I want to feed my family healthy, wholesome and heart-warming food. My children, however, don't always appreciate my culinary gestures and would prefer I drive them through the local fast food joint. But fast food does not float my boat -- either in taste or nutrition. Luckily for me and unluckily for my children -- I like to cook.
I also worry about food waste; both from an environmental and financial standpoint. Our chickens will eat quite a bit of organic waste though I do avoid feeding them meat. Nonetheless we throw out too much food -- leftovers gone bad, etc.
This week we've had a few unanticipated expenses and are therefore tightening the purse strings. This means making do with what we've got and using those left overs to boot.
My children, again, are less than pleased with this arrangement. After school yesterday they were STARVING and we had NOTHING to eat, NOTHING!
As the angry masses circled I peered into the pantry. What to feed this fussy crew? Hmmm -- chick peas and tahini. Hummus! But what to serve it with? The celery in the fridge was clearly past it's prime and we didn't have any chips or crackers. But I did spy in the back corner of the fridge a package corn tortillas. Ah ha! Chips!
The tortillas were cut into triangles, sprayed with cooking spray, salted and lightly doused with chili powder. They were then baked in a 350 degree oven on a silpat covered cookie sheet until crisp.
The hummus was a free for all. Two cans of garbanzo beans, a healthy spoonful of tahini, some basil from the windowsill, a couple of cloves of garlic and a 1/4 cup or so of plain yogurt. I also add a touch of olive oil until it was the consistency I wanted. Oh yes and a pinch or two of salt. All whirled in the food processor. If I'd had a lemon I would have used it. I didn't have a lemon and did not to fret about it.
As I was making the chips Little came by and asked if she could have a tortilla which she immediately grabbed and then frowned at. "I do NOT like this kind of tortilla!" she said haughtily and stomped away. When the chips came out of the oven, however, she was the first one to proclaim their deliciousness.
Chalk one up for Mama; a thrifty, healthy *and* tasty snack borne from nothing. Can't beat that.
xo.
2 comments:
bravo! my junk food loving children love hummus as well. its one of the few healthier options we can all agree on.
(and don't you hate it when STARVING children complain about how there is NOTHING to eat as they look into a kitchen stocked with healthy (albeit not very fun) food. :)
Yes indeed! My children hardly know what starving really is!
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