Props to Pops
>> Saturday, April 24, 2010
The last time I posted, I noticed my dad (Pops to his grandkids) is a follower of this blog. I realized how much of an influence my dad has been on my cooking. He cooked quite a bit while I was growing up and I loved most of what I had. Watching and helping him, I learned to take risks and be adventurous when cooking. To try new combinations, new seasonings to see what comes of it. So, whether you are more artistic and inclined to the creative process or more scientific and inclined to the trial and error of experimentation, try new things, new foods, new ways to prepare, new seasonings. It is food for the soul.
As a kid, I remember my mom serving pickled beets. I hated them. Having never had beets any other way, I decided for many years that I hated beets. I decided recently to try them another way -- roasted. I was hesitant, even up to the point of sitting with them prepared on my plate, ready to be eaten. But I want to set an example to my kids of trying new things and of eating a variety of healthy food so I gave it a go. As it turns out, they are pretty good -- kind of sweet like carrots, with only a hint of flavor reminiscent of those pickled disks from when I was a kid. Definitely worth having again.
One day recently, we had only one hour between places to be, things to do. Seemed there was little option besides fast food. With some planning, I managed the little option. We had a picnic of fried chicken and veggie filled pasta salad. The weather didn't cooperate for eating at the nearby park, but we managed a healthy family dinner in the car.
Another day we had an asian treat with teriyaki chicken using a similar sauce to what I used on the salmon. I baked the chicken thighs at 425 for a while to get the chicken mostly cooked and the skin a little crispy so I could pour alot of the fat off. Then brushed on the sauce for the last 10 minutes of cooking. I served it with a stirfry of bok choy, carrots, onion, broccoli, mushrooms, garlic and whole grain thin spaghetti. Yum! You could add meat, cannelloni beans or tofu to the stirfry if you like. Add broth for a healthy soup.
