Simple Summer Suppers, Part 8 of 10 (a few of OUR favorite things)

If my entire Blogspot/Twitter existence has not proven it, tonight's menu does: healthy cooking does not have to be complicated, time-consuming, or overly pricey.

The menu:

• Broiled lemon-pepper shrimp - from frozen, with light spray olive oil & lemon-pepper seasoning (5 minutes or so, 2nd rack down)
• Potato & peas with onion - light spray of olive oil, S&P - leftovers steamed yesterday in microwave & reheated in micro tonight.
• Zucchini - chopped in my go-to half moons & steamed in the micro with a little olive oil spray, a little pepper, a little dill (and NO, I did not forget to say salt. I didn't use any, and it was fine. Great even.)
• Arugula & mango - that's it. That's the whole salad. This was a treat for me. I did not share with the baby or the husband.

Ridiculously, almost embarrassingly easy. And this is how happy it made the munchkin.

Tonight's meal was also a triumph for another of my food philosophies: try, try again. Maybe your kid won't like steamed broccoli but will like it roasted, or mixed into pasta. In my case, offering the veggies first has down wonders.

Some time ago, I tried mango, one of my very favorite foods on earth, and very likely in the universe. Daphne was no fan. I admit, I was  miffed - sort of like, "Fine. You don't like it. I'm not going to waste it on you!" Tonight, while I was chopping one up for my "salad," I went about my usual business of chewing every last morsel off the pit. THAT got her attention. I let her try some. She made delighted little noises and wanted more & more. Much as I hated to share, I was delighted!

Shrimp has been a much easier sell. She always enjoyed it, but the last couple times, she has gone totally bonkers for it. Tonight, she was having a fit when she saw them ready to go under the broiler. [Sidebar: toddlers do not know what "raw" means. Maybe she'll love sushi like mommy & daddy!] When they came out of the oven piping hot, fit anew. Then she proceeded to eat them, faster than I could blow on them & cut them in two. I began to fear that she wouldn't save me or her daddy any! I started cutting them into smaller pieces just to slow her down. Finally, after about a dozen, she told me "all done!" Phew! I got a few! Hey, if you're going to have a fit and eat your weight in something, why not broiled shrimp?!?!

*Confession: I could not find my camera at dinner time. The pic is actually from the weekend when she was licking peanut butter off apple slices. She seriously was at least this happy with the shrimp.