I feel like we've come full circle with the children's diet since November.
I started with not cooking at all. Now I cook a bit for them at least once a day. Suddenly changing everything didn't really work and I realise I was being a bit ambitious then. There was a bit of a backlash, where the kids seemed to eat less and less variety of food. I wasn't really listening to them I don't think. Still, you live and learn. Now I am gradually moving them in the direction I want to go.
I realised at one point that they were a bit obsessed with carbohydrates like oat cakes and rice cakes. I started introducing more cooked veggies and soups to make sure they were getting more veg. The result is that they are now eating a lot more veg quite happily, and as it isn't a raw meal, they think they are getting what they want. They are eating more veggies than ever before, so hey, that feels good to me. They have also been asking for more things like raw carrot and apples in between too, by their own choice.
I sometimes get a bit worried about protein. The children haven't been eating greens or sprouts much, just lots of fat and I really don't fancy giving them anything with soy in it because of all the issues with oestrogen. They won't eat bee pollen on it's own or hemp protein powder, though I do hide it in smoothies if I can get away with it. (Thought they can taste it if I put more than half a teaspoon in.) I would like to keep them at least vegetarian, but don't fancy giving them cheese, as it's so mucous forming and we have enough coughing going on at the moment with the whooping cough! I know some people think raw dairy is great. I live in a city though and am not aware of any local farmers I could get it from, plus, to be honest, I tend to think that eating a food that requires you to domesticate an animal, let it get pregnant, then take the food it produces for it's babies, can't be very natural. It isn't something hunter gatherers would have just come across, is it? Consequently I have given the kids the odd boiled egg instead when I've been worried.
So we are plodding along now, with the kids slowly eating more raw food, while eating mostly vegan (or is it beegan as we eat honey?), plenty of cooked vegetables, the odd egg and no dairy. I'm much more laid back and so are the kids these days. They are learning a lot about food though and certainly the girls are enjoying helping me prepare whatever food we have, more and more. Joe, my eldest, is keen on making his own smoothies too.
The coughing is getting less and less and we are looking forward to socialising a bit more in the next few weeks.
Today we finally have some sunshine. It's the first sunny day we've had since the beginning on June I think. (What's happening?)
Here's a sorbet recipe we all love when it's hot enough for such things. Now I'm off to get some sun before it changes it's mind.
Mango and Raspberry Sorbet
2 ripe mangoes
1 banana
1 cup raspberries
1 tbsp agave (or other sweetener)
1/2 cup water
Blend together until really smooth.
Chill for 1 hour in freezer
Put in ice cream maker for 15 minutes.
(If you don't have an ice cream maker, just put the mixture in the freezer and stir every half an hour or so.)
