"What's this?" My
6-year-old son says, eyeballing his supper stew with the scrutiny of someone who
expects to find a weevil or a fly.
“Pickled canary feet and curried
salamander tongues,” I answer.
“Why did you tell him that?” His
visiting grandma draws me aside.
“Because, if I tell him what’s really
in it, he’s not going to eat it.”
“What is in it?”
“Peas and carrots and onions. But Michael made it clear back in his Gerber
days that no one was ever going to accuse him of being a vegetarian.”
“I take it he’s a meat and potatoes kid.”
“Well, not exactly. Unless the spuds are french-fried, Mikey
usually includes potatoes in his ban on veggies. And as for meat, he’s pretty selective—if it
isn’t dripping in ketchup and mayonnaise and served on a toasted sesame seed
bun, you might as well forget about getting it down that kid’s hatch.”
“Does he like anything besides hamburgers?
“Oh, sure! Mike’s pretty keen on peanut butter
sandwiches and fast foods like pepperoni pizza, or soft-shelled tacos. But what he really loves are Twinkies and Zingers.”
“Sounds
like you’ve got a problem eater on your hands.”
“Not
always. Every once in a while he comes
to the table and picks out a morsel or two.”
“How
often is every once in a while?”
“Just
often enough to sustain life between his junk food forays.”
“Well,
if I were you, I’d put my foot down on such mealtime shenanigans and make that
boy eat some balanced meals.”
“Oh,
I’ve already tired that, but with Michael’s active lifestyle, I’m afraid
insisting on balanced meals hasn’t had much of a nutritional impact.”
“Active
lifestyle? You mean he’s always eating
on the run?”
“No,
just on his bicycle. And that’s the main
problem: Mike’s idea of a balanced meal
is anything he can hold in one hand while steering his bike with the other.”
 | ||
| Mikey's sweet smile reflects his eating habits. |
*****
So,
Mike is all grown up now, and his beautiful wife has been able to successfully
introduce him to a few nutritious foods, including spinach and broccoli.
But
with today, April 7, being National Coffee Cake Day, I’m sure he’d like one of
these:
COFFEE
CAKE PUFF
Beat
until stiff and set aside:
3
egg whites
Cream:
2 cups sugar
1
1/2 sticks softened butter
1 T pure vanilla
1 T pure vanilla
Sift
together and add alternately with 1 1/4 cup whole milk, stirring just until
blended:
3
cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Fold
in egg whites.
Spread
in 9 X 13 pan.
Top
with mixture of 1 1/2 sticks softened butter, 3/4 cup flour, 1 1/2 cup brown
sugar, and 2 tablespoons cinnamon, and 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans. I mix this with my Kitchen-Aid before sprinkling it on.
Bake
in preheated oven at 350 degrees 40-45 minutes until set. Serve warm.
 |
| Warm Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping. Yum!
What's your best solution for helping picky eaters make wise choices. Please leave a comment. Share what has worked for you.
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