Last week with the High School class, we made curry and one of my students said to me this week, "My mother wouldn't even try it. Adults think kids are so picky but I tried it and she won't!" How true! I think that as adults and parents it is so easy to get stuck in the familiar. We go to the store and buy the same things we always buy because we know the kids love bananas or pizza or whatever it is. It's easy and we don't have to think about it. But how much time do we spend worrying about our Children's health only to make the easy choice at the grocery store?
I have been working on my personal aversion to leafy greens. Of course, I eat lettuces and spinach. But those dark greens that are supposed to be really good for you like Kale or Swiss Chard I tend to pass by because they look a little to scary. I might find them bitter and the kids probably won't like them, right? Well as it turns out.... This week's class at the High School was Tomato Salad with 2 kinds of Risotto - Kale with Bacon or Pea with Thyme. The winner? The Kale Risotto won hands down. With 2 pieces of bacon for 14 people it wasn't the bacon that won them over. They all wanted to try the kale in other recipes. But how will their parents react to the prospect of bringing kale home? We'll see! My mother likes to tell people that when I went to university I only knew how to make fudge, which was nearly true. But I started cooking and realized that there are so many things I thought I would never like that I now love. We as parents can teach our kids how to be open to new foods. We are looking at going vegetarian for the summer but instead of starting cold turkey we plan to add a new recipe each week until the summer. The key to success I think (I hope) will be getting the kids into the kitchen and stressing that we are all trying something new. One dinner a week is doable and not nearly as scary as jumping into a complete change. So in our house Thursdays are the days that we Try Something New. Tomorrow I tackle this beautiful multi-colored swiss chard. My Challenge to you? Try something new. Anything new. I would love to hear what you tried and what you thought!
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Granola Bars
2 cups Rolled Oats 2 Tbsp Flax seeds ground 1/4 cup currents 1/2 cup toasted coconut 2 Tbsp chopped Crystallized Ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup apple juice or applesauce 1/4 cup canola oil 1/2 cup agave syrup, maple syrup, or honey Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or up to 45 minutes for crunchier bars. Allow to cool completely and cut into squares. Store in air tight container for up to 1 week. |
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December 2012
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