Family Food for Moms Podcast I Inspiration for Family Cooking and Dining I How to Enjoy Special Meals Together

#81 Ten (Less Obvious) Things we can Learn from Previous Generations about Food and Nutrition.

Today we’re going to talk more about what we can learn from previous generations about cooking, nutritious eating, and how to make healthy meals for our families. In the past, we've talked about things like cooking from scratch, cooking at home with fresh ingredients, and using local foods and seasonal produce. 
We've talked about eating all the parts, nose to tail, and about some traditional cooking methods like slow cooking, et cetera. We've talked about eating as a family, and how that connection is so good and so healthy. We've talked about being balanced, and not going along with all the trends or diets. We've talked about recipes that have been passed down from our grandparents, and their simpler, healthier way of life in general.
Today, I want to talk about some of the less obvious things that we can learn from previous generations about cooking and nutrition. This is not just what they ate, but how they thought about food, and how they made it healthier. We’ll talk about their habits; things that were second nature to them, and how they would be really helpful to us.
It's been a while since I've done a ten point episode. Some of you like that. I don't easily stick to points - I tend to have a brain that goes in all directions, but I thought for this one we'll do ten points to hopefully make it easier to remember. 

#80 "Black and White Ball" Date Night for You and your Hubby

 Today we're going to talk about a particular theme for a date night in our family. With our five children, we love to have times where we eat together and have special meals, and we also love to have a date night every week for my hubby and I.
The kids know about it; they have their own special meal beforehand, and then they're upstairs early. We like to go out for it when we can - usually we do that on one night out of four. We also like to have date nights at home when we can because somehow there's something different and special that you get out of those date nights, something that’s different to when you go out. 
Today I want to talk about having your own personal black and white ball for a date night - a black and white themed date night. Let me tell you some of the details of what this could entail. I'm bringing out a date night recipe book later this year, and this will be one of the date themes in it. 

#79 Lots of Ideas for a Celebration Brunch with Your Family or Friends

Today I want to talk about having a celebration brunch. It's great for summertime, and you can even do brunch in the winter. We’ll be talking about a fun festive brunch with your family or your extended family, your friends, or just anybody that you want to do something a little special with. I'm going to mention some food ideas and then a couple of different themes with a few food-related activities that you can add to it to make it extra special. 
Having brunch is fun because it doesn't have to be as early as breakfast, and you get to eat foods that are a mix between breakfast and lunch, ones that you may not normally eat. You don't really need lunch either afterwards, and you can make it a little special with a few extra things.

#78 Let's Talk about Puff Pastry and all the delicious things you can make with it!

That delectable flaky butter-filled pastry!
Today we’re going to be talking about puff pastry. Puff pastry is that flaky light, airy pastry which is made by folding and rolling dough with lots of layers. The butter is folded in, and then it’s folded in half again and rolled with a rolling pin. It's a real crowd pleaser because it's delicious and it's so easy to use for quick appetizers and elegant desserts.
It's very distinctive as far as pastry goes because of its light, flaky texture. You get croissant roll pastry, and you get philo pastry, but puff pastry is the best kind to buy because it's so delicious. It's good to buy all butter puff pastry, which is much healthier than the margarine kind.
So, today I'm going to tell you the history of puff pastry, and then give you some ideas of what you can cook with it. It’s very easy to use, and a great way to make something fast!
 

#77 How to Renew Your Passion for Cooking

Today we’re going to talk about how to get re-inspired; how to get a new passion for cooking. Hopefully, at some point you've had a passion for cooking, or you’ve felt inspired about making food for your family.
Today, I want to talk about what to do if you've lost that passion a little bit; if you’re just feeling tired or if it's been a crazy season and you're a little overwhelmed.
Having less mental energy to focus on cooking and planning food makes it harder, so hopefully this will give you some ideas of how to renew that passion, how to get excited again, or how to try something new in the area of cooking in your family. 

#76 What makes Fancy Restaurants amazing, plus easy ways to emulate that at home!

It can be such an amazing experience to go to a restaurant. We recently went out for a date night meal. We don't often have our date night out - usually we have it at home; we get takeout or we make something ourselves, and we do it slowly and relaxed. But every now and then, it's so great to go to a restaurant, and when we do, we want to go to a fancy one, not just an ordinary one. That's what we did. It was at this big, beautiful hotel. From the moment you walked in, the decor was just gorgeous. There was a dark theme - I'll put some photos in the blog post if you want to see. 
There was such beautiful decor. There were these tall, green, leafy plants and the chairs were luxurious - really comfortable to sit in. There was dim lighting, but it was bright in places with very elegant hanging lights. There were just really beautiful and luxurious decorations, and the people were so polite and friendly. You could feel that they were there to make your experience special in the way they greeted you, and the way they seated you. 
Soon after we were seated, they asked us if we had any dietary restrictions and we said, yes, my husband's gluten-free. Then they said, okay, great, and they went away. You know how sometimes they bring a roll or a piece of bread. This time, it was a step above anything else I’ve ever seen. They brought this cute little dark ceramic cup with a little handle, about espresso cup size, and in that was a little bit of carrot and ginger soup. It had a gorgeous flavor. The ginger wasn’t strong; it was just right...

#75 How to Eat Lunch Like they do in Europe - Principles for Healthier Lunches

Today I want to talk a bit about lunches, and look at Europeans, especially the people in places like France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and what their approach is to lunch meals. Then we’ll think about the United States and how they do things differently. 
We’ll also think about our health. I've been thinking a lot about what can contribute to poor health, to aging, and to metabolic syndrome, and one of the biggest things is stress and eating too fast. I've been aware of that, so my husband and I are trying to eat more slowly, especially him - he's prone to rush because he's so focused on the work he has to do. 
We’re blessed that most of the time, we can sit down as a family and eat together, because my husband works from home most days and our kids are homeschooled, although my oldest will be starting work soon, so we'll see how that goes. Most of us sit down for the meal at lunchtime, and we try to eat as a family, but it's still quite rushed because there's lots to do before and after - lunch is in the middle of all our things. 
It's interesting to think about because I think that a much healthier approach to eating is the way the Europeans do it. I think it's important to take time out for our meals and to really enjoy them. It’s good to let ourselves eat a good variety of food, to be aware of what we are eating, and to have good conversation and fellowship with others while we are eating. Then we can have good digestion, and we can take the nutrients in and absorb them. 
It's not just the food; it's all about how we feel after the meal. We should be feeling satisfied, feeling energized, and feeling like we've had good conversation and connection with somebody. Those things are all linked, and they all contribute to our wellbeing. So, what do they do in places like France and Germany, et cetera?

#74 The Most Delicious Salads, plus History and Inspiration From Around the World!

Today we're going to be talking about salads. Salads are fascinating, and they're quite versatile. We all have our favorites. I'm going to tell you a little about the history of salads, and then we’ll talk about the main types of them, and then about some unusual ones. 
So, salads stretch back many, many years. They've changed a lot through various cultures and food trends. In ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and Rome, there were already early forms of salads, which were simple mixes of raw vegetables like lettuce, onions, and cucumbers. They would be dressed with vinegar, oil, or even fermented fish sauces. 
The word salad comes from the Latin “salata”, meaning salted, because Romans often ate raw greens dressed in brine or other salty dressings.
I find this very interesting because doing that's supposed to help a lot with digestion. The French will often add a green salad, like plain greens in some olive oil with some salt, in between courses to help with digestion. They had it right back then. 

#73 Picnics and Picnic Food, Eating Outdoors - Preparation and Ideas

Today we’re going to be talking about picnics and picnic food. It's such fun to eat outdoors if we're prepared and organized in advance.
One of the great things about it is that it's easier to clean up. There's fewer dishes, and it somehow helps you to let go of things a bit.
As busy moms, we've always got so much going through our brains, and so many little things that need doing at any given moment, and I really find that sitting in my camping chair outside and eating out there helps me to just let go. This is partly because all the preparation is in advance, and then you can just sit and enjoy it, but also the surroundings help.
Being outside and being relaxed with each other and with your family is a great thing. 
So, we're going to talk about how to be prepared for picnics, and then about some ideas for what you can eat outdoors. 

#72 Food Ideas for Toddlers and Young Children - Breakfast, Lunch, Snack and Dinner!

Hi friends!
I'll just be doing one episode this week - I'll be back with the regular two per week from next week. 
Today we are going to talk a little bit about toddler food, up to maybe age six or seven, some ideas and principles that you can use when you are thinking about what to make for your little ones for lunch and even breakfast and dinner, and what'll help you in that pursuit. 
I love the years with little ones. Sadly, I don't have one under 10 anymore. Our five are all 10. Well, 11 and over, but those were such special years. I must say though, the teenage years are wonderful and special in a different way too. Very much so. But those little years are such fun. I remember often we would have outside lunch during homeschool, so they would have a little divided plate with a yogurt and a piece of cheese and some kind of bread, or a bread roll and a little bit of meat.