una buena manera de hacerlos probar nuevos alimentos sin el stress que implica para ellos hacerlo. Ten en cuenta, sin embargo, que si escondes verduras en algun alimento y tu hijo se niega a probarlo, puede que esto se deba, por ejemplo, a que tengan una intolerancia al mismo.
Finalmente, se amable y gentil contigo mismo, esta es una batalla dificil pero no estas solo. A veces deberás dar un paso atrás y confiar en tu niño. Ocupate de armarlos con las insrumentos adecuados para tomar sus propias decisiones y puede que ellos te sorprendan. Eso sí, intenta no hacer lo que todos hacemos, que es preocuparte de que no han comido suficiente y darles un postre para que “al menos coman algo”. Los niños aprenden rápido y si de verdad quieres que prueben nuevos alimentos debes dejarte llevar y confiar en que comeran suficiente si sólo tienen delante alimentos saludables.
Allí los tienen, esos son mis tips. No tengo todas las respuestas porque cada niño es diferente y cada familia es diferente. Me llevaría horas poder compartir con ustedes todas las soluciones a cada problema especifico y aun así eso podría no llegar a ser suficiente. Lean la lista que les he dejado, y fíjense si una o dos de mis sugerencias pueden adaptarse a su familia. Si de verdad tienen muchos problemas con este tema, me encantaria poder ayudarlos. Pueden enviarme un email detallandome el conflicto especifico y yo les respondere con un par de ideas que pueden funcionar. A veces lo que necesitamos es una mirada objetiva, no? Tambien pueden subscribirse a mi página web y recibiran una lista de mis libros de nutrición favoritos, que incluye dos específicamente adaptados a los niños.
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¿Qué les ha parecido este post? ¿No es Claire maravillosa? Sus tips me encantan porque son sensatos, adaptables y fáciles de poner en practica ¿verdad?
Y a ustedes ¿les han gustado estos tips? ¿Cuales les paracen más adaptables a su hogar? Cuentenme en los comentarios!
