Teaching Green Smoothies to Happy Kids in Foodie Fun, with a Smothie Bike at Kawana Library

Foodie Fun the event was called and it certainly was!

On the school holidays I had the delight of teaching a really fun school holiday cooking class with the Kawana Library as sponsored by Community Solutions.
I believe the greatest gift we can give our children is the tools to live a healthy, happy life and the very best way of doing that is by making healthy living and healthy eating a fun, enjoyable experience.
When given the chance to cook, grow food and exercise in fun ways kids blow you away with their enthusiasm, their excitement and ability to get involved.
They never cease to inspire me!
I was absolutely delighted to be asked to teach a group of kids some healthy cooking recipes over the school holidays.
And no, I am not about "hiding' veggies from them, they were all on display for them all to see, to touch, to smell, to taste if they wanted too. How it should be.
We need to give kids the chance to really experience their fruits and vegetables, to grow them, to source them at markets, supermarkets, to prepare them and cook with them, to eat them in many different ways. To learn about them, enjoy them. Not just have them hidden in their nightly meal.
This, I believe is the true way to get kids eating healthier.
Inspire them.


What did we make?

We made delicious healthy chocolate bliss balls!















We made lovely pretty in pink smoothies.
And we made, what ended up being the absolute favourite of the whole class, yep everyone was unanimous!
GREEN SMOOTHIES....
Yep all 20 kids booked in for the school holiday cooking class with me at Kawana library, knowing full well as they made batches themselves too, that it contained spinach and kale, absolutely loved the green smoothies!!

The whole smoothie making experience was such a highlight of the whole event, especially with the generously supplied SMOOTHIE BIKE, invented by a very forward thinking Sunshine Coast Council and able to be loaned by community events and groups.

 The genius smoothie bike!
Sunshine Coast council created fun and healthy inspired living 

I have taught a lot of cooking events and classes and I have to say that teaching kids warms your very soul.

My gorgeous little helper, my miss 8!

 Putting in the miles for the smoothies!

Yes, there is already more events on the cards! And I have been so excited by the feedback from parents telling me their kids asked for all the ingredients to go out and make them at home, one family even had to go and buy a blender they told me! So thrilled they were that their child willingly wants to eat spinach and kale! I tell you working with great kids like these guys, seeing them enjoy healthy food and have fun making it literally fills you with JOY!

Absolutely kid approved Green Smoothies
(otherwise known as incredible hulk, goblin green or green lantern superhero smoothies in our house ;)

Ingredients:

(serves 4 big glasses or 6 smaller glasses)

·        1 cup dairy/soy, rice, coconut milk

·        1 cup vanilla yoghurt (we used Maleny Dairies a local producer here as i am a huge supporter of shopping local - you could also use, natural, greek or coconut yoghurt)

·        2 kiwi fruit, skin removed

·        1 large mango ( You can use frozen if fresh out of season)

·        2 bananas

·        1 cup washed baby spinach leaves

·        ¼ cup washed kale
Dash vanilla paste

·        Fresh mint and sliced kiwifruit to serve/decorate (optional)


I find with my two kids that a green smoothie packed full of goodness is perfect for them for breakfast, neither of my kids likes a big, heavy breakfast so a filling and health packed smoothie serves them well, sometimes they have toast, porridge or other things with it sometimes just a smoothie.
At home I also add in extras sometimes like oats, coconut oil, super greens powder , superfoods for kids cberry blast or berry choc chunk - click on my affiliate picture below to check these gorgeous goodies out!
(PS the cocobiotics bars are incredible! ;) )
These powders are so amazing and are completely natural, no hidden nasties! My kids would eat them out of the jar given half a chance...