Vegetables for dinner

Totally frustrated the other day with the sheer amount of bread/carbs being eaten in my home, I served for dinner: vegetables with a side of vegetables. No, I'm not kidding. Yes, I think James nearly called for pizza.

Colin has my sensitive digestion and needs vegetables, even if he doesn't want them. He's pretty good about eating them if I serve them, though. James eats his meat and potatoes first, then pushes around his vegetables while eating about half, since that's all that's left on the plate. Caleb can go days without eating vegetables, if I don't watch him like a hawk. Me, I love fruits and vegetables. There's nothing like a fruit platter or a huge salad. Of course, these weren't always my favs, so I give my family a little latitude.

So often they just aren't getting enough, and that's my area. Part of my job description is healthy eating for all, which I take very seriously. Hey - I didn't plant that garden in the back out of sheer pleasure, folks. Not my idea of fun, but I acknowledge its addition to a healthy eating plan.

So the other day I pulled out every vegetable left in the fridge. I chopped everything, then steamed the hard vegetables (broccoli, beans, carrots) and warmed the softer ones (corn, peas, peppers) and through in some black beans to fill it up a little. Topped with some Italian dressing, I served up nice big bowls of this "summer stew" to everyone. Me, I loved it! Everyone else ate it because there was nothing else. Caleb picked at it, then ate it simply because there was a promised dessert.

I have told everyone that if I continue to put vegetable scraps into the compost after lunch and dinner that they can expect vegetable dinners on a more regular basis.

I am the vegetable mom!