I recently lamented a lack of interest in vegetables. Maybe Riana and Amelia were just having an off week… maybe it was too hot… maybe they didn’t get to help enough. Whatever the case, Amelia’s three new teeth are through (one more!) and the girls have been helping in the kitchen. I do not always remember to invite them to help. Sometimes I just want to get the meal cooked. But they do love to help, so I’m learning to be patient, allow more time, and let them bring their aprons and stools to the table. From washing leafy greens and tearing kale bits to setting silverware and grating cheese, the girls know how to be involved. However, the whole knife things scares me a bit and of course I nervously watched the entire time she carefully cut these turnips. I am thinking that some appropriately sized kitchen utensils might be on my wish list.
First I modeled the way to cut, then we did it together, and then-
She got to cut alone while I hovered. She was very careful with her chopping, stirring, pouring, and steaming. AND! AND, both girls are eating more veggies without fussing! Kale! Turnips! Kohlrabi! We ate it raw, sprinkled some onto pizza, and especially enjoyed the steamed/glazed turnip strips.
I fully acknowledge that what worked this week might not work the next time, but here is what has helped–
1. Let them be as involved as possible in the entire process- picking, planning, preparing, sampling…
2. Include at least one go-to item, such as cooked corn that they can sprinkle on top of new veggies or bits of chicken mixed in.
3. Sauces! I don’t mean ketchup to mask the flavor, but rather something subtle and complimentary. For example, I glazed the turnips in a bit of honey-lemon sauce and saved some extra glaze for dipping.
4. Don’t stress! Of course I want them to eat something, but I find that the less I allow myself to stress over the girls eating enough, the more enjoyable the meal is for everyone. So I’m trying to find my happy zen dinner spot.
Next up- swiss chard… I’ll let you know.
Recipe for Glazed Turnips
- Chop spring turnips into thin strips
- Make glaze (see below)
- Preheat pan with a bit of oil, then add turnips
- After a few minutes of sauteing turnips, add a dash of white wine and cover pan to steam for 2-3 minutes, until just slightly softened
- Add glaze, continue to saute until the glaze thickens/reduces a bit
- Serve warm
Glaze–
- Wisk together: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1-2 spoonfuls of honey, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons garlic, salt, pepper, and spices to taste (we added a bit of salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and a little bit of lemon zest)
- Mix 1 tablespoon corn starch into a bit of water and then add to the glaze
Enjoy!
