My favorite avocado lady at the farmers market has been selling mangoes lately. They have a gorgeous color and smell like heaven. I let them ripen a day or two until they’re soft, but not mushy. When you cut into them the meat is almost neon yellow.
Mango is rich in the antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C, which boost your little one’s immune defenses. They are perfect for toddlers to eat, cut up into small pieces or to enjoy in this mango creamsicle. For breakfast, dessert or even frozen and served like a sherbet for toddlers.
Last night my husband used it as a dip for cut up fruit. See, even the big kids like it.

1 Mango, peeled and chopped
1/4 Cup Whole Milk Yogurt

1. Place the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Serve.

Kenya has had an unusual transition from purees to solids. Sometimes 
he only wants solids to feed himself and other times he only wants purees for me 
to feed him. This recipe is for one of the first solid foods I fed him 
and he loved it. It was especially fun for him to feed himself the 
tiny pieces of vegetables, grains and meat (delicious and good for fine motor skills!). This is also a great dish because it contains a vegetable, protein and several grains.
As I’ve written time and time again, I’m a huge fan of Trader Joes when it comes to food shopping. The prices are usually lower than most 
stores, they carry a huge array of organic products and items that are 
very kid friendly. The Harvest Grains I use here are healthful, 
fast and easy to cook. Sometimes I cook them longer then the package 
calls for so the grains stick together. Kenya really likes to take a handful when he feeds himself. He always looks at me like he’s so proud to be part 
of the process.

Mediterranean Medley (8 Baby Servings)

1 Tsp Olive Oil
1/4 Lb. Ground Organic Meat
1/4 Cup Zucchini, chopped
1/2 Cup Tomato, chopped
1/2 Tsp Fresh Thyme, chopped
1/2 Cup Harvest Grains (a mix of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo
beans and red quinoa from Trader Joes), cooked per the instructions on
the package

1. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the ground meat and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables and thyme and cook for 3 more minutes or until
all the ingredients are fork tender and the meat is cooked through.
4. Mix the meat and vegetable mixture with the grains.
5. Cool and serve.

“>

I couldn’t resist the gorgeous pineapple I found at Trader Joes this morning. There’s nothing more fragrant then slicing a ripe and juicy pineapple. Pineapples are rich in Vitamin C and in the plant enzyme Bromelain which helps breakdown protein in the body, thereby aiding digestion.
This cooling smoothie is delicious for babies to eat with a spoon, for toddlers through a straw or as Kenya did by dipping his fingers right in a licking the smoothie off his little digits.
*When you slice the pineapple, remember to cut out the “eyes” (the little brown pieces all over the pineapple).

Pineapple, Banana Yogurt Smoothie (2 Toddler Servings or 3 Baby Servings)

1 Banana, peeled
1/2 Cup Pineapple, chopped
1/3 Cup Whole Milk Yogurt
1 Tbsp Wheat Germ

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Serve.

Several years ago I went to Chile. What a magical country. The food 
was so complex and interesting, yet simple and delicate. I was really 
fascinated to find that many of their dishes are inspired by Peruvian cuisine. 
I try to expand my horizons (and my son’s palette) by researching what other cultures feed their babies and toddlers. 
There’s a peruvian dish called Espesado de Lunes and it uses some of 
the ingredients listed below. The sweet from the corn and squash mixed 
with the earthy flavors of the cilantro, garlic and onion create a truly unique flavor. I’ve fed 
Kenya this dish two days in a row alongside a piece of white fish that 
I sprinkle with herbs and steam. I’m dying to try a version of this for my adult friends as well. Wouldn’t this be a gorgeous dinner 
party entree with a light piece of grilled fish on top? For now, Kenya gets to have his own baby version of a private Peruvian dinner.

Peruvian Puree (8 Baby Servings)

1/2 Butternut Squash (about 1 1/2 Cups), peeled and chopped
1/3 Cup Corn, fresh or frozen
1 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tbsp Cilantro, leaves only

1. Place butternut squash in a steamer pot over boiling water for 4
minutes.
2. Add corn, onion and garlic and continue to cook another 4 minutes
or until vegetables are fork tender.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

Parents always complain to me that they can’t get their kids to eat broccoli. Still, I try to find new ways to use it in recipes, because broccoli is not only packed with beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamin C, it’s a fun food for toddlers to pick up.
Kenya loves holding the little “trees” and munching off the tops and then making his way down the stalk. Instead of “sneaking” or “hiding” it in your kids food, let them know how good it is for them. Eat some yourself and show them how much you love it or try dipping in hummus or another spread. Or try this recipe. It is such an All-American dish. It’s one of those comfort foods that’s actually kind of healthy (minus the cream sauce in the adult version, of course).

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole (15 Baby Serving)

1 Chicken Breast
1 Potato, peeled
1 Cup Broccoli, florets
2 Tbsp Cheddar Cheese

1. Place the chicken and potatoes in a steamer pot over boiling water
and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the broccoli and continue to steam another 3 minutes or until the
chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are fork tender.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth
(or leave chunky for toddlers). You may need to add water from the
steamer pot to make smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

It’s funny to me how one day Kenya has no interest in a certain food and the next he can’t get enough of it. Two months ago, right after his 1st Birthday, I made him an omelette. I had seen my friend Diane giving one to her son and he was lovin’ it. That afternoon, I made a gorgeous fluffy omelette for Kenya, cut it into pieces and put it on his tray. He proceeded to hold it in his hand and drop it on the floor, piece by piece. Considering the fact that he loves egg yolks, I was kind of shocked. Yesterday, I decided to give it another try. Kenya couldn’t chew fast enough. He loved it. He was singing to the omelette, dangling it into his mouth — it was cracking me up. For parents with finicky eaters, this will hopefully be a home run and it’s also a good lesson that if your little one doesn’t like something, you can always try it again at a later date. Sometimes you just have to let their palettes develop at their own pace.
Eggs are a wonderful source of protein, Vitamin A and iron. If you serve the omelette with a Vitamin C food such as kiwi, your baby’s body will absorb the iron more readily. You can even finely chop vegetables or add a little cheese as I did to give it more flavor.

Baby Omelette (1 Baby Serving)

1 Organic Egg (we buy ours at our local farmer’s market, but every supermarket should carry organic eggs)
1 Tsp Whole Milk
1 Tbsp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (you can use other types of cheese)
1 Tsp Butter or Oil

1. Whisk the egg and milk in a bowl with a fork until throughly combined.
2. Melt butter in a 6 or 8 inch omelette pan over medium heat (approximately 30 seconds) making sure it coats the bottom of the pan. As soon as the butter stops bubbling (and before it starts to brown), slowly pour in the egg mixture.
3. Pour in the egg mixture tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Let eggs firm up a little, and after about ten-seconds shake the pan a bit and use a spatula to gently direct the mixture away from the sides and into the middle. Allow the remaining liquid to then flow into the space left at the sides of the pan.
4. Continue to cook for another minute or so until the egg mixture holds together. Do not let the underside of the eggs brown.
5. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese and with a spatula, gently fold the omelette in a half moon shape.
6. Continue to cook another 30 seconds or until the omelette is throughly cooked through.
7. Cool, cut into bite size pieces and serve.

“>

Someone asked me yesterday, “How long does it really take to make baby 
food?” Honestly, it’s really fast and easy. This recipe took me 
4 minutes and Kenya was in the kitchen with me playing while I cooked.
I washed 3 sweet potatoes (2 to make puree and one to make fries). I turned on the oven, cut up one to make fries and put the other 2 in the 
oven. In less then an hour I had 14 baby servings of puree, enough fries for Kenya to snack on for 2 days and the remainder for my 
husband and me for dinner. Really, it’s that simple. And when it comes down to it, who doesn’t love French fries? Yes, they’re delicious when they’re fried up in oil, but not exactly healthy. When baked, they’re soft and perfect for babies with a few teeth (or even a bunch of teeth) to snack on. I’ve even made them in chip form for dinner parties and my guests loved them.

Sweet Potato “Fries”

1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut sweet potato into 2 Inch batons which resemble french fries. You can
also cut them in long wedges so they resemble steak fries.
3. Place them on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss until
the sweet potatoes are coated with oil.
4. Place cookie sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 15 minutes (Keep an eye on these little suckers. They go from golden to burnt quick!).
5. With a spatula, flip the potatoes, and continue to bake another 15
minutes or until they have a golden color.
6. Cool and serve.