For instance, at breakfast one morning, I made crepes (a weekly family favorite that I feel is relatively healthy when I use whole wheat flour and don't add sugar). The kids asked why there was no cinnamon & sugar or maple syrup. I explained that I just didn't feel right about feeding "plain, old, nutritionally empty" sugar to my children, whom I love so dearly, and who are growing; that I felt much better about feeing them fruits and vegetables which are RICH in vitamins and nutrients. They embraced my explanation and said "Thank you, Mommy!", and we all thoroughly enjoyed our fruit and (plain) yogurt topped crepes! Grins has since added "thank you for the very nourishing fruits and vegetables" in his mealtime prayers - so sweet! :)
Through this little 'experiment', I have realized that we weren't eating NEARLY enough vegetables and fruits - I was getting nearly 5 a day but have now been aiming for 9. Although my children like most vegetables, 9 servings a day has seemed excessive at times, so I've found sneaking vegetables into smoothies to be enormously effective! I began making green smoothies (spinach, plain yogurt, banana, and any other fruit I may have lying around), and we have all very much enjoyed them.
Yesterday, though, we were out of spinach, so I simply made a strawberry-banana-carrot smoothie. Angel said "Mom! What on earth is that pink stuff?" When I explained that it was a smoothie, she exclaimed, "Ha! Who has ever heard of a PINK smoothie? They are supposed to be green!"
I had to laugh...what a cutie! And, since I don't often photograph my food, here's a picture of Angel this morning on her way to school...she insisted on wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a beaded necklace, as if she were a little rock star. This girl does give me a 'run for my money' so to speak (come to think of it, both of my girls do!) but she is oh so worth every bit of it! How I love my little Angel!
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