Favorite Fall Foods

Autumn brings the changing colors of leaves as well as pumpkins, apples, and butternut squash.

 

Pumpkin is orange which tells us it's high in beta carotene which helps keep eyesight sharp. It's also heart healthy because it's full of potassium. One cup of pumpkin has 30 calories.

Apples are a crisp, white-fleshed fruit with a red, yellow or green skin. Apples have a moderately sweet, refreshing flavor and a tartness that is present to greater or lesser degree depending on the variety. They are a good source of fiber and Vitamin C. One serving contains 81 calories.

Butternut squash gets its name because it's sweet, flavorful and rich. It is full of fiber, beta carotene, and Vitamins A and C as well as manganese and potassium. One cup of butternut squash has 63 calories. The following recipe is a great way to serve butternut squash.

Best Friends Help Improve Your Child's Health, Researchers Say

While you may be concerned about cutting out overly processed foods in your child's diet and making sure that he or she stays active to promote overall good health, what you may be needing to do is make sure that your child spends quality time with his or her best friend, especially when your child is down in the dumps. This is because according to a new study, having a bestie around when something "stressful" or "unpleasant" happens to your child can actually positively affect your child's mental and physical state.

A team of Canadian researchers from Concordia University tested more than 100 fifth and sixth graders, evenly divided by gender. What they discovered was that when a child was scolded by a teacher or got into a disagreement with a fellow classmate, the test subjects were less likely to release cortisol if they're best friend was near them. Cortisol is a stress hormone that while typically associated with health complications in adults (makes sense— adults are the ones to get stressed out more often) an excess of cortisol in children has staggering long-lasting effects: it can ultimately stunt development and growth as well as weaken the immune system.

The stress hormone is also linked to low self-esteem—too much can make children have a lower sense of self-worth, according to researchers. And naturally, low-self esteem can lead to more severe disorders like depression and eating disorders in the future.  So it's important to have a balanced level of cortisol as a child.

An earlier Concordia study even linked higher levels of cortisol to behavioral issues in young children. Those with too much cortisol were more likely to disrupt classrooms and be mischievous.

So if you have some bad news to tell your child or if he or she comes home upset because they didn't have a valentine this year, it might be best to invite his or her best friend over to cheer him or her up—their health depends on it. Not to mention that having friends can help children become more sociable (which can help them later on in life) and can even help them deal with bullies, some studies say.

The study, which is officially titled "The Presence of a Best Friend Buffers the Effects of Negative Experiences," is published in the journal of Developmental Psychology.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Katheryn Rivas, who writes on the topics of online universities advice.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: katherynrivas87@gmail.com.

Keep Your Kids Safe

One of the things we worry about the most as parents is keep our kids safe. We see so many instances in the news of the kidnappings and killings of children, of serial molesters and rapists, and of the rampant use of child porn.

Here are some scary facts:

· Over 2,100 children go missing every day, that’s one child every 40 seconds.

· 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 16.

· There are 728,345 registered sex offenders in the United State.

· The re-arrest rate of convicted child molesters is 52%

Now I don’t think we need to live in constant fear because that would not allow our children to develop properly but I do think that we, as parents, need to be aware. One great tool to help with that is to sign up at kidslivesafe.com.

If you sign up you will be able to:

1. Search, map, and view complete sex offender profiles.

2. Receive an instant email alert when a sex offender moves into your monitored area.

3. Safely monitor your children online.

4. Use their Emergency Response Profiles if your child is lost or abducted.

5. Learn your city’s true crime rate.

6. Use their learning center to stay up to date with critical child care information and resources.

Empower yourself to protect your children!

*I am a Kids Live Safe affiliate. 

Fun Food

When you have a picky eater you’ll do ANYTHING to get them to try something new. One fun way to get kids interested in unfamiliar foods is by making the presentation exciting. If they are marveling at the creative design you made out of their meal they are more likely to try some, even if it’s just a bite or two. It many cases it’s a breakthrough if they even allow a new food on their plate. The point isn’t to get them to chow down on the new food; it’s just to acquaint them with it. The next time you serve that food it will be a little more familiar. The more familiar and nonthreatening a new food it the more likely your picky eater will take a nibble, or at least let it within arm’s length of their mouths.

Do you ever create designs out of food for your kids?

Health Benefits of Grapefruit

I know most of us parents want to feed our kids the best diet possible.  It can be so hard to find food that’s healthy and that they’ll willingly eat.  Grapefruit is a great choice because it’s nutritious and kids typically love it.  Not only are they good for kids but adults too!  Here are some benefits of grapefruit:

·         Helps with weight loss. Grapefruit is low in calories with only 42 calories per serving. You can eat plenty of this fruit without worrying about weight gain! Not only that but Researchers also confirmed that grapefruit may help prevent weight gain by lowering insulin levels.

·         Prevents cancer and lowers cholesterol. It is rich in pectin which is a dietary fiber. Pectin protects the colon by acting as a laxative which lowers the amount of time toxic substances are in the colon. It also binds to cancer causing substances on the colon. Pectin had also been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.

·         Prevents kidney stones. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that when women drank 1/2 to 1 liter of grapefruit, apple or orange juice daily, their urinary pH value and citric acid excretion increased, significantly dropping their risk of forming calcium oxalate stones.

·         Grapefruit is good for vision, skin, and prevents lung and oral cavity cancer. Vitamin A works with antioxidants such as naringenin, beta-carotene, xanthin and lutein are essential for vision. Vitamin A and flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. New research presented at the 228th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society showed that drinking three 6-ounce glasses of grapefruit juice a day was shown to reduce the activity of an enzyme that activates cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke. In rats whose colons were injected with carcinogens, grapefruit and its isolated active compounds (apigenin, hesperidin, limonin, naringin, naringenin, nobiletin) not only increased the suicide (apoptosis) of cancer cells, but also the production of normal colon cells.

·         Prevents arthritis and works as an antiseptic. Grapefruit contains salicylic acid that helps break down the body’s inorganic calcium, which builds up in the cartilage of joints and may lead to arthritis. If you have arthritis, try drinking grapefruit juice with apple cider vinegar. You will notice a reduction in your arthritis symptoms. The salicylic acid in grapefruit also works as a powerful antiseptic. In addition, grapefruit seed extracts can be added to water to make an antiseptic spray for treating bacterial and fungal infections.

·         Helps your body heal wounds and prevents colds. It is a good source of antioxidant vitamin C. Vitamin-C is a strong natural anti-oxidant and helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals. It also assists the intestine in absorbing dietary iron. Vitamin C-rich foods like grapefruit may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms; over 20 scientific studies have suggested that vitamin C is a cold-fighter.

·         Affects heart rate and blood pressure. Fresh fruit is very rich in potassium. Potassium is an important part of cell and body fluids. It counters the effects of sodium which helps control heart rate and blood pressure.

·         Protects skin and prevents prostate cancer. Red varieties of grapefruits are especially rich in lycopene. Studies have shown that lycopene protects skin damage from UV rays and offers protection against prostate cancer.

·         Contains many vitamins and minerals. It contains moderate levels of B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, pyridoxine, and thiamin in addition to some resourceful minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, and phosphorus.

Ways to Stay Active During the Holiday Season

It’s that time again! The time of year we all struggle with. There’s tons of great food that leaves us exhausted and not wanting to move. We know in our heads we shouldn’t have that extra helping of mashed potatoes or that extra piece of pie but we give into temptation. Then as if we were stuffed turkeys ourselves we go and do the worst thing when you’ve overeaten: we lie there with our pants unbuttoned in a state of exhaustion. According to the New England Journal of Medicine the average person gains one pound over the holidays and never loses it. I know, I know, what’s one pound? Well it’s a lot over the course of years. One pound eventually becomes twenty if we’re not careful.

Now I’m not against all those delicious foods and I’m just as guilty as anyone of indulging on Thanksgiving BUT I do try to keep myself and my family as healthy as possible and I want my family to develop healthy habits as well. So indulge in your favorite foods but try one or two of these activities so you can keep some of the holiday weight off this year:

1.      Help out-I noticed many of the women in my family are very fit while a lot of the men tend to pack on weight. I decided to observe to see why this was. One huge difference I noticed was that after a meal the women begin busily cleaning up after dinner while the men go sit on the couch and watch television. Preparing a Thanksgiving meal is a lot of work so make sure everyone in the family has on chore before the meal and one chore after. This will keep them busy and away from the appetizer table before the meal and the dessert table after the meal. Plus staying them their feet will help them burn some extra calories. You’re helping you family stay fit as well as teaching your kids the importance of helping out. Not only will this benefit everyone by keeping them moving but whoever is hosting Thanksgiving will be grateful as well.

2.      Take a walk-You can take a walk right outside your house or plan a beautiful trail nearby to walk on. Plan a scavenger hunt or play a few games to keep kids occupied during the walk. Another fun idea is to have an imagination walk.

Walking game idea: Everyone tries to find five things that begin with the same letter as their first name. If you have several people with the same first letter you can use middle names.

3.      Dance-This is a fun and easy way to burn a few calories. Just put on some music and let everyone get moving. Make sure you have a wide variety of music for everyone and I would recommend having it on CD’s so you’re not looking through the radio to find something.

4.      Plan a family game-Split the family up into a few teams and have a tournament or just kick the ball around. Either way playing a game of soccer, kickball, or softball is a fun way to get the family working together and keep them off the couch. TIP: Have everything set up before the meal because you probably won’t feel like dragging soccer goals out after eating a big dinner. If it’s already set up it’ll be much easier to motivate yourself and everyone else out to the game.

5.      Try some of these activities geared toward kids.

6.      Schedule some fitness into your own schedule. It’s best to schedule this with someone else so that you won’t skip it when you’re feeling full and tired after celebrating the day before. My gym has a turkey buster class the morning after Thanksgiving that I attend every year. You can do something like that or plan a session with a personal trainer or make a date to play tennis or go for a run. Thanksgiving should be just one day and this will help you get back on track if you’ve over eaten. The best way to teach your family to be fit is to model the behavior yourself.

Meatless Meatloaf

Sauce

-          1 small onion, finely chopped

-          1 tbs. oil

-          1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Sauté onion in oil until lightly browned. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Boil 4-5 minutes. Set aside

Meatloaf

-          ½ c. cooked soybeans

-          ¾ c. black beans

-          ½ c. walnuts, ground

-          ½ tsp. salt

-          1 ½ c. onion, chopped

-          ½ c. ketchup

-          t/1 tsp. basil

-          1 tsp. oregano

-          ½ c. oatmeal

-          ½ c. seasoned bread crumbs

-          3 eggs

-          ¼ tsp. pepper

-          2 tbs. parsley, chopped

Preheat oven 350^o. Grease 9x5 loaf pan.

Mash soybeans and black beans with fork. Add oatmeal, nuts, and eggs. Mix well. Blend mixture with remaining ingredients. Place mixture in greased loaf pan. Top with sauce. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Black Bean Burgers

I have a few friends who are vegetarians and I love to give my family vegetarian meals several times a week.  I find it so hard to find new recipes that provide enough protein AND taste good too.  This is a recipe that one of my friends gave me and it is delicious.  My father is a steak and potatoes kind of guy and even he loves these burgers!

Ingredients

3 can black bean, drained

1 can corn, drained

Chopped onions

Chopped carrots

3 sweet potatoes, steamed, chopped and cubed

Directions

1.       Preheat Panini-grill

2.       In large bowl, mash the black beans

3.       Add everything, mix well

4.       Form into patties (size is a personal preference)

5.       Let cook for 5 minutes on Panini (should spray with nonstick on top and bottom)

What are your favorite vegetarian recipes?

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Healthy Snacking and Your Children

I’m so excited to introduce my guest blogger this week:  Kim Corrigan-Oliver is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner. She has appeared on Rogers Daytime, is a regular contributor to Lakeridge Kids Magazine and a variety of blogs across Canada, US and UK. She has a passion for health, wellness, real food and cooking and is dedicated to helping parents raise happy healthy babies. 

I love her website and she inspires me to make healthy food choices for myself and my child.  Her ideas are simple and delicious and she makes eating healthy easy, which is not always an uncomplicated feat.  If you’d like to see more of her writing and recipes, this is her website and twitter.

Healthy Snacking and Your Children

Snacking is very important for your children; their busy bodies need a constant supply of nourishment and calories.  Small healthy snacks between meals mean lots of energy, better health and happiness.

So what do you give your children for a snack, my suggestion is always to stay away from the products in the snack aisle, they are processed, have added ingredients your children do not need and usually have too much sugar. I always suggest real food, food with nutrients to support growth and development, food with fibre to support digestive system, food in its natural state, food that has not been processed by man – real, good food.

So here goes a list of healthy snack suggestions for your children:

Blueberries – fresh or frozen, blueberries pack a nutrient punch and are perfect for tiny hands.  If you choose to try the frozen route, be warned it can be very messy J

Banana slices – sliced banana with almond butter or pumpkin seed butter and a sprinkle of chia or hemp seeds is a nutritious snack and lots of fun to eat

Rice crackers or rice cakes – these are a standby in our home.  You can spread anything on a rice cake – we use hummus, black bean hummus, nut butters, seed butters, apple butter, carrot spread, mashed avocado – the ideas are limitless, experiment and see what your children like best.

Carrot spread

Bean dips

Dried fruit – the perfect snack and most provide a good source of much needed iron, and fibre.  Favourites in our home are dates, cranberries and apricots.  I sometimes mix chopped up dried fruit in a bowl with Barbara’s O and Brown Rice Crisp cereal for my take on a toddler trail mix – disappears every time.

Smoothies – you can squeeze a whole lot of goodness in a smoothie.  Throw a banana, strawberries, blueberries, some rice or almond milk into a blender and blend until smooth. 

Any kind of fresh fruit cut up into bite size pieces

Pieces of steamed vegetables with dip (we use hummus) – children love to dip

Rice Crisp Surprise Squares 

Mini Muffins

Popsicles

Spiced Up Crunchy Beans

Little Almond Treats

And here is a brand new recipe for healthy homemade cookies.  These cookies are gluten free, vegan and refined sugar free. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup quinoa flour

½ cup tapioca flour

3 cups oats

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp nutmeg

1tbsp baking powder

1tsp xanthan gum

¼ cup ground flaxseeds

¾ cup coconut oil, melted

½ cup almond or rice milk

1 cup maple syrup

1tsp vanilla

1 cup applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour, oats, spices, xanthan gum and baking powder in a large bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine coconut oil, maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla, mix well. Add apple sauce and ground flaxseeds and combine.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mix until well combined.

Using a spoon place balls 2 to 3 inches in size on a greased cookie sheet, flatten slightly with back of spoon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then place on cooling rack.

I hope that gives you some ideas for healthy snack ideas for your children.  Nutritious snacks will not only provide nourishment for your children but will make you feel good about what you are feeding them.

Enjoy!

What is the favourite go to snack in your home?  Please share, I love getting new ideas too!

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