Empower Your Teen with Smart Food Choices

Take the time in the kitchen to teach your teens the joys of cooking. It’s a gift for both you and them!

It takes a lot of work to eat healthy whole food. Engage your teens, teach them to cook and set them up for a lifetime of successful cooking, nutritious habits and self empowerment.

It can be fun, and really helps keep the processed foods from creeping into your house. Here are some of our favorite recipes to make with teens.

Dessert

This dessert is a family fave. It’s naturally sweet and creamy. You can also combine the berries and coconut and freeze it.

Berry Chia Jam with Coconut Whip

Recipe by Jessica Seinfeld

6-ounce package fresh raspberries or 1¼ cups frozen raspberries

6-ounce package fresh blueberries or 1¼ cups frozen blueberries

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp chia seeds

¼ cup shredded coconut

13.5-ounce can coconut milk, chilled

Place raspberries, blueberries, lemon juice and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until raspberries start to breakdown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, mix in chia seeds and let cool. Place in fridge once cooled. Store up to 5 days.

Place shredded coconut in a medium skillet and toast until light brown, about 2-3 minutes. Blend or use a hand mixer to beat chilled coconut milk until fluffy. Scoop coconut whip, compote and toasted coconut into bowls.

Snack

A delicious riff on regular hummus (which everyone is sick of), this version is lemony and has great flavor depth.

Green Veggie Hummus 

Recipe by Amelia Freer, Cook. Nourish. Glow.

1 13.5-ounce can of organic chickpeas in water, drained and rinsed

3 tbsp tahini

1 clove garlic

Handful of spinach, chopped

Handful of basil leaves

1 avocado, chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

2 lemons, juiced

1 small lemon, zested

1 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Dinner

This is a great veggie dinner that everyone loves. Good flavor, fun to create and really fun to eat.

Black Bean Towers

Corn tortillas

2 cans black beans, rinsed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 4-ounce can green chilis, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

2 cups chicken or veggie broth

Homemade Tostadas (big round chips): Bake the tortillas in a 350-degree oven on a cookie sheet. Six fit nicely. Lightly oil the pan, drizzle oil on top of the tortillas and top with sea salt. Bake 15-20 min. until brown and crunchy.

Black Beans: In a large saucepan, combine beans, onion, green chilis, tomatoes, spice and broth. Let cook, stirring occasionally. The liquid will evaporate and thicken. Mash the beans.

Build: On a plate, add a tostada, then some beans. Top with sliced lettuce, salsa and guac. You can also add cheese (but really, you don’t need it; it’s very flavorful without it).

Enjoy!

For more family-friendly ideas, please reach out to us. We have lots of ideas and have a Family Nutrition Program that helps make food engaging, delicious and fun. Schedule a complimentary phone consult to see if Healthy Nest Nutrition services are right for you.