Here is a great article about how pleasure, enjoyment and positive associations create a healthy diet (by eating a wider variety of foods, especially whole ones).
It explains how our tastes are shaped initially, are very individual (by genes - i.e. the bitter "super taster", and exposure) and can change over time. I especially agree with the no-pressure approach mentioned - providing tastes but never insisting and the show-don't tell approach - if you truly enjoy fresh, whole and a variety of foods, your kids, spouse, friends etc. will be more comfortable trying them too.
I see this time and again in my kid's cooking classes with Sprouting Chefs. Just yesterday our 9 and 10 year olds cooked up a fabulous potato and arugula pizza and potato pancake lunch using spuds grown by Ms. Zimmerman's grade 4 class at Cherry Hill Elementary in Mission. One of the boys refused the potato pancakes, only to come back 10 minutes later claiming he "didn't get any potato pancakes". Watching his friends rave about them probably made him wonder what he was missing. He was the first to ask for seconds too. Positive peer pressure at it's finest.
I was also super impressed to see 90% of the kids eating their pizzas topped with the arugula - a peppery, slightly bitter green. Never assume kids will eat only "kid's food" - whatever that is. Kids are learning how to eat like adults - so let them have the experiences they need to do just that.
Here's the recipe for that fabulous potato pizza. You can use a store-bought base to save time. Look for a product with a short ingredients list. If you avoid gluten like me – try Pamela’s Gluten Free Pancake and Baking Mix. The bag has a recipe for pizza dough and makes 2 really delicious, chewy thin 6 to 8” crusts. You can freeze one for another day.
Finally - save prep time by using a mandoline. You can buy a cheap plastic one for around $10. I use mine all the time. It's super useful.
Rosemary Potato Pizza
Pizza Dough:
Starter
½ cup All purpose flour
2 cups Warm water
2 tsp Dry yeast
1 tbsp Honey
Combine the flour through honey in a bowl. When mixture begins to bubble move on to next step.
Dough
4 cups All purpose flour
1 cup Multi grain or whole grain or rye flour
1 tbsp Sea salt
4 tbsp Olive oil
In a large bowl measure flour and salt. Whisk to add air.
Add the starter to a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil. Mix. Add dry ingredients 1 cup at a time and mix well with wooden spoon after each addition until mixture forms a ball and comes away from the bowl in a clean way. You may or may not need to add more flour depending on the weather (humidity)! When ball forms, take out of bowl and knead with the palms of your hands. Fold the dough in half towards you, press down with your palms away from you, fold over again, and repeat for 5 minutes. Add a bit of flour to keep the dough from sticking but do not add too much and make the dough too dry.
Let rest and rise until the dough is double in size. 1 to 3 hours.
Topping Ingredients:
2 handfuls Rocket or Arugula Leaves
50 Gr. Parmesan Cheese (optional)
4 stalks Rosemary
4 to 6 small New Potatoes
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 tsp Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Preheat oven to 450F.
Rinse arugula and dry well in a salad spinner or roll up the leaves in a tea towel. Keep cold in a fridge until ready to use so they don’t wilt.
Meanwhile, prepare the toppings. Set out the cutting board. Shave pieces of parmesan cheese, using either a grater or peeler. Strip rosemary needles from stems and reserve leaves. Slice potatoes very thinly using a mandolin. Add sliced potatoes to large bowl with rosemary, olive oil, salt and paper. Toss and mix together with hands until lightly coated in oil. Oil the pizza pans with olive oil.
Press out the dough, 1 batch per tray until the dough reaches the edges and is all the same thickness. Arrange slices of potatoes on the dough overlapping as you go and sprinkling with grated parmesan (optional) leaving some for the end.
Drizzle the pizza with the last of the oil and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are very crusty and golden and the cheese is bubbling.
Once done, transfer the pizza onto a large cutting board and cut into 8 to 12 pieces.
Serve topped with a handful of the fresh arugula. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil if you like.
I promise you this combo is a million times better than it sounds! Amazing. Seriously. I know what I'm having for dinner.
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