Sometimes Simple, Sometimes Grand, Always Declicious
Asian veggie pasta is one of those rare dishes that I consider to have “the trifecta effecta” going for it. And just what do I mean by the trifecta effecta? Allow me to explain. It covers the three big aspirations for any fare you put together.
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This past weekend Scott took me out to a nice dinner, just the two of us, to celebrate my birthday. We enjoyed a thoroughly delicious Greek inspired meal, as well as each other, with no kids for the first time since our trip to New York last August.
It’s amazing how when you spend so much time being parents, once you finally are given the opportunity to be a couple again, you’re not quite sure how to handle it. Sometimes finding topics to talk about other than the kids can be a challenge. I, however, being the mom to three boys that I am, quickly remedied that problem with a drink called a cream soda; and no I’m not talking about the old time soda shop cream soda. It was a mixture of Absolut Vanilia and Ginger Ale. And let me tell ya, I’ll take that version of cream soda any day of the week. It was a bit like going back to that fated soda shop only the shop keeper decided to spike my soda with something warm and fuzzy. Thank you very much Mr. shop keeper. Not to mention how adult it is; an absolute reminder that behind that rather expansive curtain of parenthood, Scott and I are indeed still a married couple at heart.
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Quick question; how many times a week do you eat dinner around the table as a family?
Studies have shown that eating together does so much more than just supply us with food. It gets us off of our computers and away from our tv’s, it causes us to eat healthier foods because we know what we’re putting into our bodies, and most importantly it helps us to reconnect, listen, and talk with one another as a family unit; a concept that seems to be falling by the wayside in today’s society with our busy, over-scheduled lifestyles.
Did you know…
Statistics sourced from The Family Dinner.
I don’t know about you, but for me, those are some sobering statistics. The only way we’re going to change them is by taking back the responsibility for our food and our families. This is one of those topics that I feel really passionate about. Our family has already begun to make changes that have benefited us as a family. We make it a point to always have dinner together at the same time every night, we limit ourselves to eating fast food no more than a few times a year, and we make a concerted effort to talk to each other at dinner and learn more about the people around our table. The rewards are so worth the effort, I promise you!
If this topic sounds as interesting to you as it does to me, then hop on over to The Motherhood today at 1pm Eastern where myself and a handful of other talented food bloggers will be co-hosting a talk with Laurie David, author of The Family Dinner.
Laurie has put together an amazing book detailing;
I can truly say that I was riveted from the minute I opened it and I’m sure you will be too. I hope you’ll join us!
On to sweet potato yum. So named because my kids took one bite of this and the first words out of their mouth were “Yum!” Even Nicholas, my oldest, who doesn’t care for sweet potatoes gave this a thumbs up. Now that’s saying something. Here’s what you need to grab to make up a quick batch of this sweet potato goodness.
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First up, a special thanks again to Anne for sharing her space with me yesterday. Let’s here it for Anne of Annie Bakes! Second up, because we had a few issues with pictures yesterday over on Anne’s site, I’ve gone ahead and published the complete recipe over here as well. You can find it directly before today’s post. Hopefully that will help all the wanna be Indian food cooking chefs out there that were hoping for a little step by step assistance (you know who you are).
Alright, let’s move on. We’ve got the rice, now let’s get to the good stuff. Today we’re going to whip up a batch of daal. Daal is considered to be a southern Indian tomato based lentil or bean dish and is typically served with rice and bread. I chose to make mine with chickpeas; Yumazing!!, as my good friend Sommer over at A Spicy Perspective would say (check out her blog after finishing here to see why!).
There is a touch of spice in this dish, but not too much to stop my 17th month old from eating two helpings of the stuff; he loved it!
Feel free to adjust the heat level to accommodate children and adults alike.
Let’s get to it!
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When Anne asked me if I’d guest blog for her I didn’t even have to stop and think about it. My immediate response was absolutely! I fell in love with Anne’s blog from the moment I stumbled upon it. Her recipes are always delicious, creative and easy enough for even beginner cooks to assemble and enjoy. And then there’s Anne. She’s witty, smart, fun and one of the nicest people you’ll have the pleasure of meeting. I love that Anne lives in the same place I grew up vacationing to as a child. We’ve shared several personal connections along the way that have helped to make her into the awesome blogging friend that she is to me today. Thanks so much for welcoming me to your blog Anne!
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So today’s the day we start cooking up an Indian feast. Is everyone ready to experience a taste of the far East? I’m starting out day one of this series with a guest post over at Anniebakes. You can read the story behind the meals here and then head over to Anne’s to grab up a copy of the recipe!
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