To Eat or Not To Eat

That is the question.

Well, really it should be "Will he eat or won't he eat?".

I'm sure you remember when I mentioned Ade's voracious appetite when we brought him home 4 months ago. It was as if he had never seen where food came from in his whole life. And in truth, it is likely he hadn't.

I will expand on that statement with this.

What we think looking back over our time in Ethiopia is that for the children in the foster home food just appeared. They weren't involved in the purchasing, preparation, cooking and plating of the food they ate. And how could they be? There were something like 60 kids in the home. Insanity would ensue if they tried. Not to mention how many kids came from having no food at all before the foster home.

When we finally took custody of Ade, we used the little kitchenette outside of our hotel room to make meals. One of us would stay in the room with Ade while the other went and got breakfast, lunch etc ready. We ordered in food quite a bit from the surrounding local restaurants. On occasion we go out to eat in a restaurant. So, when Ade would eat a meal the food just came to him.

As we settled in at home, it became clear to him the big black thing with handles had food in it. He could also see the fresh fruit on the counter. Something primal in him triggered. I think( in my opinion) it was the "I haven't been getting what I need in terms of amounts of food or kinds and now it is available to me whenever I want/need it."

I think the worry of food not being there again or not having enough to eat caused him to constantly want it. Who could blame the little guy! If you have constantly had to fight for food for fend off those trying to take your food, once you know it is readily at your disposal you will want it all the time. Even if you aren't hungry. You just want to have it in case it isn't there again.

It was hard to watch him standing at the fridge crying. The first weeks home he would be at the door with his hand up trying to open the fridge and sobbing. It broke our hearts and frazzled us a bit too. We knew it was something that could happen but to actually see it for yourself is something else. We couldn't communicate to him the food would always be there. We just had to get in a routine of showing him inside of the fridge and telling him there would always be food and he didn't need to worry.

The need to be satiated all the time with food has slowly passed. He is confident the food will be there. He doesn't freak out or melt down if we don't get breakfast made in 30 seconds. We can tell him and show him the food is being cooked and will be ready soon and he understands it.

I can honestly say watching him cry for food has been one of the hardest things to see in all of my life. It was the desperation and fear which was so difficult to witness.

But now the toddler aversion to food has kicked in. He feels so comfortable the food will be there he has become uber picky! The "Toddler Handbooks" I have all say this is normal. It is even evolutionary we have been told. A Darwian lesson of the strongest will survive, if you will. I.E. he only eats what he thinks is safe and won't poison him. Weird hey!

"Don't take it personally" they say. Or as Yvan likes to say "Let it go". It's not that I am taking it personally it is just so damn hard to think of new meals to cook when Ade's taste is like a moving target.

One day he likes baked beans. The next he turns his nose up to very same beans he couldn't shovel fast enough into his mouth. Don't get me started on meat. As long as it is stew like or in a sauce we are good to go. But if you were just to put little chunks of chicken or hamburger or fish on his plate he avoid it like the plague.

Fruit, some veggies, oatmeal, crackers and muffins are all good! He will eat those no problem. So he gets lots of those.

He used to love scrambled eggs. Made them for breakfast this morning and you would have thought I had served him a steaming plate of pooh the way he swiveled his head vigorously saying "NO!". So, I did what I have always said I wouldn't do.

I put ketchup on the eggs. He ate them. All!

Sigh......

He used to eat red peppers and hummus with me. Now he prefers Beefaroni! More like Barfaroni! I would make scrambled eggs with spinach and avocado for us and he would gulp it all down and ask for more. Those days are long gone.

I didn't want to be the mom who gives her kid processed food from a can for lunch. I can feel all the moms of the world "tsk, tsking" me!

I want my son to know I love him and care for him which is why I just may "take it personally" or can't "let it go". I know love isn't shown with food. I am trying, I think, to instill positive eating habits in him. I think about it all day long, by the end of the week I am so frustrated not to mention tired, because I just can't think of another thing to make for supper.

I guess I best just let Darwin's theory play out for a while and hope he doesn't grow up to be on Freaky Eaters eating nothing but potatoes and cheese or corn starch! I know, I know...quit watching those kinds of shows.

Creative meal making is hard.

I wouldn't trade the days of watching him cry in desperation but I do long for the times we sat at the island sharing hummus.

Learning to Cook Ethiopian Style

Last night I got together with two beautiful ladies who are also adopting from Ethiopia to learn how to cook Ethiopian food.

We did an evening class so we only had time for 2 dishes and let me tell you it takes some time to make this delicious food but it is worth it.

We made:

1. Alcha

2. Doro Wat

S and me stirring the pots full of goodness while Saba watches

(so you all don't think I'm a giant who is 7' tall - I was standing on a bench)

S & S & me - ummmmm...it was really hot in the kitchen and it wasn't because we looked so smokin' in our hair nets either ;)

After our feast - we were so hungry and excited to eat what we made that we forgot to take a photo - ha!

Thanks gals!! That was fun - can't wait to do it again!!

The Milling of Wheat into Flour and the Baking of Buns

Right, so some of you asked how I am milling my wheat.

See this handy little contraption below - it is called "The Kitchen Mill" by Blendtec and it is amazing!!

In goes the wheat...

...and out comes the flour!

It takes about 3-4 minutes depending on how much flour you need.

For the batch of buns below I needed 6 cups of flour.

I bought my whole grain wheat from New Life Organic Foods
and it is literally a giant sack of wheat..and the mill uses the entire kernel of wheat so you get all of the good stuff not like the grocery store bread which is so processed you aren't getting even half the fibre or nutrients.

Then I use my handy-dandy "Mix n Blend II" - this is a life saver!

I put in 2 cups lukewarm water, half the flour and the remaining ingredients - honey, salt, eggs, oil, and the dough enhancer - let it mix for about 30 seconds, add 2tbs yeast and the remaining 3 cups or so of flour...mix another 30 sec and then I press the auto knead button.

AUTO KNEAD PEOPLE!!

It needs the dough for a period of time - generally 2 minutes and shuts itself off when the kneading is done.

IT SHUTS ITSELF OFF!!!

I am in love with this machine!

Then I oil the counter top and my hands to so the dough doesn't stick, 'cause it is sticky!And get to rolling!

I used to work in a restaurant here in town and had to bake buns so I am a whiz at rolling buns!

See - SUPER FAST!!! Ha ha ha!

I use instant yeast so I don't have to let the dough rise - but I do let the rolled out buns or bread rise until about double.

Ready for the oven!

Ta da!!!

Natasha - I got the recipe from the New Life website for the buns. Can I get your pizza dough recipe prett, please??


20 Minute Buns


2 cups lukewarm water


2 Tbsp yeast


1/3 cup sugar (I use honey instead)


1 tsp salt


2 eggs, well beaten


1/3 cup cooking oil


5-6 cups Flour


Put yeast in water and sugar. Add oil and eggs. Stir. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add wet ingredients. Mix and knead. Cover and let stand. Shape into buns and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes. To double recipe use 3 tbsp of yeast. To triple use 4 Tbsp yeast.


I don't follow the recipe for mixing as I indicated because my machine does it differently


If I can bake buns...anyone can!

Ask and Ye Shall Receive!

Well, you'll receive a bran muffin recipe at least :)

A few people asked so here it is - I sent the recipe to Carolyn yesterday and she can already attest to the deliciousness of the muffins.

Oh and I had a thought - what about using chocolate covered raisins - ya, know like Glosette raisins - ya, get the raisins, ya get the chocolate! This is what entered my head first thing when I woke up this morning - PURE GENIOUS I say.

Classic Bran Muffins
. . . an old favourite - with good reason. (seriously - this is what the recipe says)

1 1/2 cups ROGERS WHEAT BRAN
1 cupbuttermilk*
1/3 cupvegetable oil
1egg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup ROGERS NO ADDITIVE / ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins or dates

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Mix together bran and buttermilk; let stand. Combine oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk-bran mixture.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and stir well.
Add to first mixture and stir until just blended.

Add raisins or dates and spoon into prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until done.

* To substiture for 1 cup buttermilk, use 1 tbsp. lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup (250 mL).

YIELD: 12 muffins.


I do use the Rogers Wheat bran but I use an organic all purpose flour and I only use ¼ cup of brown sugar!

Bon Appetit!

Girl's Weekend Part Two

Saba's Night

Girl's weekend continued last night when I met up with Rhonda, Ricki, Shannon, Cheryl and Shauna for supper at Saba's where we dove into some excellent Ethiopian food!!!

The food- yummmmmmmm

The Gals - after demolishing the food!

Shauna, Shannon and Ricki

Rana, Rhonda and Cheryl

This weekend was much needed - I needed to laugh, cry, and yell with some people who truly understand how I am feeling. I need people to tell me that it is o.k. to be feeling the feelings I have. They don't try to gloss it over with the standard answer "don't worry so much, everything will be fine". There are days when it doesn't feel fine - days when I feel sad - days when all I want to do is cry! They understand - they have been there and they are there to support me thru those days.

Thanks to all the girls who I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with - there are many more I have yet to meet - Hazel, Cinnamon, Ramona, Carolyn, Shelley, Kristen, Sebrina, Danielle, Jody, Tracy, Sheri, Julie, and many others...without the knowledge that you are all standing behind me in this - well - it would be a lot harder.

Cheers to you all!