Happy New Year--UPDATED

I thought I would start the New Year by answering some of the most common questions I got asked in 2007.

1. Do your kids eat all of this? I get this question at least once a week. The short answer is NO! Long Answer: My 5 year old eats about 80% of what I make and my 4 year old doesn't typically stray from, PB&J, cheese, eggs, fruit, yogurt and some meat as long as it doesn't look like an animal. Our rule is they have to try everything I cook before they leave the table. I don't force them to eat what I cook for several reasons. The first is when I was their age all I ate was butter and noodles and look at me now. I hope that by seeing me cook interesting meals that they too will someday enjoy cooking. Plus, I have faith that they wont go off to college with a PB&J. Second, meal time is a happy, family time where we talk. If spending a minute on making a simple sandwich means we can sit together and enjoy each others company then I feel like I am doing my job as mom and building a strong foundation for the years to come.

2. Do you ever eat or feed your kids junk food? Certainly. They've never been to a McDonald's or had a soda on my watch....nor will they ever. I don't bring anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup or hydrogenated oils into the house, without exception. But certainly we enjoy a good ice cream cone in the summer. And, when at the mall, I've been know to dash into See's Candies for ONE piece. The difference is I don't bring it home and its not in excess. We go out for desserts/treats. It makes it special, fun, and something to look forward too....not to mention a great bargaining tool.

3. When do you have time to cook? I make time because it's a priority. We live a simple life so that I can stay home and make time for things like cooking and writing. I have a lot of energy because I eat well and exercise, which helps. Plus, if you must know, I don't sit and play games with the kids. My rule is "I had a brother for you, so play together". HA! Our activities that we do together are walking, riding bikes, playing at the park and cooking. The kids really enjoy making a mess in the kitchen and experimenting with ingredients--just like a science lab.

4. Do you like everything you cook? No.

5. I don't like to cook, what can I do? To anyone who does not like to cook, I would say that you need to for your health....there's no getting around it, sorry. Start with the foods you like to buy and make them at home. Double or triple your recipe and freeze the leftovers so that you have healthy options on the nights that you don't have time.

6. You cook with a lot of fat, how is that healthy? I don't believe that fats, including saturated, are the enemy. Everything in moderation. And absolutely no hydrogenated fat.

7. Do you eat well all the time? 90% of what I consume is a whole food. The other 10% are lightly processed foods like, bread, pasta, milk, condiments or the occasional meal out. 90/10 is a general guideline and certainly there are times where its more like 80/20. Fortunately, because I eat well most of the time, I feel sick when I eat poorly.

8. What does it mean to eat locally? Eating locally begins with defining local for you. I define local as anything within my home state of California. I make some exceptions for coffee, spices, bananas, pineapples and cheese. Some people define local as within 100 miles of their home, and others define it as anything from the USA. It's what you are comfortable with and what is practical for you and your family. You can learn more about eating locally at http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/

9. What do you eat for breakfast? Eggs mostly. I like to start my day with protein, so an egg and a piece or two of nitrate free turkey bacon is what we eat most often. I round it out with a small glass of OJ, no more than 12 0z of coffee, a piece of multi grain toast (w/ butter) and a piece or two of fruit.

10. What do you eat for lunch? In the summer its most likely a salad or sandwich or both. In the cooler months I make a lot of soup. I avoid refined carbs at lunch to avoid the ultimate 2pm crash (no pasta or pizza for lunch--those are dinner items). I snack on nuts and fruit throughout the day.

Thanks for reading, eat well in 2008!