inspirational parent: maria shaflender

I have a passion for children’s health.  I really get that fire in my belly feeling when I meet like minded health professionals…we simply have the best conversations!  One such colleague is the incredible Maria Shaflender, a fellow nutritionist, and Sydney’s answer to better family health.  Maria is the owner of True Foods Nutrition.  As well as running a successful clinic, Maria is passionate about spreading good health through her wonderful workshops.  Based in Bondi, you can come along to a workshop and learn about bone broths, pro-biotic foods, and make some super delicious healthy snacks.  Such a clever, busy lady, Maria is also the mum of two awesome children.  I met Maria while volunteering for the Mindd Foundation, inspiring me with her knowledge, her passion and empathy.  What a mum!

How old are your children?

I have 2 kids: a boy 7y.o and a girl 5y.o

What is your food philosophy for your children?

“Health through real food”- that’s my motto and food philosophy at home. Wholefoods every day, nothing made in a factory with fake ingredients, nothing my grandparents wouldn’t recognise.

What inspires you to feed your child the way you do?

The difference in their health! Their immune systems, digestive systems, concentration, growth and overall health have VASTLY improved on a wholefoods ancestral/Paleo style diet.

What tips have you got for travelling families?

Pack your snacks and food and take on the plane where possible. I usually pack: boiled eggs, vegies sticks, whole avocados with a plastic knife, beef and kangaroo jerkey and homemade muesli bars/slices. If you can’t bring your own, keep it clean with wholefoods by ordering: eggs with sides like mushrooms/tomatoes/spinach (most cafes manage thisJ), vegies and fruit or good quality wraps.

What are your 3 top snacks?

Kangaroo jerky, nutty bliss balls (both home- made), fruit and vegie sticks

How do you look after yourself as well as your child?

Making sure I get enough sleep- I don’t function well on less than 8 hours. If I’m in a good mood, everyone is happy!

What brings balance to your family?

Prioritising the important things: good food and cooking, time together. Involving kids in food preparation and growing herbs and vegies allows them to develop a deep appreciation of real food.

What is your favourite activity to do together as a family?

Go to the beach and make berry muffins! (gluten/grain/dairy freeJ)

Do you have a favourite inspirational quote that lights up your life?

“Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here yet, focus on today”. No idea who said it, but it reminds me to stay mindful.

You can find Maria over on her facebook page, or find one of her workshops on her website  

Here is a yummy Fritatta Recipe from her wonderful website!

Ingredients:

-2 carrots, diced and steamed for about 15 mins to soften
-3 small zucchini, diced
-1 small bunch of kale, finely diced
-3 slices of turkey bacon, diced (from Sam the Butcher on Bondi rd) or use pasture raised bacon if you eat pork
-1 brown onion, finely sliced
-5 organic free range eggs
-2 tbsp. of butter
-1/2 cup milk (I use raw Cleopatra’s milk)
-1/2 cup grated cheese (I use raw Gruyere or Nimbin natural blocks)
-sea salt

 

How to:

-In a tart dish: place diced zucchini and kale. On a frying pan sauté onions and bacon in butter until crispy. Place bacon and onions on top of zucchini and kale in the tart dish. Sprinkle this layer with salt.
-Place steamed carrots on top in the next layer. Place grated cheese on top.
-In a bowl beat eggs and milk with fork. Sprinkle a bit of salt into the egg mixture.
-Carefully pour the egg mixture over the frittata so that the egg liquid almost comes to the inside edge of the dish.
-Bake in 200◦C oven for 35-45 mins, until the egg mixture is fully set and the top is crispy and golden.

11/52

A portrait of my child once a week, every week for 2015

My nana was an amazing knitter.  All I ever wanted was her to knit me a baby blanket, so a few years ago my mum asked her, just in case.  What I got was a treasure trove of beautiful garments, and this hood is simply gorgeous.  It’s a bit hard in Sydney to get a baby to wear one as it’s not cold enough, so we did a quick (iphone) shoot when we were mucking about.  In the background is the beautiful baby blanket she made.  Delicious.

http://www.practisingsimplicity.com/search/label/the%2052%20project

10/52

  

A portrait of my child once a week, every week for 2015

It’s bliss as Rafael finally goes to sleep after some hard nights teething.

inspirational parent: kylie lesueur

I have been on a lot of travels in my time.  They all started when I was 22 and I went to the USA to work in a kids summer camp…it was the best thing I ever did!  I made a tonne of friends, whom I still cherish to this day 13 years later.  Amazing,  This beautiful mama is one of those friends.  We were joined at the hip throughout our summer, those were the days!

Kylie is now a wonderful mama to two little gorgeous babes, and although she says she is a stay at home mum, she really is a little entrepreneur with her groovy Indi + Hix company, making hair accessories and bibs trendy.

I love how Kylie has embraced health and wellness in their lives, and truly believes in nourishing herself so she can be the best for her family.  The best health, the best role model and the best example of taking care of herself.

How old is your child?

India-Rose is 2.3 years old and Hendrix is 6 months

 

What is your food philosophy for your child?

Our family philosophy is clean, fresh nourishing food. Plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains. We stick to 80/20 and everything in moderation.

What inspires you to feed your child the way you do?

Having a daughter was my initial inspiration. I want her to have a good association with food, health and body image (something I didn’t have growing up). Going back to basics on nutrition and fuelling our bodies with nutritious, colourful foods to make us feel and look good. I also took on my own mission for better health after becoming a mum. When Hendrix was born I was a mum to 2 under 2. Not feeling great wasn’t an option for me. More than ever I needed to eat clean nutritious food to ensure I had the daily energy and stamina to keep up.

What tips have you got for travelling families?

Lots of snacks to keep the little ones content

What are your 3 top snacks?

Bliss balls (Indi thinks they are a treat)

Wholemeal pita bread crackers (olive oil and Himalayan salt)

Coconut chips, seeds, nuts, dried fruit mix

 

How do you look after yourself as well as your child?

This one is a little tricky. I’m guilty of absorbing myself into mummy life and forgetting about myself. My new years resolution was to find more balance. I do yoga once a week; try to get to the gym. I love sewing. I find it relaxing and therapeutic

What brings balance to your family?

The simple things. Story time at night. Eating dinner as a family. A walk to the park together.

 

What is your favourite activity to do together as a family?

Camping. We have a caravan so try to get away as often as we can. Technology gets turned off and it’s all about reconnecting.

 

Do you have a favourite inspirational quote that lights up your life?

Be kind to unkind people. They need it the most.

Be sure to check out Kylie on Instagram and FB too for her wonderful collection

https://www.facebook.com/indiandhix?fref=ts

http://indihix.bigcartel.com/

inspirational parent: nicky wood

Through my very first inspirational parent, I have encounter a wonderful mum who lives in Queensland.  Nicky Wood is a naturopath and creator of Super Kids Food.  Through a remarkable health journey with her own daughter, Phoebe, Nicky developed super kids food to increase her daughter’s nutritional intake, especially at particularly difficult times in their lives

The product is fantastic, its full of super foods, and a multiple probiotic strains to help with good gut health and ultimately great all over health.  Super Kids Food is packed with high quality ingredients, chosen for their purity.  The key to the product being successful, is that it is sourced from REAL food, and so easy to give to ‘fussy eaters’.  I’ve tried it, it’s yum!  So easy to pop into a smoothie, sprinkle over dinner, add to bliss balls…the possibilities to amping up your child’s nutrient requirements is endless.

Lets check out what makes Nicky tick…

Inspirational Parent Questionnaire:

How old is your child?

My daughter is 10 about to turn 11 in May (mother’s day this year!)

What is your food philosophy for your child?

Gluten free, organic, treats allowed but only if a healthy meal is consumed or is in balance with rest of health. Organic dairy milk was introduced from the age of 5 onwards and she has had no adverse reactions.

What inspires you to feed your child the way you do?

Apart from my naturopathic training, my daughter was born with a cleft lip and palate and started off with feeding challenges from the moment she was born.   On the day of her birth she had an bedside appointment with the speech pathologist! Since then she has had numerous surgeries and orthodontic intervention so her immune health and recovery during these was a high focus of mine for her. She is also very active these days so I want to ensure she has plenty of fuel for all that energy!

What tips have you got for travelling families?

Don’t leave the probiotics or electrolyte formula at home! It is a given that you will eat different foods and taste different quality of water and the probiotic protection can’t be undervalued in these situations. If a bug does pass through the ‘gate’ and gastro kicks in, electrolytes are vitally important. I also suggest travel with a first aid kit that includes homeopathic remedies for gastro, headaches, ear infections, fever, anxiety and grumpiness (overwhelm). This is a must include when we travel and has saved us many times a trip to an unknown doctor or pharmacy.

What are your 3 top snacks?

Super Food balls, homemade iceblocks, smashed avocado/coriander/red onion/cherry tomato/lime and crackers

How do you look after yourself as well as your child?

Insist on quiet down time for me alone. Even if it is just for half an hour. That is often all I need to reset the button and go again.

What brings balance to your family?

Time in each health quadrant – good food, regular exercise, rest and something that feeds our creative/soulful spirit (sometimes that is as simple as talking through a difficult situation in completion).

What is your favourite activity to do together as a family?

My daughter and I both surf together. I’m very much a learner – she is so much better than me!

Do you have a favourite inspirational quote that lights up your life?

Live life as if everything is rigged in your favour!

Thank you Nicky for being inventive and inspiring

Head to her website to check out Super Kids Food

http://superkidsfood.com.au/

Here is a great recipe from the website too

Super Kids Food  ®    Super Protein Balls

 Ingredients

 1 jar of ABC nut butter (can also use almond, brazil nut or cashew butter or tahini)

1 tablespoon of maple syrup or rice syrup or 1/2 teaspoon of Stevia (if sweetening is required)

1 tablespoon of carob or raw cacao powder mixed with water into a liquid paste

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/3 cup desiccated coconut

2 teaspoons of chia or sesame seeds (optional)

2 teaspoons of Super Kids Foods  ®

1/2 cup dried figs, medjool dates, cranberries or goji berries if preferred

*For extra crunch you can pop roasted buckwheat groats, cacao nibs or chopped pumpkin seeds into the mix

Preparations

Drain off oil from nut butter and retain 2 teaspoons.  Add back to nut butter and mix all ingredients (except coconut) together and scoop a teaspoon of mixture.  Roll into small balls and roll in coconut.  Refrigerate then eat as a healthy morning or afternoon tea bite or pre training snack.

9/52

A portrait of my child once a week, every week in 2015

Rafael is mastering the art of sitting! I love him on my bed, in the gorgeous light. Using my iPhone, with a filter, but aaaahhh his happy face.