Delicious and Nutritious Mornings with Kids

A couple years ago I learned about Purium. At first I thought that it was just another supplement company. But after learning that it is USDA certified organic and comprised of whole foods rather than synthetic vitamins and artificial ingredients, I decided to give it a try.  I have a three-year-old daughter and a five-year-old daughter, so I was also intrigued and interested in the family nutrition selection.

My girls have eaten really well since they were babies; however, the older they get, the pickier they become. I’ve had to get creative when it comes to their meals and nutrition. It seems that the list of veggies that they enjoy is slowly getting shorter and shorter. As a health coach and a mom, this is very disappointing. I used to pride myself on how well they would eat, devouring avocados straight from the shell and picking fresh broccoli out of our garden and gobbling it up.

As most moms do, despite my kids’ changing taste buds, I continue to put the foods that they are rejecting on their plates. Even if they don’t eat it, or just have a small bite, I don’t want them to get used to eating only cheese and pasta or bread. And continuing to expose them to the veggies they push away can actually work! Although time consuming and sometimes frustrating, with enough perseverance they will try (and maybe even enjoy) them again. My oldest daughter loved avocados until she didn’t. After a couple years of continued opportunities—and continued refusals—one day out of nowhere she started eating them again! It’s a slow process, but it seems to work.

While we continue to play this little game, I still want my girls to be eating nutrient-dense foods, not only for their growing bodies, but also as a way to boost their immune systems. This is where Purium (and a little Sherlock Holmes action) comes in: We play “detective” at meal times. I will hide fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, etc. in their foods and they try to guess what’s in their smoothie, pasta sauce, pancakes, soup and even ice cream. Rather than making it something negative or unappetizing, we make it fun and intriguing. I’ve make them smoothies with cashews, almonds or avocados.  I will mix Purium Immune Shield into their juice. Our family’s new favorite is the morning “power pancake” recipe I recently created Kids love pancakes, especially when they are dipped in syrup. I use Purium MVP Kids and Purium Power Kids to make delicious and nutritious pancakes for my daughters (and my husband and me). My recipe is included below. Feel free to use it, tweak it and make it your own. I’ll also share my favorite ingredients to make the healthiest pancakes for your little ones (and yourself). An extra tip—when it comes to creating meals with hidden “goodies” inside, your blender is your best friend! I love the Vitamix; however, there are other great brands of power blenders out there.

Again, this is not about being tricky or sneaky; it’s about improving your children’s health and wellness. Play detective and get them involved in the preparation of the meals. My kids always eat more of something they have helped prepare. Get creative and have fun! I hope you enjoy! And remember, these tricks are great a for mama-to-be too! Your baby’s nutrient-dense needs begin as soon as you’re pregnant. Sometimes morning sickness makes that hard. Creating smoothies and “hiding” nutrient-dense ingredients is a great way to nurture yourself and your little one. Find out more about nutrient dense snacks and foods with The Ultimate List of Healthy Seasonal Foods.   Good luck with your kitchen adventures!

Power Pancake Recipe:

Ingredients

The Basics:

3/4 cup pancake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon oil or melted butter

1/2 scoop Purium MVP Kids

1/4 scoop Purium Power Kids

Optional Ingredients:

Add items from the following list of ingredients:

-Berries

-Banana

-Kale and/or Spinach

-Chocolate Chips

-Chia Seeds

-Rolled Oats

-Cashews (raw, unsalted)

-Almonds (raw, unsalted)

-Flax Seeds

-Pumpkin Seeds (raw)

-Raisins

Directions

Step 1:

In a large bowl, mix eggs, pancake mix and Purium products (alternately, add Purium products to blender in Step 3).

Step 2:

Mix in 1–4 of the following optional ingredients: chocolate chips, chia seeds, rolled oats, and raisins (one tablespoon to 1/4 cup, as preferred). Set aside.

Step 3:

In a blender, add water and whatever fruit and vegetable goodies you’d like to incorporate from the “optional ingredients” list. I recommend 1/4 cup berries, half of a banana, 1 kale leaf (de-stemmed) and/or 3–4 leaves of spinach.

Step 4 (optional):

If you’d like, add one or two of the nuts and seeds from the “optional ingredients” list (1–3 tablespoons each).

Step 5:

Blend until smooth. Add a little more water if needed.

Step 6:

Add half of the blended mixture to the bowl of pancake mixture. Stir until smooth. Slowly add in more of the blended mixture as needed, stirring pancake mixture until desired consistency is reached.

Step 7:

Heat a lightly oiled or buttered griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. (My ceramic griddle and frying pan are my favorites.) Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Bonus: Pour remainder of blended ingredients into a cup and enjoy as your morning smoothie.