Richeson Kitcheson

 Here's a little post about what's going on in our kitchen lately. 

 I'm a recovering picky eater. Everett is currently our picky eater. Who can relate? We love reading this book and it's SO much funnier in a British accent like the video. 

As a result, when we find something we like, we usually stick with it. I grab a protein bar and some coffee on school mornings. Ok, actually I do this on ALL the mornings. For about 6 years. I hear you shouting breakfast rut and I agree!

This summer I have been trying out some things to see if they might be an option on school mornings. That way, I could save my protein bar for lunch. (I never said I'd give them up!!)

Ideally, it would be a smoothie. Done right, they just give you the biggest nutritional bang for your buck. 

There isn't any one magic smoothie recipe. You just kind of play around till you find what you like. I always put leafy greens, protein powder, and ground flax seed in mine. After that, it's usually whatever I have on hand. 

This one is my current favorite. It has half a small avocado in it. I have been resisting putting an avocado in my smoothie for years. YEARS. I was scared. I didn't believe people when they said it was great. It was great! Now, I just feel silly for resisting. 

I have been adding this to my smoothies too because I just don't like chia seeds. I just don't. I don't know why. They bug me. You would NEVER know this is fish oil. Your kid will lick the spoon, I promise-- and so will you. It comes in other flavors if you don't like lime. 

I have been using unsweetened almond milk for years as well and now I'm really loving the almond/coconut and the cashew. And the variety. YUM.

I don't really like regular milk so that makes these extra appealing to me. I use them on my cereal too. Eric likes them, but he really likes regular milk as well and still drinks that along with Everett.

Funny story, when I first found out about almond milk I tried to switch everyone over. Eric was on board. The kids HATED it. I thought if I continued to only offered it, they would eventually come around. I was wrong. I was able to back-peddle and save Everett. He's back on regular milk. However, I lost Evie forever. She won't drink milk. NO milk. Not almond, not coconut, not chocolate or whole or skim. No milk. Oops. 

The other breakfast I have been trying this summer is hard boiled eggs. I eat them in salads all the time but I have never really liked them just on their own. 

Then someone said to salt them. So I did. And....now I like them on their own. Who knew salt could do that? Why didn't I try that? Now, I'm eating boiled eggs. 

Random Fact: I was going to boil a dozen eggs but I had one left from my friend Laura so I threw that one in too (it was the only brown one). The top egg is a regular store egg (I try to get the pastured, vegetarian etc.) but the one on the bottom is the one from Laura's actual chickens. Right down in Alvin. Look how the shell just came right off! I thought this was worth noting. I will have to repeat the (inadvertent) experiment and see if I get the same results!

 Beverages are another constant struggle. My name is Tracie and I love Coke Zero. 

I am not even going to TRY to give up soda anymore. But, I am going to go back to regular sugar soda. I'm not saying I'm not going to ever drink diet soda (I love you Coke Zero!). When I make these kind of changes for me, or for anyone in the family, I just don't keep it in the house, that's all. We have no hard and fast diet rules. 

I did find that I automatically stopped drinking more than one a day when I did this. I really like Coca-Cola Life the best. It is still hard to find though. But, I saw it at Kroger, and the hospital cafeteria my sister was in last month, and even at Cinemark so, I know it won't be long now.

 

In the meantime, I have been drinking the Pepsi made with real sugar. They have this in Cherry Pepsi also- yum.

 I also drink True Lemonade. I was drinking Crystal Light but it was the same problem with artificial sweeteners as diet soda. A few years ago I found True Lemonade and never looked back. 

I know there are more great products out there. I have infused my water with fruit, I tried that La Croix stuff (no thank you!), I also drink tea sometimes. 

It's not that I don't like water. I do like water. I just like it most when I'm really thirsty or when I'm working out. Sometimes I just need something with taste or fizz. 

My kids know to (and often do) offer mom a soda when she's upset/frustrated. It is something that keeps the peace and makes them feel like they can do something to make me smile or feel better so it's probably not going anywhere. We all need our comfort foods (or drinks).

How about you? What is your food or meal struggle? What are you trying to upgrade in your diet?