Yesterday was a great day for this blog and I feel very grateful to all my followers.  In the morning I hit 25,000 tumblr followers (now over 54,000 as of 4/1/13!), then in the afternoon I was selected as the Blog of the Month by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.  That is very thrilling and I am so honored.  I admire Jamie and all that he’s done to change the way people think about food, cooking and serving kids healthful school lunches. 

The reason I started this blog was to help others.  I didn’t think I had any magical touch.  I certainly wouldn’t win any parenting and housekeeping awards.  I really just believed that it comes down to cooking at home more than on an occasion, eating together, serving kids foods would eat (adult food not kid food) and just putting those vegetables in front of them— often. 

Yes, I can cook, but I don’t always feel inspired to create amazing and gourmet meals.  Sometimes, I just want to take the shortcuts and throw something together.  But I do believe that even in those times, it is possible to throw together quick, healthful meals.  There are times that my kids don’t eat the most healthy foods, but I just try to keep those times to the minimum.  I want that balance for their attitudes towards food (like, so they won’t gorge on junk when it’s in front of them) and so they can see that even healthy foods taste good!

I attribute a great deal of my own growth in cooking to my husband, a chef, who has taught me much (but unfortunately is working many long hours day and night) and also because I joined a local farm’s CSA/Shared Harvest program.  I was forced to use vegetables I’d pass by in the grocery store because I just didn’t know what to do with them.  I enjoy good food and I want my kids to share in that enjoyment.  It’s a wonderful part of life. 

So, thank you.  Thank you for giving me this platform to share.  Thank you for keeping me going.  Thank you for validating what I am trying to achieve.  I hope I’ve helped you, your kids, or someone you know in eating well.

Me with my main reasons for cooking healthy foods!