I can’t tell you how many parents say to me that hummus is a staple dish for their families. A friend of mine’s baby has been eating hummus puree from a spoon since he was a year old, loving every bite. All she had to do was say the word “hummus” and he would start grunting in need of his fix.

Even when Kenya isn’t in the mood for vegetables, I can always get him to eat a few if I put out some of this delicious Mediterranean spread for him to dip them in. His love of hummus must be an inherited trait in our family. My father-in-law eats a container of it everyday!

These hummus pinwheels are the perfect protein-packed lunch for kids to take to school. Yes, you can buy pre-made hummus, but after you try homemade hummus, you’ll never go back. It’s super easy to make. I love making a big batch of it and keeping it in the fridge for a week or more so that any time we need a snack it’s right there.

Hummus Pinwheels (makes 2 cups of hummus)

1 15 Oz Can Garbanzo Beans
1 Garlic Clove
2 Tbsp Tahini (can be found next to peanut butter at your grocery)
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Salt
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
Lavash, preferably whole wheat (can be found in the bread section at your grocery)

1. Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and puree.
2. Add the olive oil and continue to puree until creamy.
3. Cut one large piece of the lavash into 3 equal pieces (cutting the lavash with scissors in a good trick).
4. Spread 3 tablespoons of the hummus on a piece of lavash.
5. Roll into a pinwheel and slice into bite size wheels.
6. Serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

One of the best parts about living in California is the gorgeous local produce that is available year-round. I’d like to think I’ve seen it all when it comes to food, but I still find myself being surprised all of the time. I remember my amazement the first time I saw purple cauliflower at the farmer’s market. Truly something to behold as well as being incredibly nutritious. I always find that if kids are taken with the color of a food, they are more interested in trying it. And what is cooler than purple soup?!

Kenya drinks up this recipe like a smoothie. I like to sprinkle a little grated parmesan on top so even if your little one has an aversion to purple vegetables, the cheese on top may still lure them in!

Purple Cauliflower Soup (4-6 Servings)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1 Head Purple Cauliflower, cut into florets (you can also use white or yellow cauliflower)
3 Cups Chicken Stock
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated, plus extra for sprinkling on top if desired

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and over medium heat and saute the onion for 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes.
3. Add the cauliflower and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
4. Cook for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender.
5. Pour ingredients plus parmesan cheese into a blender and puree.
6. Serve.

* Allow to cool, place in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, heat in a pot over low-medium heat or defrost in fridge for 24 hours.

One of my favorite things about my son is that he will happily eat just about anything. But one of the challenges during meal time is that if there are trains, toys or anything else fun and exciting within his view (no matter what I hide before dinner there is always bound to be something in his line of site that are more exciting than eating!), he wants to be playing with them instead. For that reason, I usually have 5-10 minutes to get him to eat a nutritious, balanced dinner before he is focused on something else. I’ve also noticed that if he eats something pureed or soft and easy to chew, I can maximize the amount of food he gets down in that period of time. If I give him a dish that he loves, but takes a while for him to chew and break down, he gets tired of it and sometimes doesn’t eat nearly as much. For that reason, I love making him this soft flavorful dish.

Red lentils cook quickly and become really soft which is perfect for little mouths. By adding vegetables and spices to them, they become a vitamin-packed, delicious, Indian inspired meal. If you serve it with brown rice, it makes a complete protein which is perfect for times when you don’t want to spend extra money on meat or fish, but you want your little one to be building muscles!

Red Lentil Curry (serves 4-6)

1 Tbsp Oil
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Large Carrot, peeled and cut into a small dice
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tsp Fresh Ginger, minced
2 Tsp Curry Powder
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Turmeric
2 Cups Water
2 Tsp Salt
1 14 oz Can Tomato Puree
1 Cups Red Lentils, rinsed well
Brown or White Basmati RIce

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Saute the onions and carrots for 4 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, curry, cumin and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the lentils, water, salt and tomato puree and bring to a boil.
5. Stir, cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes or until creamy and tender.
6. Serve with basmati rice.

*Allow to cool, store in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours or place in pot and bring to heat over low-medium heat.

Surprisingly, I found myself eating this puree for MY dinner. People always tell me their toddlers won’t eat purees, but Kenya chowed down on this one when I made it so maybe there’s hope for you all. This recipe is a perfect mix of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. Most parents that I talk to seem apprehensive about giving their little ones fish because they automatically assume they won’t like it. Not at all! I think fish that has a “fishy” smell turns kids off. Kenya loved fish from day on and still eats it twice a week and I think it has a lot to do with how you prepare the fish.

Sole is a great first fish for babies because it’s very mild, doesn’t contain bones and is generally less expensive then other types of fish. Other choices could be white fish of tilapia. With the addition of sweet peas and carrots and a sprinkling of vegit, this is a sure fire hit for your little one.

Veggies and Sole Puree (6-8 Baby Servings, Freeze 1/2)

1/2 Cup Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup Carrots, peeled and chopped (*I like to use baby carrots, less work and they’re so sweet)
1/3 Cup Peas (I use frozen organic)
2 Sole Fillets (about 1/3 Lb)
1/4 Tsp Vegit

1. Place the potatoes in a steamer pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the carrots and continue to cook another 2 minutes.
3. Add the peas and fish and cook another 2 minutes or until all the ingredients are cooked through and fork tender.
4. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree.
5. Add water from the bottom of the steamer pot to thin puree.
6. Cool and serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

A few months ago, we got in the car and drove just outside of Palm Springs, CA to Los Rios Rancho’s beautiful u-pick farm to go apple picking. Not only does Los Rios have rows and rows of apple trees that seem to go on for miles, but they also have live music, pony rides, a petting zoo, roast corn, BBQ and more. We had a blast and we picked bags filled with several varieties of apples to take back home.

Whenever we go apple picking, I always set out with an adventurous spirit thinking I’m going to get home and crank out batches apple pies, turnovers, bread ,etc….and then I get home. I’m so exhausted from a long day of running around after Kenya that I just want to rest on the couch. Still, what to do with all those apples? Apple butter!

For all of you that are like me, this recipe for is so easy and healthy that you can make it even if you have no energy. I went to the farmer’s market the next day to ask several farmers what the difference between apple sauce and apple butter — I got many different answers. I came to the realization that it’s made simply from half sweet apples and half tart apples. Luckily, we picked tons of Golden Delicious (sweet) and Wine Sap (tart) apples, packed with vitamin C and fiber, a perfect mix for this recipe. Adding just a bit of agave nectar for sweetness and a pinch of cinnamon for zip, this apple butter recipe is perfect spread on toast, sandwiches or even used as a dip for turkey as Kenya demonstrated for us at dinner the next night.

Apple Butter (makes 1 1/2 – 2 cups)

2 Apples (1 tart such as granny smith or wine sap, 1 sweet such as golden delicious or Fuji)
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp Apple Juice, Cider or Water

1. Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat.
2. Cook for 15 minutes, covered or until apples are soft and tender.
3. Smash apples with a potato masher or back of a spoon. You want to apple butter to be slightly chunky.
4. Cool and serve.

Right from the time Kenya first started solids, two of his favorite foods have always been squash and apples. Steamed, baked, pureed, whatever…he loves them. Now that winter ingredients have returned in abundance at the farmer’s markets, I was really excited to try out this soup. You would be shocked at how much kids love soup, especially pureed versions that they can drink from a cup or bowl. It really lets them experience control over their dining experience. Kenya truly slurps this recipe up like it’s a smoothie. Even better, my husband who’s been trying to “lose a few” ate bowl after bowl in an attempt to eat more vegetables. This is a fantastic recipe because it’s super healthy, fast to prepare and cook and so easy to make!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (6-8 Servings)

1 Tbsp Oil, Butter or Margarine
1 Small Onion, chopped
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped
2 Apples, peeled, cored and chopped (I like to use a sweet apple like Fuji or gala).
1 Tsp Nutmeg or Curry
32 Oz Vegetable Stock

1. Saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the butternut squash, apple, spice and stock to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Puree soup in a blender (make sure not to fill your blender more then 3/4 full at one time).
4. Serve.

I have to say that celery root (also known as celeriac) really is the ugly ducking of vegetables. For years I would pass it at the market, not thinking it looked at all appetizing and not really knowing what to do with it. Sometimes when ingredients look like a ton of work, I shy away. What was I thinking? Inside that ugly duckling is a culinary swan! Celery root is amazing! When cooked it has the consistency of potato, but it has a rich celery taste. I’ve been cooking celery root for years in salads, soups, just plain roasted and in purees. It’s one of my favorite foods and this soup is really healthy, but also naturally creamy and hearty. I recently made this recipe for my friend Staci’s baby shower and served it in little shot glasses, but as I was preparing it, Kenya was pleading with me for a taste. He ended up drinking 3 glasses which he obviously loved. He consumed more soup in one sitting then any of the ladies at the party! Smart man. When your kids try and love this, they’ll have him to thank.

Celery Root Soup (6-8 Servings)

2 Leeks, white & light green part only
2 Celery Root Bulb (about a pound each), peeled
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
32 Oz Chicken Stock (you can use vegetable stock too)

1. Saute the leeks for 3-4 minutes in a stock pot over medium heat..
2. Add the celery root and stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 18 minutes or until celery root is tender.
3. Puree soup ingredients in a blender (make sure not to fill your blender more then 3/4 full at one time).
4. Serve.

*Allow to cool, store in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours or place in pot and bring to heat over low-medium heat.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I tested this recipe out on several little ginuea pigs. I made these for a recent “kid’s dinner party” that my friends and I do every week and I can’t even tell you how hard I laughed when I pulled these sweet potatoes out of the oven and three of the kids simultaneously yelled “cupcakes”! No matter what we said they decided the orange and white “cupcakes” were a holiday treat and scarfed them down. The only “oops” moment came when one the little girls looked at me with a huge hunk of orange peel in her mouth and said, “I don’t like the wrapper”. Whoops!
These heavenly treats only take minutes to prepare, and they made quite a visual and edible impact on the kids and adults alike. I’m a big fan of cooking this dish with evaporated skim milk because it makes the potatoes really fluffy without the added fat of heavy cream. I usually don’t like to use foods that have a ton of sugar, but just a few mini marshmallows really take this recipe to the next level for kids and makes it fun for them. After all, it’s the “icing”! They’re not essential to the recipe, so you can easily leave them out.
This recipe is also a time saver when you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner, because the orange pulp that you scoop out goes right into the weelicious cranberry sauce recipe! A green vegetable, some succulent turkey and you have a perfect meal for the entire family with a few leftovers for the next day.
*Check out the Thanksgiving article and pictures on one of my favorite websites, CafeMom:

Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups (Serves 6 Big Kids)

2 Lbs. Sweet Potatoes (you want to use potatoes that are really orange, also known as yams)
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Evaporated Skimmed Milk (you can substitute it with regular milk)
1/2 Tsp Kosher or Sea Salt
3 Navel Oranges
Mini Marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke the yams several times with a fork or knife to pierce the skin.
2. Place on foil or a sheet tray in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
3. Let yams cool for several minutes, cut in half and scoop out the fluffy insides (I love eating the high fiber skin as a snack).
4. Mash the yams with butter, maple syrup, evaporated milk and salt until creamy and fluffy.
5. Cut the oranges in half and slice a very thin disk from the bottom so they rest flat. The skins are actually going to be the “bowls”.
6. With a pairing knife cut around the inside rim of the orange removing the orange sections and pulp. Place any of the orange juice and pulp in a bowl and discard the white membranes and seeds. Save the juice and pulp for cranberry sauce recipe or just enjoy as a snack.
7. Fill each orange cup with 1/4 cup of puree and top with several mini marshmallows (you can cover and refrigerate these overnight).
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
9. Place on a sheet tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.
10. Serve.

When Kenya was a baby, I always wanted to make him dessert. It somehow felt unfair to me that as my husband and I devoured sweet treats, he couldn’t be a part of our fun. I devised this sweet potato pudding in an effort to remedy that. The creamy and light texture of this dish is so smooth, its perfect for babies with or without teeth.
I love cooking with sweet potatoes because they’re in season right now, packed with antioxidant vitamin and phytonutrients, and almost every baby I’ve ever known loves them. When I first took a bite, I couldn’t believe how much it tasted just like the filling of sweet potato pie. You may want to double this recipe because it goes perfect for a baby’s dinner or dessert!

Sweet Potato Pudding (Makes 3 Baby Servings or 2 Toddler Serving)

1 Sweet Potato
1 Egg Yolk
1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Rice or Almond Milk
Hot Water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bake sweet potato for 1 hour or until fork tender.
3. When potato is cool, remove the flesh and cool (I like to eat the high fiber potato skin as a snack).
4. Whisk the egg with the cinnamon, rice milk and cooled potato until smooth.
5. Pour into a ramekin (or other small baking dish).
6. Place the ramekin in a larger baking pan.
7. Place the ramekin and baking pan in the oven and pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekin (otherwise known as a water bath).
8. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Cool and serve.