One of the best parts of this year so far has been the opportunity to spend time with our new granddaughter, Theodosia. She adds daily joy with her enthusiasm for every aspect of life, her open smiles, her positive energy for every new experience. This has shown itself in so many ways, but it has been especially joyful to see her enthusiasm for discovering new flavours and textures, and her willingness to try new things! We haven’t had many things that she was reluctant to eat, and her appetite for “eating the rainbow” has been so rewarding! She has motivated me to try to create a number of toddler-related food items that are healthy and delicious and vegan, of course!
I am also a mother to two wonderful daughters, who, as toddlers, were easy to please. They ate what was recommended at the time as the “healthy” basics. This always included animal products, which I was told was essential for their growing bodies. I now realize that there was a lot of misinformation that we were led to believe was science. Sadly, that was and is the propaganda of the “animal agriculture” industry and part of a greed-based and cruelty-full agenda.
I have spent the last 13 years as an ethical vegan, exploring and researching the basics of nutrition and the truths behind the shadowy practices of “meat and dairy production”. So much information has been uncovered about the negative affects of the Standard American Diet (ironically abbreviated as SAD) on our children, physically and mentally. Obesity rates are ridiculous, depression and anxiety are a constant struggle for so many, type 2 diabetes rates have sky-rocketed, preventable heart disease has become a huge issue, cancers are on the increase, and the list of preventable, diet-based illnesses goes on.
Parents (and grandparents) have such a huge, heart-felt responsibility to be a source of health and happiness for our children (and grandchildren) as they grow; to give them the best start possible in a confusing and often scary world. Starting them on a healthy and kind path as they start eating on their own is a gift we give them that can last a lifetime. Raising empathetic, caring human beings, equipped to face the many who will confront their gentleness with anger in an attempt to maintain a horrendous status quo, is not an easy task, but it seems an essential step in creating a sustainable and healthier future. It is a responsibility that cannot be shirked.
Fortunately, there are so many delicious and mindful choices available now! In an effort to help you add easy, nutritious options to your toddler’s plate, I have had 11 month old Theo test out some new recipes and and we are excited to share them with others! We made an Easy Spinach and Roasted Garlic Gnocchi, some brightly coloured Littles Carrot Buttons, and some Easy Applesauce Oat Cakes. I also discovered, to my delight, that the easiest thing to do is share a little of whatever we are eating, as we try to consume a well-balanced, unprocessed, not too salty/spicy plant-based diet.
Theo loves a little Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream on her pasta, wolfs down Roasted Beet and Sesame Falafels with Roasty Beet and Garlic Hummus, enjoys some scrambled Just Egg (easy to make from scratch) with some Golden Sauce, and loves munching on some Tofu Taco Crumble with some slices of avocado! She devoured a mix of sweet potato and brown rice with a little Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream, and she munched enthusiastically on a high-protein red lentil penne pasta with a Super Simple Sauce, sprinkled with some Roasted Garlic Cashew Crumbles. She also likes some food without garlic… 🙂 These Banana Bread Waffles were popular, as was the Nice Cream!
Stay tuned for further food explorations! Theo is such a wonderful taste-tester and an inspiration for creating the tastiest and healthiest foods possible!
