Found this great recipe last week online and decided to try it. http://thestir.cafemom.com/food_party/102227/one_pot_moroccan_chicken_with

I changed it a little.  I did use olives (nicoise and kalamatas) but I used zucchini (courgette) instead of eggplant.  I also served it with brown rice (Trader Joe’s sells a great organic one that’s frozen and reheats in 3 minutes for those whose time is short). The boys loved it!  I loved it!  I brought left-overs to a friend’s husband and he loved it. 

I am going to cook it again for my husband and children tonight.  My husband works most nights so is often not here for my cooking.  When he’s home, he usually cooks… he is a chef and a good one.  I want to treat him to a good meal he doesn’t need to prepare.

From a close friend who believes the same way, in many ways, especially when it comes to feeding our kids… 

I often have the same thought when I hear other moms talk about what their kids eat and don’t eat. “Why did you give them a choice from the get go?” We are the parents for a reason and it is as important to impart good nutritional habits on them now as it to impart good morals and values yet nutrition seems to go to the wayside too often! The other night I steamed some clams in garlic, tomato, white wine and a little stock. I served them over rice with a huge salad of baby spinach, arugula, carrots, cucumbers, red peppers, avocado and sprouts. I put a big loaf of freshly made roasted garlic bread and hardly heard them come up for air the entire meal, they loved it! The night before that I had made grilled sea bass with a mango salsa served with fresh green beans and rice, again they loved it! Since this is the food they have only really known…this is the food they eat! It is up to us to feed their bodies so they grow into functioning healthy adults! Sure we love our chips and ice-cream but we don’t have any of that until OUR PLATE IS CLEAN! Mom’s #1 rule!

I am not an expert.  I am a mother of three and many people have commented on my ability to feed my children what their children wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot-pole.  I figured if I could do it so could others… so if you’re interested here’re some tips on how, interspersed with photos and recipes.

My biggest piece of advice on how to get kids to eat healthful foods is to eat with them and serve them what you eat.  Don’t make the kids only what you think they’ll eat, but what you like as well.  Of course my children eat pasta, pizza, tacos and other kid-friendly foods.  They also love McD’s, but it’s a treat, not the everyday meal. Get them to try a food on the plate.  Put the food on everyone’s plate.  Sometimes what is chili to some is really considered an exotic food to someone else.  I must say that my kids have rarely had chicken nuggets at home, but I have made some great home-made breaded chicken breast they devoured!

Also, cut corners for convenience but don’t skip on nutrition. If you’re going to serve pizza make sure it’s all natural without too many extras (as in preservatives and modified food-stuffs) then serve them a mixed fresh vegetable salad with it, and if you’re giving dessert— maybe fruit. 

Some things that seem healthful are not… “fruit snacks” are really just glorified candies and yogurts  with colors, high fructose corn syrups and such are just not food. (Really— Trix! the junkiest of junk cereals in a yogurt?  Oreos and M&Ms to get your kids to eat yogurt??)

Read Michael Pollan’s book “In Defense of Food” or watch ”Supersize Me” and you’ll really want to change what you feed your kids.