Fun Fruity Water
Serves 4 (pre-freeze fruit juice in ice cube containers)
Use pretty Christmas cups or coloured party cups and green fruit juice ice cubes to make water look fun.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (Christmas or party cups)
- water
- 2 cups juice (such as preservative-free apple juice)
- 1 teaspoon chlorophyll (optional)
- 1–2 ice cube containers
Method
Half fill each cup with water, then add pre-made fruit juice ice cubes and a colourful straw. To make the juice bright green, add a small amount of chlorophyll to the juice before pouring it into the ice cube containers.
Berry Delicious Smoothie
This thick, non-milk smoothie is a delicious and refreshing drink thanks to the lime, berries and mango. This mixture can be frozen to make tasty popsicles. Cloudy apple juice is generally less processed and contains some fibre so favour it over clear apple juice.
Serves: 2–4 children
Preparation time: 5 minutes (pre-freeze mango slices)
Ingredients
- 1 ⁄2 cup (125 ml) cloudy apple juice (preservative free, no added sugar)
- 1 ⁄2 cup (125 ml) water
- 1 ⁄2 cup blueberries
- 1 frozen mango (peeled and diced before freezing)
- 1 tablespoon ground linseeds or flaxseed oil
- 1 ⁄2 lime, juiced (approx. 1 tablespoon, 20 ml)
Method
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth. For a thinner mixture add extra water. Optional: food style this drink with a thin slice of lime on the rim of the glass.
Creamy Banana Smoothie
(or ‘The Purple People Eater’ or ‘Green Goblin Smoothie’)
Serves 4 children
Preparation time 3 minutes (pre-freeze banana)
Choose quality soy milk that contains at least 300mg of calcium per 100 ml and ‘whole’ soybean, not ‘isolate’. If your child is allergic to soy then use dairy or almond milk and omit the soy lecithin granules. Flaxseed oil has been shown to increase calcium absorption. If you forget to pre-freeze the banana, use a fresh banana and add 4–5 small ice cubes to make it cold. Add 2 teaspoons of wheat germ for added fibre. Add blueberries and a small amount of raspberries to make the drink purple and richer in antioxidants. Alternatively, omit the berries and add liquid chlorophyll to make the smoothie ‘goblin’ green.
Ingredients
- 1 1 ⁄2 cups (375 ml) calcium-fortified soy milk
- 2 small/medium bananas, peeled and pre-frozen
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) flaxseed oil
- 1 tablespoon soy lecithin granules
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon (or less) cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) real maple syrup or honey (optional)
- 1 ⁄2 cup blueberries (optional, to make it purple)
- 3–4 frozen raspberries (optional, to make it purple)
- 1–2 teaspoons liquid chlorophyll (optional, to add green pigment)
Method
Slice frozen banana then place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Optional: food style this drink with purple decorations such as a straw if you’re making the Purple People Eater
Banana Mud Milkshake
Serves 4 children or 2 teenagers,
Preparation time: 3 minutes
This chocolate-coloured milkshake is flavoured with honey, banana and carob. The honey helps the carob to taste more like chocolate. If your child is allergic to soy then use dairy or almond milk and omit the soy lecithin granules.
Ingredients
- 11 ⁄2 cups (375 ml) calcium-fortified soy milk
- 1 large frozen banana, chopped
- 1 tablespoon carob powder
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) flaxseed oil
- 1 tablespoon lecithin granules
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) honey ice cubes (optional)
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)
Method
Slice frozen banana then place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
Green Eggs and Ham
Serves 2 children,
Preparation time: 4 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
Make eggs Dr. Seuss style by adding chlorophyll to the mix to make them a pleasant green. The alkali-rich chlorophyll also helps to reduce the acid-effect of the ham.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) calcium-fortified soy milk
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) low-strength chlorophyll (add more if necessary)
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1–2 slices of quality leg ham, diced
- 2–4 slices wholegrain bread, toasted
Method
In a bowl, mix eggs, soy milk and chlorophyll. Add extra chlorophyll if the eggs aren’t bright enough. In a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, add a tiny amount of oil then add the egg mixture. Stir continuously for 2 minutes then add the ham after the egg is partially cooked (so the ham does not get stained green). Cook until eggs are just firm but not dry. Serve with grainy toast.
Alien Beans on Toast
Serves: 2 small children
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5–10 minutes
Make beans fun by adding a splash of green liquid chlorophyll (although you can make this recipe without adding any colour). (See Chapter 5, page 80, for more details on liquid chlorophyll.)
Ingredients
- 1 ⁄2 cup (125 ml) calcium-fortified soy milk
- 1 teaspoon wholemeal flour
- 1 cup canned beans (navy or cannelloni)
- 1 pinch kelp or 1 cm strip of kombu, cut into smaller pieces
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) liquid chlorophyll, adjust for desired colour (optional)
- 2–4 slices wholegrain bread (preservative free), toasted
Method
Using a small saucepan, mix cold milk and flour until lump-free. Heat and stir as it simmers then add beans and kelp or kombu. Cook until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in a small amount of the liquid chlorophyll at a time until desired colour has been achieved (children generally prefer bright green beans rather than pale green). Serve on wholegrain toast. You can cut toast into fun shapes with cookie cutters if desired.
Pink Porridge
Serves 2
Preparation time 3 minutes
Cooking time 5 minutes
This fun-looking porridge is bursting with natural flavour, antioxidants and slow-release energy for improved concentration and stamina. 1 ⁄3 cup of oats per child (or 1 ⁄2 cup per adult or teenager). If your child prefers a ‘boy’ colour you can omit the raspberries and instead use a teaspoon of chlorophyll to make the porridge green or mash in frozen blueberries to make it purple. Alternatively, you can make traditional colour-free porridge topped with banana or berries.
- 2 ⁄3 cup rolled/traditional oats
- 11 ⁄3 cups (320 ml) water (or double the amount of water to oats)
- 1 ⁄4-1 ⁄2 cup frozen raspberries (more or less depending on desired colour)
- 1 tablespoon soy lecithin granules
- 1 teaspoon linseeds (whole) 1 ⁄2 cup
- (125 ml) calcium-fortified soy milk
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
Method
Place oats, linseeds and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, add raspberries and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat, mash raspberries and mix to colour the porridge pink. Stir in lecithin granules and cinnamon. Serve with milk and add honey if desired.
Doughnut Pancakes
Serves 2–4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
This child-sized buckwheat pancake is suitable as a snack, breakfast treat or healthy dessert. It can be made several ways: predominantly fruit with the buckwheat pancake mix used like a batter (as described in this recipe); little pikelets (see my website for this version); or thin the mixture with extra water and make buckwheat crepes and top with poached pears, mango slices or banana and maple syrup.
- 2 large ripe pears (or 2–3 green apples)
- 1 ⁄2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon real vanilla essence (optional)
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) water extra-virgin olive oil or butter real maple syrup, used sparingly
Method
Peel pears and remove core with an apple-corer. Slice pears (transverse) so they look like doughnuts (approximately 1 ⁄2 cm thick). Sift flour into a bowl, add a sprinkle of cinnamon and make a well in the centre. Add beaten egg, vanilla and water stirring continuously until smooth. Heat a good non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add butter or oil. Coat the pear slices with the pancake mix and cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Use the apple-corer if you need to re-cut a hole in the centre of the fruit doughnut. Drizzle with a small amount of maple syrup if desired.
Mini Toast Shapes (Grainy Brain Snack)
Serves 2
Preparation time 5 minutes (if spreads are pre-made)
This snack supplies slow release energy for good concentration. Choose from toppings such as fresh sliced tomato, tinned sardines with Fire Engine Tomato Sauce Pink Hummus Dip, Banana Mud Spread. or quality blueberry or raspberry jam (no added sugar, high fruit content). 4 slices of soy and linseed bread topping/s of choice cookie cutters
Method
Toast the bread (or leave it fresh and soft) and cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters. Then apply your topping/s of choice.
Ants on a Log
Serves 2 (4 sticks each)
Preparation time: 5 minutes
This fun-looking recipe tastes great. Remove the stringy bits from the back of the celery stalks using a potato peeler so the celery is easy for your child to enjoy.
- 4 celery stalks, strings peeled off
- hummus dip
- flaxseeds/linseeds (or alternatively use sultanas for extra sweetness)
Method
Cut celery stalks into ‘sticks’ (each approximately 8 cms long). Spread the dip into the groove of the celery sticks, then dot with flaxseed ‘ants’.
Avocado Beauty Snack
Serves 2
Preparation time : 5 minutes
This quick and easy snack is suitable for beauty-conscious teens. It’s rich in vitamins, minerals and protein, and tastes delish.
Ingredients
- 1 avocado, halved, seed carefully removed
- 1 small can (95g) chunky-style tuna in olive oil, drained
- 1–2 teaspoons mango chutney (or Mango and Pineapple Chutney) or 1 ⁄2 lemon, juiced
Method
In a small bowl, break up the chunks of tuna and mix with chutney. Top each avocado half with the tuna and chutney mix, or alternatively, top the avocado halves with tuna and a squeeze of lemon.
Banana Mud Spread
Serves 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
This spread tastes like banana and it’s not only sweet but also alkalising and full of vitamins and minerals. Spread on fresh bread or Mini Toast Shapes.
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe banana, mashed
- 1 ⁄4 ripe avocado, mashed (optional)
- 2 teaspoons carob powder
- 2 teaspoons of real maple syrup
Method
Combine the avocado, banana, carob powder and honey in a small food processor or beat using an electric beater on high until smooth and creamy. Spread onto toast or bread. (Thanks to Lynda for this recipe.)
Pink Hummus Dip with Dipping Sticks
Serves 8
Preparation time: 15 minutes
This dip has been modified so it’s garlic-free and pink, making it fun for kids. However, you can make it the traditional way without the addition of beetroot. Serve with vegetable ‘dipping sticks’ such as red capsicum (bell peppers) and peeled carrot and celery.
Ingredients
- 1 x 400g canned chickpeas
- 5 tablespoons water
- 4 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 1 ⁄2 lemon, juiced (2 tablespoons juice)
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ⁄4 cup grated fresh beetroot (optional, for pink colour)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon paprika (sweet paprika) a pinch of iodised sea salt a variety of vegetables cut into 5cm long ‘dipping sticks’
Method
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and discard any discoloured ones, then place in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend on high speed until puréed. Add a small amount of water or extra lemon juice if the dip is too thick (keeping in mind that too much lemon can make the dip taste too bitter for some children). Taste the mixture and season with sea salt if necessary. If refrigerated, hummus will stay fresh for up to a week. Serve with vegetable ‘dipping sticks’.
Mango and Pineapple Chutney
Makes 1 kg
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 1 hour
This chutney is low in sugar and tastes better than supermarket-bought chutney. Spread it on sandwiches and wraps.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced or minced
- 1 large red/Spanish onion, diced
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 ⁄4 cup (180 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 3 ⁄4 cup soft brown sugar
- 4 ripe mangoes (up to 1.5 kg), peeled and diced
- 1 cup canned pineapple pieces (ensure pieces are small)
- 2 tablespoons (40 ml) pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
- 1 ⁄2 cup sultanas
- 1 teaspoon iodine-enriched sea salt
Method
Grease a large saucepan with olive oil and on medium heat fry the onion, mixing until translucent. Then add the turmeric and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly. In a bowl, mix the apple cider vinegar and sugar and then pour into the saucepan. Add mango, pineapple, sultanas and salt. Stir and simmer uncovered for 50 minutes, mixing often. Transfer the chutney into sterilised jars and seal immediately.
Fire Engine Tomato Sauce
Makes 700g+
Preparation time 20 minutes,
Cooking time 40–50 minutes
This sauce tastes very similar to the commercially made tomato sauces you find at the supermarket but this nutritious version contains much less sugar and salt and tastes fantastic. Make sure the tomatoes are firm, as soft and over-ripe tomatoes can make the sauce too runny.
Ingredients
- 1kg (2 lb) ripe roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 large red capsicum (bell pepper), core and seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 1 large red/spanish onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons (40 ml) soft brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (40 ml) tomato paste
- 100 ml (3.5 fl oz) apple cider vinegar
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon iodised sea salt
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon black peppercorns muslin bag or any clean, thin white cotton material
Method
Using a large saucepan, cook the tomatoes, capsicum and onion on medium heat for 10 minutes or until very soft, stirring occasionally. Remove and very briefly purée in a blender on low (and in batches). If the mixture is too thick to blend, add the vinegar during this step. Don’t over blend as this will lighten the sauce’s colour.
Then push the liquid through a coarse mesh sieve to remove seeds and skin and return the purée to the saucepan (discard the pulp and seeds). Add the sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, paprika and salt to the saucepan and stir. In a muslin bag, place the allspice, celery seeds, cinnamon stick and peppercorns and secure the bag tightly.
Add the bag to the sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, stirring often and cook for 20–50 minutes, until the mixture reduces and thickens. Remove muslin bag. If the sauce is too runny mix 1 teaspoon of buckwheat flour or cornflour with 2–3 teaspoons of cold water.
Mix until lump-free before adding to sauce, then simmer for a further 5 minutes. Pour the tomato sauce into sterilised jars to ensure long shelf life.
Hungry Hippo Hamburger
Serves 2 children and 2 adults (makes 6 medium-sized hamburgers),
Preparation time: 25 minutes,
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Make hamburgers healthy by preparing them at home with quality ingredients. Use a coffee or seed grinder to make your own healthy breadcrumbs and ensure the vegetable stock is free of artificial additives.
Ingredients
- 400g (14 oz) extra lean minced beef
- 1 slice grainy bread, lightly toasted and made into breadcrumbs (using a seed/coffee grinder)
- 1 ⁄4 red/spanish onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon powdered vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or mixed herbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon (20 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 6 medium-sized wholemeal buns (preservative free)
- 2 tablespoons (40 ml) Fire Engine Tomato Sauce
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves (or other leafy salad green)
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 ripe tomato, sliced
Method
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, stock, dried herbs and egg (and add a tablespoon of water if necessary) and mix. Form six meat patties, then grease a frying pan or barbeque with olive oil and cook patties on medium heat for 4–5 minutes each side, until cooked. Cut the buns in half and toast the insides under the grill for 1–2 minutes until slightly browned (optional). Remove from grill then spread buns with sauce. Place the meat patties on the buns and top with 1–2 layers of spinach leaves, carrot and tomato.
Sweet Mango Wraps
(or Tuna and Salad Wrap with Mango)
Makes 4 large wraps or 6 small,
preparation time 5 minutes
This recipe is fantastic for work or school lunches. I originally designed it for the teens attending the ‘What a Girl Needs’ workshop on the Gold Coast and the wraps were a big hit with the girls. Use quality chunky-styled tuna and for younger children you can give this recipe a creative name such as ‘Mermaid Wraps’ (thanks to the tuna). The fresh mango makes this recipe special.
Ingredients
- 280g (9.8 oz) chunky style tuna (canned), drained (1 med. can + 1 small can of tuna)
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
- 2 cups baby spinach, washed and torn in half
- 1 small mango, diced
- 3 tablespoons mango chutney (or Mango and Pineapple Chutney)
- 4 large wholemeal wraps, or 6 small (preservative free)
Method
Place the tuna in a bowl and break up the chunks with a fork. Add the avocado, baby spinach, mango and chutney. Mix gently, being careful not to squash the avocado. Lay the wraps out flat and spoon a quarter of the mixture onto each (if making 4 wraps). Roll the wraps into cylinders and cut each wrap in half before serving. For smaller children, cut wraps into bite sized slices.
Celebrity Salmon and Mash
Serves 4,
Preparation time 15 minutes,
Cooking time 20 minutes
Salmon is a great source of omega-3 and is wonderful brain food for your child. Sweet potato, peas and corn are rich in carbohydrates and fibre.
- Orange Mashed Potato
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 salmon steaks (approx. 350g or 13 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces and bones removed
- 1 ⁄2 lemon, squeezed
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 2 large cobs of corn, cut in half
Method
Make Orange Mashed Potato and keep the mixture in the saucepan for later reheating.
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring some water to the boil and cook the corn for 15 minutes. After the corn has been boiling for 10 minutes, add peas and simmer for 3–4 minutes, then drain. Heat a dash of olive oil in a frying pan on high heat and fry the fish for 1 minute to brown the fish skin.
Reduce heat to medium and cook both sides until the fish is adequately cooked (if the fish develops white clumps on the sides then it is well done or overcooked). Pour lemon over the fish. Reheat the mash and serve with the corn, peas and fish. This meal can also be served with a small amount of brown or basmati rice.
Orange Mashed Potato
Serves 4,
Preparation time 5 minutes,
Cooking time 10 minutes
This tasty mash is more nutritious than standard mashed potato. Tamari sauce is wheat-free soy sauce. Alternatively, you can use quality soy sauce which is free of flavour enhancers.
- 1 large sweet potato (or 2 medium), peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) tamari sauce (or less if less flavour desired)
- 1 ⁄4 cup (60 ml) calcium-fortified soy milk
Method
Place the sweet potato in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes or until very soft. Drain, and mash until lump-free. Stir in the tamari sauce and soy milk to make a creamy mash. Keep the mixture in the saucepan for later reheating if necessary. Serve with other vegetables and protein such as chicken, lamb or fish. (See Celebrity Salmon and Mash recipe above).
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