Kids Can Cook

This week's "farm goodies" from our local CSA were a little different than last weeks.  I think that is one of my favorite things about doing a CSA is how the foods change from week to week.  I won't lie... some weeks really stretch me with my menu and my tastes.  It is easy when we get lettuce, carrots, berries, peppers, etc. But Bok Choy and Swiss Chard were not something that I grew up eating.  

By the time I got home I was short 2 tomatoes and a pint of strawberries.  My kids love fruit and vegetables!!! They had dug into my bag and started snacking.  I am glad my drive is only 15 mintues, or I might get home with nothing.  When we arrived home my 11 year old daughter was helping me get stuff out of the car and she asked if she could cook dinner. " WHAT?!?!" I thought.  "I don't even know what to do with Bok Choy and Swiss Chard, much less teach you how to do something with it!"  But I took a breath and suggested she hop on Pinterest and see what she could come up with.  After all, that is what I was about to do.  So after about 30 minutes this is what she came up with....

Bok Choy and Swiss Chard stir-fry

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
14 to 16 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and cut into ½ inch cubes and fried in sesame oil (If desired, chicken can be substituted; or use neither tofu, nor chicken.)
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems sliced into ½ inch pieces – leaves removed
1 bunch bok choy, stems sliced into ½ inch pieces – leaves removed
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Leaves of Swiss chard and bok choy – cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chopped red peppers
3 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 leek, thinly sliced and browned (optional)
½ shallot, thinly sliced and browned (optional)
Brown rice  (optional)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional

Directions:

Brown the leek and shallot slices in 1 tablespoon of oil. Put the cooked rice or wheat berries in the skillet to heat – stir periodically.

Prepare all the vegetables. Cut the bok choy and Swiss chard leaves off the stems. Cut the wide end of the bok choy stems in half; slice all the stems in ½ inch slices.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large wok, with ginger and sesame seeds – sauté 30 seconds to infuse flavor. Add tofu and sauté for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and bok choy stems, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Sauté until the stems are soft. Add the leaves and red peppers, sauté for 2 or 3 minutes; add the soy sauce. Serve over, or with, brown rice.

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The really cool thing about this recipe that she found was that we had all of the ingredients!  She cooked it all by herself and served it proudly.  

My lesson in this was #1 Don't be afraid of foods that you've never cooked before.

#2 Don't be afraid to let kids help. Most of the time they can do far more than we give them credit for.  

We watch these crazy cooking shows as a family and I am always amazed at what they can do and I can't.  I clearly see my limitations.  Be it skill, ingredient availability, tools, etc.  But kids don't see things like that. In fact it is up to us to teach those limitations. Not by saying "no" all the time, but by saying "yes".  

I am not always a "yes" mom.  In fact I say "no" many times, simply because I don't want to clean up the "yes" all over the floor. My 11 year old daughter proved me wrong this week.  She showed my that she was far more capable than I thought, if only I'd just get out of the way.  

Happy, Healthy, Eating

Lindsay