The Ultimate Challenge: A Successful Meal

Kai has never been much of an eater.  He doesn't devour a meal or show interest in a snack the way some young kids do.  Even if he really likes something, he'll have just a few bites and then move on to something else. He's always been more of a cracker and pretzel kind of kid... hold the peanut butter, please.  Of course, every once and a while he will chow down, but more often than not we are pleading with him to take a bite.  But, in accordance with all the research I've done on the subject of picky toddler eaters (and I've done lots), I try not to push the issue too much.  Apparently, they know when they are hungry and when they are not, and it does seem like every time we stop worrying about it, he starts eating.  Alas, I still feel like I spend a large part of my day in the kitchen testing out healthy concoctions or sifting through cookbooks trying to find that magical recipe that will get him happily eating away.  There are so many days when I feel like I'm failing at getting Kai to "pack on the pounds", but every few days or so I have a success in the kitchen, and it sets my mind at ease. When that happens, Kai willingly and happily eats his meal and even asks for "more".  Tonight, at dinner, I even got a "so yummy, yummy, YUMMY" out of him!  And it was just a simple veggie hash, inspired by a free sample we had tried at the farmer's market.  This meal was incredibly easy to make and is definitely not just for kids or vegans.  Everyone will enjoy it, and it can easily be changed or adapted to your liking.  So, here is the winning dish:

Veggie Hash

Ingredients:

1 diced carrot 

3 diced asparagus spears 

1 thinly sliced leek 

some diced bok choy

1/2 block of chopped tempeh (pre-boiled to remove bitterness and marinated in soy sauce)

garlic powder

soy sauce

sesame oil and olive oil

Steps:

1. Start with a few splashes of sesame oil and a little olive oil in pan.  

2. Saute leeks until soft, then add carrots and asparagus.

3. Next add tempeh. (I never really time any of this, I just start adding ingredients when it feels right)

4. Add bok choy.

5. Sprinkle in some garlic powder and soy sauce.

6. Cook until it tastes to your liking.

We ate it with some quinoa and it sure was yummy.  There was only enough just for Kai and I, which was perfect considering Graham is out of town (you can expect a future blog about my week long experiment with "single parenting").  If it had been the three of us, I would have cooked the whole block of tempeh and probably added another carrot and a few more asparagus spears.  Now that I think about it, I wish I had done that anyway so we could have had some leftovers!