Juicing with your family!

So I've been really into juicing and green smoothies for about three years now. I have the breville juicer which as treated me well over the years, but it wouldn't allow me to extract juice from my FAVORITE ingredient...... kale. (I know, it's sounds terrible, but it's actually quite mild and has SO much to offer!)

 

Well, this past week I turned the big 3-0 and as part of my birthday gift, my wonderful hubby got me this:

 

The Omega 8006 and all its glory! *cue the angels singing!

 

 

Also as part of my gift, he got me the book The Healthy Green Drink Diet  (Check out the website: www.healthygreendrink.com) to help me get some inspiration with including the lovely greens into my juices along with my usual regiment of carrots, apples, ginger, celery, beets, etc.

 

I've been sharing these vitamin rich drinks with my soon to be two year old daughter because, well, let's face it...... she's a toddler and she would eat only Mac and cheese every day all day if she had the choice. She has been SO fussy with foods that when I make juice with her, at least I can relax a little knowing that she's getting essential vitamins and minerals.

 

We have turned it into a game! She helps me wash the veggies and fruits, then watches me cut them and I hand them to her to put into a bowl for easy transport over to the juicer. Then she pulls up a chair and stands on it and she puts the fruits and veggies in the juicer! (with my supervision of course!) and as we are putting things through, we practice naming the the fruit or veggie being used and I tell her what vitamins and minerals are in there and what that does for her body. :) These juices can be high in sugar (natural sugar, but still, it's sugar!) depending on what we put in it, so I usually sneak in half water into her cup so she gets a full sippy cup of her beloved juice, but with less sugar.

 

I took my Omega for her maiden voyage today and I was NOT disappointed! Today I wanted to ease Natalie into the green juice which I assumed would be more potent than her usual green smoothie. So we did apple, carrot (fresh from the farmers market! yum!!), ginger, and spinach. Delicious!

 

What is your favorite juice combo or trick to get your little one to eat right?