it is so confusing to me how one week the kids will love one food, and despise it the next. it is all so random and probably not even about the food, but about power instead. 

last night, i made a super-duper fabulous coconut milk & shrimp stir-fry, which bear refused to eat. as soon as he got to the table he started his repetitive dialogue of “i hate this”, “i don’t like this”, which is a pretty common mantra around here recently. but, it’s frustrating because last week he gobbled up a similar stir-fry. all week he’s been at his rude, and last night, well, i had had it. i told me very calmly that it was time for him to change his attitude, eat up and be grateful. he didn’t take my suggestion, so he was sent to his room.

i quite enjoyed the stir-fry and am happy to share the recipe with you!

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium yellow onion
2 carrots
1 large handful kale
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 block of firm tofu
3 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 braggs soy sauce
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp oregano
1 sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper
1 package of pre-cooked frozen shrimp* (i took the tails off, as it’s easier for the kids)
1 can coconut milk

brown rice (how ever much you like to eat!)


DIRECTIONS:

1. chop onions, cube tofu and carrots into desired sizes. finely chop garlic and chop up kale.
2. start cooking your rice in a separate pot.
3. heat sesame oil in your wok or pan on a medium heat. do not over heat.
4. add onions and keep stirring until lightly browned.
5. add garlic and salt.
6. add tofu and braggs/ soy sauce. the pan will steam and spatter  if it does this, turn your heat down. keep stirring the tofu so that it doesn’t stick or burn.
6. add carrots, turmeric, oregano and cumin.
7. let the ingredients stew together. if you have lid for your pan, put that on. 
8. once the ingredients look nicely browned, softened and cooked, add coconut milk and shrimp. stir thoroughly.
9. let the sauce stew on a low temperature for a while. 
10. serve the shrimp coconut sauce on rice.

*check the thawing instructions on your shrimp package. i tossed my shrimp in a colander and ran them under cool water.

i personally love me a good stir- fry. look at all of the beautiful colours and textures; makes me hungry just looking at the final product! we eat at least one stir-fry a week. i use whatever veggies i find in the fridge. 

so, eventually bear apologized to me for being rude, but he still refused to eat his dinner, so it was straight to bed. he actually asked to go bed, which i understand. after three days of school he is always tired, super tired.

i hate dinner time battles. i take them personally as i am always thinking of the kids while preparing their meals. i think, “oh, lion loves tofu in this shape so that’s what i’ll do” or “bear was so excited last week when we had shrimp, so i’ll throw lots into this stir-fry tonight.he’ll be so happy”. silly me, i suppose!
what are your kids like at dinner? how do you deal with these kinds of power struggles?

here’s hoping tonight’s dinner goes more smoothly!