Can I Have An-a-der Cupcake, Mama? (And other food lies I tell my child.)

Some of you are blessed with adventurous, voracious little Andrew Zimmerns all chomping at the bit around your table, waiting eagerly for whatever you happened to make for dinner that evening.  This is not to mock you.  I'm genuinely and whole-heartedly so envious at the massive amounts of pho and guac and shellfish you're consuming I have to pray twice for repentance before looking at your instagram feed.  and then, there are some of us whose kids are just not all that into food.  You know, for eating.  And we Mamas have to be creative in getting the proper nutrients in there before they lose a brain cell, or something.

I wrote a post a while back about not stressing about El's eating habits anymore- this post is not to negate that.  It's also not meant to recreate the wheel- there are so many good resources for recipes and ideas about expanding your kids culinary horizons, I'm certainly not naive enough to think I've cornered the market.  I've just had a couple of folks ask me what I feed our darling Sprite, so I'll tell ya.  This is how we got El to finally show up on the charts for weight the last few months:

Lots of, "Milk Shakes" or "Smoovies" made with a copious amount of fruit, full fat organic milk/yogurt, avocado and coconut oil and a little vanilla and honey to sweeten the deal.  El loves to make her own.

"Peanut Butter/ Banana Ice Cream" Freeze a banana in chunks, toss in food processor with a scoop of peanut/almond butter.  Voila.

Carrot and Apple Sauce Muffins (or, cupcakes as we've told her they are.)

Hard boiled Egg Canoes (just cut into quarters)

Roasted Chicken and Broccoli (with about a pound of Kerrygold butter.  Not kidding.  Butter goes on everything in this house.)

Mac and Cheese (homemade or the Annie's variety when I'm strapped for time) .  When I have the time/ambition, I'll throw in a little pureed sweet potato, squash, or carrot to get some veg in there.

Scrambled Eggs (again, Kerrygold butter, butter, and more butter).

Whole Wheat Pancakes (Pancakes are a great way to sneak in extra nutrients- I add flax seed meal, almond meal,ground psyllium husks and use coconut oil in place of veg oil, and will occasionally use yogurt).

French Toast (Whatever whole wheat bread we have, an egg, whole milk, vanilla and cinnamon- no sugar, it's not needed if you're drizzling some real maple syrup).

Steamed Lentils (I'm not sure why she likes them so much, but we're going for it).

Hummus and whole chick peas (cut veggies into fun shapes, or use pita or tortilla chips).

Cheese (babybels are the preferred choice for her).

Edamame (fun for littles! She loves them)

Peanut Butter and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (recent addition)

Deli Sliced, No-nitrate Ham and cream cheese roll-ups

Cucumbers

Broiled Salmon with a mustard and soy sauce glaze (please don't ask me for the recipe, my husband is the only one who can make it so that my kid will eat it- Papa's Princess Pink Fish is just something I cannot do:)

Pizza (make our own, or order-in....Star Tavern in Orange or Maggie's in Little Falls are two of our favorite spots, if you're in NJ)

The obligatory chicken nuggets and french fries (sometimes I make it at home with coconut oil and almond meal batter, but let's be real- I stop at Wendy's much more frequently than that ever happens).

Anything chocolate.

For real.

My kid will eat 70 percent, organic rain forrest chocolate and pop a few m&m's in at the same time. 

I know what it's like to have a little peanut who won't eat.  I'm not above rewarding a bite of something new with a few m&m's.  You know why? It's worked.  We've added to her food library over the last few months by putting something sure on her plate (something we know she'll eat) and something new.  Have a bite of something new, you can share dessert.  No bite. no dessert.  Works every time.  Then, the next time, the something new becomes the something sure, and there's a new something new added:)  

As a side note, I primarily do our shopping at Trader Joes.  That where we get:

Babybels

Kerrygold Butter

Coconut Oil

Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

Steamed Lentils (pre-packaged)

Fresh Edamame

Salmon

The strawberry, organic pro-biotic yogurt

They just seem to have the best stuffy for the least amount of money.

Happy Thursday!