Toddler Treat: Sunshine Wraps

Source: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers

It is estimated that as many as one child in 80 is allergic to peanuts. For kids with a peanut allergy, sunflower butter is an excellent substitute for peanut butter. You can find sunflower butter at many natural foods stores. When selecting a brand, make sure to read the label, to ensure the sunflower butter in NOT processed in a plant that processes peanuts.

Even if your children are not allergic to peanuts, you might want to consider switching to sunflower butter because it is healthier than peanut butter. We think it tastes better, too. Try making these sunshine wraps, and let your kids be the judge.

Ingredients for each wrap:
2 Tbs. sunflower butter
1 Tbs. apple, grated
1 Tbs. carrots, grated
1 Tbs. raisins
1 whole wheat tortilla

Directions:
Spread sunflower butter on the tortilla, Sprinkle the top with apples, carrots and raisins. Roll up and serve.

Variations and optional additions: shredded coconut, chopped dates, banana rounds, drizzle of honey, sliced turkey, chopped celery, chopped onion, mini marshmallows, bacon crumbles, or anything else that sounds good!

Produce Corner: Sunflower Seeds
Sunflowers are one of Mother Nature’s wonderful gifts. This brilliant yellow flower that towers high above other plants in the garden bares seeds that are delicious and nutritious. The sunflower is native to North America. In fact, Native Americans considered sunflower seeds an important, high-energy food source. They introduced them to the Spanish explorers who brought them back Europe where they also became very popular.

Sunflower seeds are called a “nutrient-rich” food, this means that they provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals for relatively few calories. With the new 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommending Americans eat fewer calories, these types of foods are quite popular for the obvious reason – you get more of the good stuff with less of the heavy stuff.

Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of “good” fats, both mono and poly unsaturated. Most of the fat in your diet should come from these two types of fat (the most common sources are seeds, nuts, and fish). Sunflower seeds are the best whole food source of vitamin E, an important nutrient needed to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. They are also rich in fiber. Most Americans consume only half of the fiber they need each day. A fiber-rich diet will reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Magnesium is another important nutrient that many Americans lack, but is also found in Sunflower seeds. Some research shows that higher intakes of magnesium could reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

If you are looking for a simple, healthy snack, enjoy a handful of mild nutty tasting sunflower seeds. But don’t stop there, you can also get the healthy benefits of sunflower seeds in buttery smooth sunflower butter, and in sunflower oil.

Age to introduce: Around 2-3 years old. Both sunflower seeds and sunflower butter are a choking hazard for very little children.

Sunflower seeds for the family
At the market: Sunflower seeds are sold in the shell or shelled. Because they are high in fat, sunflower seeds are susceptible to becoming rancid; shop at a store where there is a rapid turnover in bulk products and check the expiration date on packaged items. Sunflower butter is sold in many natural products stores and is usually located where you will find peanut butter. Sunflower oil is available in most supermarkets and you’ll find it with other vegetable oils.

Storage: Sunflower seeds can spoil easily, because of their high fat content. They are best stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator or freezer. For storing sunflower butter and oil, follow the manufacturer directions on the package.

It’s easy to add sunflower seeds to your family’s meals:

– Sprinkle them on yogurt, oatmeal, cold cereal, or ice cream
– Top a salad or pita sandwich with them for lunch
– Toss a handful of seeds in tuna or chicken salad
– Add 1/2 cup of seeds to muffin, pancake, or cookie batters
– Snack on trail mix made with sunflower seeds, granola, and dried blueberries

Sunflower Butter:
You can replace peanut butter with sunflower butter in all of your favorite recipes. However, when cooking with sunflower butter, reduce the amount baking powder or baking soda, or add a little lemon juice to the recipe. Otherwise, the sunflower butter will turn a green color.

Sunflower butter dipping sauce
This is a terrific Asian inspired dipping sauce that is perfect to serve with fresh or grilled veggies, grilled meats and tofu, or just toss a few tablespoons with cooked ramen noodles for a simple side dish.

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sunflower butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of red pepper flakes

Directions:
Place ingredients in a bowl and blend together until smooth. Refrigerate. Sauce will thicken in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.

About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby (www.FreshBaby.com). Raised by parents who love fresh foods and entertaining, their mom, a gourmet cook, ensured that they were well-equipped with extraordinary skills in the kitchen. Both with long track records of business success, they decided to combine their skills in the kitchen with their knowledge of healthy foods and children to create Fresh Baby. Cheryl and Joan put a modern twist on the conventional wisdom that when you make it yourself, you know it’s better. Their goal at Fresh Baby is to make the task of raising a healthy eater a little bit easier for all parents. Fresh Baby’s breastfeeding accessories and baby food making supplies provide parents with practical knowledge and innovative tools to support them in introducing their children to great tasting, all-natural foods – easily and conveniently. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family’s healthy eating habits!