For Christmas, I received a copy of "What Chefs Feed Their Kids" and immediately found a fun food game that our family loves. One of the chefs played a game with her children called "open your mouth and close your eyes and I will give you a big surprise!" My kids love playing this game and have tried lots of new foods because it's so fun. I begin by closing my eyes and letting one of them give me a bite and I try to guess what they gave me; then it's my turn. It's most fun when there are a mix of new/familiar foods on the table, or where foods can be arranged to make tasty bites (like tacos or stir fry).
The recipe I'll share here is adapted from the Greens Puree in the book. I suppose this would be a fine baby food, if you are into making your own (I was not -- we just fed bites from what we had for dinner). It's also suggested as a nice addition to soups or sauces. I had other plans for it: smoothies!
 |
| Green smoothies hit the spot! |
I love to add greens to smoothies, but I also like my smoothies really smooth, not grainy or lumpy. Since I have still not fulfilled my Vitamix lust (those things are pricey!), I have not been able to add kale or other "toughish" greens to my smoothies, just spinach occasionally.
The recipe calls for a mix of kale, collard greens, basil and spinach with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, same amount of water, and 1 tsp salt. Steam greens on low heat for 15-20 minutes (till things are soft and wilted), then add herbs till wilted. Puree in blender; thin with water, stock, etc.
 |
| Steamed Greens, ready to puree |
I had a lot of kale and a tiny bit of spinach. We had a very warm February down South and that was not terribly helpful for the spinach in the area. I also didn't have basil yet, but I did have parsely and lemon thyme, so I used that. My bright green puree went straight into the freezer!
 |
| Greens Ice Cubes for smoothies |
This is a great base for smoothies! We have added it to all kinds, but if you mix the green with berries or other red/blue colors, the final smoothie is tasty, but a very unappetizing brownish hue. For "green smoothies" we add peaches, banana, pineapple and yogurt or water. I've found if I save fruit in the freezer and use that instead of ice cubes, then I can thin the smoothies with water instead of juice and not worry about watering down the flavor.
Oh my, that "open your mouth, close your eyes" brings back bad memories. My siblings and I used to play it--why I ever consented to play it, I don't know! We weren't very nice to each other when we played it. But I can see how it would be a fun game when played in the way you're describing it!
ReplyDeleteRegina, we do have a rule that we will never give someone a food we know they actively dislike. This is mostly "spicy" in our house. One of the most fun was trying to tell the difference between yellow sharp cheddar and white sharp cheddar!
ReplyDeleteBecky, thank you so much for the thoughtful commemnt on my blog. YOu made such good points. I love him so much, I don't want to take anything from him and yet, he doesn't seem to get overwhelmed with the clutter like me. He has stopped collecting them shortly after we married (on his own) but how I'd like to chuclk what he already has! But that isn't my place. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the green smoothie base in the ice cube trays. So pretty! And the picture of the precious little one drinking it up. Priceless.
Jennifer, I could go on and on about the wildly different tendencies to notice/respond to clutter within a marriage! Love your blog!
ReplyDelete