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In my three years as a parent (four, if you count from the start of the pregnancy), Iโve tried to soak up as much information and real world experience as possible when it comes to the issue of food. Food and kids is tricky. We all know that as a nation our children are not getting the adequate nutrition and exercise they need to grow up strong and healthy, and our obesity rates are growing at an alarming pace. We know that school lunches, where many children get the bulk of their calories, if not all, are heavy on starch and low on fresh produce. We know that kidsโ menus at restaurants often consist only of macaroni and cheese, cheeseburgers, and chicken nuggets.
We donโt have to resort to this. Some balk at the idea of cooking healthy food for their children, but consider this – in other areas, donโt you do everything you can to protect your child? Giving them the right attitude about food from the start will protect them from a multitude of problems as they grow up.
Even though my son is only 3, Iโve already seen the benefits of teaching him about cooking, food, and where food comes from. As a baby he had pureed vegetables we prepared ourselves, and as he has grown we have attempted to expand his palate as much as possible. Risotto is one of his favorite dishes, and he asks for broccoli. Of course, he still loves chicken nuggets.
This year I decided to start a new blog series with my son, and Iโm so pleased that Foodbuzz decided to choose the inaugural post as part of the January 24×24 event.
One of my son’s favorite things to do is go to the farmers’ markets with me. I thought it would be fun to create a meal based on what he chose at the market, sort of Iron Chef style. I did a similar meal for Project Food Blog challenge 3, where I went to the farmers’ market in Madison, Wisconsin, and created a meal based on what they had. Funnily enough, I could have re-created that meal in Texas this weekend, even though the original meal was done in October. For me, this is a striking example of the seasonality of food and Texas’ strong growing season.
The main problem with trying to get your child to dictate the market shopping is their lack of focus. And, um, apparently mine, because I had trouble with my video camera. Still, my son’s discussions are priceless.
Our market is replete with choices for protein, from Gulf shrimp to guinea hens to bison. My son is enamored with the San Miguel Seafood booth (probably because they have huge, whole fish they let little kids touch) and immediately decided the protein for the night would be red snapper. Wandering over to the Johnson’s Backyard Garden stand, he chose carrots, broccoli, and beautiful green and purple cauliflower. Of course, when it came to cooking, he didn’t want to use the carrots or broccoli – two of his favorite vegetables, he probably wanted to save for himself. Brussels sprouts rounded out the vegetables.
We picked up fresh chevre from Swede Farm, fig-walnut conserve from the award-winning Confituras, and a baguette from Texas French Bread. Paired with kale that we would turn into chips, we had our appetizers!
With our market finds, we headed home to create a delicious meal to be enjoyed by us and a few discerning friends. Our fridge still had some local produce from before the market trip, and the fennel was put to work for the large snapper fillet. There were also beets that just couldn’t go to waste. And, of course, there were the local tangerines, so juicy and the perfect way to brighten the end of the meal.
Remember how I said my son loves risotto? I couldn’t pass that opportunity up and made beet and goat cheese risotto – creamy, sweet with a bit of tang, and very, very pink.
Simple preparations of vegetables are the way to go, in my mind. The Brussels sprouts were pan seared, while the gorgeous cauliflower was roasted in the oven with olive oil and a little seasoning to keep the color. Mashing them would have been insane.
The fish was simple as well, using the entire fennel. It rested on a bed of fronds, then was scattered with slices of the bulb. The result was a tender fish not overpowered by the fennel, good enough for even the vegan (she’s moving toward conscious flexatarian) to have seconds.
For me the dessert was perfect. We used those tangerines in an almond tart (recipe from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan) and we juiced a dozen others in order to make a refreshing sorbet.
What did my son think of the food he helped create? True to 3-year-old form, all he ate was bread, a bite of fish, and of course, the dessert.
He spent the rest of the time flirting with my friends.
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Beet & Goat Cheese Risotto
Ingredients
- 3 cups stock of choice, I used venison
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup chopped roasted beets
- 3 tablespoons fresh goat cheese, plus more to serve
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Bring stock to a low simmer.
- Melt butter in a heavy pan over low heat.
- Add rice and onion and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add wine, cooking till absorbed. Add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly; allow rice to absorb each 1/2 cup before adding more. Just before adding the last of the stock, stir in the beets. Rice should cook in about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
Tangerine-Mint Sorbet
adapted from Simply Recipes
3 cups tangerine juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Bring the tangerine juice and sugar just to a boil and remove from heat. Crush the mint leaves between your fingers to release some of the oil, and add to juice. Cover and let steep at least five minutes, depending on how strong you want the mint flavor.
Remove mint and chill juice 30 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer instructions.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, Iโm here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen.ย Read moreโฆ
What a great idea! I’m filing this idea away for when Samuel is older. It sounds like a great way to get him involved without me being pushy about what he eats.
I’ve been trying to figure out how we would handle the eventual food issue, and I’ve hoped that since I’ve been pretty much of the “he eats what he eat” mentality since we introduced solids that he won’t have any aversions…
Megan, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. Your son is so lucky. What a fabulous mum you are, teaching him all about food and local, seasonal produce. He truly couldn’t have a better start in life. Bravo. Cant wait to see more!
I’m out of town and this made me miss my kids desperately. Fantastic post. Love.
what a wonderful way to introduce your kid to food. This is an awesome series. What fun adventures to have with your kids that they will remember for their entire lives.
What a smart (and cute!) son you have! Amazing to read he has taken an interest and liking to foods that are good for you. There are many adults who wouldn’t eat a vegetable even if you paid them.
I have read the menus for children and as a woman who is currently trying for the first child with my husband I have noticed these things. It’s discouraging to read only hot dogs, burgers, mac & cheese, etc. Sure, kids are picky and usually like the simplest thing possible but if we don’t teach them other options how will they learn? Good for you for teaching him! You’re clearly a wonderful mother.
Oh, and I did find it funny that at the end he ended up eating only a small amount and instead chose to flirt with your friends. So cute.
I love how you have introduced him to such wonderful ways to relate to food. He is going to be a little heartbreaker!
What a fun series this is going to be. ANd, what a treasured memory this will be some day. I love that marketing, cooking and eating are so family centric for you. I have a friend who says her mother never ever mentioned diet, exercise, or eating right. She says she thinks because of that she learned to eat the proper foods for her needs and enjoy being out doors, and even cooking. All those things came by rote because that’s what her mom did. I think you are on the same path for Reese. Neat.
I look forward to seeing more of the series in the future. Great job Megan.
Love the idea! My daughter is also 3 and I love that she is learning where her food comes from, how to grow it and cook it. Looking forward to hearing more!
What a wonderful meal – made even more special by your son’s involvement. I look forward to reading more in this series. Thanks for sharing!
I think health and consciousness is the greatness gift you can give to your child! I look forward to future little locavore posts ๐
What an adorable locavore! Another benefit of teaching kids about local markets, good food and cooking, is that eventually they grow up wanting to cook for you. He’s going to make you some great dinners some day.
What a precious boy! Exposing him to all these healthy options is a fabulous idea ๐ Fun for you both…
I’m so impressed with the way you have included your young son in meal planning,shopping and preparation. I’m going to enjoy this series. Not only are you teaching him good sound spending and saving habits for his future financial health (your earlier blog post) but so too are you setting a wonderful cornerstone for which he can build healthy eating habits that he will hopefully carry with him throughout his adulthood.
He is a gorgeous little boy and very blessed to have the smart and loving parents that he does.
That little man can cook for me anytime with tastes like that! How lucky you are that he loves foods and not the typical things and to top it off – how lucky you are to have that market! It sounds dreamy!!
Too CUTE! And whip-smart idea for this series. Can’t wait for more. Your menu is super ambitious; hat’s off to you for that!
All the dishes you made sound amazing… I love the look of the purple cauliflower! However, what made me laugh out loud was your last sentence… three-year-olds are funny like that ๐
I don’t think I can adequately describe how much I absolutely love this post. I think this an awesome idea for a blog series, and I couldn’t agree more with everything you said about kids and food. I don’t have any children, but I do hope to teach them healthy, local eating whenever I do. Your son is adorable, and he is clearly lucky to have a mom like you. ๐
This is a great idea. I’m looking forward to more posts about this!
And yep. Love how he didn’t eat much of it. Isn’t that the way it goes?
First of all, your child is gorgeous — and very lucky to have an early education on healthy eating. Beautiful meal, especially the beet risotto!
Megan. The cheeks on that child…what a sweetheart! I want to MAKE him a taco. OR anything else he wants. Love the cooking series and can’t wait for round two!