Why is this a “Super Salad”? Spinach is a good source of vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, vitamin K, Magnesium and has antioxidants. It is a great source of iron which helps build hemoglobin which carries oxygen throughout the body. Oranges are a natural sugar which can give an energy boost to athletes and of course have vitamin C to keep colds at bay. Blueberries have fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants and the blue in blueberries has been said to improve memory, balance and coordination which would be handy in the Olympics. Hard boiled eggs have a lot of vitamins (A,D,E and B12), plus iron and folate among other things. They also provide protein which is important for muscle repair in athletes. And finally, low fat yogurt is loaded with calcium which is important to sports stars bones and is rich in vitamin B12. It is also said to prevent fatigue and is considered a great recovery food for athletes because it promotes glycogen replenishment and muscle recovery.
SNACK TIME:
Sports Smoothie Supreme:
Ingredients: yogurt (any flavour but vanilla works best with the flavour profile here), honey or banana or both (for sweetness), a protein (we used peanut butter but almond or another nut butter would work as well, or for those with nut allergies try silken tofu), milk (any type...cows, almond, soy), ice (Optional but it does make it cool and refreshing), a handful of oats, a dash or cinnamon.
Steps: I don’t generally measure when I make a smoothie, I usually just guess pour and adjust as needed depending on how many people I am serving. Add the ingredients and mix in a blender and then taste to see what else it needs. For a thicker smoothie add more yogurt, for a smoother texture add more milk.
DESSERT:
Olympic Rings Cookies:
Make some sugar or butter cookies and using two circle cookie cutters cut out a large circle and then cut a smaller circle out of the larger one to create rings. Be sure to colour them using Olympic coloured icing (red, green, black, yellow and blue). If you don’t have circle cookie cutters you can reuse two different sized cans (like a tomato paste can and a soup can) just clean the cans out and press into the dough as you could a proper cookie cutter!
LUNCH:
Super Salad for Sports Stars:
Ingredients: Baby spinach, mandarin oranges, blueberries, hard boiled egg, low-fat Greek yogurt, chives or spring onions, fresh or dried dill, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, lemon juice.
Step 1: For each person put some cleaned baby spinach in a bowl.
Step 2: Top with mandarin orange segments and blueberries.
Step 3: Slice the hard boiled egg and put some slices on each persons salad.
Step 4: Make the dressing by whisking the yogurt with a bit of lemon juice to make it the consistency you would like (ours wasn’t very runny). Add chopped chives and dill, a dash or garlic powder to taste, and a squirt of Dijon mustard. Put some dressing on top of each salad.
Why are these “energy balls”? The dates and raisins provide natural sugars (plus other good vitamins) and the nuts provide protein.
Olympic Games
VARIATION 3: Make some regular cupcakes and ice them with white frosting then make little flags using toothpicks and clip art found on the internet. We choose countries to represent our family: where we live, where the kids were born, where our relatives live, and the Olympic flag.
Why is this “power pasta”? Whole Wheat Pasta provides energy-rich carbohydrates and fibre, perfect to prep your little athlete for some active Olympic fun.
Why is this a “Sports Smoothie Supreme”? Athletes need protein to repair and rebuild muscles that have been broken down due to sports activities. The nut butter (or tofu for those with allergies), yogurt and milk all provide protein. The oats provide B vitamins which give an energy boost and oats provide fiber which slows sugar absorption and maintains energy levels.
VARIATION 2: Make some regular cupcakes and ice them with white frosting then arrange coloured candies in a circle on each of five cupcakes to create the five coloured rings. If you are making these ahead of time DO NOT put the candies on in advance. If you do the colours will bleed over time so I suggest just icing them and then before dessert or your party decorate with the coloured chocolates.
Energy Balls:
These little bite sized protein goodies make great after school snacks.
I based my recipe on http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/ (she does not call them energy balls but you can find them on her website under “Snackety Snacks” and then under “Bars”).
For our Theme Day I made her no bake Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cookies: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/08/24/peanut-butter-cookie-dough-cookies/ and also her Cashew Cookie Larabars: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/11/08/homemade-cashew-cookie-larabars/ and simply rolled them into balls. My kids gobble these down without blinking, whereas if I set a bowl down with raisins, dates and nuts in them they wouldn’t touch the food at all. Ah, the joys of a Food Processor!
BREAKFAST:
Whole Wheat Pancakes
Ingredients: 1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour, 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (125 mL) wheat germ, 1 tsp (5 m) baking soda,
1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar, Dash of salt, 2 eggs, 2 cups (500 mL) milk (you can use buttermilk or regular milk), (Optional) blueberries.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, stir all dry ingredients together. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs and add milk. Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon.
Step 2: Heat a skillet to medium-high. With a ¼ cup measuring cup pour batter to make 2 or 3 pancakes.
Step 3: When bubbles appear on top and edges look dry flip pancakes over and cook for another minute or more. If adding blueberries do so before flipping. Continue until all batter is used up.
ADAPTED FROM Eat It UP! Lip Smacking recipes for Kids, page 12.
Olympic Cupcakes:
There are a few different ways to decorate Olympic Cupcakes.
VARIATION 1: Make some regular cupcakes and ice them with white frosting then press in five M&M’s (red, green, black, yellow and blue) in the Olympic Rings Pattern. If you are making these ahead of time DO NOT put the M&Ms on in advance. If you do the colours will bleed over time so I suggest just icing them and then before dessert or your party decorate with the coloured chocolates.
FOODS
NOTE: Least you think I have some freakish kids who adore spinach and salads in general, let me assure you they do not! I got them to eat this lunch primarily by advocating the sports benefits (see the note after the recipe). I often appeal to my eldest son’s intellect when trying to convince him to eat better foods since he is my science boy. My youngest likes yogurt so I hoped by coating the salad in a thick yogurt dressing he’d eat it. The verdict: My eldest ate it all and thought it was good. My littlest protested my insistence that he eat blueberries (which he hates) by only eating two of those and then eating just the egg and the oranges (which he loves). Oh well, I tried!
Teach your young athletes, not only about the foods necessary for health, but also which foods to avoid. Tell your kids that Olympic athletes try to steer clear of soft drinks, fat filled pastries, sugared cereals, processed grains (like those found in white bread), and potato chips, to name but a few.
Olympic Bagels:
Ingredients: Whole Wheat Bagels, white shredded cheese or cream cheese, blue food colouring, (or blueberries), Yellow and green and red bell peppers, black olives, tomato sauce or pizza sauce, green pesto.
Step 1: For the blue ring there are a few options. You can mix blue food colouring into cream cheese or shredded chesse and spread and broil, or you can toast the bagel alone and spread plain cream cheese and top with blueberries. My kids wanted a savoury lunch so I did the blue cheese, but if you don't like using food colouring try the fruit.
Step 2: Toast the bagel and add chopped black olives or a jarred olive spread.
Step 3: Toast the bagel and spread tomato or pizza sauce and top with cooked or raw peppers (my kids prefer raw).
Step 4: Toast the bagel and spread cream cheese and top with cooked or raw yellow peppers.
Step 5: Toast the bagel and spread green pesto on it and then top with green peppers.
Olympic Rings Fruit Platter:
Ingredients: Blueberries, pineapple, blackberries, kiwi fruit, raspberries or strawberries.
Step 1: Arrange the fruit pieces into rings on a platter and serve up some healthy fruit to your little olympiads or party-goers for the Opening Ceremonies.
DINNER:
Power Pasta:
Make some whole wheat pasta (your child’s favourite shape or type) and serve it with your child’s favourite sauce and a protein.