I don’t think there’s any good name for this recipe — believe me, I’ve been racking my brain for something better. Millet sounds like some small bug that you might have found in your bed at camp in the 6th 
grade or maybe a hairdo that is short on the sides and long in back. In reality, millet is a delicious grain that doesn’t seem to 
appear in too many recipes, but is fantastic for little ones. Kenya 
loved it so much, I got totally inspired and came up with several 
recipes using it.
These millets cakes are easy to prepare and take only minutes to cook. 
Their nutty flavor comes out even more when you add a yogurt tahini sauce for your little one to eat with it. Millet is one of the least allergic and most digestible grains. It’s 
nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber and B-complex 
vitamins and is a perfect in a gluten free diet. When you’re making 
the millet recipe below you might think you made it wrong because it’s 
very sticky. Don’t fret, you made it perfectly! The millet needs to be a 
little sticky in order to form the patties.
These are a great choice to serve in the summer, for parties, or for play dates, especially when 
it’s your turn to give the neighborhood kids dinner and you want 
to make something special.
And I’m all ears for better names for this recipe, so don’t be shy, send me suggestions. I’d love to hear them!

Millet Patties (Makes 16 Patties)

I Cup Water
1/3 Cup Millet
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
1/4 Cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 Cup Carrots, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
1 Egg, beaten

1. Bring the water to a boil in a small pot.
2. Add the millet, cover and reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes or until fluffy and a little sticky.
3. Place the onion, bell pepper, carrot, garlic and italian herbs in food processor and pulse and until vegetables are in tiny pieces.
4. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetables. Saute until for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
5. Place the millet, vegetables and egg in a bowl and throughly combine.
6. Place 1 tbsp of the mixture between your hands and make patties. (You may need to moisten your hands with water so they don’t get too sticky).
7. Once all the patties are made and resting on a plate, heat 1 tbsp or oil in a saute pan over medium heat and saute the patties for 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
8. Cool on a paper towel lined plate and serve.

*After step 6, place patties on a sheet tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Then transfer to a ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours then follow steps 7-8.

I wouldn’t exactly call this a “recipe”, but they sure are delicious.
These little frozen orbs make a super healthy snack that kids love to eat, especially when it’s warm outside.
Whether you use green or red grapes doesn’t matter, but if you use grapes with seeds, make sure to cut them in half and remove the seeds before you freeze them. Kenya and I went to my friend Rachel’s house and she had what seemed like miles of Concord grapes growing all over a trellis in her yard. They tasted just like the Welch’s grape juice!
Grapes have potassium which is important for overall cardiovascular health and phytonutrients called anthocyanins which can have powers 50 times stronger then vitamin E.
These are great because you can serve them to 10 month olds cut into quarters, 18 month olds cut in half and whole ones given to kids over 4 or so.

Frozen Grapes (makes 1 Cup)

1 Cup Grapes, any color (make sure they’re seedless and if not seed them before freezing).

1. Place the washed grapes on a cookie sheet (If your little one is under the age of 2, halve the grapes before freezing).
2. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 4 hours.
3. Serve.

When you’re raising kids it’s funny how so many of your own personal tastes and culinary passions automatically get passed on to your little one(s. What you eat during your pregnancy will likely be what they crave. As a family we don’t eat a lot of red meat, so neither does Kenya.
I do love myself a hamburger, but most of the time I prefer to make a good turkey burger for several reasons: One, turkey meat is a lot less expensive then the high quality grass-fed beef that I would want to buy (most beef produced in this is corn-fed and since cattle do not naturally eat corn, producers must pump them full of antibiotics so the corn does not make them sick). I bought 1.5 pounds of 7% fat ground-turkey for $3.82 (Which makes the meat in this recipe come out to be a little over $1 (since I only needed less then a 1/3 of the package). While I was shopping I also checked out organic ground meat and it was over $13 for the same amount!
Turkey is packed with nutrients: B vitamins, iron and more zinc then chicken. It’s also known as a mood booster which we know every little one can use now and then.
Most of all, I love the flavor of turkey. It’s mild and when served with a piece of cheddar cheese melted between two slices of bread, it’s a perfect protein-packed meal.

Turk-wee Burgers (Make 12 Mini Burgers)

1/2 Lb 7% Fat Ground Turkey Meat
1 Tbsp Shallot, minced (you could also use onion)
1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp Oil
12 1 Inch Slice Cheddar Cheese
3 Slices Whole Wheat Bread

1. Place the turkey, shallot and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and mix with your hands until throughly combined.
2. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat the pan with the oil.
3. Cook the burgers for 3 minutes and flip to the other side.
4. Cook the burgers an additional 2 minutes.
5. Place a slice of cheese on each burger and cover the pan for 1 minute.
6. Using a 1 inch circular cookie cutter, cut out 4 circular “buns” out of each slice of bread (I used the cap to a plastic medicine bottle-improvise!)
7. Preheat a broiler and toast until golden.
8. Serve the burgers in the “buns”.

*Holding the buns can be a tough for many toddlers. You can also just
serve the burgers without the “buns” and cut the burgers into bite size pieces.

Finally, I have a delicious recipe — that you don’t have to eat with a spoon — for all those little ones without 
teeth. I keep talking to parents whose 12, 13 even 14 month olds still 
don’t have teeth. They really want to move beyond purees, but need a 
recipe soft enough for their little ones to chew (or gum). These spinach 
gnocchi balls are so heavenly that Kenya only got his mitts on 8 or so 
before the grownups had eaten them all up!
This is a recipe that Popeye would be proud of. Packed with spinach 
and creamy ricotta, these little morsels are like soft pillows: 
delicate and so easy to make. You could even serve them with a little 
red sauce, but for easier cleanup, I highly recommend just a little 
sprinkle of parmesan cheese and that’s it!

Spinach Gnocchi (makes 40 small gnocchi balls)

10 oz Block Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 Cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
2/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling before serving.
1 Egg Yolk
2 Tbsp Flour, plus more for dusting your hands while rolling

1. Defrost the brick of frozen spinach (you can also do this in the microwave).
2. Squeeze ALL (and I mean ALL) of the water out of the spinach in small handfuls (I use my hands and do it over a bowl to make sure I don’t lose any spinach).
3. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse. You want to make sure the spinach is in tiny pieces and the mixture is thoroughly combined.
4. Dust your hands with a little flour so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.
5. Take 1 teaspoon of the spinach mixture and roll into tiny balls. Place on a plate covered with waxed paper or parchment.
6. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for cooking the gnocchi.
7. Add the gnocchi to the water in batches and cook for 3 minutes or until they rise to the surface.
8. Using a slotted spoon, remove the gnocchi to a plate or bowl.
9. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, cool and serve.

*After step 5, place on sheet tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to a ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, thaw to room temperature and follow steps 6-9.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

Even when my little brother was just a wee one, he loved caesar salad. 
Now that he’s an adult, it’s no different. It’s caesar salad for him every time we 
go out to a restaurant. In honor of his undying passion for the salad’s dressing, I figured I would make an eggless version to try out on his nephew.

Something about giving raw eggs (a typical addition to caesar 
dressing) to toddlers didn’t seem to be such a great idea to me (can you say 
salmonella?!). Instead, the tofu in this recipe acts like the thickener and makes this dressing 
a creamy dip for vegetables and even fish or chicken. I 
actually wouldn’t have thought about dipping a protein into it until Kenya started taking his chicken chunks and dipping away. Something 
about the taste of this dip on different foods makes them that more 
interesting to him.


I’m sure a lot of people will look at the ingredient list below and think 
”yuck, anchovies,” but they give a salty flavor that is the key to making this dip so tasty. 
Plus, anchovies are an excellent source of vitamins B12, D and omega-3 fatty 
acids that cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained only 
through diet. They convert into chemicals that regulate the key 
fighters in your child’s immune system, also known as white blood cells.

I gave Kenya steamed baby potatoes with this dip and he devoured them. You could also chop up some baby lettuce and toss it with this sauce 
to make a baby caesar salad. Yummy!

Eggless Caesar Dip (Makes 1/2 Cup)

2 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
4 Anchovy Fillets (you can buy these canned at groceries)
3 Tbsp Soft Tofu
3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
3 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and blend to combine.
2. Drizzle in the olive oil until the dip becomes creamy.
3. Serve

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

When I made this for Kenya for the first time, the smell of cinnamon and the toasted bread cooking brought me right back to my childhood. Admittedly, my own mother did not whip up a lot of homemade breakfasts for us as kids, but when she did they were incredible.
I love french toast that’s rich and soaked first in cinnamon, vanilla, egg batter and then lightly sauteed with a tiny pat of butter. I’m all about health, but in my opinion, a little butter now and then is fine, especially when you’re making french toast.
But wait, you say. You can’t have french toast without a topping! Now, I love maple syrup as much as the next person and yes, it is a natural sweetener, but it also has 50 grams of sugar per serving which would send Kenya flying into orbit. Not only is the fruit topping for this recipe naturally sweet, it’s also super healthy, packed with vitamin C, bright and colorful. If berries are out of season, you could also use frozen ones. Since I only used a tablespoon of agave (low on the glycemic index) for the fruit sauce, your little one will get all the satisfaction of the sweet flavor without the sugar high.

Cinnamon French Toast with Berry Sauce (Makes 2-4 Pieces depending on the type of bread you use)

1 Large Egg
3 Tbsp Whole Milk
1/8 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread (4 slices if you use a more dense bread, 2 slices for a fluffy bread)
1-2 Tsp Butter

1. Whisk the egg, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in shallow dish.
2. Place 2 slices of bread in the dish to absorb the egg mixture for 1 minute. Flip and let the other side soak up the egg mixture.
3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
4. Melt butter in the pan and place the bread in the saute pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden.
5. Flip and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes.
6. Cool and serve.

*Allow to cool, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, place in toaster oven or oven at 300 and heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Berry Sauce (makes 1/3 Cup)

1/2 Cup Mixed Berries (any mix of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries will work)
1 Tbsp Honey or Agave

1. Place berries and honey in a sauce pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Serve.

*Place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag and freeze.

I can’t even begin to tell you how incredible this sauce tastes. So good, in fact, that when I finished pureeing it, the weelicious team stood over the food processor eating spoonful after spoonful. Wait, wasn’t the sauce supposed to be for Kenya?
I don’t know if it’s the particular mix of vegetables, the fact that all the produce comes straight from the farmers market or the that everything is roasted and caramelized in the oven, but whatever the reason, the taste is amazing. It’s so good that you could easily serve this recipe to a 10 month old as a puree minus the tomatoes (you don’t want to give them to babies under 1 year in case of allergies).
Plus, it only took me minutes to prepare, which is always great when you have a a million things going on.
The vibrant colors in the vegetables create a sauce so rich and visually beautiful, the uses for it are endless. It’s so versatile you could spread it on toast, fish, chicken, pasta….or just eat it on a spoon like Kenya and I did.

Roast Vegetable Sauce (2 Cups)

1 Small Eggplant, cubed
1 Whole Garlic Clove
1 Tomato, cut into 6 wedges
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Cup Carrots, chopped
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
Pasta (I used tortellini filled with parmesan cheese from Trader Joes, but any pasta your little one enjoys will work)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the first 6 ingredients in a large glass dish dish or cookie sheet and combine. Make sure all of the vegetables are evenly coated with oil.
3. Bake for 45 minutes.
4. Cool for several minutes.
5. Place the vegetables in a food processor with the tomato sauce and puree until smooth.
6. Toss some of the sauce with pasta and serve.

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

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

I’m always on the search for new and exciting foods that little ones can eat (especially those who have few teeth). Well, hello, muffins!!! But not the kind of muffins you buy in the market that can be loaded with with pounds of butter and sugar, I’m talking about the ones that are actually moist, delicious, full of fiber, fruit and over-all goodness.

I grew up eating my grandmother’s bran muffins which we’re heavenly. She used to tell me they were “health food”. When I recently looked at her recipe, though, I realized that a cup of sugar for 12 muffins wasn’t exactly “healthy”.

I filled these mini muffins with tons of bananas. The thick consistency of the bananas replaces the large amounts of butter and oil called for in most recipes.

And I switched the sugar to agave which is low on the glycemic index and means your little one won’t be spinning around the room after eating one (or two, as Kenya often does).

Banana Bran Muffins (Makes 24 mini muffins)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Honey or Agave
1 Large Egg
3 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
2/3 Cup Milk
3 Bananas, mashed
2 Cups Bran Flakes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease mini muffin tins.
2. Place the flour and baking powder in a bowl and stir to combine.
3. In a large bowl combine the wet ingredients. Whisk to throughly combine.
4. Pour the bran flakes into the wet mixture, stir and let them sit for 2 minutes to soften. Stir again, breaking them up a little.
5. Slowly pour the flour mixture into the wet mixture and whisk until all the flour is incorporated.
6. Spoon the batter 3/4 the way up each muffin cup.
7. Bake for 18 minutes.
8. Cool and serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

KitchenAid Precision 24-cup Mini Muffin Pan

In my ongoing quest to find foods that are both healthy and easy for toddlers 
to hold themselves, I decided to make falafels for Kenya. The only 
trick to this dish is to make them suitable for his little taste-buds without having to fry them in gallons of oil like most falafel recipes call for.

Falafels are made with a base of garbanzo beans, a legume also known as 
chickpeas. Have you ever looked closely at a chickpea? Some say they 
look like a chick’s beak, hence the name. Beak or no beak, they’re a powerhouse of 
fiber. Fiber is an important part of a little one’s diet because it tends to fill them up longer then other foods, giving them energy to run around and 
play. Garbanzo beans are an excellent vegetarian source of protein and are 
high in calcium, magnesium and folate.

I also added a little yogurt dipping sauce alongside this recipe which boosts the nutritional content of the meal even more and adds a little fun for the kids. Now, if I can only 
get my husband out of Kenya’s food, which is slowly becoming “their” food. My husband figures that if what Kenya’s eating is super healthy, he wants to eat it too. Like father, like son. Or should I say, like son, like father?!

Falafel (Make 14 Mini Falafel)

1 15 Oz Can Cooked Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans), rinsed and drained
1 Garlic Clove
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
1/4 Cup Parsley
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Salt
Olive, Vegetable or Canola Oil for pan searing

1. Place the first 8 ingredients in a food processor and puree. Make sure the mixture is throughly combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixture as needed.
2. With moist hands (so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands) form patties using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and place on a plate while you form the remaining patties.
3. In a medium saute pan, heat around 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. You want the pan to have a thin coating of oil.
4. Add half of the patties to the pan and saute for 4 minutes on each side or until golden (you may have to add a little more oil if your pan get too dry).
5. Remove the patties from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate (to absorb any extra oil).
6. Cook the remaining patties.
7. Cool and serve with yogurt sauce.

*After step 2, place patties on sheet tray and freeze for 30 minutes or until frozen then transfer to a ziploc bag,label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours and follow steps, 3-7.

Yogurt Tahini Sauce (Makes a little over 1/2 Cup)

1/2 Cup Yogurt
1 Tbsp Lemon
1 Tbsp Tahini (if your little one has a nut allergy, you could leave this out)

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

*Place in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

This time of year, it seems like all I want to eat is corn. I love steaming up a bunch of ears and keeping them in the refrigerator to snack on. It’s also become one of Kenya’s favorite snacks. For little ones just starting to hold their own food, corn on the cob is a great choice. Kenya proudly holds his ear of corn, like it’s the crown jewels and just munches away.
Corn is full of fiber as well as being high in beta-carotene, vitamin B1 and C. Corn is also a great choice because it’s economical. Our farmers market was selling it for $2 for 3 ears.
When I buy too much (which is often) I love to use what’s left over and make this recipe, which is also inexpensive. When I’m having summer pool parties for the kids and need to feed a crowd on a budget, its perfect.
The entire dish cost me $5.75 when I made a double batch (which served
16) of the recipe below (I also saved a bit more because the cherry tomatoes came from our garden).
With such beautiful colors, a ton of vitamins, and plenty of cheese for little ones who can’t ever get enough, this is a choice dish.

Summer Pasta Salad (8 Toddler Servings)

8 Oz Dry Pasta (I used dry mini cheese filled ravioli that I got at
Trader Joes, but you can use any type of pasta you enjoy)
1 Ear Corn, yellow or white
¼ Cup Asparagus
1/2 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Parmesan

1. In a steamer pot of boiling water, prepare the pasta according to the package’s directions.
2. Place the corn and asparagus in a steamer pot of boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. When the corn is cool, cut it off the cob and dice the asparagus into small pieces.
4. Throughly combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
5. Serve.