In our quest to expand our vegetable repertoire as part of our recognition of National Nutrition Month, this week is Pea week. Just like last week, I made three different recipes that featured peas; Then, Alex, Soph and I each tried them and provided our opinions.

Before I proceed I will let you know that neither Alex nor Soph are huge fans of peas. I was still able to get them to at least taste each recipe though

Sugar Snap Peas with Mint -
We found this recipe at Allrecipes.com.

Our Thoughts:
Mom – I thought this recipe was good. It’s a nice change of pace for us, eating the peaps in sugar snap form.

Alex – Ate them all up. He said he liked ‘em a lot, AND he said he’d gladly eat them again

Soph – At first, she said she loved them. She did eat them all, which is more than she usually does with peas; but, now only says she likes them a ‘little’.

Cream Peas -
This is my own personal recipe, although I’m sure there are many out there that are very similar. It’s basically just a cream sauce with butter, salt and pepper.

Our Thoughts:
Mom – I love cream peas. They are not, however, light, so I don’t make them that frequently. You can lighten it by using 2% milk and less butter without much flavor loss.

Alex – He said, and I quote, “they are creamy, but I don’t love them.” He again, did eat them all.

Soph – She took one bite and stated that she did not like them.  She was in a mood so I’ll try again with, hopefully, better results.

Ginger Butter Peas -
Again, my own invention, and the picture to the left is NOT the actual peas…we ate them before I could snap a picture. All you need is some butter and fresh ginger poured over some fresh or frozen steamed peas. The ginger adds a hint of spice that makes these peas special.

Our Thoughts:
Mom – Is there really a need to ask, I like all  food and veggies are my favorite. Anyway, they’re good.

Alex – He ate them all and said they ‘weren’t bad’.

Soph – She ate them, but not enthusiastically. This is no different from when I make just plain peas.

Overall our experimentation with Peas went well with Alex and fairly unspectacularily with Soph. The Sugar Snap Peas were a hit though. And, I had fun cooking peas again. I guess I’ve decided that even if the kids don’t love ‘em, we’re still gonna keep eating ‘em. There are a lot more recipes out there, too. It’s like a long term goal, finding a Pea recipe Sophia loves–I will, oh, yes I will…

Make sure to stop by next week for our Carrot extravaganza. Sophia likes carrots, so this time Alex is gonna be the one I have to win over. Luckily, I love a challenge

Last week, I shared with everyone the fact that March is National Nutrition Month. I also announced that Alex, Soph and I are celebrating the month by testing out some veggie recipes. Each week we’re focusing on a particular vegetable, and this week the focus is on broccoli.

Honestly, both Alex and Soph like broccoli; BUT, they only like it steamed with a little butter and salt. So, to try and broaden their broccoli-eating horizons, we tested three recipes. Links to the original recipes, along with our thoughts on each, follow:

Broccoli Bites -
This is a recipe I found at one of my favorite recipe sites, allrecipes.com.

Our Thoughts:
Mom – First, there is broccoli in here, but there is also cheese, and it’s fried…not the healthiest way to cook; BUT, I loved ‘em. They’d be a great hors d’oeuvres.

Alex – Said, ‘Not bad’ and ate a couple. He said he’d eat them again.

Soph – Ate a half of one and said she liked it…I’m not sure how promising that is, but, again, she did eat some.

Broccoli and Cheese Mini Egg Omelets -
This one I found at Gina’s WW Recipes , although I ‘un-weight watchered’ it a bit.

Our Thoughts:
Mom – Again, I thought this one was super delicious. I did alter the recipe a bit though, using 8 whole eggs instead of the 1 cup of whites and I used full-fat cheese. They keep nicely in the fridge, too, for microwave reheating as a quick breakfast.

Alex – Would not try them. He’s not a huge eggs and cheese fan, so I wasn’t surprised.

Soph – Tasted it, made a face and said she didn’t want anymore. This was disappointing to me because she likes eggs, cheese and broccoli. I have hope she’ll at least try it again.

Broccoli with Lemon -
I found this one at About.com in the Southern Food section.

Our Thoughts:
Mom – I liked it, but it was pretty standard steamed broccoli with butter; a bit boring…the lemon did brighten it though and it was quick and easy to make.

Alex – Loved it…had two helpings. He likes citrus on everything, so no real shocker here.

Soph – Loved it and exclaimed it was sooo good! She, like her brother, is a huge fan of the lemon.

Overall we had a lot of fun with our little broccoli-o-rama. Even though the kids didn’t love all of the recipes, they were family-cooking friendly and we had a great time making ‘em. Check back next Monday for our Pea-Fest. It should be interesting since neither of the kids is pea lover

In case you didn’t know, March is National Nutrition Month. And, since I’ve proclaimed 2010 the year the 2 Kids household will improve the nutritional quality of the food we eat, I’m kind of excited about it. For this year’s theme , the American Dietetic Association has chosen to emphasize, ‘Nutrition from the Ground Up,’ reminding us all that improving our diets doesn’t have to be complicated, it’s just a matter of starting to focus on the basics, building a foundation of health.

To help celebrate this month and continue to build our own ‘foundation of health,’ we’ve decided to expand our vegetable horizons. Each Monday in March, I’ll be sharing Alex and Soph’s opinions on some veggie recipes I’ve dug-up from around the inter-webs (and a couple will be my own creations). March 1st will be a Broccoli-fest, followed by Peas, then Carrots, and closing out the month will be Green Beans. All of the recipes will be kid-cooking friendly too, so the whole family can get in on the preparation and eating of these veggie-ful creations.

If you’re interested in more information on National Nutrition Month, head on over the ADA’s website.

When it comes to meal time, I always try to provide food options that meet three criteria:
1) The kids will eat it
2) I will eat it
3) It has some nutritional value

We have a number of standard menus that meet these criteria. We eat these standards regularly and the kids are perfectly satisfied. The kids are also perfectly satisfied to watch the same episode of Phineas and Ferb 50 times in a row; I, however, am not.

This desire for a more adventurous meal plan has lead to many cooking experiments designed to broaden the palette preferences of the kiddies. Throughout these food trials, there are a few things I’ve noticed:

1) Taking something familiar and changing it up a bit usually works. For example, we eat a lot of chicken and we have a couple favorite ways to make it. So, to change it up a little, I did a tandoori style chicken, soaking it in a yogurt based marinade and then broiling it. The flavor was different then our standard, but subtle. The kids and I both loved it and now we have a new taste that I know will be eaten!

2) Changing or adding one dish in the meal can prove successful. This works well when the meal consists of a main food item and side dishes. For me, it’s usually a new vegetable concoction that I’d like to try. Most recently I did this with a broccoli recipe. The kids both like broccoli, but only steamed and with a bit of butter and salt–this gets a bit boring for the mom. The recipe I tried included red bell peppers and a garlicky stir-fry like sauce. I knew if I just made a stir-fry it would be a no-go, so I snuck it in as a side dish to salmon & rice. I’ll admit they didn’t love it, but they ate it. And, they ate the salmon so I didn’t end up with hungry kids grumbling for something to eat right after dinner.

3) Let the kids help ‘invent’ a new recipe. This is one of our favorites and is actually the most successful. It doesn’t always result in menu item that is loved, but the kids always try their inventions and give honest feedback. Plus, they’re always excited to tweak their own recipes to make them more to their liking. One of our favorite recipes that Alex was instrumental in inventing is our Chicken Strips (which we’ll be demoing in a future episode of 2 Kids Cooking).

I think that trying to keep meal time interesting is always a challenge, but giving up is not an option. I don’t care how many times Alex and Soph wrinkle their noses at a new dish–most of the time, once they taste the food, they like it. Even if they don’t, exposing them to lots of different kids of healthy foods will keep their minds open so that when they get older, they just might appreciate a little variety.

Every parent knows that life with kids is always busy. Be it a birthday party or a dance class or a baseball game, there is an unending supply of activities that need to be attended. Parents also know that kids grow up fast…the time really does fly. That is the reason why I enjoy the time the kids and I spend cooking together. I cherish every moment I can squeeze in with those kiddies.

Plus, everyone has to eat. That means, if the family cooks together, they get to spend some quality family time together AND they get to eat!

Incorporating family time into the cooking process without adding stress can be more simple than you might think. There are three three simple tips I always follow when the 2 Kids and I are in the kitchen:

1) Choose a day and a menu together
Pick out a day of the week that works best for everyone. Alex, Soph and I cook together a lot, but there are days that we prefer, like Mondays or Fridays, when we get home from school earlier. Whatever day will allow the most relaxing, non-rushed experience is the best to pick.

Choosing the menu should also be a group decision. If everyone in the family actually likes the menu, or at least parts of it, the whole experience will be much more enjoyable.

2) Go over the game plan before starting
Just like with any group event, when everyone on the team knows what the goal is, the whole process goes much more smoothly. Every time the kids I make a recipe, we run through what we’re going to be doing first. Then, once we’ve all got the same picture in our heads, we divide tasks and work our way through each step. By choosing tasks in advance, we also prevent arguments over who will do what while we’re in the middle of making the meal–and we all know that’s a good thing

3) Plan for fun, not perfection
If you’re looking for everything to go perfectly smoothly…well it won’t. Even with the amount of time Alex, Sophia and I spend in the kitchen, we still end up with extra salt in the marinade, or half an egg in the bowl, or a tipped-over bottle of lemon juice, or–I think you get the picture. The thing is, it’s these little imperfections that make the whole experience fun. Plus, the memories you make will be priceless.

Yes, life is busy, but we all know that kids grow up fast. Family time is precious and cooking together is one way to get some of that time back.

Now go, get those kids and cook something together!

For kids and adults alike, life is a continual opportunity for injury. Some activities increase the likelihood of injury more than others and although cooking is not the riskiest hobby, accidents can happen. When kids are in the kitchen, it’s important they know the rules so they can have a safe, owie-free experience.

Two of the biggest potential pains causing culprits in the kitchen are tools and heat.

Heat from the stove and tools like knives or food processors are essentials for lots of recipes. If you’re cooking with kids, both temperature and tool concerns need to be addressed. Age is one key indicator of a child’s readiness to use a particular tool or the stove, but it shouldn’t be the only indicator. We all know our own children and their skill levels; there are five year olds that are conscientious enough to use a knife and eight year olds that shouldn’t be trusted alone with a sharp fork. Once you’ve decided if your son or daughter is ready to use a particular tool, make sure you demonstrate how to use it and review the safety rules. The oven and stove are obvious kitchen dangers, too. Remember, knowledge is power. Show your kids the hot vs. non-hot parts of the stove so they know what how not to get burned.

Another safety consideration to emphasize is keeping things clean. Hand washing and isolation of raw meats like chicken are must-have habits for a healthy kitchen. Make it a habit to go to the sink and wash hands every time you cook anything, even a peanut butter sandwich, and it will become second nature for you and your kids. And, when preparing meat, I recommend a separate cutting board that is dishwasher safe and making sure all hands and tools that touch the meat are promptly washed and/or moved to the sink. Tell your kids why you’re handling meats like this as well. This is another area where information is key; kids like to know ‘why’ just as much as adults. If they know something can make them sick, they’ll avoid it.

There are a couple of other kitchen dangers that I like to mention as well. They seem seem innocent, but can end up causing tears or a trip to the emergency room:

1) Ingredients like pepper, garlic or onions can cause some serious eye burning if there is contact. If you work with ingredients that are spicy or ‘hot’, it’s best to make sure an older child who has been warned of potential dangers handles them. If a younger child helps with this hot-stuff, make sure you are right there next to them so they don’t start rubbing their eyes. And, make sure everyone who touches these ingredients washes their hands immediately after contact (eye rubbing + onion hands = crying child).

2) Stool, chairs and counters seem harmless; Most of the time they are, but the memory of New Years Eve 2008 remains in my memory forever. It was 9:00 a.m. on December 31, 2008. Sophia and I were in the kitchen making some coffee for me. Sophie was only five years old and was shorter than she is now, so she stood on her trusty Strawberry Shortcake stool. Approximately 2 minutes after getting on her stool, she promptly lost her balance and fell off, breaking her right arm (for the second time in her short 5 years of life, by the way). We spent the rest of New Years Eve in and out of the Hospital. Stools can be tippy; kids can fall off chairs and counters. We all know to be aware of it, but continual reminder to the kids helps them remember.

As parents we all have to come to terms with the fact that accidents happen. Kids can, and do, get hurt. Providing structure, information and rules give kids valuable resources when working in the kitchen. So, make sure your kids know the rules and your family cooking experience will by fun, tasty and SAFE!

There are children out there that will eat pretty much everything. I know this is true because I was one of those children. My own children, well, let’s just say they don’t take after their mother. Because of this, I continue striving to expand their food repertoire. There is no one way that works, and everything is hit or miss.

1) Get the kids involved in the recipe/menu selection process. This allows them to take some ownership in the food preparation process from the very beginning. And, when that inevitable, “I don’t like that,” spews forth, it allows you to ask them why they don’t like it. With my kids, many times those ‘I don’t like it’ items have never actually been tasted. I’m able to get buy-in sometimes, though, when I can list ingredients for this ‘Icky’ recipe that they like. Basically, if you like what’s IN it, you should like IT.

2) Have the kids help you cook. This goes back to the whole ownership thing. If the food is something they made, they’re more likely to be willing to try it. Now, you’ll notice I said ‘more likely’; Alex, Soph and I cook together a lot and they do not eat everything they make. I’ve heard, ‘Mom, we made it for you’ many times. BUT, it has worked on occasion, plus, cooking with the kiddies is fun!

3) Sell it. By sell it, I mean make the food sound so irresistible they WANT to try it. Since I basically like all food, I genuinely feel bad for Alex and Soph when they miss out on foods I know they’d like just because they assume they ‘don’t like it.’ So, I tell them what they’re missing and how delicious it is. And, really, ONE bite, just to see…well isn’t that worth it? This method is more successful when one of the kids is on-board with trying to get the other to try it too. I guess they trust each other’s taste over mine.

4) Bribe them. Yes, I said bribe them, and I’ve advocated for food bribery before, and I’m sure I will again. For as little as 25 cents I’ve not only persuaded Alex and Soph to try food, but also have gotten them to discover that they like it. I say that is excellent ROI.

5). Keep on trying. The important thing, in my experience anyway, is to keep trying. Just like the repetition of practice ‘makes perfect,’ continuing to encourage kids to taste all kinds of food will expand their palette.

Like I said, these are only things that may work. Kids are strange creatures, resisting things that they may actually love based purely on one characteristic that doesn’t fit into their ideal of the moment. Trying new things, food or experiences, help kids learn and figure out what they like, need and want in this world. And I, as a Mom, promise to do my best, be it bribery or marketing, to help them grow.

Sophia is a sugar addict. I guess when a child asks for dessert after breakfast, it’s a sure sign that there might be some issues…especially when breakfast was pancakes with syrup. Actually, Alex and I have decided she’s must be an elf. You know that scene in the movie ‘Elf’ where Will Ferrell explains the four ‘food groups’ of elves- candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup-well that is Soph.

I, as any mother would, try and limit her intake of sweet treats, or at least try and talk her into fruit instead of ‘fruit’ snacks, but I’m not usually successful. Since I tend to be one of those mothers that try to influence her kids to make their own decisions, rather than imposing my rule, I have found a super easy way to get the decision I’d prefer. I don’t buy the food I don’t want them to eat. I’ve been ‘tricking’ myself this way for years (if there are not sour cream and onion chips in the cupboard, I cannot eat them) and I know it’s not really a trick so much as selective purchasing, but it works.

I have fallen off the wagon though. Since about November our cupboards have included treats like Pop Tarts, Marshmallows, Little Debbie’s, etc… As I hang my head in shame I feel solace in the fact that admitting there’s a problem is the first step. I, Kelly the Mom, am ready to take on the sugar monster. Please send positive thoughts

As I find recipes for healthier desserts, I’ll tweet ‘em and/or facebook ‘em or just plain share ‘em here. If you have any suggestions, please share!

Today on this 30th day of December, 2009, my baby boy is turning eleven. I suppose that officially makes him a pre-teen now. Seems like just yesterday he was that cute, round, bald, little baby blob that stole my heart–it is true how fast the time goes…

I am thankful to have such an amazing son and for every minute I get to spend with him. He is hilarious and smart–one of those truly fun people to hang-out with and I’m so glad I get to be his mom.

Happy Birthday Alex!

We love you!

Mom and Soph

P.S. The pic is Alex getting served breakfast in bed from Mom and Soph…isn’t he cute ?! (he’s eating Dippity Do Eggs by-the-way).

When Alex was little–and actually I don’t believe how BIG he is now–this was one of his favorite sayings. I don’t exactly remember how it came about, but I think it was one of those discussions where I was trying to emphasize that people are more important than things. Alex’s interpretation at what was probably the age of three: ‘Nothing matters but the lovin.’

Wisdom from the mouths of babes. Because we all know it’s true, nothing does matter but those you love. Everything else can be replaced. And, during this economic time that we all find ourselves in, I think Alex’s catch phrase is worth sharing. As so many of our friends, family, neighbors find themselves in situations they never thought possible, we all need to remember that everything will work itself out. We need to be there, in whatever way we can, for those we love and care about.

My hope is, though, that the connections we build and lessons we learn during these lean times are carried through to the better times ahead. Whether times are good or not-so-good, people should always come first.

My Christmas wish to everyone is this, remember good times and bad; learn what you can from every experience and always remember–Nothing Matters but the Lovin’!

Merry Christmas all…