May21
Could you feed your children on one dollar per child per meal?
I don’t know if I could. It would be a struggle. But millions of American parents may have to tell their kids “there’s nothing to eat tonight.” Hard to believe, but it’s true.
Here’s a little background:
• Last week both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees passed separate versions of the Farm Bill.
• Those proposals would cut more than $20 billion dollars from SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), the program that feeds millions of hungry people in this country and used to be known as food stamps.
• One in five Americans receive food stamps, most of them working-poor families with children.
• The full Senate will debate the bill next week.
The number of children who go hungry has grown dramatically over the past several years because there are more people facing poverty and unemployment due to the recession and an economy slow to recover.
Food stamps have always been a contentious issue because of the misperception that many recipients are just taking advantage of the system. But here’s what’s interesting: SNAP does what it is supposed to do… feed the hungry.
Cutting these benefits won’t do much to help the nation’s long-term financial issues. It will only keep hungry children from being fed. And that’s tragic.
Here’s a great idea: Before the vote, every member of Congress should take the “Food Stamp Challenge”. For one month, each of them must eat on a budget of about one dollar per person per meal.
THEN let’s see how many of them want to cut SNAP benefits.
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May20
Here’s a protein-packed salad for your next picnic… especially if you have vegetarians in tow.
This salad not only travels well, it stays fresh in the fridge for a couple of days so you can make it ahead of time. You can also add more veggies to the salad (diced carrots, jalapeños, radishes), depending on what’s in season.
Drew, my little vegetarian, loves this salad… and she always ends up fighting off the carnivores in the family to keep them from devouring it before she gets a chance to dig in!
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May16
Mama doesn’t believe in tricking picky eaters into eating healthy food… especially vegetables.
There are books and blogs dedicated to doing just that, I know. But if you introduce veggies early enough, and in small quantities, you have a better chance of bringing them into the tent.
Kale, the darling of the leafy vegetables world, is the perfect example. Kale used to be hidden in winter soups or boiled to death with other hearty greens.
Now, it’s roasted, sautéed and shredded into salads. There are entire Pinterest boards dedicated to Kale recipes.
Kale chips are even being tucked into lunch boxes. Guess what? Kids love them… even the picky eaters. The other day I saw a kid with a green smoothie… WHAT? Kudos to the parents (or the kid) for venturing into territory my kids would NEVER have explored. 
This all goes back to introducing kids to greens early… as soon as their little tummies can digest the fiber.
Mac and cheese, a kid favorite, blends beautifully with finely chopped kale, broccoli or spinach. Start with just a little bit, a teaspoon or two per serving is about right.
Another idea: sauté the chopped leafy veggies in the same pan that you fry bacon. Top with chopped bacon and a little cheese. Easy and delicious and goes great with a meaty main course.
Do your best to get them to eat their veggies. But at the end of the day, DON’T WORRY… they’re not going to starve if they turn their nose up at a dish.
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May15
Gnarled and knobby can be beautiful.
Presenting: the sunchoke (aka Jerusalem artichokes).
But let’s clear up something first: sunchokes aren’t from Jerusalem, nor are they artichokes. But they are native to North America and are a tuber that forms beneath a sunflower. They look a lot like raw ginger.
Sunchokes usually get pureed into oblivion with another veggie so you miss the sweet, nutty flavor. Their texture is crisp and light… a lot like water chestnuts.
But sunchokes have issues. Or rather, sunchokes can give YOU issues:
• If you eat too many, they may cause a wind-producing effect (in other words: they might give you gas).
• With no notice at all, sunchokes can become mushy when you cook them (which is probably why they are most often puréed).
• If you cook them in cast iron, they turn grey.
On a happier note:
• Sunchokes are rich in Vitamin C, phosphorus, potassium and iron.
• You don’t have to peel them… just give them a good scrubbing.
• Sunchokes can be roasted, sautéed, puréed, baked, boiled or steamed.
• They’ll last a couple of weeks in the fridge in a plastic bag.
This is end of the sunchoke season, so if you do find them, make sure they are still firm with no soft spots.
The knobbier… the better!
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