THE ISSUE OF CONTROL

A wise teacher once said to me, “When you’re teaching, you can control what you put out there to your students, but you can’t control what or how they take it in.” This, it occurred to me tonight when Audrey declared that she no longer liked the CARROT FRIES that she’d loved just four nights previously, applies to parenting as well. Especially with regards to parenting and food. I am beginning to see that I have to feel good about what I am putting on the table, I can set an example that way and by how I enjoy the food, but I can’t control what she decides to do with it. It is so hard for me to let go of wanting her to have a balanced diet every day, but I also know that in a power struggle, we both lose, so I have to let go. Plus, she grows like a weed, so she must be getting something decent inside her somehow.

This week at the market I was seduced by the beautiful purple spring onions and green garlic. Saturday evening we had a wonderful meal that came almost entirely from the market and our garden, with vegetables as the stars, and a steak (1 pound of flap steak, simply grilled and shared among the four of us) as a part of the meal, not in the starring role. Looking at the vegetables as the center point and meat as a side or condiment as I plan meals is pretty radical to my husband, but I think it helps adjust portions to be more healthy, keeps costs down and is also more interesting. So next to slices of steak (again from J & J Grassfed beef) we had PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI WITH CITRUS BUTTER, SMASHED POTATOES & RUTABAGAS WITH SPRING ONIONS, CARROT “FRIES” and for dessert, CLASSIC STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE. It was such a perfect early spring meal. And by some miracle I was able to time all those veggies to be ready at the same time.

The next night, James really wanted to use some of the romaine in the garden so he found a recipe for a CAESAR SALAD dressing without raw eggs (at my request). I highly recommend this easy dressing as an alternative to processed dressings from the store. I don’t recommend serving Caesar Salad with SPINACH AND CHEESE SOUFFLE, however. The Caesar totally won in that matchup. Who do you think won between Audrey and me?