Mother's Day Meal

My favourite Mother’s Day meal was the very first one my son ever made for me.

He was three years old, and he served me breakfast in bed. It consisted of a bowl of whole grain cereal with my favourite organic soy beverage all served in a bowl that he had gotten out of the dishwasher. The only problem was that the dishwasher hadn’t been turned on. So he and I ate our cereal out of slightly dirty bowls—and it was the best breakfast I ever had.

As my son has gotten older and more versed in the culinary arts, my Mother’s Day meal has morphed from cereal to scrambled eggs, to French toast, and, finally in his early teens, to full-blown dinners. These usually consist of a pasta dish, a green salad, and ice cream—all the more fabulous because he’s made them especially for me.

And that’s what we moms really want, a homemade present made with love!

Here is everything you need to know to give your mom a Mother’s Day meal she’ll always remember. Please note that children will require adult supervision when working in the kitchen.

Menu

• Plated Green Salad with Sweet and Tangy Creamy Dressing
• Chicken with Peaches
• Brown or red rice
• Your favourite green vegetable
• Fudge Brownie Chocolate Pudding Cake

Grocery list

• 1 - 5 oz (142 g) package of spring greens mix
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium English cucumber
• 1 medium onion
• 8 organic skinless, boneless chicken thighs (approximately 1 1/2 lbs/ 700 g)
• 1 - 398 mL (14 oz) can whole peaches in light syrup, water, or fruit juice
• cocoa powder
• chocolate chips, at least 70 percent cocoa mass

Game plan

• Make Fudge Brownie Chocolate Pudding Cake.
• One hour before serving, cook rice, following package directions.
• Prepare favourite green vegetable; but don’t cook it, set aside.
• Prepare salad dressing; store in fridge.
• Wash and spin dry salad greens; store in fridge.
• Cut up tomatoes and cucumber for the salad; store in fridge.
• Prepare Chicken with Peaches at least 30 minutes before the rice is cooked.
• After the rice is cooked, and the chicken is almost ready, serve salad.
• After the salad course, cook favourite green vegetable.
• Place 1/2 cup (125 mL) cooked rice, one-quarter of the Chicken with Peaches with sauce, and the cooked vegetable onto each of four plates.
• After dinner serve dessert.

On hand

What to have on hand in the pantry or fridge: Check if these are in your house; if not, put them on your grocery list—and remember to choose organic whenever possible.

• low-fat mayonnaise
• low-fat plain yogourt
• apple cider vinegar
• low-sodium chicken broth
• pure maple syrup
• Dijon mustard
• paprika
• dark brown sugar
• granulated cane sugar
• whole wheat flour
• baking powder
• cinnamon
• pure vanilla extract
• skim milk or soy beverage
• unsalted butter