Super Cute Christmas Grinch Fruit Kebabs Looking for some Christmas food inspiration that is healthy and kid friendly? Then look no further than these beauties! I found these on the American Diabetes Association Website (with photo credit to nourishingminimalism.com)
These are a perfect xmas themed snack you can make with your children - or better yet, get your kids to make them on their own! Cutting fruit will increase their skills and confidence and the threading of the fruit onto skewers will promote hand-eye coordination skills, not to mention a sense of pride and achievement making these! For parents of fussy eaters - another fantastic benefit of involving you child in cooking is that they are more likely to want to try new foods when they have been involved in preparing those foods. Suitable ages: Toddler (2-3 years) - will be able to thread the pre-cut fruit onto skewers (try straws for the younger children so they don't hurt themselves!) Kindy child (4 years and up) - may cut soft fruits such as bananas and strawberries with an appropriate plastic knife (always supervise) Older child - can do it all themselves! Christmas Grinch Fruit Kebabs Ingredients: bananas - sliced evenly (dip in lemon juice to prevent browning) grapes - washed strawberries - washed and end sliced evenly small marshmallows or cheese stick (cut into small pieces) toothpicks Method: 1. place grape onto toothpick first, followed by a piece of banana and then the flat part of the strawberry - as shown in the picture. 2. Finish off with a small marshmallow or piece cheese 3. Cut any extra toothpick off the ends as required Place on a platter with some chocolate sauce to dip into if desired! **Allergy friendly**
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome - 5 simple ways to improve your gut health
Are you struggling daily with one or more of the following symptoms: abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, excess wind and/or altered bowel habits? It could actually be a condition known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). It’s a topic many of us do not discuss (and rightly so - who wants to discuss their bowel habits over a cuppa with their friends?!) but the fact is that IBS is a very common condition which affects up to 30% of people at some stage in their life (mainly affecting women between 20 - 60 years). It may be caused by a variety of things including food sensitivities, intolerances, stress, imbalance of gut bacteria and hormones to name a few. If you suspect you may be suffering from IBS, its important to see your GP to get any other serious conditions ruled out prior to trying any alternative treatments. If you have been diagnosed with IBS, how can you manage this sometimes debilitating condition? The following are some simple strategies which may help: ü Consume probiotics daily to improve the balance of good bacteria in your gut (such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso soup and probiotic supplements) ü Limit alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods as these can irritate your gut ü Practice regular de-stressing techniques (a simple walk daily can make a huge difference) ü Regular exercise and 6-8 glasses water per day ü Reduce consumption of high FODMAP containing foods**. This may include wheat, onion, garlic, high fructose fruits (apples/pears), lactose (in dairy) to name a few! **FODMAP is an acronym for a group of carbohydrates which are poorly digested and absorbed in the gut. A low FODMAP diet may be prescribed by a dietitian or health professional to help treat IBS. For further information about a trialling a low FODMAP diet check out Monash University's site on all things Low FODMAP http://med.monash.edu.au/cecs/gastro/fodmap/ or you can contact us for a confidential chat about how we may be able to help you Laura Ryan Accredited Practising Dietitian & Nutritionist |
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