Reshaping It All (28 page)

Food for Thought

A recap of Scripture to meditate on:

• Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Matt. 5:5)

• He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isa. 53:7)

• Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. (Matt. 21:12)

The Candy Dish

The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life. —A. W. Tozer

From My Stove to Yours

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound broccoli, rinsed and trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup Panko bread crumbs

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan or sharp Cheddar

Directions

Combine, oil, garlic, kosher salt, and pepper. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and coat with the oil mixture.

Spread the Panko bread crumbs into a 13 x 9-inch cake pan, and toast it in the oven for about two minutes. Remove from the oven and add the bread crumbs to the broccoli mixture, coating the broccoli well. Place the coated broccoli in the cake pan and roast at 425 degrees until tender (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Remove from the oven, toss with cheese, and serve. You'll love it!

EIGHTEEN

Leaving a Legacy

If you are married with children, or hope to be in the future, this chapter's for you. It's my goal to encourage parents to leave a legacy for their children that includes more than our worldly possessions. In addition to the morals and faith we instill, we can train them to understand and care for their bodies.

When I think about that, I'm reminded of the characters on
Make It or Break It
. The extensive preparation they go through for each routine is necessary to prevent them from stumbling, or worse—breaking their neck. It involves strength training, concentration and balance—three things we all need to learn.

Summer, my character on the show, is a Christian, but I still have to remind some fans that she's not me. There are certainly things about her that are similar to me and the way I live out my faith, while some things are not. We have the same hair, the same eyes, and the same smile, but our characters aren't alike. It's a difficult separation for some viewers, and a job I try to monitor and discern wisely.

In the same manner I have to discern wisely when it comes to our children and the television programming they watch. I know that many of you were looking forward to another
Full House
, but haven't found it there. Frankly, I'd love it if this was a show that every member of my family could sit down and watch, but
Make It or Break It
is a "teen" drama with a rating of +14.

When we started taping the show it was exciting for my kids to see their mom back on TV. They got to come to the set with me to see how things were unfolding back stage. Natasha got to meet all my co-stars, while Maks and Lev peered through the lens of a real television camera and helped the director yell "action." They got to see where Mom gets that glowing skin that only a talented director of photography and great make-up artist can give, and they tiptoed on balance beams in between takes.

I do allow Natasha to watch the show since it's right up her ally as a budding teen. But as a concerned and involved parent, we watch together, remote in my hand so I can fast forward through any parts I feel are a bit too mature for her to see. And as for the boys, well, they're perfectly happy watching Monday night football instead!

My job as a mom is to nurture and train each little spirit, body, and soul till they're grown, protecting what their eyes see, what their ears hear, and what food they're stuffing into their mouth. My job as their coach is to provide strength training, concentration, and balance until their ready to step out on their own. So when Val and I realized that the schools weren't offering the most nutritious meals to our kids, we made a conscious effort to start packing lunches that would.

Roast beef, ham, or turkey sandwiches on whole wheat are always a good option, and, yeah, I'm also a peanut butter and jelly mom too! The juice box is something I loved as a kid, and it's still something I like today, so I'll rotate juice, water and milk, switching it up so they don't drink sugar every day.

Any mom with boys knows how much they love to wrestle and roll, so fruit doesn't always wear well when Maks and Lev are carrying it around. By lunch time the bananas look like they confronted Mike Tyson and the pears, Muhammad Ali. So I got creative and found some alternatives. The supermarket sells sliced and prepackaged fruit, and the apples don't turn brown. These are a hit—not a "right hook," but a big hit nonetheless! I might also peel oranges, breaking them apart and grapes are always a good option too.

It's hard for some families to get past the habits they've had, but with a little concentration, you can find a lot of snacks that are fun and much healthier than potato chips. Snacks like a hundred calorie cookies, air-popped popcorn, organic Oreos, Goldfish crackers, and string cheese are just a few of the other ideas I've had. They also love celery with fresh-ground almond butter or baby carrots with a side of ranch dressing. And once in a while, I'll stop at Subway and get them a sandwich and chocolate milk, but that's usually if I didn't have time to go to the grocery store and get my shopping done.

If we are training our bodies, it's so important that we train our kids as well. Not that we're putting them on a diet but that they're learning what types of food are good for them. What are carbohydrates? What are proteins? What are sugars, and what types are good for you? What types of fats are good, and how much should you eat? These are the questions we should be providing the answers to. It's good for us to know, but it's equally important that we teach our children.

If we simply deny them, it won't go far without the knowledge as to
why.
Teach them why they should have a balanced meal with protein, carbs, vegetables, grains, and fats. Help them understand if they are going to play sports then they should learn that carbohydrates and a little protein help us fuel up for rigorous exercise.
²

Again, it's not about denying our kids ice cream or cake but rather training them to eat these foods in moderation. Portion size must be learned. Are they going for seconds or thirds because it tastes great, or do they really require more food?

Here's the difference. Although I did have some good instruction, I didn't know how to eat properly growing up. It was one extreme or another for us. Remember how I said Dad was into cardboard-tasting yet healthy food while Mom was sneaking doughnuts and ice cream our way? I believe that's why I struggled with weight. I wasn't trained to understand the importance of balance, nor was I strong enough to make healthy choices.

I want to pass a legacy down to my children that equips them to excel, but I know that in order to do this I have to live a compelling life that draws my children to live the same way. I look to the Bible for example where I see a young widow named Ruth, who is so drawn to the life of her mother-in-law, Naomi. One can only wonder what powerful effect Naomi had on Ruth that made her so willing to leave her own people and faith to follow her.

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." (Ruth 1:16–17)

Naomi must have been a woman of virtue and strength to have made such an impact on Ruth's life that she was willing to desert her own people to follow her. I strive to be that compelling force in my family so that I can offer the best life possible for them. That must include the way I eat and the way I exercise. I don't want to see my kids struggling with yoyo diets as I did. I'm not saying they won't, but at least I'm giving them a good start by offering an example as well as implementing it into their lives.

Teach them along the way, both at home and when dining out. If they go to a restaurant, what are some good choices and what portion size should they eat? Get involved by discussing the menu with them instead of leaving it to their choice. Maybe you could offer them three healthy choices instead of sending them straight to the kids menu for chicken fingers and fries.

We are a guiding light to our families, so if we're keeping our healthy eating plan under wraps, it's kind of like hiding the light that could otherwise have a huge impact on their lives.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matt. 5:14–16)

Food shouldn't be viewed as an enemy or as a temptation they can't have. We can eat all things; we just need to learn when and how much. Food is fuel for the body and can be enjoyed, but it shouldn't become a stronghold in their lives or mine.

Practically speaking to all you moms making dinner on a diet: get it out of your brain that your kids should be eating macaroni and cheese while you have grilled salmon and broccoli. Face the fact that you're in this together. There are so many wonderful foods to share with them regardless of whether they like it from the start or not.

Lev doesn't like tomatoes and onions, so if I make something for dinner, I'll reserve a little that doesn't have those ingredients, but I won't make him an entirely different dinner. I introduce new foods to them often to expand their palette.

Check out the recipes I've included in "The Pantry." Maybe you don't typically eat eggplant or Brussels sprouts, and if not maybe it's time for a change.

Try a new recipe, and let your kids try it too. The rule of thumb in my family is to at least try it. If you don't like it, you don't have to eat the whole thing, but you do have to try one bite. And you know what? More times than not, they think it will be gross, but they like it! Sometimes they don't and that's fine too. But at some point I will ask them to try it again. Their palette will grow over time if you continue to introduce new foods to them. You will be surprised at the things they will like, especially when they see Mom and Dad enjoying them too. My kids love roasted asparagus, and they love the cauliflower with anchovies recipe that I've included in this chapter. We have introduced such a variety of foods to our children over the years, developing their palette, it's no wonder people ask me how I get my children to eat the things they do and enjoy them.

Listen up, you picky eaters! Don't pass your limited palette down to your children. It's another way of setting them up for failure with food. I want to encourage Moms and Dads to step out of your comfort zone, even if you don't normally like something, and try making it for yourselves and the kids. Then try it again next month, and be consistent about it because taste buds change over time.

Val is the chef in our family who can cook a beautifully fantastic meal, but as a busy working mom who doesn't share a passion for the kitchen, I need to make simple things with few ingredients. I've included our family favorites—things we consistently make and eat. Don't gag just yet, but the cauliflower recipe is my all-time favorite! Most people find cauliflower bland because we only know it raw alongside ranch dressing on a veggie tray, but there are so many other ways to prepare it! Cauliflower soup, cauliflower mash, cauliflower gratin. . . . Can't you just hear my excitement?! The cauliflower anchovy recipe at the end of this chapter sounds disgusting, I know, but there's no fishy taste, I promise. It's a wonderful salty, roasted flavor that you'll be wanting more of, and you can indulge because it's so good for you! Try it.

I've also included pork chops and turkey meatloaf—two others that are tasty and simple to make that your whole family will love. Veggies get so little attention, so I have included a few ideas to make as a side dish or to have as your main meal.

You'll also sense a little bit of a Mexican theme with some of these recipes. I've included enchiladas, fajitas, and turkey tacos. Being raised in LA, there is a big Mexican influence, which we happily encourage when it comes to food. Huevos rancheros anyone? But I'm sure by now you've noticed that we love all kinds of food.

Good health is a lifestyle choice our whole family has made. The good choices that Val and I make are the same options we offer our children when it comes to their health. Our diet is no different from theirs.

I encourage you to eat wholesome food. If it's something you eat in moderation, they should too. If you cut out fast food, it's not wise to make trips there just for the kids. It should be reserved for a treat or a special time. So while you are training your kids to make the smart decision on their own, you're also teaching them self-control.

Another thing we need to share with our family is fitness. Heart health is vital, which is why my kids are active in sports. Exercise is incredibly important and an essential part of life. This is something Val's family passed down to him, and we are now passing down to our children.

During the school year our kids play sports. Lev and Maks are currently playing hockey, Natasha joined the track and field team at school, and all three kids play tennis. Hockey is not something I'm on the ice doing with them, but tennis and running are activities I can play or do alongside them. They get excited when I race down the street or play a game of tennis, especially since they have gotten so good and can beat me.