How to Make a Healthy Cherry Sundae For Kids With Ricotta Cheese

When I was growing up, we never ate dessert. It wasn't that my parents intentionally deprived me. We simply rarely went out to eat. And when we did go out, it was typically at a Chinese or Taiwanese restaurant, where dessert is rarely served. After dinner, instead of dessert, we typically had fruit.  

Because we didn't eat many sweets in the Ko household, fruit was the star. The great thing about fruit, is it is juicy, colorful, and deliciously sweet just the way it is. Its sad to see so many dessert recipes bathe fruit in a bunch of added sugar. Doing so masks the true sweetness of fruit and alters the perception of normal sweetness.

Instead of giving your kids desserts with a ton of added sugar, try adding protein to their desserts. Protein complements fruit, lowers glycemic index, and provides contrast to make fruit taste even sweeter. Try giving your kids cheese, nuts, yogurt, or peanut butter with their fruit. For instance, try making this healthy cherry sundae with ricotta cheese. The ricotta cheese gives this dessert an interesting creamy texture, but the cherry on top is the cherry on top!

https://youtu.be/dBS_bzBsHEk

How to Grill Healthy Peaches with Basil Prosciutto and Balsamic Vinegar for Kids

I  have a very vivid memory of the first time Colin tasted a peach. Cassie had given birth to Colin just seven months before, and we had decided to pack the family up and move back in with my folks in Maryland. Like all new parents, Cassie and I were enjoying giving Colin his first tastes of various foods. Sometimes he would react to new foods with disdain, and other times he would react with unabashed enthusiasm. Regardless, he reacted. 

It was the middle of summer and my mom had recently purchased a case of peaches. We opened up the case to discover some of the largest, juiciest peaches we had ever seen. The peaches were like overfilled water balloons and their skins were soft and paper thin. Up until this moment, we had spoon-fed Colin all of his food. Cassie decided to give Colin a whole peach and see what he would do. 

Immediately, he clutched the round object, opened his mouth widely, and dove head in. Once he got a taste of the sweet, sweet nectar, his eyes grew wide and he tightened his grasp further. No one was going to take his fruit away from him! He alternated between gumming, sucking, and gripping the peach until he wore that peach down to the seed. 

I will never forget the image of Colin and his first peach. Now, whenever I see a big, fat, juicy peach, I cannot help but think of Colin. I think about how hard it was learning how to take care of a baby. I think of what it meant for us to pick up and move. I think of how my parents received us with open arms, helping to take care of Colin in those formative months. I think of all these memories and it makes me smile. 

You can make new memories for your kids by trying new recipes and new flavor combinations. Recently, I came across this recipe for grilled peaches, basil, and prosciutto. Combining peaches with prosciutto not only creates an interesting flavor profile, but it naturally lowers the glycemic index as well. I topped my peaches off with balsamic vinegar pearls to lower the glycemic index even further. Also, I skipped the honey; caramelizing the peaches over the grill was enough to bring out their natural sweetness. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/Cb3bNTgqVp8

How to Make Healthy Gluten Free Grain Free Cheesy Cauliflower Bread Sticks for Kids

Last weekend, we took the kids to feed the birds at Roer's Zoofari in Vienna. Some people might protest about the price of admission at Roer's Zoofari (formerly the Reston Zoo), particularly when the National Zoo is free. Those people would be me. However, Roer's Zoofari has a lot of advantages, making the price admission totally worth it. It is less crowded than the National Zoo, parking is free, there are plenty of shady respites, and it is on flat, level ground. 

But the most unique aspect of Roer's Zoofari is the up close and personal interaction with the animals. Ordinarily, I would have been too cheap to purchase animal feed, but thanks to Groupon, I purchased discounted tickets that included animal feed and feeding sticks. It's a good thing too, because it turns out that animals, much like humans, are drawn to food.

Colin loved having the goats literally eat out of the palm of his hand. Budgie stick in hand, he squealed in delight as the birds would flock to him and land on his shoulder. Cailya had a slightly more traumatizing experience, as you'll see in the video for this week. Although she found the birds overwhelming, she really enjoyed the wagon ride. More like a safari, the wagon ride was a truly memorable and unexpected experience for a zoo located in the middle of the suburbs. 

Although it may not seem like it, feeding your kids can be as fun as feeding the birds. But leave the breadcrumbs to the birds and try this recipe for cheesy cauliflower "breadsticks". Your kids will love pulling these cheesy breadsticks apart and gobbling them down. 

https://youtu.be/NGcvLZE3nTs

How to Make Healthy Strawberry Pineapple Paletas With No Added Sugar For Kids

I've decided to give it all up. I'm going to close up my clinic and start an infinitely more lucrative business. That's right, I'm going to open up a popsicle stand! The other day, we were out on a walk with our kids and we came across a cart selling Mexican popsicles called paletas. Oh, excuse me, not just any popsicle, GOURMET popsicles! Do you know what the difference is between regular popsicles and gourmet popsicles? About three dollars. These gourmet pops sold for four dollars a pop!

Another important distinction about paletas that does justify the four dollar price tag is they typically contain real fruit, rather than refined sugar water. You do have to be careful though, because often these fruit popsicles are made up of a combination of fruit and added sugar.

Recently, the efforts of multiple obesity organizations have paid off with the announcement that the FDA plans to update requirements for nutrition labels. One major breakthrough is they will be requiring food manufacturers to note how many added sugars their products contain. This is a tremendous development that will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the health and well-being of Americans. The additional line noting "added sugars" helps distinguish healthful natural sugars that are low in glycemic index like fruit and dairy sugars, from added refined sugars that are high in glycemic index like table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

I scoured the internet for healthy recipes for paletas. Many recipes do add sugar, which is a shame. I found that you can easily make your own paletas with just two ingredients: whole fruit and lime juice. Pineapple works very well and is naturally sweet without added sugars. I made strawberry lime pineapple paletas and strawberry coconut lime paletas for the kids and they loved them. In order to sweeten the strawberries a little, I added a few figs. Now I just need to take my paletas on the road and charge an unconscionable markup. Palteas! Get your ice cold paletas!

https://youtu.be/4KuGaoXuMBk

How to Make Healthy Baked Apple Oatmeal for Kids

Cassie took Colin on a dream trip to LEGOLAND this past week. That left Cailya with dear old dad. Every now and again, we split the kids up like this. It's an arrangement that works out for everybody. The kids have no one to argue with, plus they get the exclusive attention of one parent all to themselves. In fact, taking care of just one kid is so comparatively easy, I would even go so far as to say it is delightful.

So, while Colin was off meeting LEGO batman, I painted Cailya's nails, baked her apple oatmeal, and took her to the mall. As we walked through the mall, I noticed people looked at us with warmth and admiration. This is in stark contrast to the fear and disdain we usually receive as a family of four with two screaming toddlers. For some reason, people really seem to respond to the image of a father taking care of his daughter. I don't know if it's simply endearing to watch a grown man clumsily attempt to tie his daughter's hair into a ponytail, but there is something special about the relationship between a father and his daughter.

In many ways, raising a daughter is like a budding romance. There's the thrill when she reaches her hand out to grasp mine. There's the pride of taking her out and taking care of her. There's the inevitable emotional outbursts when I fail to meet her every expectation. I remember what friends said when they learned Cassie was pregnant with Cailya. "Oh you are going to adore having a little girl!" Daddy daughter weeks like these remind me that those friends were absolutely right.

https://youtu.be/vIrv982fCgM

How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Balls For Kids

This past week, I went to the happiest place on earth. But while Disney World may be the happiest place on earth, it isn't necessary the most relaxing place on earth. Fortunately, with a little planning, we were able to enjoy our day at Animal Kingdom. 

The key to our day was getting to Africa first and early. We arrived at the parking lot about 830 am. Even though the park didn't officially open until 9am, we were able to go through ticketing and get halfway into the park, past Oasis and deep into Discovery Island well before 9 o'clock. We then waited in a crowd at the giant tree in the center of the park, roped off like the Disney cattle we were.

When the clock struck nine, we raced off like marathon runners into the heartland of Africa. Our number one priority was getting to the Safari ride before 920 am, when wait times significantly increase. Going on the Safari ride while the morning was still relatively cooler also helped keep the kids in their happy place. The safari was a lot of fun, and definitely a highlight of the park.  I enjoyed the jeep like feel of the ride and the open fields. However, I wish we saw some more exotic animals that I don't already see routinely at zoos. Also, there wasn't a lot of opportunity to stop for pictures. 

After the Safari ride, we headed right into the first show of The Festival of the Lion King at ten o'clock. This show was spectacular, filled with songs from the Lion King, costumes, circus performers, and fire. My kids said it was their favorite part of the park. After the show, we went to the Tusker House for an African buffet. This was the best food I have ever eaten at a Theme park. My kids enjoyed taking pictures with Mickey, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy. Unfortunately, my kids enjoyed taking the pictures much more than the actual characters did, who seemed to be in a rush to move onto the next table. 

Getting one solid meal was a key strategy to keeping the kids happy. Another important factor that helped keep the kids from going to their unhappy place was having a reliable portable snack in the ready. For this trip, I made PB&J balls. This no bake snack is simple to make ahead of time and ideal for packing on trips.  

After lunch, we made our way across Asia. We used our fast pass to bypass the eighty minute line for Kali River Rapids, and I'm glad we did. The ride was fun, but quite short. It was still worth it in the end, because my brother got absolutely soaked. We got in line at Finding Nemo a half an hour before showtime, which turned out great since they quickly let us into the air-conditioned theatre. This was a visually stunning show featuring amazing puppetry. After Nemo, we hit dinosaur land. We also used our fast pass for the Dinosaur ride. I thought this was a fun ride, but it was a bit too scary for the five year old and seven year old kids in our party. 

We finished up our day visiting Discovery Island and seeing some more animals. All in all, we had a great family vacation at Animal Kingdom. My kids literally were skipping as they left the park. Indeed, both myself and my kids reached our happy place. 

https://youtu.be/_jYlyJHVql4

How to Make a Healthy Gluten Free Low Carbohydrate Ham and Cheese Paleo Sandwich

How about some wood pulp in your cheese? A lot of recipes call for shredded cheese. But have you ever stopped to think what exactly shredded cheese is? In order to keep it from clumping, processed shredded cheese often contains cellulose, a processed fiber created in a food laboratory made from wood pulp. Yum!

Rather than use cellulose, some processed shredded cheeses use starches or calcium sulfate to prevent caking. If you're trying to avoid carbohydrates that are high in glycemic index, those little hidden starches from potato starch and cornstarch can really add up.  For instance, here's a list of the ingredients I found in one such processed cheddar shredded cheese:

Pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto (color), potato starch, cornstarch and calcium sulfate added to prevent caking, natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor)

In contrast, here's the ingredients listed on a block of parmesan cheese:

Pasteurized part-skim milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes

And here's the ingredients listed on a block of Pecorino Romano cheese:

100% pure pasteurized sheeps milk, cultures, rennet, salt

Packaged shredded cheese is a processed cheese like product, just as packaged loaves of bread are bread like products. Folks, this is not real cheese. This is not real food.

If you have Netflix, I highly recommend you watch Michael Pollan's four part series, Cooked. Based on his book by the same name, the last in the series features the element land. He interviews a nun who shows how microorganisms turn milk and rennet into real aged cheese.

One way to enjoy real cheese is to buy blocks of real aged cheese and shred what you need with a grater. Aged cheese is so flavorful, you only need a little to add a ton of umami to your dishes. Try making your kids gluten free low carbohydrate ham and cheese sandwiches by putting a slice of cured sausage in between two parmesan crisps.

https://youtu.be/K-_dGdjPnLU

The Best Recipes and Videos From Cooking For Your Kids With Dr. Chris Ko 2015

Why do I do it? Why do I blog? Well it isn't for the fame. And it certainly isn't for the fortune. I enjoy expressing my thoughts on how food delivers health. I like sharing my thoughts with others, with the hope that they will benefit too. I also enjoy cooking my kids nourishing food. But the main reason why I blog wasn't apparent to me until I went to New York and saw Finding Neverland. 

Finding Neverland tells the story of J.M. Barrie, a playwright who is best known for writing Peter Pan. Before writing Peter Pan, Barrie was inspirationally stuck. Despite a history of writing success, he found himself in a rut. He wasn't writing anything novel, and he wasn't having any fun. In the song Play, the actors are reminded of why they went into acting in the first place. People with creative jobs enjoy the freedom and fun of playing at their craft. It is the pure joy of playing for playing's sake that drives creative people.

Upon watching this musical, I realized the primary reason I keep on blogging and making YouTube videos is because it's fun. Playing is not just a pastime, it works the creative side of the brain. And by working the creative side of my brain in addition to my rational side, I get to use my whole brain. And I'm pretty sure my patients appreciate a doctor who uses his whole brain.

You can work the creative side of your brain as well simply by cooking for your kids. Try some of my favorite recipes featured in the third annual Osko award show:

https://youtu.be/RWrn4MScbWs

How to Make a Healthy Dessert Chocolate Parfait With Buckwheat Groats For Kids

I used to think I knew what love was. When I was in high school, I would awkwardly shuffle down the lonely halls on Valentine's day, wishing I had someone to love. I remember making sidelong envious glances at all the popular couples who would hold hands and make out in public for all the virgins to see.

When I went to college, a couple of my friends had long-distance girlfriends. They would spend hours in what seemed like endless conversation over the phone. On Valentine's day, they would send their girlfriends large heart-shaped cookies. Their girlfriends would send them a note and a care package in loving exchange. I would sit alone in the school cafeteria, munching on Valentine's day themed pink pastry puffs.

Then I met Cassie. The first conversation we had was filled with "me too" moments and real, hearty laughter. Soon, we started dating. We held hands, shared our first dance together, and celebrated holidays together. On Valentine's day, she would make me a cute hand crafted gift and I would inevitably get her a decidedly cheesy sentimental present.

But none of that was truly love. It wasn't until we got married and had kids that I learned what love is. Love isn't really about flowers and chocolate. Love isn't about songbirds and butterflies. Love is poopy diapers and tantrums. Love is screaming children, hungry stomachs, and sniffling tears. Love is coaching a constipated kid to push through a gigantic turd. Love is having your kid completely reject you right to your face, thanking them, and then taking it in the face once again.

When I think back about what I thought love was, it was all so egocentric. I realize now that I wasn't looking for someone to love so much as I was looking for someone to love me. I didn't actually learn what love was until I was forced to learn how to take care of someone other than myself.

But when you really and truly love someone just for the sake of that someone, then you can really appreciate love back. I used to think there was no greater thrill than holding Cassie's hand. But these days my thrills come in the form of a much smaller hand. Whenever my daughter reaches out and says, "Daddy, hold hands" I fall in love all over again.

This Valentine's day, I decided to make a healthy sweet for my little sweetheart. This chocolate hazelnut parfait recipe uses whole seeds in the form of raw buckwheat groats, which give this dessert an interesting texture and nuttiness. I got my buckwheat groats at my local Whole Foods. Happy Valentine's day!

https://youtu.be/1k2WXP9FuWM

How to Make a Healthy Sweet Snack For Kids

I try to cook something new at least once a week. And yet, I give my kids the same breakfast nearly every day of the week--plain yogurt. However, their yogurt breakfasts vary in one crucial way--the toppings. Plain yogurt is like a blank canvas. You can accessorize your yogurt with nuts, granola, peanut butter, or dried fruit, to name just a few suggestions.

Why do kids enjoy pouring themselves a glass of juice after school? Why do they like dolling out their ketchup from a squeeze bottle? Kids, like adults, want to have some say over their food. They want to feel empowered by the autonomy of decision making. My kids love to demand different toppings on their yogurt based on the whims of their morning tastes. When kids feel vested in the decisions they make over their food choices, they are more likely to eat their food.

One powerful way you can empower your kids and make life a little easier for yourself is to teach your kids how to prepare their own healthy snack. Take something easy like a piece of fruit and teach your kids to accessorize their snack with protein such as cheese, nuts, and peanut butter. Adding protein to their fruit lowers the overall glycemic index of their snack. The contrast of these toppings actually brings out the natural sweetness in the fruit as well. Plus, they will be proud of the creations they make themselves!

https://youtu.be/zB0oDRjbYP4

How to Motivate Kids to Eat Healthy - Make Motivational Moroccan Carrot Sticks

My mother never spanked me. Not once. She did however, hit me once. Well, it was really more of a slap on the wrist. After I had misbehaved yet again, she screamed at me and told me to hold my hands out, with my palms faced downward. Sullen and confused, I obeyed. Then, with one swift strike, she slapped me on the back of my outstretched hands.

Raising kids is tough work. You have to be a parent, friend, consultant, disciplinarian, psychologist, and behaviorist all in one. No one really teaches you how to be a good parent, so you end up recalling a lot of what your own parents did. 

Certainly, you can motivate your kids through negative reinforcement. But punishing them by taking food away or using food in a punitive way can set up unhealthy associations with food. Negative reinforcement, while initially effective, also tends to be less and less effective with time.

Rather than carrying a big stick, I advocate using the power of positive reinforcement to help your kids develop healthy eating habits. Using carrots to incentivize your kids builds self esteem and healthful eating habits at the same time. A popular message for childhood obesity prevention is the 5-2-1-0 campaign, which advocates five servings of fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of screen time, one hour or more of physical activity, and zero sugary beverages per day. 

The 5-2-1-0 campaign is a great foundation for obesity prevention. However, it doesn't go far enough to treat our existing child obesity crisis. In order to actively treat our obese kids and help them develop the kinds of behaviors that effectively induce weight loss, I created my own 5-2-1-0 rule for obesity treatment:

5 Servings of Protein

Children afflicted with obesity should strive for five servings of protein per day. In order to maintain weight, we need to eat 0.7-1 mg of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight per day. In order to promote weight loss and maintain muscle during the process of weight loss, we need to eat approximately 1.5-2 times that amount. Good sources of protein include animal meat, eggs, plain greek yogurt, cheese, peanut butter, and nuts. 

2 Weeks of Exposure

Helping your kids adopt healthy eating patterns takes time. It may take two weeks of exposure to a new food before a child eventually accepts it. Additionally, it may take up to one month of reinforcement to adopt a new habit altogether. For instance, one study demonstrated that repeated dietary exposure to green beans in infants ultimately resulted in greater consumption of green beans. 

1 Big Reward

Kids and adults alike need to be motivated to change their behavior. It can be helpful to set up a reward system. Create a sticker chart that helps your child keep track of their daily protein intake over the course of two weeks. At the end of the two week period, reward your child with a non-food based incentive such as a new toy or a fun activity. 

0 Added Sugar

In addition to setting up daily protein goals for your child, it is critical to teach them the harms of added sugar. Foods with added sugar, such as processed food and sugary beverages,  are particularly high in glycemic index and have a strong association with obesity. One study found that the risk of childhood obesity increases by sixty percent for each additional daily serving of sugary beverages in middle-school children. Teach your children to look for added sugar like high fructose corn syrup on nutrition labels and make your household a zero added sugar domicile.  

I never resented my mom for that slap on my wrist. Perhaps it's because I knew I deserved to be punished for being such a brat. Or perhaps it's because a slap on the wrist doesn't hurt all that much. Mainly, it's because that one incident paled in comparison to the overwhelming majority of acts of love my mom showered me with. But you don't' have to choose between a carrot and a stick. Try this recipe for motivational Moroccan Carrot Sticks. These healthful sticks are both the incentive and the reward!

https://youtu.be/rDwYfzhKdKw

References

http://www.nutritioncouncil.org/programs/healthy-kids/5-2-1-0/

Steeelman GM, Westman EC. Obesity: Evaluation and Treatment Essentials. 2010.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2268898/

Ludwig DS, Peterson KE, Gortmaker SL. Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis. Lancet 2001; 357:505–08.

How to Make Bloody Eyeball Eggs on Halloween For Kids

 

I can still feel the wedgie of my extra small thermal underwear pants riding up under my Mickey Mouse costume. Several sizes too small, the cuffs of my thermal undershirt ended halfway up my forearms, making the costume I recycled from the previous year feel especially tight on me. Coming from a balmy island like Taiwan, this cool Autumn holiday of ghouls and goblins must have felt especially foreign to my parents. And yet, knowing how much it meant to me, they slipped on their winter jackets, pulled out their flashlights, and trudged down the neighborhood streets with me.

Having no peripheral vision and distracted by the sound of my own hot breath against the inside of my mask, I held on tightly to my mom's hand as she led me from house to house. "Trick or treat!" I exclaimed as I held out my plastic Jack-o-lantern. The excitement of going door to door and being handed a small package was more thrilling than the package itself. When we returned home, my brother and I would line up all our pieces of candy and categorize them accordingly.

Nowadays, Halloween is a bit of a conundrum for me. Obviously, its premise is antithetical to my low glycemic lifestyle. But Halloween doesn't have to be about the candy. When I think back on my fondest childhood memories of Halloween, the experience of Halloween was far more memorable than the confections.

For my kids, I want them to experience the joy of dancing around in their costumes, pretending to be Spiderman and Minnie Mouse. I want them to experience the thrill of going out at night and going door to door. I want them to appreciate the shared ritual of a collective community. And of course, I want them to feel the pinch of the wedgie formed by their tight thermal underwear.

You don't have to make Halloween about the candy. Bring some Halloween fun into your house with these "bloody eyeball" eggs. Happy Halloween!

https://youtu.be/3USYX41rgQs

How to Make Healthy Baby Bok Choy Chips in the Oven For Kids

 

Did you know our sense of smell, sight, touch, and sound contribute more to the pleasure of eating than our sense of taste? As much as 80% of our sense of taste comes from the olfactory receptors in our nose. Human teeth are exquisitely sensitive, able to detect a grain of sand or grit 10 microns in diameter.

One of the reasons people like potato chips is because they make a pleasing crunchy noise when chewed. Mary Roach, author of Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, notes that the audible crunch of crispy foods comes from their inherent brittle facture: a sudden, high-speed crack. In order to get this noise, you need crack speeds of 300 meters per second. Roach writes, "The crunch of a chip is a tiny sonic boom inside your mouth."

Roach suggests that we like crunchy food because historically, crispness equaled freshness. Compared to a crunchy apple, a mushy apple is decidedly less fresh. However, while processed food like a six month old bag of Cheetos stays crunchy, it is certainly not fresh. Instead of giving your kids food-like products that have been on the shelf for months, why not make your own fresh chips?

You can make your own chips from fresh produce like eggplants. I have also tried king oyster mushroom chips and kale chips. Baby bok choy chips are especially tasty. Each leaf can be peeled off into a conveniently sized chip, and the dark green leafy parts nicely crisp up in the oven.  

https://youtu.be/ELp8mExv3Qs

References

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/WineTasting.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/health/mary-roach-on-studying-food-and-how-humans-eat-it.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Roach, Mary. 2013. Gulp: adventures on the alimentary canal.

How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy - Super Food Pop For Super Eaters

Sometimes I get frustrated when my kids don't do what I tell them to do. Alright, I always get frustrated when my kids won't do as they are told. And then I realized, if something always frustrates me, perhaps I need to try another method. I was watching Super Why with my kids the other day, and it dawned on me that I've been going about things all wrong.

If you've ever seen shows like Super Why, Blues Clues, or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, then you know that the premise is to ask the viewer a direct question. I recently read that computer animated cartoons do not actually improve kids' language acquisition. Apparently, those kind of programs are generally much too passive. On the other hand, programs that engage kids by asking them direct questions seem to involve kids better. I enjoy watching my kids not only respond out loud to these programs, but get excited when they answer the questions correctly.

One of the problems with traditional medical practices is the idea that the medical expert should be doing all the advising. With all the expert advice being doled out, sometimes the patient's thoughts can get lost in the process. When it comes to helping someone adopt healthful habits, asking is a better strategy than telling. I learn a lot from my patients and gain a lot of insight into their personal situation when I remind myself to ask, rather than tell.

You can help your kids eat better by asking them. What foods are good for them and what foods are bad for them? Which healthier option would they be willing to try? What new foods are they wiling to try? Would they be interested in going grocery shopping or cooking with you? Would they try making and eating a Super Pop? If you ask your kids, you might just be surprised what answers you get.

https://youtu.be/aXSemWSGCZ8

How to Make Healthy Energy Bars With No Added Sugar For Kids

 

If I had to give myself a grade for parenting, it would be, "Needs Improvement." This may surprise you since I am an absolute delight with my kids on my YouTube videos. That's the power of editing. I was listening to an NPR interview of Sonia Manzano, who played "Maria" on Sesame Street for forty-four years. When asked how similar Sonia is to the iconic character she played, she said that Maria is the more patient, caring, and better version of herself.

One of the reasons I enjoy doing videos is that "Doctor Chris Ko" represents the better version of the kind of parent I strive to be. In actuality, I struggle mightily to be a good parent. I fight to control my temper on a daily basis. I have to constantly remind myself to work on my communication style. And, I have regular exercises in patience building. If only I could edit out all the mistakes I've made as a parent.

I recently read a couple of books by Martin Seligman, a noted psychologist who discovered learned helplessness and founded the positive psychology movement. From Dr. Seligman, I learned that I had a bad habit of calling Colin a "Bad boy" when he misbehaved. Such labeling can have a negative effect on the way he thinks about himself. Instead, now I try to be specific about calling the behavior bad, not the boy.

I also recently started playing "Dreamland" with Colin, a bedtime ritual espoused by Dr. Seligman. During this nightly game, I ask Colin what was bad and good about his day. Last night, Colin said that one bad thing was when he didn't share a toy with his sister, Cailya. He went on to describe how he felt in that situation, how he walked away to calm himself down, and how he was later able to return to the situation. I was surprised and impressed with the insight he expressed. Afterward, he said that he would dream about how good it feels to listen to me and his mom. Stay tuned. I'll let you know how this story turns out.

In an effort to become the dad I want to be, I decided to channel one of my role models growing up...Mr. Fred Rogers. Always patient and always kind, Mr. Rogers believed in the unique potential of each and every child. In this video, I invite you to join me in Dr. Ko's neighborhood, a positive food environment where kids can thrive eating 3-ingredient energy bars with no added sugar.

https://youtu.be/E-WVzAMZYQA

How to Make Lightly Sweetened Gluten-Free Raspberry Lava Cake for Kids

We just watched Pixar's latest film, Inside Out. I really enjoyed this flick, but it was a bit emotionally draining for Colin. After being glued to the screen for the entire movie, he immediately started bawling when it ended. Unfortunately, his young mind was still too immature to comprehend the final resolution; all of his emotions came inside out.

To the contrary, as a grown man, I was able to exercise complete control over my emotions throughout the movie. I was however, unable to hold myself together during the short film that preceded the main feature. Lava was such a powerful love story about two volcanoes that I found myself tearing up half way through the short.

Of course, upon seeing a short called Lava, I had no choice but to create a digital short of my own experience making a healthy lava cake. I will admit that "healthy dessert" is a bit of an oxymoron. However, I have determined that there are indeed "healthier" desserts.  Here is my criterion for healthier desserts:

1. Employs significantly less sweetener than other fully sweetened versions
2. Makes use of fruit for natural sweetness
3. Substitutes healthier low glycemic flours (like almond flour) for wheat flour
4. Substitutes plant based fats for saturated fat

After scouring  many different recipes for lava cakes, I found this recipe for paleo molten chocolate lava cake. I collected all the ingredients and boasted to my kids about a special dessert I was making for them. After all, I don't regularly give them dessert. I followed the recipe, splitting the batter up into four ramekins. After ten minutes of baking, the cakes still appeared undercooked, so I baked them for two minutes longer. Then, I inverted the ramekins and out plopped four very shallow chocolate cakes. I cut into them, then stood back to watch the molten chocolate lava flow. The only problem was nothing oozed out. Dry as a bone. Nada. Everyone can go home now. These volcanoes are extinct.

On my second attempt, I combined the above recipe with another recipe for raspberry lava cake. I used the same basic recipe for the cake, but I split the batter into only two ramekins, aiming for a thicker cake to ensure that the center would not get overcooked. Additionally, instead of a chocolate center, I filled the center with mashed up raspberries to mimic lava. Finally, I took these cakes out of the oven at precisely ten minutes. I served these healthier raspberry lava cakes to the kids and this is how they turned out:

http://youtu.be/vPQhK1iguV0

How to Cook Healthy Food For Kids : Gummy Blueberry Snack

 

That dreaded day has come. You know, the day your daughter falls in love with another man. I should have seen it coming. I mean, the clues were all there. She stopped asking me to pick her up. She no longer wanted to hold my hand in public. She became increasingly distant. One day I was the only man in her life that mattered. Now, I have to put up with that other guy.

Admittedly, the other guy is pretty stiff competition. He's dark and handsome. He has an incredibly chiseled physique, with block like arms. And yet, he's also flexible and giving. Bottom line is he just makes her happy.

To top it all off, he tastes good too! I knew I would eventually lose out to another guy. I just didn't know I'd lose out to a gummy LEGO man!

Recently, Cailya has taken to playing at the kitchen table. Sometimes she gets so absorbed with playing with her Legos that she forgets to eat. So, I decided to let her eat her Legos. I picked up these fun Lucentee LEGO molds and made a healthy gummy snack out of blueberries. 

I altered the recipe a bit by using a generic gelatin brand and using two-thirds cup water with one tablespoon of lemon juice, rather than two-thirds cup of lemon juice. Not only was I able to get Cailya to eat, she had fun doing so! The only problem is now I have to fight this LEGO guy for her affections!

https://youtu.be/kj1o0Xmr8RY

How to Cook Healthy Food For Kids : Lower Their Glycemic Index With Pickled Carrot Sticks

 

The other day, we went to a fascinating exhibit called, "Food: Our Global Kitchen" at the National Geographic Museum in D.C.  Not only did we take a journey through the history and culture of food, but we learned about food systems, food transport, and food engineering.  In an effort to feed the hungry, farmers and scientists have mass produced wheat and corn, increased crop yields, and selectively increased the size and sweetness of our food.  For instance, instead of eating wild watermelons that are small and bitter, "...breeders gradually turned watermelons into huge balls of sugar and water."

Although sweeter and bigger may seem better, neither are necessarily healthier.  What happens when you take a melon that is high in glycemic index, make it sweeter and bigger, and then feed it to an overfed population? 

If you have been following my blog, you know that I consider foods low in glycemic index as healthy and those high in glycemic index as unhealthy.  Even foods that are considered healthy, such as carrots, can be made unhealthy by what you do to them.  For instance, the glycemic index of a raw carrot is 16 while that of a boiled carrot is 49.  Understanding how foods change through cooking and processing becomes ever more important in a food environment where foods are genetically engineered or bred to be ever sweeter and ever bigger. 

You can lower the glycemic index of the foods you serve your kids by:

1. Sticking to whole, unprocessed foods.
2. Keeping fiber intact.
3. Serving starchy vegetables in raw form.
4. Adding acid through fermentation.

These principles are particularly important for foods that are generally high in glycemic index such as grains and starchy root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, and corn.  Try this recipe for dilly carrots, which uses all of the above principles to lower glycemic index.  Your kids will love this crunchy, sweet, sour, and healthy snack!

http://youtu.be/uOPOAVa45uw

References

Foster-Powell K et a.  International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002.  Am J Clin Nutr.  2002.

Liljeberg HGM & Bjorck IME. Delayed gastric emptying rate as a potential mechanism for lowered glycemia after eating sourdough bread: studies in humans and rats using test products with added organic acids or an organic salt. Am J Clin Nutr 1996;64:886-93.

How to Cook Healthy Corn For Thanksgiving Day

I recently watched a Thanksgiving themed episode of Top Chef.  The chefs had to cook a Thanksgiving meal using only food and equipment that was available at the time of the first Thanksgiving.  I was surprised to learn that turkey was not served at the first Thanksgiving.  I was equally surprised and impressed with how delicious and inventive their dishes were despite the obstacles thrown at them.   

The episode made me think of how different things are now compared to the first Thanksgiving.  We now have a wide assortment of food and gadgets at our disposal.  But while modern technology brings convenience, modern food bears very little resemblance to the food served at the first Thanksgiving.  

For instance, whole ears of corn were available at the first Thanksgiving.  Nowadays, we are much more likely to consume corn in the form of highly processed high fructose corn syrup than we are to eat it in its whole and natural form.  My kids love eating corn right off the cob.  One way you can keep the traditions of the first Thanksgiving while also enjoying corn in an innovative way is to grill corn and serve it with a chili mayo like I did in the following video:

http://youtu.be/EGOwa328ITU

Have a great Thanksgiving Day!