I’ve been getting tons of emails from parents asking for cake recipe ideas for 1st birthday parties. I still find it amazing how one’s family’s social calendar completely changes after one has a kid. Our weekend schedules are packed with kids’ birthday parties whereas we used to get invited to them about twice a year. Birthday parties for little ones can be loads of fun, but the last thing a parent wants on the ride home is their little one on a sugar high from all the birthday cake.
These carrot cupcakes are delectable. They’re made with agave nectar instead of sugar. Agave nectar comes from the agave plant. It is a sweet liquid with a consistency a bit smoother than honey. Agave is also low on the glycemic index and is metabolized by your body slower than sugar so it has a less severe effect on blood sugar fluctuations. You can find it at any health food store and I bet you’ll find many ways for it to replace sugar in your kitchen.
Instead of baking one big cake, I prefer to decorate a platter with tons of cupcakes. I think this is ultimately more fun for the kids (and parents) since they all get their own cupcake they can decorate with nuts, sprinkles or whatever suits their fancy. It’s also a good way to manage portion control. Anyway these are a blast to make for a birthday or any special occassion and heavenly tasting to eat!


Carrot/Pineapple Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing (Make 14 Cupcakes)

1 Cup Flour
3/4 Tsp Baking Powder
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Agave
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Carrots, peeled and shredded
1/4 Cup Pineapple, drained, crushed in juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a medium sized bowl.
3. Using a mixer, beat the agave, oil and eggs until throughly combined.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
5. Add the carrots and pineapple and beat until all the ingredients are throughly combined.
6. Line 14 1/3 cup muffin cups with paper liners.
7. Scoop batter into cups, filling 3/4 full.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Cool (cupcakes can be made 1 day ahead, cover and store at room temperature).
10 Spread top of each cupcake with 2 tablespoons of cream cheese icing and serve.

Cream Cheese Icing (Make 2 Cups)

1 8 oz Package Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/2 Cup Butter, room temperature
4 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 Tsp Vanilla

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy.
2. Spread on cupcakes.

In our house, everything is more fun when it’s a holiday. The entire time we were making these sweet potato pancakes, it felt 
like Hanukkah. Potato pancakes or latkes as they are also known, 
are most commonly eaten in the fall during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Although it’s 
the middle of July and grossly hot outside, the sweet potatoes at this week’s farmer’s market were incredible and I couldn’t help wanting to 
make something with them.
I decided to pump up the nutritional value in my version by making them with 
sweet potatoes. It’s amazing how delicious the natural sweetness from the potato 
and the savory flavors from the onion and garlic marry into such a delectable 
treat. Kenya was digging them in a big and bad way.
Whenever I hand 
him something whole, especially like these big, crunchy circles he 
looks like he’s hit the food jack pot. 
For your little ones who are getting into dipping, I added apple sauce 
which no latke should ever go without!

Sweet Potato Pancakes (Make 20 Toddler Pancakes)

1 Sweet Potato, grated (this came out to be 3 cups)
2 Tbsp Whole Wheat Flour
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
Canola or Vegetable Oil, for pan searing
Apple Sauce

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and throughly combine.
2. Place a large saute pan over low to medium heat.
3. Heat 3-4 Tbsp of oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan, in the saute pan for 30 seconds.
4. Add a heaping tablespoon of the sweet potato mixture to the pan. Pat down the mixture with the back of a fork and form into a thin, circular patty (you don’t want them to be thick or they won’t cook through).
5. Cook for 5 minutes or until they begin to turn golden. Flip them over.
6. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes or until the bottom is golden.
7. Place the patties on a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining sweet potato mixture.
8. Cool patties and serve.

This is a perfect first food for a little one. I’ve been making it for 
Kenya since he started eating solids, but for some reason I forgot to put my recipe on 
weelicious. Applesauce is THE baby food standard. Inexpensive, 
healthy, sweet and complementary to so many other fruits and 
vegetables, apples should be one of the stars in your babies diet.
Full of vitamin C and fiber, you can make sauce from almost any kind of apple 
you can find, although Fuji’s and Gala apples are especially sweet and 
delicious.
I add a touch of cinnamon just to give it a little zip, but you could 
easily leave it out. Why spend more money buying jarred when you can make this in minutes?!


Apple Sauce (6 Baby Servings)

2 Apples, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1/8 Tsp Cinnamon

1. Place apples in a steamer pot over boiling water.
2. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until fork tender.
3. Place apples and cinnamon in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

Several years ago I co-hosted “New Years Rockin’ Eve’ with Dick Clark”. There’s nothing more magical then actually being in Times Square, seeing the ball drop and watching the literal shower of confetti float through the air at the stroke of midnight. How that night inspired a vegetable dish while I was sitting and staring blankly into a saute pan one evening, I have no idea. Maybe it’s because this delicious recipe reminds me of bright and colorful confetti and that was such a special night for me.
I took gorgeous summer vegetables from the farmers’ market, threw them in the food processor and, as Emeril would say, “BAM!” In minutes I had a vegetable dish that’s so easy for babies to chew and digest since the pieces are so small.
If you can’t find the vegetables I’ve used, you could substitute with what is available to you. Try using yellow or green squash for the patty pan squash, broccoli or cauliflower for the romenesco and any color bell pepper that looks appealing. If you’ve never seen or heard of romenesco, search it out. It’s packed with vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids (which have strong antioxidant properties) and it’s visually appealing — definitely one of nature’s cooler looking vegetables.
Chock full of vitamins and minerals, this is a good one for even those little ones that turn their noses up at the foods you really want them to eat.

Vegetable Confetti (Makes 8 Toddler Servings)

1 Cup or 1 Patty Pan Squash, chopped (You could also use zucchini or yellow squash)
1/2 Cup Asparagus, chopped
2/3 Cup Bell Pepper, chopped (any color)
1/2 Cup Romenesco
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have small pieces.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over low to medium heat and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender.
4. Cool and serve.

I’ve been eating okra since I was a wee one. When you grow up in the south, it’s an every day vegetable that people eat. Now that I live in California, it’s funny to see peoples faces when you say, “want some okra?” A lot of my friends haven’t even tried it before. Maybe they never had the opportunity. It’s not exactly a vegetable that you see on restaurant menus unless it’s been deep- fried and no longer resembles a green vegetable. But when cooked simply for minimal time, it’s a rich source of fiber and vitamins A and C.
Okra is in season and started popping up at the farmers’ market about 3 weeks ago. The first time I saw them I actually gasped with excitement, so fond are my childhood memories of it. When I came home I steamed up a batch for 4 minutes, let them cool and Kenya and I sat there and munched away. I was kind of shocked, but he loved them. He wasn’t so keen on them whole, however, so I cut up each one into several pieces for him. My husband can’t stand their somewhat sticky texture (which actually has thickening properties, perfect in a dish like this), but that’s what I love about them, so to each his own. Mixed in this caponata, the okra is transformed into a salsa-like dish minus the spice.

Okra, Corn and Tomato ‘Caponata’ (Makes 8 Toddler Servings)

2 Tsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Cup Okra, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, chopped
1/3 Corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 Tsp Vegit (or Spike)

1. In a medium saute pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes until clear and translucent (do not brown).
2. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
3. Add the vegetables and Vegit, saute 1 minute and cover.
4. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender.
5. Cool and serve.

Of all of the delicious recipes (at least, I think they’re delicious!) created for weelicious, I have to say 
that few things get everyone in my house hustling to the kitchen faster than when I’m making something that smells as heavenly as these 
chicken, cheese and pinto bean quesadillas. I knew these were going to be a hit even before my number one taster, 
Kenya, put one in his mouth because he was standing at my pant leg grunting and repeatedly saying “mamamamama”, which translated in baby language is 
”whatever you’ve got up there I want right now)!!!
These quesadillas couldn’t be easier to make. They take only minutes to 
prepare and I think Kenya ate more of them in one sitting then anything I’ve ever 
served him. You can use any type of tortilla, but I like to use whole wheat or spelt. Both kinds came out great, but after the spelt tortillas were cooked, they had a 
really toasty, nutty flavor. These quesadillas are packed with protein 
and as we say in our house “yummy, yummy yummy!”


Chicken, Cheese and Bean Quesadillas (make 20 Triangles)

1 Chicken Breast (about 1/2 cup cooked)
3/4 Cup Pinto Beans
1 Cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded
4 Whole Wheat or Spelt Tortillas

1. Place the chicken breast in a steamer pot over boiling water and steam for 8 minutes or until it’s cooked through.
2. Cut the chicken into several pieces and place it with the beans in a food processor. Pulse until well combined and little pieces remain.
3. Spread 3 Tbsp of the chicken mixture on half of a tortilla. Cover with 1/4 cup shredded cheese.
4. Fold the tortilla in half.
5. Place the tortilla in a saute pan over low to medium heat (there’s no need to add oil, butter or spray). Cook for 2-3 minutes, flip on the other side and continue to cook another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
6. Cool for several minutes and then cut into 5 triangles.
7. Serve.
* The cheese can remain quite hot even after you cut the tortillas into triangles, so make sure it’s cool before serving to your toddler.

I have been on a huge almond butter kick ever since I tried Barney Butter, which I think is the best of all the brands that I’ve tried. Still, my husband has always loved almond butter and he thinks he knows what tastes best, so just to make sure, I did a blind taste test with seven people of different ages (Kenya included!) to see what they thought. It was so much fun! I hid the three different nut butters we were testing (raw almond butter from Trader Joes and Mara Natha no-stir almond butter were the other brands) and let each person try a spoon full of each brand and let them decide which they liked the best. Incredibly, it was unanimous, Barney Butter won each time — even with my husband!
Besides the fact that this almond butter is smooth (not the kind where the oil and nut butter separate and you have to stir for ages to get it to a normal consistency). Even better, it’s produced by a California mother of four, has less saturated fat then peanut butter and its high in magnesium and vitamin E which amongst other things helps to protect skin, circulation, brain and hormones against pollution.
These pops are a perfect energy treat for your little one because they have a fruit and protein. Try pulling them out at a kids summer party and I guarantee you’ll hear oohs and ahhhs from the crowd.

Banana, Almond Butter Pops (Makes 8 Pops, depending on the size of your molds)

3 Bananas
1/4 Cup Almond Butter
1/3 Cup Rice or Almond Milk (Plain or Vanilla)

1. Place the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Pour several tablespoons of mixture into popsicle molds (follow manufacturer’s directions for your mold).
3. Freeze overnight (or a minimum of 4-5 hours).
4. Serve.

So many of the emails I receive are from parents looking for farmers’ markets in their area. I love to hear that people are looking to seek them out if they don’t already know where their local one is, because it’s not only the best place to buy your food, but because there is also no better way to show your support for our country’s local farmers. I’m adding a new section to the site called “My Farmers’ Market”. It’s a place where you can send me a video of you at you local market and tell me why it’s special. Then we can post it on weelicious and hopefully others in your area can discover your market for themselves.
This is my farmers’ market — the place that we buy almost all of the food we eat and cook with in our home and for weelicious. Our weekly pilgrimage to to market is like an adventure where we find all kinds of new and exciting foods, listen to music, eat great food and see friends.
By showing your little ones where the foods they’re eating comes from, you’re showing them how important food is for their little growing bodies.

Nothing could be sweeter and have more texture than roasted beets. I’ve been making them for Kenya since he got his first teeth in and he has always loved them. It was so funny to watch him eat these when he was teething because he would roll them around in his mouth, massaging his gums.
Another fun part about beets is that they come in so many colors. Kenya always seems to be taken with foods that are bright in color or cut in interesting shapes. My personal favorites are the orange/yellow ones, but the “candy cane” beets (with their white and red stripes) have a uniquely sweet flavor. Red beets, usually the easiest to find are great too, but beware that the red color can get all over your hands (and your baby’s which in turn will get all over you).
The recipe for beet puree is the same as these roast beets except that you cut them into little bite size squares. When Kenya and I take a walk and he’s in the stroller, instead of filling his little cup with cheerios, I put this sweet treat inside. Give it a shot.

*Don’t toss the tops of the beets called beet greens. The greens are also good finger food or you could substitute them for any of the greens in the weelicious purees. Just steam the greens in a pot over boiling water for 4-5 minutes or until the stems are tender. Cool and serve.

Beet Puree (6 Toddler Servings)

2 Beets, washed (any color)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Take a piece of tin foil and fold it in half.
3. Place beets on one side of the foil and cover the beets like a book. Pinch the edges to fully seal the package (this way they will steam in the oven).
4. Bake for 45 minutes.
5. Open foil, let cool beets to the touch.
6. Take a ziplock or a gloves and peel the beets (this prevents your hands from getting stained). The skin should slide right off.
7. Cut beets and puree in a food processor until smooth.
8. Cool and serve.

I know, I know, another red, white and blue recipe for the holiday. What can I say? I love holidays. This is one of my favorite recipes that I’ve ever made for weelicious.
I’m a firm believer that it’s important for little ones to spend their first year or so not eating added salt (some fruits and vegetables naturally have some sodium). You want them to love the fruits and vegetables they’re eating, not the salt that enhances or changes the flavor and does not add nutritional value.
Now that Kenya’s 16 months-old, I give him food with added salt every now and then just to introduce the flavor of it for him. When I was shopping for this recipe, you can buy salt-free blue corn chips, but I used organic blue chips from Garden of Eatin,’ which only has 60 mg of sodium.
These fish sticks are crunchy on the outside and tender inside. I tested this dish with tilapia and orange roughy which both turned out delicious, but you could use almost any white fish available such as snapper or halibut. Kenya loved watching me dip my fish stick into the sweet red pepper coulis (just a fancy word for sauce. He thought it was so funny, so I helped him dip his stick in and take a bite which he thought was even funnier. It’s amazing to see what entertains a little one.
Happy 4th of July!!!!

Blue Corn Chip Crusted Fish with Red Pepper Coulis (Make 8 Fish Sticks and 1/2 Cup of Coulis)

2 Cups Blue Corn Chips (about 30 chips)
1 Red Bell Pepper (you could also use roasted bell peppers in a jar)
2 Fish Fillets, cut in 4 pieces (tilapia, orange roughy, snapper or halibut will work)
1 Egg, beaten
2 Tbsp Flour
2-3 Tbsp Oil, olive, vegetable or canola

1. Place the chips in a food processor and pulse until completely fine, similar to sand.
2. Place the red bell pepper directly over a low flame on your stove.
You want the skin of the pepper to turn black in spots. Keep turning the pepper with tongs every few minutes until it’s charred all over and starting to soften.
3. Place the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.
Let the pepper steam for several minutes.
4. Peel the skin off the pepper (it will easily peel off), cut it in half removing the seeds and stem.
5. Place the pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the
coulis into a bowl.
6. Place the egg, flour and the blue chip crumbs each into separate shallow bowls.
7. Roll the fish pieces in the flour and tap off to remove any excess.
8. Dip the fish in the beaten egg, letting any excess liquid drip off.
9. Roll in the blue corn chip crumbs making sure the fish is completely coated.
10. Repeat with the remaining pieces of fish.
11. When all the fish pieces are coated, heat a large saute pan over medium heat.
12. Heat the oil for 30 seconds.
13. Place the fish pieces in the pan and cook 2 minutes on each side.
14. Place the cooked fish on a paper towel lined plate.
15. Cool to room temperature (very important for the little ones) and serve.