Maybe this has happened to you too.
The clock said 5:45pm and I had just stumbled in the front door from a big consulting job. Much later than usual. And, cue the meltdowns.
That’s because after anxiously looking at the clock for the last 15 minutes of my day I finally cut off a co-worker who kept saying things like “We haven’t quite nailed the ROI on this yet.” and “But we all agreed on the value prop. Unless we should deep dive on that again. Do you have time now?”
“I like your thinking,” I chirped. “Let’s parking lot that one!” And with that, side stepped my way out the door as fast as my ballet flats would carry me.
It takes 45 minutes of barreling down the highway before the preschool is finally within sight. Careening our big blue Honda van into a parking space, it’s time to collect my weary crew. “Momma!” Estelle yells from the wooded playground. Under the shade of 100 trees, I see Violet running to me in the jiggly way only toddlers can, my heart melting a little every time, as I bend down to scoop her up.
Let me just breathe this in.
Then get moving again.
Backpacks? Got all the fleeces? Yes and yes. “Come on guys,” I nudge, but nobody moves. “Seriously, let’s go home.” “The first one in the van gets 57 hours of videos when we get home!”
Finally they’re all strapped in.
From the rearview mirror I see George and Estelle’s flushed faces, still sweaty from a day that included everything from Montessori “works” like matching tiny objects starting with the same letter to tons of hide and seek. Now they’re fading. Fast.
Once we got home, I hauled all the bags–and all the kids–in from the garage. That’s when I noticed four small people looking at me expectantly. And when I say “looking” I might mean at least one of them was crying.
Time to get dinner on the table.
Now, you and I–all of us here–are the most excellent parents who have won all the awards so we KNOW that a “good dinner” should involve something vaguely green. But we ALSO KNOW that tired, hungry kids aren’t always the most receptive audience to the “because it’s good for you” argument.
Enter your new Use-It-When-You-Need-It side dish: Veggie Cups in Mini Bread Bowls.
And hear me when I type this: It’s not nearly as hard as it looks! These veggie cups come together in minutes. They just LOOK fancy. Which is, of course, the reason why our kids love them–and yours will too.
This kid-friendly veggie side dish requires no cooking, only a little slicing and a dollop of salad dressing in each one.
What You need to make veggie cups in mini bread bowls
- 1 baguette (the longer, skinnier kind work best)
- 2 cups fresh veggies that can be served in long strips (sugar snap peas, asparagus, peppers, carrots, celery…)
- A dab of hummus or salad dressing for the bottom of each bread bowl
How to make veggie cups in mini bread bowls
- Slice the baguette into roughly 3-4 inch rounds.
- Slice the bread on a diagonal, leaving a lip of about 3/4 of an inch on either side.
- Hollow out the “bowls” and fill with a teaspoon or so of salad dressing.
4. Stuff with your favorite veggies and serve!
TIP
4. Stuff with your favorite veggies and serve!
If you want to make them ahead of time, either prep the bread and veggies then store separately (in an air-tight container on the counter, and in the fridge, respectively). Or keep them fresh for just an hour or so ahead of time by placing a damp paper towel over the whole tray.
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So Cute! LOVE!