FRIDAY: Exercise

Its finally feeling like spring around here.  I hope it lasts!  After dinner tonight we decided to go roller blading.  I actually wanted to go on a walk. I like being outside, but I like going slow.  I got out voted by everyone else who was in the mood for speed!  Although the kids roller blade on their own often, I think they enjoy it so much more when my husband and I will go with them.  We all have our own roller blades, so why not. 

We also decided to be good citizens and pick up trash along the way. Kids in service, combined with exercise is a formula for getting them on the right track.  Kids who engage in service when they are young, are

• Happier.
• 66% more likely to be service oriented when they are adults.
• Have greater self esteem.
• Are less selfish.
• Have greater compassion for others.

Kids very young can begin to serve.  Are there service activities your family does together?

COME BACK MONDAY FOR A GIVEAWAY!!

THURSDAY: Health Ideas and issues 

A study presented to the American Heart Association found fatty buildup in the carotid arteries of children as young as 10 years old! There was also other signs of cardiovascular disease in these children similar to what has been seen in 45 year olds!

Other shocking research shows the number of obese adolescents has tripled since 1980. 

There is a conference coming up in Chicago for health professionals about these issues, which I would LOVE to attend.  If you are a professional in the field, consider going.  The good people there sent me some information about this problem:

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, renowned author and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine of The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, “The consequences of the typical American diet on our children are devastating. Weight gain is just the visible tip of the iceberg. They are increasing their risk of chronic diseases later in life, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer.”

Parents often make mealtime concessions, catering to taste but depriving their children of nutritional benefit. According to renowned chef and author Rick Bayless, “Our society literally segregates children at the dinner table. We have one meal for adults and “kids food” for the children, which is often much higher in saturated fat, refined sugar and sodium. Families should sit down to one nutritious meal that appeals to the entire family.” Bayless offers the following tips to help families enjoy healthy meals together:

• Add grated vegetables to the main course. 
• Make your own pizza!
• Substitute whole wheat crust for a standard crust, add low fat cheese and sliced vegetables.
• Introduce one new main course each week.
• Try meat substitutes such as whole soy, tempeh, seitan or tofu.Let children help with the shopping.
• Give them a list of healthy foods and tell them to pick three of their favorites from the list.
• Get kids cooking. Help them discover the joy of finding and trying new recipes. Let them be adventurous. If they think organic peanut butter and shredded lettuce is a gourmet treat, buy into their experiment.
• Offer low fat milk, water or fortified soy beverages instead of soda pop or juice

Dr. Weil and Rick Bayless will be speaking about childhood obesity and the role of nutrition in optimal health at the 6^th Annual Nutrition and Health Conference: State of the Science and Clinical Applications, to be held May 10 – 13, at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile Hotel, 540 N. Michigan Avenue. The forum on May 10 is open to the public. For additional information, visit www.nutritionandhealthconf.org.

WEDNESDAY: Legumes, Nuts, and other Proteins

What food contains:

• All 9 essential amino acids?
• Helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system?
• May help prevent strokes?
• Is good for your eyes in preventing macular degeneration?
• contains Naturally occurring vitamin D?
• Promotes healthy hair and nails?

The incredible, edible EGG!!!

We had omelettes for breakfast!  Yum, yum.  I can get eggs for about .12 per egg.  Which is more than an ounce of cereal for me. Then when you have two eggs per omelette plus cheese, you are looking at a .30 breakfast! HOWEVER, my cereal boy is starting to eat two and three bowls of cereal, (3 bowls equals a .30 breakfast) but when we eat eggs, he is satisfied with one plate, and is no longer hungry! Incredible what a little fat and protein can have on your satiety.

My omelette tips:

• Whisk two eggs together in a bowl and add 1 TBL COLD water.
• Wait till your pan is hot enough for a sprinkle of water to dance on the surface.
• Coat pan with a cooking spray.
• Pour egg mixture in pan and push edges toward center to cook thoroughly.
• We use a small amount of part skim mozzarella instead of cheddar. It has HALF as much saturated fat (3 grams vs. 6), and more than half total fat. (4 grams vs. 9) It also 71 calories vs. 113

TUESDAY: Whole Grains

I love coupons! However, there are a few items I will never cut a coupon for. Fruit snacks, pop tarts, pizza rolls, and hot pockets!  There is no place for any of those items in our kitchen. 

Hot pockets appeal to kids however, so we made our own.  Using my whole wheat pizza dough recipe (which is so fast by the way). I started the dough at 4:00, and we were eating by 5:30.  I used whole wheat for a portion of the flour, and to add another grain, I used ground oats (made it into oat flour). I did this in a wheat grinder, but you can also do it in your regular blender.

Making the calzones/ hot pockets was simple, even the kids could be involved. I gave them each a small ball of pizza dough.  They pressed it out, or rolled with a rolling pin.  We added some shredded chicken, mushrooms, celery, and mozarella cheese.  Folded it over, and brushed an egg white mixture over the top.  They were pretty great.

Ketchup boy would only eat his with ketchup!  What fillings would your kids like?

MONDAY: Fruits and Vegetables

 The vehicles that help you add vegetables to your kids diet I call the 5 S’s. Soups, Salads, Stir-Fry, sandwiches, and smoothies.  Tonight, I chose Soup.

I literally took all the vegetables left in my fridge, chopped them and made into soup.  I used green onions, carrots, onion, garlic, potatoes, some yellow squash I puree’d and froze last summer, and celery.  Then with a some cooked chicken, cheese, and a packet of ranch dressing, (to make it appetizing for my little guys)  it turned out great. Here is the recipe.

The two older kids thought it was delicious. They ate everything I served up to them.  My Ketchup boy (who turned 6 on Friday) ate only 6 bites so he could have leftover Ice cream from his birthday. 

My secret vegetable tip of the day is to shred rather than chop.  Shredding the carrots in this soup recipe make it hard for the kids to pull it out.  The texture is also more preferable to me. I don’t care for mushy, chopped carrots, but shredded carrots I’ll gobble up!

Scrub’s actress Sarah Chalke had this to say, “I love really, really healthy food followed by a really, really naughty dessert.”  March 2009 Fitness Magazine.

I totally agree!

FRIDAY: Exercise

This is my THIRD exercise ball since having children.  The ball from this post, probably popped (or got lost) March 23… the day after I posted I will never let the ball out of my site.  They are compelled to play with my exercise balls!   No matter how many other balls we own!  I guess I should consider that a good thing (and never pay full price for one).

Just by the mere fact of owning the oversized ball gets the kids active!  They love throwing it around to each other, sitting on it to bounce, doing somersaults over it.   All you have to do is hand them the ball, and they will find an activity to do with it on their own.

Don’t want to shell out $15-$40 for a ball your child will inevitably pop, the oversized bouncy balls (I’ve seen them for $2.50 at Target) are just as exciting!

Make sure your child has access to fun things like different size and types of balls. 

• Use a BIG ball for a game of soccer
• Hit an oversized ball with a baseball bat.
• Use a large ball to play golf (we got some golf clubs for $1.00 at our local thrift shop).
• Teach them four square.
• Use a laundry basket for a basket ball hoop, and shoot a large ball in there.
• Let them play their video games on it or watch TV to encourage balance and mid section strength!

For a good laugh today, check out Megan’s picture of ladies on a ball!

THURSDAY: Health Issues

A few things make me cringe:

1. My 8 yr old talking like a baby, because she thinks its cute
2. My kids eating only chips and soda at a family potluck.
3. My 7 yr old neighbor declaring to the neighborhood “these pants make my butt look fat.”

Mothers:  Although their peers will teach them this horrible self talk of hating their bodies, until they are ten years old, you will have the most influence on them.  Children spend 52,500 waking hours at home by the time she is 12 years old.  They only spend 3200 hours in school.  Do not waste these hours trash talking your own body faults, or feeling self conscious about your image.

When a very young girl says things about how fat she is, most of the time it is something they heard their own mothers say about themselves.  Here is my advice to instill body confidence in these little girls.

1. Change your own self talk (and verbal talk).  Do not chat on the phone with friends about your latest diet, only to be overheard by your kids.
2. Do not push your dinner away and tell your kids its because you are “on a diet”?
3. Love your little girls unconditionally.  Do not draw attention to their weight, or treat them differently from their siblings.
4. Understand their body changes.  Girls gain weight (as much as 11 lbs per year) as they go through puberty. This is completely normal, and they need acceptance at this already emotional time.
5. Keep them active.  The girls with the greatest body image, are active in sports and activities.
6. Focus on positive, non- physical traits.  Is your daughter compassionate, kind, helpful, friendly?  Tell them how you notice these positive things.
7. Edited to add one more: I think its vital to let your kids see you exercise for fun and for health… not necessarily for weight loss. And to eat well for the main reason of feeling good!

 WEDNESDAY: Protein

We have tried hummus before, and neither my kids, nor my husband were fans.  I decided to give it another try. You know, the more times you offer your kids a food the more likely they will be to try it and like it.

I posted my recipe here.  I thought it was delicious!  Hummus is blended up garbanzo beans (chickpeas).  The kids actually wouldn’t try it. But for those families that love hummus, its a great recipe.

Being high in protein and fiber, yet low in fat, it can be used for more than just a carrot dip.  Other things you can do with hummus:

• I’ve been spreading it on whole wheat toast.
• Its delicous in a pita pocket with vegetables.
• Its a great dip for broccoli, cucumbers, celery and carrots.
• Its a great dip for pita chips or whole wheat crackers.
• Spread on pizza! This one is interesting.
• Filled in a hard boiled egg.
• On tortilla chips.

What does your family like hummus with?

TUESDAYS:  Whole Grains

At merely 105 calories, 3 cups of popcorn equals one of your necessary servings of whole grains.  Popcorn can be so versatile. It can take on a savory or a sweet taste, depending on your mood.  Its easy to make, and very economical.

One problem I have had with making caramel corn, which we love, is that I never stopped to consider the amount of popcorn in proportion to the caramel recipe.  I would just pop some popcorn, then make a full recipe of caramel, and drowned the popcorn in it.  After the last batch I made, I realized it was way too much caramel for the amount of popcorn I had.  We did not need it so sweet and so saturated.

Then measuring my popcorn, and cutting the recipe in half, I believe I have made the perfect caramel corn.  Lightly coated, with half a recipe, this caramel corn does not make you sick after a few bites like my caramel corn of the past.

I simply used 1 full cup of kernels.  (If you pop it in the microwave in paper bags, I popped 1/3 cup, three times.  Then used this recipe, cut in half of course! I added some pecans to the popcorn, took the unpopped kernels out, and we all loved the result.  Not too sticky, not too sweet, not too much! Just perfect.

Some benefits of popcorn you may not be aware of is 3 TBL of unpopped popcorn has:

• 4 grams of protein
• 120 calories
• 1.5 grams of the good fat
• 6 grams of fiber!!! BONUS
• It is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B

Related popcorn posts:

Popping in the Microwave

Another microwave idea in casserole dish

Popcorn Balls