“The most important learning we ever do happens before were born while we are still in the womb” says Annie Murphy Paul the author of Origins, a book about the science of fetal learning and how time spent in the womb shapes life after birth.  It is a fascinating read.

Simply said a baby not born a blank state and the prenatal period says Paul, “is where many of the springs of health and strength and well-being are found.”  A fetus is adapting as it growing and gestating inside the womb.  The experience in the womb may actually change a fetus body composition and the way it’s organs will function after birth and perhaps affect the way the metabolism functions after birth.

While the book is about a whole array of influences on a fetus I was particularly captivated by the chapters on food and food preferences.  Paul says that the fetus is “exquisitely sensitive to it’s mother’s diet.”  There are several examples in Origins about babies preferring flavors of foods their mothers ate consistently while pregnant.  It’s as if as mothers we begin teaching our children about food right from the very very beginning-in the womb.

I was just reading a blog post about food presentation and plating from a ChefGui in Tampa:

“I then started to think about what makes good photography, and what makes a good
painting, and I realized that the ‘rules’ dictating the aesthetics of an art
painting or photograph are the same as the ‘rules’ I was using to plate my
food.”

I was wondering how that applies to kids and what makes food on a plate appetizing to children.  Of course children are drawn to the familiar-Cody, my 5 1/2 year old likes peas a lot and if he sees peas he gets interested in eating right away.  That includes being on a plate or floating in soup being or scattered in salad.  But I wondered if all things being equal would plating food a certain way generate more interest?

If you have a young child Fred and Friends Mr Food Plate (http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-Food-Face-Boy/dp/B001YHQU7U) is a great way to engage kids with the food on their plate and I can say from our own experience that eating does happen after all the fun silliness.

Chef Ana Sortun in Boston who is endlessly clever, insightful and creative in engaging her daughter Siena sometimes makes her own simple creations on a plate.  To Sienna’s complaints about disliking cucumber Ana turns it around proclaiming, “it’s not a cucumber, it a bridge!”

I’m headed to Seattle! I’ll be at Mockingbird Books on Saturday, November 12 at 11:30. I’ll also be a t Twirl cafe at 2111 Queen Anne Ave N on Monday, November 14th. If you have a playgroup or school that’s interested in me coming to speak while I’m there please send me an email!

How do you make kale in a way that kids will eat it?    I remember reading in the classic book Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron about how she would proudly make a daily morning shake for her kids with raw eggs and kale and feel good knowing that they were starting the day off with a powerhouse nutritional drink.  While I too love the idea of a powerhouse breakfast for my kid (and me too!), I just couldn’t bring myself to make that awful sounding concoction.  Honestly, I want to be healthy but not to the extent of drinking raw egg and kale in a shake first thing in the morning.  Having not been raised on it herself, Ruth confesses also to her own struggle to take even a couple of nutritious sips.

Can’t kale be made in a way that’s delicious? And delicious for kids so that they will enjoy eating it?  In the morning nonetheless?

When I spoke with chef Piero Selvaggio for What Chefs Feed Their Kids, he described the highlight of his day as making his infant daughter a one egg omelette with kale for breakfast.  His fantastic recipe is in my book and I want to share with you the way I’ve learned to make scrambled eggs for my family.  My own secret is that I add a small handful of fresh basil and a bit of Parmesan cheese.  Sometimes I make this and serve it with toast, sometimes I mash some avocado on the toast and put the eggs in and fold it like a taco.  Let me know if you try it and what you think!  I use just 4 eggs for myself, my husband and Cody, who is 5, you may decide to make more or less for yourself.

scrambled eggs with kale

1 teaspoon olive oil, divided

1 small garlic clove, chopped small

5 kale leaves, washed, stems removed and chopped small and still a bit wet

1 Tablespoon chicken stock (or water)

4 eggs beaten

10 or so small basil leaves, more or less to your liking, chopped

2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and get a plate ready by the stove.  Add half the olive oil to the pan.  When the oil is heated, add the garlic and cook until softened and the garlic has a bit of color.  Add the kale, still wet from washing and cook, stirring here and there for about 3 minutes until bright green.  Add the chicken stock, cover the pan and cook for another 3 minutes until the kale is wilted and the chicken stock absorbed.  Note the kale shouldn’t be overcooked until muddy brownish, it should still be green. Remove the kale to the waiting plate, quick wipe the pan out and add the rest of the olive oil and when heated, add the eggs.  Stir a bit to scramble and when just coming together and no longer liquidy, add the kale back to the pan with the basil and the cheese.  Stir in to combine.  Turn the heat off and stir a bit till the eggs have finished cooking but are not dry.