Belinda Kirkpatrick is an expert Nutritionist and Naturopath. She runs two busy clinics in Balmain and Paddington; is on the expert panel of Women’s Fitness magazine; lectures in nutrition and naturopathy; a mother of two beautiful girls and feels like a full-time cook and constant time-juggler!
Belinda specialises in the health of women and children and is also experienced in all areas of general practice. She provides caring, thorough and professional assessments and integrative healthcare.
What are your top 3 tricks to getting more fruit and vegetables into
your children’s diet?
1. My girls and I LOVE a smoothie with breakfast or as an after school snack. One of their favourite blends is when I blend frozen mango, banana and raspberries with coconut milk and chia seeds. They really have no idea that I also add 1/4 of an avocado, a stick of celery and 1/2 a cucumber. Sometimes I also sneak a little fresh beetroot in there but start small or your smoothie can end up tasting too woody! This way I know that they have already had 3 different fruits and 3 different veggies before they even start the day!
2. When the girls were small I used to make batches of my special “immune power pots’ – simply saute loads of garlic, leek, onions, parsley and shittake mushrooms. Add tomato paste or passata and blend together. This can then be used as pasta sauce, tomato dipping sauce, baked on fish or in casseroles. These veggies are full of immune-boosting foods that protect their immune systems during the winter months.
3. Desensitise your kids to raw vegetables by offering them as snacks most days when they are young. Make platters with carrot sticks, cucumber, celery and capsicum along with a variety of yummy dips. Share these snacks with them and even if they use the vegetables as a spoon to begin, one day they will eat them – but only if you make them ‘normal’, daily foods!
Extra tip! – Take baked sweet potato and pumpkin foods as snack options when you go out instead of crackers – kids usually love the sweet carbohydrate rich taste of these root vegetables.
Belinda’s Kids Favourite Easy Chicken and Bean Casserole
Serves 4
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 knob of organic butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 organic chicken thighs, trim all visible fat
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- A handful of shittake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tin of organic diced tomatoes
- 1 tin of organic cannelini beans, rinsed
- A big handful of chopped parsley
- A big handful of baby spinach
- Salt (Himalayan Pink Rock is best) and Pepper
Method:
Saute the onion in the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, until transparent. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the carrot, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes. Season well. Cook and cook for 30-40 minutes. Add cannelini beans, spinach and parsley and serve with quinoa and a green salad.
For more info on Belinda visit her website, and check out her Facebook page and Instagram page.
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Sophia Eats – Out Now!
When I was pregnant I began thinking about how I could ensure my child also shared this passion. I simply couldn’t imagine raising a child who wouldn’t enjoy hours of cooking and meal times with me! If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you will know that Sophia is, indeed, a prolific eater which brings me so much joy.
I created Sophia Eats e-book is a result of everything I have learnt about toddler health, both professionally and personally over the last few years. I studied paediatric nutrition, implemented all my food knowledge and spent many hours in the kitchen. Find out more about my ebook and purchase your copy here >>
