I'm making Jamie Oliver's Perfect Roast Chicken this evening (a shout out to my husband for his terrific balcony summer herb garden!) and contemplating leftovers. I am starting a full-time job later this week for the first time in two years, and the prospect of making five lunches a week--every morning--is daunting. I proposed that I ought to memorize Amanda Grant's beautiful book on lunchboxes for kids. My husband suggested simply that I might be more strategic about cooking in advance. He is something of an expert in efficiency, and on this count, he's right. That said, even writing ... [READ MORE]
When Dinner Isn’t a Total Loss
June 28, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Babyman came home from daycare the other night totally keyed-up. Maybe it was the music class they had this afternoon (his FAVORITE) or maybe it was the hundreds of fellow Giants fans he got to see making their way to the game ("Giants hat! Giants shirt! Lincecum! Hey, batter, batter!"), but he was going strong when he barrelled through the door demanding to "See it, mommy cook?" This weekend my husband and I made one of our favorite, most luxurious meals: the Bruce Aidells-inspired matambre, which is a rolled flank steak stuffed with prosciutto and breadcrumbs and spinach and basil (oh, ... [READ MORE]
The Family that Cooks Together
June 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Breakthrough at the dinner table this week! Babyman ate a plateful of cauliflower and asked for more! I hadn't been posting much because truthfully I've been feeling a wee bit discouraged about Babyman's persnickety habits of late. I mean, there's only so many quesadillas a lady wants to make. But as is often the case, he was poised to surprise me. It was CSA Wednesday, meaning that I came to home to my box of produce on the kitchen counter. My husband was running late and Babyman was entering his 6pm witching hour, so I was getting a little desparate for fresh distractions. "Do you ... [READ MORE]
This Plate has Changed my Life
June 1, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Is it depressing that a dinner plate has changed my life? Perhaps. It might be true that I need to get out more. But anyway, Babyman recently got this plate as a gift. Now we are going to need several because every (and I mean every) lunch and dinner is served out of it, which translates into yet more washing of dishes during the day. Yikes. But actually, the dish has had a very positive impact on meal planning in our house. Specifically, it has given rise to a very toddler-friendly phenomenon I like to call the Pick 'n' Mix Meal. The beauty of the Pick 'n' Mix Meal is that it can ... [READ MORE]
Eating Organically on “Modest Means”
May 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment
I liked this little article. The list of the most important fruit & veg to purchase organically is especially useful. Eating Organically on Modest Means ... [READ MORE]
It All Started with the Avocado…
May 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment
I realized I have made several references to the Almighty Avocado since starting this blog, so you may already be sensing that I am obsessed. Avocados are a superfood. They are packed with nutrients. They are full of fat, but it’s the good kind, like almonds, or olive oil. They are creamy and delicious like butter, or cheese. They require no teeth. Flashback to Babyman around 6 months of age. Sure, we’d tried brown rice cereal and sweet potatoes, but it was the avocado that really rang his little gastronomic bell. This tiny person could take down a half an avocado, mixed ... [READ MORE]
Dip It!
May 17, 2010 by Leave a Comment
As previously mentioned, fruits and veggies aren't exactly Babyman's cup of tea these days, which is ironic since our CSA is supplying us with so many vegetables! I did some reading on getting kids to eat fruit & veg and lots of people recommend smoothies. (Oh, by the way, this segment on the Today Show caught my ear this morning while I was packing lunches. I've been buying a lot of frozen berries for the smoothie experiment. Going to pay more attention going forward.) I've had limited success with smoothies--Babyman wanted nothing to do with the most recent batch and I wound up ... [READ MORE]
