My Omnivore is a kid at heart

Age is just a number. We hear that phrase oh-so-often.  And it is usually true.  You are as old as how you feel.  Most of the time, people trying to live a more youthful life chant the age is just a number mantra.

But it works the other way, too.  Based on my birthdate, I’m in my 20s.  But on the inside, I’m more like 40.  I’ll take NPR over Puff-Diddy-Mac-Puffy any day.  I’ve heard of Facebook but don’t really know how it works… I rock out to Billy Joel and Elton John rather than Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus.  On Friday nights, you’ll find me conked out on the couch, drooling on the Omnivore’s lap while Dr. Phil preaches on the television in the background.  That’s just me.

The Omnivore, while chronologically much older than me, is definitely a kid at heart.  He’s always getting into trouble.  His hands are always messy.  He hates waking up early and will sleep until noon if you let him.  He leaves fingerprints on the door frames and moans when I only make whole-wheat bread.

But as with kids, presentation can often be the best weapon when trying to encourage the Omnivore to eat new foods.

We have the don’t ask – don’t tell policy in our home.  This worked well with the pineapple black bean enchiladas:

We also have the ignorance-is-bliss approach.  This worked well for bulgur with yogurt

and acorn squash:

And sometimes it is all about presentation.  You see, had I served the following 100% whole wheat bread in normal loaf form, I assure you that the Omnivore would have bucked his breakfast.

But in the form of a dainty-little-flower, the inner-kid was harnessed, and this healthy bread becomes quite a delicious breakfast.

Raisin-Walnut Whole-Wheat Bread (1 loaf, adapted from CookingLight)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup honey
3 T vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 250*.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine flour and next four ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.  Combine milk, honey, oil, and egg.  Stir with a whisk.  Make a well in  the center of the flour mixture and add the liquid ingredients, stirring until just combined.  Fold in raisins and nuts.  Spoon batter into an 8 x 4 ” loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pan and cool completely.  Each 1/2″ slice will cost you 128 calories.

I baked this bread in a Pampered Chef Valatrompa Tube Pan (no longer available online) for 1 hr at 350*.