Kids and Fresh Vegetables

Eat your vegetables! Every Mom in the world has said that more than one time. So how do you get your family and kids to fill up on those fresh and fabulous vegetables?

Sometimes it is as easy as finding out how to properly cook those vegetables to maximize flavor a value. I am currently living in the Deep South, and so many times find the vegetables here are cooked to death and swimming in grease...goodbye food value, and actually goodbye fresh, delightful flavor.

Sometimes people have actually formed an opinion about a vegetable they haven't even tasted yet. My little 95-year-old friend told me she didn't like broccoli. Come to find out, she had never even tasted it!

You may find that children frequently like raw vegetables with a "dip" on the side. Most young children enjoy finger foods and are fascinated with dipping them into a tasty sauce. Try mixing Greek yogurt mixed with Ranch Dressing Mix...for example.

I actually introduced my children to vegetables of all types when they were still on baby cereal. I would make a vegetarian vegetable soup using fresh vegetables, puree it and add it to their cereal rather than milk...as a result, all my children and grandchildren love vegetables. Early introduction is key.

For those who haven't had the benefit of early veggie eating, I have found many ways to "trick" them into eating great veggies. Most kids love mashed potatoes, so why not cook cauliflower to the point of being soft, add milk and butter and mash just like mashed potatoes...you will find they love them. Another way I have gotten children to eat fresh summer squash is to cook sliced summer squash with diced onions and diced potatoes in equal amounts and again, mash and add butter and seasonings. Calling this mixture "smoosh" gave it a new name, new texture and again they ate it up!

Shredding carrots or zucchini and adding to meatloaf will slip a serving or more of fresh vegetables into those picky little eaters. Many kids will eat carrot salad made simply with finely shredded carrots, raisins and crushed pineapple mixed in...if the carrots aren't really sweet, add a little Stevia (Truvia is my brand of choice) and watch them think of those carrots in a whole other light. I have also published a recipe in previous blogs for pumpkin casserole and carrot soup which have been proven hits with kids.

So, experiment. Try new ways to prepare those wonderful vegetables. Start early introducing new foods, and you will be rewarded with healthy, vegetable eating children.

Riding the Rails in Apple Country

Autumn is fast approaching. Last Fall I went to the North Georgia Mountains with the kids. We had made plans to spend a week, and one of the things we made reservations to enjoy, was the Pumpkin Express. It is a lovely train ride through the mountains, alongside the river to a pumpkin field. Each person who takes the ride gets to choose a pumpkin from the field and bring it back on the train with them. The children loved it, and so did the adults.

With SIX pumpkins between us, and the girls were only going to carve two, I hunted a recipe for fresh pumpkin. And, boy did I find a good one. This recipe would not be the same with canned pumpkin, so use the fresh. It is worth it.

First, slice your pumpkins in half and roast in the oven at 375 degrees until soft when pierced with a meat fork. Let cool and remove the flesh from the shell.
After it cooks, proceed with the following recipe for
PUMPKIN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

* 2 cups pumpkin puree
* 1 cup evaporated milk
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup self-rising flour
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 pinches ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla, melted butter and ground cinnamon to taste. Spoon into a casserole dish.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

Believe me, your family will never want pumpkin pie again after they taste this delectable dessert!

We stayed in a lovely three story cabin with a lake at the bottom of the hill. The girls went fishing in a canoe and had a great time. We also took a day to go to Mercier Orchards and get great fresh apples. We bought bags and bags of apples, and when I got home I made apple butter. The great part about making apple butter yourself, is you can add just the amount of spice and sugar you prefer. I actually do a lot of "tasting" because different apples produce a different taste, and you need to adjust spice, brown sugar and white sugar to find the exact taste you are looking for.

If you want the easy way out, quarter the apples and cook them overnight on low with just a little apple juice in the bottom of a slow cooker. By morning they will have cooked down and you can run them through a "ricer" to get the seeds and skins out of the mixture. Then, place the applies in a dutch oven on medium heat and begin adding your sugar and spices. I like to use brown sugar and white sugar as well as nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon. You can add a couple teaspoons of lemon juice as well. I always add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, as this tends to intensify the sweetness.

Here is an easy recipe for those who would rather freeze than can their apple butter.


Ingredients

* 5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
* 4 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
2. Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
4. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
5. Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Whatever you do, make sure to take a ride to some beautiful area when the leaves turn this Fall. It is good for the soul to see all the beauty in nature and breathe in that fresh mountain air. Have fun.