A Day of Berries and Beets!

I meant to set aside some time and write an informative post yesterday or today–and maybe I’ll have time later–but I’m caught up in things with my friend and her kids (I didn’t know they were going to be on spring break this week from school/work—I thought I’d be alone working all morning everyday), and I do know that other people in the world are out living life rather than in front of the computer all the time (especially when you live somewhere where the sun shines and it’s warm outside)!

I thought I’d check in anyway and say hello.

One of the kids had a play date yesterday, so Jena and I took her daughter Dylan to the strawberry patch, and we also bought some veggies. It was pretty aimless and enjoyable.


 

Before we left, Dylan climbed up on this chair and just kept reaching for the veggies, and then smelling them as if they were flowers. It was pretty funny. The great thing about this baby (she’ll be 2 in September) is that she’s been eating greens and healthy foods all along—her dinner was spinach smooshed up into balls with goat cheese…and salmon. And she loved it. I kinda wanted the goat cheese/spinach balls myself!

Jena and I roasted the beets and made salad, and then we walked to a cuban restaurant (that actually had grass fed local beef!) and chatted for a few hours.

 

Beets and goat cheese salad with a vinaigrette is one of my faves. If you haven’t roasted beets, try it! Just cut the stems off (but don’t cut into the beet itself), wrap it in tin foil, and put in the oven on 350 for an hour. Unwrap, and rub the skin of with a paper towel–it slides right off. Let the beets cool just to room temp, and then put them on greens with goat cheese, walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette (we didn’t have any walnuts). Beets are sweet—-and now that I don’t eat many sweet foods, they taste even sweeter—it’s kind of like dessert. Ha. They’re high in phytochemicals, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber… and if cooked right, they taste good too.

I hope you’re having a great week with great weather!

If you have kids, do they eat veggies and healthy foods like salmon? 

Did you eat healthy foods as a kid? I usually tell my clients who are parents about studies that have shown that although kids usually depart from healthy habits during times like adolescence and college years, if they were brought up in a home where healthy foods were eaten consistently, they are much more likely to return to healthy habits as adults. Is this the case with you or people you know?

 

11 thoughts on “A Day of Berries and Beets!”

  1. It’s true.  I have three children that attended (2 still do) a childcare center that was state funded.  The meals had to meet strick regulations and these kids will eat anything.  They have been eating this way since they were infants.  My other child, through no fault but my own, is having to learn this at 6.  It is harder to break habits but we have been breaking the habits. 

    Easter at our house was candy free–and nobody noticed.  It proved it to me that parents are role models and its up to the adults making the decision to make positive changes.  Its never to late to start.

    Thanks Lisa for all the expert advice and support.

  2. Heather (Where's the Beach)

    OMG what a precious picture! Love that. I was that weird kid that love spinach, broccoli, pretty much all veggies and wouldn’t eat meat. 

  3. Lisa_healthy_diaries

    Dylan is absolutely adorable and I love that she loves eating her veggies! I’m going to do my best to teach Roberto to love them as well!

    Beets and goat cheese salad is also one of my favorites! I never get tired of it!
    Hope you’re enjoying your vacation! 🙂

  4. I have a confession..I don’t really like kids. I think most of them are dirty and annoying..BUT this child..is the cutest child I HAVE EVER SEEN!! Posing with those veggies made my heart warm!! SO CUTE!! 

    I wish I could say I ate a ton of greens as a child, but I def ate a lot of shit food. Fortunately I saw the light and can’t get enough veggies into my days now! 

  5. Unfortunately I wasn’t the healthiest eater as a child, but my son eats very healthy.  I’m certain he’ll stray from this at times, but I know he’ll come back to it as an adult. Also, I’m definitely trying that method of roasted beets – sounds so easy!

  6. I love beets with goat cheese or blue cheese!  The only veggies I ate as a kid were corn and candied carrots.  Good thing that changed!  My little guy is almost 2 and is a pretty awesome eater.  He is not into leafy greens, but I can sneak them into smoothies.  But he loves lots of fruits and veggies, and though he hasn’t really liked salmon, he loves shrimp and scallops.

  7. Berries, beets and BABIES!  Such lovely pictures, Lisa.  My mom used to make pickled beets, and they were my favourite when I was a kid.  One time she thoughtI was peeing blood and brought me to the doctor in a panic.  Diagnosis: too many beets.  ha!

  8. my mom made me eat the only veggie i used to like, carrots, with each meal! it was how i “earned” my dessert. i also only liked on fruit, bananas, so she made sure i ate one a day. i was a picky one, omg! it’s great that dylan is learning to enjoy healthy foods early. she is a cutie!

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