Hiking in Banff
My favorite recipes to cook with the kids involve vegetables, like our Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe. The kids are usually tentative at first and think they won’t like it. But I reassure them that they might never have had this vegetable prepared this way, with these flavors. Because they’ve invested their energy into making it, they’re willing to try it. I love hearing them say, “I thought I wasn’t going to like it, but it’s really good!”
I’m a very adventurous eater, and I’m always trying new recipes to serve my family. My favorites involve flavors from around the world: Cuban picadillo with plantains on the side, Indian vegetable curry, Asian stir-fries, Butternut squash with Moroccan spices – just to name a few. I’m trying to raise my son to be an adventurous eater so that he will be a great traveler someday!
I have worked as a personal trainer since 1998, helping adults achieve their fitness goals. It wasn’t until my son was born that I became passionate about kids’ health and fitness. I started volunteering my time with the PTA Healthy Lifestyles program in Round Rock ISD in 2008, and that path eventually led me to Leah and Kids Kitchen. Right from the start, I knew she had a brilliant idea. What better way to get kids to eat a variety of healthful foods than to teach them how to cook? I had to get involved. Fortunately, Leah needed passionate instructors to help accommodate the increasing demand for Kids Kitchen services, and I got my dream job!
In my spare time, I love to run, swim, dance, hike, read, travel, and yes, cook. I am also a Facilitator for The Happy Kitchen®, a program of the Sustainable Food Center in Austin, and am currently trying to become one of those people I’ve always wanted to be: a vegetable gardener.
~Paige
Exercising in Belgium
