It read:

“My daughter eats a good diet, but has an obsession or interest in food that I don’t think is necessarily normal.  She is the kid who will hang out at a snack table at a party because she just likes food, but doesn’t moderate well. I am concerned with lifetime habits and wonder why food is her trigger. She’s young, it may all resolve itself, but I’m concerned.”

Her sentiments were familiar. I had similar worries not so long ago about about one of my own children who was especially interested in eating. As a baby, she’d burst into tears when she’d get to the bottom of her food bowl, as if to say, “you mean it’s over?” And as a toddler I once found her holed up in a closet greedily working her way through her sister’s Easter Basket, happy as a clam.

Part of me went straight to a place of panic with visions of a lifetime of closeted overeating. But my calmer self recognized  this as a perfectly innocent child who had simply discovered the delight of food, and in the latter case, the wonder of chocolate.

The fact is, there is a range of “normal” when it comes to eating. Some children are happiest sitting at the table over a bowl of mashed bananas while other find staring down a dinner plate nothing short of torture.

Wherever your child falls on the spectrum — whether they are fascinated with food or afraid of it — what’s most important is the way in which you respond. If you panic over every bite, they will absorb that anxiety like a sponge. Allowing feeding fears to develop into dinner table battles is not where any of us want to be.  I recognize that for some families, mealtime challenges are significant and can’t always be solved with a few simple guidelines. But, in the interest of our kids, I thought I’d share with you the advice I shared with my old friend. Consider it a bit of food for thought that may help get things moving in the right direction.

1. Get Clear on Who Does What – Consider it your job as the parent to decide what is served for meals and your child’s job to decide what and how much they’re going to eat. Translation: you put the chicken, green salad, and broccoli on the table at six p.m., your child chooses what goes on his plate and how much of it he is hungry for.  There is room within this approach for nuance. Perhaps you have a child that needs to be reminded to consider a new food or one who can be encouraged to slow down so his brain can catch up to his tummy.

2. Don’t Let them see you Sweat — Working yourself into a lather over how much or how little your child is eating can breed anxiety and lead to dinner table battles that you don’t want to wage. Try to stay calm and measured around feeding issues. This process is a marathon, not a sprint, so focus on the long term goal of raising a child who will be drawn to wholesome food by adulthood, not one who isn’t eating her spinach at dinner.

4. Be a Role Model — Let your child witness your own healthy behaviors: enjoying food, eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you have had enough. It goes a long way towards helping them develop good eating habits.

5. Pay Attention to your own Baggage — Whether you were the kid who was forced to finish every last pea or the one who struggled with weight, it’s important to be mindful of your own triggers around eating and not lay those onto your offspring.

3. Get Help – If you are worrying, check in with your child’s doctor, seek the counsel of a pediatric dietitian, or pick up a copy of a good resource such as Fearless Feeding or How to get your Kid to Eat, but not too Much for some advice and insight.

As for my own child, she still loves food . With age and maturity, she has learned to pay attention to her appetite, eating when she is hungry and stopping when she has had enough.  The “Easter Basket Incident “was the one and only time I found her holed up with a storehouse of chocolate.

As for her mother, well, that’s a different story.

Spent Saturday at a track meet where we opted for a BYO lunch instead of the concession stand: bean salad, veggies and dip, empanadas, pixie tangerines, popcorn.

Was treated on Mother’s Day to lots of handmade artwork. My puzzle skills are a little rusty, but I was able to tackle this one.

This little parcel was among a few gifts along with those cards. Is it normal to be so smitten by a dishtowel packaged up in a berry carton?

Mr. Mom’s Kitchen brought home the season’s first cherries…two kinds. They lasted  no more than 10 minutes, tops.

A grilled little gem lettuce salad and this “almost too pretty to drink” Pim’s Cup were the highlights of dinner out at Starbelly .

Determined to try my hand at that salad, I sliced little gems in half, quickly grilled them, and tossed them with oranges, almonds, feta, oil, and vinegar. Not the knockout that Starbelly made, but close.

Favorite breakfast of the week: strawberry rhubarb compote on buttered toast.

Had intended just lunch at Salumeria in The Mission but couldn’t walk out without picking up these beautiful lamb raviolis for dinner. Like delicate little candies.

Made a pot of beautiful beet soup topped with sour cream and dill.  Nothing is more comforting.

Congratulations to Holly of Seal Beach, California who won the Fearless Feeding cookbook. There’s still time to enter the Absolutely Avocados giveaway…and more coming next week!

How was your Week in Food? Highlights? Kitchen disasters?

Do tell.

And so it doesn’t surprise me that Absolutely Avocados, a delightful new cookbook devoted entirely to this fabulous fruit, was written by a woman.

Avocados as girl food makes sense. It’s a sensuous food chock full of nourishing properties especially suited to women: vitamin E for healthy skin, along with folic acid, that “must have” nutrient for pregnancy. They’re also an excellent source of both potassium and fiber (and not bad whipped into a luscious face mask).

But aren’t avocados high in fat and calories?

Relative to other fruits and vegetables, yes, they are. Half of a Hass avocado weighs in at about 130 calories and 12 grams of fat. But the fat has some serious upsides:

1. It’s mostly monounsaturated (the cholesterol-lowering, “heart healthy” kind).
2. It’s part of what gives avocados staying power (they fill you up).
3. It aids the absorption of other nutrients (add avocado to a chopped salad , for example, and the vitamins in the veggies will be better absorbed).

Fruit magic, that is.

The real reason to eat avocados, though, isn’t because they’re good for you, but because they’re good. And nobody can show you how to make the most of an avocado better than Gaby Dalkins and her Absolutely Avocados cookbook. The 80-recipe book devotes one chapter entirely to guacamole (hello!), but then moves into new territory with recipes using avocados in all manner of inventive and inspiring dishes.

Case in point is this Southwestern Egg Casserole

These Avocado Super Food Smoothies

And even Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lucky for one of you, I’m giving away a copy as part of my Month of Mother’s Day Giveaways. You can enter one of two ways (or both):

1. “Like” Mom’s Kitchen Handbook on Facebook and let me know you’ve done so in the comments section below.

2. Leave a comment below saying how you and your family enjoy avocados.

Contest ends Wednesday May 22nd at midnight PST. Must be 18 years or older, live in the United States, and not be related to me.

Disclosure: Mom’s Kitchen Handbook received a complimentary copy of Absolutely Avocados for this giveaway. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

Here’s how:

DIY Yogurt Sundae Bar.

It’s an idea I ripped off from Chobani, the Greek yogurt brand, who set up an elaborate yogurt bar at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietitics conference last fall. It was the most popular booth in the giant expo hall (Take that! Nestle and Kraft Foods).

I brought the concept to life at home, doing up my own mini version for lunch one Saturday afternoon when the kids were milling around with friends in tow. It’s a terrific idea for breakfast after a birthday sleepover or for a special after school snack.

And it’s easy. All you need is a handful of toppings, which you probably already have in your pantry, and a tub of plain yogurt. I recommend using Greek yogurt because it’s thicker, so kids can use an ice cream scoop to dish it up, which is part of the appeal.1. START by putting out as many toppings as suits your fancy:

• Dried fruits such as cranberries, diced apricots or raisins
• Fresh berries or diced fresh fruits
• Fresh fruits such as raspberries that have been cooked down into a warm compote
• Toasted nuts such as slivered almonds or pistachios
• Seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower
• Granola
• Chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
• Honey or maple syrup

2. SET out small serving bowls and spoons

3. PULL out the yogurt at the very last minute so it’s good and cold, along with an ice cream scoop.

4. LET bigger kids make their own sundaes. Pitch in to help littler ones as needed.

5. WATCH as your kids dig in with the sort of enthusiasm usually reserved for colorfully packaged snacks, shiny juice pouches, and sweets of every stripe.

Mr. Mom’s Kitchen and I teamed up with my brother and sister-in-law to co-host an auction dinner for the kids’ school.

The meal started with these cute-as-can-be carrots and other tender spring veggies.

It got decidedly more decadent when we paired those veggies with bowls of burrata — that soft and milky spin on Mozzarella.

Spaghetti and clams with loads of garlic and fresh peas followed. I was frightened by how much butter my brother lobbed into the pasta. But it was crazy good.

My sister-in-law made a parade of desserts: lemon souffle, buttermilk ice cream, and this platter of tiny, handmade treats.

Handmade treats weren’t the order of the day for Rosie’s birthday the following day. In fact, she made a crushing request:  that I NOT make a cake, but buy one from the bakery at the chain supermarket down the street. First sign of rebellion from a newly minted teenager?

She did request a homemade dinner of slow-cooked pork for make-your-own tacos. With no time to cook, I plopped a 1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin in the slow cooker, added a 16-ounce bottle of tomatillo salsa, and cooked it on high for about four hours. Shredded and served it with all the Mexican fixings to rave reviews from the birthday girl.

Then it was an early Mother’s Day gathering in honor of my mom. We started with a little plate of  radishes with a dot of butter and coarse salt.

I bought some pizza dough and made flatbreads in a very hot oven. Once they were crispy, I slathered on creme fraiche, topped them with smoked salmon and chives, and cut them into wedges. So easy.

Tender asparagus with lemon and chopped egg was just right with that pizza
Can’t get enough rhubarb, here cooked down with brown sugar and strawberries and served warm with ice cream. Strawberry rhubarb pie without the pie.

I hope some celebrating is the order of the day for all you moms this coming weekend.

Happy Mother’s Day.

P.S. Congratulations to Rachel from Arkansas who won the Baby & Toddler on the Go book. Stay tuned for more giveaways every Wednesday for the rest of May.

Raspberry Dream falls into the category of a sorbet, although it departs from typical preparations in that it’s made with the whole fruit instead of just the juice. Using the entire raspberry, seeds and all, has a couple of upsides: 1) It’s less fussy to make (no straining through a sieve) 2) You get all the nutritional benefits of the whole fruit, most notably, the fiber. It also means your sorbet will have a bit of texture from all those tiny seeds (something nobody in my crowd seemed to mind or even notice for that matter).

Making Raspberry Dream involves just three steps.You start by heating sugar and water in a saucepan just until it liquifies into simple syrup. Then, blend the syrup with frozen raspberries in a food processor.Finally, add a couple of pasteurized eggs whites (such as Safest Choice) and let it run a good while to kick the texture up from creamy to luxurious. Using pasteurized whites is key since raw eggs are risky business, especially where feeding kids is concerned.You can spoon your frosty treat straight from the food processor into your mouth a bowl to enjoy while it’s still soft and luscious. Or, scoop it into a container and let it freeze up good and solid to enjoy on a cone.Preferably along with someone you love.

What could be dreamier than that?

RASPBERRY DREAM SORBET

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups frozen raspberries (one 12-ounce bag)
• 2 pasteurized egg whites such as Safest Choice*

Put the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar completely dissolves, making a simple syrup. Pour into a glass pitcher or bowl to cool.

Once the simple syrup has cooled to room temperature, pour it into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the raspberries and run the processor for 1 minute. Scrape down the sizes and bottom of the food processor. Add the egg whites and let it run another two minutes until the mixture turns light in color and texture, scraping the sides and bottoms as needed.

Serve immediately (it will be very soft) or spoon it into a freezer-friendly container, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

Makes 1 pint.

* If you don’t have Safest Choice eggs, you can use 1/4 cup of pasteurized egg whites.

Adapted from a recipe for Pineapple Blizzard by Abby Mandel

I haven’t been as excited by a book as I am about Fearless Feeding since the fifth grade when I got my hands on Judy Blume’s tween classic Are you there God, it’s me, Margaret. The only downside of the fact that I’m giving away a copy is that I’ll no longer have one for myself, which means I’m going to have to go out and buy another.

Sure, I have expertise in family nutrition, a master’s degree in clinical nutrition, and three “test subjects” (aka children) of my own, but I still need this book. It’s the best thing to come along on the subject of raising healthy eaters in a very long time.

Written by Jill Castle and Maryann Jacobsen, two pediatric dietitians who have six children between them, the book addresses a broad range of issues around feeding kids from infancy through the teen years.  The initial chapters give advice on everything from nutrition, to real life challenges, and recipes based on age and stage. The latter part of the book deals with additional issues such as food allergies, picky eaters, weight concerns, and eating disorders. Importantly, the authors also address the “baggage” we as parents bring to the dinner table in the excellent chapter titled, The Parent Trap: How to Break Free from Your Food History and Attitudes.

Feeding kids is one of the most challenging aspects of child rearing, right up there with sleep and discipline. Parents need support, ideas, trouble shooting, guidance, hand-holding, and cheerleading. This book has it all.  And while it’s based on sound research, the delivery never strikes a clinical note. It’s approachable, practical, and relatable.

I’m giving away one copy of Fearless Feeding as part of my Month of Mother’s Day Giveaways. To enter, leave a comment below saying one aspect of feeding kids that you find challenging. Deadline for entries is midnight PST on May 15.  You must be 18 years or older, live in the United States, and not be related to me to enter.

Check out the links below as these respected dietitians weigh in on Fearless Feeding and raising healthy eaters:

Meal Makeover Moms

Tribeca Nutrition

Nutritioulicious

Elisa Zied

Disclosure: Mom’s Kitchen Handbook received a complimentary copy of the book for this giveaway. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

It’s true.

Take these pork chops. As they sizzled on the grill, I cooked up a compote of rhubarb, ginger, garlic, and onions, that turned out so tangy and rosy-hued, it was too good to keep to myself, which set in motion the “mad scramble”: me pulling out my camera and props, hauling them urgently outside to catch the last of the daylight, while the kids wait on the sidelines with a look on their faces that says, “here we go again.”

Poor things.

When I pulled the chops off the barbecue, they didn’t go to the dinner table as you might expect, but to my “set” where I arranged them this way and that, snapped photos, re-arranged, and so on, until I landed on a satisfactory shot. By the time I was done, the chops were closer to room temperature than “hot off the grill”.

Nobody complained, maybe because they’re just used to it, or maybe because all that juicy pork and rhubarb was enough to distract them from the fact that their mother interferes with them ever eating warm food.
Whether you choose to eat it warm or cold, rhubarb has a captivating flavor. The fact that it adds fiber, vitamin C, and calcium, along with cancer-fighting polyphenols, is an added benefit. And while those fat red stalks may be somewhat mysterious to the uninitiated, rhubarb is no more complicated to cook with than a stalk of celery. One little side note is that the leaves of the plant are poisonous, something you need not be concerned about if you are buying it in a market. What you should worry about is the fact that rhubarb season is fleeting. So go get some and make this. It’s delicious with pork chops, but also terrific with pork loin or grilled chicken.

Just don’t take any pictures.

GINGERY RHUBARB COMPOTE WITH GRILLED PORK CHOPS

This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight supper, but you can get fancy with it by brining the chops overnight or using a favorite marinade. With a few adjustments, it can also be turned into a sweet compote that is tasty warm or cold over plain yogurt or hot cereal. Simply leave out the onions, garlic, and salt.

For the compote:

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small diced red onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 4 large stalks rhubarb, cut into 1/4-inch crosswise slices
• Juice of 1 large orange
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey
• generous pinch salt

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high and saute the onion until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and saute another minute or so. Turn the heat to low, add the rhubarb, orange juice, and ginger, and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb goes tender without completely losing its shape. Add the honey and salt. Stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

For the pork chops

• 4 boneless pork chops that are about 6 ounces each
• Salt and pepper

Pull the pork chops out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Prepare your grill so it’s at a medium-high heat. Brush the grill with oil and lay on the chops. Cook to your desired doneness (I figure about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium). Alternatively, you an cook the chops in a heavy skillet or under a broiler.

Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with rhubarb compote on the side.

Makes 4 servings.

\

How was your week in food?

But being a mom can also be brutal: Exhausting and exasperating and heartbreaking and painful. The hardest thing I’ve ever done. By Far.

So I’m thinking …just one day of Mother’s Day? It’s not enough. We need a whole month.

Which is why, starting today, I’m referring to May as Mother’s Month. To celebrate, I’m doing a giveaway every week for the entire month. That’s five, count them five giveaways, starting with this totally delightful cookbook and guidebook on feeding little ones.

It’s just the sort of resource I could have used when my own babies went from the “all liquid” diet onto solids. Breastfeeding struggles aside, there is something enviably uncomplicated about those first months when a baby’s sole nourishment is at the ready, at exactly the right temperature, no preparation required. Adding in cereals and purees, and then, gasp, “real” food, can be unnerving. With my first daughter, my worries over choking translated into food cut so tiny she could barely grasp anything with her chubby little fingers (I attribute her fine motor skills today to those early trials). Layer in the challenge of trying to get out the door with wholesome food in hand, and it can send a mom over the edge.

Baby & Toddler on the Go comes from Kim Laidlaw, a seasoned food writer, editor and mom to Poppy, one immensely charming toddler. She has real world tips and recipes so appealing, it made me want a “do-over” on the toddler years. Case in point are these Mac and Cheese Bites, a recipe perfectly suited to toddlers, but just as appealing for older kids (and Mr. Mom’s Kitchen). My crew took down the whole batch in no time. They’re also terrific for stowing in the freezer and popping into school lunches.

To enter the Baby and Toddler on the Go cookbook giveaway, simply leave a comment below sharing one or two of your favorite ideas for feeding a little one. Deadline for entries is midnight PST on May 8.  You must be 18 years or older, live in the United States, and not be related to me to enter (that’s you Mr. Mom’s Kitchen).

MAC & CHEESE BITES 

These tasty bites are perfect to pop  into a container and take anywhere, and they are a great size for little hands. They are also ideal vehicles for nutritious ingredients like chopped cooked chicken or vegetables. Just stir them into the mix before baking.

Olive oil cooking  spray

1 cup (4 ounces) uncooked whole- wheat  elbow  macaroni

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk, warmed

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs,  beaten

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

Bring a saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni, reduce heat to medium, and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes or according to package directions. Drain the pasta. You should have about 2 cups.

In the same saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the milk while whisking constantly, until smooth. Continuing to whisk, slowly add the cheeses until smooth. Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Remove from heat, add the egg to the pasta, and mix well.

Spoon the pasta mixture into about 24 of the prepared muffin cups, filling the cups to the top.

Bake until crisp and browned around the edges and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing (use a small knife to help dislodge them if necessary).

STORE IT  Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or seal in a zippered plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

PACK  IT  Thaw 2 or 3 mac & cheese bites, if necessary, then pack in a small airtight container. If you are on the go for more than 1 hour, place in a small bag with a travel ice pack.

Recipe printed with permission from Baby & Toddler on the Go (copyright Weldon Owen and Kim Laidlaw). Mom’s Kitchen Handbook received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher.