I scream, you scream, we all scream for…popsicles! OK, fine, I know 
that’s not how the song goes, but I promise you’ll have some seriously happy 
little ones after serving this treat (The picture of Kenya, above, gleefully holding his 2 popsicles was so much better then the actual shot of the finished product).
Why do all popsicle recipes have to have so much sugar in them? Not only is it bad for you, but you lose all the great, sweet natural taste of the fruit. I got the most 
heavenly strawberries from Harry’s Berries at the farmers market and 
decided to see if I could make popsicles (heaven forbid) without sugar. 
Not only was the end result delicious, I felt like they were totally superior 
to brands that I bought at the grocery with added sugar.
This recipe makes 12 popsicles for a fraction of the price you’d pay for a box of “healthy” or 
organic pops. In those, you only get 6 and spend more for the privilege. So these are tasty and a good deal too.
Strawberries are packed full of vitamin C and ellagic acid, believed 
to be help prevent cancer. The allergic potential for strawberries is 
high, though, so make sure to only give these to kids over the age of 
one without a history of food sensitivities. As always, ask your doctor first if you have any concerns.

I served these to kids at a swim party this week and you should have 
seen their eyes light up when I pulled them out. The best part was 
after they ate them, the little ones weren’t jacked up on sugar which 
made all the mommies and daddies VERY happy!

Strawberry Popsicles (Makes 12 Popsicles)

2 1/4 Cups Strawberries, stems removed
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1. Place the strawberries and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and puree.
2. Pour several tablespoons into the individual molds. (Follow the manufacturers directions for your mold).
3. Freeze overnight (or a minimum of 4-5 hours).
4. Serve.

Years ago I had the great fortune to take several trips to Morocco for modeling jobs. It was so 
incredible being able to travel to cities all over the country and to experience 
the culture first hand. We would go to what are called souks, where the local merchants sell hand woven rugs, tagines (covered clay pots used to cook stews), food, jewelry and much more. It was always fun getting to take a break from work or shopping 
(when time allowed) to eat delicious creations, many of which were made with couscous.
When I’ve asked people what they think couscous is, they usually say, 
”a grain”. Actually, couscous is pasta made by rolling and shaping moistened 
semolina wheat and then coating the tiny pieces with finely ground 
wheat flour. The quick-cook variety, which you can buy in stores, takes only 
minutes to steam.
Although I love a savory dish with couscous, I’m always trying to 
think of healthy sweet treats for Kenya that he will enjoy without giving him sugar. With 
that in mind, I came up with this vanilla bean couscous recipe. It couldn’t be easier and you can make as much or as little as you 
want just by increasing the amount of milk and couscous. If you want to make it 
even sweeter, you could add some agave nectar, but when Kenya, his 
grandmother and I tried it today we thought it was heavenly just like it is.

Vanilla Bean Couscous (Makes 6 Toddler Servings)

1/2 Cup plus 3 Tbsp Whole Milk
1/4 Cup Water
1/3 of a Vanilla Bean, about 1 inch long
1/2 Cup Couscous

1. Place the water and 1/2 cup of the whole milk to a small saucepan.
2. With a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean in half. Starting at one end of the bean, using the flat side of the knife, scrape the seeds out of the pod. Add the seeds (it won’t seem like a lot, but it is) to the saucepan with the milk and the remaining vanilla bean.
3. Bring the liquid and vanilla to a boil.
4. Add the couscous, stir, reduce to a simmer and cover.
5. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Stir the couscous, breaking up any clumps, add the remaining 3 Tbsp of milk.
7. Remove the whole vanilla bean.
8. Cool and serve.

Last week when I was heading out to the farmers market, my friend Zoe 
said, “You should make something with figs”. Zoe, mind you, is 14 years old. How many 14 year olds do you know think about figs let alone have tried them outside of maybe a Fig Newton bar? 

Zoe was so right and luckily there were figs all over the market — ripe, sweet and something that really feels like a great treat, so why 
not feed them to your little one?!
 I realize it’s not the most common first fruit to give babies, but 
they’re one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber and have 
the highest overall mineral content of common fruits. Their soft 
texture and the crunch of their teeny tiny seeds will give an interesting mouth 
feel for little ones.
Being the crazy frugal shopper that I am, after paying $4 at the 
farmer’s market for 8 perfectly ripe figs, I wanted to see how much they were at my local supermarket. $8 for 6! I was kind of shocked, but it’s proof again that when you shop at your local farmer’s market not only is the produce you’re getting superior to what you can buy in a store, but you’re also saving money.

I served this puree to Kenya by itself and he loved it. I even had him try 
it on top of yogurt and cottage cheese, again a total hit!


Fig Puree (Makes 10 Baby Servings)

8 Figs, stems cut off and quartered

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

One of the biggest culinary hits that I’ve made for Kenya so far is pesto. 
I’m not only talking about the traditional pesto made with basil, 
though. I’m talking about all different kinds like cilantro, parsley and now my new favorite, 
spinach. This recipe is bright green in color and since I added tofu, 
it has an even creamier texture then the traditional variety.
Spinach is rich in the antioxidants vitamin C, iron and beta-carotene. 
Since it can have a strong taste when cooked, this raw, pureed version 
takes on a delicate almost sweet flavor.
I mixed most of it into pasta and then with the remainder, I covered 2 
salmon fillets and baked them, one for me and one for Kenya, so 
everyone was happy.


Spinach Pesto (Makes 3/4 Cup Pesto)

1 Cup Spinach, packed
1/4 Cup Walnuts
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp Tofu, silken
1 Small Garlic Clove
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 Cups Pasta, cooked

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Mix with pasta and serve.

Long before that animated rat put it back on the map, my grandmother used to make the most mouthwatering ratatouille. I know that 
when she made it, she imagined as if she had been whisked off to the 
south of France to prepare it. Now, whenever I see bell pepper, zucchini or eggplant, 
it’s the first dish that comes to mind. Granted my grandmother’s version was delicious, but 
the cup of oil she used in her recipe would give it an orange hue and make it not so healthy.
 This baby version of ratatouille is not only healthy, it uses 6 main ingredients, all of which are in season right now at the farmers market. The vegetables 
in the dish are so vibrant and colorful, you know upon first sight that it has to be full of 
vitamins and minerals.
Did you know that weight for weight, bell 
peppers have more vitamin C then oranges? And tomatoes are 
actually a fruit, packed full of 
antioxidant vitamins which help protect your little ones immune system 
by fighting off harmful free radicals. These facts alone are just two reasons 
why a ratatouille a day keeps the doctor away

Ratatouille (Makes 8 Baby/Toddler Servings)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Onion, chopped in bite size pieces
1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
1/3 Cup Zucchini, chopped in bite size pieces
1/3 Cup Eggplant, chopped in bite size pieces
1/3 Cup Red, Orange or Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped in bite size pieces
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, chopped in bites size pieces (I like to use canned organic tomatoes)
1 Tsp. Parsley, chopped fine

*If you’re short on time, you could pulse all the vegetables into bite size pieces in a food processor instead of chopping them by hand

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and lightly saute for 2 minutes (make sure not to brown them).
3. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
4. Add the remaining vegetables and saute for one minute, uncovered.
5. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes.
6. Add the parsley and continue to cook uncovered for one more minute. Make sure all of the vegetables are cooked through and fork tender.
6. Cool and serve.

I literally have hundreds of cookbooks I started collecting when I was a 
little girl and continue to this day. I admit that after all these years, it’s gotten a little out of 
control, but I love the endless variety and different styles of books out there. There are also some genuinely odd and funny ones as well. The Elvis 
Presley cookbook “Are you Hungry Tonight” is great. Just looking at the table 
of contents makes your arteries feel like they are clogging, but the one recipe Elvis is best 
know for is the “fried peanut butter and banana sandwich”. I’m not 
saying that it doesn’t sound incredibly delicious, but it’s not 
exactly one of the first dishes I would want to turn my son on to given the “fried” approach. So, always in service of trying healthy approaches to not-so-healthy classics, I think I came up with a good one: Mini Elvis Paninis.
I recently had over a group of 
little ones ranging from 15 months to 4 years old and they devoured 
these sandwiches faster then I could make them. Since I still haven’t 
given Kenya peanut butter (our Doctor recommended we wait until he’s over the age of 2 in case of allergies), I made his with almond butter (feel 
free to replace it with peanut, soy or cashew butter if that’s what your 
little one prefers). Almond butter is an ideal first nut for babies to 
try since it has a low allergic potential and almonds are packed with 
calcium, vitamins B and E. 
By using the panini press, the heat melted the banana and almond 
butter together while pressing the sandwich together for smaller 
mouths to get bigger bites. And….same great taste, no frying. These mini sandwiches are delicious and 
will give your little one tons of energy for playing.

Elvis Panini (make 4 mini sandwiches)

2 Piece Whole Wheat of Ezekiel Bread, 7 grain or cinnamon raisin
1 Tbsp Almond Butter
1/3 Banana, cut into several slices cut lengthwise

1. Spread almond butter on one side of one the bread and cover with 3 slices on banana.
2. Place in a panini press on medium/high heat (level 5)
3. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until sandwich is pressed and golden.
4. Cool throughly.
5. Cut into 4 squares and serve.

These baby-frittatas are so cute I want to squeeze them like I squeeze Kenya’s tushy! These fritattas are not only petite and cute, but they’re also delicious. There were several adults over when 
I made them and we left Kenya with only 2. Good thing they were so 
fast and easy to make, so I could easily whip together another batch. Even better is that every baby-frittata has a protein from the egg, two vegetables and a dairy.
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense vegetable high in folic acid and also a good source of fiber. Besides their beautiful bright green color, in my experience, wee ones love them. With the addition of parmesan to add a salty flavor and sun dried tomatoes to add a little tang, these baby-frittatas will be a hit with 
everyone in the family. You could even serve them at a party for hors d’oeuvres.

Baby Frittatas (Makes 12 Baby Frittatas)

3 Large Eggs
2 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
1/4 Cup Asparagus, diced
3 Sun dried Tomatoes, packed in oil and diced

1. Preheat the oven 375 degrees.
2. Spray or grease mini muffin tins with oil or butter.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the cheese, tomatoes and
vegetables.
4. Add a heaping tablespoon of egg/vegetable mixture to each muffin cup.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
6. Cool and serve.

I can’t tell you how many people tell me they love fish, but have absolutely no idea how to cook it. My friend told me it’s so intimidating, that she does a drive-by at the seafood counter, but hangs her head in shame for not knowing what to do with it, and just passes it by.
Au contraire… fish is SO easy. This recipe really isn’t even a recipe. It’s one ingredient. That’s it. Just fish.
Salmon is a great fish for babies. It’s incredibly rich in vitamins A, B12, D as well as the mineral selenium, and it is an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. They’re called “essential” because the body can’t manufacture them, so they have to be acquired through diet, and it’s important that your baby is getting them (say why it is important). Salmon was one of the first proteins that I gave Kenya and he loved it. Not only could he hold it in his little hand, but he ate it so quickly, I couldn’t make enough. I don’t think I started eating salmon until I was in my 20’s!
Although it’s almost double the price of farm raised fish, I buy Kenya wild salmon. Wholefoods, Trader Joe’s and other high quality markets regularly have it in stock. With all the unknowns about contamination in our waters, I think it’s worth the extra price. I also steam other types of fish for this recipe such as cod, snapper, tilapia and whitefish. Try to stay away from tuna, mackerel and swordfish which are high in mercury. When in doubt, ask your fish monger. They can usually give you great suggestions.

Simple Salmon (1-2 baby/toddler servings)



1/4 Lb. Salmon (or other fish of your choice)
 


1. Place the salmon in a steamer pot over boiling water.
2. Steam for 5 minutes or until fish is cooked through and flakey.
3. Cool, break into bite size pieces (removing any small bones) and serve.


* Make sure to check that the pieces you offer your little one don’t have any bones, I usually wait until it’s cooked to do this because it’s easier to find them.

I can’t stop buying cherimoyas….wait, do you know what a cherimoya is? I didn’t until recently and I’m so happy we found each other. A cherimoya is a fruit that Mark Twain called “the most delicious fruit known to man”. So, as I said, I can’t stop buying them and wanting to mix them with every
 fruit to make purees for Kenya. I got one at the Santa Monica Farmers
 market yesterday that was so ripe and sweet, I couldn’t resist buying it. Now
 that peaches are in season and finally starting to pop up again at the market, I feel like
 summer’s bounty of fruit is finally here.
Cherimoyas are high in fiber, iron and niacin. Make sure to pick ones
 that are soft when you give them a light squeeze, a good sign that
 they’re ripe. You can cut them into 6-8 pieces, pick out and throw
 away the big black seeds and then pull away the flesh from the skin
 which you can feed to your baby straight or puree.
Peaches are high in potassium, vitamin A and C. When they’re soft and
 ripe there is nothing like it. I waited until the peaches were very ripe,
 peeled them and then pureed them with cherimoya. I’m not exaggerating
 when I tell you that Kenya ate the entire bowl of puree that I made
 for this recipe (do you get the sense my son eats everything?!)

Peach & Cherimoya Puree (2-3 baby servings, unless your baby is like Kenya and eats the entire puree in one sitting)

1 Peach, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 Cherimoya, seeds removed, and peeled

1. Place both ingredients in the food processor and puree.
2. Serve