Thursday, October 30, 2008

Chocolate-covered Bugs

Ok, this isn't about chocolate. But I've often said I'd eat anything if it was covered in chocolate. This means that a good sauce goes a long way. A good sauce can make ordinary, or unfamiliar foods taste delicious.

Recently I discovered such a sauce for greens, but you can use it on anything: rice, as a dipping sauce, even for tofu or chicken. I use it as a way to make my family more interested in eating some greens that they might find a bit too bitter or bland if eaten naked. Naked vegetables that is. Nothing is very bland when a person is naked.


"Eat More Greens" Recipe

- Take equal parts tahini and miso and mix together
- Add to this mixture, warm water, 1.5 times the amount of miso or tahini you've used (use more for a thinner sauce)
- Stir and use on anything you like, from salads to stirfrys. I like it best on steamed greens.

If by chance you tire of the sauce, you can spice it up by adding in a few drops of one of the following: soy sauce, lemon juice, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, tamari, rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, hot pepper sauce. Or try your own additions.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Baby Loves Beets!








I learned a lesson today about not passing your own food issues on to your child. I hate beets but a good friend gave me a beautiful, fresh golden one from the market this weekend, so I decided to bake it up. Why waste good food? And perhaps this time I'd like them.

I peeled it, chopped it and poured a balsamic vinaigrette over the pieces. At lunch I warmed up the beets and as I began to add some herbed goat cheese to the bowl, my Baby Bug noticed what I was doing and went ga-ga over them. I had to give her some as she was kicking up a storm. Although I've been feeding her off my plate for weeks no, I never planned to offer her beets. I find they taste like dirt so why on earth would she like them? She adored them and couldn't get enough. And why not? Baked beets are sweet and have a lovely texture.

You can tell she's loving them! From now on I'll just let her try anything that's baby-appropriate without considering first how I feel about the food.