It’s not unusual for me to write this with a glass of wine in hand, but it’s not normal for me to be doing it in the middle of Strands. Needless to say, I have been plied with an extra large glass of something white and have spent the first part of my appointment spilling all my dirty secrets to Lisa. I am not sure this is working out as planned however, as despite being reassured that I have delivered one of the top five most entertaining stories of all time, I have spent today’s appointment talking about mashed potato. My dirty little secret this week is that occasionally, I feed the kids mash out of a box.There’s really no excuse. It’s not exactly hard to boil some potatoes and mash them. However, lured in by an “organic” label and another saying “homestyle”, I got sucked in. Surely if it says homestyle that’s just as good as me making it? In my defence, as with all busy families out there, there are evenings when I get home with cranky kids and I need to produce dinner fast. I do have several ten-minute recipes up my sleeve, but I admit the box of mash gets the occasional outing. I have been tempted to draw the curtains when cooking it. What kind of self-respecting nutritionist feeds their kids instant mash? But I suppose there is no need for secrecy now I have spilled all in the national press.Instead here are my excuses:1) it really is organic — no chemicals, no saturated fat and no junk2) I always serve it with a big dose of healthy lean protein — this helps to curb the sugar rush from something so processed3) the vast majority of the time I make a huge effort to feed my kids fresh, healthy, whole foods.As you all know by now, I am a tiny bit obsessed with children’s nutrition. This month we have been focusing on ways you can supercharge your kids with something extra nourishing. So far we’ve covered kale and quinoa, and the latter has been so successful I now can’t buy it anywhere. Finding bare shelves where I normally find my favourites is an occupational hazard.This week, let’s take a look at garbanzo beans, or chickpeas as we call them across the pond. All beans and pulses are rich in complex carbs, plant based protein and fibre and chickpeas are no exception. They are also packed with folic acid and recent research indicates they are a huge support for blood sugar control.To help you get these into your kids I have included two of my all-time favourite recipes. The pasta recipe is a one dish wonder that really does only take ten minutes from start to finish. There’s no excuse for instant mash if you have some hummus (made from chickpeas) in your fridge. The brownie recipe is another hidden veg classic. If hiding kale in chocolate didn’t appeal to you, give this one a try!Pasta hummusIngredients:· Wholewheat or gluten-free pasta· 1 heaped tbs hummus per person· 3 tbs tomato-based pasta sauce per person· Black pepperMethod:1. Cook the pasta as instructed on the packet, drain2. Stir in the hummus and pasta sauce over a medium heat. Heat through.3. Serve with green salad or green veg and some fresh black pepper.Chocolate brownies with hidden chick peasIngredients:· 1 ½ c bittersweet chocolate chips· 1 regular sized can chickpeas (I use Eden Organic)· 4 eggs· ¾ c granulated sugar· ½ tsp baking powderMethod:1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a rectangular cake tin (I use coconut oil spray or Earth Balance.)2. Melt the chocolate chips carefully in a heavy pan over a gentle heat (or in the microwave 30 seconds at a time.)3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well.4. Using a food processor, combine the chick peas and eggs until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder and pulse to blend. Add the melted chocolate and blend again till smooth, scraping down the sides when necessary.5. Pour the mix into the cake tin.6. Bake for 40 minutes — or just under if you like them more squidgy.7. Cool and cut into squares.The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details visit www.natural.bm or call 236-7511.