Zucchini. Again.

This morning I told the girls we would be making the last zucchini recipes for awhile, because the 3 that are still in the garden were too small to use yet. They celebrated with chant of "Woo hoos" and high fives. 

Today we made zucchini bread and zucchini chips. Mac and I thought both were delicious, but the girls didn't agree. 

A1 helped with the bread. She grated the zucchini like a champ. She told me it was her favorite job in the kitchen, because she felt like she was hurting the zucchini. Great, my attempt at making my family try new foods is turning A1 into a psycho. 

When the bread was finished, A1 and A2 swarmed the kitchen. The smell over powered their desire to hate zucchini, almost. A1 loved the bread! She said it was one of the best things she had ever had in her whole life. A2 didn't feel the same. My little foodie rejected another recipe. She said it would taste good if I would have left the zucchini out...

The zucchini chips came highly recommended from Arizona. The recipe had been approved by several nonzucchini lovers and it even converted a few. The girls loved the smell once again, BUT none of them like it. Our dinner music has become a chorus of gagging. The girls will at least try a bite without us begging or threatening first. I'm making progress. It is just a very slow process. 

I went to the garden to check on our cucumbers. I was surprised to find a hidden zucchini. I was really excited since a friend sent me a recipe that I wanted to try. The girls didn't share my excitement. 

I just hope this doesn't make A1 want to hurt the farmer...

A Team's take on Zucchini

This summer I have been continuing my on going battle of feeding my family healthy food. It has been difficult breaking 8 years of bad habits. I have implemented all the suggestions of the "experts".  I have included the girls in all aspects of the meal from planting, planning, and preparing. Nothing is helping improve the attitudes of these fast food lovers. BUT I'm going to keep trying, because it is important. 

This week our zucchini was ready to eat. I knew this squash, which made A2 gag last year, because she thought she was eating two piece swimwear, was going to be even harder to pass of as delicious this year.  I had the girls help me pick the zucchini from our garden. I tried to have them help me select recipes. They didn't have the attention span for that... I even had the girls help with the cooking. 

Dish #1:

The girls hated this recipe! A1 cried. A2 smiled as she chewed, but spit the food into her napkin when she thought I wasn't looking. A3 didn't try to hide her disgust for the zucchini as she stood up in her chair looked me in the eyes and spit her partially chewed right back onto her plate. Mac and I loved it, so we will have it at least one more time this summer. 

Dish #2:

Tonight's dinner was another zucchini creation. We had Stuffed Zucchini Boats. It was either the fun name or the fact that the zucchini was drowning in marinara and cheese that convinced the girls to try the meal. A1 was my biggest cheerleader. She took a bite and said, "Hey, this isn't as bad tonight." A2 decided to try it because A1. She ate the entire serving and asked for seconds. Then she told me it was disgusting. A3 returned to the standard chew and spit method. I also saw her swallow 3 pieces of zucchini, so I will count that as a win. 

As the girls were getting ready for bed, A2 asked if she could tell me the truth. There is no good way to prepare yourself for any thing that will follow that question, especially when it is from A2.

"Mom, the zucchini didn't taste disgusting. It was good tonight. I just think thinking about zucchini is disgusting. It grows outside in the garden. It is from the dirt. That is disgusting. What if I just ate dirt?  Disgusting!" 

I am so thankful for all those experts who suggested having the kids help plant. :D