JulieBhosaleAchive

Flavoured milk is really popular among little ones. Unfortunately it does contain a lot of sugar (5-6tsp per cup). While both my boys guzzle down milk, for some it's not always such a favourite. So here is a real food option - homemade strawberry milk! This recipe sooooooo simple it's almost not a recipe - but it's also so you know that this is a great healthy option which is fun for little ones. It's hard to say 'no' to strawberry milk - it even puts a smile on our monkeys when they are grumpy! The strawberries provide a natural source of flavour and have one of the lowest amount of fructose (the natural sugar found in fruit). Ingredients: 1 cup of milk (full milk) 1/2 cup of strawberries (or frozen berries) Directions: Just pop all into your blender and blitz! Happy milk drinking! xxx Dr Julie Bhosale

July is Oral Health Month here in New Zealand. Encouraging the care of healthy teeth in little ones is something I am really passionate about as diet plays a fundamental role in this - especially avoiding sugary drinks. Currently 5000 children a year under the age of two get their teeth extracted under a general anesthetic (in New Zealand).  This is heart breaking and something I am determined to help change - and so is Dr Domonique Joe of WM Dental who has a guest blog with loads of helpful tips for us! Healthy Teeth Tips from a Mum and Dentist  Many parents are surprised to know that tooth decay can start from the age of one. Dental decay in young children can cause toothache, pain and infection. Losing a tooth too soon can result in speech disorders, crooked permanent teeth and poor self-esteem. As a dentist I have seen first hand how badly children suffer from tooth decay. No amount of hugs, love or paracetamol can soothe a child with tooth ache. Prevention is definitely better tha

I am all about super foods! While no ‘scientific’ definition exists for the term, superfoods are real powerhouses which give us the biggest nutritional boost compared to their overall energy. You will find them packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and many known for their disease fighting ability. Avocado, egg, salmon, kale, spinach and blueberries are top of the list! A quick internet search will also see oats right up there too. While oats are hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and germ allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fiber and nutrients. However oats are one food I do get asked a lot about -  just how good are they for us? If they are a grain should we be avoiding oats all together? When should I introduce them to my baby? Read on! Benefits of Oats Fibre – Oats are rich in a specific type of fiber called beta-glucan. This particular type of fiber is known to help lower levels of bad cholesterol. One cup of dry oats contains approxi

This is one of my favourite ways to combine two of natures super foods - egg and avocado!  Besides anything with 'smash' in it just sounds cool, especially to a toddler! Personally, I find putting this on top of   Nairns Oatcakes to be a sure way to get the approval of my littlest food critics! Nairns Oatcakes are one of the few high quality packaged products available in the supermarket that I recommend to busy parents - you can read my full review here . Also, if my logo didn't giveaway just how much I love avocado you can check out my blog on this over here . Ingredients:   4 eggs, boiled 1 medium avocado 1/2 tbs of dijon mustard 1/2 tsp of paprika 1/4 cup of finely chopped green onion A dash of red wine vinegar (optional) Directions: 1. To boil eggs: place into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 12-15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a bowl place the avocado, mustard, paprika, chopped onion, vinegar and mash to

The phase of starting babies on solid food is currently one of hot debate with conflicting information. This is representative of the current climate of change in nutrition globally. The aim of this blog post is to shed some light on this, look at our current guidelines compared to other research and also show why I am strong opposed to starting babies off on baby rice or any other variation of infant cereal. Up until six months of age, babies obtain all the nutrients they require from breast milk or formula. Just as a side note here for those that do not know my previous challenges with breastfeeding you can read this here . Breast milk has low amounts of iron – when you look at the typical composition it is virtually none. However, babies are born with enough iron stores to last through to six months of age. Formula typically has a little bit more iron than breast milk – however it is low overall, again for the reason that babies have enough iron supplies at birth. Our current World

Both my boys started their solids journey with this puree. Pumpkin is a great first food, I really like butternut pumpkin to start with for it's natural taste and it is easy on the gastrointestinal tract. You can read about why I don't recommend baby rice or other infant cereal here. This recipe is more about guiding you in how to easily start your baby off on solids - the puree itself is super simple - and also how to boost iron levels but adding some meat in a second easy step! Ingredients: 1/2 Butternut Pumpkin 1 Chicken drumstick/2 chicken nibbles (for step 2) Equipment: The following will honestly help making your own baby food super fast! Philips Avent Healthy Baby Food Maker (available now from my website ) Silicon Baby Food trays (also available on my website ) Long-sleeved bib (available from Mum 2 Mum ). Directions: 1. Prepare the butternut pumpkin by scooping out the seeds. 2. Cut the pumpkin and either place into the Avent Blender to steam or you can bake for about

Last week at my Venus Network meeting it was a show and tell week. I thought I would do something a little different (normally I would bring yummy healthy treats) and I brought my published Doctoral thesis.   When it came to my turn to speak, I was taken back by the emotion that come from inside me. As I shared my thesis and read the dedication I wrote to my two boys I could barely get through it, my hands were shaking and I had tears just streaming down my face - there was not a dry eye at the business table as all the other women listened. It was at the moment the reality of what I have accomplished truly hit home to me. That this really has been so much more than a Doctoral thesis – it’s my life’s story. The story of my life’s work and research but also that of my family, of my husband, of my boys. My journey as a mother and the journey of my career – at the same time. Most of all it’s been my journey to find myself and find my purpose. And the enormity of this I have struggled to p

Just because it is a smoothie it doesn't mean it has to be cold! This smoothie is like breakfast in a glass. Perfect for cold mornings...or personally those crack of dawn 5am starts with little monkeys (which really feels like its the middle of the night still as it's so dark!). I promise you this is super easy, we made this (baby on hip, toddler healping) on the weekend ( you-tube video here!) . Ingredients: 1 cup of warmed milk 1 apple (core removed) 1/4 of plain rolled oats 2 tsp of cinnamon (or amount your toddler shakes in) Directions: Warm milk either in microwave (about 40 seconds) or stove top. Tip milk and all ingredients into your blender and pulse. Enjoy! P.S These Nutribullets are AMAZING! They will change your smoothie making life I promise! Especially if you have like zero seconds to make something nutritious in the morning! For just this week only you can get 30% off a Nutribullet using the code DRJULIE - just click here! xxx Dr Julie Bhosale  

I personally love smoothies. They make such a good, fast breakfast or snack option and both my monkeys just love making them too. If you do a quick internet search of smoothie recipes however you will find a huge variety in what is included in them so here are my top tips to super charge your smoothies! Include some protein and good fats - this will increase the overall nutrient density of the smoothie and keep you fuller for longer. Some options to include are: * Avocado * Peanut Butter * Yoghurt (plain, unsweetened or Greek) * Milk (full milk) * Oats * Seeds e.g linseeds or a LSA mix   Sneak in some vegetables - smoothies are a great way to boost your vegetable intake up (especially in little ones) and you won't even notice them! Spinach and kale work really well in smoothies I have a few like....I even have one with broccoli! Avoid too much fruit - fruit does contain fructose which is a natural form of sugar. While it is natural it is still a sugar – loading up your