CityMama™

What isn't good dipped in Ranch? That's what I'd like to know.

I'm part of the Hidden Valley Ranch parents panel and I am paid to occassionally blog about how to get kids to eat more veggies.

Can't get kids to eat their veggies? You might want to try a dip like hummus, sour cream, yogurt, or yes, even ranch dressing. Thankfully, my kids (ages 7 and 9—jury is still out on the baby) love vegetables and I think it has to do, in part, with them going through a "dipping" phase.

There was a time when it seemed like everything they ate needed to be dipped in something else before consumption. Now they will eat vegetables cooked every which way from roasted to raw, but there is definitely a scientific reason why a dip like ranch dressing could help kids to eat more of their veggies.

I love to make my ranch dressing "from scratch," using the Hidden Valley packets, non-fat milk, and Best Foods/Hellman's light mayonnaise, just like my mom did. It remains to this day, my kids' favorite (and my favorite) dip.

This cute infographic shows how a dip like ranch dressing just might help kids to eat more veggies.

What are your kids' favorite dippers and veggies to dip?

Six Tips For Getting Kids to Eat Their Veggies

I'm delighted to be a new Hidden Valley "Love Your Veggies" Parent Panel Member! I grew up eating Hidden Valley Ranch (and especially Green Goddess) salad dressing that my mom made by adding milk and mayonnaise to the spice packet and shaking it all up in a Mason jar. As a result, I've always held a special place in my culinary heart for Hidden Valley (and only Hidden Valley) Ranch dressing.

As part of my "official duties" I'll be posting throughout the year about specific veggie-related initiatives. Hopefully you'll find them informative. In the interest of transparency and full-disclosure, these posts will always be clearly labeled.

My 9- and 7-year-old daughters will proudly tell anyone who will listen how much they love Brussels sprouts, spinach, lima beans, broccoli, and salad—all manner of vegetables that conventional wisdom would have us believe all kids hate.

I often wonder if kids are inadvertently taught to hate vegetables because we’ve all been conditioned to believe that that’s supposed to the case. With my own family, my children have the benefit of two parents who love all manner of veggies, and I know it’s at least partly because my husband and I were raised by parents who love veggies as well.

With a mother who has also dabbled in vegetarianism, and a father who loves one hot vegetable and a salad (he's a "meat and two veg guy") with dinner, my kids don’t have a choice but to love their veggies. It’s not that I’m doing anything consciously, I’m just raising my kids the way I was raised—to be exposed to a wide-variety of foods and cuisines, to have an appreciation of where food comes from (we visit u-pick farms and participate in a weekly CSA produce delivery), to help prep and cook our meals, and to have to try everything at least once.

Here are my tips for getting kids to eat their veggies

Be upfront—I’m not an advocate of hiding veggies in food. I love them, and want my children to appreciate them for that they are.  Start cooking vegetables as “stand alone” items from the time your kids can eat table food. Once you start disguising vegetables, or dousing them in cheesy sauces, it’s harder to go back.

Raw Deal—I have found that my own children love veggies raw—so when they ask for a taste as you are chopping that pepper, radish, fennel bulb, or bunch of broccoli, let them have one. Take advantage of their interest, and if they like it, allow them to sneak another taste—and then remind them often of how much they liked that vegetable.

It’s Hip to Dip!—A great way to let veggies stand on their own and eat them raw (or lightly cooked) is to let kids dip them into their favorite sauce or dressing. With my own children, dipping was a developmental phase. For a time it seemed like everything had to be dipped into something else. If this gets your little ones to eat their vegetables, let them have it. Our favorite dips are: a dish of fragrant, fruity extra virgin olive oil sprinkled with a little sea salt; Hidden Valley Ranch dressing made fresh from the packet—like (as I mention above) my own mom did—with our own milk and mayo; apple or pear sauce; Thai peanut sauce; sun-dried tomato pesto; rosemary-white bean hummus; and tzatziki.

Cream of Zucchini and Broccoli Soup with White Truffle Oil

Yes, it's another soup recipe, but what can I say? We're a family that loves its soup! This is one that I usually start as I'm cooking breakfast in the morning and it's done by the time the kids are off to school.

 

CREAM OF ZUCCHINI AND BROCCOLI SOUP WITH WHITE TRUFFLE OIL

White truffle oil is found pretty easily now. Check your local "gourmet" grocer, cheese shop, or places like Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table. In a pinch, you can mail order. My favorite comes my local olive oil shop and, according to the owner, it's the same kind that is used at the French Laundry. (Take that with a grain of truffle salt!)

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 5 zucchini, scubbed and sliced
• the stems of a bunch of broccoli (I used the florets for a salad), peeled and chopped
• 1 box of low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4-1 cup of heavy cream (or half-and-half, but not milk), amount depends on how liquidy the soup is and your personal preference.
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• white truffle oil

In a soup pot, saute onion, zucchini, and broccoli in a couple glugs of olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and simmer on medium-low until broccoli is very soft and zucchini is falling apart, about 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and whiz the pot with a stick blender until pureed. While whizzing, slowly pour in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowl and add a few drops (a drizzle would be overpowering) of white truffle oil.

Raw Kale and Avocado Salad [My latest obsession]

Barring travel or pregnancy, one thing about my diet never changes, and that is that I eat a salad (in some way shape or form) every single day.  While I am an omnivore, I slip easily into phases of vegetarianism (that "phase" lasted years) and "raw food-ism" (for several weeks a year) because I love vegetables, especially raw vegetables, so very much.

I also tend to be obsessive about certain dishes and make them often for a certain period of time until something else takes its place. For about the last month or so, I've been taken with this raw kale salad that is inspired by the kale salad often found on the Whole Foods salad bar. My version, however, actually has *cough* flavor *cough*. (Don't get me started on the lowest-common denominator blandness of everything in the Whole Foods deli case.)

RAW KALE AND AVOCADO SALAD

For the dressing, you can make it as tart as you wish. If you don't want lots of lemon, use less. If you'd like it less salty, use less Bragg's. Think of these measurements as a general guideline.

You can find Bragg's Liquid Aminos at any health food store. It's sometimes described as being similar to soy sauce, but really it's not. It has it's own distinct flavor, and I find that it can overwhelm a dish if too much is added. If you are new to Bragg's, start by adding half the amount suggested to the dressing and increase by drops until it tastes good to you.

Dressing:

• Juice of one lemon (preferably Meyer), about 1-2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon of Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or less, to taste)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Whisk the above ingredients together. Set aside while you prep the salad ingredients.

For the salad:

• 1 bunch of lacinato or curly kale, chopped (discard hard, woody stems)
• 1/4 of a red onion, very thinly sliced—slice it as thin as your knife skills will allow
• 1 avocado, diced
• toasted sesame seeds (sold in any Asian market), ground (Do you have a sesame seed grinder yet? Go get one!)

Put the kale and red onion in a large bowl and toss with about half the dressing to start.  Add more as needed. Toss in avocado mix lightly, and refrigerate salad for at least one hour. Just before serving you can drain excess liquid (the macerating kale will release some liquid and you can pour it off if you find it unappealing). Top your salad with a grating of toasted sesame seeds. Serve.

Serves 4 as a side or one as a big salad for lunch, two days in a row.

Summer Pasta with Grilled Asparagus, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Avocado

This is one of those easy weeknight dinners for when you want a main dish and the veggie sides all in one. It's also a perfect way to use up half-full packages of pasta. Frozen grilled asparagus is a great veggie to keep stashed in your freezer. I love uncooked pasta sauces of all kinds, but this is one of my favorites. Simple, satisfying, and delicious. Best of all, ready in about 15 minutes.

• 1/2 a package of Tinkyada brown rice pasta spirals (or your favorite pasta)
• 2 heirloom tomatoes, chopped
• 3/4 package of Trader Joe's frozen grilled asparagus, thawed, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 a Mexican avocado*, peeled and diced
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• a hefty drizzle of your fruitiest, grassiest, greenest, most flavorful extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbsps shredded (not grated) pecorino Romano

Cook pasta in generously salted, rapidly boiling water 2 minutes less than package directions indicate (so it's al dente—we like it crunchy in the middle).

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, asparagus, avocado, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, mix gently and set aside. Note: be generous with the oil—it's making the sauce.

When pasta is finished cooking, drain and add to bowl with veggies. Toss gently, sprinkle with cheese and serve.  Also great at room temperature.

Serves 4.

*I was recently sent a basket of Mexican avocados to review (the kind that have the green skin that blackens as they ripen). I love that variety because they are creamy and mild, and because they remind me of Hawaiian avocadoes.

Truffled Zucchini Salad with Shaved Pecorino Romano

Summer is juuuuuuuuuust around the corner!  Can you feel it?  That means picnics and pool parties and barbecues are just around the corner, too! It's the perfect time of year to start making this simple and delicious zucchini salad.  See what can happen with just a few ingredients working together to create magic.

I first had this salad at Ristorante Ideale in San Francisco (it's probably my favorite Italian restaurant in San Francisco because it is truly Roman.) We've been known to go there and order this salad and then one right after it. My mom was able to deconstruct it so we could make it at home, and here is that recipe.

TRUFFLED ZUCCHINI SALAD WITH SALAD WITH SHAVED PECORINO

• 3 zucchini, shaved into noodley strips with a vegetable peeler or mandoline or box grater
• black truffle oil
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• shaved (again with vegetable peeler) pecorino romano to taste (8-10 strips)
• Optional: Chopped truffle paste (available at fancy Italian delis like AG Ferrari in the Bay Area or well-stocked gourmet grocers)

Place zucchini noodles into a bowl and pat gently with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Drizzle with black truffle oil, add sea salt and pepper, and toss gently. If desired (and I like this touch), add a teaspoon or two of truffle paste and toss again.  Finish with shavings of pecorino.  Serves 6-8 as a potluck side dish.

Buon appetito!

Crazy for pickles

My brother and I used to drink pickle juice straight out of the jar when we were kids, that's how much we love pickles. Happily, I have passed my pickle love on to my daughters. They especially have a fondness for Bubbie's Bread and Butter pickles. We can stand at the fridge plucking them right from the jar and shoving them into our mouths. Pickled vegetables, with their zing and zest, are just so satisfying. Love this video in which the owner of local (to me) pickle shop talks all things salt-pickle. Fascinating.

Minted Zucchini Soup with Mascarpone

Zucchini soup
Originally uploaded by citymama

Another recipe to show that pretty much everything I make is easy--it just tastes fancy.

All I did here was saute 5 sliced Korean zucchini (they are plumper and lighter in color than regular zucchini)--maybe 2 lbs worth--in olive oil and butter along with one chopped onion and 5 cloves of chopped garlic. Wallie, age 5, was my sous chef and chopped the zucchini and garlic with her trusty butter knife.

After about 10 minutes I added 3 cups of chicken broth and let it all cook until the zucchini was very soft. Then I dumped in a can of cannelini beans (barely drained, you want to use some of the liquid), and then whizzed the whole thing until smooth with my stick blender.

The soup is delish and can be served at this point (it's creamy enough because of the beans), but just to gild the lily (and because I was ridding my fridge of holiday leftovers), I spooned in 8 ounces of mascarpone cheese (light cream cheese would work if you can't find mascarpone) into the puree and let that melt into the soup. (Do not let it boil.) Just before serving I tasted for salt and pepper. I ladled the soup into bowls and topped with mint chiffonade (and more pepper for mine). Both girls gave it two thumbs up and an "Mmmmm!"

Vegan Chickpea, Carrot, and Potato Burrito Filling

A saute of chickpeas, carrots, diced white potatoes, and sliced Field Roast artisan vegan potato-apple sausage will be tucked into warm tortillas, topped with salsa verde, and devoured. Wish you could smell my house right now!

iPhone photo edited on the fly with the Camera Bag app using the Helga filter.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

This recipe is inspired by my weekend at BlogHer Food where the best sponsor of the whole event (in my opinion) was The Mushroom Channel.  I was delighted to see a fresh produce sponsor there and the fact they went above and beyond and served a really great afternoon snack—quinoa-stuffed portabellos and mushroom cappuccinos with bacon cream—speaks volumes about how much they understood their "clients" (the attendees) and their purpose there.

I learned so much about mushrooms that I didn't know, like they are an excellent source of Vitamin D and may help the immune system.

This soup is not fancy. In fact, it's the opposite of fancy, but it tastes really fancy.  Bunny has never been a huge fan of mushrooms but after smelling the soup cooking, she tasted it and declared that now, she "loves cream of mushroom soup, just not mushrooms."

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

I used the Campbell's soup because it was given to me at BlogHer. It actually added a nice, complementary, beefy flavor to the already-meaty-tasting mushrooms. Beef stock is fine to use as is chicken stock or even water if you want to go the veggie route.

• 3 tbsps of unsalted butter
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 2-10 ounce bags of sliced mushrooms, I used Monterey Mushrooms brand of sliced whites and sliced baby bellas (given to me at the BlogHer Food Mushroom Channel party)
• 2 cups of beef broth (I used a can of Campbell's French Onion Soup with Beef Stock that was in the swag bag mixed with water to equal 2 cups)
• 1 cup of half-and-half
• salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley to garnish

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat, and when foamy, add chopped garlic. Saute for about a minute watching carefully so butter doesn't burn, then add mushrooms. 

Stir mushrooms until well-coated in butter and saute, stirring often.  They will release their liquid which is what you want them to do, so keep stirring and sauteeing until all the liquid has evaporated and the bottom of the pan starts to develop brown bits (fond). Then add in beef broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender (I use a dual-speed Breville stick blender which I love) until well-pureed. Add in half-and-half and warm through. Adjust seasonings and serve topping each bowl with a little chopped parsley.  Yummy!

Mushrooms from Far West Fungi on the Mushroom Channel table.