It’s my six-week optimum nutrition programme and we cover everything from blood sugar balance to liver detox pathways. The goal is to make sure that people get a really sound understanding of exactly how their nutrition choices influence their day-to-day wellness and gene expression too.It’s detailed and there’s no holding back.We have, for example, a whole class on poop, because it’s important! It’s also pretty funny, most of the time.It’s always hard to tell how amusing a group is going to find poop jokes.It often depends on how comfortable they are with each other.I teach it midway, when everyone has got to know each other a little and it’s usually all good.One of my classes has been giving me a run for my money though.I stood there today, trying to teach the ins and the outs of, let’s face it, a totally gross but pretty hilarious subject, and oh my gosh it was hard to raise a giggle. This class also involves a discussion on soaking your nuts … yep … (because it gets rid of enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion).That didn’t go down so well either. I have the wine on the go as I type!Maybe my reality has been distorted by living with a twelve-year-old and a nine-year-old.They think anything bottom related is the funniest thing on planet Earth, although I suspect if they knew I taught actual poop classes, to real adults and, potentially, the parents of their friends, they would die.I’ll just have to keep them sweet by making them totally delicious meals and snacks — which works, most of the time. Like most of us, I have one adventurous eater and one who is less so.My second is more hesitant and suspicious that I may be poisoning her with a hidden green vegetable.To be fair, she’s right to be suspicious, I usually am.However, she’s a good sport about it.Bizarrely, although she won’t eat green beans or zucchini, she will eat sprouts. Sprouts! Most people hate sprouts! If you have a reluctant vegetable eater, keep trying them on new things because they just might surprise you.The trick is to make the new thing a very small part of their meal.So, if they try it and don’t like it, you don’t have to get stressed about them being hungry or wasting food.When you take away the stress, everyone is happier and kids are more likely to be receptive.More of the “sure, I’ll give it a shot” versus “get that weird thing away from me! I’ve already decided I don’t like it”.Another thing that helps in our house is sauce — actually, bacon helps too (that’s how Belle first discovered she liked sprouts, because they were wrapped in bacon).They do like to dip veggies in sauce and this one is a total hit. It’s a satay of sorts, but made with almond or cashew butter and you can control the amount of spice.I drizzle it over a very simple vegetable and cashew nut stir fry (recipe below), but you can also use it as a dip for raw veg or chicken skewers. Enjoy! •Catherine Burns is a qualified nutritional therapist. For more details: www.natural.bm, 505-4725, Natural Nutrition Bermuda on Facebook and @naturalbda on Instagram