Maria Emmerich - Sugar-Free Kids: Over 150 Fun & Easy Recipes to Keep the Whole Family Happy & Healthy

First published in 2021 by Victory Belt Publishing Inc.

Copyright 2021 Maria Emmerich

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-1-628601-31-2

The author is not a licensed practitioner, physician, or medical professional and offers no medical diagnoses, treatments, suggestions, or counseling. The information presented herein has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Full medical clearance from a licensed physician should be obtained before beginning or modifying any diet, exercise, or lifestyle program, and physicians should be informed of all nutritional changes.

The author/owner claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.

Front and back cover photos by Hayley Mason and Bill Staley

Cover design by Kat Lannom

Interior design by Crizalie Olimpo and Charisse Reyes

Illustrations by Eli San Juan

Recipe photography by Jenny Ross

Printed in Canada

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Contents

Foreword

For over thirty years, Ive found myself on an eternal health journey. In my twenties, I made the decision to look at my life from a holistic perspective and completely transformed my lifestyle from the ground up, tackling my overall wellness from a place that encompassed mind, body, and spirit. I learned to take food seriously because, to me, the most important factor in staying healthy and in great shape comes down to my diet and what I consume.

While Im fortunate enough to call Maria Emmerich a friend today, I was a fan of her work long before we formed our bond. After receiving a life-changing diagnosis, I had to change every aspect of my life in order to retain my own sense of well-beingincluding my diet. I chose to nourish my body by following keto principles, and for me, it just didnt get much better than Marias recipes. I wasand am continuallyimpressed by the way Maria effortlessly creates her keto-friendly meals with no shortage of effervescence or flavor.

In my life, Ive used my platform to discuss the things that are most important to me, and my health falls within that category. I couldnt just keep Maria to myselfeveryone deserves to know who she is and to pick up all of her books (theyre bestsellers for a reason!). So one day, I went on Instagram to scream from the virtual rooftops that her incredible recipes had helped me in such a deeply personal way in the hopes that they could make an impact on someone elses health journey.

In a moment that I can only attribute to kismet, I discovered that Maria had written to me in order to thank me for highlighting some of her recipes, and the rest is herstory! We forged a connection rooted in our parallel philosophies on a ketogenic diet and the understanding of the power of nutrition when it comes to health struggles and personal healing.

For years, Maria has helped people like me who value health and nutrition while struggling with disorders that are out of our control. Shes an international bestselling author of over sixteen books, with dedicated fans globally who have adopted healthier lifestyles because of her impact.

As parents, so many special moments with our children happen right in the kitchen. Maria has raised her two sons on a sugar-free diet, focusing on the incorporation of healthy protein and fats instead. Shes now drawing from her personal success with her children in order to help other parents do the samewithout sacrificing any of the fun. Even on days where it feels like there is no time, Maria has found a way to create a book for all families thats chock-full of quick and easy-to-make recipes sans processed sugars that still look and taste delicious to the pickiest eaters. Whether were eating family dinner or making meals from scratch, I want to instill a love for food in my own children and teach them the transformative practice of nourishing their bodies with the best ingredients.

Maria is a guide for life change no matter where you are in your keto journey. I know shell help change the lives of so many to come in the next generation of more mindful eaters. Happy cooking!

Letter to the Reader

Our family is on a mission! We want to teach kids around the world to cook! Cooking seems to be a lost art these days. Many of us dont know where our food comes from, and just as many dont know how to make delicious food.

Our family likes to cook together, and we want to encourage you to do the same for the following reasons:

It is much healthier. Even if you dont live a sugar-free lifestyle as we do, it is still more nutritious to eat homemade meals that you cook from scratch than to eat processed foods. Whole foods come with more vitamins and minerals than processed foods.

It is much cheaper. Cooking from scratch is always less expensive than buying premade foods.

It is fun to spend time together cooking! Many of my best memories as a mother involve making a mess in the kitchen with my boys!

It builds self-confidence and helps improve moods.

It teaches the whole family to respect where food comes from.

Cooking at home isnt hard. Plan, plan, plan is the key to success when it comes to our food and our health! We plan for all other aspects of lifecollege, vacations, weddings, etc. Why would planning our eating be any different?

With all these delicious and family-friendly recipes, we invite your family to join us in our sugar-free lifestyle! If you want to watch the boys cook many of the recipes in this book, check out our YouTube channel.

Many blessings to all of you!

Maria, Craig, Micah, and Kai

Find my blog: KetoMaria.com

Find my website: Keto-Adapted.com

Find my YouTube: youtube.com/mariamindbodyhealth

Find me on Instagram:

chapter 1:

the science behind sugar-free eating

Its a typical Monday morning, and the whole family is running late. The school bus is coming, but the kids havent eaten anything yet. So you pour them a glass of no-sugar-added, all-natural grape juice and toss a breakfast bar their way. Then they get on the bus, and no one is late. Whew! Thank goodness for prepackaged food.

No time for breakfast means no time to pack lunch, either, so the kids have to eat school lunchchicken nuggets with a side of mashed potatoes from a box, a roll, some fruit cocktail, and chocolate milk. After-school programs and sports keep them at school until 4:30, so they grab a granola bar and a small bottle of Gatorade to keep their energy up. Once all the activities are over, youre tired from driving the kids all over the place, so you throw in a frozen pizza for dinner, followed by a bowl of Lucky Charms with skim milk a few hours later for a bedtime snack.