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 a Grain Free Gluten Free Bagel for Kids and Mommy on Mother's Day

'Twas the morning of Mother's Day, and all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
 

 Mama was nestled all snug in her bed,

while daddy arose with his sleep sleepy head.

He woke the kids up; their hairs he did brush,

Then quietly they went in a hush and a rush.

Down to the Kitchen, with a sneak and a creep

"Quiet!" dad said, "Mommy's trying to sleep!" 

When out from the kitchen arose such a clatter,

The mixer, the bowls, the batter, the splatter!

Now Crying, Now Yelling, Now Colin, now Cailya!

She pinched me, he hit me, Now what's the mattah?

 We made up our dough then formed into rings
Then sprinkled them with everything.

Into the oven we popped them one by one.

After 20 minutes our bagels were done!

We sliced them and then, cheese and lox we did spread,

then hurried mom's breakfast up to her bed.

Mom's favorite, lox and bagels, of course gluten free!
A mother's day breakfast fit for our favorite Mommy!

https://youtu.be/wNKeprMTYRI

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 Gluten Free Pizza Frittata For Kids

Two of my favorite foods are spaghetti and dumplings. These are also the two dishes that would show up regularly on our table for lunch on weekends when I was a boy. If we had spaghetti last weekend, we were probably having dumplings this weekend. Occasionally, my mom would make homemade sushi rolls just to mix things up a bit. Sushi is probably my third favorite food.

The funny thing is, no matter how many times I was served the same two or three dishes, I never got sick of them. To this day, I still look forward to eating spaghetti, dumplings, and sushi. People call these kinds of foods comfort foods for a reason. It's not just because they taste good. It's the memories that are associated with them.

In the Netflix documentary Cooked, Michael Pollan notes that we are the only species who cooks. He argues that we became anthropologically human when we learned how to wield fire and cook our food. Regardless of where you come from, cooked food is comforting because it connects us as a species and it reminds us of powerful memories of being cooked for and care for by our parents.

In First Bite, Bee Wilson writes, "Memory is the single most powerful driving force in how we learn to eat." She cites a study of rats who were given dopamine blockers to block their reward system. Initially, these rats continued to press a lever for a food reward. Their memory of the food reward was still fresh. However, over time, they stopped eating the food pellets because they were no longer rewarding. Finally, they stopped pressing the lever altogether. They had lost the memory of what the pellets tasted like.

People are the same way. Our memories of comforting foods entice us back again and again. Wilson argues that processed food is so alluring because it is a consistent product that lives up to the memory of that product. But just as memory drives the consumption of unhealthy food, our memories can also foster positive relationships with healthful foods. One of my patients recalled being comforted by freshly cooked eggs in the morning when she was a child. By creating comforting memories of good food for your kids, you'll help them develop a long-lasting positive association with healthful foods. For instance, instead of comforting your kids with pizza, try this recipe for pizza frittata by Rachel Ray. I'm sure it will create a memorable impression on your kids that they won't forget!

https://youtu.be/mRss9vIiuk4

References

Wilson, Bee, and Annabel Lee. 2015. First bite: how we learn to eat.

 

How to Make a Healthy Homemade Breakfast Sausage For Kids

Twenty-five in twelve. That was the benchmark. That was the mark to beat up until one rookie made his debut at Nathan's Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4th, 2001. At his inaugural event, Takeru Kobayashi ate at such a blistering pace that the judges ran out of signs to indicate how many hot dogs he had eaten, and resorted to handwritten signs. At the end of twelve minutes, Kobayashi had polished off fifty hot dogs and fifty hot dog buns, nearly doubling the previous record. 

How did he do it? How did he eat so many hot dogs? He did it by rethinking competitive eating. According to Stephen Dubner of Freakonomics, instead of asking how many hot dogs he could fit into his stomach, Kobayashi, asked, "how can I make one hot dog easier to eat?"

What can we learn from a competitive eater? Kobayashi's feat demonstrates that the limits  of how much we can eat is not necessarily based on the capacity of our stomachs but how fast we eat. The faster we consume, the more we consume. Therefore, a strategy of slowing down the consumption of calories can curtail the excessive consumption of calories. A deeper analysis of the strategies Kobayashi used to speed up his eating can provide insight for those interested in watching their caloric intake:

1. Eat Whole Food

Kobayashi accelerated his eating by breaking his hot dogs in half with his bare hands before putting them into his mouth. This strategy reduced chewing time and was later coined "The Solomon method". To slow down excessive food consumption, eat whole foods in their whole form, and thoroughly chew your food.

2. Avoid Processed Food

Another reason Kobayashi was able to eat so quickly is because the food he ate was processed. The buns he consumed were made of refined flour and devoid of fiber. Refined carbohydrates are not only easier to eat, they are rapidly emptied from the stomach at approximately 10 calories per minute. In other words, they go down fast and go out fast, leaving the eater hungry again. Processed hot dogs are more aptly called fat dogs, as they are typically made up of twice as much fat as they are protein. And while fat can enhance satiety (emptying from the stomach at 2 calories per minute), it also serves as a lubricant. Hot dogs go down fast even without the aid of water. If Kobyashi had competed in a steak eating contest instead, he wouldn't have been able to eat nearly as fast. Unprocessed lean protein takes much longer to chew. It also empties slowly out of the stomach, at approximately 4 calories per minute.

3. Enjoy Food

Kobayashi distinguishes competitive eating from typical eating. To him, competitive eating is a mechanical race to the finish, much like a foot race. He doesn't appreciate the sensory pleasures of what he is eating when he is in a food competition. He doesn't have time. So often, we catch ourselves eating on the run or rushing through a meal. And yet, one of life's greatest pleasures is sitting down and enjoying a meal. Instead of rushing to finish your meal, sit down and enjoy your meal. Sit down with family and friends at the dining table and enjoy a shared meal. Spend at least thirty minutes in conversation over your shared meal. This will afford adequate time for your satiety signals to kick in, which will in turn curtail overeating. Try sharing these homemade breakfast sausages at your next family meal!

https://youtu.be/MzIC-JoOd8I

References

Kessler, David A. 2009. The end of overeating: taking control of the insatiable American appetite. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale.

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 a Healthy Breakfast Egg Sandwich For Kids - A Truly Happy Meal

 

The other day, my kids came back from a visit to Old MacDonald's farm. They were excited to tell me about how much fun they had. I listened eagerly to their musings. First, they were greeted by a jolly figure with a beatific smile. Then, they waited in line for the main attraction. Each of them were handed a box called a Happy Meal with a toy...hey wait a minute! What kind of farm was this?!?

My face fell. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a crumpled up brown bag featuring the villainous golden arches I have come to hate. McDonald's is uniquely ubiquitous in our environment and our culture. It starts early. My mom used to bring me to McDonald's when I was a kid as a rare "special treat." I even have old photos of myself celebrating my birthday at McDonald's, clown and all. 

Kids are routinely assaulted by McDonald's commercials. McDonald's spent $963 million in 2011, which is the most by any restaurant brand. In fact, McDonald's accounts for one-sixth of all money spent on restaurant advertising.  

This is what parents are up against. Fortunately, there are trends that the tide is turning. Children's hospitals across America are finally starting to close their doors to McDonald's franchises. And, sales at the restaurant giant have been declining over the past three years. 

I hope these positive trends continue. Instead of golden fries, I hope kids will choose green veggies. Instead of opting for an egg McMuffin sandwich, I hope kids will choose to eat the eggs and hold the muffin. One day, instead of kids asking their parents to go to McDonald's, I hope they will ask to see Old MacDonald's farm--a farm to table restaurant where kids can learn where their food comes from and have a truly happy meal. 

https://youtu.be/FhGrB4p80dY

References

http://www.businessinsider.com/this-one-statistic-shows-how-much-mcdonalds-tries-to-entrench-itself-in-everybodys-minds-2012-3

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/healthcare/091611_Childrens-Hospital-is-Closing-its-McDonalds-Restaurant.html

http://www.wndu.com/news/indiana/headlines/McDonalds-to-close-at-Ind-childrens-hospital-236487231.html

http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/23/investing/mcdonalds-earnings-sales-down/

http://fortune.com/2015/04/22/mcdonalds-sales-decline/

How to Make a Quick and Healthy Microwave Steamed Egg Breakfast For Your Kids

 

I wake up feeling unusually well rested. Through the window, I see the beautiful glow of the morning sun. Oh no. I'm late! I've just been snookered by the AM/PM button. I frantically rush into Cailya's room and immediately start barking out orders. She responds with a yawn and a drawn out arm stretch. I run into the boy's room in a hot panic. He gives me a blank stare, then scratches his butt.

After significant effort, I am finally able to wrangle them out of bed. I brush their hair and teeth and get them dressed. I plead with them to go potty. Little miss does some heavy negotiating. She doesn't listen to me, but she eventually listens to Yoda when he promises her a special treat. Colin refuses to go altogether, only to later scream, "Pee pee!  I need to go pee pee!" when he gets downstairs.

I rush to get their breakfast started. Given the time constraints, I decide to whip up my famous one minute twenty-four second steamed egg in the microwave. One egg, one-quarter cup water, one teaspoon of soy sauce, and one minute twenty-four seconds later, a perfectly steamed egg is ready for breakfast. Cailya demands to eat her egg on the floor like a dog, but at least she eats it. Thankfully, Colin quickly gulps down his egg. I take a big sigh of relief. We survived the morning!

https://youtu.be/d-iSWINacVE

How to Cook a Healthy High Protein Steak and Egg Muffin Breakfast For Babies, Kids, & Toddlers

Cassie took Cailya to visit her girlfriends for a girls weekend getaway. I used to worry about being a single parent for a weekend. But then I spent an entire daddy daughter weekend with Cailya and I realized what a great opportunity it is to spend some quality time with just one of my kids. Having a kid all to yourself is less of a  burden and more of a blessing. Both parties cherish the extra attention and seem to appreciate one another more.

After dropping the girls off at the airport, Colin and I played a little tennis. Initially, Colin did not respond to my attempts to teach him tennis. I really credit Coach Canepa for making tennis fun and interesting to Colin by using games and other clever techniques. Colin and I did some foot work drills, played "hit the pyramid", and finished up with a game of "fireball".

After tennis, I took Colin to get a haircut, followed by a trip to the Arlington County fair. While there, Colin rode a speedboat ride that jerked him up and down like a cowboy bull ride. After that, I paid three dollars so that Colin could "win" a prize at a fishing game. With his confidence built up, we decided to tackle the aim the squirt gun to win a prize game. Colin held onto the gun while I aimed the water spray. We lost to an eight year old girl.

After a nice lunch of lentil, kale, and sausage soup, I forced Colin to take part in my ridiculous video of the week. This week's video plays off of the guys weekend theme and features a mean steak and egg frittata muffin that I served Colin the next morning. In order to make my frittata muffin gluten free, I combined elements of this paleo mushroom muffin with this philly cheesesteak cup.

After Sunday breakfast, Colin and I took a water taxi to National Harbor. While there, we watched the finals of the men's Citi Open, walked around the area, and finished our day with an outdoor viewing of Back to Future. Altogether, Colin and I had a great guys weekend hideaway. 

http://youtu.be/7pCbCoNHbEI

How to Cook Healthy Food for Kids : Get Picky Kids to Eat Their Greens - Cook Perfectly Poached Eggs

I like to keep up to date with my medical and nutritional knowledge. I have been informed by various thought leaders in the field of medical nutrition, from Dr. Mark Hymen, author of The Blood Sugar Solution, to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live. And as prolific as these doctors are, no doctor has been as influential as the great Dr. Seuss. 

In his seminal work, Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss introduces the compelling character, Sam I Am. First of all, thank you for a character who truly knows who he is. Secondly, Dr. Seuss sends a clear and coherent rhymed message to all parents who deal with picky eaters--be persistent. Despite many rejected invitations to eat green eggs and ham, Sam I Am eventually breaks through and entices his friend to try the novel breakfast. And like many obstinate kids, his friend surprises himself when he realizes that he actually likes trying new foods. 

Just like many kids, my kids are quick to reject green food. However, they sure do like eggs. So, taking a page from Dr. Seuss, I decided to try this recipe for green grits and eggs. The key to this dish is to make a perfectly poached egg. I learned how to do so by following a great tip from Jamie Oliver. First, wrap your egg in plastic cling wrap, then drop it into a gently simmering water bath for about three minutes. The result is a poached egg with a gooey yolk and a perfectly smooth border.  Give it a try!

http://youtu.be/sLA71S2Y-8s

How to Cook Healthy Food for Kids : Egg Omelet Breakfast Wrap

I have something to confess. I went on a date with someone new. I had actually been seeing this new girl off and on for more than two years, but this was the first time that I took her out on an official date, just the two of us. Luckily for me, my wife not only knew about our date, she happily arranged it.

Cassie went out of town with Colin to visit her parents. That just left me alone with Cailya. At first, I was worried about being the sole guardian. I actually felt sorry for Cailya. Then, I realized how fortunate I was to spend quality time with my daughter. I decided to make the most of our time together.

I picked out a special spring dress for Cailya. Then, I headed downstairs to prepare our daddy daughter breakfast. I cracked two eggs into a bowl and mixed in salt, pepper, and chopped scallions. I quickly fried the eggs into a thin omelet. Then, I applied a generous coating of cream cheese with chives. I layered thin slices of avocado and smoked salmon on top. Finally, I rolled the omelet up and wrapped the whole thing in parchment paper. She took a bite of her omelet wrap and said, "Ketchup."

After breakfast, we headed out to enjoy our day together. First, I took Cailya on a romantic stroll through the aisles of the local grocery store. Next, I expanded her horizons by showing her around a wholesale warehouse club, of which I am an exclusive member. After that, we went to a birthday party, celebrating the 100th birthday of the city of Mclean. While there, we enjoyed some treats. Unfortunately, I am unable to disclose what we had because this is a healthy food blog.

After a short nap, I took Cailya to a Rocknoceros concert. Rocknoceros is a children's band based out of Northern Virginia. They are known for catchy hooks, clever lyrics, and humor that appeals to kids and parents alike. We enjoyed some nice snacks while we sat under a shady tree and listened to the band. After the concert, we headed home and had a light dinner. After her bath, I changed Cailya into her bumblebee pajamas.

We had had a wonderful day together, and I decided to top the evening off with a slow dance and serenade. As I held my daughter in my arms and softly crooned, "In the Still of the Night" into her ear, I was reminded of the first time I sang those same words and held her mother in my arms. Back then, I was convinced that nothing would feel as good as the love I have for my wife. Now, there's another special lady in my life, and there is nothing quite like the love between a daddy and his daughter.

http://youtu.be/mWP7xxSGtv4

How to Make Healthy Bircher Muesli Swiss Oatmeal for Kids

 

Happy New Years!  A new year is a great time to try new things and make a renewed commitment to cooking healthy food for your kids.  Many people consider oatmeal to be healthy.  Compared to other grains, oatmeal can be a healthy option.  Grains are generally high in glycemic index.  And while oats tend to be lower in glycemic index than wheat, the glycemic index of any grain will increase with more processing and more cooking.

Many people cook their oatmeal to the consistency of mush.  The more you overcook your oatmeal, the more unhealthy it becomes.  This New Year, why not try your oatmeal a new way?  Sometimes inspiration for new foods in your diet can come from old sources.  Muesli is a tasty breakfast dish developed around 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximillian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital.  It is also known as Bircher oatmeal or Swiss oatmeal.  It is comprised of raw oats, whole fruits, yogurt, and milk.

As the following video shows, Muesli is a great way to enjoy oats and is very easy to make:

http://youtu.be/9fKhYA6VtOQ

Best wishes to you and your family in the New Year!

References

Snow P & O'Dea K. Factors affecting the rate of hydrolysis of starch in food. Am J Clin Nutr 1981;34:2721-2727.

Atkinson FS et al. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care 2008 Dec 31(12):2281-3.

Heaton KW et al. Particle size of wheat, maize, and oat test meals: effects on plasma glucose and insulin responses and on the rate of starch digestion in vitro. Am J Clin Nutr 1988;47:675-82.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muesli

How to Make Grain Free Gluten Free Pancakes for Kids on Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas!  Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.  In the Ko household, Christmas wasn't about the presents and cheery music, though those did help.  For me, Christmas has always been about family.  

I have always enjoyed the tradition of putting up the Christmas tree...or putting together the Christmas tree, rather.  The Ko family Christmas tree comes out of a box...none of the real stuff for us.  I have such fond memories of assembling and decorating the Ko Christmas tree, that I moved that same dusty box over to my house so Colin and Cailya could carry on the tradition.

One thing I enjoy doing on Christmas morning besides opening up presents, is having breakfast together as a family.  It's a perfect opportunity to fire up the griddle and make some morning flapjacks.  In the following video, I put a healthy twist on traditional pancakes by using almond flour to make grain free fluffy little almond flour pancakes:

http://youtu.be/ldkmPP1qAyY

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your family!

References

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/image?imageKey=PC/71978&topicKey=ENDO%2F5374&source=outline_link&search=nurse%27s+health+study+glycemic+index+foods&utdPopup=true

How to Cook Healthy Food For Kids : Coconut Cranberry Quinoa - Take a Vacation From Your Breakfast Routine

 

I have a bad habit of always ordering the same thing when I go out to a restaurant.  I tend to stick with my favorite dishes rather than try something new.

When it comes to home cooking, I also have a tendency to repeat the same dishes that I have grown accustomed to cooking.  To a certain extent, we all develop these habits because it just takes less mental energy to come up with a new dish or to try something novel.

One way to get out of the rut of doing the same routine day in and day out is to take a vacation.  We recently went on a relaxing vacation to a club med resort in St. Port Lucie, Florida.  What made this vacation particularly relaxing for me was the fact that Cassie planned the whole thing. 

While Colin and Cailya spent their days at the mini club, I boned up on my tennis skills and Cassie learned to get scolded in novel ways by the aerobics instructor.  Everyday, we were treated to an endless variety of culinary delights.  Not only was I introduced to new foods like fois gras and chocolate bread, but I learned that Cailya loves herself some oatmeal and Colin loves himself some roasted chicken.

Why not take a vacation from the same old foods you always serve yourself and your kids? Try this delicious coconut cranberry quinoa inspired by our recent vacation:
http://youtu.be/ubeFLsXEnl8?list=UUOpV1RhtMV5h9QLKBVf_XFg

You can find the recipe at the following link:
http://www.superhealthykids.com/coconut-cranberry-crockpot-quinoa/

How to Cook Healthy Food for Kids : Stuck on a dessert island?

Do you ever feel like you are stuck on a desert island?  Sometimes I feel that way when writing posts for my blog.  Each post is like a message that I carefully put into a glass bottle, put out to sea, and watch drift away.  All the while, I wonder to myself, "Is anyone out there?"

You and your kids may feel as if you are trapped on a different sort of island...a dessert island if you will.  Healthy options for desserts are few and far between.  Not only do most desserts have toxic amounts of added sugars, but many are additionally made out of highly processed grain flour.  That's like spiking your vodka with bourbon, except this lethal ingestion will spike your blood sugar levels. 

But you don't have to be stuck on a dessert island!  You can have your cake and eat it too.  Instead of accepting desserts made out of processed grain flour, why not experiment with healthier flours?  I have recently learned about flours made from beans like chickpeas, or nuts like almond meal.  Check out this video called, "Coligan's Isle" and learn how to make a grain-free carrot muffin from almond meal and coconut flour: http://youtu.be/nfCJoa-lBIY?list=UUOpV1RhtMV5h9QLKBVf_XFg

Here is the link to the recipe featured in the video above:
http://www.texanerin.com/2014/04/healthier-carrot-cake-cupcakes.html

 

How to Cook Healthy Food for Kids : Make Healthy Huevos Rancheros Egg Breakfast Recipe

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that fresh food is always better.  Unfortunately, in the dead of winter, fresh food isn't always available.  The fresh vegetables that are delivered to your local grocer may have spent several days in transit, losing a significant amount of their nutrient content in the process.  Frozen vegetables are harvested at the peak of ripeness and are a good option during wintertime.

Canned vegetables are also picked at the peak of ripeness.  They are then blanched and canned within a few hours of being picked, which seals in their nutrients.  One study found that the nutritional content of canned vegetables was comparable to that of fresh vegetables.  Vegetables such as tomatoes are particularly amenable  to canning.  For instance, the lycopene in tomatoes may actually be more bioavailable after it has gone through a process of canning.

And while canned vegetables are a good option during wintertime, fruit is not ideally eaten out of a can.     Many canned fruits have been peeled and stripped of their fiber.  In addition, canned fruit is often steeped in a sugary juice to prevent the fruit sugar from leeching out and rendering the fruit tasteless.

In the following clip entitled, "Top Home Chef", I show you how any home chef can utilize canned ingredients to make easy and tasty meals for their kids.  This video features a version of huevos rancheros, a healthy egg breakfast.  To read more about why eggs are healthy, check out my previous post: http://doctorchrisko.blogspot.com/2013/08/cooking-for-your-kids-daily-egg-or.html

Click to Facebook: http://on.fb.me/19IzP9t

Here is the link to the recipe that I used in the above clip.  Instead of corn tortillas, I used whole corn kernels from a can.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/huevos-rancheros-recipe/index.html

References

http://nutrican.fshn.uiuc.edu/summaryfindings.html

Nassauer, Sarah.  "Frozen Produce Seeks Respect Promising Nutrients, Convenience."  The Wall Street Journal 31 Dec.  2013.  Print.

How to Cook Healthy Food for Kids : What to Give Your Kids for Breakfast

What's healthier--an egg a day or a bagel a day?  Considering that eggs are high in cholesterol and bagels are both fat free and cholesterol free, the answer to this question may surprise you.  One study randomized dieters to either an egg breakfast or a bagel breakfast consisting of equivalent calories over eight weeks.  Compared to bagel eaters, egg eaters experienced 65% greater weight loss, 16% greater reduction in their percent body fat and 34% greater reduction in their waistline.  Because decreased belly fat is correlated with improved cardiovascular health, I'll give the egg a point and the bagel a bagel.

Eggs are rich in folic acid and vitamins A, E, and B12.  Eggs are also a cost-effective and complete source of protein.  Despite being rich in nutrients, some recommendations continue to advise limiting egg consumption due to concerns over the cholesterol content in eggs.  However, in a previous post,
 http://www.doctorchrisko.blogspot.com/2013/08/cooking-for-your-kids-mussels-for.html ,
I pointed out that dietary cholesterol does not elevate blood cholesterol levels as much as once believed.  So let's eggs-amine the eggs-perimental evidence shall we?  

Using rigorous statistical methodology, a recent analysis including over 250,000 subjects found no association between egg consumption and risk of heart disease or stroke.  These results may be partly explained by findings from studies that show egg consumption increases the amount of cholesterol carried on good HDL particles.  Egg consumption also increases the size of bad LDL particles, shifting the cholesterol profile towards a healthier pattern.

A final explanation for why egg consumption has not been shown to increase heart disease or stroke is based on the original question of whether a daily egg or a daily bagel is healthier.  Findings from a large survey called the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that people who ate at least 4 eggs per week actually had a significantly lower average cholesterol level than those who ate one or less eggs per week.  The question is, what do non-egg eaters eat instead of eggs, and how do those dietary habits adversely impact blood cholesterol levels?  I'll examine this and more in the next series of posts, entitled "Carbs Gone Bad".

Until then, check out this video featuring an easy recipe that you can use to prepare eggs for your kids.  In this video, I show you how to use eggs to incorporate vegetables into your child's diet and I debate the age old question of which came first, the chicken or the egg?

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Veggie Baked Eggs

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 6 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 3 basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• canola spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Spray wells of muffin pan with canola oil
3. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper
4. Fill wells of muffin pan half way with spinach, tomato, cheese, & basil
5. Pour whisked eggs into wells of muffin pan
6. Bake for 10 minutes, then broil for another 5 minutes.  

References

Vander Wal JS et al.  Egg breakfast enhances weight loss.  Int J Obes 2008;32(10):1545-51.

McNamara DJ.  The impact of egg limitations on coronary heart disease risk: do the numbers add up?  J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19:540S-548S.

Hu FB et al.  A prospective study of egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in men and women.  JAMA 1999;281:1387-1394.

Rong Y et al.  Egg consumption and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.  BMJ 2013:1-13.

Kanter MM et al.  Exploring the factors that affect blood cholesterol and heart disease risk: is dietary cholesterol as bad for you as history leads us to believe?  Adv Nutr 2012:711-717.

Song WO et al.  Nutritional contribution of eggs to american diets.  J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19(5):556S-562S.