Susan's Savour-It!: Try New Foods

Give this new year 2016 a try with Brussels sprouts in a twist with classic Caesar Salad or straight oven-roasted.

Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

In 2014, I collaborated with Jennifer Tyler Lee, founder of the award winning Crunch a Color game, on the launching of her inspiring new book The 52 Foods Challenge! When I received my copy of the book, I was eager to dig into it, flipping through the pages like a kid at the candy store, nodding at the simple delicious family-friendly recipes and getting truly inspired for future meals in my home. I instantly became a fan... Lee not only challenged herself a step at a time to get her kids to eat healthy, nutritious food but she turned it into a game and the fun was the start of their new healthier relationship with food: 52 weeks, 52 new foods! Trying one new food a week is such a smart, feasible idea!

As a mom of three young boys six and under, I know how incredibly hard it can be to get them to eat a balanced meal, especially their vegetables! It’s one of the most crazy and frustrating undertakings you'll ever go through as a parent. In spite of cooking being my profession, getting mine to eat the rainbow has been met with death stares, full-on tantrums and hostile battles. But I've come to realize that it's about more than just food, but the steps in the journey our family takes to celebrate our positive milestones with food. Like an old Chinese proverb goes, "it is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward." I am happy to report by exposing them to different and a variety of foods throughout my kids' young lives they are now quite enjoying the spread of colourful foods in their meals.

Here were some ingredients I experimented with my family either trying new or in a different application or recipe twist, and some great tips from Lee and lessons I learned on the way to get mine eating the rainbow... I am always finding new ways to introduce new foods to my family, so come back as I will continue to post tips/ideas and inspiration to get yours to eat all nature has to offer...

Sweet Potatoes, Persimmon: Chinese Sweet Potato and Persimmon Dessert Soup