Plant Chat: Vicki Marquez, Author of The Rootlets

I’m so glad to have Vicki Marquez on my Plant Chat today! Vicki is a certified health coach, plant-based chef, author of The Rootlets, LLC, and creator and host of the cable TV show, Nourished. Her passion for living a healthy, vibrant life has become her mission to help others do the same. Through Vicki’s private and corporate coaching programs, children’s entertainment brand and TV show, she offers a fun and balanced blend of wellness how-to tips and delicious plant-based recipes that make healthy eating and living easy, accessible and entertaining for everyone. Vicki lives in Chicago with her husband, stepdaughter and two Yorkies. When she’s not writing, coaching or cooking, you can find her on the yoga mat, traveling the world or snuggled on the sofa with her pups and a great book. Continue reading to learn more about her work with children and plant-based nutrition!

What inspired you to get started trying to help kids eat more healthful, plant-based meals? 

Honestly, children’s health and wellness is so important that I just wanted to create something really fun that would make healthy, plant-based foods (especially veggies) super cool so that kids would be eager to eat them up!

Tell us a bit about The Rootlets. How is it helping to connect kids to eating more wholesome plants?

Sure, The Rootlets are four best friends – Brocc, Carrotina, Cornelius and Kaley – who have veggie hair, healthy habits and a huge appetite for adventure. They live with their Yammy Grammy and dog, Basil, on Planet Planted — a magical plant-based world where everything is made from fruits and veggies, like Brocc’s onion skysearcher telescope and Kaley’s apple core curlers. Best of all, The Rootlets are superheroes with powers called rootabilities that they get from their respective veggie hair.

The connection between The Rootlets series and kids eating better comes in the form of entertainment and familiarization. The Rootlets’ characters and stories introduce kids to a huge variety of fruits and veggies in a really fun, exciting and entertaining way. This sparks their interest and it resonates with them…so when they see these foods at the grocery store or on their plate, they’re much more likely to want to try them.

What kind of feedback are you getting from families regarding these superheroes? 

The feedback and book reviews have been amazing and I’m so grateful. The best is hearing from adorable little readers who are excited to tell me that they’re chomping on their veggie powers or that they love the stories. One little girl that I met at a school reading ran up to me and in her sweet voice said “Miss Author! I never liked vegetables, but now I eat all of my green beans and peas and salad because I want powers like the Rootlets.” It was so cute and she was so proud to tell me that she not only ate her veggies, but that she liked them! Those moments mean the world to me and they’re the reason I’m so proud to be doing this work.

What is your personal philosophy on health and nutrition? 

When it comes to nutrition, I believe that eating real, whole, natural foods is the absolute best thing that you can do for your health, and that everybody can benefit from adding more veggies into their diet. I also believe that a truly healthy lifestyle takes time to build – you have to start small, create habits slowly, be patient and kind with yourself, keep things balanced (everything in moderation) and ALWAYS find a way to enjoy the journey.

What tips can you share for parents on getting their kids to eat more fruits and vegetables?

My biggest tip is to make healthy eating as much fun as possible. Get kids involved in the cooking – let them smash the potatoes or tear up the kale. When you’re shopping get them excited to try something new in the produce section, like a starfruit and then relate it to the stars you see in the sky. Talk about the super powers you get from eating fruits and veggies, like super immunity when you eat an orange. Kids are motivated by silly things and they love to have a good time, so if parents can find a way to incorporate those things at mealtime, their kiddos will be totally into it.

You can learn more about Vicki’s work at www.TheRootlets.com and www.VickiMarquez.com.

Check out one of Vicki’s favorite recipes!

Crispy Tofu Tenders (Vegan)

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• Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian

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Ingredients

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• 1 package firm tofu
• ¼ cup teff
• ¼ cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp ground mustard
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos

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Instructions

1. Remove tofu from package, drain and pat dry. Cut into desired shapes. Freeze overnight. Remove from freezer and thaw in refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350° Once thawed, place on paper towels to dry tofu. Combine lemon juice and coconut aminos. Once excess moisture has been removed lightly brush with lemon juice and coconut aminos mixture.
3. In bowl, mix together teff, buckwheat flour, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, ground mustard, and paprika.
4. Roll tofu in breading mixture to coat evenly. Place nuggets on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. Let cool for a few minutes. Serve with vegan ranch dressing and veggies sticks!