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Sunday, October 31, 2010

INVOLVED = INVESTED

Week 3 in our Guest Writer Series 

Kids want to help; take the time to find ways to channel their eagerness and energy into helping you (while capitalizing on teaching moments) instead of letting that surplus energy turn into an annoyance.  When kids are invested they are engaged (read: not causing trouble) and more likely to try a new food if they were involved in the planning, shopping, and preparation of it.

•    Menu Input – ask the kids for input as you put together your weekly menu plan.  This is a great opportunity to discuss the types of foods needed to create a nutritionally balanced meal (Okay, you chose some meat and pasta.  What’s missing?).  It’s also your best bet to ensure that the kids are going to come to the table ready to eat what’s being offered, leaving dinner to be quality family time rather than  whine time.

•    Kid Cookbooks - Depending on the general chaos of our family calendar, we try to do a few kid cooking projects each week.  The kids are now at the age where they are generating the recipe suggestions on their own.  We love Mollie Katzen’s Salad People and Pretend Soup cookbooks, which are geared toward toddlers/preschoolers with its pictoral recipes.  The kids like to be part of my Sunday morning menu planning ritual.  They pour over their cookbooks and decide what to make while mommy pours over hers with a cup of tea and 30 minutes of happy, distracted kids.

•    Open Discussion – Be open with the kids about the reasons you make certain nutritional decisions.  This is not only another weapon for combating the I-wants in the grocery store, but is also a great way to introduce the purpose of advertising to your young child.                     

Zen Recipe Corner
Left over Halloween Candy?
Check out this recipe to get some inspiration:
Butterfinger Banana Cake

Sunday, October 24, 2010

INDEPENDENCE = RESPONSIBILITY

Week 2 in the Series by our Anonymous Guest Blogger

Set your preschooler up with chances to be just like the big kids/grown-ups.  You can create these opportunities in areas you want them to excel; their pride will tickle you both.

•    Kid Grocery List - Grocery shopping with my kids became an exercise in parental torture when they hit about two and a half.  I needed to improve the experience for all of us, so I developed a tool to keep them busy and helping instead of testing my patience.  A page with photos and words of foods we most eat, categorized by food group and laminated for endurance serves as our kid grocery list.  We put ours together in Publisher, but it would be just as easy to have the kids create their own by letting them cut up the grocery store ads.  We keep ours in the car with a few white-board markers.  When we get to the grocery store, I read off my list and the kids circle the items we need on their list.  Each time we get an item into the cart, they get to erase the circle around that item.  When there are no more circles, our errand is done.  This was also a great tool for educating the kids about the various food groups and quashing the I-wants (Bummer, that’s not on our list today.  What do you see that we still need?).

•    Packing Lunches - About once a week we do an errand picnic.  The kids love the idea of packing a lunch (like Daddy does for work).  They each picked out a lunch box they liked (control) and help to pack it (independence).  It’s a great way to help them feel like they are more invested in tackling our (my) list of errands.  Many stores now have cafĂ© areas near the deli.  We settle in for lunch among the hot-case diners on grocery day.  Other days we’ll find a park to burn off energy and get the wiggles out during a lunch break.  This is a great tool for kids who eat at daycare/school as well.  Letting them pack their own lunch translates to a lunch more likely to be eaten and enjoyed.

•    Cooking Camp; Meal Preparation – Kids are often underfoot in the kitchen.  They love watching the grown-ups use the kitchen gadgets and are eager and curious to be part of the fun.  It is easy to capitalize on this natural interest; the key to making cooking with your little one fun is regulating your expectations.  Expect to do as much of the adult jobs as possible before starting.  Expect your child to follow safety rules.  Expect the clean up to take longer than the project itself.  At 4, we are making scrambled eggs, egg salad, tomato soup, etc. with limited supervision (mommy = shell patrol).  It’s a terrifying leap, but one that pays me back every time with how tickled they are with their accomplishments.


Zen Recipe Corner:
Gumbo: Cajun Style

Each fall when cool weather approaches I begin cravings comfort food. For me, it's all about the GUMBO! In my hometown in Louisiana, a Gumbo cook-off is held in September, right around the Sugar Cane Festival. Other than Mardis Gras, it's about the best time to be had all year! Here is my personal favorite recipe for Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 Jar of Kary's Dry Roux
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell-pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 chicken breasts, 1-2 inch diced
2 chicken legs
1 package turkey keilbasa
2 quarts of low sodium chicken broth
2.5 quarts water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp-1 tsp cayenne pepper
5 cups of cooked brown rice

Directions:
Warm a large pot or dutch oven to medium heat. Add in canola oil and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Add your onions and all your meat, turn heat to medium-high and brown the outside of your sausage and chicken. (Doesn't need to be cooked through.) Then take out and set on a plate until later. Turn the heat off. Pour in the water and broth. With a whisk, stir in the dry roux and mix until dissolved. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for while (about 20-30 minutes). Meanwhile, chop up any remaining veggies if you haven't yet. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the browned meat and onions. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for about an hour and a half.

Serve over a scoop of rice, with the gumbo filled to the brim of the bowl. For traditional Cajun sides, serve also with fresh french bread and potato salad. (I know, Carb overload!) 

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Picky, Picky, Picky!

 Week One in our Guest Blog on Picky Eating
...written from a Mom's Mouth (who prefers to stay anonymous)

Food is a common battleground for parents of toddlers/preschoolers.  Kids are exercising their budding independence while parents walk the fine line of encouraging that independence without letting the inmates take over the asylum.  This delicate dance can evolve into a power struggle as uncooperative kids quickly dissolve parental patience.  The key to toddler/preschooler cooperation (as all parents of young children are well aware) is keeping them interested, invested, & involved. 

Knowing that independence is their currency can be used to your advantage by offering them as many opportunities for control (choice) and responsibility (independence) as you can.  Pair this with consistency and you have a recipe for cooperative kids and relaxed parents.  So, how do you translate these preschooler basics to nutrition?  Here are a couple of tips & tricks to turn your food power struggles into opportunities for quality time while laying the foundation for a healthy relationship with food.

1.    CHOICE = CONTROL in your preschooler’s mind.  Hand them the control they crave by giving them choices whenever possible, then covertly direct that control by offering only options you are happy for them to make.
•    Breakfast/Lunch Menus – Young children love to play restaurant.  Creating a simple menu with pictures and corresponding words for our most common breakfasts & lunches was my way of tricking the kids into eagerly selecting exactly what I wanted to them to pick when it was time for a meal.  “I’m sorry, sir.  That’s not on our menu.  Can I tell you about our daily specials?” is much better received than grouching at them that I am NOT giving them brownie leftovers for breakfast.  Yes, it takes more energy than I generally am willing to dole out at 7 am, but the goal is to get through breakfast without a fight.  We made ours on the computer, a fun cut-and-paste craft for the kids works just as well.
•    Produce Pickers – The kids are responsible for picking a fruit and a veggie each week.  It’s a great way for them to experiment with trying new things and, as an added bonus, also helps massage the junk requests at the store (I’m sorry, that’s not on our list today, but I do need you to pick out a vegetable.  Which one would you like?).  It also means that the items they selected are showing up on the table at meal times, so they feel like they have more control over what they are offered.
•    Muffin Pan Meals - This is one of my favorite weapons.  It is something I like to employ when things are stagnating or starting to lean toward power struggles over food.  It’s a great way to reboot the system (both for parents and  kids). 
Serving lunch buffet- style with a muffin pan for a plate appeals to the preschooler’s desire to sort/organize and keep foods separate. The kids love participating in the whole process from  peeling hard-boiled eggs and cutting out fun shapes of bread/cheese, to helping themselves to the buffet of choices.  It hits a control/choice grand slam because there are lots of options and the whole experience is an exercise in self-help independence, which is right up your preschooler’s alley.  It is also my favorite way to start introducing new foods because it is the perfect setup for that sneaky initial exposure with no pressure to eat it.  Some ideas of what works at our house:


DAIRY
PROTEIN
GRAINS
DIPS
mozzarella balls
nuts/seeds
bread
soups
cheddar
tuna salad
pretzels
hummus
milk
egg salad
crackers
nut butter
yogurt
chicken salad
pita/tortilla
tzatziki
cottage cheese
lunch meat
quick breads
ranch

                             
VEGGIES
FRUIT
cherry tomatoes
grapes
celery sticks
apple slices
carrot sticks
mandarin orange
pepper slices
fresh berries
cucumbers
dried fruit

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Show Me the Love!

Week 4 in the Series, I love you, Eat this!
 
This week we are talking about all the different ways you can show others how much you care about them, in a NON-Food manner.

1.    Touch-hug, kiss
2.    Tell Them
3.    Ask them about their life and if there is anything you can do to help
4.    Invite them on a walk, hike
5.    Give them a compliment
6.    Snail mail, text, email a card or a note
7.    If you know they dislike a specific chore, do it for them without saying anything
8.    Give a giftcard to their favorite bookstore
9.    Leave them a special note in an unusual place-like the bathroom cabinet or their tea cup
10.  Be open about your own thoughts and feelings. Show them your vulnerable side.

Do you have any other ideas or thoughts to add to the list. We’d love to hear them. Leave your comments below!

Zen Recipe Corner:

Cauliflower and Leek Saute’
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium leaks
1 medium head of cauliflower
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Directions:
Slice leeks lengthwise and rinse well under running water. Be sure to get into all the folds to remove hidden dirt. Chop them and set aside. Cut up the cauliflower into florets and rinse well. Heat a large skillet on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add butter and melt till bubbling. Add in leeks and stir to coat with the butter. Saute leeks for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in cauliflower, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and let cook for about 4 minutes. While cooking, heat small skillet on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin seeds to the dry skillet to lightly toast. Stir frequently. When evenly browned, add to leek and cauliflower mixture. Continue to cook until the cauliflower has reached your desired level of doneness-maybe another 2 minutes or so.

Serving suggestion: serve with grilled lemon pepper salmon and black beans.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Do I feed you? Do I feed you not?

Week 3 in the Series…I love you, Eat this!

Welcome back! Last week we explored my personal thoughts on how we learn to love others through food. I realize that there is so much more that could be discussed on this topic, however we must move along for now. Feel free to write a comment below to continue that discussion.

This week we will answer the question: When is it appropriate to show our love for others through food?

Let’s start with new Moms and Dads: If your little one is crying, ask yourself: Is he/she tired, bored, gassy, has a dirty diaper or just wants to be held? If it has been about 2-3 hours since the last feeding, then hunger may be the answer.  Try not to automatically serve the breast or bottle at your baby’s every whimper. This will reduce the development of picky eating and eventually emotional eating in the future.

Parents of toddlers: Don’t succumb to being a short order cook. Whatever you plan for dinner, is the dinner. It is actually normal for toddlers to be picky, eat sporadic amounts, and even go with-out dinner occasionally.  This is a great time to start them on a supplement and demonstrate gentle boundaries at the table. Trust me, kids LOVE to eat. Even the most picky eater will come around. (Stay tuned for my Table Talk Workshop coming up in October, more info to follow.)

Parents of kids age 4 and up: Same rules apply as the toddler years, only hopefully they’ve gained a few more manners to go with those creative bargaining skills. It is normal for just about everyone to have a favorite meal. Incorporate these requests by having your children and spouse have a turn in the kitchen. Allow them to come up with their own dinner menu for one night a week. They can also share in the shopping and cooking. It teaches your family life long tools, makes the meal that much more special, and gives them more buy in when eating your meals during the rest of the week.

Special Occasions such as birthdays and holidays are wonderful times to love through food…with-in reason. Ask the special birthday guest what meal they would like that day and serve that meal. If having a party, offer a balance of more healthful and less healthful items as not all of your guests may want to eat cake and chips.  Holidays can be tricky. Choose NOT to leave bowls of chips, candy and nuts out 24/7. Offer vegetables with your meals and immediately put the food away for safe keeping afterward.

Vacations are a great time for relaxation and experiencing new things, even food. However, it is not an excuse to eat too much junk food, skip out on your lean protein and vegetables, or avoid exercise. It is my personal belief that most people get off track from their health goals when they go on vacation or have vacationing guests in their home.  It is possible to enjoy company, relax and experience a new place without compromising your health or your family’s health.

Next week we will explore ways that you can show love, but not with food.

Zen Food Corner:
My Favorite Leek and Potato Soup
(Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, America’s Best Recipes Cookbook)

Ingredients:
3lbs leeks-cleaned well and chopped (discard dark green tops)
2lbs red potatoes-cleaned and diced into inch cubes
1 tbsp flour
5-6 cups of low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
¾ stick butter (yup, I just said REAL butter!)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Clean and dice and chop up your veggies. Pre-heat a dutch oven or large soup pot on medium heat. Add in the butter and let melt. When the butter begins to foam, add in the leeks.  Stir to coat the leeks and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally or until the leeks are nice and tender-don’t caramelize them. Add in flour, stir quickly to coat the leeks. Add in broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add in potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Use a hand blender to puree in the pot or let cool slightly and transfer mixture in small batches to a blender to puree.

This dish goes well with a small grilled chicken salad and crusty whole grain bread.