How to Feed a Henry

Most kids I know love chicken strips, and Henry is no exception. Baked chicken strips are an easy weeknight meal with just a short amount of prep time. The dried plantains give them a delicious crunchy coating. This recipe is Henry-approved. If dried plantains are not a staple in your pantry, you can find them at Trader Joe’s. Their plantain chips are pre-salted so no need to add any salt to this recipe. Henry creates a play dough scene while I prepare the Plantain Chicken Tenders. Ingredients 1 lb chicken breast cut into strips 1-½ cups dried plantain chips 1 t ground cumin 1 t ground coriander 1 clove garlic 1 egg 1 T whole milk 1 T olive oil Plantain chips chopped in the food processor. Directions Put plantain chips, spices and garlic into a food processor. Grind until the mixture is in small crumbs. This will be the breading for the chicken. Prepare your breading station with two shallow dishes. I like to use pie plates, one for the ...

Henry has been very excited to help in the garden this spring. Last month, we pulled weeds, prepped the soil, and planted peas and potatoes .    Removing a few more weeds / Making a mud pie. This week at the garden center, we chose three vegetable starts that we have planted before: tomatoes, summer squash and peppers. We also selected three types of veggies we have not grown before. I picked out cauliflower starts. Daddy asked for cucumbers. And Henry wanted tatsoi -- I don't think I have ever seen tatsoi before, but Henry insisted that it come home with us. Henry thought this cat statue at the garden center was in need of a snuggle. Digging a hole for our pepper starts. When I asked Henry to help select nasturtium seeds, he chose the red and orange varieties. He really enjoyed poking holes in the dirt to plant the seeds. Planting nasturtium seeds.

It was a beautiful week for the opening of our local farmers markets .  On Thursday, we enjoyed a lovely picnic on the grass at the Tacoma Broadway Market. This midday market features plenty of lunch vendors for downtown workers, but many families attend as well. Henry and I shared a combo meal from Gateway to India . Henry's favorite is definitely the chickpea curry; he ate his portion, and then devoured mine too. Henry LOVES chickpea curry. Yesterday, we met up with friends at the 6th Avenue Market for dinner. After more Indian food, we headed over to the produce stalls where we found purple asparagus and apples. Our favorite vendors here are the fish mongers. Henry requested an apple for dessert -- YUM!   We are very lucky to have an array of farmers markets in Tacoma -- daytime, evening and weekend options can fit almost any family's schedule.  Are your local markets open for the season? Who are your favorite vendors?

Warm weather is on the way, so here is a new grilling recipe for you to try. Cauliflower does not have much of a reputation as a food to grill outdoors, but I think you will be impressed by this delicious dish. Henry helped prepare the grilled cauliflower. Since Henry is in an " I don't like it " phase, I cannot say that he approved this dish. He was, however, willing to take two taste test bites. And he very much enjoyed painting the cauliflower with olive oil and spices. You’ll probably be able to use about half of the cauliflower head as large steaks for this recipe; you can reserve the remaining small florets for another recipe (I used ours to make New York Cauliflower for the next evening’s dinner). Ingredients 1 head of cauliflower ½ cup olive oil ½ t cumin ½ t coriander ½ t salt ½ t pepper Grilled cauliflower cooking on the barbecue. Directions Rinse cauliflower. Slice it vertically into large steaks ¼-inch thick. Place the caulifl...

One of Henry's current favorite sayings is "I don't like it." He started using it a few weeks ago for all sort of situations, everything from naptime to visiting the walruses at the zoo. Mealtimes are no exception. Henry uses "I don't like it" when he does not want to eat the food on his plate, often before he has even given it a try. Frequently, he will want to eat one dish exclusively at a meal without tasting the others. Since Henry can now understand simple when/then statements , Daddy and I decided it was time to implement the taste test rule for Henry.  Good morning! What will Henry want to eat today? Here is our take on how to encourage Henry to continue to try a variety of foods using the taste test rule. Some families call this strategy " no thank you bites ," " green eggs & ham bites " or " the one bite rule ." We start by putting a small portion of each dish on Henry's plate. If he wants extr...

This recipe for pork schnitzel makes a frequent appearance on our family's dinner table. It's an easy weeknight meal to satisfy any hungry kiddo, especially Henry. This recipe is Henry-approved. Ingredients Pork Schnitzel 4-6 1/2-inch thick boneless pork chops (about 1-1.5 pounds) 1 egg 1 T milk 1 cup dry breadcrumbs 1 t paprika 1 t dried parsley 1 t salt 1 t pepper ¼ cup olive oil for pan frying 1 lemon Mushroom sauce 1 cup sliced mushrooms (5-6 small/med) 1 cup chopped onion (1/2 yellow onion) 1 cup vegetable broth ½ cup sour cream Salt and pepper to taste Pork schnitzel frying in the pan. Directions Prepare your breading station for the pork with two shallow dishes. I like to use pie plates, one for the egg dip and one for the dry ingredients. For the egg dip, use a fork to lightly whisk the egg and milk. For the dry ingredients, stir together breadcrumbs, paprika, parsley, salt and pepper. Preparing to bread the pork ...