How to Make Healthy Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice for Kids

Growing up, our family rarely ate out. Instead, we would eat Chinese or Taiwanese food at home. On the occasions we did go out, we would eat Chinese or Taiwanese food at a Chinese or Taiwanese restaurant. Once a year, as a special treat for my birthday, we would go out to Red Lobster and I would order popcorn shrimp. 

Oddly enough, now that I can choose whatever I care to eat, I often choose Asian cuisine. Perhaps Asian flavors are comforting to me because they remind me of my childhood.  Or perhaps Asian food is just simply some of the best food out there. Although I hate to admit it, perhaps my parents were right all along. 

One of my favorite childhood dishes was Asian fried rice. I used to shovel spoonfuls of the stuff into my mouth. Now that I make an effort to lead a relatively low glycemic lifestyle, I no longer eat rice regularly. One great low carb substitute for rice is cauliflower rice. Recently, I tried an Asian style cauliflower rice. Pulsed in a food processor, the cauliflower "rice grains" soaked up the soy sauce, making for a very fine substitute for Asian fried rice. The kids loved this dish, happily shoveling spoonfuls of the stuff into their mouths. 

https://youtu.be/A2lvndw3RBs

How to Get Kids to Eat Healthy Blanched Vegetables : Crudité Dip

My first born just graduated from preschool. We attended his graduation ceremony, which was complete with cap and gowns, celebratory necklaces, and diplomas. Never mind that Colin went back to the same preschool the very next day, or that he will continue to attend preschool for the next three months before Kindergarten actually starts. That's besides the point.

The point is that my first born graduated from preschool! This is the same kid that would greet me in the mornings with a fresh bowel movement in his diaper. This is the same kid that couldn't even hold the weight of his own head up. This is the same kid that I would hold with one arm like a football. This is the same kid who would call out for me in the middle of the night due to night terrors. And now he's graduating preschool?!?

Over the years, I have seen my son evolve from an infant, to a toddler, to an adolescent. I am proud of many things, but I am most proud of his emotional growth. He used to pout when he went to piano or tennis lessons, and now he goes happily. He used to throw colossal tantrums on a regular basis and now he throws them on a semi-regular basis. He used to stubbornly demand his way all the time. Now, when he doesn't get his way, he has the emotional maturity to self talk his way into believing he got his way. 

I've noticed how his emotional growth has translated into being a more adventurous eater as well. He used to absolutely refuse to try new foods. Now, he knows that we expect him to just try things at least once. Often, he surprises himself when he learns that new foods aren't all that bad. 

Recently, I made a crudité with a roasted garlic aioli dip. Thanks to our friend Kris, for introducing me to crudité!  Typically, Colin doesn't like bell peppers. But I found some sweet mini peppers and I made him try them. I saw him process the taste of the peppers and determine they weren't bad after all. I didn't push him further because I knew we had accomplished what we needed to. I am sure that the next time he sees the mini bell peppers, he won't refuse them. These are the small victories that make me a proud papa. Happy Father's Day!

https://youtu.be/VsahEKbxL-0

How to Make the Perfect Healthy Bite For Kids : Best Meatball Ever

We took the kids to see a free concert by Rachel Platten at Tysons Corner this Friday. Rachel Platten became famous for her hit, the Fight Song. I didn't know what to expect but I figured it was worth going since it was a free concert, the weather was gorgeous, and did I mention it was a free concert?

Despite being a free concert, I was really impressed with Rachel Platten. She was ebullient and energetic on stage and she seemed genuinely happy to be there. She was an excellent stage performer and she sang with control and power. You can tell how good an artist is when you listen to them live since their pitch is exposed. She sang completely in tune and she sang completely within herself.

The most poignant part of the concert came at the end, when she shared how much The Fight Song meant to her. Up until the Fight Song, it was clear she had led the life of a struggling artist. She shared her struggles with self doubt and what she called, "the demons inside her head." Clearly very talented, the Fight Song was not just a symbolic fight, but emblematic of her own fight to succeed. Ironically, the song that was all about her own fight to succeed was also the song that ultimately brought her success.

I can relate to Rachel Platten, as I have had my own struggles. I have been on a long and seemingly endless pursuit for the perfect bite. My road has been frustrating and arduous. There have been dead ends and blind alleys. But all the while, I kept fighting, until, until, I came across this recipe for meatballs. This Asian meatball combines protein, vegetable, fat, herbs, salt, and umami all into one bite.  And not just any bite…the perfect bite.

https://youtu.be/aobsCc-ycvs

How to Make Healthy Gluten Free Grain Free Cheesy Cauliflower Bread Sticks for Kids

Last weekend, we took the kids to feed the birds at Roer's Zoofari in Vienna. Some people might protest about the price of admission at Roer's Zoofari (formerly the Reston Zoo), particularly when the National Zoo is free. Those people would be me. However, Roer's Zoofari has a lot of advantages, making the price admission totally worth it. It is less crowded than the National Zoo, parking is free, there are plenty of shady respites, and it is on flat, level ground. 

But the most unique aspect of Roer's Zoofari is the up close and personal interaction with the animals. Ordinarily, I would have been too cheap to purchase animal feed, but thanks to Groupon, I purchased discounted tickets that included animal feed and feeding sticks. It's a good thing too, because it turns out that animals, much like humans, are drawn to food.

Colin loved having the goats literally eat out of the palm of his hand. Budgie stick in hand, he squealed in delight as the birds would flock to him and land on his shoulder. Cailya had a slightly more traumatizing experience, as you'll see in the video for this week. Although she found the birds overwhelming, she really enjoyed the wagon ride. More like a safari, the wagon ride was a truly memorable and unexpected experience for a zoo located in the middle of the suburbs. 

Although it may not seem like it, feeding your kids can be as fun as feeding the birds. But leave the breadcrumbs to the birds and try this recipe for cheesy cauliflower "breadsticks". Your kids will love pulling these cheesy breadsticks apart and gobbling them down. 

https://youtu.be/NGcvLZE3nTs

How to Make Healthy Strawberry Pineapple Paletas With No Added Sugar For Kids

I've decided to give it all up. I'm going to close up my clinic and start an infinitely more lucrative business. That's right, I'm going to open up a popsicle stand! The other day, we were out on a walk with our kids and we came across a cart selling Mexican popsicles called paletas. Oh, excuse me, not just any popsicle, GOURMET popsicles! Do you know what the difference is between regular popsicles and gourmet popsicles? About three dollars. These gourmet pops sold for four dollars a pop!

Another important distinction about paletas that does justify the four dollar price tag is they typically contain real fruit, rather than refined sugar water. You do have to be careful though, because often these fruit popsicles are made up of a combination of fruit and added sugar.

Recently, the efforts of multiple obesity organizations have paid off with the announcement that the FDA plans to update requirements for nutrition labels. One major breakthrough is they will be requiring food manufacturers to note how many added sugars their products contain. This is a tremendous development that will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the health and well-being of Americans. The additional line noting "added sugars" helps distinguish healthful natural sugars that are low in glycemic index like fruit and dairy sugars, from added refined sugars that are high in glycemic index like table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

I scoured the internet for healthy recipes for paletas. Many recipes do add sugar, which is a shame. I found that you can easily make your own paletas with just two ingredients: whole fruit and lime juice. Pineapple works very well and is naturally sweet without added sugars. I made strawberry lime pineapple paletas and strawberry coconut lime paletas for the kids and they loved them. In order to sweeten the strawberries a little, I added a few figs. Now I just need to take my paletas on the road and charge an unconscionable markup. Palteas! Get your ice cold paletas!

https://youtu.be/4KuGaoXuMBk

How to Make Healthy Baked Apple Oatmeal for Kids

Cassie took Colin on a dream trip to LEGOLAND this past week. That left Cailya with dear old dad. Every now and again, we split the kids up like this. It's an arrangement that works out for everybody. The kids have no one to argue with, plus they get the exclusive attention of one parent all to themselves. In fact, taking care of just one kid is so comparatively easy, I would even go so far as to say it is delightful.

So, while Colin was off meeting LEGO batman, I painted Cailya's nails, baked her apple oatmeal, and took her to the mall. As we walked through the mall, I noticed people looked at us with warmth and admiration. This is in stark contrast to the fear and disdain we usually receive as a family of four with two screaming toddlers. For some reason, people really seem to respond to the image of a father taking care of his daughter. I don't know if it's simply endearing to watch a grown man clumsily attempt to tie his daughter's hair into a ponytail, but there is something special about the relationship between a father and his daughter.

In many ways, raising a daughter is like a budding romance. There's the thrill when she reaches her hand out to grasp mine. There's the pride of taking her out and taking care of her. There's the inevitable emotional outbursts when I fail to meet her every expectation. I remember what friends said when they learned Cassie was pregnant with Cailya. "Oh you are going to adore having a little girl!" Daddy daughter weeks like these remind me that those friends were absolutely right.

https://youtu.be/vIrv982fCgM

How to Make Healthy Low Carb Chicken Nachos for Kids

Sometimes I feel sorry for Colin because his primary role model of virility and masculinity is, well, me. I'm not exactly a macho, macho man. I prefer musicals to bars. I would rather talk about cuisine than about cars. And I have no interest in partaking in a pissing contest with other guys over cigars. 

Still, I'd like to think that Colin will appreciate having this male figure in his life. I'd like him to observe that the man of the house takes out the trash. I'd like him to appreciate the honest sweat that comes from mowing your own lawn. Hopefully he'll be observant when I make an effort to take care of his mom, and maybe that will translate into him taking care of his sister or significant other some day. 

So while I'm not so macho, I am the kind of male role model for Colin that I know how to be. I'm a not so macho nacho man who loves making and eating these low carb chicken nachos. And that's good enough for me. 

https://youtu.be/D_DAQnnnC8s