not because they miss me (they do, but that's not why), but because when I return, I am a No Waste Fool.
Tonight at dinner, we made up some new rules. The kid are 4 and 7, and both picky eaters. No more catering to the petite crowd. I've gained a lot of weight eating out and choosing convenience foods, but no longer. I've entered into a whole foods stage and I'm determined to cut out the processed foods, refined sugar, and eat at home more.
There is one problem: I don't cook. Don't get me wrong, I like to cook, I'm just no good at it. I never took home economics or any other useful course like that. I took extra science and upper level math classes. Looks good on a resume and helps out in the anesthesia department, but not so helpful at home.
I can make lasagna, several different ways, in fact. Spaghetti; quiche; biscuits and gravy (thank you Dad); most anything out of a cookbook . . . but not so good with basics or being creative or adding much flavor to things. I have a full spice cabinet and I use spices . . . which is good or the things I make would just taste like cardboard. My husband, on the other hand, is a fabulous breakfast chef and makes pancakes to die for!
Anyway, I'm onto a new phase, which included cleaning out my very full cookbook cabinet (anyone need a volume of Southern Living's Annual Recipes?) Less meat, more things that grow from the ground / on a tree / come from nature but not slaughtered . . . you get the picture.
And the children are going to join me / us.
Fewer chicken nuggets (gag me); more colors on the plate. No "ooh gross" at the dinner table or "I just want a hot dog on a bun with ketchup please."
Tonight we had salmon. It was lovely, really. Lemon, sea salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic olive oil . . . very healthy. Not so flavorful. Roasted baby portabellas with zucchini and bell peppers - yum. The sweet potatoes were far from done, so we had sweet potato fries. It was quite fun making a meal on a week night with my handsome spouse! We set the entire table with all plates arranged similarly and counted down to the nostril flaring and dirty looks after we called them to the table. They did not disappoint. After a while, I offered ranch salad dressing and ketchup (it didn't help).
I ended up in tears (nice).
I have two children who go to bed hungry EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, while these two complain and moan about each meal that isn't donut gems, yogurt, mac & cheese or processed meat. I told them that.
New rule in our house: eat what we make or you get cereal for dinner - and mom and dad choose what kind and how much. (We better start serving more substantial after school snacks). Tonight, it was oatmeal, and not the instant sugary Quaker stuff, but the chunky, flax seed, healthy kind mama likes. Hee hee. Funny how good it tastes when the only other option is salmon . . . which my oldest kept trying to free, by the way. "Be free little fish! Go back to the ocean with your friends." Nice.
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