I’m sure that you care about the health of your family. I sure do and I can’t imagine any parent NOT taking this seriously.

So when I saw this article written by Mike Geary, I knew I had to write a quick blog post about it suggesting you read it.

Here’s why this article is so important to read:

It helps you understand the 5 most dangerous condiments that you probably have in your fridge right now. It explains why they are unhealthy (and we shouldn’t feed them to our kids).

But it ALSO shows you 5 alternative HEALTHY condiments that you should use instead.
You might be surprised to see how often soybean oil is used in foods. You know why? It’s because soybeans are the commodity crop used to give cattle protein, along with corn (for carbohydrates). The byproduct of this industrial farming is a lot of excess soybean oil. So food manufacturers feed it to us. Not because it’s healthy, but because it is cheap.

As I read the article this morning I nodded along at every point that the author made. He and I definitely see eye-to-eye on this.

Please take the 2 minutes necessary to read this. You’ll be surprised by what you learn.

Enjoy your children (and your health!)

Chris Thompson

P.S. Make sure you noticed what I mention about soybean oil in the middle of this post. There is a reason it’s in almost every garbage condiment these days, and it has nothing to do with better health.

When I was a child, I absolutely loved pancakes and I thought my mom made the best pancakes in the world. Turns out it was Aunt Jemima, and so was the syrup we used. In my adolescent years I’d make them myself because I still loved them and it’s all I really knew how to make. Now as an adult, while I still love an awesome pancake breakfast, I realize that making the best pancakes in the world from scratch is really easy, and can be done in a much healthier way than buying a mix.

I’m no longer satisfied with plain-old flapjacks. So the following recipe is my preference and my kids absolutely go NUTS for these pancakes. Feel free to modify the recipe to your liking.

Here is My Banana Blueberry Flax and Coconut Healthy Pancake Recipe

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
3/4 cup blueberries
2 tbsp flax seed (ground)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 egg (preferably free range organic)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp shredded coconut
1 cup whole flour
1 cup whole milk

Here’s how I make them:

Start by mashing up the banana in your mixing bowl. A fork works great to accomplish this task. Then add in all other ingredients and whisk until smooth. This should only take one minute at most. Heat up a frying pan on medium heat. Use a tablespoon of coconut oil in the pan to prevent sticking. Cook your pancakes evenly on both sides and serve warm.

Some points about why I’m using this recipe

There are lots of natural healthy ingredients in these pancakes, yet they still taste unbelievably good.

Banana and Blueberry are fantastic healthy fruits to eat and most kids love them. When seasonally available I’ll use fresh blueberries, but when they are not I just use frozen berries. Defrost them first otherwise they’ll prevent the batter from cooking close to the berry. Frozen blueberries also turn the whole batter purple, which my kids love. They call them “purple pancakes”.

Flax seed contains a good balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. I always use whole flax seeds and simply grind them up in a coffee grinder. This way I know my flax is fresh ground. This is important because flax oils will oxidize easily. This is also why we want to use medium heat rather than high heat for cooking.

Cinnamon is an amazing spice that has been connected to healthier insulin balance in the body. Considering that pancakes are carb-heavy, it’s good to have the cinnamon to help counteract the unhealthy insulin spike.

Coconut is an incredibly healthy source of saturated fats, and we love the taste. This is why we put a good amount of coconut in these pancakes.

Whole flower should be used. And this doesn’t mean you have to use wheat flour. You can try spelt, kamut, or a mixture of wheat with these alternative flours. I prefer to avoid the over-processed and genetically engineered wheat flours.

Notice that there is NO ADDED SUGAR in these pancakes? When I first started making this recipe I used honey rather than table sugar. And sometimes I still do (one tablespoon). But it’s not necessary when you have an entire banana in there. There is already natural sugar in the banana.

Always use Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) instead of Canola or plainly labeled “Vegetable Oil”. Canola and Soy oils are simply not healthy for you at all, whereas EVOO straight from the olive is much more natural and healthy. If you want to dive deeper to understand why Canola oil is unhealthy read this article.

You may also be wondering why I advise using coconut oil in the pan, but olive oil in the batter. Good question – and there is a good answer. First, coconut oil will remain solid in the batter, so you can’t use it. Second, EVOO will oxidize at a lower temperature so I avoid using it in a frying pan. I’ll add it to batter (which doesn’t get nearly as hot compared to the oil in the pan). When cooking I will almost always use coconut oil in the pan.

Send Me Your Feedback

I’m in the process of putting together a “healthy ideas” recipe book for parents. The goal is to share healthy and easy-to-make recipes for snacks, meals, desserts, etc. The intention is to reduce the use of processed foods, save money, and use more natural ingredients.

If you have ideas, please share them in the comments section below. If you have a problem you’d like to see me address in my recipe book, please comment also.

Enjoy the pancakes!

Parents should care about what they feed their kids. But they also want something that is easy to prepare. Breakfast is an important part of the day. Most parents feed their children too much junk food including processed flour and sugar. Here is a way to avoid that.

The name of the meal is “Muesli” and it’s made from yogurt and oats, mostly. It’s so simple to make, but tastes incredible. Feel free to change this recipe any number of ways to suit your family.

To get the best possible result, I suggest making it the night before. That way everything soaks together in the fridge. The recipe I’m giving you is for one portion, so just scale it up to make more portions. You’ll probably want to eat this too!

Start by adding 1/3 cup of oats into a bowl. Rolled oats don’t cost very much, but they are really healthy for you. Unlike many flours, they are not processed.

Now add about 1/3 cup of natural yogurt. Use plain (unsweetened) yogurt because flavored yogurt always has sugar in it. We want to avoid sugar. I prefer organic yogurt. It doesn’t cost that much more.

Now add in one tablespoon of natural honey. You can always use maple syrup if you prefer. Both of these sweeteners are totally natural and are much better than table sugar or brown sugar. Stay away from those alternatives.

Then pile in the fruit. I always like to choose fresh blueberries and finely chopped apple. If you are able to use organic fruit, all the better. Otherwise make sure to wash it well because most fruit is treated with pesticides. I like to use about 2/3 of a cup of fruit in total.

The next ingredient is Cinnamon. You decide on the quantity, but one teaspoon is a good starting point. I like to use a lot of it for the flavor. Cinnamon is known to help your body control blood sugar levels. This is important in a society of obesity and, increasingly, diabetes. Cinnamon is helpful and tasty.

Finally, before you put the whole thing in your fridge for the night, add some milk. About 1/3 of a cup is probably the right amount, but you decide based on the consistency you want to achieve. If you can use organic milk, I recommend you do.

Think of all the ways you can modify this recipe! What about adding pumpkin seeds, or unsweetened coconut slices? Maybe some finely ground flax seed? You can buy flax seeds in bulk and grind them up in a cheap coffee grinder.

Feeding your kids a healthy diet is important. Recipes like this can help you set a good example for them.

I don’t normally publish recipes on my blog. If you’re new here you might also be interested in checking out my Talking to Toddlers audio course. This course helps parents overcome the stress of dealing with difficult toddlers.

I think that a lot of parents realize that too much juice is a bad thing. So if you catch yourself saying wondering how to reduce the amount of juice your toddler drinks, I’ve got an idea that works really well in my household, and I’m happy to share it with you.

Why Should I be Worried That My Toddler Drinks Too Much Juice?

If you’re not already convinced that drinking too much juice is a bad thing, you need to stop and simply think about how much fruit is required in order to make a glass of juice. It actually takes about 4 oranges to get this amount of juice. Fruit is great, but cramming such a hefty amount of it into your stomach all at once is not such a good idea.

Not only is your child consuming far too much fruit at one time, but when you drink juice (rather than eat fruit), the sugar passes to the intestines and is absorbed into the bloodstream much faster than if you just sat down and ate some fruit.

The sugar in fruit juice is called fructose, and just because it comes from a fruit doesn’t make it “healthy”. Sugar causes the body to release a massive surge of insulin, and the insulin works to remove sugar from the bloodstream. The sugar goes away, the insulin lingers, and you’re left with a not-so good feeling in your body. Ever wonder if this contributes to toddler behavior problems?

Simply put, I sincerely believe that fruit juice consumption should be limited to a half glass per day in kids. If they want more, give them actual fruit. Cut up apples, pears, or other fruit and have them snack on that along with fresh vegetables such as celery, carrots, etc.

A Great Fruit Juice Replacement

It’s called … WATER. Yes I’m serious, but I think there’s a great way to “spruce it up” so that it is more interesting for your child. You can show them this “treat” and make it exciting for them so they ask for it.

Here’s what you do. Take about a teaspoonful of lemon juice from concentrate. That’s about a cap full if you buy it by the bottle. Mix the lemon juice with a splash of fruit juice such as OJ or Apple Juice. I mean just a splash for flavor. Then, add a couple of ice cubes and top up the cup with fresh cold water.

Regular water is great – and you should encourage your kids to drink plenty of it. But for something special, this easy recipe adds some natural flavor to the water while severely limiting the amount of sugar in the drink.

As some of you know from my past blog entries and emails, I’m a bit of a health & fitness nut.

Well, it’s January 6th today. I’m willing to bet that a lot of you made some sort of New Year’s resolution to improve your physical fitness, lose weight, or something along those lines. I’m also willing to bet that some of you have already fallen off the wagon.

I’d like to offer you some motivation to stay on track, set a good example for your kids, and improve your overall health.

Before we begin …

I want to tell you about a guy I know named Mike Geary. He’s a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer. I’ve been reading his stuff for a while, and I think he’s worth listening to.

He’s also the author of a great book called “The Truth About Six Pack Abs”. I buy a lot of ‘stuff’ and I have a copy of his book (it’s a digital product just like my parenting course).

Here’s a link to his book, but don’t click on it just yet. There’s more that you need to know.

Ok, so what’s the point of this post? And how can you get a copy of Talking to Toddlers for free? Here’s the answer: I’m going to give you a free copy of my course if you give Mike’s fitness book a fair shot. “Fair shot” is really an honesty policy thing.

You see, he sells his product on the ClickBank marketplace (for digital products), just like me, so his return policy is the same as mine. That means if you think it’s crap, you can get a refund within 60 days. Now, I know it’s *not* crap or I wouldn’t ever mention it to you. You see, if it was crap, you’d buy his book, you’d get my parenting course for free, and then you’d ask for a refund on his book (and I’d get zip). Why would I do that? Of course – I wouldn’t.

Rules

To get a copy of my course for free all you have to do is use my link to buy Mike’s fitness book. Yes, in case you are wondering, I get a commission, which is why I’m able to give you my course for free as a bonus. I feel it’s right to disclose that to you. But I’m basically giving you an ethical bribe. If you take me up on the offer, you get my course for free, and you have a risk-free return policy on his book.

Important

You must use this link right here to order. You must also verify that the following shows up at the bottom of the Clickbank order form:
[affiliate = t2toddlers]

If you make sure to do this, I’ll get credit for your purchase and you can then email me your clickbank receipt number(my email address is info AT talkingtotoddlers.com) and I’ll send you a free copy of Talking to Toddlers.

This offer is only valid until Sunday, January 10th.

Improve your chances of success

I’m a big believer of the rule of committment. If you commit to something publicly, you’re more likely to succeed at your goal.

So here’s what I want you to do. Go to the comments section on this blog posting and write down your fitness goals! Tell us how you want to be a role model for your kids! Do it and achieve it!

All the best to everyone,
Chris

This post is more personal, and not so much about parenting.  But since this is supposed to be a parenting blog, the topic fits into the category of setting a good example for your kids to follow.

I have established a short term goal of losing 7 pounds of body fat.

Let me give you some background here.  I’m not overweight, and most people who hear this goal tell me I don’t “need” to lose any weight.  I am 5 foot 10 inches tall, and when I step on the scale it says 167 lbs.  I fit into pants with a 32″ waist (but they are more snug now).  I’m much more active and fit than the average 35 year old male.

But I definitely don’t have the physique that I used to even 5 years ago.  This is because I’ve relaxed my own healthy habits.  It has nothing to do with my actual ability to regain that physical condition.

A few words about “need”

When people say “Chris, you don’t need to lose weight”, I reframe their comment so they understand where I’m coming from.  I focus on the word “need”.  I often say to them that I don’t “need” to get regular haircuts, and I don’t “need” to exercise.  I don’t “need” to eat healthy.  I don’t “need” to be productive each day.  Instead, I could just let my hair grow to the floor, never shave or bathe, eat garbage food, sit on the coach and expand my waist.

Start thinking about what you want rather than what you need.

My motto is to constantly be improving.  I like to push myself in a healthy and fun way.  The result of this, from a physical perspective, is that I feel proud when I look in the mirror.  My wife tells me I look great.  I feel better.  I feel energetic after running up the stairs.  It’s a nice feeling.  I still have that feeling today, but it’s not as strong as it was a few years ago.

Setting an example for the kids

It’s also important to set a great example of health for your kids.  So with that in mind, I felt like writing this post to describe how I plan to accomplish my goal of getting back to 160 lbs (and regaining the full six-pack), while involving my kids.

I’ll be eating more fruit and vegetables. My kids will see this and I’ll make sure to point out to them why I’m eating these things as snacks between meals, etc.  My plan is to consume 6 cups of fruit and vegetables (combined).

When I say “cup”, I mean approximately a serving.  So if I eat an apple, that’s a cup.  Same with a banana, a pear, a couple of kiwis, a couple slices of cantaloupe, or a handful of strawberries.  Fruit is a fantastic source of nutrients, fiber, and water.  I always feel refreshed after eating fruit.
I’ll be stretching and breathing every evening. This will happen after dinner, and before we put the kids to sleep.  I used to do this with my oldest daughter, before we had the second.  I’d like to re-introduce this habit into our lives.  The kids like to copy me, so I’ll simply have them copy me doing stretches and some deep breathing.  It’s very relaxing before bedtime.

I’ll start acting more like a kid. Isn’t it funny how kids are so thin, yet adults build up all that excess body fat?  Did you ever notice that kids actually move around more?  Gee, you think this might be connected?  I’ve fallen into the trap of sitting on my behind more often.  I sit on the couch and drink coffee on a Saturday morning.  I tell myself “I’m still tired”.  I use it as an excuse to stay seated.  No more.  I’m going to go back to being a kid.  That means playing with the kids, just like I’m one of them.  It’s way more fun and it’s much healthier.

Target:  4 weeks

These changes, and a slightly more rigorous workout routine, will probably result in my goal being achieved within about 4 weeks.  That’s October 20th or so.  When I hit my goal you can expect me to make another blog post about it, or to at least come back and comment under this post.

Stay healthy and enjoy your children,
Chris Thompson