The other day I was having an email conversation with a client and I decided it really needed to be a blog post because the content was hilarious and I know it speaks to a universal struggle in the kitchen. How do we please EVERYONE? Most of you know my white-on-white stories because you have been following my food adventures for a while. My husband and I have very different palates. Sometimes our meals intersect with a green salad (as long as it isn’t too green) or with vegetables from the garden. Hint: if you want your family to eat more vegetables, grow them. Magic.
But more often than I like to admit, we have two completely different meals. As much as possible I will, at the very least, try to find a ‘complement’ to his meal. (Note: I said complement, NOT compliment). For example, on ‘taco night’ I make wraps.
At least we’re both eating with our fingers.
My husband’s taco recipe:
1. Go to salad bar and fill plastic container with shredded cheese, tomatoes and lettuce.
2. Place above ingredients in little taco shell boats (made with genetically modified corn, I’m sure of it).
3. Warm taco boats in the toaster oven until cheese melts and gets all gooey.
4. Top with bottled taco sauce (don’t even look at the label) and enjoy.
My wraps:
photo and recipe from wholeliving.com
Or, I do lettuce wraps with whatever I have on hand. This week I made hummus two ways (his & hers) and filled my lettuce wraps with hummus, thinly sliced carrots and radishes, multi-colored pepper strips, and arugula because that’s what I had in the fridge.
Hummus (two ways)
1 pound dried chickpeas
4 garlic cloves, crushed
8 tablespoons tahini paste
extra virgin olive oil to taste
⅔ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅓ to ½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
roasted red pepper (optional)
1. Rinse the dry chickpeas and soak in filtered water with ½ teaspoon baking soda for 10 hours (or over night).
2. Rinse chickpeas thoroughly in a strainer.
3. Place chickpeas in a pot with 6 cups water (enough to cover the chick peas by about an inch) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook chickpeas, covered, at low heat for about one hour. Check them at 45 minutes to see if they are soft. If a chick pea crushes easily in your fingers and feels smooth, it’s ready to be blended into hummus.
4. Once the chickpeas are cooked, and while still warm, add them to a food processor with ½ to 1 cup warm water and pulse for a 3-5 minutes.
5. Add salt and garlic, followed by tahini paste.
6. Slowly add the lemon juice and let the food processor run for a couple minutes more. Taste the to see if the hummus needs any more salt or lemon juice.
Optional: At this point I take half of the traditional hummus out of the food processor for my beloved and add some roasted red peppers to the remaining half for me.
And, if you’re interested in a raw zucchini hummus you can download a copy of my No Longer Asleep at the Meal ebook right here.
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17 thoughts on “His & Hers (Parallel Play at the Table)”
Sounds like my house Sue Ann…lots of things are made “two ways” and often two separate meals. I make sweet potato hummus which is SO divine.
I want that recipe, Dana! xxoo
We could write a book with chapters like, “Clever ways to hide capers.” LOL
Ha, ha, love that, Russ. Seriously, that could be an anthology!
Sue Ann, this really struck a chord with me! I usually make 3 different meals every dinner time. My husband and oldest son will usually eat the same thing, invariably meat based, not too much veg/salad, must be moist (sauce, gravy, dressings). My youngest son eats a narrow but healthy-ish range of foods, sometimes veggie based, no red meat, only chicken or fish, no sauce, everything must be ‘visible’, so nothing hidden in a sauce, or gravy, and textures must err towards crunchy/dry, but yes to dressings. By the time I have made dinner for everyone that they will actually eat, I usually have a poached egg and spinach, or throw a salad together. X
Penny, one of my favorite books is Dinner, A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach. In it she draws a little venn diagram showing where her family intersects at a meal. It’s hilarious. And true. Check it out:
http://www.dinneralovestory.com/book-club-what-to-discuss-what-to-eat/
As much as I hate to admit it, I now have a real craving for your hubby’s tacos! 😀 Though of course, I’m incapable of not looking at labels, and I refuse to buy GMO corn, so the feasibility of it is another matter… And I’d have to add a tin or two of organic sweetcorn as well, there’s nothing quite like sweetcorn drenched in taco sauce, haha! I used to eat tacos all the time when I lived in Oslo, there was an amazing place tucked away at the central train station that sold the most droolworthy tacos you can imagine. I could’ve cried the day I visited and found they had closed down. Don’t actually think I’ve had traditional tacos since then… Food memories, eh? Apparently, since I left Norway, tacos have become a Friday night staple, and ‘Friday tacos’ has become synonymous with something predictable and boring… How bizarre is that? 😉
I think a well-made taco is delightful, Neens. My favorite are fish tacos with avocado, lime and pico de gallo. Admittedly that’s not the kind of taco my husband would enjoy but it’s worth a try!
Your description of the taco bar had me laughing out loud! Those wraps…I’ve got to make them. And roasted red pepper hummus is my favorite. I’ve been eating that with akmak crackers and Sicilian-spiced olives for lunch.
You had me at Sicilian-spiced olives. Yum. xxoo
It’s the challenge of every mother to figure out how to make meals that will (mostly) please most of the people at the table. At times like this, I remember that the men in my life can sometimes count as one of the kids, such is the reaction to the bits they don’t like.
I love the concept of parallel meals…something I do but didn’t really name: Grilled fish alongside a steak, cook 3 vegetables with the aim that everyone will eat at least one of them – I eat all 3.
You’re so right, Cathy. About the veggies AND the ‘big’ kids at the table. xxoo
You blogs always make me smile and makes my mouth water!! I love the lettuce wraps. Thanks for sharing. 😉
Thanks for stopping by Helen! I can’t purchase a mango without thinking of those wraps! xxoo
Great post! These days it seems a lot of families eat different meals. We also try to have a theme within meals, but I think it is beautiful making it work and still having meals together. I love your ideas and the recipe sounds wonderful. I will definitely have to try it out!
Thanks, Cathy. Enjoy. xxoo
yes, mealtimes can be interesting with so many varied tastes and reactions. my family of 4 (and sometime 5 when my dad is over) agree fairly often on food items. but there are definitely moments . . . i usually plan the menu one week ahead and check with everyone about its content. and each member has a chance to prepare one meal as well.