That’s a pretty interesting name for a children’s snack, isn’t it?!
This puffed rice and corn treat/snack has become a recent favorite treat for my son. I’m not sure it really qualifies as a snack. Maybe a munch? In any case, I don’t know where he has seen it and/or ate it for the first time, [...]

Remember the Naked Chef?
You know, the guy with the cool hair, very energetic, talks fast, cooks even faster, Jamie Oliver? About 10 years ago when he became famous, he was referred to as the Naked Chef. These days he is simply Jamie. I did not understand what the nakedness was all about back then. I [...]

Everyone says that spaghetti and meatballs in tomato sauce is a kid-friendly food. One of the ultimate favorites. Way up there in the top 10, maybe even top 5, on the kids’ food list. Well, at least that’s the theory. But in our household? Not so much.
I always wondered why magazines/restaurants/cookbooks make that claim because [...]

Sometimes I feel as glamorous as a chicken meatball… Whaaaat?
Ehhhhh, let me explain. Where should I begin?
Maybe from the end. Yes, the end. That was when I heard the sweet sound of the word “yummy”. It came out of the mouth of a sweet, but stubborn, and picky, little boy, who mostly likes to eat [...]

 
Today was the first day of the Hunger Action Week. I made a plan ahead of time (see here) – I had to – and a grocery list, I calculated the estimated costs, and went grocery shopping today. More about that in a minute.
We take this challenge as a family so I tried to find [...]

 Are you a foodie? Are you a foodie and a parent? Do your kids share your passion for food? Or do they give you a hard time? Watch the video:

I am a foodie and a picky eater in a choosy finicky, or conscious eating way. Since we got married, I got my husband all excited [...]

I remember this episode from when I was about 6 or 7 years old (I think). I asked my mom to make me toast with melted cheese on top. Who doesn’t like those? Don’t you? I almost certainly nagged and nagged her and she finally made it for me. Then I tasted it and it [...]

I’ve been working on some serious stuff for my first 2009 post. I thought it’ll take me a day or two to complete, but plans have changed. My son, 5.5 years old, swallowed a bubble gum. For the first time.I can hear you laughing.I did.
His reaction – crying, hysteria, worries, lots of questions, and feeling [...]

Eating out while on a trip or vacation, with or without kids, can become a stressful event. Going out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and maybe snacks too, every day throughout your vacation, can be tiring. Choosing a restaurant, driving, parking, waiting to be seated, reading the menu, consulting, deciding, ordering, waiting, paying, waiting… add [...]

I’ve been posting a lot about kids and food lately, getting your kids in the kitchen, how-to for cooking or baking with your kids, cooking gifts for kids, etc etc.
It’s time to start posting recipes again. I know this is really what you are looking for, right?! I see on the polls’ results so far [...]

Once a week I take my son, who is 5 years old, to do the grocery shopping with me. It’s a lot of fun (but wasn’t always like that). I love to see how his interest and excitement about food grows and grows. This of course, doesn’t mean that he is not a picky eater. [...]

When my son was 3 years old, he got a Home depot tool box from Toys R Us for his birthday. That was one of the best gifts ever. He played with it a lot, by himself or when he was “helping” his dad build things. It was a wonderful imaginary toy as well as [...]

If you are looking for something fun to do for the holidays, go see the Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel. Local architects and chefs from the Sheraton Seattle team up to design, bake, and build gingerbread houses and creations with a superhero holiday theme.

Time: Mon-Thu, Sat 10am-6pm; Fri 10am-7pm; Sun 11am-5pm. Ongoing Daily [...]

Sometimes I get frustrated. Trying to do it all and having to compromise in everything that I do. I feel like I’m doing the best I can – which is not good enough to me – because I want to do everything perfectly. But in reality I find that I’m not giving enough attention to [...]

A while ago I bragged about how my son, who is 5 years old, wrote a recipe for Chocolate-banana cookies. A recipe! From scratch! All by himself! And no one asked him too.
He made mommy, that’s me, very proud, of course.
That was in September (2008) and I have finally found the time to share with [...]

10 Ways to Have Your Very Own Picky Eater by Kim Foster, , The Yummy Mummy.Published on “the imperfect parent” magazine.
You know, I envy moms who complain their children won’t eat spinach or turn their noses up at pot roast. The ones who worry that little Tommy might fall over, looking all pale and emaciated, [...]

First signs of fall…

and a few more signs…

and on the way to school, we pass through a little forest…

My son (5 years old) wrote a recipe. He did all by himself. I’m so proud and happy.
That’s’ the recipe:
Don’t try to read it, it is written in another language, but he also drew pictures of the ingredients and specified the quantities (some in cups, some in teaspoons, and some in “scoops”).
That’s the photo he [...]

Saturday was a lovely day, sunny and nice, and we visited The South 47 Farm in Woodinville. It is sooooo cool to live in the suburbs and have farms 15 minutes drive from your home!
What a beautiful place, isn’t it?!
Flower beds:

and herbs…

First we visited the animals, and fed them, of course. There were goats, lamas, [...]

Bellevue school teachers are still on strike.
Since we have already had most of our adventures during August, baking cookies with my 5 years old seemed like a nice little project to pass the afternoon today.
Putting butter in mixer bowl:

Measuring flour:

What is a “teaspoon”?

I know this photo is not pretty either, but there was no time for food styling. I had 20 minutes to make dinner and 5 minutes to take a picture before it was dinner time. But this is another easy meal to make. My kind of food – very home style, simple to make, [...]

I am not a big fan of the kids menu provided by restaurants. After spending a week on vacation and eating out 1-3 times a day, I like it even less. (More about that coming soon).
The common kids menu offers simple food for outrageous prices, mostly something cheesy, with a reward of cookie or ice [...]

This dinner is so easy to make. It will take you 30 minutes from start to finish, or 15-20 minutes active time. So delicious, and family-friendly too.
For the steaks:I ask the butcher to cut the steak, which usually weighs 1 lb. each, lengthwise to make 2 thinner steaks.
4 each ½ lb. steaksSaltBlack pepperExtra virgin olive [...]

This photo is not the prettiest, I know, but dinner was sooo delicious, AND this is the easiest meal on earth to prepare! AND, kids love it too. It’s a win-win.
Whole Roasted Chicken with Chardonnay-Tarragon Sauce
Makes 4-6 servings
For the chicken:
1 whole chicken, about 4 lb.
3 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
5 sprigs thyme, optional
1 sprig [...]

 
I hated stuffed peppers as a child. I hated any stuffed vegetable as a child. When I had no choice, I would eat the content – usually a mixture of ground beef, rice and herbs, but refuse to touch the vegetable containing the stuffing.
But now, as an adult, I love it.
It has been about five [...]

Some kid-friendly tips:
Love and appreciation of food
Teach your kids to love food by treating food with respect. Show them how much you enjoy your meal.
Talk about the food – how it looks, how it tastes, the texture, (if needed) how can you can cook it better next time, etc.
This country has all the variety of [...]

When people hear this words combination “Family friendly restaurants” what comes to mind is big chain restaurants (no need to name names) serving junk food, where the kids can go wild, run around and scream from the top of their lungs, where they learn no table manners, and they get wrong idea about what food [...]

Makes 4 servings
For the lamb:10-12 lamb loin chops, or Frenched chops2 garlic cloves, minced1 sprig rosemary, choppedSaltBlack pepper, finely groundExtra virgin olive oil
Put lamb in Ziploc bag. Chop garlic and rosemary, add to lamb. Add seasonings and evoo. Let marinade overnight or at least an hour before cooking.Take out of fridge about 20 minutes before [...]

A fantastic and fun way to teach kids about food is to go to farms, and especially to U-pick farm where you can see how vegetables and fruits grow and you can pick them by yourself. This is the freshest produce ever!
Here, in Bellevue, WA, a suburban city near Seattle, there are still a few [...]

An essential part of teaching children about food is educating them about where food comes from. Visiting farms and U-pick farms is a terrific experience and an excellent opportunity to show them how food grows and where it comes from. Growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs in your own back and/or front yard makes a wonderful [...]

We love corn.We love corn so much that we make it for dinner 2-4 times a week during summer. (I know it is a carb-y food, but summer is short).A few years ago, when I used to buy my produce at the local produce store, the owner once asked we if we have rabbits, because [...]

Why should you?
First, your kid/s won’t be able to say “my mom/dad didn’t teach me how to cook”!
Also, Because your child/ren will…

* Learn real life skills
* Get a sense of accomplishment and feeling good about themselves
* Learn how to follow instructions and family rules (like washing hands before cooking, cleaning up, etc)
* Improve their organization [...]

An article by Kim Severson from October 10, 2007.
Highlights from the article:
It’s not your cooking, it’s your genes.
Most children eat a wide variety of foods until they are around 2, when they suddenly stop. The phase can last until the child is 4 or 5. It’s an evolutionary response, researchers believe. Toddlers’ taste buds shut [...]

Love and appreciation of foodTeach your kids to love food by treating food with respect. Show them how much you enjoy your meal.Talk about the food – how it looks, how it tastes, the texture, (if needed) how can you can cook it better next time, etc.This country has all the variety of foods in [...]