Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Every year around this time (autumn) I start to crave oatmeal raisin baked goods. Yes I know it's a little odd, and I'm not sure why I crave these in the fall, but I do. So,  here's a recipe I came up with a few weeks ago that definitely feeds my cravings! These are gluten free and filled with nutrient filled foods like organic spinach and flax meal. These are for little one's 10+ months who are ready for finger food and Mommies and Daddies of all ages.

Here's what you need:

2 cans organic garbanzo beans rinsed and drained

1 cup organic oats

1 handful organic spinach

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup flax meal

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix everything but raisins in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add raisins and stir. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. Scoop batter into pan (about 2 spoonfuls per slot). Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick that you stick in muffin comes out clean. Let cool and enjoy!

Healthy Crab Cakes with Creamy Avocado Sauce and Organic Spring Mix Salad

So what makes these crab cakes healthy? There's a lot less stuffing and a lot more crab. I always get annoyed when I order crab cakes at a restaurant and they come out filled with loads of bread crumbs. Yes they are usually delicious because they are friend and doughy, but I find myself asking "Where's the meat?" These crab cakes are baked and very light. I served this with an avocado cream sauce and a spring mix salad on the side. You can serve this to little one's 2+ years old (I say 2+ years because of shellfish allergies. Even though crabs are not shellfish they are lumped in with the shellfish allergy. Remember to always ask your pediatrician if it is safe for your child to eat shellfish. For more information on safe seafood for kids check out Kid Safe Seafood.)

Here's what you need for 4 to 6 servings:
1 lb jumbo lump crab, picked over for shells
3 tbsp low fat mayonaisse
1/4 cup minced fresh chives or scallions
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
1/4 tsp salt

For the Avocado Cream Sauce:
1/2 ripe medium California avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tbsp low fat mayonaisse
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

For the sauce: Put avocado, mayo, lime juice, salt and sugar into a food processor and blend. Add milk and blend until smooth. Put in a bowl, cover and chill.

For the crab cakes: Stir together crabmeat, mayo, chives, lemon juice, mustard, pepper, and 1 tbsp panko in a large bowl until well blended. Cover and put in the refrigerator to chill. In the meantime, melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat, then add smashed garlic. Cook until golden and fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add Herbs de Provence, salt and remaining panko and cook stirring until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Discard garlic. Divide crab meat into mounds (I was able to make 8 medium sized mounds). Form each mound into a patty and then carefully turn patty in panko mixture to coat the top and bottom. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with each patty, then sprinkle remaining panko mixture on top of the crab cakes. Bake until heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool and serve crab cakes with a dollop of avocado sauce. Enjoy!

Organic Spring Mix Salad:
1 package organic spring mix salad

French Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp coarsely chopped shallot
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Puree all ingredients except the oil in a blender or food processor or with handheld immersion blender. With the machine running, pour the olive oil in a steady stream. If you are not going to you the dressing  within a few hours, store it tightly covered in the refrigerator. It will keep for several weeks. Bring it to room temperature and shake or whisk well before you pour it on the salad. I used about 2 1/2 tbsp total for the whole salad. This salad was just for Mommy and Daddy :)

Quinoa Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Casserole for the Whole Family

I found this recipe in the December/January 2011 issue of Simple & Delicious. The original recipe uses barley, but I decided to use quinoa instead, it makes the dish just a little lighter. This casserole is so yummy and jam packed with nutrients from super foods like spinach and carrots. This is a nice change from your everyday casserole. It was a huge hit with my family! You can freeze this casserole for up to a month. You can serve this to your whole family starting at 10+ months for finger food, or you can puree it for little ones 8+ months.

Here's what you need for 4 to 6 servings:
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup thinly sliced organic carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
12 oz sweet Italian chicken or turkey sausage
1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 can cream style corn
1 package (10 0z) frozen chopped organic spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook quinoa according to package. In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms, carrots and onion in oil until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, cook sausage over medium heat into not longer pink. Add mushroom, carrots and onion back to skillet. Stir in the quinoa, corn, spinach, Italian seasoning and pepper. Transfer to a greased shallow 2 qt baking dish. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let cool and serve. If you are pureeing this for your little one. Place your little one's portion (4 to 5oz) in a food processor with a little water and puree until desired texture.