Southern Cookbook and Good Home Cooking

Now that school’s out and I have all three girls home with me all day, every day, my time is even more valuable, especially to them. Apparently, along with all my other roles, I’m also their personal chef, activities director and event planner for the summer. They don’t know how good they have it. I try to remember this when they try to lay on the guilt with: “I’m hungry. I’m bored. Can we go somewhere?” HELL NO! I’m trying to write in my blog. Of course I didn’t actually say that.

One place we love to go is the library. It’s good, free entertainment and we get to bring home books to occupy them later. I owe my sanity to the public library (which is why I made a nice little donation when I heard my branch might shut down due to underfunding). That’s not the only reason I love it. I could spend hours in non-fiction, browsing the shelves in section 641. Food and drink. I’m a big supporter of borrowing books rather than spending money on new ones. Especially cookbooks, since I really only use them for inspiration. But every now and then, I find one I don’t want to return. I renew it until I can’t anymore. Art Smith’s Back to the Family, is one such book. The pictures are amazing and the food is good and simple. I’ve made bread pudding (twice), fennel coleslaw and a brunch dish that coincidentally called for a cheese I’d just picked up at Trader Joe’s that I’d never used before (manchego). As usual, I made a few changes to suit our taste and food choices and sometimes just to use what we had on hand. If you like southern food, I recommend this book.

I’ve made several recipes already. My favorite is the bread pudding. I strongly recommend drowning the raisins in spiced rum first. I let them marinate for about an hour in hot rum. And I served it with ice cream as suggested (homemade vanilla). It’s so easy to make, it’s scary.  Scary because it so damn good.

One night I was looking for a way to use some cabbage that I’d had in the refrigerator for a week and a half, which by the way was still crisp and quite fresh since it was freshly picked when I’d bought it from Matthews Farmers’ Market (best in the Charlotte area, hands down). Raw veggies and apple cider vinegar have great health benefits. The recipe is for Fennel Coleslaw. I substituted half the fennel with my cabbage and added a red bell pepper.  I love fennel and it has its own benefits, but I don’t think my family would love a coleslaw made entirely of fennel.

Late one morning, I was looking through the book and came across a recipe for Asparagus with Manchego Cheese. I had a smoothie very early that morning and was getting hungry. This recipe looked easy and tasty. The tomatoes, now in season and delicious, and of course the manchego caught my eye. Similar to the bread pudding recipe, it calls for bread cubes and eggs. I substituted the French bread with a very dense whole wheat sandwich bread and the asparagus with broccoli, because that’s what I had on hand. When I was a less experienced and less confident cook, I would pass on recipes unless I had (and liked) the ingredients called for, which was a big mistake. It turned out wonderfully, but I can’t wait to try it with asparagus (and a few other veggies, now that I think of it).

I encourage less confident cooks to take a chance and make changes to suit your taste or use what you already have. (America spends a lot of money and resources on wasted food.) My mom has this simple and awesome fried rice recipe that’s comforting and makes me feel like a kid again. It’s not like the fried rice you’d find in a Chinese restaurant. There is no soy sauce or eggs and aside from the Korean sticky rice she uses, it’s more like an Americanized version of fried rice. She uses rice, carrots, onions, celery, ground beef, salt and pepper (and probably some minced garlic). I made this recipe with sausage instead, again because it’s what I had on hand. The smell of the sausage with those ingredients reminded me of another one of her recipes for dirty rice, so I meshed the two and added curry powder and a little extra turmeric (because it has some great health benefits and to give it a beautiful yellow color). Don’t get me wrong, my mom’s recipes are already good and very special to me. They are my comfort foods, along with the rest of her home cooking. (Where do you think my interest in food and gardening comes from?) However, I’ll be making this mash-up of the two again and again.

Spring – Time to Grow!

The weather has been unbelievable. I think we skipped the harsh winter months and got a head start on spring. And now it’s like early summer around here. I’ve found myself still too warm in a tank, shorts and flops more than once this week. The garden is growing and I’m adding more plants each week. The tomatoes I planted a week and a half ago - are already flowering.

I’m planting mostly food, but some flowers too. We have a small lot and last year I had decided there was only enough room for edibles. Unfortunately, it occured to me later in the summer that a few more flowers would’ve attracted more beneficial insects. (I had to hand pollinate my zuchininis and pumpkins.) And pretty flowers are nice to look at.

This year I have decided that I’ll have a few more flowers and I want a little more than food from my gardens. I want them to add a little natural beauty to my yard. I’ve found quite a bit of inspiration for neat ways to label plants using old stuff like wire hangers, wood scraps and small bamboo stakes. I’ve just been too busy planting the last couple of weeks. I just can’t seem to pry myself from tending to the gardens. My farmers’ market trips aren’t solely about buying food  ready to eat. I look forward to see what transplants are available each week. I’ve got a total of seven tomato plants so far. Fennel seeds are sown. There are carrots, countless herbs, garlic, spring onions, garlic chives, lettuces, beets, peas, kale, spinach, blueberries and raspberries and a few surprises (some kind of squash, pumpkins or maybe melons). Volunteer seedlings are popping up anywhere I mix in my compost. I’ll let a few of them go to see what grows. I hope we don’t have a late cold snap!

I do already feel the effects of the mild winter. Critters are everywhere. Literally. I come inside and have to inspect myself for hitch-hiking pests. I usually find at least one of these:

And my plants are all under attack. I found this huge snail in my garden. He looked like he could do some damage, so I had to relocate him – probably permanently. So sorry little guy. I have to admit that the small act of killing critters foraging for food sheerly for their own survival, does make me think twice before killing even the tiniest insects. Laugh if you must. I wish there was enough food in my garden to go around, but a seedling is no match for a slug or a snail or catepillar. My beet seedlings get devoured by something the day they emerge. If I could just get them to wait a little while… they’ll be enough for them too. Me and the snail hung out for a bit while I decided what to do. I couldn’t bring myself to kill it, so I put him in the trash bin. There is plenty of food in there. If he makes it out, well then kudos for him.

Last year I sowed only five pea plants. All but two of them were hacked by cutworms. We never had enough to make a side dish and usually opened the pods and ate them straight from the garden. This year I planted twelve. One of my food discoveries in this journey is that I don’t hate peas after all. I just don’t like the stinky ones you get in a can at the grocery store. Frozen or fresh peas are a staple now. I’m excited and hopeful about fresh peas! I may try and grow fava beans too, if cutworms thin out my peas again this year.

I’m looking forward to long, warm lazy days.  I’ve made a kind of bucket list for the spring and summer.

I hope I get to take a nap in a hammock (have to get one first).

I’m looking forward to outdoor dinners with amazing food, amazing people and laughter and smiles and candles and pretty table settings.

I hope I don’t get too caught up in the day to day details and I find time to do all the d-i-y art and garden projects I have planned.

I want to eat a meal made almost entirely with ingredients from my own back yard.

I want to swap and share homegrown and homemade food.

I want to can tomatoes, at least enough to last through the winter. I’ve planted seven tomato plants so far, and plan to get three more varieties.

I want to freeze some homegrown veggies, like peas and squash and peppers, so that I can have a taste of homegrown veggies in the dead of winter, when I’m craving springtime.

And those are just a few things I can think of at the moment.

Words, Food and DIY Mania

You know those moments in life when something in your mind just clicks into place. Unrelated ideas and memories and thoughts are scattered and out of focus, and then something happens. It all starts falling neatly in line. You figure something out about yourself, or rather you figure out how a bunch of random things in your life all fit together. That’s what’s happening to me. And now it all makes perfect sense.

I have never been a “put together” type of person. I mean I know when I like something, a piece or pieces, but I just could never seem to make them all fit together. But I’ve been reflecting a lot this week and I’ve discovered how different parts of my life from as far back as I can remember, fit neatly into certain words. Traditional and classic, natural, rustic yet elegant and fresh, but somehow still quirky and messy, simple yet inspiring and with lots of depth and meaning. Maybe that doesn’t seem so simple to you. But to me, those words sum up my entire life. It may not be the way others see me, but this is what my soul wants. Now that I see it, maybe you will too. The best part, the “click” if you will, came not just with these words, but with a realization. How when things are going right, these words are filling me up. The parts of my life that work, are all inscribed with these words. I’ve always loved these words. They are inscribed in my soul.

So what does this have to do with food? I’ll tell you what this has to do with food. I want my food to be those words. Simple and rustic and messy (aka easy and minimalist). I want it to be natural, fresh, traditional and classic (whole, farm to table and prepared using old techniques and recipes). And I like to use new and unexpected ingredients (quirky). I want the food to be inspiring (beautiful and yummy) and I want it to be full of depth and meaning (deeply nourishing for me, my family and every lovely person sharing our table).

So I’ve been a busy girl. Trying to make the outsides match the insides around our house. Especially in the food areas of the house. The dining room, the kitchen and the back yard (where a lot of our food comes from and where it is sometimes eaten). A friend introduced me to Pinterest a couple weeks ago and it has me believing I can do anything. That is one inspiring website. So I’ve been working on several d-i-y projects and have already made two trips to my new favorite store, Hobby Lobby, and a few trips to Home Depot. I started with a white wash on the picnic table. DIY semi-fail. Not enough water, so back to Home Depot for sand paper and a hand sander to strip some of the paint off. The good news is it has the look I wanted and the bonus of this “mistake” is a table that’s as smooth as a baby’s butt. (Which is great for our butts.)

Rustic

Then a classic, elegant chandelier makeover. Spray painted it “oiled bronze” and made a cover for the chain. That’s right, as in I bought fabric and used my sewing machine! (Who knew buying fabric could be so intimidating.) The best part is that this upcycle cost me less than $6. The paint was on sale and I only used half a yard of fabric.

Next I made these quirky little napkins. I already had the napkins, so all I had to buy was black fabric paint, some foam brushes and letter stencils.  This cost me about $15, but I have plenty of paint and brushes left and the stencil is reusable. I have a ton of stenciling ideas swimming around in my head already.

Did you notice the rest of the table? I bought some rustic burlap fabric, which I just folded, ironed and tied with some natural twine I had lying around to use as a table runner. The centerpiece, candles and candle holders were all a bargain from a thrift store. The flowers and ivy were in the garage. The table cloth was already on the table and the mason jars and plates came from my cabinet. This rustic, quirky, elegant table makeover cost me maybe $15 total!!

And the day I painted the chandelier, I also spray painted jar lids with chalk board paint for easy labeling. Seems like a good idea, but they scratch easily. Maybe they need more than one coat.

And here’s something quirky. I found this basket and vase at the thrift store. The fake flowers, the aloe plant and pot and the pine cone were already mine. Cute right?

The mirror pictured above and the “Kitchen” sign also came from a thrift store. Trash to treasure!! You know what else? I took all of these photos with my new camera. I’ve been practicing a lot. Inspiration is a wonderful motivator! Can’t wait to roast my rustic whole, pastured chicken and serve it with some rustic, chunky roasted beets and carrots and a salad – farm to table. All natural and whole from the farmers market. Then share it with my family in our newly redecorated rustic, elegant, natural and quirky dining room. My soul is happy!

Farm to Table Journey to Health (and Weight Loss)

The most remarkable thing about this journey is how it has affected my soul. When I first started my goal was to lose weight. But where I ended up instead, was so much better. And the weight fell off. This journey led me to unexpected places. Like farmers markets. And farm tours. And to cultivating a garden of my own. I have a deep appreciation for food now that I’ve seen the whole picture, from seed to plate. And when I say food, I don’t just mean ‘food’. I mean everything from seeds and plants and animals that “only have one bad day”; to climate and fertile soil and clean water and organic, sustainable  farming; to creating recipes with appreciation for the ingredients; and then cooking and sharing meals, relaxing and making memories with friends and family. Even after the food is gone from our plates, it’s sitting in our full bellies, nourishing us. I mean “FOOD!” I didn’t know it could be this good and, this nourishing. I’ve changed from the inside out. Deeply. This journey moves my soul and now I’m in tune with the natural world. It’s a part of me and I’m a part of it.

So if you want to lose weight AND be healthy and you’ve tried everything else… I have a little suggestion. Something you probably haven’t tried. Just learn to love nourishing food. Reconnect with it. Get to know it really well. Try a… I was going to call it a “farm-to-table diet,” but I hate diets. And I hate when people call eating well a “lifestyle”. I mean it is, but it sounds so cliché. How about… a farm-to-table journey to health. If you learn to eat well, the weight will fall off – and you won’t feel deprived or starved. Our entire family slimmed down in one summer. Except the picky one that needed to gain a little. She did.

Read some articles about all those foodie things I italicized above, and blogs like this one and dozens more like it. Subscribe to facebook pages and blogs like health.com, Slow Food USA, 100 Days of Real Food, Harvest Moon Grille/Grateful Growers and Mark Bittman. I suggest this book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and other books by Nina Planck, Michael Pollan, Alexandra Zissu. If TV’s your thing, try watching some food shows. Set your DVR to record “Dr. Oz” (he has Oprah’s old spot) and “The Chew” on ABC and Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel. And watch Food, Inc. Don’t let the politics deter you. Understanding where food comes from and how it gets on your plate is the first step to eating well. Ignore the politics, unless of course you feel passionate about it.

Visit a farmers market or two. Try to find one that is a “producers only” market with food that comes from within a 50 or 100 mile radius. Start shopping there regularly. The best one in the Charlotte area is (Matthews Farmers’ Market.) In fact, some might say this is not a good time to start farmers’ market shopping, because we’re in the middle of winter and there’s hardly any food. First of all, that’s not true. There’s plenty of food. There’s just not a wide variety of food. But I think it’s the best time to get to know the farmers’ market – before it’s busy and crowded and there’s food everywhere. In the winter, farmers’ markets are quieter. The farmers, vendors and market goers will be more relaxed, less busy and open to conversation. And you can watch it grow into spring.

Locate some organic, sustainable farms in your area where food is grown without chemicals and animals are treated humanely. Most of them offer free scheduled tours. This is a great opportunity to find out why sustainable food costs more. It’s also a great way to spend a day with the family. Farms have a way of reminding you what life is all about. Kids of all ages will love it. It’s such a fun learning opportunity. (Also good for getting a reluctant spouse on board.)

Start small. Read one article a day. Subscribe to one blog. “Like” something food related on facebook. Cook one meal from fresh, whole ingredients. I’m telling you, this journey is nothing like a diet. There’s no calorie counting or eating low fat (fat is delicious and doesn’t make you fat – google it). This journey is eye opening and it’s fun. It changed my entire family. We’re all better because of it. I thought it would be nice to hear a kid’s point of view, so I’ve asked my daughter Haleigh (she’s 12) what she has enjoyed the most about this journey. So I’m stepping away from the keyboard now and letting her write it in her own words. This is what she has to to say:

“Eating healthier isn’t as bad as it seems – like eating vegetables all the time and not eating cookies – because there are also good things, like I get to go to the farmers’ market every Saturday. That’s fun for me and also the food from the farmers market tastes better than from a store. Healthier food makes me feel more focused and fit. Unlike junk food which makes me feel lazy. At lunch when I see people all around me eating cookies and chips and I’m eating carrots and a sandwich, it makes me think I’m much healthier than my friends and I’m going to be better off in life. Even though they sometimes make fun of me and stuff, because my mom’s such a “health freak” I’m thinking well at least my mom cares enough not to feed me junk food all my life.”

Things I Learned in 2011 and What I’m Looking Forward to Learning in 2012

Things I learned in 2011:

1. Scaling down and purging stuff is a life style, not a task to be completed in a weekend, a week, a month or even a year. It’s easier to get rid of things, than it is to stop accumulating more stuff. Still, we did a really good job.
2. Thrift stores are a great way to recycle, upcycle, save money and cut down on trash. If we could all buy more used stuff or just use and repair stuff we already have, demand for new things would fall, less of it would be produced and we could save some of our precious resources.
3. Gardening is rewarding, but less predictable than I imagined. Nature can be harsh. Bugs are an organic gardeners worst enemy. Everything you plant will not survive or be edible. Luckily, most of it will, even if you’re an amateur like me.
4. Having two compost piles is better than one. One to use now and one to build up for later.
5. Making mostly homemade bread from scratch, instead of buying it from the grocery store is doable… if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook (and maybe a bread machine, but I don’t use one of those). A stand mixer is worth it’s cost and it’s space on the counter. I still haven’t found a 100% whole wheat sandwich bread recipe that works without using vital wheat gluten (or other additive). But I’ve learned to accept a 50/50 or 40/60  loaf using good quality, organic all purpose and whole wheat flour. It’s way better tasting and better for our health than store bought bread.
6. Homemade tortillas are not worth the trouble unless you eat and make them often. A lot of work goes into it. I have an awesomely perfect recipe and a tortilla press, but we just don’t eat them often enough for me to really get the practice I need to make them quickly. So I buy the best quality I can, when we do need them. Homemade pita bread on the other hand, is totally worth it.
7. Kids (and spouses) will eat well if you feed them well… eventually.
8. My kids aren’t ADHD afterall. Our education system just stinks. I kinda knew this already, but it’s actually worse than I imagined. School’s just too damned boring for kids. Bad diet also plays a role.
9. Okra doesn’t have to be slimy. And I like it grilled. It’s not the only food I’ve learned to like this year. I like arugula. And salmon. But I still don’t like liver. Maybe I never will.
10. The world is not going to end in 2012. It’s a rumor. The Mayan calendar, actually the long-count period “ends” on winter solstice 2012, the same way our yearly calendar ends on December 31. Time will not stop. The world will not end. The calendar just starts over. So don’t put your pets to sleep or spend all of your money. (Here’s a little NASA FAQ, in case you’re still worried.)

Of course I’ve learned more than that, but those are my highlights. Here’s what I’m looking forward to learning in 2012:

1. Creating. This blog, my new camera, cooking and even gardening has all helped me get in touch with my inner artist. I’m looking forward to “up-cyling” projects this year. The ugly gold chandelier in our dining area has been a thorn in my side. I can’t wait to paint it, embellish it and add a lamp shade (or several). I’m sure there will be some DIY disasters in my very near future, but I’m looking forward to learning. I need to work on my sewing and painting skills. (Oh and have you heard of Pinterest? Whoa! So inspiring. And a great way to figure out what you like and organize your life.)
2. I want prettier gardens and I want more of them. Still mostly edible of course. And definitely still organic, just better laid out. I’ll be working on a garden design, before I start sowing seeds and planting this year.
3. You know I’m a bit of tree-hugger, but this year I want to do better. I have been replacing old store bought cleaners and some health and beauty products with safer, d-i-y alternatives. Beauty products have been the most intimidating, but I’ve stocked up on some good quality carrier oils, essential oils, bees wax, a few other ingredients and tons of small containers to store it all in. I’ve made all-over moisturizer using coconut oil and couple drops each of rosemary oil, tea tree oil and lemon oil. My hair serum is made with coconut oil, lavender and rosemary essential oils. They work great and smell better than anything I’ve bought in the store. I’m working on a post about these.
4. I’m a free spirit. This year I’m going to let it out more and stop worrying about other peoples’ opinions. Even if it ruffles a few feathers. (In fact I kinda hope it does!) I’ve found that by being honest and being myself, I attract the kind of people I want to be around and I fit better in situations and my surroundings. And if I’m more open, others are more open with me. This is my blog. I can write whatever I want.

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

Last week I received an email from my middleschoolers’ math teacher. I got nervous when I saw her teacher’s name in my inbox.

She’s been struggling in this class. There are only two weeks left to bring up her grade and I feared she was going to tell me that she was going to fail the quarter.

Instead, I was relieved to hear that she had seen real improvement and focus in Haleigh since they’ve been back from winter break. What a relief.

A Friday Treat was in order, to reward my girl for her hard work. Something sweet, but not too sweet.

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup organic sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 8 tablespoons real unsalted butter (cold or frozen, sliced)
• 1/2 cup organic sour cream
• 1 large pastured egg
• 1/2 cup chopped dried organic cranberries
• 1/2 cup white morsels
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Process the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and butter in a food processor until everything is combined. (You can cut the butter into the dry ingredients by hand if you don’t have a food processor.) The texture of this mixture should resemble corn meal.
3. In a medium bowl beat eggs and sour cream together, then add the flour and butter mixture to the eggs and sour cream. Mix until combined, but don’t over mix. Scones are supposed to have a rough, crumbly texture.
4. Gently mix in the chopped cranberries, white morsels and chia seeds just until they are evenly distributed through the dough. You may find that you’ll need to use your hands to gently knead them in evenly and to bring the dough together, but don’t over handle.
5. Dump the dough on to a floured surface and gently pat out into a large disk, about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough like a pizza into 8 pieces and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool for 5 minutes (if you can wait that long).

(Click here for a printer friendly version.)

My kids loved these! They have a lot less sugar than a chocolate chip cookie, but the kids didn’t mind a bit. Other than that they aren’t much different from cookies. I might cut them into 12 next time and shorten the cooking time just a bit. One scone seemed like too much. You could also substitute almost any dried fruit and any kind of baking chips (or leave them out if you want). It’s a really versatile recipe and easy to tailor to suit different tastes. But make sure you use real butter. Margarine contains too much water which might make the dough too wet. And get unsalted. I never understood why recipes called for unsalted butter, but called for salt later all, until recently. Most cooks will tell you that unsalted butter is “purer” and fresher than salted butter. Salt can be added to improve any “off” taste and to preserve older butter. More care is taken with unsalted butter and therefore the quality and taste is better. At least that’s the idea. Some say that in today’s market, there isn’t really a difference between the two, except that one is saltier. Who knows. But just to be sure, I now only buy unsalted. I can add my own salt (which is probably better than theirs anyway.)

By the way, chia seeds might be hard to find, but they’re worth looking for. I get them at a local health food store, Healthy Home Market. They have more Omega-3′s than flax seeds and are rich in antioxidants. Those tiny black seeds remind of poppy seeds, so I sprinkled some on top.  Ch-ch-ch-chia! (Sorry couldn’t resist.)

How to Get Your Kids to Eat Well

This NPR article inspired this post. Apparently Georgia is running some controversial ads to try and fight childhood obesity. I think the ads are going to shed light on a subject that has been taboo for decades. Fat kids. There I said it. Not to be mean, but to be honest. Many kids (and adults) have excessive fat on their bodies. The fat is dangerous. Yes dangerous. In case you haven’t already heard, our children’s life expectancy is shorter than our own. What could this mean for future generations – our grandchildren and great grandchildren? Scary stuff. Something’s got to give. I want to break the cycle, not perpetuate it. I’m doing everything in my power to improve my kids’ chances. By example. And by showing them how to eat healthy. That’s right. I’m the mom who doesn’t like it and discourages her kids from eating candy and chips and soda and cake and ice cream. Though I try not to be a fruitcake. (See below.)

My kids eat vegetables. But they didn’t used to. Because I didn’t offer them. And the road hasn’t been easy (still isn’t). But I do it anyway. My three year old only eats a couple – celery (thanks Wonder Pets), broccoli (sometimes) and french fries (technically a vegetable, but just barely). But I’ve noticed that just like the older two, she’s eating more of them each week. Guess what else she loves. Tofu. Loves it! Because it tastes good. You probably don’t believe me because of it’s reputation in America as a disgusting or tasteless health food. I didn’t believe it until I actually tried it a couple times, a couple of ways.

Before you can convince your kids to eat well, you have to learn to do it. If you find healthier food to be tasteless (or even gross), give it a fair chance. Try not to write a food off after just one taste, or even just one preparation. It’s okay to be honest when you don’t like something. The kids have seen some funny, interesting and honest reactions from me. But keep trying it. They’ll get the lesson and hopefully you’ll learn to like it, not just tolerate it. Here’s a list of just some of the foods (and drinks) I used to dislike but now love:

• unsweetened beverages
• milk
• kale
• arugula (only after about the third try and after learning that salty and acidic foods compliment it’s flavor)
• beets (just getting to know and like them)
• figs
• rosemary, sage and a bunch of other herbs
• Greek yogurt
• parsnips
• goat cheese
• fennel
• kombucha
• salmon (just in the last couple of weeks)
• anchovies
• all kinds of beans
• cole slaw
• and of course, tofu – so versatile, yet I only had one image of it before we started this journey:

Here’s a link to some beautiful tofu on Google Images. Okay they aren’t all beautiful. But most of them are. And for the record, like chicken, it has an extremely mild taste, so a flavorful preparation is recommended. If you think you don’t like it, you probably just didn’t like the flavors used to prepare it. And the texture can vary and can also be manipulated if that’s your hang up. It can be delicate like cottage cheese, or firm like chicken.

But this post isn’t about tofu. It’s about getting kids (and you) to eat better, to be healthy. I’m no expert but I can tell you that I’ve learned a lot from my picky eaters over the last couple of years. One thing is certain, if you want kids to eat healthy food you first have to offer it (hello!?) and don’t give them an unhealthy option to choose from instead. In other words don’t serve chicken nuggets, french fries and kale. Duh. No need to elaborate further on that one. What are you afraid of? Insist (that’s right insist) that they take at least a reasonable bite. You do it all the time with other things. You insist they go to bed at a reasonable hour. You insist that they wear their seat belt. So ignore those “experts” that claim forcing your kids to eat their vegetables will give them some negative associations with the food. They’ll get over it. They might not like it this time, but keep offering it – over and over and over again. It can take something like a dozen tastes to change our minds about a particular food. Try another preparation. Use flavors they love. Just don’t give up on nutritious food – or your kids.

Here’s another tip. If they refuse to eat, let them go hungry. They won’t starve. And the next time you offer them something nutritious, they’ll probably be hungry enough to try it. Maybe not at first. They’ll probably rebel if you haven’t been eating this way for long. But if they refuse, they probably aren’t really that hungry. Trust me on this. Even if they’ve barely eaten for days, they won’t starve. If you cave and offer their favorite junk food, you are undermining your efforts and their chances to learn to eat healthy. It helps to look at the big picture. Have plenty of the fruits they love, milk if they’ll have it and other healthy options for snacks or meals. Stock up on the nutritious things they already love. And don’t expect them to be eagerly eating vegetables in a month or even a year. We’ve been at it for two years, and we still have issues. But it’s a million times easier than it was those first couple of weeks. Trying new foods and learning to like them is a lifestyle, not a childhood phase. As I said, I’m still doing it.

Come up with some ground rules. For instance, our kids must take a “thank you” bite. Always. At home and away. If they want seconds or dessert, they have to eat everything they’ve been served. I only serve them small portions to begin with. Sometimes a half portion or even just a couple tablespoons. My kids are used to trying new foods or new dishes now, though they aren’t always thrilled about it. Many of the foods that used to make them gag (literally, but I still made them take a bite) are some of their favorites now, or are at least tolerable. And I don’t care if the only reason they eat the kale or tofu is to get more chicken or dessert (we don’t have dessert regularly though). I am even going to start offering special privileges for clearing their plates. Like offering to play a board game after dinner, or to do one of their chores for them – dishes perhaps. The point is for them to give the food a chance. Who knows, you might like it Sam I Am. And don’t forget to praise them when they eat well or try something they don’t like.

While this post is mostly about offering healthy food, don’t forget to teach them portion control. My kids are only allowed one serving of each food, until they clean their plates (unless of course it’s more vegetables). If they want a second single serving of chicken after they’ve eaten salad and roasted carrots, then go for it. Americans tend to over estimate portion sizes (thanks to “individual” sized bags of chips with two servings, soft drinks and super sized meals in almost every restaurant, but especially fast food joints). A serving of vegetables is about 1/2 cup (1 full cup for greens like spinach and lettuce). A serving size of meat is 3 ounces (not 4). A single slice of bread is one serving, so a sandwich includes two servings of bread. Learning how much to eat is equally as important as learning what to eat. Here’s a handy chart.

I want to suggest one other thing. Eat and prepare meals together as a family. Families who eat together are usually closer, eating habits are better and kids are more confident, less likely to drink, do drugs, smoke, be depressed, have sex at a young age or get pregnant (just to name a few). Countless studies and research has been done on the subject. Tons of articles have been written about it. We eat dinner together nearly every night. My kids are almost always in the kitchen when I’m preparing dinner, usually doing homework or chatting (though I still need to work on letting them help more). It’s not always fun and games, but as the kids get older, the benefits become more and more important. And linger at the table after everyone is done eating. Finish your glass of wine or coffee. Chat. Goof off. Plan future events. Talk about your day. Our best conversations happen after the meal. Serious subjects like sex and drugs and bullying. Sometimes we get down right silly. Like the time we used an iPhone app to turn our voices into a song and sent it to a relative. Or the night we gave London some silly (but useable)  examples of what to do and say next time a boy in her class hits her or one of her friends. The dishes, the homework and the baths can wait just a little longer. This is more important.

***Updated to add a couple of things.

1) Sometimes kids will refuse to eat something even if they like it, just to be right. One of mine decides with her eyes first and will rarely admit she likes anything new. (Very discouraging and annoying.) But I’ve accepted it. Sometimes she’ll continue the charade indefinitely. But she doesn’t put up as much of a fight when I put it on her plate. Sometimes she’ll say it’s “okay”. But she’s quite stubborn. So am I. I just keep putting it on her plate. It’s like a little dance we do.

2) Texture can be a big problem for picky eaters. If something doesn’t taste good AND it’s mushy, it’s like a double whammy. She dislikes some delicate fish and hates beans and used to hate mashed potatoes (keep reading). Funny though she never had a problem with grits, which have a very distinct mushy/gritty and slightly slimy texture that many people do have a problem with. I have always added milk, cheese, lots of butter and sometimes sausage or bacon in our grits, preparing them almost like a rich risotto. Sometimes I even add onions, tomatoes, chard or spinach, mushrooms… My guess is that she just couldn’t resist the rich flavor. (That gives me an idea. Maybe I should try this with beans.) I mentioned that she used to hate mashed potatoes, but now she devours them. Especially with gravy. That’s my girl!

PLATE Restaurant and Lounge in Harrisburg, NC

Brian called and wanted to know if London and I would like to meet him for lunch. Sure! Where ya’ wanna go? I searched a couple of restaurants online and we decided to try PLATE Restaurant & Lounge, at Harrisburg Town Center. The reviews led me to believe PLATE would offer upscale food in a casual setting at reasonable prices. The website calls it “casual family dining”. They don’t serve local food or anything. Of course I checked. They use a regular food distributor, like most other restaurants. Jake’s Good Eats (one of our favorite restaurants) popped into my mind as I read the descriptions and reviews.

It was lunch time. We waited by an empty hostess podium, making a little bit of noise. It was pretty quiet inside. We could see through a small window, someone working in the kitchen, but the dining area wasn’t visible. Was this a rear entrance? It was definitely decorated and arranged like a main entry. But we weren’t sure. A few minutes later the same lady from the kitchen emerged holding a tray of food and said she’d be right back to seat us.  And she did.  This lady appeared to be working as the only waitress and hostess, which was all they needed really. It was noon and pretty empty. Only 2 other tables were taken. The tables were covered with white table cloths and lined with a sheet of white paper. There were candles (though they were unlit).

The menu looked decent. I ordered vegetables, a la carte, from the side dish menu – basil mashed potatoes, seasonal veggies and sauteed mushrooms. What I got instead was a baked potato, halved and sprinkled with an herb (possibly basil, but I couldn’t tell), fried crisp on the cut side, a reasonable but smallish portion of slightly over cooked, rather bland, not at all in season asparagus (it’s the end of October), and a fairly large bowl full of tiny, bland, overcooked button mushrooms.

Clearly either the menu is off, or the kitchen was. Asparagus is in season in the early spring. It may be in season somewhere in the world, but when I see “seasonal” on the menu, I automatically assume they mean seasonal to the region in which the restaurant is located. No biggie. This would probably go unnoticed by most patrons anyway. But they were still slightly overcooked. There was nothing basil or mashed about the potato. I politely asked the waitress “Didn’t I order the basil mashed potatoes?” She went back to the kitchen and came back with something lame like… the potatoes are sprinkled with basil and they’re actually smashed, not mashed. Interesting. Basil, huh? Could’ve been any dried herb. And the only smash my potato got was from when I cut into it with my fork. I wanted to take another look at the menu to double check the description, but I was in an agreeable mood so I let it go. These veggies were priced at $4.00 each, by the way. Just sayin’.

Brian ordered one of the three specials – a chicken club sandwich served with a nice sized bowl of chili topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese. The Chicken and bacon club was pretty good. Salty. In fact it tasted a lot like a burger. The chili was okay, heavy on the sugar, heavily seasoned with the standard chili spices and… kind of ho-hum. It reminded me of the chili you might get at any chain restaurant. But for $5.00 it might be worth the money. In fact I’m left wondering how in the heck  they are making any money with these “specials”. I’m a little suspicious. Can they really get food that cheap? Or is this some overstock they are trying to get rid of to recoup the cost? These are fast food prices. Come to think of it, maybe this is the quality of the food too. Wendy’s anyone? Drink and fries not included. If none of that bothers you, then these $5.00 value m… I mean “specials” would probably be a good value.

In the restaurant’s defense, we didn’t order a regular entree and they had just opened an hour before. I think this restaurant is fairly new as well. Maybe they aren’t quite ready? Also the waitress did come by and ask how everything was. I could’ve mentioned it, but opted to be polite instead. I said it was pretty good (with a kind of ho-hum energy behind it). Why deflate anyone’s spirit? If I had to rate this restaurant, I’d give it maybe 2.5 stars out of 5. I’m no professional restaurant critic, of course. I only know what I like, and I wasn’t intrigued enough to want to go back and pay $18 for an entree.

On another note, Brian ran into someone that used to work with him. He had left the company to open his own wine bar. It’s called Winedown Wine Bar and it’s connected to PLATE. In fact he told us that his food would come from their kitchen, but that it was his own, separate menu.  Now this place looks interesting. The owner has quite a few fun ideas. A wine tasting class. Even a beer tasting (that got Brian’s attention). An art class – you’d get a canvas and some paint to go with your wine. Maybe a sushi or pizza making class. Sounds like a lot of fun! Oddly enough, the grand opening is today (3pm). Hmm. The kids are out of school tomorrow for a teacher workday. Wheels are spinning… Now this is interesting. I could use a winedown.

UPDATE: I did go to Winedown that evening and I totally recommend it. The cheese plate we ordered went well with the wine. We sat outside since it was a nice night. The owner asked about the food at PLATE (since he knew we had eaten there earlier) and I told him what I thought. He mentioned that the chef was off that afternoon and that may have been why the food was not great. Although the kitchen should be able to hold it’s own when he’s not around, in my opinion. I will tell you that the chef got high ratings and praise in the reviews that I read, which was why we went in the first place. So maybe I will give it another try, when the chef is actually in the kitchen.

I Killed the Microwave

I killed our beloved microwave. I thought I was “sensor cooking” potatoes, but in fact the potatoes were on top of the microwave. The poor thing zapped itself. There was nothing I could do to save it. So there it sits, in the garage, awaiting a proper… disposal.

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I’ve had a microwave since I was a kid. I don’t think I’ve ever been without one. Seriously. We usually replace them before they are actually broken, or immediately in the event they do break. But not this time. We decided to see just how inconvenient living without a microwave actually is. (Gasp! I know! Crazy, right?!) I guessed that it would seem nearly impossible in the beginning, but then get easier as time went on. Not only was I correct about it getting easier, but also that the rest of the family would have a harder time with it, even though I used it most! I could definitely live without it. However, I can’t say that I’m at a peace with it… yet. I will need more time, and I’m not sure the rest of the family is going to survive another week without it. We will probably get a new one eventually, but I won’t be as dependent upon it as I was before.

Why would I want to survive without one? Well for one, most food tastes better when reheated in the toaster oven. So I pulled the old toaster oven out from under the microwave cart, dusted it off and moved it to the top, where our beloved microwave once sat.

A toaster oven uses less kilowatts per hour than a microwave, but it takes more time to reheat or cook food. So we’re not actually saving energy. The amount of energy used is pretty close to even. Check out this article from treehugger.com for more info. But when it comes to taste, the difference is incredible. Leftover pizza in the microwave – why bother? I’d rather eat it cold. But reheat it in the toaster oven and it tastes like it’s fresh out of the oven (’cause it is, duh).

I haven’t actually “baked” a potato in the oven in years, maybe even decades. I remember baking potatoes in the oven at one of my first jobs… (right after a good soak in a little bleach water – not kidding!!) But these days I usually zap them in the microwave, using the handy “Potato” button which sensor cooks every. single. potato. perfectly. tender. But what I missed was that crisp, chewy, roasted skin. There is no comparison in taste. Not even close. My poor. deprived children had no idea how good a baked potato could be. Now that they have, they’ve packed them for lunch twice this week (with a dollop of butter and generous sprinkle of cheese, kept warm in a Thermos). I put them in the toaster oven right after I wake the kids. It took literally a few minutes to rub them in olive oil and sprinkle with a little coarse salt. I placed them directly on the lower rack in toaster oven (no foil), roasted them at 400 degrees for about an hour (didn’t even bother to preheat it). Then I went about my morning. They are ready to be packed away five minutes before we leave.

Not having the microwave as a convenient crutch is taking some getting used to. Actually it’s the remembering part, that’s been hard for me. For instance I forgot that I couldn’t thaw my frozen chicken broth in the microwave when I made my version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscano on Sunday. (My version includes nutrient dense kidney beans – Beans! Beans! They’re good for your heart! – and kale, instead of chard.) I had to spend about 5 extra minutes thawing it on the stove. (Gasp!) And I had to wash another pot rather than the glass dish I’d have used in the microwave. (Gasp!! Gasp!!) Why do pots and pans seem so much harder to wash than other dishes? Anyway… so far, not having a microwave is more of an annoyance rather than a true inconvenience.

I had read and have heard that some people would never think of using a microwave for health and safety reasons. Something about the danger of radio waves leaking and something about how they zap nutrients in food…? But it seemed controversial (isn’t everything), so I just set it aside for awhile.  Well, now that ours is kaput, might as well revisit it. What I’ve found is that not much has changed. Microwave safety is still controversial. Here’s an article titled “The Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking.” This and a few other articles seem a little “alarmist” to me, but I have to admit that microwave safety is worth considering. As Brian said earlier in the week, when you really think about it, something about using a microwave just seems… umm… a little scary. Maybe even a little science fiction? Something about them seems a little to good to be true. And you know what they say about that.

It appears that some studies have shown that microwaves do in fact zap nutrients and may even convert substances into carcinogens. Also it appears that they may leak radio waves into our kitchens. Not nearly the amount you would be exposed to during an x-ray. But if used quite often, especially an old or damaged microwave, it could be more toxic than we realize. None of this convinces me that using a microwave is dangerous, per se. But I have a feeling we’ll be hearing more about the matter. I would not be shocked if in the future we find that they weren’t so safe after all. In the mean time, there are some things we can do to make them safer.

• Don’t use plastic in the microwave. Even “microwave safe” plastic can leach harmful chemicals into food. Use heat proof glass instead (Pyrex, Correlle).
• Microwaves are set by default to cook most things on high power. Cooking foods low and slow preserves more nutrients, even in microwaves.
• Make sure your microwave is working properly. A damaged microwave could be leaking unsafe levels of radio waves into your kitchen. If you have a really old model, you might want to upgrade. Newer models are safer (and affordable).
• Until we know for sure, cut back on usage to limit carcinogenic risks. When you have time use a toaster oven or the stove. Especially when the alternative will result in better texture and taste. It probably won’t take as long as you thought. I reheated a bowl of soup in  small saucepan on the stove top in just five minutes. Plus it was easier to monitor the temperature.
• Click here to find out what USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services has to say about microwaves.

Stevia – A Safe Sweetener?

I’ve heard of stevia and it’s refined cousins “Truvia”, “PureVia” and “Stevia Extract in the Raw”. But because there is some controversy over it, I lumped it in with the artificial sweeteners – Nutrasweet, Equal and Sweet’n Low and even with another natural sweetener, agave nectar, and just decided to avoid it. I lost all interest when I found out that Truvia was developed by Coca-Cola and Cargill and that Pepsico had their hands in PureVia.

Then last Saturday I sampled a stevia leaf and was quite surprised. It is pretty amazing how sweet it was. Definitely not what I was expecting. The sweet flavor even lingered in my mouth, as you would expect with any herb. I was intrigued, so I bought a few stems to experiment with.

How does it taste (fresh leaves)? The first time I used it I added about four whole leaves to my cup of green tea. I bruised the leaves with my spoon against the side of my cup then let it steep for about five minutes. I was unimpressed. Not that sweet. Next I decided to chop the leaves finely. I also used about three times as many leaves. Big difference. The tea actually increased in sweetness the longer it steeps. By the time I got to the last few sips it was actually too sweet. Some say there is a licorice taste to it, but I didn’t get that at all. It tastes similar to artificial sweetener, which was a slight turn off for me. However, if it’s a safe natural sweetener, I could get used to it.

Is it safe? Most of the controversy appears to be centered around the commercial sweeteners Truvia, PureVia and Stevia Extract in the Raw. The way I understand it, the refining process used to produce these commercial brands is what’s wrong with them – as is the case with nearly all other refined foods and additives, especially sweeteners. They have extracted something called “rebiana” (a.k.a. Reb-A) from the leaf and so they aren’t really stevia, the way high fructose corn syrup isn’t really corn. They are also blended with erythritol, a sugar alcohol (in fact Truvia has more erythritol than rebiana), maltodextrin or dextrose, cellulose powder (huh?) and “natural flavors”. I would also be weary of it’s use in prepackaged foods (which we’ll be seeing more often according to this article). More than likely food manufacturers will be using a refined mixture similar to Truvia, PureVia and Stevia Extract in the Raw.

On the other hand, the whole leaf from the actual stevia plant (fresh or dried) appears to be safe. (Whole foods usually are.)  Stevia (a.k.a. “sweet leaf” or “sugar leaf”) is a plant that’s been around for centuries. There have even been some studies that have shown it may improve glucose absorption (good for blood sugar) and may reduce hypertension. In fact diabetes and high blood pressure often occur together, especially in over weight individuals, and are risk factors for Metabolic Syndrome.  (See my previous post about it here.) If you use an artificial sweetener like the ones I mentioned earlier, this is definitely a better alternative.

How do you use it and where can I get it? I would stay away from the PureVia, Truvia and Stevia Extract in the Raw. You can make your own stevia extract by soaking lots of fresh or dried leaves in grain alcohol (like Everclear) for about a month, or even water (but less effective and less sweet). Dried leaves have more intense sweetness and can be ground into a powder. The whole, fresh leaves (I recommend mincing them first), the extract, dried leaves and powder can all be used as sugar substitutes, but since it can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar you will only need to use a small fraction of it. Click here for a stevia conversion chart. You would probably find the dried leaves at a health food market or a specialty store. Or you can grow the plant yourself. That’s what I plan to do.

My first attempt at "Stevia Concentrate", a/k/a really, really strong, super concentrated stevia tea. Easy. Steeped for about 10 minutes in hot, not boiling water. Tastes better than it looks.