Sneaky Treat: Mutant Pops

Last week I stumbled upon Jenn’s blog and fell in love with her genius idea of Mutant Pops.  I thought… what kid wouldn’t love those?  After a little begging  (just kidding, she is so gracious and offered to share immediately!) emailing, I’m thankful I am able to share her recipe with you!– Laura--

Sometimes, good things come from the least likely places. I have always enjoyed cooking, even before I had children, and I assumed that once my children came along and moved passed the nursing stage they would be eager to come to the family table and share in the joy and comfort of healthy eating. Boy was I wrong! I did not anticipate that I would have a child with a feeding disorder. What is the difference between a picky eater, and a child with a feeding disorder? A picky eater may reject certain foods, but still manages to get enough variety to promote healthy growth and development. A child with a feeding disorder may eliminate entire food groups, and not take in enough calories and nutrients to survive.

It sounds pretty scary, but there is good in this story. Owen’s feeding disorder has really forced us to take a good look at what we feed our family, how we cook for them, and where our food comes from. It has made us even more determined to involve our children in all aspects of food. Everything that comes from our kitchen must have boosted nutritional value!

Perhaps the most sought after recipe that I use regularly is the one for vegetable popsicles. It doesn’t sound appealing, but my kids love them so much that they no longer ask for the sugar filled ones from the grocer’s freezer. If they are going to have sugar in their diet, I want to be the one to control it.  These are love at first bite!

I always start with pineapple as a base, for the digestive properties and also because it covers the taste of almost everything. I puree whole fruit instead of just a bunch of juice because my son, Owen, does not eat enough solid food to allow for empty calories. Just as with babies beginning to eat pureed veggies, you start with milder flavors and keep adding as much as you can get away with!

There are endless variations. Change it up! The general rule of thumb is to start slowly with the vegetables, and increase with each successive batch. With the Mutant Spinach Pops I started with a couple of handfuls, and now I can get about 2 or 3 packed cups of spinach into each batch. If you find them too sweet, add some water instead of juice.

With any of the above recipes you can add yogurt or coconut milk to make a creamy variation that is a little higher in fat and calories. They make a great dessert year round, and in the summer months my kids end up going through 10 or 12 a day. I always have some in my freezer, even in the dead of winter. They are a great way to soothe sore throats! And yes, I even let the kids have them for breakfast.  The above recipes also double as smoothies in our house. Just add a few ice cubes to the mix, yogurt if you like, and you have a mini meal. I may add a tablespoon or 2 of macadamia nut butter, tahini or pumpkin seed butter for Owen, to boost his fat and protein intake.  Happy mixing!

About Jenn Sprung:  Full time Mom to three wonderful children, with a keen interest in boosting the nutrition in every bite.  Because in my world, every bite counts! Visit Jenn’s blog Cleverly Disguised as Cake for additional sneaky resources or learn more about  Pediatric Feeding Disorders and how to help your child.