These baby-frittatas are so cute I want to squeeze them like I squeeze Kenya’s tushy! These fritattas are not only petite and cute, but they’re also delicious. There were several adults over when 
I made them and we left Kenya with only 2. Good thing they were so 
fast and easy to make, so I could easily whip together another batch. Even better is that every baby-frittata has a protein from the egg, two vegetables and a dairy.
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense vegetable high in folic acid and also a good source of fiber. Besides their beautiful bright green color, in my experience, wee ones love them. With the addition of parmesan to add a salty flavor and sun dried tomatoes to add a little tang, these baby-frittatas will be a hit with 
everyone in the family. You could even serve them at a party for hors d’oeuvres.

I can’t tell you how many people tell me they love fish, but have absolutely no idea how to cook it. My friend told me it’s so intimidating, that she does a drive-by at the seafood counter, but hangs her head in shame for not knowing what to do with it, and just passes it by.
Au contraire… fish is SO easy. This recipe really isn’t even a recipe. It’s one ingredient. That’s it. Just fish.
Salmon is a great fish for babies. It’s incredibly rich in vitamins A, B12, D as well as the mineral selenium, and it is an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. They’re called “essential” because the body can’t manufacture them, so they have to be acquired through diet, and it’s important that your baby is getting them (say why it is important). Salmon was one of the first proteins that I gave Kenya and he loved it. Not only could he hold it in his little hand, but he ate it so quickly, I couldn’t make enough. I don’t think I started eating salmon until I was in my 20’s!
Although it’s almost double the price of farm raised fish, I buy Kenya wild salmon. Wholefoods, Trader Joe’s and other high quality markets regularly have it in stock. With all the unknowns about contamination in our waters, I think it’s worth the extra price. I also steam other types of fish for this recipe such as cod, snapper, tilapia and whitefish. Try to stay away from tuna, mackerel and swordfish which are high in mercury. When in doubt, ask your fish monger. They can usually give you great suggestions.

I can’t stop buying cherimoyas….wait, do you know what a cherimoya is? I didn’t until recently and I’m so happy we found each other. A cherimoya is a fruit that Mark Twain called “the most delicious fruit known to man”. So, as I said, I can’t stop buying them and wanting to mix them with every
 fruit to make purees for Kenya. I got one at the Santa Monica Farmers
 market yesterday that was so ripe and sweet, I couldn’t resist buying it. Now
 that peaches are in season and finally starting to pop up again at the market, I feel like
 summer’s bounty of fruit is finally here.
Cherimoyas are high in fiber, iron and niacin. Make sure to pick ones
 that are soft when you give them a light squeeze, a good sign that
 they’re ripe. You can cut them into 6-8 pieces, pick out and throw
 away the big black seeds and then pull away the flesh from the skin
 which you can feed to your baby straight or puree.
Peaches are high in potassium, vitamin A and C. When they’re soft and
 ripe there is nothing like it. I waited until the peaches were very ripe,
 peeled them and then pureed them with cherimoya. I’m not exaggerating
 when I tell you that Kenya ate the entire bowl of puree that I made
 for this recipe (do you get the sense my son eats everything?!)

I’ve always loved chicken salad. I’m used to the traditional kind — chicken, celery, mayo — but I thought I could come up with a healthy and more exciting version for Kenya. Something about the addition of grapes seemed like a delicious idea to me since Kenya loves them on their own, so why not in this recipe?!
My friend Diane came over today and said that she normally doesn’t like chicken salad because the pieces of chicken are too big. I couldn’t agree more. You want to be able to take a bite and enjoy all of the tastes, not just chicken. By throwing everything in the food processor, it combines the ingredients so every bite has a little of everything and a lot more flavor, in my opinion.
This is a great “on the go” dish for little ones because it has a fruit, protein, carb and vegetable. Just be sure it doesn’t sit out too long because of the mayo (or Veganaise).

Kenya usually loves beans in any form, but for some reason when I gave him whole cannelini beans, he didn’t want to eat them. I tried several times, but no go and I didn’t want to throw them out so I came up with this puree.
Recently, I turned the sunny side of our yard into my own little garden.
This time of year, the herbs are growing like weeds, so I try to use them in as many of our dishes as possible. For this puree I added basil and a touch of mint. If you don’t have the mint, no worries, it will still be delicious.
Herbs have tons of vitamins and minerals and medicinal properties making them important for baby’s nutrition. They’re also great substitutes for salt and heighten your baby’s palate and taste buds. I guarantee you’ll be shocked at how a pinch of cilantro, oregano, thyme or any other herb can brighten a dish for you and your baby.

This weekend my mother said to me, “I was an awful cook when you were 
little”. I admit, part of that statement is true, but there were actually 
some things my mother made for breakfast that I loved. I was a bit of a garbage can as 
a kid, eating anything and everything on my plate, unlike my little brother who 
wouldn’t eat a thing. There were a lot of cereal mornings — I mean a lot. BUT, there were 
also those mornings when my mother would muster the energy to make 
fresh muffins, omelets and my favorite, pancakes. Somehow those times seemed so important and someday I want Kenya to have nostalgic breakfast
 memories of his own.
Yesterday morning I whipped up his first batch of pancakes. I didn’t 
want them to be out-of-the-box Aunt Jemima style, but I also had a busy morning, so 
they had to be quick. 
This recipe is a perfect option. In minutes I had delicious pancakes 
that he could hold and much on while I ran around trying to get our 
morning started. If you know you’re really going to be in a 
hurry, you could also mix the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls the night before and combine them in the morning.

Meatloaf is THE all-American food. I always think of it as the dish that you either love or absolutely hate. I’ve also seen hundreds of recipes for it and people are extremely passionate about what they think does and doesn’t belong inside. My mother must have used an entire bottle of ketchup on hers. I’ll refrain from commenting.
My version of meatloaf is perfect for the whole family, but especially for your little one. The best part is they’re cooked in mini muffin pans, so they only take 20 minutes to bake. I pack mine with vegetables and since there’s no salt or sugary ketchup, I add some cheese which makes every bite taste heavenly. Kenya had such a grin on his face when I gave him his first one. He tried to shove the entire thing in his mouth, but luckily I cajoled him into letting me cut it up.

This seems like a very unlikely combination, but it’s a good lesson in working with what you have available. The results were better than I expected and even when I tried it I thought it was delicious.
I added an extra ingredient to this dish: brewer’s yeast. Most people have no idea what brewer’s yeast is, but it’s a great source of vitamin B and has a kind of toasted cheese flavor. The B complex vitamins help the body produce antibodies, provide, energy by converting carbohydrates into glucose, metabolize fats and proteins, and help regenerate red blood cells. A lot of vegetarians sprinkle brewer’s yeast on cereals, salads, or put it in soups, sauces and even baked goods. It can be purchased at health food stores.
Add in the broccoli and apricot puree, and this dish is also packed with vitamin C, iron, potassium and beta-carotene. Your baby will happily buzzing about with good energy from this delicious combination.