Emily & I
At the age of 30, I discovered that I was unable to conceive children naturally. The news came as a shock – being as healthy as I was – but nervously accepting this, I explored alternatives and commenced what would eventually end up as six cycles of IVF.
The tumultuous journey of trying to start a family affected my relationship with food – it was no longer a happy association. I started micro-managing every possible aspect of my wellbeing, and kept thinking guilty thoughts such as, “If I don’t have any wine or coffee, I’ll fall pregnant,” or “If I eat only organic, I’ll fall pregnant,” etc.
Deep down, I knew these beliefs weren’t necessarily true and, in reality, the stress and anxiety I was building around my eating habits were far worse than any effects – real or perceived – of what I was actually consuming.
Through the IVF process, the biggest lesson I learnt was to forgive myself and not to focus on food as a coping mechanism.
Remarkably, it was when I gave up trying to control the situation that I finally fell pregnant, and in March 2014, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Emily. I was ecstatic, and extremely grateful.
Since becoming a mother, my kitchen is new again – it is a never-ending test of flavours and combinations, to see what Emily enjoys eating. The way I cook for Emily is similar to the way my mum used to cook for our family when I was young: child-friendly versions of diverse dishes, using decent produce.
As my mum did with me, I do what I can to encourage my daughter to develop a well-balanced palate. I love watching and nurturing the “food curiosity” in her. My belief is the more educated we are, the more interested we get, and the more eating options we gain. But most importantly, food is about having fun!
In our household, there is no divide between what Emily eats and what my husband, Michael, and I eat – mealtimes are always planned around a menu that everyone will equally relish. We love eating most meals together, which is where so much food knowledge and love starts.
In this chapter are some of our “family favourite” recipes, which I hope you and your family – parents, big kids and little ones alike – will adore eating as much as we do.