I scream, you scream, we all scream for…popsicles! OK, fine, I know 
that’s not how the song goes, but I promise you’ll have some seriously happy 
little ones after serving this treat (The picture of Kenya, above, gleefully holding his 2 popsicles was so much better then the actual shot of the finished product).
Why do all popsicle recipes have to have so much sugar in them? Not only is it bad for you, but you lose all the great, sweet natural taste of the fruit. I got the most 
heavenly strawberries from Harry’s Berries at the farmers market and 
decided to see if I could make popsicles (heaven forbid) without sugar. 
Not only was the end result delicious, I felt like they were totally superior 
to brands that I bought at the grocery with added sugar.
This recipe makes 12 popsicles for a fraction of the price you’d pay for a box of “healthy” or 
organic pops. In those, you only get 6 and spend more for the privilege. So these are tasty and a good deal too.
Strawberries are packed full of vitamin C and ellagic acid, believed 
to be help prevent cancer. The allergic potential for strawberries is 
high, though, so make sure to only give these to kids over the age of 
one without a history of food sensitivities. As always, ask your doctor first if you have any concerns.

I served these to kids at a swim party this week and you should have 
seen their eyes light up when I pulled them out. The best part was 
after they ate them, the little ones weren’t jacked up on sugar which 
made all the mommies and daddies VERY happy!

Strawberry Popsicles (Makes 12 Popsicles)

2 1/4 Cups Strawberries, stems removed
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1. Place the strawberries and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and puree.
2. Pour several tablespoons into the individual molds. (Follow the manufacturers directions for your mold).
3. Freeze overnight (or a minimum of 4-5 hours).
4. Serve.

Years ago I had the great fortune to take several trips to Morocco for modeling jobs. It was so 
incredible being able to travel to cities all over the country and to experience 
the culture first hand. We would go to what are called souks, where the local merchants sell hand woven rugs, tagines (covered clay pots used to cook stews), food, jewelry and much more. It was always fun getting to take a break from work or shopping 
(when time allowed) to eat delicious creations, many of which were made with couscous.
When I’ve asked people what they think couscous is, they usually say, 
”a grain”. Actually, couscous is pasta made by rolling and shaping moistened 
semolina wheat and then coating the tiny pieces with finely ground 
wheat flour. The quick-cook variety, which you can buy in stores, takes only 
minutes to steam.
Although I love a savory dish with couscous, I’m always trying to 
think of healthy sweet treats for Kenya that he will enjoy without giving him sugar. With 
that in mind, I came up with this vanilla bean couscous recipe. It couldn’t be easier and you can make as much or as little as you 
want just by increasing the amount of milk and couscous. If you want to make it 
even sweeter, you could add some agave nectar, but when Kenya, his 
grandmother and I tried it today we thought it was heavenly just like it is.

Vanilla Bean Couscous (Makes 6 Toddler Servings)

1/2 Cup plus 3 Tbsp Whole Milk
1/4 Cup Water
1/3 of a Vanilla Bean, about 1 inch long
1/2 Cup Couscous

1. Place the water and 1/2 cup of the whole milk to a small saucepan.
2. With a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean in half. Starting at one end of the bean, using the flat side of the knife, scrape the seeds out of the pod. Add the seeds (it won’t seem like a lot, but it is) to the saucepan with the milk and the remaining vanilla bean.
3. Bring the liquid and vanilla to a boil.
4. Add the couscous, stir, reduce to a simmer and cover.
5. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Stir the couscous, breaking up any clumps, add the remaining 3 Tbsp of milk.
7. Remove the whole vanilla bean.
8. Cool and serve.

Last week when I was heading out to the farmers market, my friend Zoe 
said, “You should make something with figs”. Zoe, mind you, is 14 years old. How many 14 year olds do you know think about figs let alone have tried them outside of maybe a Fig Newton bar? 

Zoe was so right and luckily there were figs all over the market — ripe, sweet and something that really feels like a great treat, so why 
not feed them to your little one?!
 I realize it’s not the most common first fruit to give babies, but 
they’re one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber and have 
the highest overall mineral content of common fruits. Their soft 
texture and the crunch of their teeny tiny seeds will give an interesting mouth 
feel for little ones.
Being the crazy frugal shopper that I am, after paying $4 at the 
farmer’s market for 8 perfectly ripe figs, I wanted to see how much they were at my local supermarket. $8 for 6! I was kind of shocked, but it’s proof again that when you shop at your local farmer’s market not only is the produce you’re getting superior to what you can buy in a store, but you’re also saving money.

I served this puree to Kenya by itself and he loved it. I even had him try 
it on top of yogurt and cottage cheese, again a total hit!


Fig Puree (Makes 10 Baby Servings)

8 Figs, stems cut off and quartered

1. Place the figs in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Serve.

One of the biggest culinary hits that I’ve made for Kenya so far is pesto. 
I’m not only talking about the traditional pesto made with basil, 
though. I’m talking about all different kinds like cilantro, parsley and now my new favorite, 
spinach. This recipe is bright green in color and since I added tofu, 
it has an even creamier texture then the traditional variety.
Spinach is rich in the antioxidants vitamin C, iron and beta-carotene. 
Since it can have a strong taste when cooked, this raw, pureed version 
takes on a delicate almost sweet flavor.
I mixed most of it into pasta and then with the remainder, I covered 2 
salmon fillets and baked them, one for me and one for Kenya, so 
everyone was happy.


Spinach Pesto (Makes 3/4 Cup Pesto)

1 Cup Spinach, packed
1/4 Cup Walnuts
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp Tofu, silken
1 Small Garlic Clove
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 Cups Pasta, cooked

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Mix with pasta and serve.

Long before that animated rat put it back on the map, my grandmother used to make the most mouthwatering ratatouille. I know that 
when she made it, she imagined as if she had been whisked off to the 
south of France to prepare it. Now, whenever I see bell pepper, zucchini or eggplant, 
it’s the first dish that comes to mind. Granted my grandmother’s version was delicious, but 
the cup of oil she used in her recipe would give it an orange hue and make it not so healthy.
 This baby version of ratatouille is not only healthy, it uses 6 main ingredients, all of which are in season right now at the farmers market. The vegetables 
in the dish are so vibrant and colorful, you know upon first sight that it has to be full of 
vitamins and minerals.
Did you know that weight for weight, bell 
peppers have more vitamin C then oranges? And tomatoes are 
actually a fruit, packed full of 
antioxidant vitamins which help protect your little ones immune system 
by fighting off harmful free radicals. These facts alone are just two reasons 
why a ratatouille a day keeps the doctor away

Ratatouille (Makes 8 Baby/Toddler Servings)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Onion, chopped in bite size pieces
1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
1/3 Cup Zucchini, chopped in bite size pieces
1/3 Cup Eggplant, chopped in bite size pieces
1/3 Cup Red, Orange or Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped in bite size pieces
1/2 Cup Tomatoes, chopped in bites size pieces (I like to use canned organic tomatoes)
1 Tsp. Parsley, chopped fine

*If you’re short on time, you could pulse all the vegetables into bite size pieces in a food processor instead of chopping them by hand

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and lightly saute for 2 minutes (make sure not to brown them).
3. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
4. Add the remaining vegetables and saute for one minute, uncovered.
5. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes.
6. Add the parsley and continue to cook uncovered for one more minute. Make sure all of the vegetables are cooked through and fork tender.
6. Cool and serve.

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.

Baby Frittatas (Makes 12 Baby Frittatas)

3 Large Eggs
2 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Parmesan, grated
1/4 Cup Asparagus, diced
3 Sun dried Tomatoes, packed in oil and diced

1. Preheat the oven 375 degrees.
2. Spray or grease mini muffin tins with oil or butter.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk together. Add the cheese, tomatoes and
vegetables.
4. Add a heaping tablespoon of egg/vegetable mixture to each muffin cup.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
6. Cool and serve.

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?!)

Peach & Cherimoya Puree (2-3 baby servings, unless your baby is like Kenya and eats the entire puree in one sitting)

1 Peach, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 Cherimoya, seeds removed, and peeled

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

It’s funny to me how one day Kenya has no interest in a certain food and the next he can’t get enough of it. Two months ago, right after his 1st Birthday, I made him an omelette. I had seen my friend Diane giving one to her son and he was lovin’ it. That afternoon, I made a gorgeous fluffy omelette for Kenya, cut it into pieces and put it on his tray. He proceeded to hold it in his hand and drop it on the floor, piece by piece. Considering the fact that he loves egg yolks, I was kind of shocked. Yesterday, I decided to give it another try. Kenya couldn’t chew fast enough. He loved it. He was singing to the omelette, dangling it into his mouth — it was cracking me up. For parents with finicky eaters, this will hopefully be a home run and it’s also a good lesson that if your little one doesn’t like something, you can always try it again at a later date. Sometimes you just have to let their palettes develop at their own pace.
Eggs are a wonderful source of protein, Vitamin A and iron. If you serve the omelette with a Vitamin C food such as kiwi, your baby’s body will absorb the iron more readily. You can even finely chop vegetables or add a little cheese as I did to give it more flavor.

Baby Omelette (1 Baby Serving)

1 Organic Egg (we buy ours at our local farmer’s market, but every supermarket should carry organic eggs)
1 Tsp Whole Milk
1 Tbsp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (you can use other types of cheese)
1 Tsp Butter or Oil

1. Whisk the egg and milk in a bowl with a fork until throughly combined.
2. Melt butter in a 6 or 8 inch omelette pan over medium heat (approximately 30 seconds) making sure it coats the bottom of the pan. As soon as the butter stops bubbling (and before it starts to brown), slowly pour in the egg mixture.
3. Pour in the egg mixture tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Let eggs firm up a little, and after about ten-seconds shake the pan a bit and use a spatula to gently direct the mixture away from the sides and into the middle. Allow the remaining liquid to then flow into the space left at the sides of the pan.
4. Continue to cook for another minute or so until the egg mixture holds together. Do not let the underside of the eggs brown.
5. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese and with a spatula, gently fold the omelette in a half moon shape.
6. Continue to cook another 30 seconds or until the omelette is throughly cooked through.
7. Cool, cut into bite size pieces and serve.