Parents always complain to me that they can’t get their kids to eat broccoli. Still, I try to find new ways to use it in recipes, because broccoli is not only packed with beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamin C, it’s a fun food for toddlers to pick up.
Kenya loves holding the little “trees” and munching off the tops and then making his way down the stalk. Instead of “sneaking” or “hiding” it in your kids food, let them know how good it is for them. Eat some yourself and show them how much you love it or try dipping in hummus or another spread. Or try this recipe. It is such an All-American dish. It’s one of those comfort foods that’s actually kind of healthy (minus the cream sauce in the adult version, of course).

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole (15 Baby Serving)

1 Chicken Breast
1 Potato, peeled
1 Cup Broccoli, florets
2 Tbsp Cheddar Cheese

1. Place the chicken and potatoes in a steamer pot over boiling water
and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the broccoli and continue to steam another 3 minutes or until the
chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are fork tender.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth
(or leave chunky for toddlers). You may need to add water from the
steamer pot to make smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

This weekend Kenya and I went to the farmers market alone. It was easy when he was a baby because I could just throw him in the sling and off I went. It’s not exactly the same story now that he’s 26 pounds and interested in everything. Luckily my friend who makes the bubsnug slings, showed me how to put him on my hip while wearing the sling. Kenya acted like the king of the market while I pushed our cart and gathered our provisions for the week. The farmers gave him raw mushrooms, sugar snap peas and kumquats which he chowed on (then drooled all over my shoulder) while we shopped.
While there, we bought beautiful white rose potatoes. They’re long and slender with a creamy texture when pureed. You can even leave the thin skin on for extra fiber.
Kale is a powerhouse of nutrition. It’s packed full of vitamin C and beta-carotene which are important anti-oxidants for a healthy immune system. The calcium in kale also makes it an important source for children who are vegan or vegetarian. Since kale can have a strong taste on its own, I added it to this silky potato puree. While I was making it I realized it needed an added oomph…so I shredded in some low sodium cheddar cheese (you could also try soy cheese) which gives it a little tang and adds extra calcium and protein.

Potato, Kale & Cheese Puree (10-12 Baby Servings)

2 Large White Rose Potatoes, chopped (you could also use russet or Yukon gold)
1 Cup Kale, chopped
2 Tbsp Whole Milk, you could also substitute the water remaining in the steamer pot
2 Tbsp Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1. Put potatoes in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 6 minutes.
2. Add the kale and continue cooking 4 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
3. In a food processor puree all the ingredients until smooth. You can add more water from the bottom of the steamer pot if necessary.
* I like to make this puree thinner then you might expect. After it cools and is refrigerated, it tend to firm up a bit. This way it won’t be too thick and difficult for baby to eat.
4. Cool and 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 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.

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.

What baby doesn’t like cheese? It’s easy to pick up, soft, and has tons of flavor. One of my friends is vegan and introduced me to Nutritional Yeast a few years ago. The name sounds kind of disgusting if you ask me, but it’s a pretty cool ingredient. It comes in a powder form which is flakey.
My friend was cooking for her toddler and made vegan macaroni and cheese. I was totally skeptical at first, but then realized it was delicious! You can sprinkle it into casseroles, soup, sauces to add tons of nutrients and cheese flavor. In this dish, I’ve added it along with Colby Cheese, so that Kenya will get the protein and fat from a little cheese plus the vitamins and nutrients from the nutritional yeast.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole (10 Baby Servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Russet Potato, cubed
15 Organic Baby Carrots
1 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast
1/4 Cup Shredded Organic Colby or Cheddar Cheese
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

1. Add the potato, carrots and chicken to a steamer pot over boiling water.
2. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender and chicken is cooked through.
3. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and puree.
4. Add water from the steamer pot to make smooth.
5. Cool and serve.