BREAKFAST IN BED STINKS: TRY COOKING TOGETHER ON MOTHER’S DAY!

by Jennifer John, The Sylvia Center

I’m not sure where the idea of “breakfast in bed” started. Perhaps in some imagined past where all the servants in Downtown Abbey got up at 5 am to make sure the Mrs. had her poached eggs before getting dressed for the day.

The one time I managed to get my breakfast served to me in bed it was really hard to enjoy it while balancing the tray precariously on my lap. Then I spilled the orange juice onto my comforter. It was not relaxing. The toast got cold.

So, let’s dispense with this idea for Mother’s Day. Maybe your family can pull it off, but I don’t even want to ask my husband and 6-year-old daughter to try this year. This Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 13th) why not make breakfast together as a family?

Through our programs at The Sylvia Center, we encourage families to cook together. Young people who are involved with meal preparation at home are more likely to eat a larger variety of healthful foods. We also know that making food at home is way more affordable. And when kids are in the kitchen, they are reinforcing learning from many different areas — literacy, math, science, and more.

Getting in the kitchen with your kids can be a lot of fun. It is an opportunity to do something together and build your relationship. You can share your favorite tastes and textures with each other, tell family food stories, and make something that feeds your heart and bellies.

However, cooking with children can be challenging. Kids who are just starting out need a lot of help staying on task and staying safe. Older kids may want mom or dad completely out of the way. And getting dinner on the table on a weeknight is often hectic as it is; it may not the best time to experiment in the kitchen.

I believe the best time to start cooking with kids is on a lazy Sunday morning. Hopefully, everyone is well-rested and you have a few hours to work together before your afternoon activities. The Sylvia Center has some tips for making the time with your children in the kitchen more joyful by simply adding a little more planning into your meal prep.

The Sylvia Center Tips For Cooking With Your Kids:

  1. Adjust for Age: Planning ahead can set everyone up for success. Be sure to select a recipe with a difficulty level and length appropriate for the age of your children. For younger kids, recipes that involve mostly measuring, mixing and baking are good choices. Older children can learn how to hold a knife safely to chop ingredients. Save the sauteing and frying for young people who have demonstrated they can be trusted to follow directions and be safe. Keep it simple at first, then introduce new ingredients and recipes as they build their skills.

  2. Keep It Low-Key: Spills happen. Your own attitude is what will make or break it with your kids. Remember the point is to have fun so they want to do it again. Your child won’t have fun if you’re tense about spilled flour or yelling about their fingers in the honey. Keep it light and keep it moving. You can prep all of your ingredients before your young child even enters the kitchen. I know I get annoyed trying to locate the cinnamon in the back of the cabinet, so I do it before I invite my daughter into the kitchen.

  3. Creative Control: I like to cook recipes where my daughter gets to choose some of the ingredients to her taste, like an omelette or our Mix and Match Breakfast Bars. It is a good way to tempt them to try new foods or express their preferences. You are collaborating with your child, so this is not your Julia Child moment. Let them make it their own with your help.

  4. Learning Connections: Cooking together is a great way to reinforce some of the concepts they are learning in school. Younger children can practice fine motor skills and doing things in sequence. First graders can reinforce emerging reading and math skills. Those measuring cups are great ways to talk about fractions. Older kids can help make shopping lists, explain why the salt and the baking soda are needed for a recipe, or make adjustments to the recipe, like doubling measurements. Again, keep it light. Don’t make it like school. Let your shared curiosity be your guide.

So This Mother’s Day, Get Into The Kitchen With Your Family.

To start off, I suggest trying this Mix and Match Breakfast Bar recipe. It can be adjusted for all skill levels and tastes, and it is quick. You can even eat it in bed if you don’t mind oatmeal crumbs on your sheets.

My daughter and I have been trying out different breakfast bar recipes on Sundays for the last few months. We don’t always get a chance to cook together during the week, so this is our day to be in the kitchen. It also solves a problem. It ensures we’ve got a tasty homemade breakfast all week.

This Mix & Match Bar Recipe is our favorite basic bar recipe. It is crispy, crunchy and a sweet start that will last you until lunch. She loves the Honey Nut Bar variation, and my favorite is the Double Chocolate Pepita Bar. You and your kid can figure out which one you like best. And when you do, please tag us on Instagram or Facebook. We would love to see what you come up with as a family. So, get cooking!

CURRIED WINTER SQUASH STEW

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 4 cups butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 4 stalks celery, cut into 1- inch pieces

  • 1 bunch green kale, washed and sliced thin

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 4 tbsp ginger, grated

  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves & stems, washed and roughly chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

  • 1 can (12 oz) chickpeas, strained and rinsed

  • 2 tbsp tomato paste

  • 1 can (8 oz) unsweetened coconut milk

  • 3 tbsp curry powder

  • 4 tbsp fresh lime juice

  • ¼ cup olive oil or coconut oil

  • In a medium-sized pot, heat olive or coconut oil. Add sliced garlic and toast until golden. Add onions and celery and cook for 4 minutes.

  • Add curry powder and cook for one minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring well to prevent burning.

  • Add butternut squash, chickpeas and enough water to cover by one inch. Season with salt to taste and bring to a simmer.

  • Simmer until the squash is tender. Add coconut milk, kale, ginger, lime juice and cilantro. Bring back to a simmer for a few more minutes.

  • Taste for seasoning and serve when ready.

  •  

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More Recipes

HOT BROWNS LIKE MY MOM'S

Chef Saul Bolton shared his recipe for a Hot Brown — a delicious open-faced turkey sandwich covered in a rich Mornay sauce then broiled. It’s warm and comforting and is an easy brunch to put together for one or many. Our recipe below serves 6, but you can easily modify for two or twenty. If you’re making it for more than 6 people, you can prepare in a large casserole dish for everyone to help themselves family style.

 

Hot Browns Like My Mom’s

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 6 slices of good whole grain country bread

  • 12 slices thick cut bacon cooked until almost crispy

  • 12 ¼ inch thick slices of big ripe tomatoes

  • 6 cups of Mornay Sauce

  • 12 1/8” slices of roasted turkey breast ( or odd slices and pickings to loosely cover toast)

  • 12 nice basil leaves (just thought would be nice)

  • 2 cups of grated aged Parmesan cheese

Method

  1. Toast the whole grain bread until it’s a dark golden color, then lightly butter them.

  2. Place two slices of bread in an oven proof dish. Layer with sliced turkey, the almost-crisp thick cut bacon, basil, and sliced tomatoes. Be sure to season each layer with salt and pepper.

  3. Spoon Mornay sauce over each sandwich, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

  4. Broil until golden brown and serve immediately.

EGGS BENEDICT WITH SALMON AND CRAB

Check out this special Eggs Benedict created especially for Mother’s Day. A decadent spin on the already decadent classic, it adds smoked salmon and crab meat in place of the traditional Candian bacon.

EGGS BENEDICT WITH SALMON AND CRAB

SERVES 2

Ingredients:

  • 2 English muffins, split and toasted

  • 4 slices smoked salmon

  • 4 oz jump lump crab meat

  • 4 poached eggs, for serving

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

  • To taste salt

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Procedure:

  1. Prepare the Hollandaise: Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne and salt in a blender until pale yellow in color, about 30-60 seconds. With the motor running, add the butter in a slow stream until emulsified. Store until needed in a warm spot.

  2. Assemble the dish: Place two English muffin halves on each plate and layer on smoked salmon and crab meat. Gently place a poached egg on top. Drizzle with prepared Hollandaise and serve immediately.

Growing up in an Italian family, we learned to show our love by feeding people. “Here, have another bite” meant I like you. Just filling up an unsuspecting person plate with baked ziti and meatballs meant I really like you, or my favorite is when you have tin pans overflowing with food to go home with meant real love! My Grandmother had an open door policy at her home and always had food on the stove to welcome whoever stopped by. The smell could pull you in from miles away. I don’t remember her anywhere else in her house besides the kitchen, over a large metal sauce pot stirring tomato sauce – yelling at my father to stop eating out of the pot.

I was the lucky one to get my Grandma’s recipe book. It’s a bright yellow photo album with index cards in her writing, falling apart at the seams. It’s truly a piece of history. When I first tried to dive into making one of her legendary meals, I decided to start with one of my childhood favorites, Easter Pie (or Pizza Rustica as she called it). I was confused at first glance. 5lb of flour, 2 dozen eggs . .  who and what was she feeding! As I read down further, the recipe called for a handful of cut prosciutto and the light ham from down the block, 2 baskets of cheese, and a big ball of mozz. To her this was her way of doing one of two things; one: the recipe cards were a quick reminder to her because she made each recipe every year or two: making sure no could every duplicate one of her delicious treats.

After years of taste testing and family gathering, I think we have it pretty close. Nonna’s recipe for Easter Pie!

Nonna's Easter Pie Recipe

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Ingredients:

For the Dough

  • 6 cups all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 pound chilled salted butter, cut into large pieces

  • 5 large eggs, beaten

For the Filling

  • 1 lb prosciutto, in 1/4-inch dice

  • 1 lb boiled ham, in 1/4-inch dice

  • 1 lb boiled ham, in 1/4-inch dice

  • 8 ounces pepperoni, in 1/4-inch dice

  • 8 ounces soppressata, in 1/4-inch dice

  • 1 lb mozzarella, in 1/4-inch dice

  • 8 ounces provolone, in 1/4-inch dice

  • 2 pounds ricotta

  • 8 ounces grated pecorino Romano

  • 10 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 teaspoon pepper

  • 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing crust

Method:

  1. For the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together 6 cups flour and the salt. Using a pastry cutter, large fork, or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs and knead for 1 minute. Add about 1 1/4 cups ice water, a little at a time, to form a cohesive dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a large smooth ball, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Let set aside for 30 minutes.

  2. For the filling: Mix the meats, cheeses, the 10 eggs and pepper in a large bowl.

  3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into two pieces: two-thirds for the bottom crust and one-third for the top. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger portion of the dough into a rectangle to line the bottom and sides of a 10 x 15 glass baking dish. Add the filling and smooth it lightly. Brush the edges with a little water. This will act like glue.

  4. Roll out the remaining dough to cover the top of the dish with some overhang. I like to cut a little carrot on the top of the dough while its on the counter, you can just use a fork and poke some holes. Trim off excess dough and crimp the edges to seal. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush top and edges with the beaten egg, then return to the oven until golden brown, another 45 minutes. Let pie cool completely before serving. 

SAVORY SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

Shared by Suzannah Schneider, Sustainability Connector

I was recently gifted a sourdough starter from a friend. I fed it dutifully, but was dismayed to send the gloopy discards into the trash. I started to save the cast-offs of “unfed” starter, and before long I had enough to make a full stack of sourdough pancakes. This NYTimes-based recipe is tangy and salty, and can be dressed up with maple syrup or stuffed with herbs, seasonings, and greens for dinner. I plan on making a batch of tiny rounds for our next party for a new take on blini.

Ingredients:

For the overnight “sponge:”

  • 1 cup sourdough starter, “unfed”

  • 1 cup buttermilk (make vegan buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup nondairy milk)

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 Tbs light brown sugar

For the batter:

  • 1 large egg or egg replacement (I use 1 Tbs Ground flaxseed whisked with 2.5 Tbs Water)

  • 1/4 cup neutral oil

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (omit if making a savory pancake)

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • Optional: chopped dried or fresh herbs, greens, garlic and/or onion, spices…

Method:

  1. Put the sourdough starter in a large bowl and add the buttermilk, flour and sugar, then stir to combine. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest overnight at room temperature.

  2. When you are ready to cook, whisk the egg, melted butter or oil and the vanilla extract together in a small bowl, then add the rested sponge. Add the salt and the baking soda to the batter and mix to combine.

  3. Pour some of the batter onto a preheated greased waffle iron and cook until the waffle is brown and crisp, then repeat. Or use a small ladle to create pancakes on a preheated oiled pan or griddle, flipping them when they are well browned on the bottom. Serve immediately.

DIGESTING THE TEDx FOOD CONFERENCE

The topic was Changing the Way We Eat, an independently organized event, TED-style, by Diane Hatz, Co-Founder, and Director of the Glynwood Institute. Held at The Times Center, it was a gathering of individuals interested in our food system: how things grow, what gets grown, who eats/who doesn’t, what’s in the food we eat (are you sure you want to know?), what about the environment (affecting food/being affected by agriculture) and what about the other animals (the ones we eat). And more.

There is almost nothing better than feeling passionate about a cause and then spending time with a crowd that treasures the same value set. It is an opportunity to visit with a good many friends and acquaintances and make new connections as well.

It is inspirational to listen to incredibly intelligent and well-informed speakers who articulately speak on topics I already care about, and then add another dimension of analysis and new information or perspective. I recommend watching the talks online, as several were quite outstanding.

But something really surprised me about the experience. I anticipated leaving positively stimulated and energized to continue the fight for a better, more just, healthier food system. I joined my family for dinner out and discovered that instead of feeling upbeat and rejuvenated, I was actually angry; I was mad at everyone who ate meat for dinner, annoyed at the restaurant for even having asparagus on the menu, frustrated at the lack of transparency on the fish items (where was this fish from and was it really what they said it was) and ballistic that there was any ambiguity as to the destructive nature of hydrofracking.

Perhaps the conference had not intended to give us hope — but rather to disrupt any complacency around the pace of change and the evolution of a national agenda around food policy. Simply put, it is like changing any complex and ingrained system that is deeply rooted in the economic advantages of powerful self-interests.

It was several days before the cloud lifted. I could barely stop thinking about the confinement of sows in the face of the national obsession with bacon. How hard an equation is that? Or the transformation of our agricultural world, increasingly defined by commodity crops, GMO seeds, toxins, and consolidation. Or wondering about the true contents of food sourced from someone or someplace I do not personally know.

  • The week ended on a different note. I participated in a 2.5-hour conference call with a food policy workgroup I belong to. We were updating several agendas when a positive perspective emerged. A lot has changed in the past 5 years. Though there is a long way to go, a great deal has happened. Here is the not-all-together-bad-news, in no particular order:
  • Food deserts are being talked about with proactive results. Government incentives, private sector undertakings, philanthropic activities are creating solutions for supermarkets, slowly, but creatively. Green carts have entered the lexicon.
  • Enrollment in state/local programs that address hunger issues has been streamlined and made more user-friendly. And while farm bill politics and impacts are terrifying, incremental program change is good.
  • Food stamps are accepted in some farmers markets, a practice that should continue to spread, benefiting both shoppers as well as farmers.
  • Purchasing guidelines are changing to encourage the institutional buying of locally grown products.
  • School lunch is on the national agenda, with progress to report and a long and complex road to still travel.
  • Solutions to regional distribution and processing challenges are being developed and tested daily. Food hubs are a growing phenomenon, and increasingly evolving into solutions.
  • Farmers, while struggling on many fronts, are succeeding on others, with increased demand for their product, new sophistication on season extension, engaging in creating added-value products, and connecting to regional aggregation methods.
  • Obesity, while seemingly hard-wired into our broken health and food system, is being talked about in communities everywhere, engaging researchers, government officials, the healthcare community, educators, non-profits, and local communities.
  • The topic of food waste is “on the table,” a step in galvanizing action. The potential of collaborative solutions — farmers and food banks for example — is a good model to study and replicate.
  • Witness the enormous surge in interest in locally grown food and engagement in the question of “where did my food come from?”
  • Immigration and agricultural labor practices — so far from any meaningful resolution — is a topic of national debate.
  • Economics will dictate a shift in policy — we are beginning to see evidence of how better practices and policies are actually good for the bottom line. And as cynical as I am about big business greed and shortsightedness, I have reason to hope that change will happen.

There is a very very long way to go — in spite of real movement, the numbers of hungry, obese, food-insecure Americans continue to grow. Even if you are not hungry, there are serious issues you should worry about regarding food transparency and health and the environmental implication of food policies. Feeling angry and indignant over these issues is not uplifting and feeling good about what progress has been made doesn’t serve to counterbalance the frustration of the glacial speed of progress.

But the discussion is louder, the engagement is higher, the participants are galvanized and the change will happen. I will live with my discomfort and anger — it is the appetizer at every meal fueling my commitment to this fight and to being a part of a solution.