Avocado & Pear Smoothie

This Christmas we got a new blender and have been having all sorts of fun experimenting with different smoothie recipes. My kids will down just about anything that comes in the form of a smoothie, so I've enjoyed the challenge of seeing just what I can sneak into their little bodies! Green Smoothies are our favourite, and while Rob and I love this one the most, it's a bit intense for the boys. They prefer something with a yogurt base. One of our favourite creations has been an Avocado & Pear Smoothie. It's a bit different than a lot of the recipes I have come across so I thought I would share!

Avocado & Pear Smoothie

1/2 of one avocado

1 pear

1/4 cup of Greek yogurt

1 cup of baby kale

10 ice cubes (approximate)

1 Tbsp blue agave nectar

1/4 cup apple juice (more for desired consistency)

The Avocado & Pear Smoothie is awesome for kids because it has a great texture.  The avocado gives it the smooth consistency that you would normally get using a banana but is a nice alternative to the typical banana smoothie flavour.  Plus, my kids normally don't like avocado (not to mention kale!!) so  I'm happy to get a bit more nutritional variety into their diet!

What's your favourite smoothie recipe? We're always looking for something new to try!!

5 minute granola bars...

Granola bars are a hot item in this house! I am constantly tossing a few in my bag, on the way out the door for snacks on the go. I have recently found it very difficult to find a chewy granola bar that isn't full of chocolate chips. Not that my kids don't eat their fair share of chocolate... it's just too messy for the car! This predicament led me to do a little research on homemade granola bars and I was amazed at how simple the recipes seem to be. Most don't even require baking!

I quickly learned that there seems to be a basic formula to making granola bars, and that you can't really go wrong with making adaptations to fit your tastes as well as what you have on hand! Andrew and I worked away with what we had in the pantry and came up with a great combination!

5 Minute Granola Bars

2 cups of rolled oats

1 cup of cereal

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1/4 cup of sunflower seeds

1/4 cup of butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of honey

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Combine oats, cereal, cranberries and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugar, honey and vanilla and continue to stir until sugar has dissolved. Slowly pour the butter/sugar mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Press into a greased 8"x8" cake pan and refrigerate for a half hour. Once the bars have cooled, loosen edges with a spatula, turn out onto a cutting board and slice into desired size.

The cereal in these granola bars add a nice crunch to the chewy texture. For this recipe we used Alphabet cereal, but Cheerieos, Puffed Wheat or Rice Krispies would also be great! We've also picked up a variety of freeze dried fruit to try out some new combinations! 

Homemade Granola

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{Organized} Yogurt Station ~ Honey We're Healthy

Greek yogurt, topped with fruit and nuts is a fabulous snack.  I just love the "flip cup" options you can buy at the grocery store, but their cost adds up, so I organized a Yogurt Station to help save some $$! Today I am sharing the details over at Honey We're Healthy! Megan's blogs, Honey We're Healthy and Honey We're Home, are absolutely inspiring and I am a big fan! I am just thrilled that she is sharing my work with her readers today! Be sure to hop on over and check it out!

If you have stopped by from Honey We're Healthy, welcome! I'd love for you to take a 

minute to look around and follow along by clicking on the links below!

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Couscous Salad for Toddlers

Meal time is quickly becoming much more difficult around here. Henry has come to the realization that he actually controls what he eats and doesn't have to blindly take in whatever I place on his spoon. This means he has pretty much been surviving on yogurt, fruit and crackers for at least a week! He does, however love pasta. I have been experimenting with a few dishes that both he and Andrew might enjoy, that will give them the "noodles" they want and a few veggies too!

I'm not sure if I was completely behind the curve here, but I have just recently been introduced to Israeli Couscous. It cooks quickly, is wonderful in salads and it's soft texture is perfect for little mouths! To make this salad I simply prepared the couscous (following the instruction on the package) added cooked peas, avocado, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. For a simple dressing I tossed the salad with a tablespoon of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. 

Once I had portioned out some of the salad for the kids, I added salt, ground black pepper and crumbled feta to make it a little more tasty for us adults. 

I wouldn't say that Henry "loved" the salad, but he ate half a bowl and didn't throw the rest on the walls... so I'll count that as a win!

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Veggie Cakes for Toddlers

In less than one week Henry will be one! His appetite is growing almost as fast as he is and I am finding it difficult to stay creative with his meals. He absolutely loves to feed himself and has little patience for being spoon fed. I am happy that he is becoming more independent at meal time but am concerned that he isn't getting the nutrients he needs from the foods he is able to handle on his own.

On the search for Toddler Food Ideas, I came across many recipes for pancakes, fritters and even frittata! I muddled around with some ingredients and came up with these Veggie Cakes. They can be made in a large batch and stored in the freezer and are easily modified for the veggies you have on hand.

What you will need:

1 sweet potato

1 small zucchini

1/2 cup chopped spinach

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp pesto

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Veggie Cakes - Shred sweet potato and zucchini and combine with chopped spinach. Remove excess water by wrapping in paper towel. In a separate bowl sift together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture and eggs to the veggies and stir until combined. 

Scoop out small balls of the batter and place in an oiled non stick pan over medium heat. Brown for 2 minutes on each side and then transfer to a baking sheet. Bake at 350º until veggies are tender. 

 Creamy Pesto Dip - combine pesto, yogurt, sour cream and lemon juice. 

I served the veggie cakes plain for Henry but mixed up an easy Creamy Pesto Dip for Andrew. Henry gobbled them right up, but Andrew wasn't a fan of the texture. Maybe if I had encouraged him to be more adventurous when he was one he wouldn't be so picky now!

What clever ideas do you have for sneaking 

more veggies into your kiddos diet?

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