Tonight as I was watching my 3 year old son shoveling forkfuls of lentils into his mouth, I said a little prayer of thanks that he is not a picky eater and I don’t have to make separate meals of “kid food.”
But I think the reason for this is because we have exposed him to lots of different flavors and textures from the time he started eating solids, and we just expect him to eat what we eat. We don’t offer an alternative. So far this week he’s eaten for dinner:
- Beef enchiladas with salad (at a friend’s house)
- baked cod with roasted squash, quinoa and broccoli
- carrot lentil soup with cornbread muffins
- Caramelized brussels sprouts, butternut squash and brown rice
He also helps us prepare dinner everynight which encourages his desire to try what he’s created. Brussels sprouts are requested almost daily, so I adapted this recipe from my favorite magazine http://www.wholeliving.com/.
He LOVED this dish! So did his parents.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes With Walnuts
(serves 4)
4 cups brussels sprouts quartered
2 cups grapes
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbso fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1. Heat oven to 450. On a rimmed baking sheet toss brussels sprouts and grapes with olive oil and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, until caramelized and tender, about 20 minutes. 2. Drizzle each tray with 1 tsp vinegar and scrape up any caramelized bits with a wooden spoon. Toss in walnuts.
The brown rice called for the use of his Constructive Eating Utensil Set