超簡單寶寶食譜：北非小米 For baby and the entire family : Easy couscous recipe

這道菜本來是給大人吃的，但我已發牙的小孩也很愛吃。阿諾本身愛吃，上次有同樣一歲寶寶來家裡發現似乎接受度也蠻高的，所以把食譜打上來給爸媽們參考。

材料 （約2大人半份）：

(Materials makes about 2.5 servings)

• 北非小米  Couscous 1/2 Cup
• 水 (或高湯）Water or Chicken Stock 1~1.5 Cup
• 橄欖油 Olive oil 1 Tablespoon
• 洋蔥剁碎 約半顆 Chopped up onion, half of one
• 一顆青椒（如果想增加色彩，兩顆不同色的青椒，各取一半剁小塊）1 Bell Pepper, chopped up
• 鷹嘴豆半罐 （可用其它已熟的罐頭豆類取帶）Half a jar of Chickpeas
• 焗烤用起司絲狀或切成小塊狀約半杯 Pizza cheese, can use Mozzarella or Cheddar mixed
• 鹽和胡椒少許 Salt and pepper

製作：

1. 先 在小鍋子煮滾水（或高湯），轉小火，把北非小米放入煮直到其蓬鬆吸滿水 In a small pot, boil the Water or Stock, turn to small flame, pour in Couscous and cook until couscous has expanded and sucked up most of the liquid.
2. 在炒鍋中加熱橄欖油，加入洋蔥煮到透明（非 燒焦），加入青椒微炒至軟，再加入鷹嘴豆和已煮熟的北非小米拌勻。Heat Olive Oil in larger sauce pan, cook Onion til transparent, add Bell Pepper and stir fry lightly until soft, add Chickpeas and cooked Couscous, stirring.
3. 加入起司拌勻至溶入, 此時家中若有香料可隨意願加入少許，非必要但可添香。Add Cheese and stir til melted. If there happens to be spices in the home, add according to taste.
4. 隨吃的人意思加鹽和胡椒，小孩可加少許，大人要加多一點才美味。Add salt and pepper to taste.

＊我很討厭切洋蔥，所以一次會切至少兩大顆冷凍起來備用。

＊＊青椒若有剩可冷藏約兩天，之後會軟掉變得不好吃。

用北非小米煮東西我是近來才接觸，是北非傳統的食物，由小麥去滾成的，近幾載在歐洲（尤其是法國）也相當風行。這道菜做法是我留英的朋友Sarah介紹給我的，我自己愛吃（一定要加鹽），也想讓阿諾嚐嚐更廣的菜餚。小小塊得相當適合他練習用湯匙。

My friend Sarah taught me this recipe. She loves to cook and makes the most delicious soups/cakes/…etc. I loved this dish and wanted Knox to also acquire a broader palate. He likes practicing spooning it up by himself. I usually add less salt to his than I do mine.

（下次做有拍照再上傳）

Knox drops pennies into the piggy-rabbit

Being as yet unable to get Knox to put geometric shapes on knobs into their proper indentation, I tried him on something smaller and less varied…

Oma feeding Knox at her kitchen table

: D

Knox says no to green bean

Coming back from the States after our vacation. I have been obsessively studying Montessori the past few weeks. Particularly since Mike got me the kindle paperwhite. Since getting it have read 3 books (well, 2 of them are more like pamphlets):

– Montessori School Guide For Parents : How to easily find and evaluate a Montessori School by Isabelle Etter

– A Montessori School Virtual Tour Photo Book, by Isabelle Etter

&

– Montessori: A Modern Approach by Paula Polk Lillard (mainly concerning the primary years, has really thorough segment on the role of the teacher that I haven’t read before)

After going through these, plus tons of online articles, and a consultancy session with Stephanie, I feel like I have had a burst of invigorating notions, one of which is:

• Zen-ly watching my son.

Learning to be able to sit back and see my child’s activities for what it is, not from the perspective of my goal-oriented adult mindset, has been incredibly relaxing for me. Montessori has stated that children are about processes, not the end result. This applies to most every activity they do. Twiddling with minute pieces of garbage? check. A short-lived interest in helping you ‘sweep up’ without actually getting the floor clean? check again.

• Expectations on household chores

 

When I first came to Montessori, I believed it would help me train a child who did housework alongside me. If only! I have since realized that it is a long road, particularly for young children (under 3s). You can try to establish some habits (“time to throw your diaper away” “Dump out potty” “This goes in the trash” “We put our plates in the sink after we’re done” “This is how you get your snack/water”) but for the child to consistently sweep up after every crumb? To give the child a list of chores? That comes with age. In the meantime, their interest is in developing the skills to do things. Once they’ve crossed something off their roster, they’ve moved on. And your job is to follow along, not sit in a dejected heap wondering where your wonderful boy who loved peeling the garlic for you has gone.

So what am I getting out of this? Knowing what to expect from my child, and appreciation of what he really does. The ability to sit back and watch his processes, including making his own mistakes and discoveries, without feeling that I’m failing him by not making sure he does thing exactly, has made my work as a parent so much more rewarding. That his nature propels him to grow and experiment is a blessing. And my job is to make sure that his environment gives him plenty of opportunities, while reminding him of the limitations and courtesy necessary to becoming a member of our household.

On the last note, I do love how, after the consultations and readings, the theories seem to become a part of me. It is easy to forget that somebody spent the time and resources discovering, training, making mistakes…etc before I came in contact with it. Having this knowledge makes me feel really wealthy, and I am so grateful for all the Montessori teachers and mothers out there who share their knowledge and training!