Last September I had the pleasure of working with Christine Cushing. This soup is inspired by one of her recipes. You can also find it on the Gluten Free Vegan's site, however, I have made some additional changes. It is not a complicated recipe and is one that the whole family can enjoy. It is both gluten free and vegan. This is a great way to start using dried beans for those who have yet to try because they can cook further in the soup.




1 cup      Dried Chickpeas
1 Tbsp    Olive oil
2            Carrots, diced
3 stalks  Celery, diced
12          Green beans, cut into bite size pieces
1/2         Onion, diced
3 cloves  Garlic, finely chopped
1 cup      Wild rice blend, rinsed
6 cups     Vegetable stock
3 Tbsp    Tomato sauce
1 tsp       Dried Oregano
2 tsp       Curry powder
2 tsp       Cumin powder
2             Bay leaves
2 tsp        Black pepper
2 tsp        Lemon juice

1. Soak chickpeas overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours. 
2. Drain and rinse chickpeas and cook as directed on package for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain before adding to soup.
3. Heat olive oil on low heat. Add carrots, onion, celery and green beans and cook until onions start to brown.
4. Add rice mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add garlic, cumin, curry powder, and oregano and cook for 1 minute.
6. Pour in vegetable stock, tomato sauce, chickpeas, bay leaves, black pepper and lemon juice.
7. Stir mixture and bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 45 minutes.

Have a recipe that you would like to be adapted? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at [email protected] 

When I tell parents how I approach dessert I often get a look. I think they don’t know if I am joking or being serious. The conversation goes something like “really?” “yes, really” I answer, and then I get the skeptical “okay…”

My goal with this approach is to put dessert on a level playing field with vegetables, entrees, or any other food. By doing this, dessert isn’t a reward you get for finishing your meal. It’s not any better than any other food that is served. In other words they all hold the same value.

Yes, when a dessert is served it’s probably not more nutritious then other food served at that meal, but when you remove nutrition, food is food. It’s important to not give some food more power than others.

What I suggest doing is actually serving dessert with the main meal. Everyone gets their portion of dessert and can choose to have it whenever they want during that meal. But won’t they only eat the dessert? Maybe, but that’s okay. Most people nowadays don’t serve dessert with every dinner, let alone every meal. The other point that I’m always sure to mention is that with dessert, everyone is served one portion and that’s it. To learn more about my approach with how I feed kids see here. Dessert is not served as an endless supply as with any other food. However, of what is served as a portion of dessert, the child can choose how much they want to eat.

Taking this approach to dessert removes any pressure tactics involving dessert and stops power struggles in their tracks.

When parents start to place arbitrary rules about when the dessert can be eaten it becomes a prize; something that you have to do something to get. Something that is better than those vegetables on your plate.

I had a perfect opportunity to see this at work today. Earlier in the morning my kids and I had made a dessert. Not for any reason other than we felt the urge to make it (and had the ingredients on hand). When lunch rolled around my daughter was eating her rice, bean and vegetable dish (*see recipe here) and my son was already done and having a few bites of the dessert. I took out the dessert portion for my daughter and placed it beside the last remaining bites of her main course. I didn’t say anything other than it was for her. She choose to eat the dessert at that point in her meal. When she was done she simply went back to finishing off the rest of her lunch.

In her mind, one was not necessarily better than the other. They were both quite different and both something that she enjoyed.

Do you need help stopping meal time battles? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at [email protected]

Ah, papaya. This is a fruit that I love introducing to kids of all ages. Whenever I get the opportunity I try to give this fruit to babies.

Papaya is a good source of beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, potassium and fibre. Papaya fruit also contains papain, which helps digest protein. Fibre is important for all ages and can be very helpful for your little one when you are introducing solids. As previously mentioned in this starting solid series, giving your baby foods that are high in Vitamin C will help them absorb iron from their foods.

It’s important to offer the same foods in different forms. When we offered papaya to this baby we used forms such as fries and cubes of varying sizes.

This fruit can be tricky to eat. Just let your baby work away at it themselves in whatever manner works for them. This baby tried the gamut of ways to get it into his mouth. At one point he was bringing his mouth down to the tray, he also tried using his palm to scoop up the pieces and then hold it against his mouth to eat it. Part of learning to eat solids is the baby learning about their world. Often babies will pick up fruit (like papaya in this case) and squeeze it between their fingers, allowing the juice to run down their hands and arms. If they aren’t getting it into their mouths right away don’t worry. This is still a great learning experience for them.

Have questions about your little one starting solid food? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at [email protected]

These are great in sandwiches, to add to a meal or as a snack. Many kids enjoy these in their lunch instead of meat or just as a change. I recommend only choosing organic tofu. 

1 package (350 grams) Extra Firm Organic Tofu

Sauce:
1/4 cup Tamari soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp. Honey or Rice Syrup
1 tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Curry powder
1 tsp. Cumin powder
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. Onion, minced
2 Tbsp. Sesame seeds

1. Cut tofu into 1/4 inch strips
2. Mix sauce together and soak each tofu slice in sauce
3. Lay tofu flat on a baking sheet and sprinkle with more sesame seeds
4. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 30 minutes



Looking for other ideas for lunches or snacks? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at [email protected] 

With all this attention on sugar in the media recently I thought this might be interesting to include.

I really recommend reading ingredient listings. If you are already keep it up. I know it can be both confusing and time consuming.

Sugar can be hidden under many names.

Here is a list of a few that you can look for:

• Corn syrup
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Golden syrup
• Cane sugar
• Invert sugar
• Dextrose
• Evaporated cane juice
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Maltodextrin
• Brown Rice Syrup
• Fruit Juice concentrates
• Anything ending in  -ose for example lactose, glucose, sucrose, fructose

Don't be fooled. Sugar is sugar in your body and it doesn't matter what it's called on a label. 

Would you like to know more about sugar in the foods that you eat? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at [email protected].