Farmer's Market Fun

Vegetables.  They get such a bad rap sometimes.  They're often treated as a chore, or worse yet, a punishment.  More commonly describe as "bland" or "bitter" or simply the, "Oh no thank you, I'll pass on that" dish at the table, vegetables are often the afterthought of a meal and grossly underestimated.

So, my own challenge has become this: How can I introduce a variety of vegetables to our almost one-year old in  a way that won't traumatize her palate or discourage her from becoming a veggie lover?

I'm a firm believer that the earlier you start kids off in life with introducing the world of vegetables, the more apt they'll be to trying them and actually enjoying them! 

What better place to start than your local farmer's market? 

We headed there this past week to choose from the local fare.  Though I know Celeste is still to young to understand, I hope to introduce her to seasonal, local eating and teach her about nutrition with a spirit of curiosity and adventurousness, rather than skepticism.

Right as we turned the corner, I laid eyes on the most lovely bunches of Rainbow Swiss Chard I have ever seen.  Though Chard may be sneered upon for its astringent taste, there are increasing studies which reveal its unsurpassed health benefits such as a blood sugar stabilizer, supporter of bone health, and anti-inflammatory benefits...not to mention a rich source of antioxidants!  Yeah baby!  We definitely picked up a bunch to cook at home.

So we have this vegetable...now what to do with it?  It's actually a lot less complicated than one might think.  Simply chop the leaves into inch-wide strips (discarding the toughest end parts of the stalks, saute in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of red-pepper flakes, cover and cook for about 5 minutes!

 I finished it with salt and pepper to taste and a small amount of butter. Delicious!  But the true verdict was up to a pint-sized eater, who was about to taste chard for the first time....
And she....

....ate it willingly and seemingly enjoyed it!  Seriously though...no forcing was involved!

Hopefully I can keep introducing new veggies to her evolving taste buds.  Maybe next time it'll be parsnips?