Yammy Chocolate Muffins

Yes, I did mean "yammy"~

On my pursuit to find healthy or, I would be happy with just healthier snacks that the kids want to eat I decided to try what a lot of moms have been up to lately.  Jessica Seinfeld has a successful cookbook or two about sneaking in the veggies.   Hidden vegetable purees, a secret never told to the kids, or good luck getting them to try the next creation!

So, I saw on facebook a friend was making chocolate muffins with chocolate cake mix and pumpkin puree. I thought I would try it, except I did not have pumpkin- sweet potato is close enough right?

Here's how it went over-

Went well for the most part... Then the 7 year old came home.  At first he saw those chocolate muffins and was so excited...but then-

Well, I agreed with him actually. They did not taste that great.  So, later in the week I will try again with pumpkin.  I will let you know if those yams were the problem... In the meantime I will feed the yammy chocolate muffins to the younger two who think they are actually yummy!

Green Smoozies, yum!

Having trouble getting vegetables in your kids, or in yourself for that matter?
Here is an idea for you:

Try drinking them!  My daughter calls them "Green Smoozies" since she still can't say her th's.  We make these in the mornings, it is a great way to start the day.
 
 Use what you have on hand, we vary it quite a bit.  I do recommend always using a good amount of greens, a cucumber since that is what makes it so refreshing and and a pear or apple to add a little sweet to it.  Mint leaves are also good to throw in if you have any.

Today I used: 1/2 a cucumber, 1 pear, 3 carrots, 1 avocado, and a good size handful of lettuce (all organic). I pureed it together in the food processor then I poured it into the blender to mix with crushed ice and a little splash of juice to thin it down (the avo makes it pretty thick).  I used a juice blend called First Juice made with blueberries and carrots, I like it because it is very low in sugar and made for kids, but you can use any juice you have.  Whoala...you have a Green Smoozie!

Enjoy!

Another day...another lunch

This school year I have made the switch to bento style lunches.  Bento is a small, visually appealing and balanced meal. I have enjoyed eliminating the baggies and going to a waste free and creative lunch.  I actually was getting so bored with the same lunches day after day. So, I am a bento convert in creating fun and tasty lunches for the kids...They love them and look forward to the variety.

Here are a few pictures of what they get when the open their boxes-

 I pack fresh organic fruit, a sandwich or lunch meat, or in the photo above those are pizza roles (Amy's Organic), and some crackers or pretzels and a sweet treat.  Then I cut shapes or letters in pieces of fruit leather.  The boxes don't always come back empty but they do eat a good portion for lunch which is a great help to keeping them healthy and happy at school.