My son moved out from home a year ago. Wow, already… I should mention he moved half way across the country (where his sister lives also). Unfortunately, our very excitedly planned visit in March, was met with COVID-19 chaos and sadly the trip was cancelled. We are waiting — impatiently — for a chance to reschedule.
Garlic shrimp and scallops, broccoli and cauliflower with spicy cheese sauce, and fried onions with mixed peppers. Mine, pictured below features a dairy-free, gluten-free spicy ‘cheese’ sauce. 
In the meantime, a few weeks ago, he and I started a project together. He wanted to learn how to cook, so thanks to face-time technology we’ve been cooking together every week. We come up with a meal he’d like to learn to make. Often this is a bit challenging for me with dietary restrictions, so I compromise a bit, sometimes making my meal a bit differently from his, but it works (and it’s good practice for me)!
So first we come up with the meal. Then I send him an ingredient “shopping” list and a tool list of what he’ll need to use in the kitchen.
One of our challenges is a 2-hour time change between us… Canada is a BIG country! So, he preps his meal a bit earlier than normal, and I prep our supper a bit later than normal.
After we’re finished cooking, we send each other pictures of our plating presentation. After they’ve eaten, he sends me the thumbs up he gets from his roommates! They appear to really appreciate his cooking efforts. 🙂 Then, I send him detailed recipes for each meal we make, so he can do it again on his own. We’ve been having so much fun, and it’s been a great way to spend some time together during… well, 2020.
Macaroni salad, garden salad and pre-marinated BBQ steak.
I’ve featured in this post some of the meals we’ve made so far. There is a lot of accommodations made for healthier options, however, these meals also take into consideration a young guy in his early 20’s who just wants to learn to cook meals he likes (that’s not KD! LOL).
I consider these meals more “transitional” health. I put in as many healthy options as I can and let him pick what he wants to learn. (Hey — he picked quinoa over rice! I almost teared up — just kidding, kinda, it was a proud Mom moment for sure.) For me, it’s more important that we are having a fun time together and he’s enjoying his cooking experience, than pushing him to be as strict as I am about healthy choices. Those choices come over time and with building a foundation of knowledge. Naturally, as we cook together, he also gets to see and hear me talk about the differences between what I’m doing versus what he’s doing. This plants seeds along the way.
I think the most important lesson we’ve learned is his stove is WAY hotter than mine. There’s lots to think about along this new journey. I’m normally an off-the-cuff cook. I make things up along the way. If I don’t post the recipes on here, then chances are we’ll never see them again. My husband cooks the same way. Cooking with my son has forced me to really think about the steps I take when cooking and the measurements I use (I usually eye-ball!) So, I welcome this challenge as it’s helping to hone and build my teaching skills.
This experience helps to bridge a gab that’s half-a-country wide.
Easy beef vindaloo, tikka masala chickpeas with Basmati rice and naan. 
Chili with cheesy garlic bread. 
Greek themed Buddha bowl.
A Flexitarian Journey 