The day that Chloe started eating solid foods, I was over the moon. I really love the baby food puree stage, but I find it so much more gratifying making Chloe foods that she can enjoy alongside the rest of the family. I believe that when a baby sees that the food on the plate in front of her is the same as the food mommy and daddy are eating, it serves as a powerful connection to the group for them.

Beans are an amazing first solid food for babies to try because they’re soft, easy to chew, packed with protein and full of flavor. They’re also great for baby’s developing dexterity as he/she learns to pick up the beans and feed him/herself.

In our house we eat black beans like they’re going out of style. Inexpensive, healthy and easy to store in the fridge, we keep a container of cooked beans on hand at all time to add to recipes like Chicken and Rice Burritos, Black Bean Cakes, Nachos or just to eat on their own or with some brown rice. Whether your family has a bunch of wee ones, big kids or all of the above, black beans are always a good idea.

Black Beans (Serves 4)

16 Oz (2 Cups) Dried Black Beans
2 Tsp Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Clove Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
4 Cups Water
1 Tsp Salt (optional)

1. The night before you want to cook the beans (about 8-12 hours prior to cooking), cover the beans with water and soak them overnight (this reduces the cooking time of the beans). * If you don’t soak the beans overnight, just double the cooking time in step #5 and keep tasting until the beans are tender.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan.
3. Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until translucent.
4. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
5. Add the bay leaf, black beans, water and salt (if desired). Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender.
6. Serve.

*Allow to cool, place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in a pot over low-medium heat or allow to defrost in fridge for 24-48 hours.

We love eating fruit chips from the grocery, but they’re really expensive and you get such a small amount in each bag that I was determined to find a better way to enjoy this awesome snack. I’ve been buying gorgeous pears and apples at the farmer’s market lately, and I decided to try my hand at homemade fruit chips. While I cut away, Kenya had a blast laying them out on the baking sheets before we popped them in the oven. I had to make sure I sliced fast because for every piece Kenya laid out, at least two made their way into his mouth!

If I were you, I would pull out all your cookie sheets and layer them up with lots of fruit because when your family tastes this recipe, they’re going to go fast.

Pear & Apple Chips

2 Pears
2 Apples

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Using a mandoline, thinly slice the apple and pears into “chips” ( I love my hand mandoline, but you can also cut them with a knife into thin slices if you don’t have one).
3. Place the slices on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet making sure not to over lap the pieces.
4. Bake for 1 hour, turning the “chips” halfway through (if you live in a humid climate, they may take a bit longer).
5. Cool and serve.
*You can place several cookie sheets in the oven at the same time if you want to make a large amount.

As I’ve written here many times before, we love hummus. Actually, I find most kids really enjoy the smooth creaminess of hummus as a spread on sandwiches, as a dip for veggies or just on it’s own. Traditional hummus is made from garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice, but there’s no reason that you can’t get creative and come up with an array of new hummus flavors using different types of beans or nuts.

For this recipe, I wanted to do a Mexican inspired hummus with flavors I know my family likes, so I chose pepitas (pumpkin seeds), black beans, cumin and cilantro. And just to keep everything homemade, instead of buying fried chips at the store, I decided to make my own healthy, crispy ones. Both dishes are easy to make and kids have fun breaking up the tortillas into chips themselves.

Whether you’re inviting friends over for a party, want a protein-packed school lunch box snack for your little one or just need something healthy and delicious to nibble on throughout the day, this Mexican hummus delivers. Olé!

Black Bean Hummus with Toasted Corn Tortillas

1/3 Cup Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 Small Garlic Clove
1 15 Oz Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Water
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped (you can use the stems — they have tons of flavor)

1. Place the pepitas in a dry sauté pan and toast over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until the pepitas start to turn golden.
2. Place the pepitas and garlic clove in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.
4. Serve.

Toasted Corn Tortillas

1 Package Whole Corn Tortillas (about 12)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place corn tortillas directly on oven racks and toast for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
3. Serve whole or broken into chips.

People ask me all the time what foods we keep in our house on a regular basis. I always list oatmeal, rice, quinoa, chicken and a few other basics, but for some reason I frequently forget to mention sweet potatoes, which are hands down one of our favorites. Packed with vitamins A and C, beta carotene, iron and calcium, they are literally one of the single most nutritious vegetables you can eat.

My husband and I usually eat them for dinner several nights a week and I also make sweet potato puree for Chloe with bit of coconut milk and/or cinnamon. But one of the most fun ways to enjoy sweet potatoes is to bake them, slice them in half and then stuff ‘em however you like. Kenya loves designing his own stuffed potato, which takes what could be a boring side dish and allows him to be the chef of his own meal. And it’s easy to do: just pick a bunch of toppings, arrange them on a plate or in little bowls, and let your little one create a sweet masterpiece. I usually offer Kenya a pat of butter, some chopped nuts, maple syrup, raisins….even a bit of orange zest to add some fun flavor.

But the thing I find that kids like best about sweet potatoes is that they’re sweet. It’s like letting them have the healthiest dessert in the world for dinner! Don’t take my word for it, go stuff it!

Baked Sweet Potato (Serves 4)

4 Sweet Potatoes
Suggested Accompaniments: Butter, Yogurt, Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Agave, Honey, Chopped Walnuts, Orange Zest, Diced Pineapple, Raisins, Milk, Coconut Milk, Marshmallows (so not weelicious of me, but in moderation….)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Poke several holes in the sides of the potatoes, place on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 1 hour.
3. Serve.

This is a vegetarian dish that I keep in the fridge at all times. It’s a great recipe to prepare on a Sunday (when things are hopefully calmer in your house) to have on hand all week for lunches and dinners. We all love it in my house, even baby Chloe. I feed her individual lentils one after the other and she can’t seem to get enough of them. As for Kenya, as soon as he found out that the type of kale I use in the recipe is called “dinosaur kale”, he was downing it by the spoonful!

I buy nearly all of the ingredients for this recipe — the lentils and the vegetables — at the farmers market where they’re certified organic, in season, and cost the same price or less than I would find them for at the grocery. When you can make a healthy, high protein, tasty and exotic recipe like this one that everyone in the family loves, it makes for a very happy mommy!

Indian Lentils (Serves 4-6)

1 Tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
1 Garlic Clove, grated
1 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
2 Tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 Tsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Medium Shallot, minced
3 Tbsp Tomato Paste (mixed with 3 Tbsp Water)
1 1/4 Cups Green Lentils
1 Cup Green Beans, chopped
1 Cup Carrots, cut into coins
1 1/2 Cups Kale, shredded (I used Dinosaur Kale)
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped

1. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl with 1/4 cup of water to make a paste.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the shallots over medium heat for 1 minute.
3. Add the spice mixture and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste mixture and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until the liquid is almost evaporated.
5. Add the lentils and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 25 minutes.
6. Add the vegetables, salt and cilantro and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until vegetables and lentils are tender.
7. Serve.

*Allow to cool and place in appropriate tupperware or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in a pot over low-medium heat or in the fridge for 24-48 hours.

When I was a kid, I loved eating “ants on a log”. For those of you (like my husband) who have never heard of this most delicious of snacks, traditional ants on a log is simply a piece of celery (the log) with a dollop of peanut butter and a few raisins (the ants) sprinkled on top. I used to love coming home from school and munching away on these uber yummy creations. The crunch of the celery and the creaminess of the peanut butter compliment each other beautifully.

Always on the search for ways to make food more fun for kids, I decided to switch it up a bit and make ants on a log for Kenya substituting almond butter for peanut butter (you could also use sunflower butter for kids with nut allergies or cashew butter if you prefer). Then, I got even more creative by topping them with all different kinds of delicious toppings such as raisins, dried cranberries (“ladybugs”), walnuts (“frogs”) and more. You can have a blast making them with your kids, letting them come up with their own names for whatever you choose to sprinkle on top. There’s no end to the fun you can have no matter what your “bugs” of choice are!

Celery Logs (Makes 12 Logs)

1/4 Cup Almond Butter (you could also use peanut, sunflower or cashew butter)
4 Celery Stalks

Desired Toppings:
Raisins
Craisins
Dried Cherries
Dried Blueberries
Dried Cranberries
Walnuts
Sunflower Seeds

1. Cut celery into 3-inch logs.
2. Spread 1 teaspoon of almond butter into the logs until it is evenly distributed.
3. Top with desired toppings.
4. Serve.

Valentine’s Day is only a couple of weeks away and I’ve been thinking about all the yummy recipes that I can make for the Valentines in my life. Someone on the Weelicious Facebook page suggested making fondue, which I thought was a perfect idea. What better way to get your little ones (and not so little ones) excited about eating than to give them a dessert that requires dipping!

Fondue is simpler to make than it sounds and the only issue for me was the amount of sugar normally found in most chocolate fondue recipes. After a bit of trial and error, I came up with this recipe that is smooth, creamy and perfect for dipping fresh fruits into. Even better, your kids will get a boost of protein from the almond butter, so they’ll get strong muscles to give you loads of loving hugs!

Chocolate Almond Butter Sauce (Makes 3/4 Cup)

1/4 Cup Almond Butter (I use smooth)
1/4 Cup Agave or Honey
1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Hot Water

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Serve with sliced fresh fruit.

Hummus is a food that no matter what age people are when they first discover it, they fall in love. OK, maybe not everybody, but I certainly find hummus to be an “everybody loves….” food among people I know. Kenya loved it from his very first bite at 12 months and my father-in-law still devours it at age… well, I can’t tell you his age, he’s my father in law. For those of you who haven’t discovered this delicious dish yet, hummus is a Middle Eastern spread made from chickpeas. It’s healthy, full of flavor and versatile — I use it as a dip, as a spread on sandwiches, or just enjoy it on its own.

One of Kenya’s favorite snacks is edamame, so I thought I’d try a variation on the classic hummus recipe and make it for him with edamame instead of chickpeas. Kenya was in heaven with the final result — the bright green color and creamy texture has a ton of eye and taste appeal for kids. And I was thrilled knowing it’s a great source of iron, vitamin C and protein for my growing boy. With kids, I find hummus very useful as a dip. it’s a great way to try to get even the most resistant little ones to take their veggies and dunk away!

Edamame Hummus (Makes 2 1/2 Cups)

2 Cups Edamame, hulled (I use frozen and defrost it)
2 Tbsp Tahini
Juice of 1 Small Lemon
1/4 Cup Water
1 Small Clove Garlic
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Cumin

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

Kenya could eat rice morning, noon and night, so I’m constantly trying to come up with new recipes using this great grain. I’m thankful that he loves rice so much because it’s inexpensive, easy to prepare and healthy. I usually make a big batch in the rice cooker once or twice a week, so I always have some on hand in the fridge to quickly heat up and serve with beans, stir fry, sushi rolls or Chicken and Rice Burritos. Although I love the Creamy Rice Pudding recipe that I make all the time, this quick Leftover Rice Pudding is a fantastic alternative to the real thing without sacrificing any of the flavor. Just plop all the ingredients in a pan, let the rice absorb most of the milk and, “ta-da”, rice pudding that everyone in your house will think took you hours to make.

Leftover Rice Pudding (Serves 4)

2 Cups Cooked White or Brown Rice
1 Cup Vanilla Rice Milk (you can also use cow’s, almond or soy milk)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
3 Tbsp Agave Nectar or Honey

1. Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until it starts to thicken up.
2. Place in bowls and cool.
3. Refrigerate or serve at room temperature.

I’m reading more and more lately about the importance of a vegetarian diet for our bodies and the planet. I know that the healthier we eat the better our bodies run, which is especially true when it comes to children. I get a lot of emails from people with misconceptions about vegetarian diets. Chief among them are concerns about vegetarians not getting enough protein. To the contrary, by incorporating legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, peas, soy, and peanuts) into their diets and combining them with grains, vegetarians get all the protein they need.

We’ve been trying to eat a lot more legumes in our house lately and lentils are at the top of the list. Not only are they inexpensive and fast to prepare, they’re an incredible source of protein, dietary fiber and amino acids. They’re also inexpensive, which is a bonus when you’re trying to stretch your food budget.

The combination of the sweet of the fruit and the crunch of the nuts with the soft texture of the lentils makes a nutritious dish that my family flipped for — and no one asked where the meat was!

Cranberry Lentil Salad (Makes 6 Servings)

1 Cup Lentils
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped
Juice of 1 Small Lemon
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. In a saucepan bring 4 cups of water and lentils to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
3. Pour lentils into a strainer and rinse with cold water.
4. Fold all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
5. Serve.