The Gift of Food: A Squash Surprise

There is nothing more heart-warming then the offer of food from a friend, especially when one is feeling sickly, as I have been. Stuffed nose, achy head, green boogers and the like have been plaguing me for the last few days, a nasty bug that Izzy passed on to me. I sat home today bemoaning my fate when the offer of a friend brightened my day.

My friend C. , was not only kind enough to pick up some cat food for me but also she brought along some of her roasted vegetables for me to nibble. I must let you know that C. seems to roast a never-ending supply of vegetables, as she is always offering to bring some over. I have marveled at her prolific vegetable-roasting talents and wondered why I never get around to all of that roasting myself. At the same time, I have also marveled over C.'s general health. She is rarely sick. She attributes part of her sturdy constitution to all of her vegetable eating (hence all of that roasting)...

Today I discovered C.'s secrets..


Secret #1. Vegetable Roasting Proclivity

I opened the small container of roasted squash chunks and stuck a forkful in my mouth, only to be met with unwieldy outer skin. I crunched down a bit and then decided to take a closer look.. I noted that the chunks had been roasted with the skin. It all became clear. C. was able to go around roasting squashes like there was no tomorrow, because she didn't go through the painstaking work of peeling them, something I am none to keen on doing. What I wondered was if she then cut around the skin before eating it or indeed did eat the entire chunk, skin and all. I had to find out.

Secret # 2: Exceptional Good Health

I sent C. a message innocently asking if she ate the skin on that particular variety of squash (Hubbard ). I was stunned to learn that not only did she purposely eat the skin of that squash but of all others as well!!! Now the only edible winter squash skin I have ever heard of is the delicata variety. The others are far too tough and chewy for my tastes. To each his own they say. Why does my friend C. enjoy veggies with their skins on? Who can say but I do know that eating vegetable skins must be C.'s secret to good health. After all, they do say that most of the vitamins in many vegetables are found in the skin. C. also mentioned eating other skins, like those of sweet potatoes (which I do eat myself). And come to think of it, my grandfather was a big believer in eating the skins of his potatoes too so perhaps that is one of the secrets to his longevity.

Now I am not sure what to make of all of this skin eating but I do know this.
As much as I envy C.'s good health, I am not sure I am willing to eat a bunch of squash skins to achieve it. Instead I will try her recommendation of a multi-vitamin and fish oil and see if that does the trick.

Meanwhile C. wonders if there are any other squash skin eaters out there....

Secret Fruit Bars: Snack #2

Unlike Jessica Seinfeld, I prefer to call a carrot, a carrot, rather than hide it inside a brownie and pretend it doesn't exist. I have always wanted Izzy to recognize that vegetables are healthy and flavorful (unless they were prepared by my first stepmother). There are no secret fruits or vegetables around here. We eat them right out in the open, imagine that.

As for these "Secret" Fruit bars, they hail from one of my favorite children's cookbooks, The Baby Bistro Cookbook. This book is full of recipes, vegetables included, that you would want to cook, with child or without.

These bars are full of fiber and make for an ideal snack. Not sure why the ingredients in this recipe need to be kept under wraps. The filling, encased within a sweet oaty crust, is packed with apples, carrots, dried fruits and berries. I brought them in for snack and decided to use their name to create a mystery. The kids could guess the ingredients. Not sure if they could or did, even adults have a hard time identifying each fruit and most can't discern the carrots. But at least they ate them.

As for the recipe, I won't be keeping any secrets...


Secret Fruit Bars

2 apples, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup dried cranberries (or cherries)
1 cup fresh or frozen thawed blueberries, cranberries or strawberries
1/2 cup water
4 cups quick-cooking oats (I used old-fashioned which worked fine)
2 cups all purose flour (half whole wheat works well)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter


1.Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the fruits, carrots and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until apples are soft. Remove from heat and cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or mixer, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse brumbs.

4.Evenly press the half of the oat mxture on the bottom of the pan. Spread fruit over the top. Cover the fruit with remaining oat mixture and gently press.

5. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden. Cool completely and cut as desired (I usually cut about 28 squares).

Turning Snack And My Kitchen Upside Down: Kale and Seaweed Chips, Popcorn On The Side

Early this morning, my husband poked his head into the kitchen and a look of horror washed over his face as he surveyed the scene... Cabinets flung open, cats on the table, dirty dishes strewn about and the loud sound of popcorn popping. He turned on his heels and fled...

"Snack Mom" had taken over the kitchen. Yes, I even set my alarm for 7:15 a.m. which is early for me, so that I could make sure the Kale and Seaweed Chips would be ready, along with two enormous vats of popcorn. I was inspired by The Yummy Mummy, who prepared kale chips as a snack for her daughter's preschool class. She outdid me by awakening at 5:30 a.m., an hour too ungodly for me to even consider, to prepare her snacks. I compromised by getting up slightly early, figuring I would somehow manage to get the three snacks ready, shower, make Izzy's breakfast and lunch and still get him to school on time.

Well with little time to spare, all notions of organization immediately flew out the window and chaos reigned. Olive oil was spilling, sesame seeds were flying and the cats were underfoot but somehow I did manage to get it all done.



The kale chips are a must try. This preparation turns a chewy, weedy vegetable into a feather-light delight (just make sure not to under cook them. I can attest to the fact that the undercooked version is a tad too chewy).

The recipe is super simple: Break kale into bite-sized pieces, rinse and dry. Place in a bowl and massage with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt. Spread on a cookie sheet so that the pieces do not overlap, and bake at 350 F. for 10-15 minutes or until darkened and crisp, at which point they practically dissolve in your mouth.

As if those weren't enough (actually they weren't, children cannot live on weeds alone, can they?) I also prepared seaweed chips which had been calling me from the pages of The New York Times. Definitely a fun project to do with kids but this morning there wasn't much time for that.
All you need are sheets of Nori, water, salt and sesame seeds. Watch the video link for more precise instructions.

But the morning prep was not over yet...

While those were baking I started on the popcorn and Izzy's morning pancakes. As the kernels flew, his pancake bubbled. All was going according to plan. Izzy assisted as I dumped the steaming vat of popcorn into a brown paper bag and began a second batch. When all was said and done, we carted it all over to school and set it out. Would the Kindergartners and First-Graders even touch the odd vegetable chips? Only Pick-Up time would tell.

At 3 p.m., I popped into Izzy's classroom and found an empty tin of Seaweed Chips ( I hadn't made that many) and a few fistfuls of Kale Chips left. There was still popcorn in the bag but I had made vast amounts of it so that didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was the snack tally on the blackboard. Izzy's teacher, Miss C., had inspired some of the children to try the snack by finding out which snack each child preferred. Kale was the winner, although that doesn't mean they actually liked it. Still and all, they tried it which is progress, right?

It thrills me when Izzy's teachers are proactive in getting the children involved with what they are eating. Teachers can certainly have an influence on eating habits so I look forward to bringing in other healthful foods for his class to try.


p.s. The following morning, when I arrived at school bearing another snack, a little girl looked over at me, not knowing what I had brought in and announced, "I am allergic to all of that." I looked at her and asked, "What are you allergic to exactly?" and she replied, "What's in there. I don't like it." I assume that she thought there were more Kale Chips within and she had decided that she was "allergic" to vegetables!

Cramming It All In: Part III...Life Goes On

Awaiting the Rosh Hashanah Feast

Without much fanfare, Izzy began First Grade on September 2, 2009. As he was continuing at the same school, it didn't have the same significance it may have had, had he started at a new one. He had new teachers but many of his old friends were along with him so he was comfortable and calm, excited to just be back at school. The main difference would be that he was now part of a new room, the Earth Room, which unfortunately was not ready. Consequently, during the first month of school, he and his classmates were shuttled about from one room to another. Despite that glitch, for the most part, all was well and knowing Izzy was safe at school made it easier for me to go off and visit my grandpa on a daily basis.

Rosh Hashanah arrived on September 18 (before the bad news) and we went to my dad's house for dinner. Most years past, I cook for the holiday but this time all I could muster were the Rugelach and some Challah. When I asked my stepmother what she was preparing, she mentioned a brisket. I told her about a succulent recipe I had clipped a year ago and quickly sent it off to her, just in case she changed her mind. This recipe for Flanken with Pomegranate struck me as being an instant success and I longed to make it. Much to my surprise, L. made it and it was the star of the table, already laden with many other luscious holiday dishes. It may just reappear at my Hanukkah meal this year, just wait and see.



With the Jewish holidays upon us, it was also time to consider synagogue and Hebrew School for Izzy. For the moment Izzy is a Hebrew school dropout, as I search for a new way to continue Izzy's Jewish education. Which brings me to the Pickle Festival and Sukkot.

What better way to celebrate our Jewish heritage than to attend a Pickle Festival on the Lower East Side and then visit a Sukkah in the West Village? On October 4 (A's birthday but he was out of town), Izzy and I set out to sample pickles and who should we run into but my sister C., hawking wares at the Brooklyn Kitchen stand. Izzy and I made our rounds, toting home some Moroccan Green Beans from Brooklyn Brine and some Holy Chevre from the Adamah Dairy.

Our next stop was The New Shul in the West Village. I loved, loved, loved the vibe at their Sukkot gathering, met some lovely synagogue members, Hebrew school teachers and the rabbi. To top it off, Izzy and I thoroughly enjoyed the 100 mile meal that was created for the occasion. A synagogue that celebrates local, organic produce?? What more could I ask for!! On the downside, Izzy is not too keen on Hebrew school given his less than stellar experience last year so we may just have to wait and continue to attend events at the Shul whenever we can.


Meanwhile, Izzy's class has finally been granted their very own Earth Room. To celebrate, some other moms and I planned an "Earth-Warming Party" where the kids planted herbs and we brought in some goodies to celebrate. There were bags of homemade popcorn and I baked some incredible Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake, along with two kinds of scones. More on those soon.

Oh and somewhere in between these occasions were simpler ones. A lovely meal spent with friends on a rooftop. Check out the grand Jersey City view!



Also of now is Izzy's leaps and bounds in reading. He is now immersed in Chapter Books! It is sometimes difficult to tear him away from the couch.



And this is only the half of it, as other milestones occurred, deserving of a separate post. For now I will leave you with a link to a recipe for some of the moistest, crustiest finger-licking spare-ribs you could ever imagine, from the now sadly defunct Gourmet Magazine (R.I.P.).

Perfect Jersey City Lunching: American Masala

A new American-Indian fusion restaurant has landed upon our shores and it is well worth a visit.

American Masala, located near Exchange Place, is owned by Suvi Saran, who also owns Devi in NYC. Many of the restaurant's dishes come from the owner's cookbook, for which the restaurant was so named. The innovative menu is chock full of comfort food with an Indian twist. I had been eager to try it since I read it about it here.

We took Izzy and his friend J., for an end of summer lunch, as they hadn't seen each other since the middle of July. It was the perfect choice for a sunny afternoon.

We seated ourselves on the terrace given the lovely weather, and the boys got reacquainted with one another while my friend G. and I perused the menu. It's always a good sign when too many things are appealing.

We ended up choosing the lamb burger and the house made veggie burger. The large burgers were enough for mother and child to share and both were accompanied by delicately spiced, ultra-crispy fries. We shared a fattoush salad which was fresh and colorful. G. and I were thrilled with our meal. We lingered at the table, nibbling each morsel as the boys played.



Throughout our meal, the staff was friendly and accommodating, especially the owner's sister Seema who came over to check on us as we were finishing up. We chatted a bit with her and she brought over some small servings of Firni, a rice pudding spiced with cardamom and pistachios. I have always been a fan of this fragrant pudding and it was the icing on the cake to our wonderful meal.

Right now the restaurant is only open for lunch from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. but come fall, they have plans keep it open for dinner as well.

Grilled Flat Iron Steak: Perfect After A Long Day of Painting

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Y. made her annual pilgrimage to Sap Bush Hollow Farm, where she stocks up on a large supply of grass-fed beef, lamb and pork. For the second year in a row, she offered to pick up a few things for me , an offer I could not resist.

One thing she picked out for me was a Flat Iron steak, a cut that I was unfamiliar with until now. It is a recently developed cut, said to be one of the more tender ones at a reasonable price. To me it was definitely reminiscent of a flank steak, though a bit thicker, requiring longer cooking. It was somewhat chewy but not tough.

This weekend, Izzy and his papa were hard at work, painting our parlour rooms and more.



I needed to make something the satisfy the huge appetites they built up doing all that work and figured that steak would fit the bill.

I rubbed the steak with cocoa/cumin/brown sugar/salt* and grilled it. I served it alongside some potatoes sauteed with garlic and thyme, accompanied by spinach with shallots and balsamic vinegar. Not a morsel was left.



*I love the idea of cocoa in a rub but the recipe needs more work before I can post it.

Leftovers From My CSA - circa 2008 (or How To Shock The Farmer)

Last week, while sorting vegetables with Farmer Rich, I suddenly came to the realization that one item from last year's delivery, still remained, tucked way in the back of my fridge. Each time I cleaned the fridge, I left it there, wondering how long I could keep it and if it would still be okay to eat.

When I turned to him and shamefully admitted to having something leftover from last year's deliveries, he couldn't disguise his horror, his eyes popping, wondering at the disgusting possibilities. He was quite relieved to hear that it was simply a bag of wheat berries and not a festering squash or other unimaginably rotted vegetable.

And, lo and behold, the wheat berries are still fine to eat. In fact he said they last for quite a while. He recommended soaking them for several days and sauteing them with olive oil.. Hope to tell you about it soon!

Bounty Of New Jersey: Purple and Orange Cauliflower

Look at these gorgeous vegetables. Only $1.75 for fresh, local vegetables. Grown right here in New Jersey and available at Jersey City Farmers' Markets several days a week, thanks to Stony Hill Farm in Chester, N.J.

I used them to make one of our favorite pasta dishes: Pasta with Cauliflower, Garlic and Anchovies, from Marcella Hazan's book, More Classic Italian Cooking.


Pasta With Cauliflower, Garlic and Anchovies (don't be put off by the anchovies, they dissolve in the sauce and leave behind a pleasing brininess).


1 lb. pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 anchovies, chopped
1 small cauliflower, cooked in boiling, salted water about 20 minutes or until tender.
1/4 cup minced parsley
pinch or two of hot pepper

1. Heat oil gently with garlic and anchovies. Stir until anchovies are dissolved, about 3 minutes.
2. Add cauliflower and break up into small pieces. Add hot pepper to taste, then salt and pepper. Toss with minced parsley. Set aside.
3. Prepare pasta and mix with cauliflower sauce. Serve immediately.

Orange Confusion: What is a slice?

Today was "Field Day" at Izzy's school. The class walked over to a nearby baseball field and the children hopped and bounced from one activity to the next. Bubble blowing, faux egg toss, and real water balloons were the highlights.

Parents were asked to contribute watermelon or "orange slices" as a snack. When I read the email I thought it funny that they wanted orange slices but liked the idea and do love serving oranges in that manner. Sliced orange rounds are a fun way for kids to eat oranges. So I sliced a bunch of oranges as seen above and brought them to the field.

There I discovered other interpretations of sliced oranges. Some moms brought in orange segments.



Still others brought in oranges cut into quarters or eighths.




And so I ask, what did the email writer imagine when she requested orange slices and what image comes to your mind when you imagine an orange slice?

A Vegetarian Plate: Roasted Tofu, Brown Rice Pilaf and Steamed Broccoli

The inspiration for this super-healthy vegetarian meal was a simply delicious brown rice salad that the lovely T. brought to a lunch at my house last week. As per T.'s instructions, I used a mixture of plain brown rice and a Lundberg wild rice mix. The whole thing was thrown together in about an hour, the time it took to cook the rice.

Roasted Tofu, Brown Brown Rice Pilaf and Broccoli Platter

Ingredients

1.5 blocks firm tofu (2 blocks for leftovers)
soy sauce

1 cup long grain brown rice
1 cup Lundberg wild rice mix
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced and lightly sauteed.
handful grape tomatoes
handful baby spinach leaves (chiffonade)
bunch of minced chives or herb of choice

1 bunch broccoli, stems peeled and cut into chunks, small florets


Directions:

For rice:
1. Saute garlic in olive oil until fragrant but not brown. Add rice, stir in salt and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and fluff with fork.

Then saute 2-3 cloves minced garlic and add to rice, along with spinach leaves and tomatoes. Toss in minced chives.

2. Meanwhile, steam broccoli in a large pot. Steam stems first for 5 minutes, add florets and cook 8 minutes more or until tender.

3. While rice is cooking, cut tofu into squares. Lay on baking sheet and drizzle with soy sauce. Bake at 450 for @15 minutes or until sizzling.

4. When all components are ready, arrange on a plate and serve. Drizzle rice with extra olive oil if desired.

Where Do Dead Cows Belong?

A few weeks ago, some friends of mine went to visit Bobolink Dairy, a farm renowned for its cheese, bread and meats. Izzy and I were supposed to join them but had to stay home because he wasn't feeling well.

Too bad since I couldn't wait to introduce Izzy to some cows. Not only that but I was also intrigued by the matzoh-making class they were holding that day and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a hunk of their Cave-aged Cheddar and Rosemary Epi bread. Alas, it wasn't meant to be for Izzy and me, but my friends went along without us.

Of course I was eager to hear how their day went and knew I could count on my friend L. to describe it all in minute detail. As she tells it, the matzoh-making went fairly well. They watched the farmers grind spelt and her daughters were able to roll out several matzos. It was so enjoyable that her daughters plan to return next year (maybe even with us).

As she recounted her tale, I could hear in her voice that not all was rosy. Then she told they saw dead cows rotting in a nearby pasture. They both found this to be quite disturbing. Her husband was disgusted and they didn't know quite what to make of it. Her husband forbade her from buying any of their beef (which is a complete shame since it is quite delectable) although they did bring home a fair bit of cheese and bread.

My immediate reaction was to assume that there was a reasonable explanation for the rotting cows, somehow relating to organic farming practices. Since I wasn't there to bear witness, I emailed the farm to find out about the cows.

I received a detailed reply from the farmer, some of which I will excerpt here:

Anyhow, the way we dispose of the remains is an old but sensible method:
we put them in the pig pasture and let nature run its course.  Pigs are
forest floor scavengers, true omnivores.
Between the pigs and the insect larvae, the cows are
recycled to just bones in a few months.

It all sounded perfectly sensible to me and besides, I doubt that the sight of a few dead cows in a pasture, even remotely comes close to the horror one would find inside an industrial farming facility. Yet my friends are not convinced, continuing to the think that the meat from the supermarket is better. How can we help them see the light?


p.s. Imagine their horror when I told them that the brisket I had served them on Passover came from that very farm..

A Second Grade Syrup Tasting: Maple or Aunt Jemima?

Which one was the winner?



I received a call from my dearest friend L. this morning and she recounted the following tale:

In honor of maple syrup season, she paid a visit to her daughter S.'s 2nd grade class to read a story about how maple syrup is made and then conduct a taste test, to see which syrup the children preferred, pitting real maple syrup against Aunt Jemima.

She brought in two unmarked bottles of "syrup" and had each child taste a spoonful of each. Out of 20 students, the disheartening news is that 17 preferred Aunt Jemima over the real maple syrup. They were instantly able to recognize it as the syrup they ate at home and showed a clear preference for it. I did not find this especially surprising, simply disheartening.

After the test, L. explained to the young students that Aunt Jemima did not even have anything maple in it and then she explained why maple syrup was healthier, encouraging them to consider eating the real thing. Even if they don't, at least they have been exposed to it.

What I had to wonder was why so many children were eating Aunt Jemima rather than real maple syrup, particularly in an upper middle class neighborhood where cost might not be a major issue? If fake syrup reigns supreme, clearly the advertisements maligning high fructose corn syrup have failed. Given another demographic, I might entertain the argument that cost was a factor but then in defense of using real maple syrup I would suggest that a little goes a long way and you needn't douse your pancakes or waffles in it but rather drizzle it sparingly on top.

Once again, more evidence to support my mantra "Eat what you love and your children will follow." What they eat is up to you.



P.S. I would love to poll these children years from now as to their syrup preferences. There is certainly hope since I was raised on Aunt Jemima myself and haven't touched the stuff since I started buying my own food.

A Day Of Puree: In The Land Of Baby Food

The good news is: Grandpa is home from the hospital! He is slowly regaining his energy and after over a week of not eating he is now permitted to eat pureed or pudding textured foods. The hospital created special meals for him, which included things like pureed bread. It came on his plate, shaped like a piece of bread. I wondered how that was achieved but perhaps its better to keep that a mystery.

I doubt that I will puree bread but I have taken it upon myself to prepare an array of other pureed foods for him. Today I descended into the land of baby food, using my two favorite baby food books as guides, Annabel Karmel's First Meals and The Baby Bistro Cookbook.

First up was Olive Oil poached Cod with Rosemary, Shallots and Potatoes and another version with tomatoes.

Next, Chicken, Leek, Zucchini Casserole

Then, Lentil and Vegetable Puree (with carrots and sweet potatoes)

Lastly, Spinach Leek Puree.

Izzy had the Chicken Leek, Zucchini Casserole, before I pureed it. The beauty of this food is that these are all things that you can prepare for your whole family. They work well in their natural state and pureed.

Recipes to follow shortly. Time to clean the kitchen and get some rest. Delivering the food to Grandpa tomorrow.

Facebook Soup

When I first got started out on Facebook, I did so out of pure curiosity. I found it vaguely annoying, especially the endless banal minutiae of the status updates. There were certainly other aspects of it which I found more compelling. I was particularly enamored with finding long lost friends and just generally keeping up with people who I wouldn't normally talk to on a daily basis anyway. I kept away from my status updates.

Then the novelty of chatter with old friends began to wear off. I knew where they were, what they were doing and that was sufficient., I was left with the glaring omissions of my status updates. So I caved, figuring an occasional status update wouldn't annoy to many. Today's update led to an unexpected outcome...

Status Update: Izzy's Mama needs cat food and soba noodles.

Following the post I promptly received a bag of cat food from my friend S. who kindly brought over a giant bag of it; not after having read the post but after having spoken to me. The soba noodles were a different story. What I would call a "feelgood" Facebook story.

My neighbor Debra., to whom I owe many thanks, commented on my status, asking which kind of soba noodles I would like, lotus root or brown rice? Hey beggars can't be choosers. I never expected such a prompt response. I told her I would take whichever kind.

She arrived a little while later with a bag, including soba noodles, fancy mushrooms, ginger and scallions so that I could make a proper soup! How amazing is that?? What is even more amazing is that I only recently met Debra, over the summer while hanging out on the stoop. We would chat occasionally but since the winter, I haven't really seen or bumped into her. Only a few weeks ago, if that, she friended me on Facebook. If not for that, I may have been soupless this evening, or stuck with some awful takeout, yet again.

You can be sure I took those ingredients and added them to a broth I had concocted from freezer scraps (for another post) and I created a tofu/mushroom/ginger noodle soup. Since I can't taste I can't really tell you what it was like but something tells me it was lacking for something. Izzy said, "Salt." We added some more but I'm not sure if that helped. No matter, it was nourishing and healthy and sure beat eating something from a restaurant. Thanks again Deb!

Maybe this will start a trend. Next time you are sick, post a request for ingredients and see what kind of soup it gets you.

Who Put That Burger On Your Plate? These Kids Will Tell You...

These school children created this video as an entry for the "Real Food Is" contest created by an organization called "From Farm To School" I couldn't be more pleased to see that teaching children about Real Food is seeping into public school curricula. These videos are brilliant examples of how to teach children to make better food choices. Many adults would surely benefit from watching these thought-provoking videos. They are definitely worth watching and sharing with your family.

Of course I want my friends to win so vote here for "Who Put That Burger On Your Plate" and do it soon since voting is only open through Saturday, February 14th. In order for your vote to count you need to pick a winner from the K-12 category and another from the College category. I liked this one:

Curry Perfume: Curried Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup

Certain food odors can cling to a person and curry is particularly tenacious that way.

As I stirred tonight's soup, I could feel the steam enveloping my hair, as the aromas settled upon my scalp. I put the soup on to simmer and then went to pick Izzy up from his Chinese class. The onions, garlic, ginger and curry followed me.

I could still smell the curry as I walked up the steps to his classroom. As we walked outside into the night, Izzy asked me what was for dinner. I knelt down and said, "Guess!". There was no hesitation as he replied, "Indian food.!"

And so it was... This recipe from the February issue of Gourmet ..I would tweak it a bit next time, adding a half cup more lentils. The cilantro oil is a lovely touch so don't be tempted to leave it out.

We ate this served over Basmati rice, as suggested. Izzy lapped his up but my spice-loving husband needed extra spice.

Green Expectations (or The Many Shades Of Green)

"Green" conjures up images of many things. From the choices we make in the way we live, to the vibrant colors of the many wonderful vegetables we eat. Today green was all of those things and then some. It was also a green I'd rather forget: Namely, green gobs of frosting on cookies that Izzy was eating. Of course I prefer to think of the former but can't get my mind off the latter. In some way, they are intertwined.

In small ways we try to raise Izzy "green" given the environment in which we live. This means doing things like hanging our laundry on the line (weather permitting), living without a/c most of the summer and walking or taking public transportation whenever possible. Every little bit helps. Izzy helps recycle and it certainly helps that his school encourages that as well. Izzy's "sculpture" creations, made from discarded food packaging (what packaging is recycled is another story, don't even ask what ingredients are listed in the package below) are just one way he is learning to be "green".



We also try to guide him towards selecting earth-friendly toys (apparently not a guarantee of anything) and he is fortunate to have many handmade ones like the ferry above, made by his Grandpa T.

Most importantly, if you read this blog you know, being "green" greatly influences how we shop and eat. Our major efforts towards being "green" are certainly concentrated in the food realm. We try to eat local, organic foods whenever possible. It is my wish to instill in Izzy, a lifelong love and respect for healthy, delicious foods. This afternoon, I prepared an organic green-split pea soup, made with local or organic vegetables. It may not have been the most beautiful pale shade of green, but topped with sauteed leeks (more green), it was warming and nutritious on a cold, rainy night.



In the late afternoon, while the pea soup simmered on the stove, I took Izzy to join his classmates for a small holiday celebration. The children were offered cookies with gobs of green frosting and small green Christmas trees. Not wishing to be a Grinch, I allowed him to indulge, knowing full well what the aftermath might be.

I tried to be festive but couldn't help but be disturbed. Why were they being fed food dye and why the color green?

Food dyes have been consistently shown to cause hyperactivity in children. Current research continues to confirm this. It is truly best to steer clear of them if at all possible. There are organic dyes available and certainly other ways to be festive.

Secondly, why the choice of color. Is green the seasonal color? Not if you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Diwali. Not that another color would have been healthier but how about equal opportunity dyes?

As I mulled over these thoughts, it came as no surprise when Izzy and his friends turned from chattering children to rolling, romping creatures, piling up on one another, causing the parents and teachers to reign in their behavior, caused in part, by the foods they were served.

I was more than happy to take Izzy home for his dinner. Hopefully the green split pea soup would be both nourishing and calming.

I continue to ponder how challenging it is to be "green" here in lovely, toxic, Jersey City. It is especially difficult when not everyone shares the same mindset. Learning to eat better is one way to counteract the negative effects of our environment, as we live in the shadow of the Holland Tunnel. We all do not have the opportunity to raise our children on a farm, as this amazing woman does but we do have a chance to teach our children about good greens and bad.

A Milkshake A Day

Milk and cookies may be a typical after school snack but around this house, not so much. Milkshakes are much more exciting.

Each day, Izzy comes home and helps concoct his milkshake of the day. Mango-raspberry and mango-strawberry are his current favorites. Our blender lives on our counter so whenever the mood strikes I can whip one up. I keep a variety of frozen fruits on hand so that something is available.

The recipe is simple. Place about 3/4 to 1 cup of frozen fruits in blender, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of milk and a few squirts of agave or honey. Blend. Izzy likes his milkshakes thick. Adjust milk to reach desired thickness.

p.s. A milkshake alone does not a snack make. He will usually nosh on at least two other things before dinner. Afternoons often turn into one giant snack fest.

Doughnuts For Breakfast? What is a Health-Conscious Mama To Do?

Indeed that is what the children in a certain preschool in JC are served on a regular basis. My friend L. just cannot wrap her head around the fact that three year olds are given such fatty, sugary foods to start their day. And this by the very people who are charged with taking care of them. When she pressed for answers, she was told that these doughnuts were not just any doughnuts, they were Super Doughnuts. After careful research, I know I wouldn't be to pleased to find Izzy eating them for breakfast either.

In her own words:

"Yesterday it was doughnuts and today "Coco Roos". While the menu says there is supposed to be fruit every day with breakfast, and I was told when I asked, that they get "fresh fruit" not canned with their meals, they have not been serving any fruit at all with breakfast. When I inquired about whether they would give the kids fruit with their "breakfast" (if you call chocolate doughnuts and chocolate cereal breakfast) on one particular day, I was politely told that if I wanted my son to have fruit with breakfast, we could bring our own!"

L. is struggling with how to handle this situation. On the one hand she recognizes the importance of her child eating healthy foods, while on the other, she would rather not have him feel uncomfortable eating something different from his peers. She is attempting to enact change from within but that could be slow in coming.

In the meantime, what do you think she should do? You can surely imagine what I might say but I will hold my tongue for the moment. I would love to hear from others.

Beet Tartare: Summer Salad Secret

The French have the right idea about beets. In France, produce vendors sell them already cooked. They are perfect in the summer, sliced or grated and can easily be added to a salad. I used to buy the vacuum-packed variety at Fairway on a regular basis. But what are we American supposed to do without a ready supply of freshly cooked beets? Preparing beets in the summer is a tedious, kitchen-warming procedure.

I have a source for fresh beets and they had been languishing in my fridge. I kept meaning to boil them to save them for a borscht but I just never got around to it, which is a shame because Izzy loves beets and they are packed with iron.

Then I learned that beets can be eaten raw (don't think I am leaning towards raw food or anything). A small portion was served to me at a recent dinner and I was pleasantly surprised. Raw beets can be quite tasty and earthy.

Last night, I grated two beets on the large holes of a grater. I mixed in one grated apple to the bowl and then tossed it all with a vinaigrette of 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and a dollop of mustard and about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

I served this as a side salad with some wonderfully creamy Bosina Robiola which I picked up from Key Ingredient Market at the Monday Farmers' Market at the Grove Street Path. They carry many prepared foods and cheese spreads as well as a few select cheeses which vary weekly.

All I can say is that Izzy liked this salad so much, he came back an hour after dinner and asked for more( I gladly obliged).