Good for the heart, good for the soul….good when everyone in our household has been sick for 6 days straight! Poor little Kenya got a bronchial infection at one of the kid play spaces (a.k.a “germ factories”) I take him to and within days everyone in our house was down for the count. Since there’s little you can do medicinally for kids Kenya’s age, out came my homemade ginger-lemon-honey tea (I’ll post this drink recipe tomorrow) and my personal favorite, chicken noodle soup.
Almost nothing seems to taste good when you’re sick, but there’s something about chicken noodle soup that always makes you feel better. For years doctors have deemed it medicinal and I have to agree. I always considered my recipe for chicken soup fast, easy and fresh, but I became a true pro at making it day after day this week to feed my “patients”. Chocked full of carrots, celery and leeks, I got smart this time and made a huge batch for the freezer for the next time we’re all down for the count.

Chicken Noodle Soup (Make 12 Toddler Servings)

32 Oz Chicken Stock, preferably low sodium
2 Carrots or 3/4 Cup, chopped
1 Celery Stalk or 1/3 Cup, chopped
1 Leek or 3/4 Cup, halved and sliced thin
1 Large Chicken Breast
2 Tsp. Vegit
3/4 Cup Fine Egg Noodles

1. Heat chicken stock in a large pot over a high heat and bring to a simmer.
2. Add the carrots, celery, leeks, chicken breast and vegit. Cook for 12 minutes.
3. Remove the chicken breast and cool. Then tear or chop into bite size pieces.
4. Add the egg noodles to the broth and cook for 6 minutes.
5. Add the chicken to the soup.
6. Cool for little ones 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.

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 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).

Chicken, Wild Rice and Grape Salad (8 Toddler Servings)

1 Chicken Breast
1/2 Cup Celery , chopped
1/2 Cup Grapes, halved, red and/or green
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Mayonnaise or Veganaise
1/2 Cup Wild Rice, cooked

1. Cook the chicken in a steamer pot over boiling water for 8 minutes. Cool and chop.
2. Place all of the ingredients except the rice in a food processor and pulse. Everything should be combined and in tiny pieces.
3. Throughly combine the chicken mixture with the rice and serve.

There’s nothing more soothing and medicinal then chicken noodle soup.
But how do you get your baby to slurp up a bowl of Jewish penicillin? I made this for Kenya when he had a cold and poor little guy actually seemed to take a turn for the better.
Chicken is high in iron, which supports a healthy immune system. It also contains the antioxidant zinc, which protects babies against infection.
Studies have shown that chicken soup has properties that slow mucus production during illness. Whether this is true or not, I know tons of parents that want to believe anything in order to help their little one feel well. By no means does your baby have to be sick to enjoy chicken soup with stars. It’s super tasty and freezes beautifully.

Chicken and Stars (Makes 15 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Chicken Breast
10 Baby Carrots
1/4 Cup Celery (1 stalk), chopped
1/2 Leek or Onion, chopped
1 Tsp Parsley, chopped
1 Cup Pasta Stars, cooked

1. Place the chicken in a steamer pot over boiling water for 3 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, celery and leek and continue to cook for another 5
minutes or until everything is fork tender and throughly cooked..
3. Place all the ingredients except the pasta in a food processor and
puree. Add water from the pot if needed.
4. Combine with pureed mixture with the pasta.
5. Cool and serve.

I love cooking with tofu. It’s incredibly versatile and is packed with protein, iron, calcium and fatty acids. People all over the world have been eating it for centuries, due in part to its healthful benefits.
Over the past weeks, concerns over tofu in babies’ diet have come up time and again amongst my mommy friends and weelicious readers. After researching the subject, I’ve concluded that like any food for babies, moderation is the key. I give Kenya tofu 4-5 times a week, but only a tablespoon or so. I mix it in different breakfast foods, cut it into bite size pieces for a snack or make this tofu salad.
This recipe is delicious. Creamy and tangy, it’s perfect on a spoon to feed baby or as a spread on a sandwich. When I asked one of my tasters to try it, he exclaimed, “You should just call this recipe “Delicious”!
Even those that turn their noses up at the idea of eating tofu will love this delicious recipe.

Tofu Salad (6 Baby Servings)

1/3 of a Block of Firm Tofu, rinsed and drained
1/2 Cup Celery (1 stalk) , Chopped
8 Baby Carrots
1 Tbsp Veganaise, Mayonnaise or Yogurt
1/2 Tsp Lemon Juice
1/8 Tsp Turmeric
1 Tsp Mustard

1. Wrap tofu in a towel and put something heavy on it — like a
dictionary — for 10 minutes to remove as much water as possible.
2. Place carrots in a steamer pot over boiling water for 3 minutes.
3. Add the celery and continue to cook for 4 minutes or until the
vegetables are fork tender.
4. When the vegetables are cool, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything is combined and little pieces remain.
5. 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 for new and interesting flavors for Kenya, I focus in on one flavor and obsess about how I can introduce it to him in order for him to love it, but not be overwhelmed by it. At the same time, I’m always trying to create a dish the whole family can eat (plus leftovers for a few days). This week, chili powder was my focus.
It’s hot, smokey, a little spicey and delicious. Most people wouldn’t dream of a 10 month old liking something so intense, but I feel like babies palates are ready for anything as long as it’s not over powering.
There are 2 tablespoons of chili powder in the recipe which sounds like a lot, but the recipe also serves 16 people! When I say I like leftovers, I mean it. When the chili is finished, I put 2 cups in a Cuisinart and whiz it up for Kenya to have over the next next few days. It’s packed with all the things he needs in his diet.

Vegetarian Chili

Serves 16

2 Cans Organic Chopped Tomatoes
2 32 oz Boxes Vegetable Broth
6 Cups Mixed Beans (Lentils, Yellow Split Peas, White Beans) (If using large beans, soak the night before)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, minced
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
6 Celery Stalks, chopped
6 Carrots, chopped
1 Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 1/2 Tbsp Cumin
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Sweet Paprika
1 Large Bunch Dinosaur Kale, chopped

1. Turn slow cooker (crock pot) on high. Set it for 12 hours. Pour all liquid into the pot.
2. Heat olive oil over medium flame and saute onions for 5 minutes. Lower heat if they start to brown. Add garlic and continue to saute another 2 minutes. Pour the onion mixture into the crock pot with the remaining ingredients. Stir.
3. Cook in the pot for 12 hours.
4. Cool, puree (for baby) and serve.

I admit, this isn’t exactly a dish that would come to mind when you think of “baby food,” but my little guy sure does love it. Yes, it’s 70 degrees in Los Angeles, which doesn’t make you think of pulling out the crock pot to make a slow roast, but I disagree. Last weekend at the Farmers market I trudged out in the rain (it does rain here once in a while), and realized that I hadn’t purchased the delectable Bison ( http://lindnerbison.com/ ) that’s sold there in quite a while. Packed with more protein and Iron then even beef, it’s a perfect meat for everyone in the family. This is one of my favorite 1, 2, 3 dishes that takes little effort and is packed with flavor. As soon as its ready just puree a cup for baby and you can enjoy the rest.

Baby Bourguignon

3 lb. Bison (or Beef, Preferably Grass Fed, Roast)
1 Onion, chopped
4 Stalks Celery
1 bag Baby Carrots, 16 ounces
1 Bay Leaf
2 Cups Mushrooms, halved
1 14 ounce can Chopped Tomatoes
1 Cup Pomegranate Juice or Wine (only if you’re making for adults only)
2 Cups Water
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme
3 Cloves Garlic
Salt (after you remove portion for Baby)

1. Put all the ingredients in the Crock pot and cover.
2. Set to cook for 6 5-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
3. Remove 1 cup portion for baby and puree.
4. Salt the dish to taste for adults and serve.

*You may also heat 1 tbsp oil in a saute pan and sear the roast on all sides for several minutes before putting in the crock pot. Do not “cook” it, though.