Hi everyone. I’m going to share a little something with you so please bear with me: I have been letting my kids watch way too much T.V. lately. I sort of fell into it because my babysitter left a few months ago and I really needed a T.V. babysitter, or so I thought, to keep them safe. My kids clamor for the TV, act like they can’t live without it, freaking out when I say no.
I felt like I created little addicts, having offered them a little Barney or SpongeBob to start, not unlike a little packet of free crack to try behind the schoolyard. It got out of control. I was no better than a pusher.
Feeling ashamed and disgusted, accomplishing my various tasks while my kids sat, jaws hanging down, in front of the screen with their glazed over eyes, I hit rock bottom. I needed to make a change. No more T.V. for a while-they needed to go through withdrawal.
I cannot tell you how much better behaved and happier they have become in just a couple of days. It was up to the adults to enforce the change and the kids responded. They are playing better, drawing, and my five year old even asked if he could make his bed!
This can work with kid’s meals as well. We need to shift gears, move past the shame of our past, crappy food behaviors and allow our kids to experience a healthier, home cooked form of eating. A little T.V. never hurts just as some Dino nuggets won’t hurt every once in a while. They just shouldn’t be a way of life, the rule as opposed to the exception.
Here’s a healthy recipe that you can all eat together as a family. If your kids don’t like the spices, separate some of the chicken before spicing it up, serve it with ketchup and some rice and vegetables. I hope you like it….
Spicy Indian Chicken with Sesame:
1/2 lb cooked chicken breasts, sliced into thin slices, about 2 inches long
2 TBS corn oil or canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp dried chili powder
1 tsp dried, ground coriander
pinch of salt (but more to taste when it is done)
2 chopped scallions, size of a pea, white and green parts
2 TBS fresh, chopped cilantro
1 TBS toasted white sesame seeds
1 TBS lemon juice
In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, coriander, chili powder, salt, and oil.
In a wok or frying pan over medium heat, stir fry spice mixture for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the cooked chicken pieces and toss to blend everything together. Add the scallions, 1 TBS of the cilantro and stir fry for about 5 minutes. Just before serving, add toasted sesame seeds, remaining 1 TBS cilantro and sprinkle with lemon juice. P.S. Can add a little cayenne pepper if you need some heat.