What is it with kids and eating green????
Growing up in era where things were just a little different, what worked then didnt work now. I had to learn years ago to be sly if I wanted to get more veggies into my kids including cutting carrots in zig zag shapes, I needed to be a bit more creative……and sneaky. Martha Stewart taught me that presentation was everything!
“Back then” was a time where you ate everything that was put on your plate. Peas!!! Ugh. Horrible little green things. My dad would try a joking way to get me to eat them. “They’ll make your boobies grow”. His loving humor would quickly subside and there were many nights I would be left sitting at the table while dishes were being done and…..the peas were on my plate. Probably by this time marinating in tears of resistance and pity. I learned quickly that they taste better warm than they do cold!
If I may, a bit of a spiel on eating disorders. My relationship with food covers all bases:
Emotional eating: food was a big thing for us, we’re Italian! Every occasion including Sunday dinners was focused around food. Food was a source of feel good celebrations of time together.
Resistance eating: story above!
Fad diets: ever hear of the liquid protein diet? Tried it. Along with a grapefruit diet. Both of those while I was a pre-teen.
Purging: Who hasn’t had an over indulgent evening of either food or alcohol and had a brief thought about hurling the source of discomfort? Purge: to remove by cleansing or purifying. Now a days they call it cleanse or detox! Sport Specific diet: ever ask a competitive athlete what they eat? Runners, bodybuilders. You may think they were nuts and hand them a referral for a eating disorder specialist.
My point being in all of that is that we all go through periods of experimenting with food and our bodies. Figuring out how and what feels and fuels us. Like the journey of mourning, it’s when we get stuck in a distorted perception that is harming. In the words of Mother Theresa: “the world today is hungry not only for bread, but hungry for love”
So, along come the kiddies……..in my attempt to get some green in them I’d try to mulch in the smallest form of zucchini to mix in a chocolate loaf. One spotting of green would sent out all alarms. “Don’t touch it. There’s green”. “What’s in this” was the most commonly asked question for years.
I have stayed true to my ways for 20 years and the tides have changed. My kids NOW bring home recipes and ideas of incorporating healthy veggies, gluten free and legumes into our baking. I cannot stress enough the value and importance of, from the very youngest of ages, getting kids involved in the kitchen.
Brought home from one of my kids, I now introduce you to ……. 
BLACK BEAN BROWNIES (tried tested and loved. Not too mention, healthy)
1 can (or equivalent of dried) well rinsed & drained black beans
2eggs
3 tbsp oil (coconut is good OR butter)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cocoa powder
1tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Semi sweet chocolate chips (we’ll try dark chocolate next time)
Mix all ingredients in a blender (I used a food processor).
Blend until there are no whole black beans. Line 8×8 pan with parchment paper and pour in mixture.
Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. I used a whole bag. NEXT TIME, half the bag! Not only is it way too much chocolate, but the inserting of a toothpick to see if their done is a challenge to read.
Bake in 350 oven. The directions called for 20-25 minutes, they took double the time for me.
Let them cool for 30 minutes before cutting or they will fall apart!
High Voltage Health 