This recipe was thrown together by default. There were very few ingredients in the fridge and Kenya had to eat.
I always recommend that you keep a little garden of herbs growing (if your weather permits) so you can trim a few pieces off at times like this to jazz up a recipe, even if it’s just for baby. Or maybe I should say, especially if it’s for your baby. I feel like we don’t give kids enough credit when it comes to flavors they will enjoy. In this recipe, I used the leaves and stems. When steamed, cilantro loses some of its potency, which is nice in order to mellow it out for babies new palate. The chicken’s flavor, mixed with the sweetness of the corn and spiciness of the cilantro made this a winner with Kenya.

Chicken and Corn with Cilantro (12 Baby Servings)

1 Chicken Breast
1 Cup Chicken Broth or Water
2 Tbsp Onion, sliced
1 Garlic Clove
2 Tbsp Cilantro, stem and leaves
1/4 Cup Corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 Cups Brown Rice, Steamed

1. Place all the ingredients, except the rice and corn, in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cover.
3. Steam ingredients for 5 minutes.
4. Add the corn and continue to steam for 3 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree. Add broth as needed to make puree smooth.
6. Cool and Serve.

Garam Marsala has one of those fabulous, exotic names that scare most people off when they see it in the spice aisle. It’s actually a mix of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper and coriander. This dish has a mix of protein, vegetables a starch and is vegetarian. You don’t need to add very much garam marsala which gives it a little kick and smells incredible.
I’m usually a stickler for farmers market fresh, but let’s be honest, not everyone has the option of keeping seasonal produce in the fridge at all times. Most of the items in this recipe can be canned or frozen.
I find canned organic tomatoes and beans to be a saving grace. They’re soft and the tomatoes have added juice which is nice when you’re thinning a puree. It’s not ideal, but when tomatoes are out of season, it’s a perfect time saving option.

Garbanzo Beans with Garam Marsala (12 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1/2 Cup Cauliflower
1/4 Cup Peas (fresh or frozen)
1 Cup Brown Rice, steamed
1 Cup Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained(canned or fresh that have been soaked overnight and cooked)
1 Cup Tomatoes, chopped, canned or fresh
1/2 Tsp Garam Marsala

1. Add cauliflower to a steamer basket over boiling water.
2. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add the peas and cook for a total of 5 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender.
4. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
5. Cool and serve.

It’s been really warm in Los Angeles and summer feels like it’s just around the corner. The first tomatoes and zucchini are just popping up at the farmers market and I know corn can’t be far behind. For now I’ve been using frozen corn since you can find it “organic” and it’s super sweet. The flavors in this recipe are so delicate and marry beautifully.
Every week at the market there are two ladies selling fish that smells like it came straight out of the sea. You have to wait in line, what feel like forever, but it’s totally worth it.
Feel free to use any mild white fish you find and think your baby will enjoy.
I threw some basil in and was shocked at how it really gave the dish some extra lovin’. I put this puree together in minutes which is perfect for busy parents.

Halibut and Summer Vegetables (15 Baby Servings)

1 Halibut Fillet (1/4 pound)(You could also try cod, tilapia, snapper or any other white fish)
1/2 Cup or 1 Large Tomato (or use organic canned tomatoes)
1 Zucchini, chopped
1/4 Cup Corn (fresh or frozen)
1 Garlic Clove
1/2 Cup Edamame (frozen)
4 Basil Leaves

1. Place all the ingredients except for the basil in a saucepan over boiling water.
2. Let steam for 6-8 minutes or until fish is fully cooked through and flakes.
3. Place all the ingredients, including the basil, in a food processor.
4. Puree until smooth.
5. Cool and serve.

Thanksgiving is my favorite meal hands down. I’m not sure what I like better, though, the turkey or the fresh cranberry sauce. I actually started freezing the berries when they’re in season so I could eat it all year long. Cranberries are intensely sour, so I added some sweet potato and apple to balance the flavor and give it a little sweetness. This puree has protein from the turkey, beta carotene from the sweet potato and carrots, and vitamin C from the apple. I always trying to expand Kenya’s taste buds with spices, so I added the thyme. It was still missing something, though. The cinnamon gives it that last kick that makes this puree smell of a Thanksgiving feast, baby style of course.

Thanksgiving Dinner (15 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Turkey Breast Tender (about 3/4 pound)
1 Small Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed
15 Baby Carrots
1/2 Cup Cranberries
1/2 Apple, peeled
1/4 Tsp Thyme
Pinch of Cinnamon

1. Place turkey in a steamer over boiling water. Sprinkle thyme over it. Cook for 6 minutes.
2. Add sweet potatoes, carrots and cranberries to the pot with the turkey. Cook another 6 minutes or until turkey is cooked though and vegetables are tender.
3. Cool turkey for several minutes, so the juices can redistribute and then cut into cubes.
4. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree. Add some of the water from the pot, a tablespoon at a time to make smooth.
5. Cool and serve.

Nothing makes Kenya happier then his oranges vegetables and since they’re both packed with beta-carotene, an antioxidant which protects skin and the lining of the intestines, lungs, nose and throat, it makes Mommy happy too.
These are three staples that I always have in the kitchen, so it’s quick and easy to prepare when you realize that you don’t have a meal in the house for baby to eat.

Chicken with Sweet Potato and Carrots (12 Baby Servings, freeze)

1 Chicken Breast
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed
15 Baby Carrots

1. Place the chicken breast in a steamer pot for boiling water for 3 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potato and carrots for another 5 minutes until all ingredients are tender and chicken is cooked through.
3. Put ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

Recently I’ve gone on a “protein kick” cooking for Kenya. Chicken, beef, fish, but what about beans. Some people dread cooking beans because they think there are too many steps in the preparation. That’s where lentils come in handy. When mixed with a grain they become a protein and lentils are packed with iron, important for the creation of white blood cells and antibodies. Iron is more readily absorbed when eaten with vitamin C, so I added tomatoes to this dish.

*Don’t be freaked out by the purple color in the dish. I used purple cauliflower.

Indian Lentil Stew (15 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Brown Rice
1/4 Cup Lentils
1 1/2 Cup Water
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Curry Powder
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, canned or fresh
1/2 Cup Cauliflower

1. Heat oil in a 2 quart saucepan and saute onion and garlic until soft.
2. Add water and bring to a boil.
3. Add lentils, cumin and curry powder. Cover and simmer for 50-60 or until soft.
4. 10 minutes before mixture is complete, add tomatoes and cauliflower. Cover.
5. Puree mixture until smooth.
6. Cool and serve

One of my favorite flavor combinations is found in the Moroccan dish known as “tagine”. It’s also a cooking vessel in which you put meat, vegetables, spices, cover and roast it for an hour or so. There are few restaurants that make it, so I decided to prepare the baby version for Kenya.
This is one of those dishes that I thought “there’s no way he’s going to like it”. When I tell you that he acted like a little piggy snarfing it down. I think the combination of the chicken, apricots and the mellow spices turned him on. And of course watching me cook and taste it made him want to be part of the fun even more.

*Feel free to to double the chicken breast or thighs if you don’t want to buy 2 different cuts

Chicken Tagine with Apricots (16 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

2 Chicken Thighs, skinless
1 Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless
15 Baby Carrots
1 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, peeled
1 Zucchini, chopped
1/2 Cup Chopped Organic Tomatoes, canned or fresh
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Ginger or 1/4 tsp dried
2 Tbsp Apricot Puree

1. Put chicken. carrots, onion, garlic and zucchini in a steamer pot over boiling water.
2. Steam for 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove chicken from the bone and put with remaining ingredients in a food processor.
4. Puree for 2 minutes or until smooth.
5. Cool and serve.

I find it funny that everyone says Kenya looks tan. Both my husband and I are pale as ghosts so there had to be some long lost relative with a dark skinned gene. Nice try! He just eats so many orange vegetables, that his skin has taken on an orange hue. He does look handsome with his auburn glow, though.
There’s at least one deep orange vegetable for Kenya to snack on in the fridge everyday. They’re incredibly easy to make, nutritious, a beautiful color and super sweet. Yesterday, I baked his ‘once a week’ butternut squash. As it came out of the oven, I scooped out a bite to make sure it’s something I would eat. Not so sweet?! I was perplexed and didn’t want to throw away a perfectly good squash. I looked around the kitchen and found the gorgeous California Medjool dates I had bought at the market to snack on. Sweet as candy and rich in Magnesium and Potassium, I soaked a few and threw them in the food processor with the squash. Heaven. Kenya thought so too.

Butternut Squash and Date Puree (Makes 10 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Butternut Squash, halved, seeds removed (refrigerator the other half for later
4 Dates

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Place one half of squash face down on a cookie sheet or in a pyrex dish.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.
4. Pour hot water over dates in a bowl and soak for 15 minutes.
5. Scoop cooked squash out of the shell and into a food processor.
6. Remove the pits from the dates and put them in the processor.
7. Puree until creamy.
8. Cool and serve

Poor baby. It was Kenya’s first Birthday and he got sick. I always thought that nursing him for a year would ward off all the viruses that seem to plague little ones. Nice try. Babies and kids get sick and there’s so little you can do to prevent it, but I’m always willing to give it a try.
He wasn’t feeling himself and I wanted to make sure that he had some food in his tummy to fight off whatever had gotten a hold of him. I’ve always read that chicken soup is the best thing to eat when your sick, so I tried to come up with something similar that would go down easy and that I could cook in a jiffy. He took one look at it and decided that he would open his mouth and give it a try. Within hours he was feeling better. Maybe it was the food, or maybe Mommy’s TLC. Whatever it was, he started to smile and feel better.

Chicken Soup for Babies Soul (10 baby servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Yukon Gold or Russet Potato, peeled and cubed
12 Baby Carrots
1 Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp White Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/4 Whole Milk or Water

1. Put chicken, carrots and potatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water.
2. Steam for 8 minutes or until all ingredients are cooked though and tender.
3. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy. Add more liquid if needed from the water remaining in the pot.
5. Cool and serve.

In my quest to create new and exciting recipes, I forgot how much Kenya loves Tahini. He eats hummus as fast as I can get it on the spoon. Why not add it to a puree of protein and vegetables. Tahini is packed with Vitamin B3, E and Calcium. Since he’s still under a year, I’ve decided not to give him any nuts, since babies can have allergies at a young age. Tahini is a great replacement when you’re looking for a nutty taste and smooth texture. The bonus to this recipe is the frozen vegetables. It makes this recipe super fast and easy to prepare with minimal clean up.

Sesame Chicken Mash (10 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Potato, cubed in 1/2 inch pieces
1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
1 Cup Organic Frozen Peas, Carrots, Corn and Green Beans
1 Tbsp Tahini

1. Put potato cubes in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken breast and steam another 4 minutes.
3. Add vegetables and steam for 3 more minutes or until all the ingredients are fork tender and chicken is cooked through.
4. Put steamed ingredients and tahini in a food processor and blend until smooth (for babies with a few teeth, you can leave it a little chunky).
5. Cool and serve.