Rainbow Chard and Mashed Banana

I decided to try this as a little snack today to see if it worked before making a whole meal with it (meaning to see if my little guy didn't spit it all up, or gag). I figured the banana would help cut the intense flavor of the chard and also add some extra potassium and vitamin A. Well I figured right because my little guy loved this. He gave it a good stare down before allowing me to put it in his mouth, as it doesn't look so pretty, but he gladly opened his mouth for more on bite 2. Next time I make this I'm going to add oatmeal or quinoa. This combination is full of vitamin A, calcium, and potassium. It is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you need:
1 organic banana mashed
1 oz organic cooked rainbow chard pureed

Saute chard with olive oil until it wilts, and then puree with filtered water. Fork mash banana and add it to the chard puree. Stir together, serve and enjoy! *If you want to make this more of a meal you can 1 oz cooked ground turkey puree, or 2 tblsp oatmeal, or quinoa puree.*

**Update: I made this today for lunch and added ground turkey to it, and it was a big hit!**

Finger Food: Turkey with Butternut Squash, Avocado and Smashed Peas

This is what my son had for lunch yesterday. It's full of vitamins A and C, iron, protein, and other essential minerals for your little one. I also managed to sneak a few veggies into the turkey meat, just like with the turkey meatballs. This is for little ones 9+ months.

I forgot to take a pic before, so here's the after shot :)

Here's what you'll need:
1/4 lb ground turkey meat
1 tblsp minced organic garbanzo beans (I use canned organic garbanzos. Rinse thoroughly)
1 tbslp minced organic broccoli florets
1/2 organic avocado diced
1 tblsp cooked organic peas smashed (I used frozen peas. Steam in microwave for 2-3 minutes and then smash)
1/4 cup diced organic butternut squash

Saute turkey, minced garbanzos, and minced broccoli with olive oil in a small skillet. Steam diced butternut squash in a microwave safe bowl for 5-8 minutes. Make sure the squash is very soft. It should almost mash when you pick it up. Dice avocado, smash cooked peas, and then put all ingredients right on high chair tray. Make sure it is not too hot for your little one. Serve and enjoy!

Turkey Meatballs for Baby

I've been experimenting with different ways to make baby meatballs, and came up with this the other day. It's a great way to get meat and veggies all in one bite.  I served them with Trader Joe's mini ravioli. This is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup minced organic broccoli
1/4 cup minced organic garbanzo beans
1 egg
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups salt free organic marinara sauce (Trader Joe's makes a good one)
olive oil

Put turkey, broccoli, garbanzos, egg, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a medium size bowl and mix together with your hand until well blended, and then make into little meatballs. Pour marinara sauce into a medium size pot. Cover and heat over medium to low heat. Heat 2-3 tblsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place the meatballs around the skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides. When they are browned transfer them to the sauce pot, cover, and cook the meatballs through in the sauce stirring occasionally. This usually takes about 10 more minutes. This makes a big batch of meatballs so you can store them in the freezer for 2 months.

Amy's Super Delicious Watermelon Appetizer for Mommy and Daddy

Here's a shout out to my friend Amy who came up with this brilliant appetizer. It's savory yet sweet and surprisingly refreshing. Definitely one of my favorites! Amy, please correct me if I get anything wrong or forget any of the ingredients. I wish I remembered to take a picture of the tray!

Here's what you'll need:
1 watermelon cut into cubes
1 package sliced prosciutto
Manchego Cheese
Olive oil
Black pepper

Cut watermelon into cubes and drizzle with a little olive oil. Top watermelon cubes with a little manchego cheese, and prosciutto. Stick a toothpick through it, sprinkle with pepper, serve and enjoy!

Baked Chicken with Black Olives, Pesto and Provolone for Mommy and Daddy

This is so easy to make, and is packed with some serious flavor. This is one of those meals that never disappoints and it only takes 25 minutes! I served this with steamed broccoli but you can serve it with any veggies you like.

Here's what you'll need: (serves 4)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small can sliced black olives
4 tblsp basil pesto
4 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 360F. Put 4 raw chicken breasts on a medium baking/lasagna pan. Spread 1 tablespoon basil pesto on each piece of chicken. Put about a tablespoon of sliced black olives on top of the pesto. Cover each piece of chicken with 1 slice of provolone. Put in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve and seriously enjoy!

Spinach Balls for Baby

 My little guy is eating a lot more finger foods now.  I've been trying to come up with yummy ways to incorporate dark greens, like spinach, in his finger food. I've made spinach balls for adults before, but they were made with salt, pepper, butter, and stove top mix. Not very good for baby, so I had to tweak the original recipe to come up with a healthy and yummy option for baby.  I made these for my little one today for lunch, and he really liked them. I'm not going to lie, I had a few too and they were delish! This is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
10 oz package of frozen organic chopped spinach
1 egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 to a 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 slices of whole wheat toast without crusts.

FYI this makes a big batch of spinach balls so you can freeze some. Preheat oven to 375F. Put frozen spinach in a medium pot with a little water over medium heat. Cover and defrost/cook for approx 5-8 minutes or until it's no longer frozen. Drain spinach and return to pot. Remove from heat and add one egg, parmesan cheese, nutmeg and garlic powder. Mix together until well blended. Cut up the toast into tiny pieces (think croutons), and add them to the spinach. Mix again. Using you hands, make bite size spinach balls, and place on a medium ungreased baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy! *Store the remaining spinach balls in the refrigerator for 3 days, or the freezer for 2 months*

When Foods Attack!

This is what my afternoon felt like. I went to a play date today and realized when I got there that I forgot to bring my little guy's lunch. Luckily my friend had snacks and some cut up chicken for my little guy (thanks Sara!). When I got home my little one was still hungry so I decided to make him a little something, and as I was stirring the puree this is what happened:

Pumpkin banana went everywhere. All over me, the floor, the stove etc... Oh and did I mention we were out of paper towels which made clean up super fun! I tried to salvage as much of the puree as I could, and decided I would quickly try to make oatmeal to add to the puree. My little one was crying at this point which made it so much worse. I put the oats in the microwave with some water and cooked them for 2 minutes. When I opened the microwave there was oatmeal everywhere, it exploded. This was not my day. 

Rainbow Chard Garbanzo Bean Zucchini and Cauliflower Puree

I made this for my little guy today. It's full of iron, protein, fiber, folate and other essential vitamins and minerals for your little one. Not to mention, it's pretty tasty. These taste great sauteed with olive oil for Mommy too! This recipe is for babies 10+ months.

Here;s what you'll need:
1 oz organic rainbow chard puree
1 oz organic garbanzo bean puree
1 oz organic cooked zucchini puree
1 oz organic cooked cauliflower puree

Saute rainbow chard with olive oil until it wilts, then puree with filtered water. I use canned organic garbanzo beans. Rinse them thoroughly and then puree with filtered water. Cut zucchini into small pieces and then saute with olive oil until tender, and then puree. Steam cauliflower for approx 8  minutes and then puree with filtered water. Mix together, serve and enjoy!

Garbanzo Bean and Pumpkin Puree

My little one absolutely loves garbanzo beans (so do I),  and I'm finding out that they taste good mixed with almost anything! This is a simple puree that is full of Vitamin A, iron, protein and other essential nutrients for your little one. This is for babies 6+ months.

Here's what you'll need:

2 oz pumpkin puree

2 oz garbanzo bean puree

pinch cinnamon

pinch ground sage

There are a few different options with pumpkin. You can cut, peel and bake pumpkin at 350F for 30 minutes, cut, peel and steam pumpkin for 15 or so minutes, or you can use canned organic pumpkin. If you  use canned pumpkin make sure that it is 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix. I use canned or jarred organic garbanzo beans. Rinse them thoroughly, and then puree with filtered water. Mix pumpkin and garbanzo puree, add cinnamon and sage. Serve and enjoy!

Poached Salmon for Baby

I tried this with my little one over the weekend. Salmon is a great and healthy source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. I served this as a finger food, but you can puree salmon with some veggies if your little one isn't eating finger foods yet. My little one did not love this, but he did eat about a 1/3 of it after spitting out the first few bites. This is for babies 7+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 small salmon filet
Filtered water
Olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh dill leaves
1 bay leaf

Put filtered water in a small skillet until it's approx 1/2 inch deep. Add approx 1/4 cup olive oil. Add dill and bay leaf. Add salmon filet, cover and cook over med high heat for 8-10 minutes. Put salmon on a plate and let cool for a minute. Cut into tiny pieces, and puree or serve as finger food. Make sure there are no bones or cartiledge in the portion you serve your little one. Enjoy!

Rainbow Chard Butternut Squash and Pea Puree

I introduced chard this past week, and surprisingly my little guy likes it. Chard is a super food for babies. It's full of iron. folate and fiber. Mix it with butternut squash and peas, and you have a mixture that's full of iron, folate, fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. This recipe is for babies 8+ months.

Here's what you'll need:

1 oz cooked rainbow chard puree

2 oz cooked butternut squash puree

1 oz cooked pea puree

Saute rainbow chard with olive oil until wilted, and then puree with filtered water. Peel and cut butternut squash into cubes and steam for aprox 8 minutes. Mash or puree with filtered water. If using fresh peas steam in microwave safe steamer for 10-12 minutes, then puree with filtered water. If using frozen peas, cook with a little water in a microwave safe bowl for 5 minutes, then puree. Mix all ingredients together, serve and enjoy!

Poached Salmon with Roasted Brussels Sprouts for Mommy and Daddy

My mom is visiting this week, and this is what we made for dinner last night. It's ridiculously easy, delicious and nutritious. The salmon takes only 8 minutes! You can serve this salmon hot, warm or cold. It tastes good either way. The brussels sprouts take 25-30 minutes to roast, so start them first.

Here's what you'll need:

Poached Salmon (Serves 4)
4 Salmon filets
1 1/2 tblsp chopped fresh dill
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper
Dry white wine
water
1 lemon

Heat a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 part white wine and 1 part water until there is about a half inch of liquid in the skillet. Add a pinch or 2 of salt and pepper, chopped dill and the bay leaf to the liquid. Add the filets to skillet (skin side down) and cover. Cook for 8 minutes. Squeeze lemon  juice on each filet and serve.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Apple
10-12 brussels sprouts halved
1/2 apple diced
1 package diced pancetta
handful pine nuts
1 tsp italian seasoning
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tblsp grated parmesan
olive oil

Preheat oven to 360. Drizzle oil in the bottom of a large baking pan. Halve the brussels sprouts and place around the baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Dice the apple and place around the brussels sprouts. Add the pancetta. Add handful of pine nuts, tsp of italian seasoning, nutmeg, parmesan cheese. Drizzle olive oil over brussels sprouts, and place in oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes.

Ratatouille for Baby

This is one of my favorite meals to make for me and my husband (I'll post that recipe later), so I decided to make a baby version. This recipe is full of fiber, vitamin C, and flavor. When I make this I usually serve it with cous cous or polenta. I decided to add pureed quinoa this time. This is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 oz raw red bell peppers pureed
1 oz cooked eggplant puree (peel and cut up eggplant into small pieces. Cook in microwave with a little water for 5-8 minutes)
1 oz cooked yellow summer squash (I sauteed with olive oil and then pureed)
1 oz cooked zucchini squash (I sauteed with olive oil and then pureed)
1 oz finely chopped cherry tomatoes
1 tblsp cooked quinoa puree
pinch grated parmesan
pinch garlic powder
pinch oregano
pinch herbs de Provence

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, serve and enjoy!

Turkey Sweet Potato Cauliflower and Pea Puree for Baby

This is one of my little guy's favorite purees. It's full of protein, iron, fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. It's super nutritious and delicious for your little one. This is for babies 7+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 oz cooked ground turkey pureed (Saute with olive oil and then puree with filtered water)
1 oz cooked sweet potato pureed (poke holes with fork all over potato and place on a damp paper towel and cook in microwave for 5-8 minutes. Scoop out flesh and puree or mash)
1 oz cooked cauliflower puree (steam in microwave safe steamer for 10 or so minutes then puree with filtered water)
1 oz cooked pea puree (steam in microwave for 5-10 minutes and then puree with filtered water)
pinch parsley

mix together serve and enjoy!

Pork Chop Milanese with Roasted Summer Baby Squash for Mommy and Daddy

These pork chops are super easy to make, and are really yummy.  These are the first pork chops I ever made, and are still one of our favorites. The pork chops come from Giada De Larentiis' Everyday Italian cookbook (one of my favorites), and the Roasted Squash is my recipe.

Here's what you'll need:

Pork Chop Milanese
4 Boneless pork chops
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs beaten
Salt
pepper
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

Heat 2 tblsp olive oil in a large skillet. Generously season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Put bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and beaten  eggs in three separate bowls.  Dip each pork chop into parmesan cheese, then egg, then bread crumbs, and then place in skillet. Cook pork chops for 7-8 minutes on each side. Squeeze a little lemon juice over each pork chop and serve.

Roasted Summer Baby Squash *squash takes 30 minutes to roast*
10-12 yellow summer squash halved
olive oil
2 tblsp melted butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
1 tblsp grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 370F. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a medium size baking pan. Halve baby squash and put in pan. Pour melted butter over squash. Add herbs de provence and toss to coat. Add wine and cheese and toss to coat again. Roast for 30 minutes.  Serve with pork chops and enjoy!

Blueberry Banana Multigrain Pancakes for the Whole Family

Growing up my mom made blueberry banana pancakes almost every weekend. I still look forward to eating these pancakes every time I go home. She now makes them for my niece and nephew almost every weekend. The only thing I changed about this recipe is the use of greek yogurt instead of milk. This adds more protein for my little guy. This recipe is for babies 8+ months and Mommies and Daddies of all ages.

Here's what you'll need:
3/4 cup Arrowhead Mills multigrain pancake mix (You don't need to use eggs with this type of pancake mix. If you use a different type of mix you will need 2 eggs.)
2/3 cup quartered blueberries
1 banana chopped
1/4 cup plain Fage greek yogurt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat 2 tblsp olive oil in a large skillet. Mix all ingredients together to make a pancake batter. Ladle the batter into the skillet and cook. Flip the pancakes when you start to see air bubbles on the pancake. Serve with maple syrup for Mommy and Daddy, cut into tiny pieces and serve plain for Baby. Enjoy!

Risotto with Mushrooms Peppers and Sweet italian Sausage for Mommy and Daddy

My husband and I were in the grocery store earlier trying to decide what we were going to have for dinner when I came up with this recipe.  It's very easy to make, and totally delicious. It takes about 30 minutes from beginning to end. This serves 4 people, or 2 with leftovers.

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
3/4 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
1/3 cup diced red bell peppers
1/3 cup diced yellow bell pepper
4 precooked sweet italian sausages cut into cubes (we use Niman Ranch sausage, it's nitrate free)
1 small onion diced
1 32 oz carton of low sodium chicken stock
olive oil
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Heat 2 tblsp olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add diced onion, sliced mushrooms, peppers, sausage, garlic powder and italian seasoning. Saute until vegetables are tender and sausage is browned. Add arborio rice and pour enough chicken stock to cover the rice. Stir frequently. Once rice starts to absorb the stock, add the remainder until rice is cooked (approx 15-20 minutes). Serve in bowls, and top with a little shaved parmesan if you like. Enjoy!

Baked Figs with Bleu Cheese Prosciutto and Honey for Mommy and Daddy

I had baked figs at a restaurant a few years back, and they were absolutely delicious. They were so good that I went to the market the next day to buy figs and try to figure out how to make them. I love making these figs when we have guests over. They are so easy to make, and ooze yumminess.

Here's what you'll need:
This serves 4
10-12 medium to large fresh figs
5-6 slices of prosciutto
crumbled bleu cheese (I use crumbled because it's easier to stuff the figs with and less of a mess)
Honey

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut stems off of figs, and then slice each fig halfway down the middle creating a little pocket. Do not cut through the fig. You need to have the pocket to put the cheese in. Put approx 1/2 tsp of bleu cheese in each fig. Cut each slice of prosciutto in half, making 10-12 small slices of prosciutto. Wrap one slice around each fig, and place in a baking dish. Drizzle the figs with honey, and put in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for a minute and then drizzle with a little more honey and serve on a platter. Enjoy!

Finger Food: Herbed Turkey with Red Bell Peppers and Whole Wheat Pasta for Baby

I made this for my little guy for dinner tonight. You can serve this as a finger food like I did, or puree all ingredients together. Bell peppers are my little guy's new food this week. Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C. You can puree sweet red, yellow, or green bell peppers, or dice into tiny pieces. Make sure you serve  or puree them raw as they lose vitamins when cooked. Also make sure NOT to give your little one hot peppers. This recipe is for babies 10+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1/3 cup sauteed ground turkey (I saute with olive oil)
1/4 red bell pepper finely diced
1 1/2 tblsp whole wheat pasta (I used macaroni and cut into small pieces)
pinch dried oregano
pinch dried basil

In a small pot bring water to boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package. Drain and set aside. Put sauteed ground turkey in a small bowl and add oregano and basil. Toss to coat. Add pasta and diced red bell pepper and mix. Serve right on high chair tray. *If you are pureeing this recipe follow same mixing directions and then puree with a little filtered water. Serve and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Mac-N-Cheese for Baby

I got this idea when I saw Tyler Florence's Sprout Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese combination in the grocery store. It sounded like a really yummy mixture, so I decided to try to make my own version. This is a very chunky puree. It's kind of half puree, half finger food. You can serve this as a finger food, but it would be very messy. This is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1/4 cup whole wheat macaroni
2 oz cooked butternut squash mashed (peel and cut into cubes, steam in microwave for 10 minutes)
1 oz garbanzo bean puree (I use canned organic garbanzos. Rinse thoroughly and puree with filtered water)
1 tsp grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of onion powder

Bring water to boil in a small pot. Add macaroni and cook according to package.  When macaroni is cooked, drain, and chop into bite size pieces. Mix mashed butternut squash and garbanzo puree in a small bowl. Add cheddar, parmesan, nutmeg, and onion powder. Add macaroni and mix until blended. Serve and enjoy!

Broccoli Garbanzo Bean and Eggplant Puree

I made this for my little guy last night. This puree is full of protein, fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. It's super nutritious and really yummy too. This is for babies 9+ months. My little guy is 10 months now so the purees I make him are a little on the chunkier side.

Here's what you'll need:
2 oz cooked broccoli puree (If using fresh broccoli steam for 15 minutes, or cook in microwave with a little filtered water for 5-8 minutes. If using frozen steam for 5-8 minutes on high in microwave)
2 oz garbanzo bean puree (I use canned organic garbanzos. Rinse thoroughly and then puree with filtered water)
1 oz cooked eggplant puree (peel and cut up eggplant into tiny pieces. Cook in microwave with a little water for 5-8 minutes then puree) *Do not serve raw or undercooked eggplant*
Pinch oregano

Mix together, serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Banana Yogurt for Baby

Good Morning! We are on vacation, so I haven't had time to post, but I thought I would share this yummy yogurt mixture. I've given my little guy pumpkin banana puree before, but this morning I decided to add some Greek yogurt to add some protein. This is full of calcium, protein, potassium, and vitamin A. This is for babies 6+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
2 oz pureed cooked pumpkin (I use organic canned pumpkin when they're not in season. You can also cut up a pumpkin into small cubes and steam or cook in the microwave. If you steam do it for 10-15 minutes, if you cook it add some filtered water and microwave for 5 or so minutes.)
1 banana mashed
2 tblsp plain 2% or higher Greek yogurt (I use Fage)
Pinch of cinnamon

Mix together, serve and enjoy!

Finger Food Snacks

My little guy's appetite has been going crazy lately, so I've been giving him 2 snacks a day, plus some finger foods after he finishes his puree if he's still hungry. I've been trying to give him some variety with his finger food snacks so he's not always eating the same thing all the time. Here's some of the different finger food snacks I've given him:

Hard boiled egg yolks crumbled
Scrambled eggs
Cheddar cheese sticks cut into bite size pieces
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Cherry, grape, or plum tomatoes cut into bite size pieces
Blueberries cut into bite size pieces
Diced Avocado
Apricots cut into small pieces
Ripe soft mango cut into small pieces
Plum cut into small pieces
Kiwi cut into small pieces
Banana cut into small pieces
Smashed cooked peas
Puffs
Cheerios

What finger food snacks have you given your little one?

Garbanzo Bean and Broccoli Puree

This is a very simple puree, but it's super delicious and jam packed with essential vitamins and nutrients for your little one. I made this for my little guy tonight and he loved it. This is for babies 7+ months. I made this a little chunkier for my little guy since he's 10 months, and is getting used to new textures.

Here's what you'll need:
2 oz garbanzo bean puree (I use organic canned garbanzos. I rinse them thoroughly with water, and then puree with filtered water)
2 oz cooked broccoli puree (steam fresh broccoli for 15 minutes,  steam frozen for 5, then puree)

Mix together, serve and enjoy!

I gave my little guy cut up apricot after dinner.

Banana Blueberry Quinoa Pudding

Good Morning all! Here's what we had for breakfast this morning. Just like with the Apple Rice Pudding, there is no pudding or sugar in this dish. I call it pudding because that's what it looks like to me. This is another yummy way to incorporate quinoa into your baby's diet, and it's a very healthy breakfast for Mommy too! This is for babies 7+ months and Mommies and Daddies of all ages :)

Here's what you'll need:
2-3 tblsp cooked quinoa pureed (follow cooking directions on package)
1 small banana mashed
1 oz blueberry puree
2-3 tblsp organic whole milk plain yogurt, or 2% Greek Yogurt (I like Fage)

Mix all ingredients together, serve, and enjoy! You can also add a dash of cinnamon if you like.

Spinach, Green Beans, Eggplant and Red Lentil Puree

I made a new discovery in my never ending quest to come up with yummy purees that improve the taste of spinach and eggplant. I've been experimenting with different mixtures, and this is what I made for my son tonight. It's super nutritious and delish. It's full of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin A. This is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 oz pureed cooked spinach (steam or sauté with olive oil then puree)
1 oz pureed cooked eggplant (peel and cut up eggplant into tiny pieces. Cook in microwave with a little water for 5 or so minutes then puree)
1 oz pureed cooked red lentils
1 oz pureed cooked green beans (steam then puree with filtered water)
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch grated Parmesan

Mix together, serve, and enjoy!

When cooking lentils use 2-3 cups water for every 1 cup lentil. Boil gently for 15-20 minutes, then puree.

Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers for Mommy and Daddy

My sister-in-law makes stuffed peppers a lot. She said it's a super easy family dinner to make, so I thought I'd give it a try.  I have never made stuffed peppers before, and I have to say my sister-in-law is right. They are really easy to make, and are really delicious.

Here's what you'll need:
4-6 Large Red Bell Peppers
1 lb ground beef, turkey, or chicken (I used ground kobe beef)
1 cup part skim shredded mexican cheese
1 avocado mashed
1 package Near East Spanish Rice mix
1 package taco seasoning
Salsa
Fat free sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare Spanish Rice according to package (takes approx 20 minutes). Brown ground meat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add taco seasoning and cook for another minute or two. Slice tops off of each pepper and scoop out seeds. Place peppers in a lasagna pan. Stuff peppers with cooked meat. Add a little taco sauce in each stuffed pepper. Add approx 1- 1 1/2 tblsp shredded mexican cheese. Put stuffed peppers in oven and cook for 15 minutes. When peppers are done, add 1-2 spoonfuls of cooked spanish rice inside each pepper. Add salsa, mashed avocado and sour cream and serve. Enjoy!

Baby Ganoush

I introduced eggplant  last week, and came up with this recipe the other night. It's not quite baba ganoush as it includes more than eggplant, but it's super nutritious and delicious for your little one. A note about eggplant- DO NOT eat raw eggplant, or undercook eggplant. I peeled and cut up the eggplant and then microwaved it in a pyrex glass bowl with a few tablespoons of filtered water for 5-6 minutes and then pureed. This recipe is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 oz cooked pureed eggplant
1 oz red lentil puree
1 oz garbanzo bean puree
1 oz cooked pea puree (I steam then puree with filtered water)
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch parsley

Mix ingredients together, serve and enjoy!

*Remember use 2-3 cups of water for every one cup of lentils. Put in a pot and gently boil for 15-20 minutes, then puree.*