Kenya’s obsession with sweet corn lives on! I’m a huge believer in providing children with as much diversity as possible when it comes to them trying to new foods. I also think it’s important to change up their diet regularly so you don’t get stuck with a kid who only wants to eat the same thing at every meal. But at this 
time of year when corn is so crisp, sweet and delicious, I want it morning, noon, and night. So, I try to come 
up with tons of corn dishes to keep with my philosophy of diversity.

Growing up in Kentucky, corn pudding was a staple dish for us. Of course the 
corn pudding down south usually consists of tons of cream. Tasty? Yes. A little to heavy for little ones? Definitely yes. In the weelicious version, I wanted the corn 
to be the real star instead of the cream and butter. This dish took 
three minutes to whip up and when I served it to Kenya for the first 
time, he ate half the dish for dinner! I know. My kid’s got a bottomless pit for a stomach, especially when he loves something.
Sweet corn is packed with fiber and is a great source of beta-
carotene, folic acid and vitamin B3. Needless to say, there were a lot 
of corn pellets in his poop the next day (TMI? Sorry!), but he appeared to love every bite.

Corn Pudding (Makes 4-6 Toddler Servings)

3 Eggs
1 Ear Corn, kernels cut off the cob
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
6 Crackers, crushed
1 Tsp Butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter or spray.
3. Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk.
4. Add the milk and corn and whisk to combine.
5. Pour into the loaf pan.
6. Sprinkle the crackers on top of the corn mixture and dot with butter (divide the tsp of butter into several pieces and place it over the crackers).
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
8. Cool and serve

Wheat berries. Are they wheat? Are they berries? Well, as the name implies, they’re kind of both. Wheat berries are a delicious member of the grain family.
You rarely see them in restaurants or at the market, but health food stores carry them and they’re great for kids. They’re so easy to prepare and really delicious. I love feeding Kenya different types of grains and I have to say that these are one of his favorites.

Wheat berries, also called groats, are whole wheat kernels that have not been milled, polished, or heat treated. They’re brown, nearly round in appearance and have a robust, nutlike flavor. They usually take over an hour to cook, but you can reduce that time if they are presoaked.

When you mix them with the dried fruits and celery in this recipe, it takes on a sweet crunchy texture which in my experience, babies love. He’s not the only one in our family, though. I usually grab a cup when I’m exhausted and need an energy boost. See, this is a great recipe for everyone!

Wheat berry Salad (Makes 6-8 Toddler Servings)

1/2 Cup Wheat berries, soaked for 8 hours or overnight if possible
1/2 Cup Apple, peeled and chopped
1/3 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Celery, chopped
1 Tbsp Orange Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Bring 4 Cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the wheat berries, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer.
2. Cook for 1 hour or until wheat berries are tender to the bite (it make take over an hour, so just keep testing them).
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fine pieces remain.
4. In a bowl, throughly mix the wheat berries with the apple/raisin mixture.
5. Serve.

The farmers’ market right now is sample heaven. One of the best parts about Sunday mornings for me is that I get a morning off and don’t have to cook breakfast for my son OR my husband. That’s because most farmers’ markets feature tray after tray of freshly cut-up fruit and vegetable samples that farmers are begging you to try (of course so you’ll actually buy a bag full of their produce, but how can you resist?!).
Stone fruit (any fruit with a seed in the middle such as apricots, peaches and plums) at this time of year is incredible. Last summer when Kenya was just starting purees, I made this for him every few days. This luscious puree of white peaches and pluots ( a hybrid of plums and apricots which is 3/4 plum and 1/4 apricot to be precise) is heaven for babies.
The main difference between yellow and white peaches, besides the color, is that white peaches are generally sweeter. Pluots are known for their super sweet flavor, juiceiness and for being rich in Vitamin A.
You can really use any type of stone fruit for this recipe such a nectarines, plums, apricots or yellow peaches. If your baby is in the puree stage right now you’re so lucky because purees don’t get anymore beautiful and delicious than this one.

White Peach and Pluot Puree (Make 8 Baby Serving, freeze half)

2 White Peaches
2 Pluots

1. Using a knife, make an X at the bottom of the peaches and pluots, just cutting through the flesh. Make sure to leave them whole.
2. Place the fruit in a steamer pot over boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until the skin starts to peel back from the fruit.
3. Let the fruit cool for a minute or two. Peel all of the skin off the fruit (if you’re using ripe fruit, it should come right off).
4. Cut the fruit into large chunks, discarding the pit and place in a food processor.
5. Puree until smooth.
6. Cool and serve.

I’ve never been a huge fan of juices for kids because most of the important fiber and nutrients, which are in the skin and flesh of fruits and vegetables, are lost in the juicing process. Still, juice, especially for kids who have a difficult time eating fruits and vegetables can be a life saver for a parent.
Watermelons are a perfect choice because as their names states, they’re comprised 95% of water as well as being sweet, crispy, and delicious water at that.
Watermelon contains vitamin C and is also rich in lycopene and beta- carotene, which protects skins and the lining of the intestines, lungs, nose and throat.
Kenya has been eating a slice of watermelon every day since it popped back in season, but you should have seen his eyes when I opened a yellow watermelon. The texture of the yellow is a little bit more dense, but it’s still got that sweet, refreshing flavor.
This juice only take seconds to make and is a fraction on the cost of the bottled juices you get at the store which are in many cases filled with sugar and artificial flavors. Another bonus, if you buy a whole watermelon (the yellow one I bought at the farmers market was $3 and the huge red one was $5), you’ll have plenty of your fruit left over to much on!

Watermelon Juice (Makes 2 Cups)

1/4 Red or Yellow Watermelon (about 3 cups)

1. Cut the watermelon into chucks removing the rind and seeds.
2. Place in a blender and puree.
3. Slowly pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl or large glass to remove the pulp. You may need to use a spatula or spoon in the strainer to keep the juice flowing through.
4. Serve (I like to chill it before we drink it).

I have been waiting since LAST summer to make this 
recipe. Gazpacho is one of my husband’s favorite foods (he begs me to make it even 
in the depth of winter but the thought of making it when tomatoes are not in season goes against everything I stand for!) and it is the quintessential summer soup — totally cool, light and refreshing. I was hoping and praying that 
it would be one of Kenya’s too. Well, I just made some and thank goodness he loves it.
The thing about gazpacho is that you really only want to make it when tomatoes are at their peak — fresh and ripe they taste sweet, beautifully acidic, tangy and juicy. To me, planning to make gazpacho is exactly what makes the farmers’ market so great: vegetables at their peak of perfection at a fraction of the cost of 
grocery store produce. I bought 25 heirloom tomatoes for $5! Yes, they 
were seconds, meaning they were extremely ripe with the occasional 
bruise, but when you’re making gazpacho, who cares!? The taste is as remarkable as you can imagine a tomato right off the vine would be 25 for $5!!!
This soup is a bounty of nutrition. Tomatoes are packed with beta-
carotene, vitamin C and E and lycopene, which research suggests can 
prevent certain types of cancer. With so many vegetables in this 
colorful puree, it’s like eating a big ol’ bowl of health. I filled a little cup for Kenya to hold himself. He sat in his high chair slurping away and in between every bite he looked up at me and smiled.

Gazpacho (10-12 Toddler Servings-freeze 1/2)

4 Tomatoes (make sure they’re ripe)
1 Large Garlic Clove
1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1/4 Red or Maui Onion, chopped
1/2 Bell Pepper, red, yellow or orange
1/2 Cup Tomato Juice (I use R.W. Knudsen Organic Juice)
2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth (you want tiny pieces of vegetables to remain, but small enough for little ones to swallow).
2. Serve (it’s delicious served chilled too).

I’ve been getting tons of emails from parents asking for cake recipe ideas for 1st birthday parties. I still find it amazing how one’s family’s social calendar completely changes after one has a kid. Our weekend schedules are packed with kids’ birthday parties whereas we used to get invited to them about twice a year. Birthday parties for little ones can be loads of fun, but the last thing a parent wants on the ride home is their little one on a sugar high from all the birthday cake.
These carrot cupcakes are delectable. They’re made with agave nectar instead of sugar. Agave nectar comes from the agave plant. It is a sweet liquid with a consistency a bit smoother than honey. Agave is also low on the glycemic index and is metabolized by your body slower than sugar so it has a less severe effect on blood sugar fluctuations. You can find it at any health food store and I bet you’ll find many ways for it to replace sugar in your kitchen.
Instead of baking one big cake, I prefer to decorate a platter with tons of cupcakes. I think this is ultimately more fun for the kids (and parents) since they all get their own cupcake they can decorate with nuts, sprinkles or whatever suits their fancy. It’s also a good way to manage portion control. Anyway these are a blast to make for a birthday or any special occassion and heavenly tasting to eat!


Carrot/Pineapple Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing (Make 14 Cupcakes)

1 Cup Flour
3/4 Tsp Baking Powder
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Agave
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Carrots, peeled and shredded
1/4 Cup Pineapple, drained, crushed in juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a medium sized bowl.
3. Using a mixer, beat the agave, oil and eggs until throughly combined.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
5. Add the carrots and pineapple and beat until all the ingredients are throughly combined.
6. Line 14 1/3 cup muffin cups with paper liners.
7. Scoop batter into cups, filling 3/4 full.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Cool (cupcakes can be made 1 day ahead, cover and store at room temperature).
10 Spread top of each cupcake with 2 tablespoons of cream cheese icing and serve.

Cream Cheese Icing (Make 2 Cups)

1 8 oz Package Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/2 Cup Butter, room temperature
4 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 Tsp Vanilla

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy.
2. Spread on cupcakes.

I am addicted to Grape-Nuts and have been for years. There is something about the nutty, crunchy taste that I just can’t get enough of. Kenya is getting to the age where he wants to try everything he sees me eat. So when I pour my bowl each morning, he always wants to munch on a few. It became clear to me very quickly that he inherited my love for them. Still, I want him to have variety in every meal, so I decided to make him a Grape-Nut breakfast parfait. Sure I could just make him his own little bowl with milk and berries, but that could be a real mess. So I came up with this recipe that also gives him fruit and dairy in addition to the carbohydrate of the Grape-Nuts. This being the week of 4th of July, I incorporated a red, white and blue theme for the fun of it, but it’s great any day of the week.
I try to make this dish first thing in the morning, so that by the time Kenya’s ready for breakfast the Grape-Nuts have gotten a chance to soften up from the yogurt. Kenya has so much fun watching me take the spoon, push it deep in the glass and pull up a delectable, colorful bite of pure yumminess.

Red, White and Blue Parfaits (1 Toddler Parfait)

2 Tbsp Grape-Nuts Cereal
2 Tbsp Yogurt
2 Tbsp Raspberries, chopped
2 Tbsp Blueberries, chopped

1. In a small glass, place a tablespoon of Grape-Nuts.
2. Add a tablespoon of yogurt.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped raspberries.
4. Add a tablespoon of Grape-Nuts.
5. Add a tablespoon of yogurt.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped blueberries.
7. Serve.