Roasted Carrots with Labneh

1 Comment

DSC_6614

No doubt about it, week night dinners in a household with kids are always stressful. You’re tired, you’re transitioning from day to evening activities, and the kids are clamoring for something to eat, preferably from one of their favorite food groups, somewhat white, mostly white, or entirely white. At times like that, it’s understandably tempting to abandon your resolve to eat healthier and ply them with french fries and a soon-to-be paler version of Kraft’s iconic mac & cheese in exchange for a bit of peace and quiet.

But before you give in to that impulse, consider the following option. Why not do as the Romans do (and the Spanish, and the French, and the Greeks, among others) and serve up a small plate of something healthy that your kids can nibble on while you go about the business of preparing the evening meal? Read More

Asparagus and Hard-Boiled Egg Salad

1 Comment

DSC_5379 (1)

Did you know that there is such a thing as a crayon with the name “asparagus”? I learned this surprising factoid while I was reading the section on asparagus in Deborah Madison’s absolutely wonderful Vegetable Literacy. Sure enough, when I looked it up on Crayola’s website, there it was, a member of the green hue family, introduced in 1993.

Then I ran across a different website, one that included a posting called “10 Worst Crayola Crayon Colors.” Guess which color was #6 on the list, sandwiched in between bittersweet and manatee? Yes, it was asparagus. Apparently, this color made the list because the author of the post thinks that kids don’t get excited about vegetables, especially one “that makes your pee smell funny.”

Au contraire! I beg to differ. I think that kids get excited about asparagus precisely because it makes your pee smell funny. I speak from experience. My younger daughter thinks this particular quality of asparagus is hysterical. Sometimes, when I serve it for dinner, it’s the first thing she comments on. And then she scarfs it down.

Read More