Mothership Meals and Satellite Saucers: Taco-licious

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Taco-licious

Tacos are the ultimate mothership meal, and the easiest one to understand. You put out some taco shells, and a mess of stuff. Every one gets a plate, and a taco. Let the stuffing begin.

For a long time tacos meant, to me, supermarket ground beef and those little MSG flavor packets that came in the El Paso taco family dinner packet. So it wasn't until my son was a preschooler that I made tacos, my way. I was amazed to watch my little four-year-old, one of the pickiest eaters known to civilization, systematically stuff his taco with almost every item of food I'd put out. Since then tacos have become a regular meal in our family. Okay, so my daughter still does not like tacos; she just eats the filling. The beauty of the Mothership Meal: that's okay.

Here are some of the things we use:

The Mothership: Taco shells (or soft whole-grain tortillas)

The Satellite Saucers:

Chicken or steak, cut into cubes. (Best if freshly grilled and diced. But no complaints if leftovers are used)
Guacamole
Grated cheese (cheddar, jack or queso fresco)
Diced tomatoes and onions tossed with corn, cilantro, lime juice and a dash of olive oil
Sliced radishes
Shredded lettuce
Hot sauce
Any other vegetables on hand that might be munched on by small children
Guacamole

1 clove garlic
1 tsp coarse sea salt
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1 avocado
1/2 tomato, finely diced

Use a mortar and pestle, if you have one, to pound the garlic and the salt. (If you don't have a mortar and pestle, chop the garlic finely, then use the flat side of the knife blade to smush the garlic into a paste. Add the lime and let sit for a few minutes; the lime will 'cook' the garlic. Add the avocado and mash with the pestle, or a fork, until not quite smooth. (Never use a food processor! And never refrigerate guacamole. Sorry, but you must eat it all the night you make it.) Add diced tomatoes and serve immediately.

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The Mothership Method

(Or, how to sit down for dinner with your family without completely losing your mind)

It would be great if kids AND parents wanted boiled chicken and baby carrots every night for dinner. But, too bad, we picky parents want spicy, exotic, fun foods, and our kids want, well, sorta lame foods.
Here's the solution: break it down. Serve the dish deconstructed, and let everyone put their own dish together at the table. Sort of like tapas, or smorgasbord, or tacos. Or how in some parts of China you get a bowl of rice, and everything else is in the middle of the table and you take what you want for your own little bowl of rice. That way everyone gets to eat what they want, parents don't have to nag their kids, and kids get to feels some ownership over their meals. Plus, kids get exposed to the look and taste of the foods you hope they will one day love. But it's not just tacos. You'll be amazed at what can be served with the Mothership Method.

Ten Tips to Get Through Dinner Without Having A Nervous Breakdown

1. Accept That Kids Are Picky. No need to freak out on your cooking ability, or look at your kids like there is something wrong with them. It's called "neo-phobia", and it's just how they are, especially from ages 3-6.

2. Serve Meals Broken Down. Even grown-up meals like coconut curry or linguine with clams can be served in their elements, making them more appealing to kids. Grown ups can assemble their own jumble of deliciousness at their own plate while kids take on the pared-down elements.

3. Push if it Works, But Don't Nag If It Doesn't. Some kids are okay with being expected to taste everything on their plate. Others aren't. I think it's okay to push kids -- but not if you're turning dinner into a battlefield.

4. Suggest a Smell. Smelling a new food is easier than tasting it, and can sometimes provide a kid with the information needed to take that scary first bite. But don't confine smelling to new foods. Smell favorites, too, and help them develop their sense of smell by making a game out of it.

5. Don't Ask "Do You Like It?" Instead, try, "What does this remind you of?" or, "Would your cousins like this?" or, "Does this taste salty or sweet?". Asking if they like it or not gives kids too much power and ends the conversation. Besides, we don't care if they like it! We just want them to keep tasting it until it is familiar.

6. Don't Get Frustrated. Imagine being in Taiwan, or Nairobi, or Rome for the first time. Would you eat everything on the local menu? New foods are scary and gross. Our kids need time to learn about the foods that we eat.

7. No SubstitutionsThis is family dinner, not a diner. You, in all your wisdom, have provided foods that are healthy and delicious and appropriate for your children. There is something on the table for them to eat. Period.

8. No Snacks Before Dinner. This can be the hardest with our hectic schedules and hungry kids. But children who come to the table hungry are more likely to eat than cause trouble.

9. Put Peer Pressure To Your Advantage. School children are more likely to accept new foods if the alpha girls in their group accept them. Swap healthy food ideas on playdates.

10. Involve Your Kids In Cooking, Shopping, and Gardening. The more experience kids have handling and preparing a variety of foods, the more likely they are to eventually accept the foods. (But don't get upset if they help you make a complicated wonderful meal, and then refuse to eat it.)