| Better than Peanut Butter and Jelly |
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| Reviewed by Maureen Cram | |
| Tuesday, 03 April 2007 | |
 Author: Marty Mattare  Most of us would like our children to eat healthy meals - even if we don’t do the same. But how to do it easily, inexpensively and quickly, that is the question!At last, a book that will help. Over 150 recipes for low-fat, low-sugar vegetarian (with many vegan options) dishes that children will happily eat and enjoy. So says the back cover of the book. I think that if your child has up to now been raised solely on McDonalds or KFC, you might have some initial digging in of heels at the healthiness of these recipes. But if you have been doing a reasonable job so far and are looking for help to expand your repertoire, then this is the book for you. Most of the recipes are for adults to make for children.. but there are some that kids can make by themselves (with some supervision). The main focus of the book though is to find meals that are healthy and tasty and that kids will enjoy eating. Not too spicy or full of exotic ingredients that arouse suspicion, these recipes look good and taste good. The book also includes some great recipes for slumber parties, Halloween and other parties and many ideas for re-vamping typical kid foods (hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, brownies) into healthier options. There is also a section on tips for getting your kids to eat well, portion sizes, and nutrition needs for children. I wish I had had a book like this when bringing up my two sons. In those days (am I sounding ancient?) I was living on a diamond mine in Botswana and the only fruit came out of tins - as did most veggies! No colour pics in the book (too many recipes packed in!) but interesting pencil type sketches abound. The authors give information on stocking your pantry with basic essentials and info on substitutions for healthier eating, including this quote by Dr Neil Barnard: “Children who acquire a taste for chicken nuggets, roast beef and French fries today are the cancer patients and weight-loss patients of tomorrow” Well… that should give us all pause to reflect… personally I think we owe it to our children to give them as good a start in life as we can. And in my book that means feeding them healthy, tasty food. To summarise… this wonderful book is geared to suit children, who can be notoriously picky eaters, but it also works well on an adult level. It is a great introduction to quick, simple vegetarian meals that introduce a few basic items without overwhelming the taste buds or the wallet. For both adults and children it is possible to move into a healthier lifestyle gradually, one recipe at a time, one meal per week. |
This is the powerful story of the author's struggle with Multiple Sclerosis and how a healer's unusual prescription of mindful altruism - to 'give away 29 gifts in 29 days' - ignited her energy, her happiness, and invited more abundance into her life.
