I get questions from a lot of people this time of year: What is the best food to send for school lunches and snacks? What should I send to school so my child will have energy throughout the day? What if my child doesn’t like healthy food?

I was going to answer the questions myself, but I thought it would be fun to create a video with my niece. We were talking about healthy food over dinner at one of our most favorite vegan restaurants, Candle Café, when she was in New York City recently and I asked her to join me on camera.

My sister has been a vegetarian for years and is now vegan. My niece is being raised a vegetarian and has never eaten fast food (you know the places I’m talking about). Even at a young age, she understands the value of eating nutritious food and appreciates the time and care my sister gives to preparing food the family. My niece is a great help to my sister in the kitchen and enjoys the process of food preparation.

Though I’m not a mom, I know the benefits of taking time to educate children about healthy food choices. The younger you start eating healthily, the better off you are. I love working with my clients to introduce more nutritious options to their children. Indeed, there are so many varieties of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains and finding different ways to prepare them is a wonderful family activity.

[Just a note – We went back to Candle Café for lunch the next day. If you are in New York City, it’s a must for a great, healthy meal]

Serves 6

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 medium-sized carrots peeled and cut in turned pieces
• 1/2 TBS fresh chopped parsley
• 1 TBS fresh chopped mint
• 1 TBS coarsely chopped pumpkin seeds
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring lightly salted water to a boil in steamer with a tight fitting lid.
2. Steam carrots in basket until al dente (slightly crunchy inside).
3. Chop rest of ingredients and toss with carrots when done.

Healthy Cooking Tips:

Check doneness of your carrots by inserting the tip of a sharp knife into the center. You want them tender on the outside with a slight crispiness in the center.

Recipe source: whfoods.org

Salt is in just about everything you eat. This is particularly true if you eat out
often. Too much sodium causes heart and renal disease. It can also cause cancer and a variety of other health problems. The key to cutting sodium is to get savvy with your cooking. Herbs can help. Herbs add a powerful flavor punch and they also offer a variety of health benefits.

Here are six herbs which will help you forget about salt (and not miss it):

1. Garlic: Garlic is the queen of seasoning. It’s one of the most flavorful seasonings and you can find it in just about every culture. From Mexican to Greek, garlic is always a favorite. And garlic is versatile too. You can roast it for a sweet flavor, sauté it for a nice rich flavor and you can even boil it. Try adding a bit of roasted or boiled garlic to your next batch of mashed potatoes and skip the salt. You won’t miss it.
2. Chives: Chives are another great herb. A member of the onion family, thesmallest of the onion family, they work well in salads, on fish and in potato dishes as well.
3. Basil: Basil is fantastic and tastes great in Thai and Italian recipes. It’s also a nice touch for a salad. Use fresh or dried to add flavor to a number of meals.
4. Oregano: Commonly used in Italian cooking and combined with basil, oregano has a complicated flavor that ranges from sweet to spicy depending on the meal. It’s also used in Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, and Latin cooking. It’s also often used to season sautéed vegetables and grilled meat including chicken. Fresh or dried, oregano is a favorable herb.
5. Sage: We most commonly think of sage as a Thanksgiving stuffing herb; However, sage is great at adding flavor to meat. It’s also used in soup and some Italian cooking.
6. Ginger: Ginger has quite a kick and will make anyone forget about the salt. It’s wonderful in soups, and can be found in Indian, Chinese and Japanese recipes. It works well with meat and vegetables. It’s also noted for its ability to aid digestion.

Enjoy and experiment with the vast number of herbs provided by nature.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• Salt to taste (I recommend sea salt)
• 1 can (15 oz.) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 stalks celery, from the inner heart of the celery, or 1 fat stalk from the outside of the bunch, diced
• 4 large or 8 small fresh sage leaves, cut into slivers or finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound winter squash, cut in 1/2-inch dice (about 1 cup less 2 tablespoons) or into 1/2-inch wide sticks (like French fries)
• Lettuce leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit five minutes. Drain through a strainer and rinse until the water runs clear.
2. Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (about 1/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent and each grain displays a little thread. Drain and return to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dish towel, replace the lid and allow to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the drained, rinsed white beans in a bowl. Add the celery and sage. Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toss with the beans. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Cook the squash. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash in a single layer. Turn the heat down to medium. Cook five minutes or until the squash is nicely browned on one side. Using tongs, turn the pieces of squash over. Cook for another five to 10 minutes until the squash is nicely browned on the other side and tender when pierced by a knife or skewer. Season to taste with salt and pepper, toss in the pan for another minute or so, and remove from the heat.
5. If desired, place a lettuce leaf on a plate, and top with the bean salad. Serve the quinoa and squash on the side.

The cooked quinoa and the bean salad will last for three or four days in the refrigerator.
Recipe source: www.nytimes.com {by Martha Rose Shulman}

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1½ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 medium shallots, halved and sliced (¼ cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries
• 1 Tbs. agave syrup
• 1 Tbs. walnut oil

Directions:

1. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts, and toast 3 to 4 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to plate, and set aside.
2. Wipe out skillet, and return to heat. Add olive oil, and swirl skillet to coat bottom. Add Brussels sprouts, and cook 5 minutes, or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add shallots and garlic, and cook 1 minute more.
3. Stir in cranberries, agave, and 1 cup water. Partially cover pot, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated and Brussels sprouts are just tender, but not soft. Transfer to serving bowl. Stir in walnut oil and toasted walnuts, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Recipe source: www.vegetariantimes.com

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried cannellini (white kidney) beans
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 lb. fresh spinach leaves, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse the beans and soak overnight covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and add to a medium saucepan.
2. Cover with the vegetable stock and a cup of water, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are soft.
3. Drain and set aside, reserving the cooking liquid for cooking noodles if desired.
4. Heat a large skillet or wok over just less than medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl to coat the pan.
5. Toss in the chili flakes, stir once, then sprinkle in the asafoetida. Quickly add the spinach and sauté until the leaves are just wilted, 3 or 4 minutes.
6. Turn down the heat slightly, and stir in the beans and balsamic vinegar.
7. Warm throughout for a few minutes longer, then add the salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
8. Serve hot over noodles, pasta, rice or polenta.

Recipe source: Food and Spice

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and sliced
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound baby spinach, rinsed but not dried; or 2 pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and rinsed but not dried, and coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the mushrooms.
2. Cook, stirring, until seared and beginning to sweat, about five minutes.
3. Turn the heat to medium, and add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.
4. Stir together for another minute or two until the mushrooms are tender.
5. Add the spinach, and stir until wilted, about two minutes.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
7. Serve hot or warm.

Recipe source: The New York Times

Here’s a simple recipe for fresh applesauce to enjoy on the pumpkin waffles/pancakes or potato pancakes…on lots of healthy food!

Quick Raw Applesauce

4 large Jonathan or Fuji apples, washed/cored/quartered

1 cup water

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

1/3 cup (or more, to taste) maple syrup

Pulse all ingredients in high-power blender for a chunky sauce.

Recipe source: greensmoothiegirl.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 25-35 minutes Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato
• 2 parsnips
• 2 carrots
• 2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga
• 1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in your favorites, like winter squash)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 head garlic, broken up into cloves without the skin
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary needles-chopped

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash and chop all vegetables into large bite-sized pieces.
3. Place in a large baking dish with sides.
4. Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil.
5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.
6. Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking.

Recipe source: eatdrinkbetter.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Yields: 3 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups leftover brown rice
¼ cup water, rice milk or coconut water
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1 apple, peeled and diced

Directions:
1. Add rice, liquid, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt to a pan and cook over medium-low heat.
2. Add apple and mix well.
3. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer.
4. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until the apple is soft.
5. Enjoy hot.

Notes:
• You can use any leftover grain in place of the rice.

Recipe source: Institute for Integrative Nutrition