I came across an article on Parenting.com that was a list of “off-the-beaten-path food for toddlers A-Z” Although some foods were off the beaten path (B is for Black Strap Molasses) most I found to be pretty standard things that I think maybe people don’t think to feed their kids but aren’t something someone would give you a funny look for (K- Kiwi, D-Date, P-Pumpkin). I’m not knocking any of these foods, but it got me thinking about what are some real “off-the-beaten-path” things that I feed myself or my family? So here is my “off-the-beaten-path” list. I didn’t go insanely off the path because I think they should be readily, or fairly readily available foods. Disclaimer: Everything has pros and cons that you have use your own judgment in weigh. In addition, I am not a doctor nor am I a nutritionist…I’m just a mom who reads up on things. So here they are:
A: Adzuki Beans: These are little red beans that make for a yummy vegan breakfast a friend taught me about by combining them with brown or wild rice and dates to make a sort of porridge (I throw in chia seeds too). They are a nutty sweet bean with great benefits in the bowl department due to their magnesium and fiber content. They are also rich in zinc and iron. Bean in general are fairly magical!
B: Black Strap Molasses- I am keeping this suggestion because it is a new find for me. It is high in calcium and iron. As a family that doesn’t consume milk, this is a great option to add to our food to sneak in a little extra calcium. You can cook kale with it, or add it to a shake. (Runner up: Beets/Borchet)
C: Chia Seeds- These are not just for pets. They are a wonderful seed that is easy to sneak into things, and it is high in protein, contain omega-3, help balance sugar, cholesterol fighter. I often add chia seeds to quinoa and rice. (Runner up: Coconut Oil)
D: Date Paste- Parenting.com says dates. I say dates are great, but date paste is a little more off the path and certainly an awesome sweetener. You can blend it into shakes, almond milk or bake with it.
E: Elderberry- Elderberry isn’t really something that I would eat, but it is a wonderful defense against colds that is safe and readily available. I generally mix elderberry with coldeeze when I feel a cold coming on mix it with room temperature water and chug it.
F: Flax Seed Oil- With a yummy, nutty flavor, flax seed oil is a nice addition to most dishes. I usually just squirt some into our shakes, or on our food instead of olive oil. It is another source of omega 3’s and fiber.
G: Goats Milk- If you are going to consume milk, goats milk is the most easily digested milk. If it the most similar to human milk and when breast milk isn’t available it is wonderful for a formula substitute (there are tons of recipes for that on line). It is also possible to get fresh goats milk in most states where fresh cows milk is illegal. (Runner up: Goji Berries)
H: Honey (raw)- Raw honey, especially local, helps fight allergies, but my favorite place for honey is in my cosmetic bag. Raw honey is a wonderful hair treatment that can be used to slowly lighten your hair. It also is wonderful on your skin for minimizing pores and acne scaring (I mix it with coconut oil and make a mask).
I: Injera Bread- Later on I have teff on the list, so maybe this isn’t fair because it’s main ingredient is teff, but it is a lovely, light and gluten free bread like option.
J: Japonica Black Rice- This is a nice alternative to brown or wild rice. Although “Japonica” is kind of cheating because it is a trademark name, it is an ancient type of rice that has made a resurgence.
K: Kale- Certainly growing in popularity, kale is a great source of calcium. I personally hate kale chips, but there are other options like raw kale salads, cooked kale, kale in a smoothie.
L: Lotus Root- A very low calorie root vegetable, so it satisfies that carby craving without the calories. It is a complex carb and high in fiber which is great for blood sugar. It is also very high in vitamin C.
M: Mushrooms- Just about the only vegan food that is naturally a great source of vitamin D…no fortification here. Mushrooms come in many varieties that appeal to different taste buds and different nutritional needs.
N: Nato- This is not something that I eat personally as I avoid soy and can’t get over my memories of the smell of my mom eating it as a child (dirty socks). However, it’s worth mentioning as it is a little known “super food” which is high in both K1 and K2 . K2 is hard to find (it’s mostly in bacteria, yuk) but really prevents bone loss by some pretty drastic numbers. Nato is basically fermented soy beans.
O: Oolong- Although not as amazing as green tea, oolong does have many of the same benefits without the intense flavor. I personally get pretty instant stomach cramps from green tea, so I find oolong to be a nice alternative.
P: Persimmon- An often overlooked and rather delicious fruit, I didn’t have my first persimmon until I was 30 years old and decided to buy one for my son.
Q: Quinoa- Completely mainstream and perhaps not really “off-the-beaten-path” now, but still one of my favorite grains. Quinoa is very versatile and wonderfully high in protein. It is also an easy sell for most people because it is a fluffy light grain and not to different from couscous in texture.
R: Rainbow Trout- Very similar looking to salmon, in fact the first time I bought it I pointed to it thinking it was salmon. The flavor is much more mild than salmon. (with all seafood, wild caught is obviously preferred and in my opinion with certain fish, the only option (especially salmon))
S: Sauerkraut/Kimchi- Fermented cabbage has amazing enzymes that help the body to digest more efficiently. I try to consume a cup of sauerkraut a few times a week, even better would be daily.
T: Teff- I fell in love with teff the first time I had Ethiopian food. It is used to make a very yummy, spongy bread called injera. Teff makes a very delicious sweet, warm cereal. It is a great source of iron and fiber.
U: Ugly Fruit- A citrus fruit that packs vitamin C and protein it is somewhere between an orange and a grapefruit (though I can’t stand grapefruit so obviously it’s not that close to one in flavor)
V: Vinegar- Okay, okay, so I use vinegar every day and go through TONS of it, but I hardly every actually consume it, though my son LOVES vinegary foods like cucumber salad and pickled beets. Vinegar is my cleaning lady. It can be used to safely clean just about anything. I clean my son’s toys and sometimes even his hands with it. Half water and half white vinegar in a spray bottle goes a long way. My husband hates vinegar and the smell nauseates him so I started adding a few drops of orange oil into my cleaning solution. This also helped because while pregnant anytime I cleaned all I wanted was salt and vinegar potato chips.
W: Water from the Tap- The more I look around me the more I see that this one is WAY off the beaten path. Tap water has gotten a bad name thanks to the wonderful advertising bottled water companies do. Tap water is tested more often than bottled water and is much more closely monitored. I’m not going to even get into the trash that comes from all of the bottles or the chemicals in the plastic or the cost.
X: Xylitol- This is something that really is only good and safe in very small doses and may just be the lesser of evils. I love chewing gum, so xylitol offers a safe option to sugar or fake sweeteners. It also has antibacterial elements to it, which is great for killing bad breath.
Y: Yucca- Is a root vegetable that is an amazing anti-inflammatory. I have made it like chips (similar to fried plantains) or as more of a mashed potato (comes out very gooey). They are pretty readily available in ALL supermarkets in my area.
Z: (Runner up according to my husband: Little Debbie’s Zebra Cakes) ….I honestly have nothing for this one. The only “z” I eat is zucchini, and it is certainly not off the beaten path.
No comments:
Post a Comment