Garden Zucchini, Corn and Tomato Sauté with Goat Cheese
This is a blog about kids and food, right? But this recipe doesn’t quite seem like a ‘kid friendly’ side dish does it? And that is exactly why I have included it here. The point being that there is no such thing as kid food. Food is food, for the whole family. The more we stick to food that is thought of as traditional ‘kid friendly’ the more we discourage our kids from trying new flavours. The more variety we offer our children, and the more flavours and textures we introduce to them, the more likely it is that they will become healthy and happy eaters. At our table, there is one meal for everyone. I always make sure that there is plenty of variety on the table so that if the main dish is not a hit with someone at the table, they still have something to eat. I don’t cater to different tastes and preferences, the same meal is served to everyone and everyone gets to choose what they want to eat and what they want to leave behind, even my two year old. I know that sounds like a lot of responsibility for a two year old but by allowing him to pick and choose what he wants to eat from what is offered, I am giving him control over his preferences as well as his hunger and fullness cues, all important in developing a positive relationship with food. There is no pressure to eat what is on the table, no pressure to try just one bite, even positive reinforcement may seem like pressure to a little one. And if there is anything that will make a toddler, preschooler and even a big kid down right refuse a food, or do anything at all for that matter, is having their parent asking them to do it. They like to be in control and are very content doing the exact opposite of what we ask them to do. So we keep quiet on the issue of trying anything on the table, just by the food being on the table, there is an invitation to try it and they are in control of doing so or not.
So … is this veggie side dish a “kid friendly” recipe, you bet! As is everything else. It doesn’t have to be a chicken nugget and fries kind of dinner to be a hit with little ones. With continous exposure many kids eventually end up trying a new food. For some kids it takes longer than others and those with very selective eating habits and sensory issues, it may seem impossible. They may just need more time getting there, or a little outside guidance to do it. Don’t shy away from trying new foods out of fear that your kids will turn up their noses. First off, you never know how they will respond and secondly, the more variety they see and the more it is offered, the more likely they are to eat it.
By the way, this dish was a hit with the kids! Everyone was excited to eat zucchini and tomatoes from the garden and especially loved the sweetness from the corn and tang from the goat cheese. Go figure!
Hope you have some adventurous kiddos at home who will be willing to give this sauté a chance!
Garden Zucchini, Corn and Tomato Sauté with Goat Cheese
Serves 5
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large zucchini, cut into thin slices
1 tomato, diced
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 basil leaf, chiffonade
2 tbsp goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare, measure and chop all ingredients
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat
Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent
Add zucchini and tomato to skillet and sauté for ~15 minutes until both vegetables are cooked through
Add corn and basil, season with salt and pepper
Top with sprinkle of goat cheese before serving