Makes 2 cups

2 cups water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
4 ounces (1/4 block) silken or firm tofu
1 to 2 scallions
2 tablespoons red or white miso paste

Optional: can add swiss chard or kale to up nutrition

Instructions

1. Cut the tofu into very small cubes, 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch on each side. Slice the scallions very thinly.
2. In a saucepan, bring broth to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.
3. Place the miso in a small ramekin or measuring cup. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the broth and pour it over the miso. Whisk with a dinner fork or whisk until the miso is entirely dissolved in the water and no lumps remain.
4. Pour the dissolved miso back into the simmering broth.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tofu to the miso. Simmer just enough to warm the tofu, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not boil the miso once the tofu has been added. (If adding optional greens, add before adding the tofu).
6. Just before serving, scatter the scallions over the top of the soup.
7. Pour the miso into individual bowls and serve.

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However, you can prevent this by choosing quick healthy meals loaded with vitamins and protein to start their day.

Here are six great morning breakfast ideas…

 1.  Avocado toast with eggs

Spread avocado on toast and for protein furnish it with an egg. Avocados are rich in Omega’s and loaded with nutrients.

 2.  Fruit smoothie

I always add a little spinach or kale to my kids’ smoothies with strawberries and banana.  Smoothies are a great way to get in additional fruit and vegetables to boost their energy and their immune system.

The best thing about smoothies is that you can get very creative with them.  I have even gotten away with adding pulverized bone broth powder such as Great Lakes collagen to my kids’ smoothies.

3.  Oatmeal

A quick and simple way of preparing oatmeal is by using a slow cooker and preparing overnight.  The idea is to prepare breakfast while the family is sleeping. You can add some honey (for probiotics) and cinnamon.  It’s also a great way to get in fiber and minerals for breakfast.

4.  Yogurt parfait

Try choosing yogurts that are high in live bacteria and low in sugar.  In general try picking items that have 7 grams or lower in sugar.  Adding berries and granola is a great way to give your kids extra antioxidants and fiber.  Probiotic yogurts are a great to boost gut health.

5.  Apple with almond butter or sunflower seed butter

Simply use the apple slices instead of bread and dip in almond butter and granola mixture.  If you are in a hurry you can always spread the almond butter on the apple slices.  This is a great way to get in healthy fats that are important for memory, brain development and alertness as well as loading the body with healthy protein.

6.  Protein balls

Protein balls are a great way to get in fiber and protein.  There are many great recipes out there.

I make mine with banana flour.  I use 3 Tbsp. of my children’s favorite nut butter, 3 Tbsp. of cold pressed coconut oil, 3 tbsp. of honey, 3 tbsp. of banana flour.  Mix all ingredients make into little balls and freeze them for 10 minutes.  You can always add chocolate chips or granola to them.

Breakfast can be simple, nutritious and quick.  It’s important to prepare in advance, ideally the night before.

The post Healthy Breakfast for Kids first appeared on Inner Health & Wellness | Walnut Creek, CA..

The great thing about making homemade popsicles is you can combine different fruits and veggies to make delicious and healthy treats.

Tips to Making Delicious Popsicles:

Fruit

• Using puree fruits with lemon or lime helps to reduce the icy texture
• Natural juice such as orange, mango, pineapple, apple, grape and lemon help to enrich flavor without the need to add a lot of sugar

Creamy

• Yogurt or coconut milk helps to incorporate probiotics & healthy fat. Making it creamy and rich.
• Adding whole fruits creates a creamy popsicle

Protein

• Using PB 2 or Collagen powder is a great way to add extra protein

Sugar

• Instead of using cane sugar, try using honey or natural maple

Popsicle Molds

For popsicle molds, try using Lebice or Zoku brands.  The Popsicles are much easier to remove and they stand stable inside the freezer.

Healthy Homemade Fruit Popsicle:                                 

Peach Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles

• 3 cups strawberries, pureed to 1 1/2 cup
• 3 cups peaches, peeled and sliced, pureed to 1 1/2 cup
• 2 tablespoons honey, divided
• 2/3 cup vanilla greek yogurt/ non dairy substitute

INSTRUCTIONS:

1     In a blender, puree strawberries with four teaspoons honey then set aside. Clean blender, puree sliced peaches with two teaspoons, honey, set aside.

2     Layer the popsicles as follows; 2 teaspoons strawberry puree, one teaspoon yogurt, two teaspoons mango puree and repeat. Make a fruit puree your last layer.

3     Tap the mold on the counter to make sure all of the layers settle. Use a small spoon to drag vertically from the bottom to the top of the mold a few times to create a swirled pattern.

4     Gently tap the molds on the countertop to remove any air bubbles. Insert the popsicle sticks, and then freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight

Orange Mango Collagen Popsicles

• 4 cups mango, divided
• 1 Tbsp. of Great Lakes Collagen
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

1     Puree 3 cups mango slices, 1 Tbsp. of Collagen, orange juice and honey.

2     Cut the remaining 1 cup mango slices into 1/4 inch cubes. Evenly divide them among the popsicle molds.

3     Add 3 tablespoons of mango coconut mixture, gently tapping mold on the counter to make sure liquid fills in the diced mango spaces.

4     Add 1 tablespoon of coconut milk, or until the mold is filled. Insert the popsicle sticks, and then freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight

Carrot Delight Popsicle

3 carrots cut into chunks and steamed until soft

1 cup strawberries fresh or frozen

1 mango sliced

1/2 cup water

4 TB honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

Puree all the ingredients and pour into mold. Freeze at least 6 hours & enjoy.

The post Healthy Popsicles to Beat the Heat first appeared on Inner Health & Wellness | Walnut Creek, CA..

The problem with a lot of the store bought dips is that they are loaded with chemical preservatives, extra additives and coloring. They also tend to be high in sodium and refined sugar.

Dipping sauces can be made quickly with a few simple ingredients, making it healthier and richer in taste.

Quick and Healthy Dip Ideas:

Yogurt Dip

There are many ways to use yogurt for dip.  The benefits are that it’s rich in probiotics and protein.

• Plain Greek yogurt w/ mint or Dill
• Yogurt w/ Lemon and Cumin
• Yogurt w/ honey – Great for fruits
• Tzatiki yogurt sauce

Hummus Dip

Who doesn’t love hummus? Great to use on crackers, dunk fresh veggies or spread it on toast. Roasting veggies and then mixing with hummus is a great way to get in more veggies and nutrients.

• Avocado Hummus
• Roasted Red pepper Hummus
• Smokey Chipotle Hummus
• Roasted Garlic Hummus
• Roasted Cauliflower Hummus
• Mushroom Hummus

 Baba Ghanoush

Eggplants are great and add a nice rich taste to food.  This dip is a nice creamy dip that uses eggplant in place of chickpeas. It is a great source of vitamins and minerals.

• Roasted eggplant with lemon juice and fresh garlic is best served warm. This dip veers from traditional hummus because it uses eggplant as its star ingredient. After roasting eggplants, the flesh gets pureed with the more traditional ingredients, like lemon juice and garlic, for a super healthy treat. This one is best served warm, but it will keep in the fridge for several days.

Black Bean Dip

In place of chickpeas, black beans are swapped. Adding lime juice, green chiles and cumin gives this dip a little extra zest.  Great dip for appetizers and rich in protein.

Black Bean Avocado Salsa

Salsa recipes are a great way to increase gut health and work great for parties.

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained

1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel sweet corn, drained

4 roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 avocados, diced

Directions:

1. Mix black beans, corn, tomatoes, red bell pepper, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
2. Add avocado into the mixture.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, putting it right on top of salsa; chill at least 2 hours.

The post Quick & Healthy Dips first appeared on Inner Health & Wellness | Walnut Creek, CA..

INGREDIENTS:

• 3⁄4 cup cooked red or white quinoa 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon 1⁄2 apple chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in a container and stir to combine.
2. Cover and let sit in the fridge at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
3. Remove from fridge & give the mixture a stir and serve.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING:

Protein: 18g, Total Fat: 10g, Carbs: 56g, Calories: 387kcal, Fiber: 12g, Iron: 5.8mg, Sodium: 251mg, Saturated Fat: 1g,

Fruits: 0.5 servings, Vegetables: 0 servings, Added Sugar: 0g,

For more nutrition information go to www.eatlove.is

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