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hvparent.com n Hudson Valley Parent 21 Go for good health and great taste with plant-based eating But what does it really mean to eliminate animal products like meat and dairy from your family's meals, and avoid foods with added sug- ars? What about limiting salt and reducing oil consumption, including cooking with a minimal amount of unhealthy oils and bypassing fried foods? The good news is, it's not as hard or scary as it might seem. Plant-based eating is easy, delicious and nutritious. It's always best to start early, so introduce your kids to healthy eating habits when they are toddlers to establish their taste preferences and train their palettes from a young age. Pull out your pressure cooker for quick, tasty and healthy meals. For instance, try a 30-minute mix of By DR. PADMA GARVEY I f the American Medical Associa- tion is putting pressure on doctors to learn more about nutrition, what is the implication for us, as parents? We've all heard that low-fat, plant-based meals with whole grains and unprocessed foods are healthy for our kids and families. Eating this way can help protect people from chronic medical problems associated with poor diets, such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, not only promoting better health, but also helping minimize healthcare costs. Plant-based diets also have been associated with a lower carbon footprint, which can help offset glob- al warming. whole grains, such as oats, quinoa, millet, brown rice, or barley; le- gumes like split peas, brown lentils, black beans, or kidney beans; and chopped vegetables, including broc- coli, carrots, beets, squash, sweet potatoes and white potatoes. Once the food has been cooked, it can be mashed to make it easier for your youngster to eat and seasoned with your favorite herbs, like thyme, sage, turmeric or rosemary. When my kids were toddlers, they enjoyed tradi- tional Indian food that was seasoned lightly. Other favorites were peas and tofu curry with rice and tomato lentil stew with rice. Grocery shop with your children Teach your children about whole- some food choices. Bring them Easy wholesome eating for kids Start kids on healthy eating habits for lifetime wellness Radha Garvey shows off her homemade fruit pie, a birthday surprise for her mother, Padma Garvey. (Continued on Page 22)