I keep testing new recipes for smoothies, trying to find combinations that are both yummy and provide a range of nutrients. When I came across a recipe for a chocolate sweet potato smoothie bowl, I knew that was a combination I had to test! I really liked it, and Lil C drank it all up. Squidgy is harder to please with smoothies and although he said it looked like chocolate pudding, he only drank a bit of it. But I figure, a bit is better than none and I'll just have to keep trying to find recipes we all enjoy!

Chocolate Sweet Potato Smoothie

Ingredients:

- 1 cup water

- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I usually use Oikos Triple Zero when I use flavored yogurts, I put in the whole container so it ends up being a little more than a 1/2 cup)

- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

- 1/2 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato

 - 1/2 a frozen banana

- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the jar of a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

Back in October I came across the book, "Our Era is Now" written by 15 year old author, Zoe Yu and we were so inspired by her we wanted to know more! Zoe was kind enough to agree to an interview - which included questions from some of my Cardboard Kids Crew*! So here we go!

Zoe Yu: Hi, my name is Zoe, and I'm a proud Texan of Taiwanese-American heritage. I have a younger brother in the eighth grade. In my free time, you can find me curling up with a good story, making playlists of my favorite music, or learning how to bookbind!

Cardboard Mom: When did you first start writing?

ZY: I've been writing for as long as I can remember; I have notebooks from the first grade filled with scattered ideas and story plotlines! For me, writing comes as naturally as breathing. There isn't a moment when I'm not thinking about the next sentence to pen down.

CM: Is this the first book you've written? If not, how many have you written and which is your favorite?

ZY: "Our Era is Now" is my first book!

CM: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

ZY: When I'm not writing, I'm editing articles (is that cheating? :-) ). I run a publication centered around amplifying women's voices and fostering diverse thought. We've published pieces on everything from the gender gap to the Supreme Court!

CM: Who has helped/supported you and your writing?

ZY: My family! I'm grateful for their endless support.

CM: What is one of the most surprising things you learned while creating this book?

ZY: I learned a lot through writing this book, but the most surprising thing I learned was technical aspects of the publishing process. Before the book was published, I had to research topics such as trim and bleed size, formatting, and copyright. It definitely taught me a lot about the ins-and-outs of publishing!

CM: Do you have any suggestions or advice for kids who want to become better writers and write their own book one day?

ZY: My best bit of advice for young writers would be to avoid obsessing over perfection. My writing motto is this: you can fix a shabby first draft, but you can't fix a blank page.

CM: What future career are you hoping to have?

ZY: Of course, I would love to keep writing. I'm also fascinated in social entrepreneurship and possibly pursuing a career in law or business!

Scarlett, 8: What age is this book for?

ZY: This book is geared towards children, but it's a read for all ages!

Scarlett, 8: Who most inspired you to write this book?

ZY: I wrote this book to uplift children. I hope to relay the message that women of all colors can achieve what they put their minds to, no matter how others say different.

Scarlett, 8: Of all the women in the book, whose story is your favorite?

ZY: All of the women in the book are extraordinary, but my favorite is Maya Angelou. Maya has been one of my favorite writers since I read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Her story helps me to understand the wonder of words.

Lily, 10: Since there are so many awesome women to choose from who have done great things, how did you choose the women to feature in the book and why?

ZY: That's a great question. Over the course of my research, I found so many incredible women that I wanted to include in my book, but I narrowed down the women that I wanted to spotlight by choosing a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds.

Lil C, 8: How did you create the pictures for your book?

ZY: The pictures in my book are licensed from Canva.

Scarlett Mae, 10: What inspired you to write this book?

ZY: Ever since I started reading, I noticed that many books lacked strong female protagonists - most female characters either had static roles or fit into a certain trope like the "damsel in distress" or the "evil queen" - and often failed to include any diversity at all. I believe that accurately depicting society and representing people of all backgrounds was the most important story I could write. This quote says it best: "That is the power of a diverse book: You can change everything for one kid, and you can create empathy in 100 more."

Scarlett Mae, 10: How did you know you could write a book when you are only 15?

ZY: I'm a firm believer in the fact that age should never be a factor that limits what you believe you can or cannot do!

I want to send a BIG thank you to Zoe for sharing her story and answering all of our questions! We can't wait to read your next book!

Further information:

Read my review of "Our Era is Now"

Visit Zoe's website

Purchase "Our Era is Now"

Check out these stories about awesome girls and women:

"Firebird" by Misty Copeland

"Mae Among the Stars" by Roda Ahmed

"Counting on Katherine" by Helaine Becker

"Kamala and Maya's Big Idea" by Meena Harris

"Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos" by Monica Brown

"Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay" by Susan Hood

And read about some inspiring women and girls who love science here

*My Cardboard Kids Crew includes children of various ages who help me review books and submitted interview questions for Zoe to answer. 

Parents talk a lot about "being healthy." We tell our kids to get enough sleep, drink water, go outside and exercise, and most of all, to "eat your vegetables." Or, "don't eat so much junk." But is that all there is to eating healthy? The word "healthy" is so tricky when it comes to food. We can tell our kids they need 12 hours of sleep daily, or 8 cups of water daily, or an hour of exercise daily. With food it's harder because there are so many foods out there, and there are also so many gimmicky diet plans. Our kids need to learn how to navigate this confusion. So what do we parents do? Get them involved. The trick is to have them help you create a healthy plate that's also delicious. A plate that follows no diet plans but instead follows the body's nutritional needs. A plate that has foods that do the following:

1. Protect and repair the body (about half your plate is vitamin and nutrient rich fruits and vegetables, in a wide range of colors throughout the day. "Eat a rainbow" is helpful with younger kids).

2. Provide sustained energy (a quarter of your plate is whole grains)

3. Build bones and muscles (a quarter of your plate is proteins and calcium rich foods like dairy, legumes, eggs, fish, poultry, and meat).

4. Store energy and vitamins (cook with these or serve as condiments/dressings/toppings: oily/high fat foods like olive oil, avocados, and nut butters. No matter what your weight is, these foods are crucial for vitamin absorption and storage). 

5. Provide a palatable experience (yum factor! sprinklings of Parmesan, a dash of cinnamon sugar, a pinch of this spice of that, etc).

When your child is involved in the meal prep process they have a sense of control. It's also a perfect opportunity to tell them what those foods do for us, and how we can make those foods taste delicious. We might not have time to make meals with our children daily, but meal planning together once in a while is also helpful. As they practice creating these healthy and yummy plates, it will become automatic. Let's ban the diets and start enjoying good food with our families.

Our story today helps further explain the various nutrients your body needs and in what foods they are found.

Featured story: "Good Enough to Eat" by Lizzy Rockwell

Activity: After reading the story, create a meal plan with your children for the rest of the week. I would start with planning just one meal a day (i.e. plan all your breakfasts, plan all your dinners) but try to include a variety of foods that meet all your body's needs! 

Throughout the month, I will be sharing family friendly dishes that will hopefully help on your quest to provide healthy balanced meals that everyone enjoys!

For more information about National Nutrition Month 2021 and LOTS of resources, please check out Eat Right

This Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie is one of our favorite smoothies - even when I make it green (which I usually do, I just happened to be all out of green today!). This smoothie has vitamins and minerals from fruit, protein and calcium from yogurt and peanut butter, and water to make it extra hydrating. When you add in the greens, it makes it an even more well-balanced drink! If you wanted to turn it into a more filling breakfast or snack, you could always add in some ground flax or oats. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (I use whole milk)

- 1 cup water

- 1 frozen banana

- 1 cup frozen grapes or strawberries (the "jelly" part!) 

- 2 tablespoons peanut butter

- 1 cup fresh spinach or baby kale (to make it green)

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the pitcher of a high powered blender. Blend until smooth (there will usually be tiny bits of grape skins that don't get completely blended).

Notes: Mix it up to work with your dietary needs or to use what you have on hand. You can turn it into an almond butter and jelly smoothie by using almond butter in place of peanut butter and almond milk yogurt or almond milk.

Also, I make our smoothies on the thinner side so it hydrates the kids without being quite so calorie dense. If you like thicker smoothies, feel free to reduce the amount of water!