5 Questions

My friend over at http://play-with-food.blogspot.com said she was probably the last person in the blog world to get involved in a "5 questions" meme that's apparently been out there for a while. She was wrong, 'cause I am. I'm new to the food blog world (I've been blogging about family/adoption/Russia at http://360.yahoo.com/lisamikeplus3 since 2005). If there is anyone out there who has found my new blog who hasn't already participated in this one and wants to, let me know.

Otherwise, here are my questions and answers:

What do you think is the hardest thing about raising children today and why?
Having confidence that you are doing the right thing, and giving yourself permission to sometimes get it wrong. Today we are bombarded by doctors and experts and well-meaning friends and family who all have suggestions to offer for how to raise your kids. And just to keep a parent jumping, all the suggestions vary. So it’s easy to second-guess yourself. Which makes its hard to be consistent – something all parents know in their heads is the most important thing they can do for their children.

How do you juggle varying dietary needs with a (mostly) vegetarian, a meat lover and young children?
It isn’t easy. And it’s one of those things I know I get wrong sometimes. Like other moms I also tend to take care of the nutritional needs of the family before I take care of myself.
But I try, and I’ve found a few tricks that make it work sometimes:
1) Make one or two vegetarian dishes a week, and make a big batch. That way there are leftovers to put out as side dishes (or main dishes for me) on the nights meat eaters rule.
2) Offer a variety of side dishes, some of which can be combined to make a complete meal. For example, I might make a chicken dish, rice and green beans. Half the rice I’ll leave plain (for my picky eaters). The other half I mix with a can of black beans (drained), salsa and a pinch of cumin – instant beans and rice and a complete protein. So I can eat beans and rice (add a little cheese) and green beans.
3) There are some dishes that you can make with or without meat. I make them without meat for me, and then add cooked meat to the servings for the rest of the family. For example: spaghetti. I make meatballs, and tomato sauce. I have noodles and tomato sauce. For the kids and Mike I add meatballs (I’ll post here my recipes for both soon).
4) When all else fails, I include a well-balanced salad (with cheese, nuts, beans, etc.), which some have as a side dish and I eat as a main dish.

In your travels, what was the least appetizing thing you ate and where was it? The most (and where)?
The worst things I’ve ever eaten were in my own home. Experiments that went awry. Most I tasted and only served to the trash can.
I’m not sure I can narrow my most appetizing down to one. Fresh pasta with pesto in the birthplace of pesto (Chinque Terre, Italy). Fresh fish and mangoes bought off the side of our sailboat moored off the island of Bequi. Ravioli at Babbo, celebrity chef Mario Batali’s restaurant in NYC.

What inspired you to start a food blog?
I love to cook and eat. I love to write. It just seemed like a natural. And, when you have three young kids, you have to find hobbies that you can do late at night after everyone is tucked in.

Do you eat to live or live to eat?
Depends. If the kids are pulling at my pants and we’re late for school, I eat to live. But whenever I can, I live to eat!