Brussels Sprouts (as requested!)

Yes, I couldn't believe it either. My vegetable-hating daughter requested brussels sprouts.

I must admit, I'm not a big fan of them. If it's a choice between eating brussels sprouts or say, allowing myself to be suspended by my feet over a crocodile-infested swamp, I'd definitely choose the sprouts. But generally, I tend to politely pass them by in the supermarket.

And so, you can imagine my surprise when daughter number 1 points to them and says "Mummy, what are those green things?"

Green things? I thought. Why is she interested in green things in the fruit and vegie section? That's not normal.

"They're called brussels sprouts sweetie" I said, not entirely certain I wasn't dreaming.

"Can we try them?" she asked.

Okay. Now I know I must be dreaming.

"Oh, for a minute there I thought you said, can we try them" I answered.

"I did" she said. "So can we?"

"Oh, well, yeah, sure we can." This can't be happening. Next she'll be asking for pumpkin.

I drove home from the supermarket rejoicing in the fact that my 6 year old had finally accepted vegetables into her diet! I also drove home in a panic because I had no idea how to cook brussels sprouts!

Luckily, my culinary knight-in-shining-armour (aka my husband), came to the rescue. Is there nothing this man cannot cook? When dinnertime finally came, we excitedly placed the little fellas' on the table. She looked at them and her pretty face immediately formed into an expression that you'd really rather not see when you've just served up food.

"They smell funny" she said.

"Yes but they taste delicious" I replied, hoping that this would be the only time I would ever lie to her. "Are you ready to try one?"

"Of course" she said.

She took the tiniest bite. She tried to smile. Her little face wrinked up.

"Yuk! They're awful!"

"They're not awful darling! They're delicious!" I sang.

"Delectable!" my husband crooned.

"Mouth-watering!" I exclaimed.

"No, they're disgusting!" she said. "I'm not eating them."

"We love them!" we both sang in unison, chewing away cheerfully.

Luckily we have perfected the art of moving food around a plate to give the impression that we are in fact, eating it.

Next time, I think I'll go vegie shopping alone.