How to get your kids to eat their veggies...

 Here are some tips to get your kids to eat their veggies:

• Be a good role model: Children are more likely to eat vegetables if they see their parents eating them too. Make sure you’re eating plenty of vegetables and setting a good example for your kids.
• Get creative: Try different ways of preparing vegetables to make them more appealing to your kids. For example, you could try roasting them, grilling them, or adding them to soups or stews.
• Make it fun: Get your kids involved in the cooking process and let them help you prepare the vegetables. You could also try making fun shapes out of the vegetables or arranging them into a smiley face on their plate.
• Offer a variety of vegetables: Try offering a variety of different vegetables to your kids and let them choose which ones they want to eat. This will give them a sense of control and help them feel more invested in the process.
• Keep trying: It can take several tries for kids to develop a taste for new foods, so don’t give up if they don’t like something the first time they try it. Keep offering different vegetables and eventually they may come around.

Here are some kid-friendly vegetable recipes:

• Veggie Train with Hummus Dip: This fun and creative recipe is perfect for kids! You’ll need bell peppers, cucumbers, assorted vegetables, hummus, and toothpicks. Cut the vegetables into small pieces and arrange them into a train shape on a plate. Use toothpicks to hold the pieces together. Fill a small bowl with hummus and place it at the front of the train to create the engine.
• Kid-Friendly Vegetable Sauce: This sauce is delicious, easy, and has 7 different vegetables in it! It’s perfect for picky eaters who don’t like to eat their veggies. You’ll need onion, garlic, carrots, celery, zucchini, bell pepper, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Cook the onion and garlic in a large pot until softened. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice.
• Kid-Friendly Salad: Make salad something your kids will actually want to eat with this kid-friendly crudité plate. Put out a variety of colorful veggies like cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and carrots, snap peas or sugar snap peas, sliced bell peppers and any other veggies your kids like. Serve with their favorite dip.
• Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes: In this healthy side dish recipe, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and cinnamon before being roasted until tender and caramelized. This recipe is perfect for picky eaters who don’t like to eat their veggies

I hope this helps!

Plant based foods...

 Eating more plant-based foods is a great way to improve your health. Some of the benefits of a plant-based diet include:

• Lowering your risk of heart disease
• Reducing your risk of cancer
• Improving your digestion
• Helping you maintain a healthy weight
• Boosting your energy levels
• Reducing inflammation in your body
• Improving your gut health
• Reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes

There are many different types of plant-based diets, but they all emphasize certain foods associated with heart benefits, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and healthy oils like olive oil. The diets that have been most studied for their impact on heart health include the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and the MIND diet.

Here are some plant-based protein sources:

• Tofu, tempeh, and edamame are among the richest sources of protein in a vegan diet. Soy products such as tofu, tempeh, and edamame contain about 10 g of protein per ½ cup of firm tofu (soybean curds), 8.5 g of protein per ½ cup of edamame beans (immature soybeans), and about 15 g of protein per ½ cup of tempeh1.
• Lentils contain plenty of protein, fiber, and key nutrients, including iron and potassium. Cooked lentils contain 8.84 g of protein per ½ cup1.
• Chickpeas are a great source of protein to add to a lunch or dinner routine. Cooked chickpeas contain about 7.25 g of protein per ½ cup1.
• Other plant-based proteins include:
• Quinoa
• Chia seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Nutritional yeast
• Spirulina
• Seitan
• Black beans
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Oats

Here is a recipe for a high-protein vegan meal:

• Vegan Sloppy Joes: This recipe is a great source of protein and is perfect for a satisfying, delicious dinner! It’s also a great recipe to meal prep. You’ll need:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Whole wheat buns or lettuce leaves for serving

Here’s how to make it:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomato sauce, tomato paste, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
5. Serve on whole wheat buns or wrapped in lettuce leaves.