Little hands can help with this kid-friendly Mother's Day brunch menu that Mom will love, too.
When my son, Miles, was not yet two years old, I would stand him up in one of those toddler kitchen helper platforms so he could stir boiling water as my wife peeked through her hands. He only started one relatively small fire, but on the plus side, he got pretty good at making boxed mac and cheese. The point is, my kids have been helping me in the kitchen since they were (probably too) young.
When it comes to prep, I handle knifework, but they usually do the egg cracking, pouring, measuring, stirring, mashing and blending. And when it comes to the brunch menu, the perfect Mother’s Day vibe for my wife is a sun-kissed, light-and-delicious, all-day cafe where she can’t quite see what I’m letting the kiddos do to the kitchen.
Raspberry Fizz
About two years ago, my wife stopped drinking and never picked it back up. Now she’s obsessed with non-alc drinks, but in a narrow lane: They can’t be too sweet, they can’t be too milky or claggy, and they should always veer towards light and refreshing. This one gets a check plus fifteen.
Mango Pineapple Berry Smoothie
My kids eat so much fruit that our weekly “berry bill” is probably neck and neck with our electricity bill. But the use of frozen fruit in this recipe cuts back on costs, and the kids get a kick out of squeezing one of their yogurt pouches into the blender. They just need to remember to put the top on this time. Our poor ceiling.
Avocado Toast
The trick to a great avo toast is finding a great avocado, which is harder than it looks. I’ll usually drive out of my way to a Hispanic grocery store—the avocados are cheaper and fresher because they sell so many of them. This recipe is kid-perfect. They love mashing the avocado, and then I let them sprinkle on sea salt and red pepper flakes.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
There’s this restaurant, Gjelina, in Venice and Santa Monica that is pretty much the epitome of my wife’s favorite type of place. Small healthy bites of food. Every inch is Instagrammable. Lots of beverages to choose from. But these pancakes are what put the place on the map. I make them all the time when I’m sick of microwaving Eggos for the kids.
Cheesy Chive Omelet
The picture of this omelet probably shows the perfect French version—lemon yellow, creamy, soft with little flecks of green chives in it. This is not how my wife likes them. She wants the outside crispy, near brown and cooked within an inch of its life. Luckily, this is exactly how my kids know how to cook eggs. Everyone wins.
