Blueberry Peach Multigrain Pancakes for the Whole Family

As I said in my other post, the peaches have been so amazing this season! We had a peach leftover from dinner last night, so I decided to make peach and blueberry pancakes for breakfast. These pancakes are for the whole family to enjoy. However I did make the ones for my little guy much smaller. This recipe is for babies that are 7+ months and for Mommy's and Daddy's of all ages :)

Here's what you'll need:
1 cup multigrain pancake mix
handful of blueberries cut into quarters
1 peach peeled and finely chopped
2 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup greek or plain whole milk yogurt

Mix everything together in a large bowl. Add 1-2 tblsp olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Ladle the batter into the skillet and cook. Flip pancakes when you start to see air bubbles. Add more olive oil to skillet before you ladle next batter of pancakes into it. Use a small spoon or a tablespoon for your little ones pancakes. Let pancakes for your little one cool, and then serve right on high chair tray. Serve pancakes for Mommy and Daddy with maple syrup, and enjoy!

Pork Chops with Spiced Apple and Peach Salsa and Roasted Butternut Squash

We had friends over for dinner last night, and I wanted to make something new.  We were at the market yesterday and the peaches looked absolutely delicious, so I decided to make my spiced apple pork chops with  peaches. The peaches were a total success! They really upped the flavor quotient to totally yummy! From beginning to end every part of the dinner, including the guests, was amazing!

Our friends made a delicious caprese salad to start:

Caprese Salad:

Organic Purple Basil (I had never had this before, it was so delicious, and really made the dish look pretty)

2-3 Sliced Organic Heirloom Tomatoes

Sliced Fresh Mozzarella (enough slices for each tomato)

Slice tomatoes and cheese. Put sliced tomatoes on a platter and top with sliced mozzarella and one basil leaf. Serve and enjoy!

Pork Chops with Spiced Apple and Peach Salsa:

Here's what you'll need:

6 large boneless pork chops

2 Organic apples peeled and chopped

1-2 Organic peaches chopped

1 Package Chopped Pancetta

1-2 tblsp honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1-2 pinches ground sage

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

Add 2 tblsp olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Add them to hot pan and cook for approx 7 minutes on both sides. While pork chops are cooking, peel and chop the apples and peaches and set aside. When pork chops are done remove to a plate and set aside. Add chopped apples, peaches, and pancetta to same pan that pork was cooking in. Add honey to the pan and stir to coat apples, peaches and pancetta. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, sage, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Continuously stir until tender. Add pork chops back to pan and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Top pork chops with apple, peach, and pancetta salsa. Serve, and enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash

*The Squash takes 45 minutes to roast*

Here's what you'll need:

2-3 butternut squashes chopped (or 2-3 bags of fresh organic cubed butternut squash from Trader Joe's)

2 tblsp olive oil

2-3 tblsp pure maple syrup

2 tblsp sage

pinch salt (optional)

pinch pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Put cubed squash in a large bowl. Add olive oil, maple syrup, sage, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat butternut squash. Put squash mixture in a large roasting/lasagna pan. There will probably be leftover oil, sage, syrup mixture in bottom of bowl, pour it over the squash in pan. Put squash in oven and roast for 45 minutes. 

Green Eggs with Cherry Tomatoes and Cheddar Cheese

I've been playing around with different types of scrambles for my little one, and came up with this one this morning. I've been trying to think of a way to ensure that my little one gets the most bang for his buck out of each bite, considering half of it always ends up on the floor. So, I decided to puree some veggies and mix them right in with the egg batter and then scramble, hence "green" eggs. After investigating the eggs for a minute, my little guy dug right in! This recipe is for babies 8+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 oz cooked butternut squash puree (steam then puree)
1 oz cooked broccoli puree (steam then puree, or saute with olive oil then puree)
1/2 oz or 1 small spoonful of mashed avocado
1 egg
pinch of parsley
2 cherry tomatoes quartered
1/4 cup bite size pieces of cheddar cheese

In a small bowl, mix butternut squash puree, broccoli puree, mashed avocado. Add beaten egg to puree mixture and stir until blended. Heat a small skillet over med heat, add a tiny bit of olive oil if you like. Pour egg and veggie mixture to the skillet add a pinch of parsley and cook. When eggs are finished put on a plate to cool for a minute. Cut up tomatoes and cheddar cheese and add them to cooled eggs. Serve right on high chair tray and enjoy!

Turkey Spinach Butternut Squash Puree with a side of Plum Tomatoes

I've been trying to find different ways to cut down the bitter taste of spinach for my little one. I usually mix spinach with other veggies and then pear to improve the flavor, but tonight I tried it with turkey and butternut squash. And to my delight my son loved it. This is for babies 9+ months

Here's what you need:
1 oz cooked pureed spinach (you can steam then puree, or saute with olive oil then puree)
1 oz cooked pureed chopped tukey (saute and then puree with filtered water)
2 oz cooked pureed butternut squash (steam then puree with filtered water)
pinch of grated parmesan cheese

Mix together, serve, and enjoy :)

Plum tomato finger food:
 I also decided to cut up a few small plum tomatoes into quarters and give them to my little one after he finished the puree. You can also use quartered cherry or grape tomatoes. Just make sure you cut them into bite size pieces.

What are your favorite finger foods?

Pan Seared Scallops with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Plum Tomatoes for Mommy and Daddy

So last night I dreamt up this recipe (yes I totally dream about food and I'm not ashamed to admit it!) I've been craving tomatoes like crazy lately, especially roasted tomatoes. There's something about that burst of flavor that you get when you bite into a juicy roasted tomato. I think it's funny that it is totally a normal thing for me to have crazy food cravings now, but I did not have one food craving when I was pregnant (OK except for that time I sent my husband out to Boston Market in the middle of the night because I HAD to have macaroni and cheese and sweet potatoes, he almost got mugged, but he did come through with my food! One of the many reasons I love that man!). I digress, here's the recipe:

What you'll need:
1 lb day boat scallops
10-12 medium to large brussel sprouts cut in half
2 handfuls whole small plum tomatoes
handful pine nuts
1 tblsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil
1-2 tblsp unsalted butter

*Brussel sprouts take 15-20 minutes to roast*
Preheat oven to 365F. Drizzle approx 2 tblsp olive oil in the bottom of a roasting/lasagna pan and set aside. Cut Brussel sprouts in half, and place around olive oiled roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Add pine nuts, tomatoes, sprinkle with italian seasoning, and 3-4 pinches parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and place in oven. Roast for 15-20 minutes.

Start scallops when there's approx 5 minutes left on the roasted veggies. Rinse scallops and then dry each one with a paper towel, making sure they are completely dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tblsp unsalted butter and 1 tblsp olive oil in a large saute pan. Add scallops, make sure they are not touching each other, cook on each side for approx 2 minutes. They should have a crispy golden tinge on the top when they are done. Do not over cook or they will be super rubbery. Put 4-5 scallops on each plate, add roasted veggies and serve. Try getting a roasted tomato and scallop in the same bite, such an amazing flavor! Enjoy :)

Pesto Turkey for Baby

I LOVE pesto, and have been trying to come up with a pesto dish that's suitable for my little guy (ie. No pine nuts, salt, pepper, etc...). Finally it came to me! I substituted garbanzo beans for pine nuts. Garbanzos have almost the same texture as pine nuts when pureed, and have the same earthy, nutty flavor. I was so excited to finally try this out on my little guy tonight, and I have to say, he loved it! This recipe is for babies 8+ months.

Pesto Sauce

Pesto "Sauce"
2 oz pureed garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon chopped basil leaves
2 pinches Parmesan cheese

Mix together and set aside.

2 oz pureed cooked ground turkey
1 oz cooked pureed broccoli

Mix turkey and broccoli together. Add pesto sauce stir until blended well. Enjoy!

Ten Best Foods for Baby

According to babycenter the top 10 foods for babies are as follows:

Squash
Lentils
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables (think spinach, kale, etc..)
Broccoli
Blueberries
Avocados
Meat
Prunes
Garbanzo Beans
Mandarin Oranges

Have you tried these with your little one yet? You can find recipes for almost all these super foods right here enjoy!

Carrot Apple "Soup" for Baby

Sometimes there's nothing better than a really good soup. One of my food goals for this year is to learn how to make a really yummy soup. Soups for grown-ups can be pretty tricky and have lots of different ingredients, so I thought I would start off slow with a simple soup for baby. This recipe is for babies that are 8+ months.

3 oz cooked carrot puree (steam then puree with filtered water)
3 oz cooked apple puree (steam then puree)
1-2 pinches sage
1-2 pinches nutmeg

The consistency of the purees for this should be a little thicker than soup. Mix purees and spices together and warm in a small skillet on the stovetop, or in the microwave for 1 minute. When serving warm food to baby always test the temperature on your bottom lip before giving it to baby. If it feels hot to you it's too hot for baby. Wait a minute, or blow on it to cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash, Peas, Garbanzo beans, and Avocado Puree

I gave this puree to my little guy when he was around 7 months, and it's still one of his favorites. This puree is full of iron, protein, vitamin A and Vitamin C.

1 oz cooked butternut squash pureed (you can bake or steam the squash and then scoop out the flesh, or cut into pieces and steam then puree)
1 oz cooked pea puree (I steam and then puree)
1 oz garbanzo bean puree (I use organic canned garbanzos which is totally safe. Just make sure you really rinse them before pureeing with filtered water)
1 oz avocado pureed or mashed
pinch oregano

Mix all together, serve and enjoy :)

A Thrown Together Lunch for Mommy and Daddy That was Totally Delicious!

I love the meals that are created after looking through the fridge and thinking you have absolutely nothing. These dishes end up being the most creative and sometimes most delicious meals. Yesterday my husband and I realized that we forgot to go to the grocery store that morning, and now it was 1pm and we were way too hungry to venture out for food. So after looking through the fridge and freezer we came up with these two sandwiches that were actually really yummy!

What I made for my hubby:

Prosciutto Panini with Roasted Red Peppers and Smoked Gouda

1 baguette
a few slices of prosciutto
2 slices Roasted Red Pepper (from jar soaked with olive oil and garlic)
a few cut up pieces of gouda (or any cheese you happen to have)
drizzle olive oil
sprinkle with italian seasoning

What I made for me:

Masala Veggie Burger with Roasted Red Pepper, Cheddar Cheese, and Pesto on Whole Wheat Toast

2 Slices Stone Ground Wheat Toast
1 Frozen Masala Veggie Burger (I always have these in the freezer, you can get them at Trader Joe's)
1 Slice of Cheddar Cheese
2 Tblsp Pesto Sauce
2 Slices Roasted Red Pepper

Cook veggie burger and then put all ingredients on toast and enjoy!

Mixed Berry Multigrain Pancakes for Mommy and Daddy

Here's what I woke up really craving this morning. Nothing like a pancake breakfast on Sunday morning!

Here's what you'll need:

3/4 cup multigrain pancake mix
handful of organic blueberries
handful of organic raspberries
2 large organic strawberries chopped
1 tblsp honey
1/2 cup skim milk or soy milk
2 eggs
1-2 tblsp butter or olive oil

Mix everything but the butter in a large bowl. Heat 1 tblsp of butter in a large skillet. Ladle the batter into the skillet and cook. Flip pancakes when you start to see air bubbles in the pancake. Add 1 more tblsp of butter to the skillet before you ladle next batch of pancakes batter in to it. I cook 2-3 pancakes at a time. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

                

Apple Banana Quinoa Pancakes

I woke up this morning really wanting pancakes, and thinking that maybe it was time to try pancakes with my little guy too. I had a bunch of cooked pureed quinoa left over from the batch I made yesterday, so I decided to use it to make pancakes.  This recipe is for little ones that are 8+ months.

Here's what you'll need:

2 tblsp cooked pureed quinoa

1 medium banana mashed

1 oz apple puree or 2 tblsp organic unsweetened applesauce

1 tblsp multigrain pancake mix

1 egg yolk

filtered water

Add cooked pureed quinoa, mashed banana, and apple puree in a bowl and mix until blended. Add pancake mix and egg yolk and blend together. Gradually add filtered water until you get the desired consistency. Heat 1-2 tblsp of olive oil in a small skillet. Use a spoon to add the pancake batter into the skillet making small pancakes (think silver dollar pancakes). Cook about 2 minutes or so on either side (you'll know when they're done). Let cool and cut into bite size pieces for your little one, or just put them on the high chair tray if your little one is a little older. Enjoy!

Rock Shrimp Scampi on Whole Wheat Capellini for Mommy and Daddy

Here's what's for dinner tonight. This yummy recipe is originally from Rachael Ray's 365 No Repeats book. She grilled larger shrimp over angel hair pasta,  but I decided to saute rock shrimp (which in my opinion is a little tastier) and serve it over whole wheat capellini.

Here's what you'll need:
Salt
black pepper
1 pound whole wheat capellini
6 garlic cloves crushed
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound raw rock shrimp
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc is what I prefer)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add capellini and cook until al dente (approx 4-6 minutes). (Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, before you drain, in a mug for later use).

While pasta is cooking, combine garlic, parsley, salt pepper and olive oil in a bowl. Mix together and then put half of mixture in a large bowl with shrimp, and toss to coat evenly. Reserve the other half for later. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp to skillet, and cook until the shrimp is firm and opaque (approx 5-6 minutes total). When shrimp is done remove from skillet and place in a bowl or plate and keep to the side.

Add reserved garlic and parsley mixture to the same skillet you cooked the shrimp in. Add red pepper flakes to mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine to the skillet and cook for another minute. Add reserved mug of pasta water and lemon zest and juice to skillet and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add shrimp and pasta and toss to coat. Serve with a glass of white wine and enjoy :)

Serves 4

Introducing Baby to Quinoa

This morning I gave my little guy quinoa for the first time. Quinoa can be introduced to your baby's diet at 8 months (always check with your pediatrician though). Quinoa is a super nutritious grain that is jam packed with iron, fiber, calcium, protein, and all sorts of other essential nutrients for your little one. Quinoa can be served as finger food, or pureed. It is super versatile and can be mixed with practically anything, so I'm super excited to start experimenting with this amazing grain!

Here's how I introduced quinoa:

2 tbls cooked quinoa pureed
1 banana mashed

*FYI I always forget to mention this, but all of my ingredients are organic*

Cook quinoa according to directions on box (usually 15 minutes on the stove top, or 6-8 minutes in the microwave). I made 1 cup of quinoa and stored it in the fridge. It will last a few days in there, so I can take what I need per recipe. Once quinoa is cooked, let cool, and then puree with filtered water until you get the desired texture. Put 2 tbls quinoa puree in a bowl and add a whole banana, and then mash. Serve and enjoy!

Apple Rice Pudding

I made this for my little one yesterday, and he really liked it. Now I say pudding because that's what it looks like, but there's no sugar or pudding actually in it. It's a yummy alternative to oatmeal for baby, and it's very gentle on the tummy. This recipe is for babies 6+ months

2 tblsp cooked organic brown rice pureed
2 tblsp Fage plain greek yogurt (2% or higher)
1-2 oz apple puree

Cook brown rice according to instructions on box. Let it cool and then puree it with filtered water until you get the desired texture. Add yogurt, apple, and a pinch of cinnamon (optional), stir together and enjoy!

P.S - You can also add pureed turkey to this instead of yogurt, and serve it for dinner.

First Foods

Let's talk about baby's first foods. There are a few different options when it comes to starting solids with your little one: *The consistency of first foods should mimic the consistency of breast milk or formula. It should be soup like*

The most popular being fortified rice, oatmeal, or barley cereals. You can start these cereals at 4 months, if your baby is showing signs of being ready for solids. These cereals are very easily digested, and are rarely allergens. If you are going to start with iron-fortified cereals, I highly recommend choosing a cereal that is organic, and brown rice (if you are starting with rice cereal). Mix cereal with breast milk or formula.

If you decide not to give your baby commercial cereal, you can make your own cereal. When your baby is 6 months old you can start them on homemade whole grain brown rice cereal or millet cereal. This is what we decided to do. This type of cereal,  known as Super Porridge (from Super Baby Food), is pretty easy to make. Mix with breast milk or formula. Here are the instructions on how to make Super Porridge: http://www.superbabyfood.com/super-porridge-by-super-baby-food-author-ruth-yaron/

Avocado was our little guys first food. Avocado is one of the super foods for babies. It is a great source of unsaturated fatty acids that are necessary for your baby's brain development. Serve mashed ripe avocado mixed with breast milk or formula.

Mashed Banana is another great first food for baby. It's gentle on baby's tummy, and very nutritious. Serve Mashed banana with breast milk or formula.

Cooked Sweet Potato is also a great first food for baby. It is jam packed with vitamin A as well as other essential vitamins for baby. Puree cooked sweet potato and mix with breast milk or formula.

The amount of solids you offer your baby at first really depends on your baby. I gave my little guy 1 oz of avocado mixed with enough breast milk to make it extremely soupy 1 time a day. I never believed that my little one would be able to let me know when he was ready for more food, but he was. Your little ones will let you know when they are still hungry, or want more meals in the day.

Starting solids with your little one is really fun, but don't stress out if your little one doesn't take to solids right away. Every baby is different, and not every baby is ready for solids at 4 months, 6 months, even 8 or 9 months. We started solids at 6 months.

Have fun, and remember to enjoy it, feeding your baby should be fun not stressful!

Pesto Ravioli with Sauteed Plum Tomatoes and Zucchini for Mommy and Daddy

Here's what's for dinner tonight:

1 package arugula and parmigianno reggianno ravioli (we got this at Trader Joe's in refrigerated section)
1 cup small whole plum tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
1 large zucchini (chopped)
Salt
Pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 7oz container of pesto sauce (or you can make your own. Recipe follows)

Bring 2-3 cups of water and a tablespoon of salt to a boil in a medium pot. Add ravioli and gently boil for 3-4 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add chopped zucchini and whole plum tomatoes to pan and lightly season with salt and pepper. Saute until tender. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add pesto sauce and mix until well coated. Serve pasta in bowls and top with sauteed tomatoes and zucchini. Enjoy!

Pesto Sauce:
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cups chopped basil
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil

Put basil, garlic, pine nuts, pinch of salt and parmesan cheese in a food processor and blend, gradually adding olive oil. Add more salt if needed at the end.

Baked Potato with Turkey Casserole for Baby

I absolutely love baked potatoes. I was recently thinking Of this restaurant I ate at in England called Hole in the Wall that served an entire meal inside a potato. I remember having chicken casserole served in a baked potato. It was odd, yet totally delicious,so I tried to mimic that in a baby puree or finger food. Anyway, that was a roundabout way of introducing this new recipe, but those who know me know that I can go off on tangents before really getting to the point!

This recipe is for babies 8+ months.

2 oz baked potato (mashed for finger food, or pureed)
2 oz cooked pureed broccoli (I steam and cut into bite size soft pieces or puree)
1 oz sautéed ground turkey (minced or pureed with filtered water)
1 tsp grated cheddar
Pinch of garlic
Pinch of oregano

Poke holes all over potato and place on a damp paper towel and put in microwave for 5-8 minutes. You can also bake in oven, but it takes much longer. When potato is done cut in half and scoop out potato and mash or puree. Use half of what you mash or puree for this recipe, freeze or refrigerate other half. If serving as finger food put mashed potato in a bowl and add soft bite size pieces of broccoli, and minced turkey. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese,
garlic, and oregano. Mix together and serve right on high chair tray. If pureeing, mix potato, broccoli, and turkey puree in a small bowl. Add cheese, garlic,and oregano and serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken with Herbed Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes for Mommy and Daddy

I made this for dinner tonight. I haven't made this in awhile, and forgot how yummy it is. I originally found this recipe in Bethany Frankel's book Naturally Thin.

Serves 2-4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup goat cheese

2/3 cup sundried tomatoes

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon parsley

1/4 to 1/3 cup skim milk or soy milk

Put goat cheese in a bowl, and add sage, thyme and parsley. Mix together until blended. Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Slice each chicken breast down the middle creating a pocket. Spoon about a tablespoon of the herbed goat cheese into each pocket of chicken breasts. Set aside 1/4 cup goat cheese. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan and heat over medium high heat. Place chicken cheese side down in the pan and cook for 7 minutes on each side. When chicken is done remove and put on plate. Add sundried tomatoes, remaining goat cheese, and 1/4 cup skim milk to same pan you cooked the chicken in. Cook for 2-3 minutes, and then spoon tomato mixture over chicken and serve.

I served this with green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and peas steamed with garlic and olive oil.

Enjoy :)

How to Puree: Apples and Turkey

Yesterday I was able to quickly make 2 purees while my little one was napping.  I was able to puree both simultaneously, so this took about 20 minutes form start to finish! Here's a step-by-step look at how I puree:

I use my Krupps Mini Chopper or my Magic Bullet to Puree

Add 2tbsp olive oil

Saute ground turkey

Add filtered water to turkey

Spoon puree into Mumi&Bubi trays

Finished Purees

Put cover on Mumi&Bubi tray

Place in freezer overnight

Finger Food: Turkey with diced Avocado

I made this for my little guy today, and he seemed to really like it. It's a pretty messy meal, but I think that made it more fun for him.

I bought 1lb of organic ground turkey. I sauteed all of it with olive oil, and pureed about 3/4 lb. I put the other 1/4 lb in a covered bowl in the fridge to have handy for finger food meals.

1/3 - 1/2 cup cooked ground turkey cut into bite size pieces
1/2 avocado diced into bite size pieces

You could also add cut up cheddar cheese and smashed peas to this if you like.

Put right on high chair tray and enjoy!

Mixed Greens, Turkey, Avocado, Tomato and Cheddar Cheese with Celery Seed Dressing for Mommy

This is what I had for lunch today, and to be honest, it's all about the dressing. This salad dressing is the best dressing I have ever had. My Mother-in-law's dear friend Eileen, who is probably one of the best cooks I know, came up with this dressing. If it were socially acceptable I'd probably do shots of it. That's how good it is!

Salad:

Handful organic mixed green salad

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1/2 avocado diced

1-2 slices roasted turkey cut up, or shredded with your hand

1 slice cheddar cheese

(You can add anything to this salad. This is what I had in my fridge, so it's what I added. I've put black olives, celery, raspberries, blueberries in it as well.)

Celery Seed Dressing:

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground mustard

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tsp celery seed

Mix together sugar, salt, mustard and vinegar. Add 1 cup oil 1 tbsp at a time beating continually until it thickens. Fold in celery seed. Put in covered jar & refrigerate. (Makes a bottle of salad dressing) I put 2 tblsp  over my salad.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato with Cinnamon and Whole Wheat Parmesan Macaroni

Here's a step by step pictorial of what I made for dinner tonight:

3 oz cooked sweet potato puree (I steam and then puree)
2 pinches cinnamon

Whole Wheat Parmesan Macaroni
2 Tablespoons whole wheat macaroni
2 pinches parmesan cheese

P.S. This is how I store all of my baby food. My son has officially taken over our freezer:

Dhal for Baby

This is a great meal to give your little one starting around 7 months. It's full of iron and vitamin A. I gave this to my little guy last week and he really loved it. I thought it was pretty tasty too!

1 oz red lentil puree
2 oz cooked carrot puree
1 oz cooked potato puree (or mash if your little one is 9+ months)
1/4 teaspoon corriander
pinch cinnamon

I punch a bunch of holes with a fork all over the potato and place it on a damp paper towel in the microwave and microwave for 5-8 minutes, and then peel and puree or mash.

Mix together, serve and enjoy!

*Reminder* to cook lentils add 3 cups of water to every 1 cup of lentils and boil gently for 20 minutes. Puree with water left in pot.

This is considered 2 servings if your baby is 7-9 months, and 1 serving if your baby is 9+ months.

Avocado Banana and Sweet Potato Mash

This was my son's first combination food, and still one of his favorites. Avocado, sweet potato and banana are all great first foods to give your little one. They are very easy to digest, and super nutritious. It is believed that human beings can survive on avocado alone; that's pretty remarkable!

2 oz cooked mashed Sweet potato
1 oz fork mashed avocado
1 oz fork mashed banana

You can change the amounts in this recipe. Sometimes I give more avocado and less sweet potato, etc....

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Apple Puree

The unseasonably cold weather we've been having in the bay area this week has me thinking of autumn, and about yummy pumpkin. Pumpkin is a great food for your little one. It's super nutritious and delicious. You can introduce pumpkin to your little one around 6 months. It's a great first food.

2 oz pumpkin puree (When they are in season I buy fresh, bake and then scoop out the flesh. The rest of the year I buy organic canned pumpkin puree. It is totally safe to use canned pumpkin puree, just make sure you buy 100% pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie mix.)
2 oz cooked apple puree (I peel, steam and then puree, however when I have time I slice up and roast in the oven with cinnamon and then puree)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (if you roast apples with cinnamon you don't need to add this)


mix together, serve, and enjoy!

Banana Pear Oatmeal

This is what we had for breakfast this morning. Sometimes there's nothing better than a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning :)

3 tablespoons organic rolled oats
1 oz pear puree
2 oz mashed banana

Add approximately 1/3 cup filtered water to the oats and cook for 2 minutes (I use quick cooking oats, if you use regular oats it should take 10 minutes). Once oats are cooked add pear puree and banana. Let cool for 1-2 minutes before serving to your little one.

Enjoy!

Farfalle with Butternut Squash, Chicken and Sage for Mommy and Daddy

My mom made this for us when she was staying with us right after the baby was born. It is a super easy yummy meal that has become a go to meal for us. It takes about 20 minutes including prep time! Enjoy :)


Serves 4

12 oz Whole Wheat Farfalle
1 cup milk
3 cups peeled fresh butternut squash cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped sage
5.2 oz package Boursin light with chives
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Cook 12 oz Farfalle pasta. Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. I cook the chicken on my Foreman grill, but ypu can use a grill pan as well. While that cooks heat 1 cup milk, 3 cups 1/2 inch pieces (cubes) butternut squash and 1 1/2 tablespoons sage in a medium saucepan until simmering. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or just until squash is tender. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the package of Boursin cheese until blended, drain pasts well and return to pot. Cut chicken into cubes, and add to pasta. Add squash and sauce and gently toss to mix and coat.

Pasta with Butternut Squash Chicken and Sage

This is one of my go to meals for me and my husband (I will post that recipe next). I decided to change it a little to make it appropriate for our little guy.

This can be served as finger food or as a puree.

1/4 cup whole wheat spiral pasta
2-3 oz cooked butternut squash
1 oz chicken or turkey
1 teaspoon sage
Pinch of cinnamon
Grated Parmesan

In a small pot bring water to boil, then add pasta. Sauté chicken or turkey with a little olive oil in a pan, and then cut into bite size pieces, or puree. Steam butternut squash, and then cut into soft tiny pieces, or puree. When pasta is done, drain, and then cut into bite size pieces, or puree. Put pasta, chicken, and butternut squash into a bowl. Add sage, cinnamon, and parmesan and mix together. Serve as finger food, or puree ingredients together and enjoy!

Green Lentil Broccoli Puree

I made this tonight for my little one, and my husband and I both commented on how good it smelled, and how delicious it was after we actually tasted it. I'm going to make this in a non puree form for us one night, but I have to think of some other yummy things to add to it for Mommy and Daddy. I'll post it when I come up with it, but for now here's the baby version:

2 oz broccoli puree (steamed and then pureed)
2 oz green lentil puree
1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese

Sweet Potato Spinach and Pear

My sister-in-law made this for my nephew, and he loved it, so I thought I would share this yummy creation. I'm looking forward to trying this with my little one too. *Your baby must be atleast 8 to 9 months old before they can eat homemade spinach. (FYI my information about age appropriateness for food comes from Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaren and my pediatrician)

1 oz cooked spinach pureed (I steam the spinach or saute with olive oil)
2 oz cooked sweet potato puree (I steam and then puree)
1-2 oz pear puree
2 + tablespoons carrot juice

Mix together and enjoy!

Baby Scramble

This is a yummy scramble for your little one, and a great finger food. Make sure your baby is old enough to eat cooked egg yolk.

1-2 egg yolks scrambled
1/2 an avocado mashed or diced into small cubes
1 oz smashed cooked peas
1/2 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese
1-2 pinches parsley

Crack eggs into your hand or use an egg separator to separate the yolk from the egg whites. Beat egg yolks and then put them in a small saute pan. Add mashed or diced avocado, smashed cooked peas, parmesan, and parsley to the pan and scramble. Let cool for 1-2 minutes and then serve to your little one. I usually put it right on his high chair tray, or in a bowl as finger food.

Avocado and Roasted Tomatoes over Chicken for Mommy and Daddy

I got this idea from a recipe in Rachael Ray's new cookbook, but her way just took me a little too long, so I decided to change a few things and make it a little easier.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 avocado (diced)
2 cups grape tomoatoes
1 package diced pancetta
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
parmesan cheese
italian seasoning
salt
ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Put tomatoes in a medium size lasagna pan (caserole pan, whatever you have). Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes (I never measure this, but if I had to guess I'd say I probably drizzle 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup). Season tomatoes with a tablespoon Italian seasoning and grated parmesan cheese. Add diced pancetta to the tomatoes and put in oven. Roast for about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat approx 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breast and cook for 7 minutes on each side. While chicken is cooking cut open Avocado, remove pit, and scoop out flesh. Dice avocado as well as you can, doesn't have to be perfect. Put diced avocado in a bowl and squeeze lemon juice over it. Set aside. When chicken is done place on a plate top each piece of chicken with tomatoes, pancetta, and avocado. I usually serve this with cous cous on the side.

Enjoy!

Baja Turkey with Veggies

This is one of my little guy's favorite things to eat for dinner, and it's jam packed with protein, iron, calcium, and lots of vitamins for your baby:

1 oz pureed cooked ground turkey (I saute in a pan with olive oil and then puree with filtered water)
1 oz mashed avocado
1 oz cooked pureed peas (I steam and then puree with filtered water)
1 oz cauliflower (steam then puree)
1/2 teaspoon grated cheddar cheese
pinch of oregano

mix together, serve and enjoy!

Mashed Kiwi and Banana

My husband made this for our little guy, and he LOVED it, so I have to give my hubby some props and put it in the blog:

Kiwi Banana fruit mash:
3/4 of a banana mashed
1/2 kiwi mashed

You can also add oats or yogurt to this recipe.

Enjoy!

I Love Hummus!

Garbanzo beans are a great source of protein and iron for your baby, and great if you're a little scared to try meat right away. Here are a few recipes with legumes that my little guy loves:

Butternut squash hummus:
1-2 oz pureed garbanzo beans ( I use organic canned garbanzos. Put them in a strainer or salad spinner and rinse thorougly to get all the salt that they are canned in off before pureeing)
1-2 oz cooked pureed butternut squash (I steam and then puree)

Split pea hummus:
1-2 oz split pea puree (simmer dried split peas for 20 minutes in a covered pot. Use 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of dried split peas)
1-2 oz garbanzo bean puree

Sweet pea hummus:
1-2 oz cooked pureed sweet peas (I steam and then puree)
1-2 oz garbanzo bean puree

Mommy and Daddy Hummus:
1 can organic garbanzo beans
olive oil
2-3 oz butternut squash puree
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon italian seasoning

Puree garbanzo beans and half of the pine nuts continuously adding oil until you get the texture you like (about 1/3 cup oil give or take). Once garbanzos are pureed stir in butternut squash puree, remaining pine nuts and italian seasoning. Serve with multigrain pita chips or warm multigrain naan and enjoy!