Lately I have been testing new concepts to use with my Mommy Cooking Group. They had requested simple ways to make vegetables easy and delicious. So when I had my niece and nephew over I thought of them to be perfect test subjects.
It started with a simple taste test and ended with two kids begging me to let them take vegetables home. I wanted to keep it really simple. So what can be easier then cooking fresh or frozen vegetables with a simple all-purpose seasoning or covered with cheese sauce?
I had a variety of vegetable options to see if that made a difference. I covered some with shredded cheese because most people love things covered in cheese right? Well to my surprise both kids would not touch the cheesy ones and they were literally fighting over the ones cooked in butter with the all-purpose seasoning.
(The taste test, a variety of vegetables cooked in butter with all-purpose seasoning and creamy cheese sauce)
Here is how it worked. I created my all-purpose seasoning mix then to make it versatile to fit a variety on tastes and cuisines. I added optional flavors like Turmeric, Mace, Cumin, Smoked Paprika and Thyme and simply sautéed them in butter. I let the kids try the vegetables with just the all-purpose seasoning fist and then let them make their own custom spice blends.
(my niece and nephew loved the vegetables with the all-purpose seasoning)
(All-Purpose Seasoning mixed with Turmeric, Mace, Cumin, Smoked Paprika and Thyme)
I think part of the fun was that they had ownership in the process. They got to taste and choose what they liked mixing up their custom spice blends. Surprisingly my niece’s favorite was the all-purpose seasoning mixed with cumin and mace and my nephew created one with smoked paprika and thyme. They had more interesting pallets than I expected.
(my niece and nephew tasting the variety of all-purpose seasoning blends)
They had so much fun eating the variety of vegetables and tasting new seasonings that they ate all the vegetables I had quickly making requests for more. “Do you have any green beans, or peas”, – they asked? This afternoon experiment left them with bellies full of vegetables and they each took home a zucchini as if it was a prized trophy.
(My niece and nephew sprinkling their custom all-purpose seasoning blend on peas)
Whether you are trying to get your kids to eat more vegetables or just enjoying them yourself this all-purpose seasoning is simple, versatile and delicious.
