The third part of my plan to overcome the picky eater problems facing my family at every meal involved a secret weapon: the blender.
That oh-so-helpful household gadget has made it much easier to sneak veggies, protein, and healthy fats into things the pickiest of eaters will actually eat. First up, smoothies.
All of my children love smoothies, and these frosty drinks can be not only complete meals in a glass but also the perfect vehicle for foods my daughter would otherwise run screaming from.
I usually follow the same basic formula, and tweak it based on what we are all craving and what is available to me seasonally.
I start with a base of full-fat Greek yogurt and add healthy fats (1-2 in each smoothie such as a tablespoon of coconut oil, flax seed powder, or grass-fed beef collagen, which unlike gelatin, is soluble in cold beverages). Next, I add frozen bananas for a creamy, frosty texture. I also include an assortment of vegetables (usually some type of greens like spinach or kale, also at least half an avocado, sometimes pumpkin or butternut puree in the fall and winter) and seasonal fruits in small amounts. I finish with a few dates or a little maple syrup to sweeten to taste and enough water, milk or coconut milk to thin it enough to drink.
I also use the blender to puree or shred vegetables in order to sneak them in to every dish I can.
I make grain-free muffins with a base of white or black beans (my daughter is none the wiser and gobbles them up), and add shredded carrots and zucchini to meatballs, meatloaf, and taco meat. I also use sweet potato, pumpkin and butternut squash puree as the base for everything from homemade grain-free cinnamon rolls, to flatbreads, to pasta sauces.
I hope you’ll join me for the last episode of this Picky Eater Introduction to find out the last tool in my Mama Kit for fostering a love of healthy living and clean food in my children.
