Page 32 - North State Parent April 2020

Fast, Delicious Ways to Help Kids Get Their Fruits & Veggies
These recipes are a good place to start. Once your children find out how much fun it is to whip up their own creations by choosing ingredients at the store, then combining them in imaginative ways, they’ll be well on their way to eating for super health.
Super X Smoothie
Pre-soak and rinse the seeds for several hours to release more of their nutrients. • 1 cup spinach
• 2 leaves collard greens
• 1 lime
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger root
• 1/2-inch piece fresh turmeric root
• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons acai powder
• 2 each of raw hemp seeds and chia seeds • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
IF YOU HAVE A JUICER
Juice the first five ingredients, and then put into the blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A JUICER
Put all the ingredients in the blender except for the lime, ginger, and turmeric; blend. Peel the ginger, lime, and turmeric, add and blend until smooth.
5-Ingredient Smoothie
For a tasty, nutrient-dense smoothie, use this formula: a superfood, a protein, greens, a healthy fat, and a liquid. Let your kids mix it up with their favorites for each ingredient. Here’s an example:
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 scoop whey or plant-based protein powder • 1 cup baby spinach or kale
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.
Chocolate Almond Greenie
This tastes a bit like a chocolate shake and is filled with calcium and vitamin D, antioxidants, and omega-3 fats.
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 banana
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder • 1 cup kale or spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/2 cup ice
Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.
* Pediatricians often recommend that children younger than one should not be given juice of any kind, as it is too difficult to digest. Between the ages of one and three, it’s ok to introduce a bit of highly diluted fresh juice. Children between the ages of 4 and 9 generally can handle undiluted fresh fruit and vegetable juice without the pulp. Once a child reaches nine or older, the fun of juicing and smoothies can really take off. Ó
With degrees in journalism and mass communications, Carolyn Patten has been a professional writer for decades, specializing in features about people and their passions. Writing about families is one of her favorite assignments.
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