EPIC Plant - Powered
KID FOOD
BY ELLEN FISHER
Your support means the world to me!
Thank you for your support and love! I poured my heart and soul into these pages
sharing my favorite tips and recipes that nourish my family and create health and
abundance in our lives. I appreciate your purchase and hope you love the recipes
and content produced in this e-book.
I created this book to help children love fresh fruits and vegetables and get more nutritious whole plant foods into their diets. But these tips and recipes can be helpful for
and enjoyed by anyone, adults included! Wherever you are on your journey, I hope
you feel encouraged and uplifted from this book and find abundance with us
through healthy whole foods plant-based eating.
With love, Ellen Fisher
Photo by cadencia
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Photo by cadencia
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Disclaimer
This book is not intended to be a substitute for the medical advice of physicians.
The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health
and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
This book is intended as a reference volume only. It contains recipes and my personal experience to help children love fruits and vegetables. This book is not intended to be used as a medical manual on how to raise healthy children and it is
not to be used as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by
your doctor or your children’s doctor. As always, seek out professional medical help
in matters relating to you and your children’s health, not this book. If you suspect
that you or your children have a medical problem, we urge you you seek competent medical help. The author is not responsible for any specific health needs or allergies that may require medical supervision and is not liable for any damages or
negative consequences from any treatment, action, application or preparation to
any person reading or following the information in this book.
Thank you to everyone in my tribe who helped me make this book possible! To Andrew for your contribution to the recipes. I’m so thankful for you. And my friend Josefa for watching the kids so much while I poured my heart into these pages for
hours on end. And a special mahalo to my friend Danielle Marie who helped collaborate on some of the dessert recipes found in this book.
Photos on pages 1, 2, and 156 by photographer @cadencia
Some dessert recipes in collaboration with Danielle Marie @alohamauivegan
Check out her website at www.alohamauivegan.com
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Picky eater tips
Help your little ones love
their fruits and veggies!
As parents we care so much about ensuring our children eat plenty of fruits and
vegetables, but in a world laden with processed foods that are covered in sugar,
salt and oil, whole foods found in their natural state become less appealing. Our children’s taste buds are being developed with everything they eat. Especially in the
first few years of life, if unhealthy foods are a predominate part of their diet, helping
your children love fruits and vegetables can be tricky. But in whatever stage of parenthood you are, whether your child is an infant just starting on solid foods, or older
and you are ready to help them make some changes, a little consistency and key
tips really go a long way!
These tips are from my personal experience and the experience of my friends. Practice as many as you can, but also don’t sweat the small stuff. Remaining relaxed and
joyful about your family’s diet is pivotal for a healthy relationship with food — for both
you and your children. Children are totally aware of the vibes we give off. If you are
stressed out and overly anxious about what your children are eating, they will pick
up on it. Help them feel safe and loved. This is especially a good reminder for those
who are transitioning their children to a healthier diet from what they have previously been raised on so far. Grace can do wonders.
First Be the example
,
. This is the first step to healthy eating for children.
If we are telling our children to eat healthy but then don’t eat healthy ourselves, we
are doing our children a disservice. Growing up I saw my mother eat salads every
day, so it felt normal for me to eat salads, too. If you’d like your children to grow up
feeling that green smoothies, salads, and meals with lots of colorful fruits and vegetables are normal, then you must enjoy those foods as the center of your own diet. Enjoy your food with your children and share in the beauty of healthy eating together.
On the flip side, be aware that the more processed foods in your family’s diet, the
less likely your children will gravitate towards whole plant foods. When an abundance of whole plant foods is your family’s standard, that will be their norm and they
will love their food.
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Second, Stock up!
If everything that’s available to them in the house is
healthy plant foods, then that’s what they will gravitate towards because that’s
what they see around them. Always have it available to them. If its not in the house,
how can we expect them to eat healthy? When they are hungry and see beautiful,
ripe fruits and filling, healthy snacks on the counter or in the fridge, they are more
likely to reach for those foods and become satisfied in that way. Prepare snacks
ahead of time like homemade granola or oat balls, homemade hummus with veggies to dip, diced melon, and pre-washed salad mix so it’s easy to make healthy
foods in a snap and on the go.
Third, Purchase QUALITY plant foods
. If the fruits you have on
hand are unripe, too ripe, not sweet, or mealy, they will be less tasty and your children will not reach for those foods next time. If you live in the cold midwest, don’t try
to buy a pineapple shipped around the world that is totally green and doesn’t ripen
properly. It won’t taste very good. Enjoy what’s in season and buy locally whenever
possible because locally grown organic produce tastes the best! Shop at farmer’s
markets. For example, if you live in a subtropical location or the midwest during
peach season, ask to sample each farmer’s produce so you know which farm’s
peaches taste the best — and buy those. And if you live in a climate where local
fruit doesn’t grow during winter months, there are still certain fruits that are delicious
when shipped. Bananas, oranges, grapes, berries, and fresh dates are a few fruits
that can still taste delicious shipped across the world to supermarkets today. Also,
purchasing organic as much as you can is not only better for our health, but is also
generally more delicious as well. The organic factor goes for other whole plant
foods as well, such as vegetables, grains, potatoes, squashes, and nuts.
Fourth, Never restrict their calories from fresh fruits and
vegetables. Let them eat as much fresh ripe fruit as they desire. Restricting
healthy foods creates confusion and unnecessary suffering. We all know that processed sugar is unhealthy for us, but many people confuse processed sugar with the
natural sugars found in ripe fruit. Processed sugar is made up of only one macro nutrient — carbohydrates — and is stripped of the vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber
that come with whole plant food. Fresh fruit, however, contains all three macronutrients and is filled with loads of healthy water, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are
completely and 100% different. Let go of any worry about your children having too
much sugar from fruit and allow your children to eat their favorite fruits in abundance. The same should go for vegetables. Supply them with their favorite vegeta6
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bles they DO enjoy and go in that direction. Instead of forcing your children to eat
asparagus when they really want broccoli instead, allow them the freedom to pick
their favorite vegetables throughout the course of the day and week in their meals.
That being said, when we all share a meal as a family and asparagus is part of that
dinner, we don’t go out of our way to make something separate for our children. Trying new foods and eating a wide variety of plant foods is an important part of a
healthy diet. We always stick to the rule that what Mom or Dad made for dinner is
what’s for dinner. If we sometimes allowed them to eat something different, then it
creates a gateway for them to say, “No, I want something different” at family
meals. Children thrive on consistency and routine. Our children are completely used
to and love that we share a family meal together every night, and it creates opportunities to try fun new foods!
Fifth, Let them help in the kitchen!
Children become more ex-
cited to eat healthy foods when they take part in preparing it. We let our kids chop
fruits and vegetables themselves using nylon kid-safe knives that we bought on Amazon. They get so excited about it! Get a step stool so they can reach the cutting
board and the blender. Let them pick which plants to use in fresh fruit and vegetable juices. And allow them the freedom to reach for produce from the refrigerator
themselves. Of course, teach your children safety rules and monitor them closely. If
your counter is too high, bring the cutting board to the floor so they can practice
cutting soft fruits with their kid-safe knives. And remember, your children can sense
your vibe a mile away. If you are stressing about the mess your child is making while
helping in the kitchen, your child will sense it and feel discouraged from helping next
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time. A little spilled OJ is not worth crushing their spirits with angry outbursts. Remain
calm, uplifting, affirming, and respectful. Show your children how to help clean up
spills. Over time they will get better and better with practice. Of course, allowing
your children to help in the kitchen is not feasible all the time. When you’re in a hurry
to prepare something, rushing out the door, or handling very hot food, and your
child wants to help, you can explain to your children respectfully why now is not a
good time, and that they can help next time.
Sixth, Start a garden.
Any extra steps your children get with the food
preparation process, the more they will enjoy and devour healthy food. Teach them
how to grow their own food. Involve them in the process, from seed to sprout to harvest. When your children wake up in the morning and get to pick vegetables from
the garden that they planted themselves to go into their meals, they will feel empowered, and so will you. What a beautiful and fundamental value to instill in our
children. Sustainability at it’s finest — something we surely need more of on this
planet today. If you live in an apartment building or somewhere without space for a
full garden bed, consider getting a pot to grow an herb garden at your front door.
And grow sprouts right from your kitchen window! Simply YouTube search “how to
grow sprouts” and a bunch of video tutorials will pop up.
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Seventh, Make fruits and vegetables fun and exciting for
kids! Be creative. Decorate their meals in cool new ways. Try new recipes and
smoothie ideas. Simply arranging their food in a rad new superhero bowl or cup can
liven up their meal. Buy silly straws, which make drinking green juices super exciting.
And make fruity face plates. As silly as all this sounds, it goes a long way for children.
Eighth, Teach and preserve compassion.
Teach your children
where their food comes from. I say “preserve” because children naturally love animals and have an innate desire to help them avoid suffering. They see cows, pigs,
chickens, and fish in the same way we view our beloved cats and dogs — as friends
and as individuals to be admired. Yet in today’s society we often diminish those natural feelings and teach children that some animals matter while others don’t. We are
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taught that dogs and cats are for petting and being kind to, while cows, pigs, chickens and fish are for killing and eating. The disconnect is strong for children and
adults alike. Placing a piece of neatly packaged meat into grocery carts without
having to see the reality of an innocent animal skinned and dismembered for a
meal creates a huge disconnect to the suffering involved in that purchase. Children
are fed packets of string cheese and Cheez-It crackers without an inkling of understanding what had to happen in order for that cheese product to end up on their
plate. I encourage you to educate your children on where animal foods come
from. Because if it’s not good enough for our eyes or ears, how can it be good
enough for our stomachs? Be gentle, but be truthful. There are many kind and uplifting forms of educational tools to help with this. All the vegan children’s books by Ruby
Roth are incredible. And check out the Bite Size Vegan “Kid Series” YouTube videos. They are fun, made-for-kids educational videos about each topic of veganism
— from meat, milk, eggs, and fish, to aquariums, zoos, leather, and wool.
BITE SIZE VEGAN KID SERIES VIDEOS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDEc87fomio&list=PLmIqdlomtuStMwQ9KWEE8Nn5
GyK6vNqz2
Photo by @sfisherx at the Tamerlaine Farm Animal Sanctuary
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The same goes for educating our
children on the environmental impacts of our food choices. Plant
foods have a significantly
lighter footprint on the planet
than animal foods. Children feel
empowered when they become
educated on such important topics and can confidently make
positive choices on their own
that do good for their bodies, the
animals, and the planet. Check
out the documentary called
“Cowspiracy”found on Netflix
to learn more about diet and its
relation to the environment.
Ninth Blend greens in their smoothies!
,
It can be tricky for
some children to chew lots of greens on their own. So adding green smoothies into
their diet can be really helpful to ensure they are eating enough green vegetables.
Use sweet, ripe fruit and healthy plant fats as the base so blended green smoothies
taste delicious. Our favorite greens to add into smoothies are kale, collard greens,
and baby spinach. Just be sure to add enough sweet fruit to the smoothie so it
tastes yummy. Start with just one kale leaf or handful of spinach and work your way
up over time as their taste buds develop to enjoy it. If your kids have trouble with the
green color, pour the smoothie into an opaque cup, like a stainless steel cup, where
you can’t see the color. You can also name the green smoothies something spectacular for your kids like“GREEN DRAGON MONSTER JUICE!” or “Tinkerbell magic
fairy dust smoothie.” Or you can pour green smoothies into popsicle molds for an
extra fun way to get their greens in. But ultimately we have found that if you start children on green smoothies when they are young, and they see their parents drinking
green smoothies, too, they will follow suit and love it.
Tenth, Ensure your children are getting plenty of
healthy plant fats and protein. This isn’t really a picky eater tip, just a reminder. Children need plenty of dietary fat for healthy brain development. Sufficient calories from a wide variety of whole plant foods help ensure adequate protein; but focus your efforts to include protein rich plant foods in their daily diet like len13
Get those leafy
greens in!
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tils, beans, and tofu as well. Avocados, coconut, hemp seeds, ground flax seeds,
chia seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc. are all great sources of plant fats. And the
World Health Organization recommends babies be breastfed for at least the first
two years of life for optimal health.
Eleventh, Surround yourself with like-minded families.
Though, of course, we believe in loving everyone where they are at in genuine nonjudgment. This example is vital to set for our children. Don’t go estranging your
friends who don’t live like you do. Be inclusive, be loving, and be the example to
friends and family around you. That being said, the positive effect like-minded
friends can have on family life is undeniable. Being around people who just “get”
you on every level, who put effort into and place value on similar things, is very rewarding. And having some friends with children who eat healthy is incredibly influential in helping your own children enjoy healthy foods. Children want to eat what their
friends are eating! I can’t tell you how many kids I’ve gotten to enjoy salads once
they see Elvis and Sandy chowing down on a bunch of leafy greens.
It takes some effort to connect with new people at first, but it’s worth it. When my
family first moved to Hawaii, we barely knew anyone. It took effort and vulnerability
to reach out to others, but I’m so glad I was open to making new friends because
some of those connections have strengthened over time and have become our
family’s closest friends in life! One beautiful thing about social media is the connection opportunity with like-minded families. It’s a wonderful resource for finding people with similar interests, and some people might end up living near you! Also check
out the “Vegan Pregnancy and Parenting” Facebook group as a way to connect
with people. And you can always physically go to places where healthy families
tend to spend time. Meet someone new at a yoga studio, a breastfeeding support
group, or a homeschooling event if you homeschool. Don’t be afraid to start a conversation with families at farmer’s markets or health food shops! Invite people you
“click with” to a playdate and go from there! Bring healthy snacks to share with all
the kids and simply make those connections.
I hope you find these tips helpful for your children to love fruits and vegetables!
When in doubt, be the example, show love and kindness, and surround your family
with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Staying healthy in social settings
Living healthfully and staying strong in your convictions does not mean you have to
sacrifice being social. In the most loving way, you can enjoy healthy, plant-based
foods at social gatherings and at the same time create a positive environment
about your choices, even if you aren’t eating the same foods as those around you.
This can be a beautiful thing, full of abundance, kindness and a positive example.
Joyful experiences are truly what you make of it.
While we do have a lot of friends who are vegan and live a similar lifestyle to us,
many of our friends are not vegan and we love them all just the same. Being vegan
is not a deciding factor for being friends. It is about respect and being loving and
kind towards each other, no matter our differences and perspectives. Embodying
this type of love will usually evoke the same type of respect back, and it might even
inspire others to eat more plant foods with you down the road!
CHILDREN, FOOD, AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS
All that being said, it takes extra care and preparation when children are involved.
It’s easier as adults to make decisions not to eat something at a social gathering or
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party, but kids generally want to eat what their friends are eating at parties, and
their voices and desires matter. It’s important to create positive experiences for our
children so they don’t feel left out over food choices. Creating an inclusive environment, with delicious plant based options, all while maintaining respect for your children’s individuality is pivotal in creating a healthy relationship with food and satisfaction in your children.
EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN
I mentioned this in the last section, but I want to bring it up here again because this
topic goes hand in hand. It is so beneficial and important to inform your children
about the reasons why you don’t eat certain foods in your family. Every child should
have access to the information of where their food comes from, how it is grown, and
the effect it has on people, the planet, and the animals. Treating your children re-
spectfully, by informing them of important issues, can help inspire your children to want
to eat healthfully or choose to eat vegan on their own, even in social settings. Helping
inspire children to take part in the joy of a healthy compassionate lifestyle is a beautiful thing.
Educate your children about health! Explain what healthy means to you and how
we can best take care of our bodies through food and lifestyle practices. Explain
what processed sugar does to the body and the reasons why it is best to avoid excessive amounts. Explain the difference between whole foods and processed foods
and the impact that it has on our bodies and the planet. Talk about how health is
more than just food. Health is all encompassing: getting proper sleep, hydration, having quality relationships, positive thoughts, adequate sunshine, etc. all contribute to
feeling your best, Give your children some credit and many will take charge of their
own health and want to make positive choices for their own bodies.
In regards to education about animal foods, the three amazing children books by
Ruby Roth, “V is for vegan: The ABCs of Being Kind,” “Thats Why We Don’t Eat Animals,” and “Vegan is Love”all greatly impacted my children. They have so many
questions within each page of the books. They are so curious about this topic because all children love animals naturally until told not to care for certain animals’ suffering. Sometimes they talk to the animals pictured in the books: “Don’t worry, cow.
I’m gonna break open the gate and let you free so you can go see your mommy
and daddy!” You can get all three of these children’s books on Amazon.
We also talk to our children about how mom and dad love ALL people, regardless
of their food choices, which our children do naturally anyway, but I believe it is important to address this as well. That is part of what the vegan lifestyle is: to promote
LOVE, to love ALL beings, and to see the good in all people and animals.
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Treating your children respectfully, by
informing them of important issues, can help
inspire your children to want to eat healthfully
or choose to eat vegan on their own, even in
social settings.
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Many children will make healthy choices on their own once they are informed and
educated. Be the best example you can be to your children for healthy eating (and
for all things in life really.) If your child sees you eating chips, hot dogs, and soda,
they likely won’t be motivated to avoid those foods themselves, even when you tell
them to. Because they will inevitably think, “Well, you eat it. Why shouldn’t I?”
FOOD PREP AND SHARING GOES A LONG WAY
When going to a party, bring a large platter of delicious healthy vegan food to
share with people so you and your children get to eat the healthy food alongside
your friends. Most people love to try new dishes and actually feel relieved to see
healthy food at a party. Ask the host ahead of time if you can contribute by bringing a big fruit platter or yummy vegan dip with crackers or veggies to share. Kids especially love brightly colored fruit platters and foods to dip things in, so having this
option where your kids can chow down on healthy foods with their friends creates
that inclusive environment for your children.
CHILD BIRTHDAY PARTIES
You can inspire your child with chats before you go to a party and ensure her you
brought all her favorite foods to satisfy her. When we go to a party that I know won’t
have vegan options, I always ask my kids what they would like me to prep in advance, then pack their favorite snacks so they are sure to be content and excited
with the choices I brought them. Also, I often ask the host in advance what dessert
will be served so I can bring my own healthy vegan version for my kids! So, if we are
going to a non vegan birthday party that is going to serve chocolate cake, I generally try to make our own little healthy vegan chocolate cake to serve our family and
any other kids who would like to try our dessert. Or sometimes our dear friend Danielle, who is a genius in the vegan baking department, will make vegan cupcakes
for the vegan kids going to the party, which saves me a lot of work and effort! Thank
you, Danielle! If I don’t have time to homemake a special dessert for my kids in advance, then I grab a special treat at the health food shop already pre-made.
All of our friends accept us and our lifestyle. They are happy to let me know what will
be served ahead of time so that I can bring my kids a vegan version. And generally
they are thankful I want to bring extra food to share with people. Thankfully we don’t
go to too many birthday parties where I need to prepare in advance or it would get
out of hand as a busy mother trying to prepare a whole array of special food for
every party we attend. We normally go to two or three birthday parties each year
that don’t have vegan options and the rest of them generally cater to vegans.
Which makes these preparations ahead of time a doable task. But if you live somewhere without much of a healthy or vegan community and often find yourself attending party after party without plant-based options for your kids, don’t feel bad
about saving time and grabbing special healthy treats on the go, found at your local health food shop! Let your children help pick out which treat to get as this will foster independence and self respect.
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Red Pepper Hummus and Veg page 72
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BE CLEAR TO YOUR LOVED ONES
If your friends and extended family don’t totally understand where you are coming
from or what value you place on the foods you feed yourself and your children, how
will they be able to best assist and accommodate you? Often I’ve found that my
friends want to accommodate us and most of the time prepare vegan options,
even when it comes to dessert. This is partly because my friends are awesome but
also because I’ve made it really clear how important living vegan is to me and my
husband. They show love to us by having vegan options at their events and we so
appreciate that.
If you are one of those people who unfortunately don’t have supportive friends and
family in your life towards your vegan lifestyle or healthy diet, make efforts to find
friends that DO accept you for who you are and what you care about. With family,
be strong in your convictions and continue to do your research so that negativity
and peer pressure don’t get you down. Be loving to them always and show them
how you are accepting of them and their lifestyle and would like the same respect.
Answer their questions and criticism with kindness and confidence, but don’t provoke them. You will have the most impact through being an example. In the overwhelming majority of circumstances, over time the once unsupportive family becomes accepting, respectful, and even helpful with your consistency in upholding
your values while maintaining kindness and love towards them.
FAMILY HOLIDAY DINNERS
When it comes to family holiday dinners, I like to offer to make a salad to share. I
make two giant bowls of salad to serve to everyone and often contribute another
vegan dish as well.
Ask your mom or dad, or whoever is the chef in the family, to “veganize” some of
the traditional dishes. Help them find a good recipe from which to get ideas. Or offer to do it yourself. As an example, for mashed potatoes that normally come filled
with butter and milk, request that they set aside a separate side bowl of plain
mashed potatoes that you can season with vegan condiments instead of cow’s milk
and butter. There are lots of wonderful plant based cooking sites with vegan options
of all the traditional holiday recipes you could imagine. Hot for Food, Forks over
Knives, and Oh She Glows are a few of my favorite plant based recipe blogs out
there.
Our personal experience at both my and my husband’s family gatherings is that our
family is happy to make it easy for us. And over the years sharing predominantly or
completely vegan meals with extended family has become the norm. But I know
not everyone’s experience with family is like ours. If that is the case, simply bring
something healthy and delicious and make enough to share. Make something incredible to impress them and win them over! You just might truly impress your family
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with how delicious plant based foods can be by bringing a creamy vegan scalloped potato dish or green bean casserole that is out of this world.
HALLOWEEN
Another holiday and social event you can make just as special for your little ones, as
the children who enjoy the typical fare, is Halloween. There are so many ways to
make this holiday fun and exciting while still keeping it healthy.
The Switch Witch is an easy and creative alternative so that your children can experience the wonder of receiving a basket of treats while still enjoying traditional trick or
treating.
Essentially the Switch Witch is you, the parent. Explain to your child the story of a
good witch who visits your home on Halloween night while they are sleep, and takes
(not steals, she's an invited guest) all of their Halloween trick-or-treating candy that
they set out for her and leaves healthy treats and toys in its place for them to enjoy
to their liking. Our kids know that the Switch Witch is Mom and Dad. It’s just a fun way
to present the idea and make it exciting.
The particular year photographed above I gave Elvis a couple of raw vegan chocolates, individually wrapped flax crackers and walnuts, longans (a perfectly packaged sweet brown fruit in the same family as lychees), hand-made-in-Peru finger
puppets by a people before profit company, a sticker, and coconut meat!
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My kids are so stoked for the Switch Witch. So far they don’t care about not eating
the regular GMO laden candies typically given during trick or treating because
those foods aren’t a part of our diet so much so that they don’t appeal to them as
food. And also because they love the treats we give them instead.
Another idea for Halloween is to throw a children’s Halloween party with your friends
instead of trick or treating. Many parents dread having their children come home
with a giant bucket of unhealthy candy to deal with anyway, so if you host a Halloween party and ask each family to bring a fun healthy alternative treat to share with
everyone instead, people will be thankful to join! The possibilities are endless. You
can serve homemade Caramel Candied Apples found on page 128.
If you have a group of friends that share your desire to keep Halloween healthy for
your children, setting up Trunk or Treat is a great alternative option. Trunk or Treat is
where the planner decides a designated location, most likely a public spot with lots
of parking availability for all the families joining to meet up. Then each family car
opens the trunk of their car and decorates the trunk Halloween style filled with cobwebs, ghosts, carved pumpkins, or whatever the family likes. Each family will bring a
bowl of their own healthy plant based treats or toys to hand out to the Trunk or Treaters. Then each kid gets to go around each decorated trunk and say “Trunk or
Treat!” to receive the healthy treats!
Eating differently than the social norm
does not have to mean being anti-social.
It simply calls for a little creativity.
CHILDREN AGES 1 TO 2 1/2 YEARS OLD
Before the age where children are capable of understanding where their food
comes from and why you don’t want them to eat certain foods, redirection is the
key. Still bring your toddlers’ favorite healthy snacks like dried fruit, avocado, and gluten free crackers to gatherings, but there might be times when your child wants to
eat something another child is eating at a party and doesn’t yet understand that
your family doesn’t eat the same foods as many people do.
Simply redirect your child in these circumstances. Come prepared with your child’s
favorite snacks and surround him or her with the activity part of the party to ensure
their happiness and contentment. After a couple of social gatherings, a two-year24
old still won’t realize why we aren’t eating the foods that most people around us are,
but they will start to realize that, whatever the reason, it doesn’t really matter because Mommy brought dried bananas and gluten free crackers — their favorite!
RESTAURANTS
It is actually quite easy nowadays to get vegan substitutions at many restaurants.
Sushi restaurants are the easiest places to get healthy vegan meals by ordering
cucumber/avocado rolls topped with pickled ginger. Traditional American restaurants often offer a salad bar where you can load up with veggies and avocado if
they have it. You can even bring your own dressing and order a side of baked potato or sweet potato. At Mexican restaurants one can order a bountiful meal of soft
corn tortilla tacos filled with black beans, rice, guacamole, salsa and lettuce. Just
be sure to specify no cheese or sour cream. And make sure beforehand that the
beans and rice are vegan because pinto beans are often cooked in lard. Whatever
type of restaurant you are going to, calling in advance to find out what plant-based
options are on the menu can be super helpful.
IF IT IS YOUR PRIORITY, IT BECOMES SECOND NATURE
Some people think all of this is a lot of work and can’t believe I spend so much energy avoiding non vegan foods at social gatherings. But personally, I enjoy making
healthy vegan food for my family, and whatever is a priority in your life becomes normal, second nature, and not a chore. It is not that often that we go to a kid’s birthday party, so it doesn’t feel like a big deal to make it special for my children.
You don’t have to compromise a healthy diet or vegan lifestyle for social events. We
have success at maintaining a healthy and abundant plant-based lifestyle by keeping it a priority in our lives. That doesn’t mean it takes over your life. I just personally
know that when I am feeling my best — and I do when eating whole plant foods — I
am going to be a more enjoyable person to be around for my friends and family.
And my children will be healthier and happier for it. So it’s really worth any effort
there is. Also keep in mind that good friends will respect your choices and lifestyle.
So if you have good friends, they’ll be supportive and might even be inspired by you.
You don’t have to sacrifice feeling good when being social. So often growing up, I
remember going out to eat with family at a steakhouse, ordering a burger, milkshake, and fries, and leaving the restaurant feeling tired, sluggish, and overall not
good. Gone are those days. I love being able to enjoy myself socially, feel good,
avoid supporting animal suffering while doing it, and not feel deprived all at the
same time. So relax, enjoy yourself and don’t stress about eating differently than others.
Some people are curious, taken aback, or they question why my husband and I
feed our children a whole foods plant-based diet. We respect our children. And part
of respecting our children is respecting their bodies. At their young ages, it is 100%
25
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our duty to take care of and nurture them. We respect their bodies by feeding them
healthy foods and giving them the healthiest happiest start to their lives that we
can. They can make the choice to eat unhealthfully later, if they want to, and experience life as they choose. But right now, it is our duty to respect their wholeness and
that includes food and health. That is why we center their diet around whole plant
foods. It’s much easier to be happy when you are healthy.
Also, both my husband and I are passionate about living a vegan lifestyle for the animals, the planet, and our health. Everyone raises their children upon the passions
and lifestyles they value. Our children love the foods we feed them and enjoy their
food with gusto, and we do!
That being said, we also care deeply about our child’s feelings and desires. So if we
go to a party that is serving something unhealthy like vegan lollipops or chips and
they want to partake even after bringing our own fun healthy snacks, which sometimes they do, we oblige them. Having a treat every now and again with their
friends is a normal part of growing up. Having balance and not over doing it with
too much pressure is pivotal in creating a healthy relationship with food.
This is important to recognize because it might not go exactly as planned every time
you are at a social gathering. And that’s ok! That’s called life. Raising children especially calls for grace and relaxation. And in all honesty, every child is different so
what works for us may not be satisfactory for your family. Maybe some of these tips
won’t work to keep a peaceful, happy environment for your individual children.
Every age calls for different experiences too and we are constantly evolving as a
family ourselves. What is working for us now may call for shifts in how we do things as
our children age. So if any of these suggestions don’t resonate with you, feel free to
discard this section of the book. This is just where I’m at, how my husband and I
choose to raise our children, and what works for us!
Always be kind and loving. Be expansive in your understanding and make efforts towards non judgement. We can best relate to and understand each other when we
try to see the world through each other’s lenses. if we sat in each other’s shoes and
listened to each other’s stories and why we have the perceptions we do, I think we’d
be a lot more understanding of each other.
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28
KidApproved
Recipes
29
A Note about the Recipes
1. All serving sizes in the first recipe section are for one or two children, depending on
their ages, unless specifically stated otherwise.
2. Ripe fruit: Make sure your fruit is ripe — especially bananas, which should be
spotty and easy to peel. Ripe fruit is sweeter and makes the recipes more delicious.
3. Dulse: Whenever dulse, a sea vegetable, is used in a recipe, it is optional but it
adds a wonderfully salty flavor to dishes. If you buy dulse pieces, then tear them
up into smaller pieces in the recipes. Another option is to buy dulse flakes where
you can just sprinkle it onto your dishes.
4. Cooking with water or vegetable broth: We cook our food with water or vegetable broth instead of oil to keep our meals whole-food based. To do this, simply
add enough water to the pan to keep the veggies from sticking to the pan. Add
more as you go as needed.
5. Cashew sour cream: Some recipes call for a dollop or serving of cashew sour
cream. We love this creamy sauce that works so well as a meal topping, dip,
sauce etc. You can find this simple recipe on page 70. Store it in a sealed airtight
container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
6. Pitted dates: Whenever you see “dates, pitted” listed in the ingredients, this
means to remove and discard the date pits. Do not add date pits to the blender
or it will ruin the dish and quite possibly the blender too.
7. Oat flour: Simply blend rolled oats in a dry high-speed blender like the Vitamix to
create your own quick and healthy gluten-free flour!
8. Gluten-free bread: Our favorite gluten-free vegan bread is Bread Srsly
9. Ground flax seeds: Simply blend about a cup of golden flax seeds in a dry highspeed blender until broken down into a powder. Store in an airtight container in
the refrigerator.
30
Creamy Hemp Milk
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
1/2 c. hemp seeds
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed
blender for about one minute until completely smooth. You do not need to
strain hemp milk like you do with other
nut/seed milks. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate. It will last in the refrigerator for up to five days. Enjoy cold
and shake well before pouring onto
your cereals, adding to your smoothies,
or drinking straight out of the jar.
1 tsp vanilla
1 Medjool date, pitted
3.5 c. water
31
32
Green Monster Smoothie
This is our go-to smoothie recipe that we serve the kids almost daily! We mix it up by
switching up the fruits and types of greensHigh-speed, but generally there is a base
of ripe spotty bananas with some type of frozen fruit to ensure sweetness and delicious consistency.
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
3 bananas
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed
blender until smooth and pour into one
or two smoothie jars. Feel free to substitute the mango with another type of
fresh or frozen fruit like berries. Or substitute the kale with chard, or a collard
leaf, or a handful of spinach. Mix it up to
keep it versatile and have fun with it!
1 c. frozen mango
2 stalks of kale
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1.5 c. water
33
Rock Melon Apple Smoothie
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
1 c. diced watermelon
Blend all ingredients in a blender until
smooth. These hydrating fruits have so
much healthy water content in them
that you don’t need to add water to
the smoothie. if you don’t have one or
two ingredients on hand, feel free to
swap them out for another fruit or skip it
all together. The only essential ingredient to this recipe are the frozen mixed
berries which give the smoothie that
deep vibrant color!
1/2 c. diced apple
1 c. diced pineapple
1 c. frozen mixed berries
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1 collard green leaf or handful of baby
spinach
34
Healthy Hot Chocolate
This one’s for those folks living in cold weather and strong winter months.
Try this healthy version of Hot Chocolate for your littles that will be good for their bellies
and leave them feeling warm and fuzzy.
INSTRUCTIONS
YOU WILL NEED
2.5 c. boiling filtered water
Boil filtered water in a small pot. Blend all
ingredients in a high-speed blender on
high for about one minute until smooth
and creamy. Pour into mugs and enjoy
on a cold day.
8 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 heaping tbsp cacao powder
T I P: Place a cloth over the top of the
blender so the liquid doesn’t seep out
while blending. It can be hot!
optional: 1/2 c. plant milk
(If not using plant milk add in
1/2 c. more of boiling water)
36
Pina Colada Slushie
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
1 c. pineapple, diced
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed
blender until smooth. Serve with fresh
pineapple slices and a bamboo straw
for those extra tropical touches.
1 c. frozen mango
1 large banana
1/2 c. canned or fresh coconut milk
3 coconut milk ice cubes
T I P: To make coconut milk ice cubes simply freeze homemade or canned coconut
milk in ice cube trays overnight. They’re a wonderful addition to all kinds of delicious
smoothie recipes! And this particular recipe is so mouthwatering and refreshing, you
will be very glad you made those coconut milk ice cubes.
37
Banana Nice Cream
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
3-4 frozen ripe bananas, chopped
Blend the frozen bananas and vanilla in
a high-speed blender, like the Vitamix,
on a low setting, using the tamper to
push the ingredients into the blade.
Once the mixture creates a vortex and
blends smooth for a few seconds, turn
off the blender. You do not want to
over blend or the ice cream will melt. If
you have passionfruit, adding half of a
passionfruit makes a delicious tropical
addition to blend in with the bananas.
Scoop ice cream into small serving
bowls and top with your favorite toppings!
1 tsp vanilla
Topping ideas:
coconut flakes
cacao nibs
raspberries
strawberries
granola
peanut butter
maple syrup drizzle
38
Make every kid’s dream come true: Ice cream for breakfast!! This healthy
ice cream is so versatile. Add all kinds of fun toppings. You can even play
around with using different frozen fruit to mix up the flavors of the nice cream.
\
39
Smothered Banana Boats
There are so many ways to enjoy Smothered Banana Boats! Enjoy it with almond butter, peanut butter, or Nuttzo. Top it with raisins, goji berries, coconut flakes, ground
flax seeds, or blueberries, etc. Let your kids pick which toppings they like. Below is
how my kids like it best lately!
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
2-3 ripe bananas
Slice bananas in half. Smother your
choice of nut butter on each half. Drizzle a small amount of maple syrup and
sprinkle hemp seeds and raisins on top.
Bam — an easy, delicious, and nutritious snack!
2 Tbsp organic peanut butter.
1 tsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp raisins (optional)
40
Nutrient Packed
Big Kid Salad
This is our kids’ favorite go-to quick salad that we prepare for them on a regular basis. Healthy salads with fatty avocado and tender greens is a staple in their diet. The
main tip to help kids LOVE chewing their greens, other than being a great example
yourself and keeping an abundance of healthy food around the house, is to massage and coat the plant fat of choice really well with the greens so the salad is easy
to chew and enjoyable!
41
Makes one small salad
YOU WILL NEED
1 small avocado, mashed
3-5 tender lettuce leaves, diced
(like romaine, red leaf, or green leaf lettuce)
1/4 c. cucumber, diced
1 small tomato, diced
1-2 Tbsp lime juice OR sauerkraut
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp sea veggie dulse (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Mash the avocado into guacamole texture. Then dice the lettuce leaves into small
pieces. And if your baby is just starting out on chewing greens, finely dicing the lettuce leaves into super small confetti size pieces will be really helpful. Mix all the ingredients together into a small bowl until well combined and the avocado is
coated evenly among the vegetables. Feel free to mix up the recipe based on
what veggies your child or toddler prefers!
T I P: If your child is just learning to enjoy chewing greens, or if your child is a very
young toddler, start out with adding just one small lettuce leaf to the salad. The dish
ends up being mainly guacamole with a little lettuce. Then, as your child grows and
enjoys the mixture, work your way up to slowly adding more and more greens until
it becomes a full kid-sized salad that he or she begs for every day!
A NOTE ABOUT DULSE: Dulse is our family’s main source of iodine. But it can be an
acquired taste, so if your child does not enjoy the raw flavor of it in salads, consider
trying other sea veggies or adding dulse into soups or other cooked dishes that
make sea veggies palatable and enjoyable for them.
42
Creamy Tahini Kale Salad
Makes one small salad
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
3 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
Place all ingredients, except the flax
seeds, into a bowl and mix together
well until the greens are evenly coated
with the tahini. Top with a dollop of
cashew sour cream and the ground
flax seeds.
1-2 stalks curly kale, chopped
1/4 c. bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. purple cabbage, diced
T I P: Be sure to finely dice the lettuce
and kale so the greens are easy to
chew. And when you are preparing the
kale, place your fingers along the bottom of the stem and pull up to easily remove the leaves from stem. Discard the
stems and chop the leaves for the
salad.
2-3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice or sauerkraut
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sea veggie dulse (optional)
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 dollop Cashew sour cream (page 69)
43
Easy Tomato Sandwiches
and lettuce boats
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
Thinly slice the tomatoes, setting the
end pieces aside for the lettuce boats.
To make the guacamole, mix together
the avocado, lime juice, garlic powder,
and salt in a small serving bowl until well
combined. Spread a large tbsp of guacamole over a tomato slice and place
another tomato slice on top. Repeat
these steps until you run out of tomatoes, and sprinkle with hemp seeds and
salt. Spread some guacamole inside lettuce leaves and sprinkle the remaining
tomato pieces, hemp seeds, and dulse
on top.
1.5 avocados, mashed
1/2 lime, juiced
garlic powder + salt to taste (about 1/4
tsp each)
2 tbsp hemp seeds
3-5 romaine lettuce leaves
1 tbsp sea veggie dulse (optional)
44
45
Nourishing Oats
Oatmeal is filling, warm and delicious — especially with all kinds of yummy toppings.
Get creative with it! Pick your favorite fresh fruit and chopped nuts, a little natural
sweetener and you’ve got yourself an easy meal or snack for you or your kids.
Serves 2 children
INSTRUCTIONS
YOU WILL NEED
1 c. rolled oats
Boil the oats and water in a small pot
while stirring occasionally. Once boiling,
turn down to low heat and continue to
stir together every minute or two for
about 5 to 8 minutes. Then pour into
one or two bowls and sprinkle with desired toppings.
2 c. water
2 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
1 banana
1/4 c. frozen raspberries
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
46
Home Baked Omega Granola
47
This homemade granola is so delicious, easy to make, and healthy! Packed full of
those good healthy fats for growing children and a perfect grab-and-go snack. Top
it with your favorite plant based yogurt and berries, drown in plant milk to enjoy as
cereal, or eat it straight out of the jar. You can’t go wrong with this one.
Makes 4-6 servings
YOU WILL NEED
2 Tbsp chia seeds
3 Medjool dates, pitted
1/4 c. maple syrup
2.5 c. oats
1/4 c pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 c. walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c. coconut flakes
48
First
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together the chia seeds with 6
tbsp water. Set aside.
Second
In a mixing bowl, mash together the dates and maple syrup until it turns
into a thick paste. If your dates are not gooey enough you can soak them in warm
water for 10 minutes first to soften.
Third
Add in the rest of the granola ingredients, including the soaking chia seeds,
and mix together until well combined.
Fourth
Spread granola on a baking tray with parchment paper and bake for 15
minutes in the middle tray of the oven. Then pull out to gently flip over granola.
Place back into the oven for 5 more minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Be
careful not to over bake or it will burn. So check on them every couple minutes or so
towards the end. Store in an airtight container.
49
50
51
Making
Banana Pancakes
52
Makes about 12 pancakes
YOU WILL NEED
6 regular sized bananas
3 c. oats
1.5 c. plant milk (like creamy hemp milk, page 30)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Second
Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
Preheat a non-stick or griddle pan to medium heat. You want it warm but
not super hot. Test the pan to make sure it’s evenly warmed by hovering your hand
over the pan to feel the heat radiating. Once you feel the heat after about 1-2 minuets you can start cooking the pancakes.
Based on the non-stick ability of your pan, you may need to add about 1 tsp of coconut oil to the pan to prevent sticking.
Third
Take about 1/4 c of the mixture and dollop into the middle of the pan. Cook
for roughly 2-3 minutes on each side, checking at about 1.5 minutes by sticking your
spatula underneath the edge of mixture and slightly lift up. Once it’s a golden brown
color flip the pancake to the other side and cook for another minute or two.
Fourth
Place the pancake on your plate and repeat these steps until you run out of
batter and have a large stack of pancakes to serve. Top with maple syrup and
diced bananas or berries.
53
Perfect for cozy Saturday mornings
54
Vanilla Crunch Cereal
The kids and I are obsessed with this cereal right now! It’s crunchy, sweet and totally
hits the spot. A perfect filling breakfast or snack.
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
2 c. Omega Granola page 47
Pour a cup of Omega Granola into two
cereal bowls. Top it with sliced bananas
and drown it in some creamy hemp
milk. Adding a drizzle of maple syrup
gives it that extra sweet flavor, reminiscent of classic childhood cereals.
3 c. Creamy Hemp Milk page 31
2 bananas, sliced
55
Chickpea Seaweed Sandwich
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
2 slices gluten free vegan bread, toasted
In a small mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas and pickle juice until it molds well together. Add in the dulse flakes, nutritional
yeast, and salt, and mix together. Spread
the chickpea mash on one slice of toast
and the mashed avocado on the other. Top
with sliced tomatoes and place the pieces
together to serve as a mock “tuna” style
sandwich. Repeat this step if making two
sandwiches.
1 can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
3 Tbsp pickle juice (or lemon juice)
2 tsp dulse flakes
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, mashed
1 tomato, sliced
56
57
Mash Avocado Kale Wraps
58
My kids LOVE Kale wraps. Let your kids help in the kitchen adding their own toppings
so they feel empowered in making choices about which veggies to enjoy! This dish
also works great with romaine lettuce as the wraps instead of kale.
Makes 3 Kale wraps
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
3 big leaves of dino kale
Wash kale and set aside. Dice and
mash the avocado into a bowl and
add the sauerkraut or lime juice, and
salt. Spread the avocado mash onto
the inside of the kale wraps and top
with diced tomatoes. Sprinkle ground
flax seeds on top.
1.5 avocados
3 Tbsp sauerkraut or 1 tbsp lime juice
Sea salt to taste (optional)
1 tomato, diced
3 Tbsp ground flax seeds
59
60
Homemade Granola Bars
Makes about 10 bars
YOU WILL NEED
3/4 c. peanut butter or Super Seed Nut Butter page 66
1/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 c. brown rice syrup
2 tsp vanilla
2 c. rolled oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 c. hemp seeds
1/4 c. pumpkin seeds
1/4 c. almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 c. dried tart cherries, chopped
61
These granola bars are delicious, nutritious, and a huge hit with the kids! By making
your own granola bars your are sure get a fully nutritious bar and also save on plastic waste from individually wrapped bars at the store!
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment pa-
per. In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and rice syrup.
Heat over low for a couple minutes just until smooth, whisking constantly with a fork.
Second
Turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. Then stir in the rest of the in-
gredients until well combined. Using moist fingers, press mixture into the prepared
pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until edges are light brown.
Fourth
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift out
the uncut bars. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
62
63
Seasoned Sweet Potatoes
with Guacamole
64
YOU WILL NEED
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced
1 big golden potato, sliced
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 avocados
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, diced
2-3 tbsp lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Rinse and slice the spuds into desired fry shape
and place in a large mixing bowl.
Second
Add to the mixing bowl the garlic powder, black pepper, nutritional yeast,
and salt. Mix together by hand until the potatoes are evenly coated with seasoning.
Then spread the potatoes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake
for about 30 minutes until crisped.
Third
While the potatoes are cooking, mash the avocado with lime juice, salt, and
black pepper in a small bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes and lightly mix together.
Serve the seasoned potatoes with guacamole for a nutritious snack or meal.
65
Super Seed Nut Butter
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
1 32-oz jar peanut butter
Scoop out about 1 cup of peanut butter from a full peanut butter jar and set
aside. Or you can simply make this recipe once you’ve gone through some of
your peanut butter from day to day recipes. Then pour the seeds into the jar
and stir together with the peanut butter
until well combined. Store in the refrigerator and use to spread on toast,
sliced apples, or whatever way you like
to enjoy peanut butter! It’s crunchy, nutritious, and so delicious.
1/4 c. hemp seed
1/4 c. chia seeds
1/4 c. pumpkin seed
1/4 c. ground flax seeds
66
This super seed nut butter creates a healthier version of peanut
butter that helps get all those healthy seeds into your and your
children’s diets!
67
Rainbow Protein Plate
with cashew sour cream
68
This dish is so fun! My kids’ eyes widen with excitement whenever they see rainbow
anything! The purple cabbage turns to a hint of blue when steamed so all the colors
of the rainbow are present on their plate. Topped with cashew sour cream and sprinkled hemp seeds, this dish is filling and nutritious.
YOU WILL NEED
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 c. purple cabbage, sliced
1 small carrot, sliced
1 can black beans
1/2 of a kabocha squash
1 Tbsp tahini
1/2 c. kale, chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice or sauerkraut
1/2 c. lettuce, chopped
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
69
For the Cashew Sour Cream
1 c. whole raw cashews
1/8 tsp salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 c water
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice the kabocha squash, or other hard squash,
and deseed the inside. Bake for 25 minutes or until fork tender.
Second
Drain and thoroughly rinse one can of black beans. Warm in a small pot
for about 5 to 10 minutes until hot. Steam the kale and purple cabbage using a
steam basket in a pot for about 5-10 minutes until soft.
Third
Blend the Cashew Sour Cream ingredients in a high-speed blender until to-
tally smooth.
Fourth
Mix the lettuce, tahini, lemon juice (or sauerkraut), and kale in a bowl until
well combined.
Fifth
plate the diced tomato, carrot, squash, greens, cabbage, and beans in the
order of a rainbow. Drizzle with cashew sour cream and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
Enjoy!
T I P : Feel free to change up the vegetables based on your child’s liking! If your child
prefers red bell pepper instead of tomato slices, swap it out. You could try purple
sweet potato and all different kinds of veggies. Have fun with it!
70
Original GarlicHummus
INSTRUCTIONS
YOU WILL NEED
2.5 c. garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed
blender until well combined. Add a little
more water if needed. If you don’t have
a good high-speed blender, this recipe
will work great in a food processor as
well.
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove
4-5 heaping tbsp tahini
1/4 tsp pizza seasoning
1/4 c. water
salt to taste
71
Red Pepper Hummus and Veg
72
YOU WILL NEED
4 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
5 heaping tbsp tahini
1/2 c lemon juice
1 c. bell pepper, diced
1.5 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp cumin
1.5 Tbsp garlic powder
salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
First
To make the hummus, pulse all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food
processor until well combined but still chunky. Add more lemon juice as desired or
even a splash of sauerkraut juice. Apple cider vinegar tastes great too. Slice veggies
and baked potato fries to serve on the side.
73
74
Potato Cake Sandwiches
75
This recipe is inspire by my dear friend Ashleigh Foster. We gave a fresh spin on this
delicious recipe and turned them into sandwiches! You can find Ashleigh’s plant
based recipe ebooks at https://heyashfoster.com or go to @heyashfoster on IG
Serves 2-4 children
YOU WILL NEED
1 avocado, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
3-6 lettuce leaves
1/2 cucumber, sliced
For the Potato Cakes
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
(about 9 medium potatoes)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
¼ c arrowroot powder
1 c parsley, chopped
1 c cilantro, chopped
For the Creamy Hemp Dip
1/4 c. hemp seeds
1/2 lime, juiced
salt to taste
1 stick celery
1/4 c. pickled jalapeños
1/2 c. water
1 medium boiled potato
1 tsp garlic powder
sprig of parsley + cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Boil the potatoes until tender (9 for the potato
cakes + 1 for the Creamy Hemp Dip), about 20 minutes, then drain the water.
Second
Set aside about one cup of boiled potatoes for the Creamy Hemp Dip. In
a large bowl, mash together the rest of the boiled potatoes, salt, garlic powder and
arrowroot powder until smooth mashed potatoes form. Stir the parsley and cilantro
into the mashed potatoes.
Third
Scoop the mashed potatoes out by ¼-cup each and shape them into balls.
Space the mashed potato balls out evenly on two baking trays lined with parchment paper and use your hands to flatten them until they are ½-inch thick. Bake the
potato pancakes for 15 minutes. Then flip the potato cakes over and return them to
the oven for 15 minutes more until crisped.
Fourth
While the potato cakes are baking, prepare the Creamy Hemp Dip. Blend
all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Fifth
Assemble the sandwiches by slathering the creamy hemp dip on two potato
cakes. Top with tomato, avocado and lettuce and put together to make a sandwich. Repeat these steps and get ready for a messy but delightful meal.
TIP: To prepare ahead of time, these potato cakes will freeze well before baking.
Just shape them into cakes and line them individually in parchment paper. When
you’re ready, continue baking them according to the directions and enjoy!
77
Classic Mac & Cheese
78
YOU WILL NEED
1 16-oz bag gluten-free macaroni pasta
1 large golden potato, chopped
1 c. carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 c. raw cashews
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
4 Tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1/2 c. water
79
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Boil the potato, carrots, and gar-
lic in a small pot of water for about 20
minutes until fork tender. Drain the water when cooked.
Second
Boil a large pot of water and
cook macaroni pasta according to
package instructions.
Third
While the pasta is cooking, pre-
pare the cheese sauce. Blend the
boiled potato, carrots, and garlic with
the rest of the ingredients in a highspeed blender until totally smooth and
creamy, about a minute long. After
draining and rinsing the pasta, pour the
noodles back into the large pot and
add the cheesy sauce. Stir together on
low heat for 3-5 minutes until well incorporated and warmed.
T I P: You can also toss some baby spinach into this dish at the end when stirring the
sauce together on low heat. It’s super delicious!
T I P: Try substituting the potato and carrots for a few cups of boiled butternut squash
or kabocha squash. With the kabocha squash the color will be slightly different but
using squash adds a wonderful new dimension of flavor to this dish.
80
Open Faced Toasted Hummus Sandwich
with Tomato Soup
81
YOU WILL NEED
2-4 pieces gluten free vegan bread, toasted
1/2 cup Original Garlic Hummus, page 71
sliced bell pepper, tomato, and avocado for topping
For the Tomato Soup
1 24-oz jar strained tomatoes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 can coconut milk, with some reserved
salt + pepper to taste
3 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp dill
1 tsp pizza seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Pour all of the Tomato Soup ingredients into a pot and warm on medium heat
for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Second
Toast the bread and smear each piece with hummus. Top with sliced veg-
gies or avocado. Sprinkle with black pepper if desired.
Third
Pour tomato soup into serving bowls, drizzle with more coconut milk, and en-
courage your children to dip the open faced sandwiches into the soup because it’s
mighty tasty that way!
82
83
Family Style
Kid approved recipes
These are our kids’ favorite recipes that we enjoy for family dinner. Abundant, flavorful, organic, nutrient-dense vegetables and filling whole grains, potatoes, and
healthy plant fats are generally at the core of these meals. We consider family dinner to be cherished quality time where we put all our work away, involve our children in the preparation process, and sit down to eat together and enjoy each
other’s company practically every night. It is a ritual of our family experience that we
believe is valuable to our collective dynamic. The portion sizes in these next recipes
are designed to feed a family sized 4-6 people.
84
Potato Fries with Cheesy Dip
and steamed veggies
85
YOU WILL NEED
Golden or Russet potatoes, as desired
1 head of cauliflower or broccoli
Cheesy Dipping Sauce
For the Cheesy Dipping Sauce
2 pounds golden potatoes, diced
1/2 c. whole raw cashews
1 pound yam, diced
1 lime, juiced
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 garlic cloves
garlic powder + salt to taste
1/4 small onion
1 c. water
86
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven 425°F. Thinly
slice potatoes into fry shape and place
on a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sprinkle the potatoes with garlic powder
and black pepper and pop into the
oven for about 30 to 50 minutes. Rotate
trays in the oven as necessary.
Second
Prepare the dipping sauce.
While the potatoes are baking, boil the
golden potatoes, sweet potato, carrot,
and garlic cloves in a large pot of water
on medium/high heat for about 20 minutes until tender.
Drain the water and add the ingredients
to a large high-speed blender along
with the other Cheesy Dipping Sauce ingredients.
Blend on high until totally smooth. Add more water for a thinner texture as desired.
Third
Steam or boil the cauliflower or veggies of choice
Fourth
Arrange potato fries and veggies on dinner plates and serve the dipping
sauce on the side for your kids to go to town and dip like veggie champs!
87
Rainbow Spring Rolls
with tahini dipping sauce
88
YOU WILL NEED
15-20 rice paper wrappers
1 red bell pepper, sliced
16 oz thin rice noodles
micro greens or sprouts
2 avocados
1/2 c. mint or lettuce
1 package firm tofu
1 cucumber, sliced
1 c. purple cabbage, chopped
1/8 c. sesame seeds
For the Tahini Dipping Sauce
1/2 c. tahini (or peanut butter)
1/4 c. pickled ginger
1/8 c. coconut aminos
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. maple syrup
1-3 Tbsp Sriracha (optional)
89
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Slice the avocado, tofu, and
veggies to desired thickness.
Second
Boil rice noodles according
to package instructions.
Third
Blend the Tahini Dipping Sauce
ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Add Sriracha if you like it spicy! This
sauce can easily be substituted with
peanut butter instead of tahini for a
peanuty flavor. Both ways are delicious.
Fourth
Assemble the spring rolls. Dip a
rice paper wrapper in a pan of warm
water for about 10 seconds to become malleable. Don’t soak it too long or it will tear and become too hard to work
with. Place it on a flat surface like your cutting board. Layer your ingredients on the
lower third of the spring roll that is closest to you. I like to place the herbs or lettuce
down first to act as a base but you can layer it however you like. Add 1-2 pieces of
each ingredient and then some noodles at the end. Pick up the sides of the spring
roll and fold them in over the toppings. Then pick up the edge closest to you and
pull it up tightly over the toppings. Continue rolling tightly, like a burrito. Practice will
make perfect, but just try to keep all of the ingredients in tightly together as you roll
everything together snugly.
Fifth
Dip your spring rolls in the Tahini Dipping Sauce! This meal is perfect for kids, es-
pecially when they get to decide what veggies to put in their spring rolls. Let them
prepare the rolls with you in the kitchen so they can get excited to dip their own
creation into a yummy dipping sauce.
90
Fettuccini Pasta
with Cauliflower Alfredo
91
YOU WILL NEED
2 16-oz packages of brown rice fettuccini noodles
1 bunch of asparagus
For the Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
I big cauliflower, broken into chunks
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
4 garlic cloves, peeled/minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c. cashews
2 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
pinch of pizza seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
sea salt to taste
92
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Bend each asparagus spear until it
breaks. It snaps at exactly the spot where
tough stalk meets tender spear. Discard
the small tough end pieces. Steam the
cauliflower and asparagus together In a
large pot for about 10 minutes. If you
don’t have a steam basket you can boil
them and drain the water when tender.
Second
Blend the cashews and 3 cups
of water together in a high-speed blender
until totally smooth to make cashew milk.
Set aside.
Third
Boil the noodles according to
package instructions.
Fourth
Separate the steamed cauliflower
from the asparagus. Add the cauliflower to the blender with the rest of the Alfredo Sauce
ingredients and blend until smooth.
Fifth
Pour the Alfredo sauce into a large sauce pan and stir on low heat for about 10 min-
utes while the noodles finish cooking. Once the sauce thickens, dice the steamed asparagus and add into the sauce pan along with the fettuccine noodles. Mix together for a few
minutes on low heat until well combined. At this point be sure to taste the dish to see if it
needs more seasoning, such as more salt or black pepper. Serve big plates to your children knowing they are getting a heaping serving of cauliflower in their dinner in the form of
creamy noodles!
93
Mexican Quinoa Tacos
with veggies and cashew sour cream
94
YOU WILL NEED
8-12 organic corn tortillas
2 c. quinoa
2 c. dried pinto or black beans (or 2 cans beans)
2 c. lettuce, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 lb mushrooms, diced
1 c. salsa
1 batch Cashew Sour Cream, page 70
For the Guacamole
2-3 avocados, diced and mashed
black pepper to taste
3 tbsp lime juice
salt to taste
garlic powder to taste
95
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Boil the quinoa with 4.5 cups of
water in a large pot. Once it comes to
a boil turn down to low heat and let
simmer with the lid on until the moisture
dissipates, about 30 minutes.
Second
Prepare the beans. If you are
using dried beans, soak them for at
least a few hours then cook them in a
pressure cooker. If using canned beans
simply drain and rinse thoroughly and
add them into a small pot on low/
medium heat with a little water for 5 to
10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once
the beans are warmed, mash them
and add spices to taste. We like adding about a teaspoon each of garlic
powder, black pepper, oregano,
cumin, and chili powder.
Third
While the quinoa and beans
are cooking, prepare the taco toppings. Sauté the bell pepper and mushrooms in a
small pan with a splash of water or coconut aminos on low/medium heat for about
10 minutes until cooked down. Add more water as you go so the veggies don’t stick
to the pan. Blend the Cashew Sour Cream ingredients in a high-speed blender until
smooth and set aside. Dice some lettuce and set aside in a small bowl.
Fourth
Warm the corn tortillas on the stove. Then wrap the tortillas up in a clean dish
towel until ready to serve.
Fifth
Assemble the tacos to your liking layering guacamole, quinoa, beans, let-
tuce, veggies, cashew sour cream, and salsa. Let the kids help assemble their own
to get excited about their meal filled with nutrient rich plant foods!
96
Incredible Veggie Spaghetti
97
YOU WILL NEED
1 small yam, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 head broccoli, diced
4 mushrooms, diced
two 16-oz packages of brown rice spaghetti
two 24-oz jars of strained or diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 zucchini, diced
1-2 Tbsp each italian seasoning and garlic powder
sea salt and black pepper to taste
98
For the Cashew Parmesan
1 c. cashews
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
*Pulse in a food processor or a dry high-speed blender until it becomes a powdered
consistency.
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Second
Boil the yam in a small pot until fork tender. Strain and set aside.
Sauté the garlic, onion, and broccoli in a large pan on medium heat
with a little water. Just add a few tablespoons of water at a time as needed to
make sure the veggies don’t stick to the pan. Add in the mushrooms about five minutes later and continue to sauté until cooked through.
Third
Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Blend the strained to-
matoes, tomato paste, dates, bell pepper, and yam until smooth.
Fourth
Turn the veggies down to low heat and pour in the tomato sauce to mix to-
gether. Stir lightly for about five minutes and season with all the spices according to
your taste preference.
Fifth
Once the spaghetti is cooked, drained, and rinsed, pour into the large pan
with the tomato sauce and veggies and mix well for a few minutes on low heat.
Scoop into serving bowls and sprinkle with Cashew Parmesan.
99
100
Plant Based Burgers
with Chocolate Thick Shakes
& potato fries
101
YOU WILL NEED
Makes about 8 burgers
For the burger patties
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. oat flour
1.5 Tbsp chili powder
1.5 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
102
Suggested Fixings
2 pounds potatoes, sliced into fry shape
6-8 romaine lettuce leaves
gluten-free vegan bread/buns
1 batch Healthy Ketchup
1/4 onion, sliced
1 batch Guacamole
1 large tomato, sliced
yellow mustard & pickle slices
For the Healthy Ketchup
1.5 c. jarred strained tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
3.5 Medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt to taste
1/4 c. water
Blend all ketchup ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator.
103
For the Guacamole
2-3 avocados, diced and mashed
3 Tbsp lime juice
garlic powder to taste
black pepper to taste
salt to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a small serving bowl.
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sauté the carrot, celery, bell pepper, onion, and
garlic in a large pan on medium heat with a little water for about five minutes until
tender.
Second
Mash the beans thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Then add in the rest of
the patty ingredients along with the sautéed veggies and mix together until well
combined.
Third
Scoop about 1/2 cup of the mixture into your hands to form into flat patties
and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10-15 minutes then flip the patties and cook for another 10-15 minutes. While the patties are
cooking, also pop in the oven a tray of sliced potatoes layered on a baking tray
lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper and
bake for about 30 minutes until crispy.
Fourth
Toast the bread or buns. Assemble the burgers by spreading the Healthy
Ketchup on the bread and layer with a patty, guacamole, lettuce, onion, tomato,
and mustard and pickles. Serve with fries and Chocolate Thick Shakes.
104
Chocolate Thick Shakes
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
1 ripe banana
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed
blender until smooth. Add more coconut milk ice cubes for a thicker shake as
desired.
8 coconut milk ice cubes
1.5 c. hemp milk
1 heaping tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp maple syrup
105
Classic American Goodness. This recipe brings
back childhood memories!
106
Coconut Potato Lentil Soup
107
Feel free to play around with this recipe and switch out the veggies to your liking.
The creamy coconut milk and spices paired with all the veggies and lentils creates a
wonderful warm soup perfect for family dinners in the winter. And as always, be sure
to taste the final product and add more salt or seasonings according to your taste
preferences.
YOU WILL NEED
2 c. red lentils
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 sticks celery, chopped
3 pounds of potatoes, diced
1/2 pound mushrooms, diced
2 medium heads of broccoli, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
4 cans coconut milk
1 Tbsp oregano or pizza seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
1Tbsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
Optional: 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar and 1/4 c. sauerkraut for an extra kick!
108
INSTRUCTIONS
First
In a small pot boil the lentils with 4 cups of water. Once it comes to a boil bring
down to low heat and keep the lid on. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
Second
While the lentils are cooking sauté the onion and garlic with 1/2 cup of
water in a large pot for about 5 minutes. Then add the carrots, celery, potatoes and
2 more cups of water. Cover and let cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the rest of the veggies, coconut milk, and seasonings, and
cook on med/low heat covered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Third Mix in the cooked lentils and let simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or more.
Then serve and enjoy!
109
Hearty Lentil Chili
110
YOU WILL NEED
1 batch Cashew Sour Cream, page 69
2 avocados, mashed
1/2 c. green onion, chopped
For the Hearty Lentil Chili
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp paprika
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp chili powder
1 24-oz jar tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
2 cans kidney beans
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 c. red lentils
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp tomato paste
5 c. water
111
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Sauté the onion and garlic with a little water in a large pot on medium heat
for five minutes. Then add the bell pepper and continue to sauté for five more minutes.
Second
Drain and rinse the kidney beans, then add them along with the rest of the
chili ingredients into the pot. Mix together and leave uncovered until it boils. Once it
boils cover the pot and turn to low heat. Let simmer for 40 minutes.
Third
Stir everything together again and serve with a dollop of Cashew Sour
Cream, some mashed avocado, and green onion.
112
113
Lunch Box Jams!
I hope you enjoy these fun, delicious, and healthy lunch box ideas! Be sure to send these
lunches off into the world in a cooler with a cool pack to preserve the food.
114
Cantaloupe
+ mango
Baked sweet potatoes
+ flax crackers
Boiled edamame +
bell pepper slices
Omega Granola +
Organic Raspberries
Recipe Page 47
115
Cucumber
Diced Oranges
& mango
Blueberry Muffin Top Cookies
Recipe Page 144
Baked sweet potatoes
Chickpea Seaweed
Sandwich
Recipe Page 56
+Kabocha squash
116
Apple and Banana
Chickpeas +peas
Kiwi
Mash Avo sandwich
Gluten-free toast
mashed avocado
diced cucumber
sauerkraut
Quick Fix Date Bites
117
Recipe Page 150
Potato Cakes
Diced Veggies
Recipe Page 75
Nut Butter Date Treat
Recipe Page 151
Kiwi + strawberries
Original Garlic Hummus
Recipe Page 71
118
Asian rice crackers
Boiled Edamame
Recipe Page 146
Turmeric Chocolate Oat Balls
Asian Fusion Lunch
Raspberries + orange slices
Sushi Hand Rolls
Add boiled rice, sliced cucumber,
avocado, grilled tofu + sesame
seeds to a half sheet of nori and
roll diagonally. (2x)
119
Tropical Fusion Lunch
Baked multi colored sweet potatoes
+ cucumber
Coconut Meat
Pineapple + Mango
Dried banana
Macadamias
Guacamole
Sweet potatoes dipped in guacamole is
an easy win! But guacamole can turn
brown easily if left out for a period of
time. So be sure to squeeze lime juice all
over the top of the guacamole to prevent browning. Or you can press plastic
wrap against the guacamole which
works really well! 120
Walnuts
Leftover Classic Mac & Cheese
Served over a bed of chopped kale
Recipe Page 78
Watermelon
Black Beans
Sliced Veggies
Original Garlic Hummus
Recipe Page 71
121
Healthy Vegan Treats
whole foods
plant based
gluten-free
refined sugar free
delicious
122
Tropicana Berry Pops
These are hands down my kids’ favorite popsicle!
Makes 6-8 popsicles
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
2.5 c. fresh orange juice
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed
blender until smooth. Pour into popsicle
molds and freeze overnight.
1 ripe banana
1 c. frozen blueberries
1 c. frozen raspberries
123
Zucchini Banana Bread TWO WAYS
YOU WILL NEED
2 large ripe spotty bananas (+ optional 2 more to top)
1.5 c. shredded zucchini (about 1 medium sized zucchini)
1/4 c. coconut yogurt
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c. walnuts (chopped) or 3/4 c. chocolate chips
1.75 c. oat flour
124
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare loaf pan by adding parchment paper.
Second
Mash two large bananas in
a mixing bowl with a fork. Once the bananas are completely mashed, add in
the grated zucchini and the remaining
wet ingredients: coconut yogurt, peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Mix thoroughly until well combined.
Third
Then add in the nutmeg, cinna-
mon, baking powder, baking soda,
salt, and either the roughly chopped
walnuts or chocolate chips and stir together. Then add in the oat flour and
mix just until combined. Do not over
mix.
Fourth
Pour the mixture into the loaf
pan lined with parchment paper and top with either halved banana slices or more
chocolate chips.
Fifth
Pop in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. Check on the bread at 50 min-
utes by placing a toothpick or fork gently into the bread and pull out, Your toothpick
should have just a little bit of dry looking bits on it. If it has batter on the toothpick
then you still need to cook longer. After removing the bread from the oven, let sit for
60 minutes before cutting into it.
125
Banana Bread in collaboration with
Danielle Marie
@alohamauivegan
126
127
Candied Caramel Apples
128
These Caramel Apples are so gooey and sweet, your kids will go bananas over
them! They’re easy to put together and are made of whole plant foods. Double the
recipe to make a big batch for your child’s birthday party or special event. They’re
definitely a crowd pleaser.
Makes 5 caramel apples
YOU WILL NEED
5 green or red apples
1 Tbsp tahini
1 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 c. dates, pitted
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp coconut flakes
2 Tbsp almonds, finely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Blend the tahini, peanut butter, dates, maple syrup and vanilla in a high-
speed blender until smooth. You may need to double this recipe if your blender is
big and won’t blend the ingredients without more substance. Or, if your dates are
gooey enough, you can mash the dates with a fork and mix the ingredients together by hand.
Second
Spread the caramel gooey mixture around each apple and sprinkle coco-
nut flakes and chopped almonds all over every other apple to have different caramel apple choices. Thrust a bamboo stick in the top of each apple and place on a
serving platter. Serve at birthday parties or Halloween for a fun and festive treat!
129
In collaboration with Danielle Marie
@alohamauivegan
Sweet Potato Fudge Brownies
131
YOU WILL NEED
1 medium sweet potato (about 1 1/2 heaping cups)
1/2 c. almond butter
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c. oat flour
1/4 c. cacao
1 Tbsp maca powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
6 Medjool dates, pitted + chopped
132
These Fudge Brownies seem almost too good to be true! One bite and you might
not believe that they’re actually made from nutritious whole plant foods.
Makes about 12 brownies
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat oven to 425°F. Poke holes all around the sweet potato with a fork
then bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until fully soft.
Second
Let the sweet potato cool for about 20 minutes. Change your oven to
350°F. Remove the skin from the sweet potato and place 1 1/2 cups into your
blender.
Third
Add into your blender the almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla and blend
until smooth. Then add the dry ingredients: oat flour, cacao, maca powder, baking
soda, baking powder, and salt then blend until smooth and creamy. Make sure to
wipe down the sides and blend again so all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Lastly, add the chopped dates to the blender and blend until mostly incorporated.
You might have some bits not blended in and that’s ok.
Fourth
Scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture at a time and place into a non-stick muffin tin.
You can use cupcake liners as an alternative if you don’t have a non-stick tin. Bake
for 12 minutes. They should have a little bit of mixture on the toothpick when you
check them. Remove them from the oven and let them sit in the pan for another 10
minutes before enjoying.
133
Orange Julius Pops
These layered striped popsicles are so fun and sure to get your kids excited!
Makes about 6-8 popsicles
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
1 c. frozen organic mango
Blend frozen mango and orange juice
in a blender until completely smooth.
Pour a little bit of the blend into each
popsicle mold and place in the freezer
for a couple hours. Once hardened,
take out the popsicles and add in a
layer of coconut milk. If using coconut
milk from the can, be sure to shake your
coconut milk first before pouring. Let
that layer freeze for a couple hours and
repeat these two steps one more time
to make striped layered popsicles!
5 c. fresh or bottled orange juice
2 c. fresh coconut milk
(or 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk)
6-8 popsicle molds + popsicle sticks
134
So hydrating
and sweet!
135
the Birthday Cake
Strawberry Shortcake
136
In collaboration with Danielle Marie
@alohamauivegan
YOU WILL NEED
For the cake
1 c. aquafaba (liquid from 1-2 canned chickpeas)
1 c. almond flour
1 c. oat flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. of maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut yogurt
1 pint of strawberries
For the frosting
2 c. cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours)
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 Tbsp water
1 can full fat coconut milk — using the cream from the top only (LET SIT UPRIGHT IN
THE FRIDGE OVERNIGHT PRIOR SO THE CREAM RISES TO THE TOP)
*(There may be some left over frosting)
T I P : It may be helpful to let this cake set in the refrigerator or freezer for a few hours,
then take out of the freezer 30 minutes before serving. Do not freeze for too long
though or the cake will become too hard.
137
INSTRUCTIONS
First Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cake pans by spreading coconut oil in the
bottom/sides of two 8” round pans. Then cut a sheet of parchment paper for the
bottom of the cake pan.
Second Pour the aquafaba into a large stainless steel or glass bowl. Then put it in the
freezer for 10-15 minutes. You can refrigerate the remaining chickpeas in an airtight
container and use for other dishes.
Third Sift your dry ingredients into a separate bowl: almond flour, oat flour, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside then measure out the rest of the ingredients to prepare for the next step.
Fourth Take your aquafaba out of the freezer (make sure there are not icicles forming
to it yet. If there are, let it melt down before you start mixing). Then, with your hand
mixer or stand mixer on high, beat the aquafaba for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts turning white and looks foamy. Then add the cream of tartar and keep
mixing for another two minutes. The mixture should become about triple in size. Then
add in the vanilla. Keep mixing for another minute or so until the mixture looks
roughly 5x the original size then add in the maple syrup and coconut yogurt. Mix for
another 30 seconds until fully incorporated.
Fifth Add the dry ingredients to the mixture, stirring in slowly with a spatula. Mix only
until combined. Then split the batter between each of your cake pans and place in
the oven for 17-18 minutes. Check with a toothpick. There might be just a little bit of
mixture on the toothpick when it is ready to come out of the oven. Let the cakes sit
in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
If you want to frost the cake right away you can put the cakes in the freezer while
you make the frosting or you can wait until they are completely cool to make the
frosting and assemble.
Sixth To make the frosting, drain the cashews and place them into a high-speed
blender with the maple syrup, vanilla, and water. Blend until completely smooth. Remove from the blender and put into a stand mixer then add in 1/2 cup of cream
from the canned coconut milk (disregard the water). Mix just until incorporated. Do
not over mix. Then spread a thin layer of frosting onto one cake either by spatula or
piped with a frosting bag. Do not add too much frosting and not too close to the
edge or the cake will not hold up. Decorate with strawberries, then layer the second
cake and finish with more frosting, strawberries, and candles for a beautiful vegan,
gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free DELICIOUS BIRTHDAY CAKE!
138
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
139
This cake is light and healthy and not overly sweet. It’s a fresh and
feel good type of dessert that leaves you feeling fabulous afterwards.
This healthier cake doesn’t taste exactly like the traditional version
with processed sugar and oil, but it sure is delicious and beautiful!
140
Double Chocolate Cupcakes
In collaboration with Danielle Marie
@alohamauivegan
141
Makes 12 cupcakes
YOU WILL NEED
For the cupcakes
1 c. aquafaba (liquid from 1-2 canned chickpeas)
3/4 c. almond flour
3/4 c. oat flour
1/2 c. cacao powder
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut yogurt
For the frosting
2 c. cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours)
1 Tbsp cacao powder
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 Tbsp water
1 can full fat coconut milk- using the cream from the top only (LET SIT IN THE FRIDGE
OVERNIGHT PRIOR)
*(There may be some left over frosting)
142
INSTRUCTIONS
These cupcakes are so incredible, decadent, and fluffy! To make the Double Chocolate Cupcakes, follow the same instructions for the Strawberry Shortcake (page 136)
and just add 1/2 c. cacao powder to the cake batter and 1 tbsp cacao powder to
the frosting and use cupcake tins instead of cake pans! Use a large ice cream
scoop or spoon to place about 2-3 tbsp of the mixture in each cupcake liner. Place
in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Check with a toothpick. There might be just a
little bit of mixture on the toothpick when it is ready to come out of the oven. Let the
cupcakes sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a
cooling rack. If you want to frost the cupcakes right away you can put them in the
freezer while you make the frosting or you can wait until they are completely cool to
make the frosting and assemble.
143
Blueberry Muffin Top
Cookies
In collaboration with Danielle Marie
@alohamauivegan
144
These Muffin Top Cookies are ridiculously simple and packed full of healthy foods!
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself serving these bad boys to your kids for breakfast. They’re that full of the good stuff. Whenever your kids are feeling in a rut and
don’t want the standard oatmeal or smoothie to start their day, try these and see
how it goes! What kid wouldn’t want cookies for breakfast, right? They also make a
perfect on-the-go snack to pack when you go out!
Makes 12 cupcakes
YOU WILL NEED
3 bananas
9 Medjool dates, pitted
3 Tbsp tahini
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp organic applesauce
3 c. oats
1.5 c. water
1.5 c. frozen wild blueberries
1/2 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place all ingredients (minus the blueberries and 1.5
cups of oats) into a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until completely
smooth. Remove from the blender and add frozen blueberries and remaining oats and mix
by hand until well combined.
Second
Dollop large spoonfuls of the mixture onto cookie sheets with parchment paper
and bake for 15 minutes. The tops might not look done but check the bottom. If they are
brown, remove from oven. Let cool completely for 10 minutes on the pan before enjoying.
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Turmeric Chocolate Oat Balls
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This recipe is inspired by @lonijane ‘s signature Rawnola recipe, with my own twist.
Makes 10--12 balls
YOU WILL NEED
INSTRUCTIONS
2 c. oats
Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Then mold
small handfuls into balls and store in an
airtight container in the refrigerator for
up to 5 days.
1 c. dates, pitted
1/2 c. coconut flakes
1/4 c. hemp seeds
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
T I P : You can use a high-speed blender
for this instead of a food processor if
you have a tamper to push the ingredients into the blade. I’ve just found the
food processor to be easier for this.
1/8 c. cacao nibs
1/8 c. maple syrup
1 tsp turmeric
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RawFoods Creamy Carrot Cake
This cake is so delicious and nutritious! It was inspired by my dear friend Kristina,
@fullyrawkristina. I made this cake many times over the years for Elvis’ birthday parties when he was little. This recipe works great as cupcakes too!
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YOU WILL NEED
For the cake
For the frosting
4 c. carrot pulp
3 c. soaked raw cashews,
1/2 c. walnuts
1 c. coconut water,
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. coconut meat,
1/2 c. coconut flakes
maple syrup to taste
6 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinky size piece ginger
1 c. fresh or frozen wild blueberries
1 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
First
Run about two pounds of carrots through a juicer. Juice enough carrots to get
four cups of the leftover fibrous pulp. Feel free to drink the carrot juice yourself as reward for your labor or serve it to the kids!
Second
Blend the frosting ingredients until smooth. Pour into a container and
freeze for a few hours to thicken/harden.
Third
Pulse the cake ingredients in a food processor. Then take the frosting out of
the freezer and spread two layers of the cake and frosting in a cake pan. Top with
with wild blueberries and stir them in a little bit to make a gorgeous creation. Freeze
for a few more hours then take a part cake pan walls and serve.
T I P: To serve the prettiest, most intact slices of cake, serve the cake about 30 minutes after freezing for a few hours. So it is best to time your preparation of making the
cake to when it will be served. Or you can refrigerate the cake overnight then pop it
in the freezer three hours before serving to harden up a bit.
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Quick Fix Date Bites
Throwing together a quick decadent treat could not be more simple than this!
Makes 16 date bites
INSTRUCTIONS
YOU WILL NEED
8 Medjool dates, pitted
Tear apart the dates to lay as halves.
Place a small dollop of peanut butter or
tahini in each half. Sprinkle with hemp
seeds and ground flax seeds. Drizzle
with maple syrup and serve.
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds (optional)
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Childhood Birthday Parties
Make parties HEALTHY & DELICIOUS!
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Colorful plant-filled abundance
You don’t have to sacrifice health or deliciousness when hosting a party. Even at children’s birthday parties there are so many fun ways to make healthy eating delicious,
fun, and social! There are many different ways to serve healthy food at social gatherings. Below are just a few of my family’s favorites.
My first tip is to always serve at least one beautiful arrangement of brightly colored
ripe fruit. Everyone loves colorful fruit, especially kids! To make it extra fun you can
make fruit skewers by lining a rainbow of different colored fruits on wooden sticks.
Or, as photographed below, use a mini ice cream scoop to make melon balls. The
kids love it! Extra bonus points for squeezing passionfruit all over the melon balls if you
are able to get some.
Finger food of any kind is always a win. I love to make Turmeric Chocolate Oat Balls
for parties or social events because they are so easy, delicious and filling. You can
find the recipe on page 146.
Children love to dip things and are much more likely to enjoy vegetables if they
have something to dip them in. I like to serve guacamole and Classic Original Hummus found on page 71 with veggie slices and crackers. If you don’t have time to
make your own hummus for a party, you can always purchase hummus at the store!
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Italian Flax Crackers
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Crackers are always great to serve along side vegetables for dipping as well. And if
you want to get really fancy, you can make your own crackers. I make two different
types of raw crackers in our dehydrator about once or twice a year. You can bake
them at 350°F in the oven for 45-55 minutes instead of using a dehydrator, but my
personal experience is that these recipes don’t turn out as well in the oven. And If
you don’t have a dehydrator you can always buy crackers at the store instead!
Italian Flax Crackers
YOU WILL NEED
2 c. raw golden flax seeds (soaked in 2.5 c. water for 30 minutes or more)
2 c. chopped organic tomatoes + 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 c. sun dried tomatoes (no oil added)
2-3 Medjool dates, pitted
1 large handful of fresh basil
1 small handful green onion
2-3 Tbsp dried oregano
salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
First Rehydrate the sun dried tomatoes by soaking them in warm water for 20 minutes. Then drain the water. Make an Italian sauce by blending 2 cups chopped tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes and dates until totally smooth. Then add basil, green onion, oregano and salt and blend until well combined. Do not over blend the herbs or
it will become bitter.
Second Pour the Italian tomato sauce, gelatinous flax mixture, and sliced tomatoes
into a large mixing bowl. Stir well so that all ingredients are well combined. Spread
about 1/4-inch thick over 2-3 dehydrator trays on top of Teflex sheets. Dehydrate at
110-115°F for 12 hours or more until crispy. To speed up dehydrating time, flip over
after 10 hours or so and peel off the Teflex sheet for the remaining couple of hours to
dehydrate. When finished, gently break into pieces and voila, you’re done! These
raw flax crackers are crunchy and delicious. We don’t break out the dehydrator often, but making flax crackers is super fun for a birthday party and a great way to get
that “chippy” feeling at a party.
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Almond Carrot Crackers
YOU WILL NEED
1 c. raw almonds, soaked in water for 4+ hours
1 c. ground raw golden flax seeds
2 c. shredded carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. nutritional yeast
1/4 c. water
INSTRUCTIONS
First Drain soaking water for the almonds. Place all ingredients in the food processor
and process with the “s” blade until broken down and well combined. Spread a
thin layer (about 1/4-inch thick) onto two dehydrator trays over the Teflex sheets
and place in the dehydrator at 115°F. A few hours into dehydrating, score square
shapes lightly with a knife and place back in the dehydrator overnight. In the morning, flip over and peel off the Teflex sheets and continue dehydrating until completely dry and crunchy. Then break apart the crackers along the scoring with ease.
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There is nothing like fresh watermelon juice on a hot day! Refrigerate before hand so
it’s chilled when serving and complete it with lime or mint to dress it up. The easiest
way to make fresh watermelon juice if you don’t have a juicer is to blend a bunch of
diced watermelon in a high-speed blender until smooth. Do not add any water to
the blender as the watermelon is high enough in water content on it’s own to blend.
Then pour the blended watermelon into a cheese cloth hovering over a big bowl
and squeeze the cloth bag to strain the fiber out. Pour the juice into large sealed
pitchers and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving. Alternatively you can
refrigerate the whole watermelon (or half a watermelon) prior overnight so that
when you make the watermelon juice, it is already chilled.
If the party you are hosting is during Autumn or Winter months, try making your own
warm Apple Cider as the drink to serve instead. Simply warm up a liter of bottled organic apple juice in a big pot over the stove on medium heat. Fill a small cloth bag
or mesh straining bag with the zest of one orange, the zest of half a lemon, 1 tbsp
whole cloves, 4 cinnamon sticks, and a tbsp of allspice then tie up and place into
the pot along with the apple juice, stirring occasionally. If desired, add in a few tablespoons of maple syrup as well. Once warmed up, turn the burner to low heat
and continue to let the apple cider simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Serve in
mugs for a warm and comforting drink.
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Other fun and healthy party food ideas include popcorn, big bowls of strawberries,
Candied Caramel Apples (page 128) and Tropicana Berry Popsicles (page 123) if
you have enough popsicle molds to feed everyone!
If you have access to fresh coconuts, cracking open fresh cocos and serving to the
kids with a bamboo straw is a sure way to liven up a party!
For desserts you can’t go wrong with the Strawberry Shortcake (page 136) or Double
Chocolate Cupcakes (page 141)! The kids in our community gobble up the cupcakes so fast. They are decadent, delicious, and made of all whole plant foods! Another option I love is to make the Raw Creamy Carrot Cake (page 149) and I often
serve them as cupcakes which is easy to put together and serve.
Be the trend setter and make healthy eating cool.
Whatever you are drawn to make, with a little creativity and confidence you can
whip up some delicious party food that is both fun and healthy. Ask your children
what types of treats they would like and if it’s something you’ve never made into a
healthy version before, likely there’s a plant based version of the recipe online that
you can recreate. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and be different than the typical party
host. Your children will appreciate the love you put into all the fun food you make
and decorations you set up. And at the end of the day, many parents are relieved
to see healthy options for their children when they attend parties.
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I am constantly inspired by parenthood and how much we all do for our children.
Parenting is hard work and there is no love like the love we have for our children.
You are all amazing and I am humbled and appreciative of your support.
I hope you feel inspired from the content and recipes in this ebook. May you feel
empowered rather than overwhelmed- armed with fun ways to make healthy foods
both delicious and abundant.
There is no love like the love you have for your children.
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Thank You!
Photo by @cadencia
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