New foods weekend

I love okra. Okra and artichokes are two vegetables I really love but never know how to cook.

But this weekend, I finally got around to trying this wonderful recipe my friend Stacey gave me from a traditional Jewish cookbook she has at home. Called "bamia," it combines okra, tomatoes, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic and onions in such a beautiful way, I cannot even tell you. It is yummy! And very pretty to look at, too.

Look at all that yummy okra!

Some recipes I've seen for bamia call for meat, but I decided to make this one vegetarian because lately I've been feeling like our family eats a lot more meat than we probably should.

(Don't worry. I'm not going all vegetarian on you. Never, ever, ever will that happen. Just trying to have a little pity on my intestines every now and then.)

I made it, put it over a quinoa and brown rice mix and braced myself for the Negative Nellys. But, much to my surprise, my kids loved it! Cary and Clair especially. Dean was more like, "whatever." But no one said, "Ewww!" or refused it. And then the two boys made up an okra song and danced around the house. (Okra is a funny word, I'll admit.)

And since I was in a try-out-new-foods flurry, I decided to make a saucy chicken, mushroom and artichoke dish, which also has lemon juice, and a little yogurt. It is sooo good, and is chock full of artichokes! We didn't try that out on the kids, but I'll bring out leftovers tonight at dinner. We'll see if I can go two for two with new veggies they'll eat (and like).

Speaking of Stacey -- and new foods -- yesterday the boys and I went to her house for pancakes. Much to my surprise, she makes hers with buckwheat. My boys have never had buckwheat pancakes and I was worried they'd turn their noses up, but -- true to form -- those two greedy-greedies stuffed themselves with pancakes (with bananas and blueberries) and turkey bacon and drank up all Stacey's milk and now I feel like I owe her money. That's how much they ate! (I kinda ate a bunch of food myself, so I can't blame it all on them.)

We had a great time playing with Stacey and Hugo and eating all their food. They ate so much, I think they grew. See for yourself!

Who are those big boys?? Good grief.

(Thanks so much to Stacey for the pancakes, the playing and the recipe for okra-tomato-goodness. I love my friends!)