This is the third day in a row I’m writing about food. (Click here or here for my previous food-related posts.) I’m promising myself it will be my last food-related slice for awhile. However, I felt compelled to share something that happened today when I invited a friend and her daughter over for lunch.
As a full-time mom, part-time literacy consultant, part-time writer, and adjunct professor, I usually eat lunch at home by myself. (Often, I wolf it down while Ari plays.) I do this so as to maximize the time I have to get my work done since Ari will often fall asleep on car rides, which means he won’t nap for long stretches once we’re at home. (Nap Time = Work Time!) Every now and then I’ll meet a friend out for lunch or will get together for lunch. Today was one of those days. I hosted my friend Lara and her almost-four-year-old daughter for lunch. (Our older kids are in the same Kindergarten class.)
A day or two before we made plans, I encountered a Spiralized Sweet Potato Breafkast Tostada recipe that sounded scrumptious. Once she accepted my lunch invitation, I asked her if she’d be up for trying it and if her daughter would eat it. The answer was yes (to both)! Isabelle would never eat this, I thought. But good for her kid if she will! I decided to make breakfast for lunch on the day they’d be over.
This afternoon, I prepared the recipe as Lara and I chatted in the kitchen. With each layer I added to the plate — sweet potato tostada, fried egg, baby spinach, refried beans, avocado, salsa, and cotija cheese — I thought there’s no way her three-year-old will eat this!
“I’m going to take a picture of this,” I told Lara as I finished plating our food. “If G. eats this, then I’m going to tell Isabelle about it when she gets home from school.”
And do you know what happened? Her daughter ate what I made. In fact, she said it was good!
At least there’s one child out there who appreciates my cooking.
(Click here for the Spiralized Sweet Potato Tostada recipe.)
Raising Literate Humans 
That looks so yummy!!!
You made my mouth water as you described the layers. Then I took a look at the finished product through your photo – I wanted to try it. yummy! So glad you surprised me with the recipe too!
Thank you!
I love this! Getting a cooking compliment from a 3 year old is a high reward! Your lunches look delicious and perhaps I’ll slow down today and try not to “wolf mine down”
I need someone to cook for me. If someone makes something, I’ll eat it. But these ingredients are not ones I use… “cotija cheese”…what is that? See, I’d decide cheddar was ok, lettuce instead of baby spinach, the egg scrambled; I wouldn’t have refried beans (nor know if they should be cold or hot), and I’d skip the tostada. I’d have no avocado (cold? sliced? mashed?), but would have the salsa. And there you go. Nothing like the original which is probably quite tasty. I’d have to remember to buy all the ingredients special for that day, and I don’t think ahead for cooking. So, like I said, I need someone to cook for me!
Oh, Donna! You sound like my mom (who hates to cook). I don’t think she’d ever go through all of this prep work to make a meal either.
BTW: I didn’t do anything with the beans other than open a can. They’re Amy’s Organic Refried Beans — vegetarian style. No heating or anything! Just place on top of the eggs (with everything else) and you are set.
That really looks delicious. Of course, with all of those good layers how can it not be? If a 3 year old likes it than that seals the deal.
This looks and sounds fabulously delicious – I am quite sure I’d appreciate it!
My 15 and 17 year olds wouldn’t eat it if it makes you feel better…. I would so I downloaded the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Clare
I probably wouldn’t have eaten it until I was 20 or so.
Enjoy the recipe. It’s a good one!
Definitely qualifies as good enough to eat, in words and pictures. You had me (and maybe three-year-olds, too) at ‘spiralized’ 🙂
It looks delicious! I’m totally surprised that your young friend ate it. My kids are older now and still are not very adventurous.
Just reading all the comments too is pretty funny, Stacey. It looks great to me, and I would say that Ingrid would eat it. She will eat anything. Carter (15) & Imi (almost 6) wouldn’t touch it I really do think everyone’s taste buds are different, and at different ages, too. FYI – looks delicious! The only thing I won’t touch is mystery meat!
That sounds amazing! But, yeah, I wouldn’t have eaten it until I turned maybe 23 or so…there is hope for our children, yet it is so frustrating in the meantime!