Teach your kids healthy cooking while they help in the kitchen.

By Joyce Oliveto
Joyce OlivetoI have found that kids like making food. Whether it is kids and their friends, my grandchildren, or when I teach classes for kids on how to prepare healthy foods. They love it. It is easy to have fun in the kitchen with kids. AND it is easy to make food taste good, be nutritious and be healthy at the same time.

Have them wash the veggies and give them a little education while you are preparing. Let them know why we wash veggies. Show them how to use a knife and safely chop veggies.

Here is a recipe created by my granddaughter Alivia. You will also find this recipe in my blog, Living Simply Raw. Have them mix the healthy cookie dough with their hands and shape into individual cookies before baking or dehydrating. All food can be healthy and snacks can be easy to make, delicious and very nutritious at the same time.

ALIVIA’S ALMOND-LEMON COOKIE

Makes 2 Dozen
3C Almonds
1C Date Purée
1T Fresh Lemon Juice 1t Lemon Zest
1t Vanilla

Food Processor Method
Soak almonds 12 hours. Drain and rinse. Let dry outside of refrigerator for 4–6 hours. Place date purée, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla in a bowl. Stir well.

Add this mixture to the almonds in the food processor. Process into a dough mixture. Scoop and roll into 1” balls. Refrigerate.

Kid-Friendly Method

  1. Soak almonds 12 hours. Drain and rinse. Let dry outside of refrigerator for 4–6 hours.
  2. Grind almonds and place in bowl.
  3. In separate bowl, add the date purée, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Stir well.
  4. Combine bowl mixtures together with wooden spoon or hands. Blend into a dough mixture.
  5. Scoop and roll into 1” balls. Refrigerate.

The kids should be part of the shopping experience when it works into your schedule. Have fun at the health food store picking out healthy foods and ingredients. They can help pick out the food for meals. Encourage them to make suggestions.

All of my children live very healthy lifestyles. And all of my grandchildren who range in age from 8 to 28 are aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and live a healthy life. They may not have been as excited about it when they were young kids as they are today, but they were exposed to the education and took it into their adult life. It amazes me now, how much they remembered.

I believe we can not get proper nutrition or enough of it form our food. Especially in today’s world with what our bodies are exposed to. Make sure to give your children quality nutrients. I sprinkle NutriVerus on all food once it is prepared to make sure everyone has complete nutrients.

See NutriVerus video http://bit.ly/17z5PeK

Mannabears are a favorite of parents and kids (big and little). Please do not confuse these with gummy bears or ANY other kind of chewing gummy vitamin. There is no comparison. Mannabears are packed with organic Phytochemicals. As you read the label please understand the sugar is not table sugar it is Glyconutrients. Simple sugars that help reestablish the communication system in the human body. They are delicious and kids love them!

Get your NutriVerus and Manna Bears here http://www.mannamotion.com/stayyoung

You can read more at LivingSimplyRaw.com