tempt them with chocolate

feeding the finicky.

this is the classic tale of boy-used-to-eat-anything-but-has-now-developed-some-random-food-aversions-that-always-change. can anyone relate? anyone? bueller?

well, this is probably another one of my lessons on being flexible. a kid has gotta eat, right? especially this one:

(he knows delicious things come out of the oven)

sometimes the battle is getting him to try something new. once he does try he usually loves it. other times, not. here's (another list) on what not to do:

1. pry his mouth open and shove it in. i'm pretty sure this will not work for you. ever. the kid will probably just cry, spit and feel an overall violation of his rights. i'm not saying i've tried this.

2. just let him eat whatever he wants. that's not gonna fly in my house. i am not going to be a short order cook. if you do this, your child will own dinner time. so i've heard.

3. give him a near dinner snack/bottle/milk. i try to give him his last snack 2 1/2 to 3 hours before dinner time. i dislike hearing him whine while i fix dinner, but if he is whining it usually means he is hungry and he'll eat what i give him so i also secretly like it.

4. lose your cool. even if i haven't given him a snack sometimes he still won't eat what i've placed so lovingly in front of him. it is so easy to get frustrated and impatient. if you lose your cool no one gets to enjoy dinner. 

i usually let him have a healthy snack before bed, dinner or not. that or i try to re-offer dinner. sometimes it works. i firmly believe he would wake up in the middle of the night starving if he didn't eat. the kid can put away 4-5 pancakes in the morning or a couple eggs with toast and a whole piece of fruit! so until he can talk and be reasoned with, he will be fed.

healthy, easy, delicious. my man takes these for breakfast in the morning. he goes to work at 6:30. i'm not getting up to cook him breakfast. get real. but i really do applaud those of you who do decide to take on that nightmare task.

oatmeal muffins

ingredients:

1 avocado, smashed

2 eggs

1 c. unsweetened applesauce

6 packets of stevia (i use stevia in the raw)

a drizzling of honey (i like sweets)

5 c. old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 c. flaxseed meal

1 tbs cinnamon

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2-2 3/4 c. milk or water.* 

chocolate chips for the topping

*i tend to use less milk because we like them that way. i have made a lot of these. you can use any amount in this range and they should turn out fine. just play with it and you'll find what you like.

directions

1. preheat oven to 350

2. smash avocado and add eggs, applesauce, stevia and honey. mix. 

3. add oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. mix.

4. pour in milk and combine.

6. grease a muffin tin or uses liners. distribute evenly.

7. put your chocolate chips on top. generously. or not. 

8. bake 30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

i usually keep a few out and freeze the rest in groups of 4. i take them out the night before to enjoy by morning. personally, i like them warm with a little bit of milk on top. if you keep them all unfrozen, then i suggest you keep them in the fridge. you may be thinking 'duh' but we weren't all blessed with such sense. ahem. 

so that's what the little dude gets when he decides to boycott dinner. that or carrot muffins. those will come later. at least i know he's getting something healthy. it warms a mother's heart.