Lauren Hefez : Power Balls

 Q + A

Tell me about yourself!

My mission is to inspire women and families to eat healthy, be active, and have fun with their personal wellness! I connect with people through my YouTube workout videos and my quick and healthy food recipes on Instagram. I am a mom of two energetic, silly boys who (usually) love to cook with me and they often make appearances in my videos.

What do you love about this recipe, and how has it helped you with feeding your toddler?

I love this recipe because it can be made to what your family loves and can comply with most dietary restrictions. It is so easy to make it your own. Like hemp hearts? Add more! Want dried apricots instead of cherries? Great! There is a PB allergy in the house? Use sunflower butter!

We usually eat this as a snack or when the kids want a little something sweet. I pack each ball with lots of nutrient rich foods like hemp hearts, chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds nut butters and sweetened with dates! We recently started dipping them in chocolate… ummmmm seriously amazing. We always have them in the fridge.

What is your biggest tip when it comes to feeding a toddler?

Relax. So much easier said than done, I know. Trust me. I was there. I stressed. And sometimes, I find that I still do! Then I remind myself there is only so much we can control and the rest is in our toddlers hands.

Your kids will eat how much and what they want. We have no control over how much they eat, only over what we expose them to. Take a breath and enjoy meal time. Trust them.

Also, continued exposure with no pressure! Continue to offer your child the food, even if you think they will not eat it. It does not have to be a huge portion, even just one bites worth. My son refused to eat cheese! Riight!? Who doesn't want to eat cheese? At least twice a week I put a small piece of cheese on his plate. He once took a bite. I didn’t make a big deal of it. He spit it out. But he tried it! It was huge.

What is your current eating challenge and how are you working to overcome it/how did you overcome it?

My older son Griffin is really open to trying new foods, and has an amazing pallet for a 4 year old. I just assumed that's how all kids were, until my younger son was born. Gus would eat rice and bread all day long if he could. I continue to expose him to new foods, along with his favorites. Once I choose what goes on his plate, I leave the rest to him. I make sure to have one “safe” food for him, something I know he will eat. He loves rice. So if I am cooking rice that night I will cook it in bone broth and add some warming spices, making it a little more nutrient rich.

How do you keep your child entertained when prepping a meal?

This is so hard. I call it survival! If all the stars align and I have patience and time then I will have them get involved and help me cook! Sometimes it is a disaster, and sometimes it's really special. We often have dance parties, put some music on, and we all dance in the kitchen and get some energy out as we are cooking. And sometimes I throw on a show or I will set up some crayons and coloring books, that usually keeps them busy.

Follow Lauren at: @sweatwithlaurenhefez