5 Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day Naturally Colored with REAL FOOD

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St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! As a Certified Culinary Nutritionist and Health Coach, I like to think of St. Patrick’s Day is a great opportunity to expose your kids to green veggies in fun, creative ways!

There are so many fun recipes, made with real food ingredients that are good for you AND taste delicious too. Parents are often surprised when their child eats a Spinach Pancake for the first time and then asks for another one. One of my favorite memories, is when I held a kids cooking class around my kitchen table and we all made leprechaun maizes for our little leprechaun friends. The maize could only be made with green fruits and veggies. The kids were happily chomping on zucchini and eating spinach like they were chips as they used their imagination to create.

Keep the adventure and creativity high, while keeping the pressure low. 


When it comes to feeding our kids, my motto is always, “keep the adventure and creativity high while keeping the pressure low.” This approach is a game changer. Whenever you can make trying a new food into a game, the chance of your child actually taking a bite increases. My favorite game is the “Rate it” Game using a Taste-O-Meter. Instead of asking your child to just take ONE bite, which for me, often ended in a battle of me begging and my daughter refusing. (Read Why I Ditched the “NO thank You Bite.”)  Instead say, “Tell me what you rate it.” This simple shift in language turns trying new food into a game and can make a huge difference. I see it over and over again in my kids cooking classes as well as at home with my own girls.

I recently had a mom tell me her 4 year old son has been working with a food therapist for the past 2 years. The only thing he will eat it goldfish AND he tried a date for the first time in my cooking class! You can download this amazing tool to add to your parenting toolbox here. I recommend printing it out and keeping it on your fridge as a reminder to make trying new foods fun.

In addition to the Taste-O-Meter here are 3 other tips that can make a big difference

  1. Getting your child involved in the kitchen and have them take ownership in their creation. See 6 delicious and nutritious recipes below if you are looking for ideas.
  2. Surround your child with peers who are also trying new foods.  Sometime a little peer pressure can be an amazing thing. If you are looking for kids cooking classes that do just this, I have you covered! 
  3. Sometimes, it takes someone other than a parent to move the needle. As a former first grade teacher and of mom of two elementary school girls, I know that kids act very differently with a teacher versus a parent. 

5 Gluten Free recipes naturally colored green with REAL FOOD perfect for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations


If you give these recipes a try, please take a photo and tag @misascleankitchen. I’d love to hear what your family thinks and what you rate them.

Spinach Pancakes
Spinach Chocolate Chip Muffins
Mango Guacamole
Spinach Mac and Cheese
Green Deviled Eggs

Looking to get your kids involved in the kitchen? Have a picky eater? Want to expose your kids to veggies? Check out my upcoming classes. 


Upcoming Kids cooking classes

 

I’m excited to be offering two, four-week series in May at the Portsmouth Recreation Department.  One series will be geared towards preschool aged students and the other series will be after school for elementary aged students. Details coming soon!  Be sure to check back here AND sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming classes.  

When it comes to raising healthy eaters, remember it is important to play the long game. Creating healthy habits in our kids take time, patience, and creativity. You’ve got this! Want help? Feel free to reach out. I have a variety of different services to meet you where you are. I’d be honored to help you on your family’s health journey. 

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Hi, I'm Misa! I'm a certified health coach, educator, mom of 2 girls, and a wife. I enjoy exercising, cooking, being outdoors, playing with my family, and a night out with my girlfriends. My favorite place is the beach. I feel very lucky to live on the Seacoast with miles and miles of coastline to explore. Prior to staying at home with my girls, I was a first grade teacher for close to 10 years. I recently took a leap of faith, and decided to turn my passion for nutrition and my experience as an educator into a business! My mission is to help families make small, sustainable changes with their nutrition to improve their health. I offer virtual kids cooking classes to help empower kids in the kitchen and show them that food can taste delicious AND be good for us! I especially love working with families of picky eaters, offering them practical tools to add to their toolbox, helping to shape young tastes to appreciate real food. Connect with my on instagram @MisasCleanKitchen, facebook www.facebook/misascleankitchen and my website www.misascleankitchen.com