When it comes to Easter candy, all I ever wanted as a kid (and pre-teen…and adult) was Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs.  There’s just something about the saltiness of the peanut butter and sweetness of the chocolate.  You can keep the jelly beans, Peeps (bleh!), and bunny-shaped chocolate.

Since mass-produced peanut butter cups don’t fit into a real food lifestyle (they contain a preservative called TBHQ) I had to figure out a way to satisfy my candy need in a real way.  OK, it’s probably more of a want, but sometimes it seems like I need it.

This recipe is 100% real, is very similar to store-bought candy – maybe even better, and completely satisfies a salty/sweet craving.  They don’t look as perfect as store-bought peanut butter cups, but that makes me love them even more.  Kind of like when mashed potatoes have lumps in them you know they’re homemade.

You can make these many different ways – mini muffin liners, candy molds, layered, swirled…there are endless options.  They are rather rich, so I would recommend making small bite-sized versions.  The candy pictured below was made with a candy mold I purchased at an arts and crafts store.  They were a little difficult to remove, so next time I’d use mini muffin paper liners.

Enjoy!

Perfectly imperfect

Chicken is probably the most versatile and well-liked meats in America.  It’s a staple for most households – including ours.  I’ll admit this recipe for homemade baked chicken tenders takes a little more time than popping a few frozen tenders into the oven or going to the drive-thru.  The outcome is much more delicious and wholesome, though.

If you read the label on some popular brands of frozen chicken tenders or nuggets, they appear to fit the bill for a real food lifestyle.  However, homemade is always better than mass-produced for many reasons.  I’ll leave out the details in order to keep this post appetizing.

Feel free to adjust the spices based on your family’s preference (make a spicy version with crushed red pepper or cayenne!) or what you have on hand at the time.  Paired with a vegetable or salad, this makes a great dinner for adults and kids.

The leftovers make a great lunch the next day, too.  Chicken salad.  Chicken tacos.  Chicken sandwich.  Now I’m starting to sound like Bubba from “Forrest Gump”, so I’ll stop.

Enjoy!

Just the title of this recipe makes my mouth water.  My sweet tooth has been in high gear lately, so I apologize for another sweet recipe.  OK, maybe I don’t.

It’s kind of rare to find existing dessert recipes that contain a majority of real ingredients.  Usually, I have to try to substitute artificial ingredients for real ones – and that’s really tough when it comes to baking.  Cooking is much easier to adapt.

So, when I came across this one my eyes widened with delight and I clicked the “Pin It” button as fast as I could.  Yes, this recipe contains brown sugar and chocolate chips, but the rest of the ingredients are real.  Bonus: the oats, peanut butter, and whole wheat flour are wholesome.

I’ve made these once before as bar cookies and they were delicious.  I froze half of the baked batch and ate them cold – also delicious!  It goes without saying that my kids dig them, too – in very limited moderation, though, because of the brown sugar.

This time around my square pan was in the dishwasher, so I improvised and decided to use a pie pan to make a cookie pie.  The results were just as good – if not better.  This would make a great dessert for a birthday celebration or a dinner party.  To step it up a notch, you could top it with a thin layer of homemade chocolate pudding/frosting, or serve it a la mode with vanilla ice cream (we use Breyer’s natural vanilla).

This recipe would also be a great alternative to store-bought cookie cakes.  Just use a pizza pan (either metal or foil/disposable) and decrease the baking time.

Odds are you have all of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge right now which makes me love this recipe even more.

Enjoy!

My kids have never tried traditional store-bought pudding, but they LOVE chocolate in other forms – dark chocolate pieces, whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, you name it.  So, when their aunt found this recipe (on allrecipes.com) and sent it to me I knew it would be a hit.  In fact, because they have no idea what pudding is, we call it chocolate yogurt just to give them a frame of reference so they know what to expect.

Bonus: It contains wholesome ingredients like avocado and coconut oil AND contains no refined sugar.

Double bonus: I love it, too.

Don’t let the avocado scare you away from trying this.  You can’t taste it at all.  It simply provides a nice smooth texture that is similar to a tub of store-bought chocolate frosting.

Eat it with a spoon.

Use it as a fruit dip.

Heck, maybe even try using it as frosting.

I’ve had intentions of jumping on the smoothie bandwagon for a while.  So, the other day I decided to finally put some of that frozen fruit I have to use and make a batch of smoothies.  The kids were really excited about the idea, so we made a different flavor the next day, too.  I think it was the bendy straws that sold them on the idea.  Bendy straws are to kids as paper umbrellas are to adults – they just make beverages a little more enjoyable.

Smoothies are versatile and so easy to throw together.  They’re a great grab-and-go breakfast.  Just blend and pour into a thermos or insulated travel mug and head out the door.

Kale Berry Smoothie

This particular smoothie has a lot of components, and the end result is really delicious.  You don’t always have to include a green in your smoothies, but it’s nice to incorporate them once in a while as an easy way of adding healthy leafy vegetables to your day.

Kale is high in Vitamin A and C and is a good source of fiber.  It’s practically flavorless, so it just makes sense to add it to your smoothies whenever possible.  Kids think green drinks are pretty fun, too.

Berry ‘Nana Smoothie

This smoothie recipe is much less complex, but just as delicious.  The fact that it was pink was a bonus for my daughter, too.  The yogurt in this smoothie adds just the right amount of smoothness and tang.

We’ve all heard the expression “every child is different” when it comes to anything that has to do with child development – potty training, school performance, basketball skills, learning to walk and talk.

Eating and trying new foods is no exception.  According to a USDA website, it takes some kids up to a dozen tries before accepting new foods.

When I hear someone describe a child as a “picky eater”, it’s like nails on a chalkboard.  It’s an excuse.  It’s justification to stop trying.  It’s a negative label.  Children begin to make conscious decisions about what they like and don’t like from the moment they are born.  Children also hear what their parents are saying.  I witnessed a child reaching for carrots at a party and his mom said, “Oh, you aren’t gonna like those.”  I cringed.

My 2-year-old triplets are proof that every child is different – especially when it comes to food.  I’m amazed at how differently each of them eats because I know that they’ve been presented with the same exact food the same exact number of times throughout their 2 years of being exposed to food.  When we eat together as a family of 5, the kids eat what my husband and I eat. Ever since they started eating solid food at about 4 months old, I made a mental note not to become a short-order cook in my own kitchen.

My daughter, “H” (the oldest triplet…by a minute), is my most adventurous eater.  I really can’t think of anything she won’t try.  She eats grapes and apples like they’re going out of style.  She loves shrimp and carrots (I think she’ll be my first sushi eater).  She’s also obsessed with Food Network and loves helping me in the kitchen.

My son, “M” (the middle triplet), is a fruit fanatic.  He devours strawberries, blueberries, oranges, grapes, apples.  He requests burgers for dinner and won’t pass up a bowl of pasta either.  Guacamole is an everyday request, too.  Sometimes he’ll gobble down multiple servings of broccoli and other times turns his nose up at it.

My son, “D” (the youngest triplet), can be described as my meat eater.  He loves chicken, salmon, steak, mahi mahi.  Oh, and hummus.  This boy loves hummus.  The only whole fruit he’ll eat, though, is bananas.  He loves applesauce, but not apples. I’m pretty sure he could win a sweet potato-eating contest if we entered him in one.

My point here?  Every child is different – not picky.  Even though odds are that D won’t devour broccoli like M – he still gets a serving of it on his plate because maybe today’s the day he will.  What’s that old basketball saying?  “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.  In food terms, if a food isn’t offered to a child – they can’t eat it.

Maybe there are other positive terms that could be used instead of “picky eater”.  Selective eater?  Meticulous eater?  Or how about we just don’t label them as anything at all.

It’s never too late to try new foods with a child.  Yes, the older they get the harder it is to get them to try it.  That’s when it’s time to get creative.

Here are some tips for getting a child involved in food, cooking, and eating:

• Take them grocery shopping with you and talk to them about the foods you’re selecting.
• Let them choose a new fruit or vegetable to try each week.
• Thumb through some cookbooks with your child and let them choose a recipe that they can make with you.
• Present foods in a fun way.  Not all the time, though.  Kids need to understand that fruit can be eaten even if it’s not presented in the shape of a rainbow.  Here are some ideas on Pinterest.
• Be honest about what they’re eating.  My husband and I have never lied to our kids when they ask what’s in a dish.  Or we’ll tell them that they’re eating mahi mahi, but it tastes a lot like chicken.  That’s better than lying to them and telling them they’re eating chicken.
• Involve them in the kitchen.  I don’t have any scientific proof that involving a child in the kitchen will get him or her to eat it, but it seems to work in our household.  I’m not gonna lie and say I involve them in every meal I prepare, but I do it as much as possible.  Even if it’s just letting them sit at the table while they watch me cook and I explain what I’m doing – that’s a big part of getting a child to appreciate food.
• Tell them they don’t have to like it, but they have to try it.  I learned this from one of my favorite books, French Kids Eat Everything.  After they try it, ask them to describe it to you and what they liked or didn’t like about it.
• Let them have input in small decisions about dinner, too.  Should we prepare broccoli or green beans tonight?  Rice or potatoes?  When a child takes ownership of a decision, they’re probably more likely to follow through on eating it.
• Invest in a few children’s books about food.  The triplets received one for their 1st birthday, and it is one of their favorites even to this day.  When a food appears on their plate that is also in the book they exclaim, “Hey, like in my book!”.
• Try to relax and enjoy mealtime.  This one is hard for me sometimes because it’s easy to rush through the meal and move on to clean-up.  When I am able to forget about the mess that lies ahead, mealtime is much more enjoyable.

Whatever you do, just don’t give up on presenting different foods to your child.  Every child is different and has different palates and opinions.  Embrace it and keep trying new things.

The one item H always requests from the grocery store: hummus.

Fun in the kitchen!

M always provides comic relief during mealtime.

D eating hummus and crackers at his 2nd birthday party. Have I mentioned how much my kids love hummus?

Let kids have some input about the menu. Pancakes for breakfast? All in favor, say “aye”!

My kids are just a couple months away from turning 3, but I’m already getting anxiety about sending them off to school.  Yes, there are the obvious reasons:

Separation anxiety.  Mainly for me.  I know the kids will be fine.

What will I do with *gasp* free time?!?

Finally understanding the most overused statement, “they grow up so fast”.

The main reason for my anxiety is that I will be losing some control I’ve had over their nutrition since they were born.  That probably isn’t a normal fear that most parents have.

For me, though, it’s a biggie.

I’ve heard too many stories and have seen so many Facebook posts and Pinterest ideas about the many, many ways to get junk food in a kid’s hands.  Every birthday, sporting event, holiday, game, and reward system seem to be focused on food.

Kids respond to non-food rewards, too.

My kids get so excited about the simple stamp they get on their hand after every gymnastics class.  Can I tell you how relieved I was to be part of a program that doesn’t reward with food?  The first time their instructor gave them a stamp on their hands, I wanted to run onto the blue mat and give her a big bear hug.  I decided against it, though.

My kids are currently enrolled in a 1-day-a-week class with our local park district.  Upon enrolling them, I was prompted to fill out a form for each of them to list allergies, special instructions, etc.  I was tempted to list that they were all allergic to preservatives and chemicals, but figured they’d ask for a doctor’s note and I really didn’t want to make the embarrassing phone call to the doctor to ask for a fake diagnosis.  Junk food is so harmful, though, that I think it should be diagnosed as something.  That’s another post for another day.

Instead, I listed that I only wanted them to drink water at snack time.  In all caps, I wrote, “NO JUICE”.  Seems pretty clear.

For the first few weeks, the teachers complied with my request.  However, after picking up the kids after class recently, the teacher confessed that they had asked for juice so she gave them a little.  She assured me that she diluted the juice quite a bit.  Just because something is diluted doesn’t mean it’s any less harmful.  No one would ever think of giving a child diluted alcohol or coffee.  And just because something is called “juice” doesn’t make it wholesome.

I’m not ashamed to say I’m already THAT MOM – the mom who brings her kids’ snack instead of letting them eat bright orange cheese puffs and atomic blue juice like the other kids.  THAT MOM who emailed the park district director asking for a change in the snack system.  My suggestions: omit snack altogether, only allow kids to bring their own snack, or provide healthier snacks.  By the way, the director identified the program’s snack criteria as availability, sales, shelf life, and desirability.  What about nutritious, healthy, or full of protein?

A small victory came in the form of a phone call from their teacher last week, though.  A child’s mom had brought cupcakes for her daughter’s birthday.  The teacher promptly called my husband to let him know about it. (She claims she called me and it went straight to voicemail – I think she’s a bit intimidated by THAT MOM).  Since my husband and I don’t ever want our kids to feel left out or different because of our food choices, he simply told her to just give them half of a cupcake instead of a whole one.

The lesson here is: don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in when it comes to your kids.  They’re YOUR kids.  No one will protect them like you will.

If you have any success stories about how you approached a teacher, coach, or fellow parent about what they’re feeding your kid, please share.

If I ever run into you around town I’ll be sure to reward you with a high five.

Sorry, no candy rewards from THIS MOM.

A blog reader recently reached out to me looking for an alternative to store-bought mini muffins for her young boys.  One variety of the mass-produced, pre-packaged mini muffins contains 25+ ingredients including monocalcium phosphate, potassium sorbate, and sodium stearoyl fumarate.  When made with real ingredients, muffins can be a wholesome snack for kids and can satisfy sweet cravings for adults.

My kids aren’t usually fans of muffins, but they devoured these delicious bite-sized treats.  Perhaps it’s because they were mini.  Everyone knows mini foods are more fun!

Even though one of my boys would eat an entire pint of fresh blueberries in one sitting if I let him, he hates blueberries when they’re warm and mushy (like in a muffin).  So, I used dried blueberries instead of traditional fresh or frozen and he loved it.  If you can’t find dried blueberries at your grocery store, you could simply use raisins as a substitute.

This recipe is so simple – it doesn’t require a mixer and you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge.

Enjoy!

Before we made a switch to real food almost three years ago, my husband and I relied on convenience packaged foods.  Back then, if we read any label at all it was just to identify fat and calories.  We’ve learned a lot since then.

I thought it would be helpful to show you dishes or food items we ate in the past and then provide you with a comparable real replacement in a series called “Three Plates Transformed”.

Each post will highlight three recipes and/or products.  I am purposely omitting the brand names of the products I’m featuring as bad.  I will, however, highlight products I currently use and love.

Oatmeal

When made with real ingredients, oatmeal is a wholesome and satisfying breakfast.  My two boys devour homemade oatmeal 5 days a week. However, apple cinnamon instant oatmeal made by a popular breakfast food company contains 18+ ingredients.  Here are a few ingredients that I can’t even pronounce: pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamin mononitrate, and niacinamide.  Mmm, yummy.

Apple Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal Ingredients

Real oatmeal made from scratch has only 5 ingredients – all of which are natural and wholesome.

Here’s the recipe:

Biscuits

The sound of a metal can of raw biscuit dough popping open is one that brings back memories of our days before real food.  Name a variety of canned biscuits and I guarantee we ate them at some point in our household many years ago.

Buttermilk flaky layer biscuits made by a popular biscuit company contain 25+ ingredients.  Here are a few that scare me: propylene glycol alginate, ferrous sulfate, and sodium acid pyrophosphate.  I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering. (If you don’t know me very well yet, I’ll let you know that sarcasm is my second language.)

Canned Biscuit Ingredients

Homemade bread can be intimidating, but this recipe for whole wheat biscuits is incredibly simple.  I’m not going to lie to you and say that these taste exactly like canned, white flour biscuits.  They don’t.  In general, whole wheat has a different texture and may take time to get used to.  They do, however, appeal to us for two reasons: they’re tasty and quick.

You don’t need a mixer or a special biscuit cutter for this recipe.  Just a bowl, spoon, cookie sheet, and drinking glass.  Oh, and an oven.  That helps, too.  This recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs and my original real food inspiration, 100 Days of Real Food.

Maple Syrup

You just can’t have a Sunday morning pancake breakfast without syrup.  It’s un-American.  However, those big plastic bottles of artificial maple syrup contain ingredients that would make you want to renounce your citizenship.  Sodium hexametaphosphate, anyone?

Imitation Syrup Ingredients

Once you try pure maple syrup, you’ll cringe at the taste of the old chemical stuff if you ever try it again.  Take my advice, though, and stick with a medium amber version of pure maple syrup.  The dark amber variety is a little harsh.

Pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener, so add it to oatmeal, plain yogurt, or almost anything that needs a little sweetener boost.  It is still sugar, though, so use it in moderation.

My favorite pure maple syrup.

I hope you enjoyed this new series.  Keep an eye out for many more “Three Plates Transformed” posts.

Have a category you’d like to see highlighted?  Let me know in the comments below.