Fried Rice Recipe

I want to share with you a dinner "recipe" that I use when I

1. Have leftovers to use up
2. Don't have much time to cook
3. Want to hide nutritious foods in a meal

I used quotation marks around the word recipe because it's not really a recipe, more of an idea.  We call it fried rice and my kids love it.  No matter how much I make, it's gone.  Here's how it goes:

1. Heat up a frying pan or electric skillet to medium hot
2. Add a little sesame or canola oil
3. Scramble a few eggs (you can even use leftover scrambled eggs here, just add them later)
4. Add a little more oil
5. Dump in some rice (any kind will do--brown, white, sticky, leftover, freshly cooked)
6. Add any leftover or chopped up chicken, pork, beef
7. Add cooked veggies such as peas, carrots, corn, green beans
8. Mix it all together and add lots of soy sauce, tasting as you go
9. You can garnish it with sesame seeds, green onions, or peanuts, or if you don't want to get fancy,
10. Serve it as is right in the pan.

The thing I love about this meal is that I literally can clean out my fridge and make one of my kids' favorite meals all in one shot.  And it's a healthy meal.  To up the nutrition factor, think about adding chopped spinach, green peppers, flax seed, etc.  The smaller you chop things, the less likely they'll be able to pick them out and when you stir it all together, you can chock a lot of veggies in there.

Any of the above ingredients is optional, except I guess the rice because then you would be making Fried.  The options are endless.  Tailor it to your family and enjoy!

Feeding Kids

I took a child development course in college in which one section focused on child nutrition.  I learned some really valuable principles when it comes to feeding children; I have added some of my own along the way.  Here are some helpful tips to avoid mealtime conflict:

1. The family eats together and eats the same meal.  The arguments have been made and won regarding family dinnertime, so I'll leave that issue for now.  As often as possible, eat breakfast and lunch together too.  The chances for conversation are priceless, as well as the opportunity to model good nutrition, manners, and social skills.  DO NOT make something different for a child that refuses to eat what is served.  This is the #1 rule of feeding children.  I repeat, DO NOT make something different for someone that doesn't like what the family is having.  Oftentimes, they realize they like the food after all.  Even if they don't, kids will not and cannot starve themselves.  Even several days without eating won't hurt a healthy child.  And trust me, they won't let it go that long.  One slip of making a PB&J or mac & cheese, and they will work you over every time you make something that doesn't hit their top 10 list.  Allow your children to try new things.  Allow them to have gratitude for food, even if it isn't their favorite.  
2. The meal consists of several different dishes.  This helps mitigate the initial damage from rule #1. You know your children's likes and dislikes, so if you're making a main dish that someone doesn't like, just make sure there is a side dish that they do like.  Be sure not to tell them that you handpicked this dish just for them because they don't like the other stuff.  Children need to know that the family eats together and they eat the same meal.  This doesn't mean everyone eats everything on the table.  It won't harm your child if all they eat for dinner one night is bread and butter.  
3. The kitchen is 'closed' between loosely scheduled meal and snack times.  If children are allowed free and constant access to food, some of them will graze and snack all day.  When mealtime comes, they won't have room for the nutritious meal you made because they are full of snacks.  Then, essentially, they are choosing their nutrition, not you.  Establish flexible times for meals and snacks so your children know what to expect and if they are hungry, they know they can wait a few more minutes because mealtime is close.  Our culture as a whole doesn't know what hunger feels like anymore because we eat so much and eat when we aren't hungry.  There's nothing wrong with feeling slightly hungry for a little while.  It build self-control and character!
4. Children serve themselves what they want to eat.  Starting in the toddler years, allow and encourage your children to serve themselves.  This teaches them to gauge their appetite and match it to portion sizes, a needed life skill.  At first, and periodically, give suggestions ("start with just a small amount"), and mild warnings ("that might be too much for you") to guide them and avoid waste.  This principle of free choice shows respect to the child's autonomy and encourages independence.  Another part to this idea is to take your share.  I have trained my children to gauge their portion size with respect to the number of people that need to eat.  If there are 6 people at the table, they know they can't eat more than about 1/6 of the dish.  This is good manners.  
5. Children are expected to eat what they take.  This is the corollary to #4.  I often find myself saying "You can always take more, but once you take it, you can't put it back."  It's better to start with a small serving and take another later, than take too much and waste it.  As children are expected to eat what they take, they eventually learn to only take what they'll eat.
6. Fullness is respected.  Even with #5 being said, no one should be forced to finish their food.  Teaching our children to eat when they're hungry and stop when they're full is essential.  But...if someone is too full to eat their dinner, they are still too full 1/2 hour later when they suddenly want a snack.  Don't allow a delayed version of #1.  On the flip side, respect your children's hunger.  Sometimes I forget that my growing boy could indeed be hungry again only an hour after dinner and I need to allow him to eat.
7. One bite of a new food is required.  When you introduce something new or unusual, require each child to at least take one bite.  Even if they don't like it and won't eat any more, they learn to try  new things and are introduced to new flavors and cuisines.  It's almost tragic when children refuse to eat a food, only to find out later that they really like it and should have given it a go a long time ago!
8. Children are encouraged to eat their veggies.  While most of these principles revolve around respecting children and their choices, please encourage and mildly require they eat their veggies.  Few children voluntarily eat their vegetables, and we need to make sure they not only get the proper nutrition, but also develop a taste for them that will serve them for the rest of their lives.  As we eat more nutritious foods, we like more nutritious foods.  Don't allow vegetables to be a periodic and strange food.  Learn new ways to cook veggies if no one likes them--it might just be that you aren't very good at it yet.  

When I've attended meal events with adults and children, it makes me sad to hear the all-too-common "eat 5 more bites before you get up again!" or to watch parents actually force-feed their food.  Mealtime is an unpleasant battlefield where children choose their stubborn will as their weapon.  Instead, put these principles in place as a structure for positive interaction, learning, and fun.  Good luck and happy eating!

Food Economy

I hear lots of people, mostly moms, complaining about the rising cost of food these days.  I have seen it myself in our increasing grocery budget.  I have discovered some tricks for making every last dollar (and calorie!) count in the food we bring home and avoiding waste.  I'll share with you some of my most-used methods for making my grocery dollar stretch:

1. How to use less-than-optimal produce:  someone peels a banana, doesn't finish it, and leaves it.  A peach gets too soft or bruised for eating.  Carrots go soft in the fridge.  Do you normally throw it away?  Cut off the bitten end, throw it in the freezer in a ziploc bag, and dig it out next time you are making a smoothie (for the fruits).  Combine all your vegetable trimmings and make stock for soup.  There is a lot of nutrition there--don't waste it.  I even save the liquid from canned fruits that are packed in juice (not syrup) and use that in smoothies too.  It's also easy to 'hide' things in sauces, smoothies, quick breads, etc (think chopped tomato in spaghetti sauce, mushy pear in banana bread).
2. What about food kids leave behind:  most importantly--don't eat it yourself!  It's still wasted when you carry it around on your butt.  My next post is going to be tips for feeding children in order to minimize this situation, but it still happens.  First off, determine if the food can be saved.  Many times my children still want to eat their food, they just got too full so I will wrap it up and put it away for later.  If it's not worth saving, or unsafe to do so, can you feed it to a pet?  Our dog throws up if he eats anything other than dog food, bread, cheese, milk, or eggs.  But we also keep chickens and they get everything that isn't ingested otherwise.  My garbage disposal doesn't see much.
3. Leftovers...is this a bad word in your house?  I actually like leftovers because it means saved time later.  In fact, I often cook to intentionally make leftovers.  Here are a few favorites:  leftover rice makes great fried rice (throw in any leftover meats, veggies, even scrambled eggs); when you make pancakes or waffles, store the leftovers as batter and cook in the next few days (leftover pancakes and waffles are always too dry); leftover meats are great in sandwiches, soups, and with a little BBQ sauce and some buns you can make a whole new dinner; leftover baked potatoes are awesome when you grate them up and make hash browns for breakfast (no need to peel); or if you are just plain tired of the particular food you have on hand, stick it in the freezer to pull out on another day when you need a quick meal.  Many times while cleaning up dinner, I'll package serving-sized containers of our meal for my son and husband to take to work the next day--easy clean-up and lunch is made.  Score.  Several years ago I bought some thermos-type bottles and my children like to take leftover soup, pasta, etc to school to break up the sandwich monotony.
4. Milk about to expire:  make some homemade pudding, shake/smoothies, even just stir up a pitcher of chocolate milk and watch it disappear after school.
5. Stale bread or rolls: make toast, breadcrumbs to store in the freezer, french bread pizza, english muffin pizzas, croutons (you'll never buy them again), or french toast.  With dry tortillas, make chips, tostadas, or toasted strips to top salads.  

When you are faced with food that no one wants to eat as is, use your imagination.  Can it be used as an ingredient in something else?  Can you dress it up to look and taste better?  Can you save it for later when you will want it?  Don't forget the internet.  I've never been the first one to search for a way to use leftover _____.  The more we are given, the more responsibility we have.  We are very blessed to never go without and have the responsibility to use what we have and not let it go to waste.  

Food #3

I promise this is the last food post.  I have had sinus problems and congestion my whole life.  I have read about a link between dairy and respiratory/nasal/sinus issues.  I decided to do a 3-week trial of eliminating dairy.  I noticed a big difference.  Usually I have a Kleenex on hand 24/7 because my nose always runs.  At the end of the 3 weeks I noticed that I was going the whole day without needing a tissue.  And that annoying junk in the back of my throat was gone.  Success!  Here's the problem:  it's hard to eliminate dairy.  Milk--no problem, I hate it.  Ice cream and cheese are more difficult, but doable for me.  The hardest part is all the hidden dairy in recipes and prepared foods.  I found myself having to make separate dishes for my family and for me.  Big pain.  So I have compromised and mostly avoid dairy.  I use almond milk on my granola, leave the cheese off the top of my portion of dinner and out of my sandwiches, and I only eat a bite or two of ice cream instead of a bowl when we have it.  I guess the little congestion is worth it for me.  Have you ever eliminated dairy?  What benefits did you notice?  Any other side effects?  This is still a work in progress for me.

As I have made improvements in my diet it has been a slow process.  And I think that is why it has been successful for me and it has stuck as permanent habits.  If I had had to go from where I was when I ate whatever, whenever to how I eat now overnight, I think I would have rebelled.  Incremental changes are the key for me.  Another key is moderation.  I don't want to scan every ingredient list and grill the waiter when I eat out.  And I don't want to abstain from my child's birthday cake.  So I do my best most of the time, and then I don't sweat the small infractions.  I guess I'm okay with an A-.

Food #2

Like I said in the last post, I have pared down my diet, eliminating or reducing the extraneous things in an effort to improve health.  I would rather tweak my diet and lifestyle than seek out medication or medical procedures.  I go to the doctor and I trust my doctor, but I truly believe that God blessed us with lots of ways to heal our minds and bodies, only one of them being medicine.

Let's talk about sugar.  I admit that I am a sugar addict.  I crave it, I lack self-control around it, and once I start on it, I can't stop.  I tried to reduce my sugar intake to no avail. A little bit made me want more.  So I decided to cut it out.  I tried several times, all the while telling myself I couldn't do it because I'm too much of a chocoholic.  But I finally did it with a few exceptions:  I eat sweets on special occasions, and I haven't cut out occasional quality dark chocolate.  I think it's my release valve and I justify it with all the health claims.

The first few days after divorcing myself from sugar are the worst--the withdrawal hits.  I get intense cravings and I get grumpy.  But after that the need disappears.  A tempting sweet can lure me, but I have few self-initiated cravings.  The habit is still there, but the physical yearning is gone.

So while I can avoid candy and other stuff like that, I had to figure out how to cook and bake without sugar.  I have used honey for awhile now, but in some applications the flavor is too strong and alters the taste of the food.  I use stevia and agave nectar with success.  Stevia works well in small amounts only.  I tried using it in a recipe that called for about 1/3 cup of sugar and the off-taste was too present.  But I can make a great cup of hot cocoa with a packet of stevia.  I use agave nectar when I want to replace sugar without the honey taste and the amount is more than a few teaspoons.  I make all my quick breads (pancakes, muffins, banana bread, etc.) with agave or honey and the texture is the same.  I think the flavor is a little less sweet, but that may be due to the fact that I use less honey or agave than sugar in the recipe because I am trying to refine my kids' taste for super sweet foods.

Last week I decided to try out cookies.  I thought it'd be an experiment where I'd have to make the same recipe multiple times trying to get it right.  I made a peanut blossom recipe with agave.  I had to add a little bit more flour because the dough was too soft, but they came out great.  I was pleasantly surprised with how well they turned out.  My kids had no idea they were 100% whole wheat and sugar-free (with the exception of the Hershey kiss on top--it's all about presentation, right?).

There are arguments that sugar substitutes are chemically equivalent to sugar and our bodies react in the same way to them, so why switch?  I don't know the answers to all of that, but I do know that even if it's true, I am less likely to overdo it on a food made with honey than I would be with candy or brownies.

The hardest part of this new sugar-free life is a group situation that involves dessert, for example going out for ice cream as a family, or attending an event where dessert is served.  At these times I use my discretion.  Sometimes I abstain and sometimes I use my exception option (see paragraph 2).

The benefits from this decision are many.  I feel like I am still gradually discovering them.  The biggest one for me is the reduction in my dependence on sweets.  Another unexpected benefit:  my body requires less sleep and I feel more alert during the day.  I used to nod off when I sat down to read stories to kids and if I didn't get 8+ hours per night I was tired and had a hard time dragging out of bed.  That has changed.  I haven't had a nap since I began this seriously (I want to take one just for fun though--I miss that delicious sun-coming-in-the-window afternoon nap).  I like to think that I'm more healthy in general as well.  Since I haven't lost any weight, that means my caloric level has remained constant.  So the calories I used to eat in sugar are now being consumed by more healthy foods and that's definitely an advantage.  And finally, the psychological benefit:  the success of conquering an addiction that I was slave to has strengthened me.  I did something I thought was impossible for me.  Have you ever tried to cut something out?  How did it go?

Food

I need to simplify somewhere in order to find more time to write!  I thought I'd share what I've been doing with my diet lately.  It's been a long process, but I have slowly eliminated or reduced what I deem the "extras"--refined sugar, preservatives, food colors, white flour, and most recently dairy.

I was raised on a simple diet of made-from-scratch meals and lots of fruits and vegetables.  I was always jealous of the kids who had Wonder Bread and Ding Dongs in their lunch boxes.  But I am grateful for the foundation my mom laid for us early of a wholesome diet with few processed foods.

My earliest big change was to nearly eliminate refined flour.  It's a known fact that whole grains are where it's at where nutrition is concerned.  I bake our bread and most of our treats and other 'carbs' with whole wheat flour.  If you can grind your own white wheat (which is a lighter wheat) or find a good quality whole wheat pastry flour, you can create fantastic baked goods with a nutritional edge.  It makes me feel better about fulfilling my maternal duty to provide my kids with homemade cookies when they are whole wheat.  I started early enough in their lives that they didn't notice and now are used to it, but if you are starting later in the game, go gradually so you don't have a revolt.  My husband has a more sensitive palate and can tell the difference, but I figure it's a small sacrifice to make in flavor for a big investment in health.

Unfortunately most baked goods you can buy in the store are not 100% whole grain, so I don't buy them very often.  They have become a special treat rather than our daily fare.  And they are now more special since they are rare.

Eating foods that are nearest their natural state is the best (and sometimes most simplest) way to eat.  Nutritionally, it's a no-brainer.  I am also learning more about how foods are processed and refined and it makes me happier with my decision when I read about the different chemical processes that our food undergoes to arrive in our stores in an attractive and tasty package.  There are also environmental impacts with these things (just a little bit of a tree-hugger, I promise).  If you aren't a home cook, there are good options for whole grain breads, tortillas, cereals, and even some snacks that you can buy ready-made.

I will discuss the other foods I mentioned in future posts, but for now, where do you fall on the grain spectrum?  Do you notice a difference in your life with the food choices you make?  Is it hard to get your family on board?