I find it kinda funny how some recipes just seem to come to me out of thin air while others can be right in front of my eyes and I miss them completely. For example, Kenya LOVES eggs, peas and rice, so I can’t believe I didn’t think of making this dish sooner. This isn’t your usual “fried” rice, though, laden with oil and msg. This is a healthy version that has all the flavor of fried rice while still being super easy to make.
I usually prepare a big batch of brown rice to keep in the fridge for everyone in the house to nibble on all week. Also, since you can make so many fast simple sauces to mix in with brown rice, having some already cooked makes meal time that much simpler. I try as much as possible to give Kenya recipes without salt, but that would cut out a ton of Chinese and Japanese dishes I want to make him, so I use Bragg Liquid Aminos as an alternative. Bragg’s has less sodium than soy sauce and has 16 amino acids, the basic structural building blocks of proteins.
This is a great dish to take along when you don’t want to carry three different food groups on an outing. With this one, you have everything all in one dish!

Vegetable “Fried” Rice (Makes 6 Toddler Servings)

1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp + 2 Tsps Oil, peanut or vegetable
1 Tbsp Scallions, diced
1 Tsp Ginger, minced
2 Tbsp Red Bell Pepper, chopped fine
1/2 Cup Peas
1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos or Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1. Heat 2 Tsp of oil in a wok or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and coat the entire pan like a pancake. Scramble for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Place the eggs on a plate. Cut into bite size pieces.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet over medium high heat and saute the scallions, ginger and red bell pepper for 2 minutes. Add the peas and rice and continue to stir and cook 1 minute.
3. Add the sesame oil, Bragg’s or soy sauce and cook another minute or until all the ingredients are throughly combined.
4. Serve.

I think one of the most fun but also scary things about cooking is diving 
into recipes of different cultures. I have to admit, when I walk 
into Thai or Indian grocery stores I feel totally lost. There are so 
many interesting ingredients that I’ve never used before. I can’t tell 
you how many times in the midst of my test-cooking I’ve opened a little jar of something like red 
curry paste, eaten a spoonful and immediately had my face turn beet 
red, sweat starting to drip down my face. But after a bit of experimentation, you can find a whole new world of delicious flavors to expand your and your little one’s palette.
This chicken cur-wee is a perfect introduction for toddlers to try a 
dish that has a tiny bit of heat, but no overwhelming spice. The flavors 
are incredibly complex, yet it only takes minutes to prepare. The 
green curry paste is made of herbs such as lemongrass, galangal and 
green chiles. When it’s infused into the coconut milk, it takes on a 
sweet flavor which is perfumed with flavorful herbs. The best part is 
that you can buy it at most grocery stores, so you don’t need to go to 
a specialty store to pick it up.
I wasn’t sure how Kenya would react to this dish, but he loved 
it, I mean he LOVED it!


Chicken Cur-wee (10 Toddler Servings)

1 Cup Coconut Milk
2 Tsp Green Curry Paste
1 Cup Potatoes (I used Yukon Gold), cut in bite size cubes
1/4 Cup Onion, diced
1/3 Cup Carrots, diced
1/3 Cup Peas (you can use frozen peas)
1 Chicken Breast, cut in bite size pieces

1. Place the coconut milk and curry paste in a medium saute pan over high heat. Whisk them together until combined.
2. Add the potatoes, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover.
3. Cook for 4 minutes.
4. Add the onion and carrots, cover and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the chicken, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until all the vegetables are fork tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
6. Cool and serve.

So here’s one of those posts I feel a bit guilty about writing since I’m all about the farmers market and eating what’s fresh and in season. I started preparing this recipe and had bought the most gorgeous, already pre-shelled peas at the market. I was so excited to steam them and pop them in my mouth like candy. I bit into one waiting for a sweet explosion and instead got a bland mealy taste. Luckily I had a bag of frozen sweet peas in the freezer that were the perfect substitute.
I like fresh vegetables as much as anyone, but when you need something easy and full of flavor, frozen peas are a godsend.
This puree is a vegetarians dream. Packed with protein from the garbanzo beans and tahini, there are so many flavors for baby to explore. This is the first time I’ve given Kenya parsley which also seemed to be a hit.
The best part was watching Kenya trying to grab at the spoon as I fed him. I always give him his own wooden spoon to hold while he eats (so that he’s part of the process) and this time I put some of the hummus on his. Since it’s a little sticky, it held on to his spoon as we waved it around and he was able to get several bites in his mouth.
This was a big step for the little guy.

Fresh Pea Hummus (15 Baby Food Servings)

1 Cup Peas, fresh or frozen
1 Cup Garbanzo Beans
1 Tbsp Parsley, chopped
1/4 Cup Whole Milk Yogurt
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Tahini

1. Put peas in a steamer over boiling water for 2 minutes if frozen,
4-5 if fresh.
2. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
3. Serve.

I feel like “eat your greens” rings through my ears when I’m cooking. Didn’t everyone have a parent who said that to you as a child at the dinner table?! Well, here I am now, the parent, trying to get my son to eat his greens. He’s actually amazing about it. I don’t think he knows yet that it’s a right of passage as a kid to deny them whenever possible.
The mix of vegetables in this puree is colorful and bursting with vitamins and minerals. I added the carrots and sweet potatoes to give it a little more body and sweetness. Even a baby who turns his or her nose up at greens will love this mix.

“Eat Your Greens” Puree

1/2 Cup Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup Baby Carrots, chopped
1/2 Cup Green Beans, ends removed
1/2 Cup Broccoli Florets
1/2 Cup Peas, fresh or frozen

1. Put sweet potatoes and carrots in a steamer over boiling water, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients and steam for another 3 minutes or until fork tender.
3. Put in a food processor and puree.
4. Cool and Serve.

In my quest to create new and exciting recipes, I forgot how much Kenya loves Tahini. He eats hummus as fast as I can get it on the spoon. Why not add it to a puree of protein and vegetables. Tahini is packed with Vitamin B3, E and Calcium. Since he’s still under a year, I’ve decided not to give him any nuts, since babies can have allergies at a young age. Tahini is a great replacement when you’re looking for a nutty taste and smooth texture. The bonus to this recipe is the frozen vegetables. It makes this recipe super fast and easy to prepare with minimal clean up.

Sesame Chicken Mash (10 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Potato, cubed in 1/2 inch pieces
1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
1 Cup Organic Frozen Peas, Carrots, Corn and Green Beans
1 Tbsp Tahini

1. Put potato cubes in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken breast and steam another 4 minutes.
3. Add vegetables and steam for 3 more minutes or until all the ingredients are fork tender and chicken is cooked through.
4. Put steamed ingredients and tahini in a food processor and blend until smooth (for babies with a few teeth, you can leave it a little chunky).
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 took a baby nutrition class yesterday that I was so excited about. Sadly, it was totally uninsperational. Someone asked the teacher about turning babies on to spices and she said “maybe you can put in a pinch if it’s part of your culture”. Really!? When I go out to dinner I can’t wait to try Mexican, French, Thai, anything and everything that’s new and exciting especially when it comes to dishes with complex flavors. Why shouldn’t babies be turned on to interesting new tastes. In this dish I put curry, cumin and coconut, 3 things that turn a blah dish into something exciting. Any time Kenya tries Indian food he gobbles it up.

Indian Fish (10 baby servings)

1 Cup Coconut Milk
1 Tsp Curry
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup Cauliflower
1 Tilapia Fillet (any whitefish will do)
1/2 Cup Frozen Pea

1. In a saucepan, bring coconut milk and spices to a boil. Add potato and simmer for 2 minutes.
2. Add cauliflower and cover 2 more minutes. Add fish and cover for 3 minutes.
3. Put all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.
*If mixture is still too thick, add hot water to thin.