Raising Vegetarian Children in a Meaty World.....

Recently, our daughter came to us and asked what meat was.  We told her plainly and simply that it is an animal.  It all started because she was very upset by seeing the fish at the seafood counter.  She said, "Why are they sad?" as all the fish had frowns - it's true! While explaining this to her, we didn't want to freak her out about but at the same time, tried to explain to her why WE don't eat meat.   It's a tricky subject to tackle at this age.  We just want to teach our kids that animals are living, breathing, sentient beings. Teach compassion and respect.  They don't need to know about mistreatment, etc at this age nor do we want them to judge others for eating meat.  Just this afternoon, my almost 4 year old daughter was playing in her kitchen and she began to serve up cows and chickens from her puzzles on her tiny play plates as a joke, handing them to me and then giggling, “we don’t eat ANIMALS mommy!” As if the concept was so foreign it was laughable.

Trying to reiterate that it's a personal decision and steering from saying things like, "eating meat is mean," or "we don't eat animals because it's not nice or because it hurts them"  isn't a message we want to send as many loved ones in our lives DO eat meat.   We just believe that if we teach them to love animals and not to think of them as "things" to be used, being vegetarian should be a natural choice for them...or so we hope.  I've never been one to force my beliefs on anyone, so if our children grow up to have a taste for meat, I will not protest.  On the other hand, some kids grow up with meat-eating parents and choose to be a vegetarian (like me!) Now, I was lucky- my mom was extremely supportive and provided plenty of alternative proteins and salads. Not all parents share that view, unfortunately, and even forced their children to eat meat (sometimes, by adding meat juice to otherwise vegetarian meals to trick their children.)

Another concern we run into is making sure our kids are getting a balanced diet.....which is tricky enough as little kids an be such picky eaters.   One needs to make sure that your child is getting the vitamins and nutrients they need.  If one does their homework, raising a child as a vegetarian can be easy as there are other ways to get protein without spending tons of money (beans, nuts, etc..) Here are some tips to make sure your child's veggie diet is on track......

• Understand what foods need to be substituted in the diet as energy, protein and vitamin sources may need to be ‘topped up’.
• Encourage your child to eat a wide variety of foods.
• Alternate wholegrain and refined cereal products.
• Combine lower energy vegetarian foods, such as vegetables, with higher fat foods: for example, vegetable fritters.
• Increase the energy value of food by the use of nut butters, avocado, full fat dairy products, fat spreads and oils.
• Give your child regular meals and snacks.
• Combine foods containing vitamin C with foods that are high in iron. For example, offer an orange with baked beans on toast. Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron.

Now we are united on the dietary front as a family, and I am beyond thrilled.  My partner has been doing an amazing job sticking to the veggie lane (going on 4 months!) and really think that watching Food, Inc and reading "Eating Animals" was key.  If you haven't seen or read these items, do!!

Raising healthy vegetarian children is possible and is not difficult once a parent has done some simple research. Each person who chooses to become a vegetarian should do his or her own research. Take your standard food chart and simply substitute vegetarian or vegan alternatives making sure your child gets the recommended number of servings. When looked at in this way, it becomes clear that the task at hand is really no more difficult than feeding your average picky toddler. Resources exist in many forms available to anyone willing to peruse the magazine or nutrition/cookbook section of the local bookstore, spend an evening surfing the Internet, or contact a local national vegetarian organization. A vegetarian diet for children can not only be adequate but also abundantly healthful.

The Search Is Over......

....for a delicious, easy, zucchini bread recipe :-)  I'm happy to say I have found a recipe that lives up to my idea of what these this bread should taste like!

While shopping at the Farmers Market last week, I bought some 'golden' zucchini as well as some green.  Having an overabundance of them (how can you say no to HUGE homegrown zucchini 2 for $1?! Ok. I guess one could.  But not I!) I had to figure out what to do with all of it.  I threw it in every dish I could throughout the week and still had a bunch left over.  Fresh zucchini should be used up within 5 days. You can freeze it by peeling off the skin and shredding the pulp.  Measure out 2 cups of pulp and place in a zipper closure bag. Purge the air out of the bag and seal shut.  However, I didn't feel like freezing it so, I decided to give zucchini bread another shot.  I've tried other recipes in the past only to find them dry, bland and never 'zucchini' tasting.  But this one I tried today is a keeper!! 

Zucchini bread is made with shredded zucchini and a number of other ingredients that provide a sweet flavor and moist texture. I used the Golden Zucchini which has a mild, sweeter taste than the green. There are many variations of zucchini bread and some are savory rather than sweet, due to ingredients such as cheese and chopped onions. Like many other quick breads, zucchini bread is often served as a dessert bread or breakfast item.

I have also found that with many homemade baked breads, they are sooo much better the next day.  Wrap them up (once cooled) in some foil and stick them in a ziplock bag or another airtight container.  The bread will be super moist, soft and delish!!  You can also freeze completely baked loafs by wrapping them in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.


Golden Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or if you don't have this on hand, all-purpose is fine)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated green or golden zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder.
3. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.