http://notjustcute.com/2010/08/07/high-quality-early-education-dollars-and-sense/

http://notjustcute.com/2010/08/07/high-quality-early-education-dollars-and-sense/

My Wholefoods Kitchen - Heart of the Home

I used to be a health freak. For the last 6 months though I have been on one big continuous junk food bender. I feel horrible, have no energy and cringe to think what kind of example I am setting to R about food. So as of now I am changing my ways with the intention of creating a healthy, delicious and wholesome food culture in our home.

Wholefoods are real foods. The basics. No heavily processed or pre-packaged foods, but rather, food as close to it's original state as possible and preferrably organic. Such foods contain the most vitamins, minerals, fat, fibre, protein and carbohydrates to nourish you and your family. For young children, good nutrition is especially important for their growing bodies and developing brain, immune system and digestive system.

This book, WHOLEFOOD for CHILDREN by Jude Blereau, is so much more than just a cookbook for kids.

The first third of the book is an informative introduction to the wholefood kitchen and building a real food culture at your house. It clearly explains each of the food substrates, fats/carbs/proteins etc. in a way that is understandable to those who know very little about the structure of food. The rest of the book is divided into age groups and consists of beautiful recipes for sustaining meals, snacks and sweets for each of the ages 6-8 months, 8-12 months, 1-3 years and 3-7 years. This book is my kitchen bible and I wish it could be in the kitchens of all my friends and family, I just can't say enough great things about it.

After I first bought this book last winter, R had the luxury of eating organic homemade chicken and vegetable stocks and bone broths which i made into yummy stews with veges, meat and millet or quinoa. I would serve this with a spoonful of organic unsalted butter which ensures optimum absorption of vitamins and minerals. I felt so good about nourishing and caring for my daughter in this way, and definately saw her growing healthy and strong. As I said before, lately I haven't been as committed but am surely getting back into it.

Some of my favourite recipes out of this book are;

• Creamy coconut vegetable broth (for winter)
• Everyday zucchini bread
• Banana coconut custards

Two recipes I am dying to try are vegetable and red lentil coconut dhal and the banana, oat and dried fruit lunchbox slice, so I will post some pics and let you all know how they taste.

Top shelf L to R - brown sugar, biscottinni (not a wholefood), pecans, brown rice
Middle shelf L to R - Millet, quinoa, barley, pepitas, oats, sultanas, almonds
Bottom shelf L to R - celtic unrefined sea salt, pure organic honey, spices, brown & white spelt flour

I got these Ball Mason preserving jars online from the Redback trading company and I just LOVE how they look and make me feel. Having them arranged on the shelf full of wholefood staples makes me feel all motherly, nurturing and Martha S-like. And if i may say so myself, quite pleasing to the eye.

I am getting a delivery of organic foods tomorrow. Finding good organic food suppliers and building a personal relationship with them is a very good thing. The lovely, well informed ladies at the Organic Shed (where I buy) are ever so helpful and supportive of your particular wants and needs. The superb service and the great tasting produce are definately worth paying the little bit extra.

I hope I may have inspired you to create a wholefood culture in your own home. Now and again I will keep you posted with what has been happening in my little kitchen xx


Our breakfast thismorning - homemade bircher muesli
Soak the oats and almonds overnight
In the morning, drain oats & peel almonds. Crush almonds & pepitas. add grated apple and yoghurt
To serve - I love a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and for R it is sultanas & honey :)



On the fridge