For Jing, one of the biggest sources of culture shock when she moved here was meal times when one main dish with perhaps a vegetable side was served. You see, in China there are usually many dishes all served family style. So when we were deciding what to cook together in order to make a traditional Chinese meal, she wanted to make sure that there would be many dishes on the table. In the end we made five dishes: winter melon soup, dumplings, pork and green peppers, eggs and tomatoes, and, of course, rice.

It was so much fun to see the differences and similarities in the ways that we cooked. One of the things I noticed right off the bat was that vegetables were included every step of the way! They were an integrated and integral part of the every dish, rather than something you serve on the side or sneak in to avoid complaints. Another was that the play on sweet and savory was much more central. For instance, sugar was added to the eggs and tomatoes dish, along with soy sauce and sesame oil, which made it simultaneously sweet and savory!

The ultimate joy for me, though, was watching both of my boys engage in the cooking and eating. They were so excited to try all of the different dishes and talk about their favorites. We had a wonderful meal, sharing these new and different flavors, and it served as a great reminder for me that sharing food can serve as such a wonderful introduction to other cultures.

In reflecting back on the experience of cooking with new (to me) ingredients and different (to me) techniques, I realized that there were three lessons that I took away from the experience about what made the cooking, even if it was different, fun and interesting, rather than stressful or overwhelming. These lessons, I believe, serve as good reminders for me but may also help to encourage those of you who are little more reluctant to spread your cooking wings to do so:

1. Perfection is not the goal, good food is. As we were assembling the dumplings I noticed that mine were not nearly as pretty as Jing’s were. For a moment I felt embarrassed but then I realized that I was new to this and needed to give myself a break! Once I let go of that need for perfection, I was able to enjoy the process much more fully (plus, in the end, even the ugly ones tasted delicious!). People tell me all the time that cooking is stressful for them and I often find that their expectations are too high—they want everything to look like a cookbook photograph and taste like it came from a high-end restaurant. Talk about stressful! Instead, just accept that even if it isn’t perfect, chances are it will still taste good and you can work to improve your technique next time. In other words, it is a process.

2. Letting go of assumptions is good. When I saw Jing put sugar into the eggs, I was flabbergasted, but I let go of my assumptions about the place of sugar in a savory egg dish and went along for the ride. The end result? Flavorful, delicious eggs I would eat again in a heartbeat! In reflecting on that moment, I realized that what I was doing was putting my own expectations on the food. I see this at cooking demonstrations all the time—as I am cooking the food people will often say things like, “I don’t eat X” or “I would never put those two ingredients together.” And almost every time, if the person tries the food, they are pleasantly surprised. We all tend to get stuck in our ideas about food. If we can relax from that, even just a little bit, we have the opportunity to open up whole new worlds of possibility on our plate!

3. Trying something new is fun! I try new recipes almost every week. It is actually a running joke with my husband that we rarely get to eat something twice. But the truth is, even while the recipes may change, I tend to gravitate towards flavor combinations and cuisines that I am already familiar with and have not experimented as much with cuisines from whole regions of the world, even though I thoroughly enjoy the food when someone else cooks it. If I am being honest, this is because I feel a bit intimidated, but this experience reminded me that pushing myself outside of my comfort zone is not only fun and exciting, it also encourages my kids to experience new flavors and foods and witness me growing, too!

As I move forward I hope that this experience will stay with me so that I can better understand the worries some feel around cooking and also push myself to take chances in the kitchen I might not have otherwise taken. Oh, and I’ll definitely be making the dishes Jing taught me again!

<p>The post 3 Ways to Let Go of Stress in the Kitchen: Lessons I Learned When I Became the Cooking Student first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

Many (most) of the students were very skeptical about either one or both of the sauces and a few declared that it was going to be disgusting and that they wouldn’t eat them. I calmly reminded the students to please choose their words carefully (we have a rule in the class, “don’t yuck someone else’s yum”) and I asked that everyone try at least a tiny bit of each, even if it was just a lick. Some were nervous, but everyone agreed. So when it came time to try the two sauces I went around and put a tiny bit on each kid’s plate (less than 1/8 of a teaspoon). They had apples, carrots, and pretzels to dip in the sauces. And this is where some really cool things happened.

•  Everyone tried both sauces!
• No one said anything disparaging about the food. Some of them didn’t like the sauces, and that is fine, but they all managed to express their feelings politely—no one said “yuck” or “gross” or anything like that.
• A number of students were shocked to discover that they really liked one or both of the sauces! Two of the students who had been the most nervous fell in love with the sauces and had multiple servings of both and one student who had been extremely skeptical of the tzatziki because it had cucumber in it was shocked to find she enjoyed it and even had seconds.

I was so proud of these kids! It can be overwhelming and scary to try new foods and not only did everyone try the food, but they did so with an open mind.

As I have reflected on this experience over the past couple of days I have been thinking about the process that we went through together and what made this moment a success. There are four things that I have come up with that I think are good guidelines for feeding kids, but also for learning how to cook, and even for trying new things in general (no matter how old you are).

1. Structure is key. I have worked with these kids over the weeks of the class to have them understand the expectations I have of them and they were then able to live up to those expectations. This same sort of structure is important when you are learning any new skill. When learning how to cook the structure can be working from a simple, clear recipe or mastering one specific skill at a time (sautéing, roasting, chopping, etc.).
2. Safety is essential. If I had pushed these kids to try a big spoonful of each sauce I know some would have refused, and they would have been right to. But by putting just a tiny bit on their plate and allowing the taste to be as small as they wanted, they were able to remain calm and open. In learning how to cook I think safety is starting with simple recipe because your chances of success then increase and allow for momentum moving forward.
3. It’s gotta be fun. For kids (and grown ups) dips are a great way to introduce a new food, whether it is the dip or the food being dipped that is new, because they are fun. Similarly, when learning a new skill trying to keep it fun is essential, since that will encourage you to go back to it again. So start with a favorite dish or a treat that will draw you back to the kitchen to try again.
4. Options always help. With the class I gave them three things to dip (carrots, apples, and pretzels). This gave them choices. The same can be true for learning to cook. Try picking a recipe that will give you room to make it your own as that will likely draw you in again (some good examples are a skillet tomato sauce or a noodle soup where you can pick the vegetables and proteins you want to add).

Have you found tricks to help you have success when trying new things? What was helping when you were learning a new skills, like cooking?

<p>The post 4 Ways to Make Trying Something New a Success (with Kids or Yourself) first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

For many of us this is a time of year when we regret a lot of our food decisions. Sometimes it is because we overeat. Sometimes it is because we stress eat. Sometimes it is because the options aren’t the best and so we settle for less-than-ideal meals. No matter what the reason, this recipe might a little glimmer of hope for you.

These energy balls are so simple to make that a 6-year-old could make them on their own. Really! In fact, these would be a great holiday afternoon activity—have your kid make them and then bring the results to a party as a treat to share. Your kid will be proud, your friends and family will be impressed, and you’ll be bringing something that is surprisingly healthy! They are sweet and chocolatey, and really quite healthy—packed with dark chocolate and protein.

These would make a great addition to any holiday celebration dessert spread (just call them truffles), they are a fantastic on-the-go snack (to avoid those mall cookies), and are even great in lunch boxes.

My version is nut-free to be more allergy-friendly and school-safe, but if you want to change them up you can use half peanuts and half sunflower seeds. You can make them pretty by rolling them in chocolate powder, shredded coconut, or sprinkles.

In short, these are a holiday-season lifesaver!

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Chocolate Truffles

Course Dessert, Snack

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted chopped dates
• 1 cup sunflower seeds or ½ c sunflower seeds and ½ c roasted peanuts
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch of sea salt
• optional rolling toppings: cocoa powder shredded coconut, sprinkles

Instructions

• If your dates are very dry and brittle, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes and then drain them. Put all of the ingredients, except for the optional toppings, into a blender or food processor. Blend for 1-2 minutes, or until everything forms into a dough-like mixture. Scrape down the sides as necessary. If the dough doesn’t form into a cohesive ball, then pick up a little bit and test to see if it will form a ball. If so, you are ready to go. Taste for sweetness. If you want it sweeter, add a few more dates and blend again. Once the dough is how you want it, scoop out small clumps, about 1 tablespoon each, and form into balls.
• If you are topping them, sprinkle the desired topping on a plate and roll the balls to coat.
• These keep well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

<p>The post Chocolate Truffles: A Healthy Treat for the Holidays first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

So I thought I would share with you my steps to making an impending day at home a culinary hit. Plus I’ll share some recipes that might be fun to try.

1. Plan (a little). If you are going to be making a run to the grocery store for staples, why not quickly think about any amount of ingredients you might need for cooking projects you want to do. So try to do some quick thinking about what you want to make. Freezer meals? Special goodies? A new recipe you have been meaning to try? And then come up with a list of the things you might need to pick up while you are out getting toilet paper, milk, and batteries.
2. Recruit a Cooking Buddy (if you want). I have fond memories a massive cooking day with a friend when I was in my twenties. I don’t even remember what we made, but I remember the music and fun company! So why not make this cooking activity a quality time activity with someone. Maybe that means asking your kids if they want to help or maybe that is seeing if a nearby friend wants to get together for some cooking fun.
3. Make it fun! Instead of having this cooking project be the normal crazed, hyper-speed time in the kitchen that many of us grow accustomed to after months (or years) of rushing to get dinner on the table, use this as an opportunity to enjoy your kitchen and cooking. Play good music, have a glass of wine or mug of tea, take your time.

Sound like fun? Great! Here are some of my favorite recipes for just such an occasion.

• Freezer Burritos: who doesn’t love the idea of having burritos in the freezer for quick lunches and dinners?
• Freezer Homemade Pizzas: YUM and saves money you would have spent on take out!
• Empanadas: Another great one to have in your freezer for lunches and dinners!
• Baked Pasta: Make a double batch! One for dinner and an extra to go into the freezer for another time (don’t do the baking step, just put it on assembled and ready to go).
• Scones: Then you can have a tea party with scones (and then save the rest for breakfasts later in the week). Added bonus: these are fun to make with kids!
• Homemade Chai: A special treat and it would go really well with those scones!

<p>The post Cooking Projects for When You’re Homebound first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

I am in the midst of three (3!) weeks with the kids home without summer camp, which means that I am doing that juggling act many of us experience at some point during the summer when we are trying to get work done and also provide fun and engaging activities for our kids (although I am definitely also a believer in free time when kids entertain themselves and even get bored!). Our plans for these weeks include some house projects (cleaning and reorganizing the playroom!), some fun out-of-the-house activities, and cooking projects to stock of the freezer for camp lunches.

As I have written about before, cooking with kids is great for many reasons including decreasing picky eating, introducing new foods, helping them to understand where their food comes from, giving them confidence, and introducing them to math concepts, but it is also a lot of fun, especially when they can get their hands dirty!

If cooking with your kids is a daunting thought, try one of these recipes to get you started. They are favorites in our house!

1. Scones—these are fun for two reasons: 1) they require some squishing with hands, which kids love and 2) they are perfect for an afternoon snack or tea party.

2. Granola Bars—these are great because you can let the kids have a say in what mix-ins you add (nuts, seeds, dried fruit, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, etc.).

3.Pizza using my basic tomato sauce—I use Mark Bittman’s pizza dough recipe with the whole wheat substitution and let the kids make their own pizzas. You can start with just having them do the toppings and then move on to letting them stretch out their own crusts into fun shapes.

4. Watermelon Water (recipe below)—Easy. Healthy. Delicious. Kids love cutting up the watermelon (you can even just use a butter knife to practice knife skills) and turning on the blender. Put it in a fancy glass and you’ve got a really special treat.

<p>The post 4 Cooking Projects to Do with Your Kids, Plus Watermelon Water first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

I am currently co-teaching a cooking class to a group of 6-9 year olds. Our goals have been helping all of the kids to gain confidence in the kitchen, introducing them to new healthy foods, and exploring new foods and food preparations.

Over the course of the past weeks we have been working with them to be open to trying new foods, even if the foods being offered are ones that they would normally be resistant to eating. We have done this in a few ways.

1)   As a class we all agreed that we would try very hard not to use words such as “gross” or “yuck” and phrases such as “I don’t like it.” We talked about how we didn’t want to make anyone feel badly about their tastes and also about how sometimes when you hear someone make a negative comment about a food it can influence how you then taste the food.

2)   No one is ever forced to try a food and they are always welcome to quietly spit it out into a napkin if they don’t like it. This created a sense of safety and, amazingly, everyone has tried everything we have made!

3)   We have been exploring flavor and food. Over the course of a number of classes we have played with a base ingredient and then added different flavors to make different dishes. For instance, with yogurt we made a sweet yogurt dip and we made a tzatziki. With chickpeas we made hummus and maple-roasted chickpeas. By doing this, the kids have begun to understand the power of preparation—that even a food that may not normally be a favorite can become delicious if it is made differently than we are used to.

So this week we decided to push them a little bit! In the first class one of the questions I asked was: what are your favorite foods and what are foods that you either are not so sure about or that you don’t enjoy eating? Almost everyone in the class named spinach as their least favorite food. So this week we made two recipes with spinach.

In order to try to make everyone comfortable we sat down together before cooking and I laid the groundwork. I reminded them of the ways that we had explored making foods taste differently, I reminded them about how we taste foods and respond to them, and then I told them with a lot of enthusiasm about the dishes we were going to make using spinach: a mock-mint chocolate chip ice cream and pesto for mini-bagel pizzas.

Some kids were quite nervous to be working with spinach, but they all remained engaged and open. The mock-ice cream was an easier sell because it was such a fun and novel idea, but the pesto was definitely a stretch for some kids. As we made the pizzas with the pesto, I gave each kid control over how much pesto they wanted on their pizza, and to my surprise everyone was willing to have at least a little bit. They were also invited to taste the pesto before they spread it on their bagel. It was wonderful to see their faces as they tried the dreaded spinach in both of its forms and discovered that they LOVED it.

I’m not expecting the major spinach haters of the group to suddenly be willing to eat steamed spinach at the dinner table, but I do hope that this experience will help to take at least some of the fear away and that perhaps they will be a little bit more open when they encounter spinach the next time.

There were two lessons that really came home to me in this experience. One was the power of setting the scene for trying new foods. By remaining pressure-free and fun about it the kids were able to feel in control and, therefore, remain open. The other was importance of trying different methods of preparation. If you’ve got a spinach hater, or even if you don’t, I highly recommend this spinach pesto recipe as a fun way to use this healthy leafy green vegetable!

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Spinach Pesto

Course Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 6 ounces baby spinach
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup parmesan
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place all the ingredients into a food processor and process until it forms a paste. Taste for seasoning.
• Use as a pizza base, in sandwiches, or on pasta

Notes

If using for pasta, save a bit of the pasta water to help to mix the sauce into the pasta

<p>The post Spinach Pesto and the Power of Preparing Foods in New Ways first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

1)   Beans. Beans are a wonderful protein source that packs a big, low-fat punch. Whether you make your own from dried or use the canned version, beans can be easily incorporated into lots of different meals. I also love them because beans are used in many cultures, so there are lots of different flavor profiles you can get from the same beans using different spices. So whether you are in the mood for Mexican, Indian, Brazilian, French, or American, there is always a bean option out there. Some of my favorites are: quesadillas, bean burgers, chili, soups, salads, and beans & rice bowls.

2)   Legumes. Like beans, legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas, are a great low-fat protein source and they are also used in a variety of cultures. Toss chick peas into a pasta sauce, salad, tacos, or stews. Lentils can be cooked up quickly as an Indian Dal, a soup or stew, or thrown into a salad.

3)   Eggs. The incredible edible egg. Even if you go cage free and organic, eggs can be a great, cheap protein source. Whether it is a quick breakfast-for-dinner of veggie scrambled eggs and toast, an omelet (or waffle omelet), a quiche, or egg salad, eggs are an easy option that many can enjoy.

4)   CSA Produce. Community Supported Agriculture (a farm share) is a great way to get lots of fresh, high-quality vegetables for much cheaper than they would be at the grocery store.

5)   Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes. These wonderful root vegetables can be a great, filling base for a number of dinners. Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes with the fixings, a gratin, roasted, mashed. These crowd pleasers can be paired with many proteins.

Want to learn more tricks? Join us  at 7:30 TONIGHT for our awesome 30 minutes/$30: How to Spend Less and Eat Better in Less Time WEBINAR. Lori Atwood and I will give you tips & tools, money saving ideas, and recipes to help you spend less and eat better at home. When you sign up, we will send you these bonuses:

1. Lori and Jessica’s Weekly Grocery Checklist
2. Lori’s Top 3 Favorite Apps for Groceries
3. Jessica’s 4 Favorite 30 minute Meal Recipes

<p>The post My Favorite Cheap, but Healthy Ingredients first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

When I got the email from Lisa Leake of 100 Days of Real Food inviting me to write about her new book/cookbook, I was incredibly honored and excited. Lisa is such an inspiration to me! Her passion for healthy food as well as her incredibly realistic and down-to-earth approach to cooking has inspired millions to rethink their approach to feeding themselves and their families.

The book, 100 Days of Real Food: How we did it, what we learned, and 100 easy, wholesome recipes your family will love!, continues the great work she has been doing on her blog and website. The first half starts off with a moving and inspiring explanation of how she and her family took on the challenge of eating in a much more conscious and conscientious way. She then lays out ways that others can start to add more wholesome foods into their own diets and lifestyles. It really takes a lot of the mystery and intimidation out of cutting out processed foods and cooking from scratch.

The second half of the book is a set of 100 recipes. Her recipe writing style is simple, clear, and practical. You won’t encounter ingredients listed in the recipes that you don’t recognize or have to go searching high and low for. They are broken down into Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks and Appetizers, Salads and Sides, Special Treats, and Homemade Staples, which again speaks to her real understanding of how people often think about food.

So on Sunday night I took on her Veggie Corn Chowder recipe. It was such a huge success! Sweet and creamy with nice bits of texture. Not only did everyone in my family gobble it up (even my pickier little one), but it took less than 30 minutes to make (really, I swear!). My six-year-old, who also helped me make it, kept saying over and over again, “this is SO good!”

Definitely give this one a try and, if you like it as much as we did, make sure to check out the cookbook as well!

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100 Days of Real Food Recipe Review: Veggie Corn Chowder

Course Dinner

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 large carrots peeled and diced
• 3 large celery stalks diced
• 3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen, no need to defrost
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 cups homemade chicken stock or good-quality store-bought chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups milk

Instructions

• In a large soup pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and keep whisking until the mixture darkens but does not burn, 4 to 5 minutes. This is called making a roux.
• Add the onion, carrot, and celery and stir occasionally until the veggies begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add the corn, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pot and cook, stirring, for another 2 or 3 minutes. (If using frozen corn, add a minute to the cooking time)
• Pour in the stock and milk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened.
• Partially puree the house by transferring only half to a countertop blender, then returned the puree to the pot, or by sticking a hand immersion blender in the pot and briefly pureeing for less than a minute. Ladle into soup bowls and serve warm or freeze in individual portions for another day.

<p>The post 100 Days of Real Food Recipe Review: Veggie Corn Chowder first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

As I have talked about before, getting kids cooking is such an important aspect of helping kids to have a healthy, happy relationship with food. And as I watch my mom and my sons cook together this summer, I have also come to realize that there is something particularly special about other family members (or friends) getting in on the cooking. Here are some of the benefits that I have noticed:

• Dynamics are different. Even if cooking with your kids is an activity that is always fun and light-hearted in your household, we still get stuck in our roles and patterns, and bringing someone new into the mix can help to open things back up. For instance, I taught my older son how to crack and egg, but it was my mom who thought to take it to the next level and teach him out to separate eggs. This can also be a great way to get them to try a new food.
• Approaches vary. As we all know, there are many ways to do things in the kitchen. Some are more efficient, some are safer, and some can be less intimidating. Sometimes a new person in the kitchen will introduce a new approach that will help your kid (or you!) to try something new.
• It gives your child a chance to show off their skills. Maybe it is their ability to count, maybe it is their knife skills, maybe it is how well they can flip a pancake, or maybe it is letting them teach someone else how to make one of their favorite recipes. Giving kids the opportunity to show their competence in the kitchen to someone else is a great way to encourage more participation and experimentation further down the line.
• New recipes make things more exciting. Cooking with a new person is a great opportunity to try out, or be introduced to a new recipe because everyone can learn together.
• It is an opportunity to pass on family or cultural recipes. Every family has recipes that Grandma Cathy/Aunt Sally/Great-grandpa Mike used to make and it is important to pass those recipes on. They always come with stories and they are a source of family/cultural pride.

Do your kids ever cook with other family or friends? What benefits have you noticed?

<p>The post Generational Cooking first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

I would like to say that this experience is due to my genius parenting or that it is because his favorite thing to do in the world is cook (legos and outside play definitely trump cooking), but getting that kind of engagement with him in the kitchen has really been a combination of a natural curiosity about food on his part and a lot of hard work and letting go on mine. You see, I’m a little intense when it comes to the kitchen. I like to keep the things tidy and efficient. I like to have the timing work out perfectly and for there not to be little grains of things under my feet. And this has meant that there have been a number of hiccups along the way, times when I snapped because something spilled, times when I just took over for efficiency’s sake, times when I felt hurt when he lost interest and wandered off.

But there are a number of things that I have learned through all of these trials and tribulations with him and with my younger son who is only just beginning to even show interest in cooking. Here are the top five:

1)   Whenever possible, give them choices. Do you want to crack the eggs or mix the ingredients? Do you want to help with the salad or with the sauce? This also means allowing them to choose ingredients, when possible. What vegetables would you like to put into the salad you are making? What toppings should we put on the pizza? Which vegetables should we grill this evening?

2)   Don’t hover. When we hover, we send the message that we don’t trust them and they pick up on our anxiety as we watch things happen out of order or differently than we would like. So get them started and then occupy yourself with something else. When you first start cooking with your kid this might look like pre-measuring and then letting them dump and mix, while you put dishes into the dishwasher. When they are more comfortable and confident in the kitchen it might be taking the ingredients out for them and then talking them through what they need to measure and when, while you work on another dish. When they are doing really well it might be deciding on a dish and then letting them go at it, just making sure you are available for questions.

3)   Make it fun.Play music, be silly (our dance party in the kitchen yesterday was ridiculous).

4)   Allow for escapes. When they lose interest or when something else comes up. Let them go. Don’t guilt trip them or get frustrated with their lack of focus. If they feel like they have to stay, it becomes a burden. The more they enjoy their time in the kitchen with you, the more they will want to stay.

5)   Mix it up. Don’t make the same thing every time. It can get boring for them, just like it can get boring for you. So sometimes bake, sometimes make a main dish, sometimes a side. Expose them to different types of cooking and different aspects of the preparation. Who knows, maybe your kiddo will love to make salads and salad dressing, but will hate the noise of the electric mixer. Or maybe they’ll love flipping pancakes but will find building a pizza to be tedious.

What lessons have you learned from cooking with your kids? What do you wish someone had told you before you started?

<p>The post Cooking with Kids: Lessons Learned first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>