Veggie Recipe Review

Bekah "enjoying" peaches (or was it sweet potatoes?) when she was about 6 months.

I wanted to thank everyone for your tips on eating more veggies and, from much earlier, navigating Disneyland.
I thought I'd review for you the recipes we tried last week...and then I'll share with you a typical dinner routine at my house, just in case you wonder why I have a hard time with my kids and um...food in general.

First: Green Bean and Grilled Onion Salad with Feta from the Biggest Loser
This was a very flavorful dish. The shallots with the onion and garlic really defined the flavor. You're supposed to cook the red onions a little, but the shallots and garlic are just mixed in later. I think I'd saute those too, next time. I actually forgot about the feta when we had this for dinner and then remembered it the next day when I had leftovers, and I have to say the feta really makes a difference - it mellows the flavors of the onions and makes it so much better. I would make this again. Kid Factor: Zero interest. I set plain green beans aside and they liked those, but the onions and garlic were too intimidating for my kids. (Because they don't actually like flavor.) They all liked the green beans, which ups their veggie count from broccoli to broccoli and green beans! Hooray!

Next: Roasted Vegetable Medley from Allrecipes
This was SO good. I really, really enjoyed it. All of the veggies got cooked really well (very soft), and I loved the addition of the roasted red bell peppers at the end along with the basil and garlic. I couldn't stop sneaking bites before dinner...mmm. I didn't find parsnips, so they were omitted, but I just added more carrots. I halved the recipe because I knew my kids wouldn't eat any of it. It was just right for Rus and I with no leftovers. Kid Factor: They did eat the carrots but complained because they had black on them from roasting. Any normal, adventurous kid with better parents than me and Rus would probably have no problem getting their kids to eat this. It was delicious.

Fried Tomato, Onion, and Mushroom Ragout
This was disappointing. I think my tomatoes didn't have the best flavor, and there weren't really any added seasonings, so the flavor was pretty acidic and tart. I added minced garlic and a little sugar, but still...I won't make this again.

Grilled Portabello Mushroom Sandwiches
These were pretty good. I forgot to buy Kaiser rolls so we just used bread, and I also didn't do the roasted garlic mayonnaise or tomatoes (because I used them all up on the previous recipe.) It was basically a mushroom "burger" with grilled onions, roasted red bell peppers, and basil and mayonnaise. I used jarred roasted bells to save time. I liked the flavor, found it filling, but didn't really experience a wow factor. I'd make it again, though just for a change of pace. Kid Factor: They had turkey burgers and pineapple tidbits. They were happy with their meal, so I consider the night a success.

Since you're probably noticing a trend with my kids, I'd just like to take a minute and invite you to a "virtual" dinner with my family. Here it goes. Pretend we're having chicken (breaded, oven baked), steamed broccoli, and rolls.
Jacob: What are we having for dinner?
Bekah: Is it spaghetti?! (By which she means noodles with cheese - no sauce).
Mom: Chicken, broccoli, rolls.
Jacob: I LOVE rolls!
Bekah: Groan...
Dad: BEKAH! Tell your mother sorry. We don't complain about dinner.
Bekah: Sorry. (Said with another groan.)
Then mom starts dishing out the goods to each plate.
Jacob (pointing to his chicken): Have I had this before?
Mom: (thinking to myself, yes, you're five and you've never had chicken before.) Yes Jacob, you've had this before. It's just plain chicken with nothing on it, I promise.
Bekah: I don't want a roll. (She says this while sectioning off her food to separate sides of the plate so they can't touch, and then picking up her broccoli with her fingers. Six years old and she still doesn't understand forks.)
Beau: Doesn't talk because his mouth is full of broccoli. He's favorite right now. He hums while he chews.
Jacob: Can I have another roll?
Mom: No, you have to eat everything on your plate first. (Which includes three pieces of chicken and the same amount of broccoli.)
Jacob: *&*&^&#!!!Whine. All of it?!
Mom: Yes! All of it.
Jacob: More whining.
Dad: Jacob, do you want to go to your room?
Jacob: NO!!
Dad: Force feeds Jacob a bite of chicken. Jacob keeps this in his cheek for the next 4.2 minutes, silently crying while the insides of his mouth apparently are blistering from the toxic meat. He mumbles that he wants to spit it out. We tell him no. Somehow he manages to swallow and then needs a gallon of water to wash it down. This is just one bite of chicken. He moves on to the broccoli, without any complaints at all, but his eyes are still watering.
Beau is now putting chicken in his water and then taking it out and then feeding Colonel a piece and then making a broccoli tree dance on his plate before hitting Rus in the arm and yelling "MORE!" pointing to the rolls. Rus gives him some of his and Beau throws it. A piece of broccoli gets chomped and another chicken is drowned in the water, hid under the plate, or launched at Bekah.
Jacob has finished all of his broccoli. He asks for a roll. We comply.
Bekah has now cleared her plate. The breading from the chicken has been completely stripped off and left in a mound on the side of her plate. Of course she did this with her fingers. "Mom, can we have spaghetti tomorrow?"
Rus leaves the table to do something important, I mediate the rest of dinner and then do the dishes, mentally tallying up my time in the kitchen from start to finish and determining to never eat again.
And this was just plain chicken, plain broccoli, and rolls. One day my kids will like food. And flavor. And they will cook for me. And I might, just might be the bigger person and not mention any of these wonderful memories.
Maybe.