Discerning Palette or Bottomless Pit?

I have a new weight loss plan.  It involves feeding half of whatever I’m eating to the little monkey that follows me around like those seagulls in Junior High school.

Last night I was eating a particularly child unfriendly meal.  Crab cakes, red peppers stuffed with spicy goat cheese, and asparagus.  I was hesitant to feed shell fish to a 1-year-old minus one day, but threw caution to the wind.  He couldn’t get enough.  I fed him goat cheese with red pepper flakes that had quite a kick.  He wiggled and danced and grunted na na (translation: more).  He didn’t bat an eyelash at the asparagus.  He cried when it was all gone.

We’ve fed this baby ginger and pork potstickers soaked in vinegar.  Blue cheese, goat cheese, pepper jack cheese; cioppino, dill pickles, brussel sprouts, figs, farro with garlic, salmon covered in spicy salsa, Pad Thai, BBQ chicken (this got a smiley face at school), amarinth (I don’t even know if I’ve ever eaten this), spicy sausage, plain Greek yogurt, scrambled eggs… the list goes on and on.  His usual diet is mostly yes peas, thank you carrots, sweet potatoes, baby dahl (lentils & veggies), and mama grain (bananas w/ black beans).

Every so often he’ll grimace and gag, but the little hatch continues to open.  The only thing I saw him outright refuse was called Bollywood.  It was some kind of organic Indian baby curry.  I don’t really blame him because I secretly avoid curry myself.  I sent the second serving of it with him to school.  He likes them so much I figured it was worth a try… and I was desperate that morning to scrape something together for his lunch.  The Bollywood didn’t come home.