Both my boys are fussy little buggers, which is a bit embarrassing, considering what I do for a living. Joe’s more persuadable, and is finally getting why I’m always asking him to eat the healthy stuff, even though he doesn’t really want to. Paddy just clamps his jaw shut and refuses to budge if you try to force so much as a green bean down him. He loves carrots, though, but I think that’s got more to do with orange being his favourite colour.

Carrots aside, Paddy basically hates all veg, and especially mash. Like most parents, I have to resort to subterfuge, whizzing up veg and mixing it into meat sauce for pasta. Funny how they still don’t realise there’s shitloads of leeks, onion, celery and carrots in their bolognese. They’d probably never forgive me if they found out. On the bright side, they both eat fruit.

Joe is beginning to show a real interest in food, which is gratifying. He loves helping out, especially when it’s tacos for tea – it’s his job to chop the veg for the salsa, and these days not too much ends up on the floor. We have a rule that I always make the first taco, which has to contain a bit of everything – meat, guacamole (which Paddy detests), salsa, cabbage – and after that they’re allowed to make their own with whatever they fancy. For Paddy, that means just the taco shells while Joe fills his with meat and guacamole. I end up tipping most of the cabbage in the bin because no one but me has eaten any. I don’t know why I bother sometimes.

The boys have tea with me four nights a week and go to their dad’s on the other three. We don’t have any regular family traditions about what we eat and when – we’re far too chaotic for fish on Fridays and a roast every Sunday. The only thing set in stone is that they have a boys’ night with their father every Friday, when they get to eat in front of the telly. They think that’s a proper treat.

Mary-Ellen’s tacos

Serves 4

For the spiced chicken thighs
spice mix about 2 tbsp (roughly equal quantities of cumin, coriander, turmeric, oregano, paprika – basically, whatever you have in the spice cupboard)
limes juice of 2
salt 1 tsp
vegetable oil 1 tbsp
chicken thighs 8

For the guacamole
avocado 1 large, ripe
lime juice of 1
salt a pinch
(you could add some chilli to this, but it makes my children cry, so I leave it out)

For the salsa
tomatoes 4, ripe
coriander leaves a small handful
lime juice of 1
salt ½ tsp
(again, no chilli for us – see above. If less prone to weeping, use one green chilli)

To finish
tacos 2-4 per person
iceberg lettuce, chinese leaf or white cabbage ½ (anything mild and crunchy, basically), finely shredded

Mix the spice mix, lime juice, salt and oil in a bowl, then rub into the chicken. Cover and leave to marinade in the fridge for as long as you have – if I’m in a rush, it gets only 10-15 minutes, but an hour is ideal. Put all the guacamole ingredients in a mixing jug and blitz with a hand-blender until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

For the salsa, dice the tomatoes and chop the coriander leaves. Mix with the lime juice and salt, cover and refrigerate until required

Heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Tip the thighs and their marinade on to a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes (or until nicely browned), then turn down the oven to 150C/gas mark 2 for another 45 minutes. Once cooked, leave to cool slightly, then pick the meat from the bones. Scrape up any roasting juices from the tray and mix into the shredded meat. Put the tacos on a baking sheet, read the packet and do what it says. To serve, spread a large dollop of guacamole over the inside of a taco shell, add a layer of green stuff, then some meat and top with salsa.