Whining & Dining

I Picked a Battle

Everyone has to take a stand on something. And I have two: well at least two that I can think of right now. First off, I will not buy garlic from China.  There is lots of garlic grown right here in Ontario that can be found all over the city.  And I just will not pay for garlic that has been flown here from across the world and comes from who knows what kind of growing conditions.

The second thing is that I will not make white rice. Again, why white rice instead of all things white? Simple. I like it, brown rice is way better than other brown foods. For instance, whole wheat pasta is not good, it’s edible but it’s not delicious. But I like brown rice. And brown rice is healthier and tastes way better as leftovers (especially with a little tahini dressing). And our family gets our fill of the white stuff from our copious amount of Asian take-out.

Now my kids don’t really care about the garlic thing. They don’t even know that they eat it. But they care about the rice.  A bowl of brown rice is met with howls of protest and disgust. Why can’t we have white rice? Why aren’t you a good parent – According to my son, a good mother wants her kids to be happy, and if I make brown rice I obviously don’t want him to be happy, ergo I am a bad parent. (this kids is heading for a Master’s in philosophy). I’m not a total purist I put butter and salt on it.  Even my husband grumbles at the beige rice.  Even my nanny who loves rice more than anything in the world will not touch the brown rice.

So be it. I stumble on. I love the nuttiness and the little bounce back you get when you bite it and I can feel sanctimonious. And don’t kid yourself when it comes to parenting feeling sanctimonious is about as good as it gets.

But then tonight a miracle happened – ok it wasn’t not a vision from on high. I didn’t even notice it until I was putting the dishes in the dishwasher. But the kids’ bowls were empty. I was not flushing brown rice down the sink; I was not eating cold rice for dessert. They at it and they didn’t say anything. Not one negative comment.  I have won! I only wish I could savour this victory, but I’m not a newbie I know that the brown rice peace accord will not last.  And I’m a bit sorry there aren’t any leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

(And I know I don't have to say it, but in Whining and Dining, we reccomend soaking the rice for at least an hour before cooking and it cooks way faster. I personally use a rice cooker because I am a total idiot when it comes to rice but Fine Cooking has an oven method which a fellow foodie swears by -- I tried it and screwed it up but she is probably right).

The hits of '08

 I am looking back on 2008 and I have cooked, purchased or reheated thousands of meals for my three kids. Compared to last year, one is less picky, one is more picky and one really only wants macaroni and cheese everyday. So in a desperate bid to tally up some success in the kitchen arena I have made a top 10 list of highlights of our year in food.

In no particular order:

Highs and Lows:  Thanks to a friend we have introduced the listing of highs and lows (also called roses and thorns) around the table. Each family member gets to list their best and worst parts of the day.  Sometimes it can be surprising what they come up with, sometimes touching and sometimes they get a chance to insult their siblings (which we try and keep to a minimum). But the best part of this is that it encourages connection, listening and takes the focus off of the food and puts it where it should be: on the family.

Honey Mustard Chicken:  One dish that everyone enjoys and I don’t mind making because it is so simple! Equal parts Dijon, honey and a couple tablespoons of soy sauce slather over boneless thighs and bake. Yum. (Just remember to put some hot sauce on table for parents). (A fuller recipe is available at www.whininganddining.ca)

Time-Wise Brown Rice from Dainty: You boil it like pasta and it takes only 15 minutes. Caveat: it’s not so delicious and it doesn’t have the same amount of fibre as brown rice. But if I make it I am not breaking my own rule about only serving white rice when it comes via the take-out gods.

Which brings me to Asian Take-out:  In our house, Chinese/Japanese and Thai are all big winners. Yes, one reason is because the kids get to eat white rice. But also because for some reason saucy food all mixed up together is less threatening in a take-out container then if I make it. I have a son who won’t eat sauce but eats an entire serving of mango chicken and pad thai. My macaroni and cheese kid loves sticky rice. And my daughter loves sushi with tobiko (called crunchy red balls in our family vernacular). Honourable mention here is Dim Sum: we go every weekend.

Spinach Pie: So sorry if you don’t live on the Danforth because if you did you would have been feeding your children the delicious Spanokapita from Athens Bakery since they could eat solids. And it is the perfect combination of healthy and inexpensive plus a non-guilt inducing cop-out for mom. I challenge anyone to make it as good and as cheaply as Athens does.

Stonyfield Yogurt: the world’s best yogurt. Creamy, flavourful and delicious and they sell it at Loblaw’s. (Ok, Liberty eight percent yogurt is actually the best but even I, who cannot stomach no-fat yogurt because it tastes like white jello, can justify an 8 percent yogurt too often.)

Baked Apples: Baking a healthy, warming and popular treat for the kids is great. But finally getting rid of the spongy apples left over from apple picking – Priceless

Shrimp: Shrimp in all forms: sautéed, grilled and wrapped up in har gow and wontons. Easy, kid-loving food. (Sorry to plug  myself but we have a great recipe in our book Whining and DIning: Mealtime Survival for Picky Eaters and Families that Love Them)

Foxley: Because mommy and daddy need a reminder of why they started this whole crazy family thing in the first place.  And a restaurant that does not take reservations and serves food that blows out all your tastebuds is definitely adults-only. 207 Ossington Ave. (at Dundas St. W.) 416-534-8520

Farmer’s Markets and Small Specialty Stores: Taking my kids to places where the purveyors care about what they are selling and are willing to let my kids taste and talk about food until they find something they like is well worth the time and expense.