The heirloom tomatoes at our farmer’s market are so insanely delicious right now, it brings me close to tears when I take a bite of one. And there are so many different varieties to choose from like Big Rainbow, Green Zebra and Mortgage Lifter. Kenya’s favorite are the dark reddish Cherokee Purple variety because of their sweet taste. I think any time kids can put a fun name on a food, they instantly respond more positively than they normally would (and they’re much more likely to eat it). Hence, Kenya’s love of Dinosaur Kale.

Our family could just sit around and eat slice after slice of these tomatoes totally unadorned (and we do), but for Kenya’s school lunch, I add just a smear of cream cheese and two slices of bread to make this simple Cream Cheese and Tomato Sammie something so special it doesn’t even need a funny name for Kenya to gobble it up!

Cream Cheese & Tomato (Makes 2 Sammies)

1/4 Cup Cream Cheese, divided
1 Heirloom Tomato, cut into 6 slices
4 Slices Whole Wheat Bread

1. Toast your whole wheat bread slices.
2. Layer one slice of the toasted bread with half of the cream cheese and top with 3 slices of tomatoes.
3. Cover with another slice of bread and make the second sammie.
4. Slice each sammie in half and serve.

When I’m trying to come up with new baby food purees, I have several unspoken criteria that I always try and meet: I want to make something that tastes smooth and creamy, but also provides as much visual interest and nutritional value as possible. There are certain foods, like broccoli, that meet almost all of my standards: it’s loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, has beautiful color and is delicious when steamed on its own. But pureed alone into baby food and the results are watery and bland. Still, broccoli is so nutritionally ideal for babies, I refuse to disqualify it just for being blender-averse. Instead, I simply combine it with a couple of other select ingredients and, voila, it’s perfect.

By adding potato and cheese to this recipe, the broccoli incorporates beautifully and the resulting puree has a smooth texture that’s perfect for babies. In addition, the cheese provides a healthy dose of dairy, making this dish a superstar. Both of my kids ate this regularly when they were starting solids and never seemed to get enough of it!

Broccoli, Potato & Cheese Puree (Makes 6 Baby Servings)

1 Large Potato, peeled and cubed
1 Cup Broccoli, chopped
2 Tbsp Cheddar Cheese (I used white cheddar cheese)

1. Place the potato cubes in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 6 minutes.
2. Add the broccoli and steam for an additional 4 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree.
4. Serve.

One of the biggest challenges in trying to feed a family comprised of babies, toddlers and adults is finding recipes that everyone will love so you don’t feel like a short order cook making something different for each person. These Banana Bites are hands-down one of our family’s favorites for a few simple reasons: they’re healthy, inexpensive and easy to make (which equals a happy mommy and daddy), and sweet and delicious (which equals happy baby girl and big brother). The recipe makes quite a few Bites so you can eat a bunch and keep the rest on hand in the fridge for a few days — that is, if you can keep them around that long. Not only are my 1 and 3 year olds obsessed with them, but my hubby and I devour them just as fast! And my friend said they’re equally good for dessert as they are for breakfast, which I totally agree with!

Banana Bites (Makes 2-3 Servings)

2 Bananas
1 Cup Pancake Batter (Your favorite boxed brand OR your weelicious favorite recipe: Whole Wheat Oat Pancakes, Raspberr-Wee Pancakes (minus the raspberries) or even Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes)

Accompaniments: Honey, maple syrup, yogurt or a healthy berry sauce

1. Cut the bananas into 1/4 inch slices (I like to make slices on a diagonal bias so they’re a little bit longer than circles).
2. One at a time, dip the banana slices into the batter, coating all over, shaking off the excess batter into the bowl and place on a buttered griddle or skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook for 1 minute on each side or until golden.
4. Serve.

Not only are these Banana Bites easy, delicious, a great use of spotty bananas and healthy, they’re something everyone in the family will love!

When my girlfriend Staci asked me yesterday if I had a recipe that would be good to feed her 8 month old, her 3 and 5 year olds, AND her husband and herself, I was reminded of just how difficult it is to feed every member of the family and do it in as little time as possible….not to mention also make everyone happy. Staci is not the only one who needs help. I get emails everyday from frustrated parents asking for all-purpose recipes that are also fast and easy. We parents are tired of feeling like short order cooks, making a different meal for each member of the family. In an effort to put an end to that, here are some ideas that will work for everyone in the family.

We’re working really hard here at weelicious to come up with even more “one family, one meal” ideas, so if you have something you love or there’s just a dish that you want to know how to make, let us know!

** Below are a bunch of previously posted weelicious recipes with simple instructions for how to modify them to be served to all the members of your family. **

Tofu Scramble 2 Ways
Polenta Cutouts: Pour a bit of the polenta in a bowl and thin with water for baby
Baby Beef Stew: Double the recipe and before you puree the mixture, serve it to you and your kids
Fish Tacos: Puree the mixture and serve with Guacamol-wee
Avocado Shake
Red Beet Hummus
Veggie Casserole: Replace the cow’s milk almond, soy or rice milk
Juicing: Babies love fresh juice!
Broccoli Soup
Purple Cauliflower Soup: Babies love soup, just make sure it’s cool
Chicken Soup and Rice
Red Lentil Puree
Veggies & Sole: Double the recipe and before pureeing serve it to the family
Barley, Chicken & Broccoli Salad: Leave out the orange juice for baby
Chinese Chicken Wontons: Puree for baby before putting in the wontons
Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Twiced Baked Potatoes: Substitute the milk with rice, soy or almond milk and puree
Split Pea Soup
Celery Root Soup
Brazilian Turkey Polenta: Just puree for baby and serve
Quinoa Mexicana Salad: Mash it up for babies, leaving the cherry tomatoes out
Sweet Potato Pudding
Breakfast Grains: Puree or mash for babies with few teeth
Fish in Parchment: You can make this with fish or chicken and puree for babies
Shepherd’s Pie: Replace the milk with almond, rice or soy milk and pure for babies
Sweet Potato, Apple & Cheddar Purses: Set aside some puree for baby before making the purses
Chicken Noodle Soup: Just puree and serve to baby
Millet Cakes: Leave out the egg and before forming into patties, set aside some of the mixture to be pureed for baby
Lemon Herb Chicken Bites: Puree and serve to baby
Vanilla Bean Couscous: Substitute almond, rice or soy milk for the cow’s milk
Mexican Beans & Rice: Leave out the tomatoes and puree for baby

Right from the time Kenya first started solids, two of his favorite foods have always been squash and apples. Steamed, baked, pureed, whatever…he loves them. Now that winter ingredients have returned in abundance at the farmer’s markets, I was really excited to try out this soup. You would be shocked at how much kids love soup, especially pureed versions that they can drink from a cup or bowl. It really lets them experience control over their dining experience. Kenya truly slurps this recipe up like it’s a smoothie. Even better, my husband who’s been trying to “lose a few” ate bowl after bowl in an attempt to eat more vegetables. This is a fantastic recipe because it’s super healthy, fast to prepare and cook and so easy to make!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (6-8 Servings)

1 Tbsp Oil, Butter or Margarine
1 Small Onion, chopped
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped
2 Apples, peeled, cored and chopped (I like to use a sweet apple like Fuji or gala).
1 Tsp Nutmeg or Curry
32 Oz Vegetable Stock

1. Saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the butternut squash, apple, spice and stock to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Puree soup in a blender (make sure not to fill your blender more then 3/4 full at one time).
4. Serve.

I have to say that celery root (also known as celeriac) really is the ugly ducking of vegetables. For years I would pass it at the market, not thinking it looked at all appetizing and not really knowing what to do with it. Sometimes when ingredients look like a ton of work, I shy away. What was I thinking? Inside that ugly duckling is a culinary swan! Celery root is amazing! When cooked it has the consistency of potato, but it has a rich celery taste. I’ve been cooking celery root for years in salads, soups, just plain roasted and in purees. It’s one of my favorite foods and this soup is really healthy, but also naturally creamy and hearty. I recently made this recipe for my friend Staci’s baby shower and served it in little shot glasses, but as I was preparing it, Kenya was pleading with me for a taste. He ended up drinking 3 glasses which he obviously loved. He consumed more soup in one sitting then any of the ladies at the party! Smart man. When your kids try and love this, they’ll have him to thank.

Celery Root Soup (6-8 Servings)

2 Leeks, white & light green part only
2 Celery Root Bulb (about a pound each), peeled
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
32 Oz Chicken Stock (you can use vegetable stock too)

1. Saute the leeks for 3-4 minutes in a stock pot over medium heat..
2. Add the celery root and stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 18 minutes or until celery root is tender.
3. Puree soup ingredients in a blender (make sure not to fill your blender more then 3/4 full at one time).
4. Serve.

*Allow to cool, store in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours or place in pot and bring to heat over low-medium heat.

Some people look forward to Thanksgiving and to eat turkey for the stuffing or the gravy. Not me. I’m a total cranberry sauce girl. Since we’ve been on a roll roasting turkeys every week this month testing holiday recipes, Kenya’s has acquired a real taste for it, too. He’s just like his mommy — he wants some turkey and a pound of the sauce to go with it.
That’s part of the reason I started making this sauce with agave nectar. Most cranberry sauces call for a cup of sugar for each bag of cranberries. It makes my teeth feel like they are going to rot just thinking about it. Granted, cranberries are uber sour, so they do need something to sweeten them up and agave does the trick. I also love adding oranges and orange juice to add not only citrus flavor, but also their natural sugars.
Cranberries are packed with the antioxidant vitamin C, which helps protects kids against infection, and antibacterial substances that can help prevent digestive and urinary infections.
We sat down for lunch last week and I’m not kidding when I tell you that Kenya kept pouring the sauce on his plate and eating spoon after spoonful. He loved it and hopefully so will your family this Thanksgiving.

Cranberr-Wee-Sauce (Makes 2 1/2 Cups)

1 Bag of Cranberries, washed and bruised cranberries discarded
2/3 Cup Orange Juice and or the orange pulp, removing the seeds and sections between the pulp
1/3 Cup Agave
1 Cinnamon Stick

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. When they reach a boil, turn the heat to a simmer and cook for
10-15 minutes or until the berries start to pop.
3. Turn off heat and cool. Remove the cinnamon stick.
4. Serve warm or chilled.

*Allow to cool, place in appropriate container or ziploc bag, label and freeze.

When Kenya was a baby, I always wanted to make him dessert. It somehow felt unfair to me that as my husband and I devoured sweet treats, he couldn’t be a part of our fun. I devised this sweet potato pudding in an effort to remedy that. The creamy and light texture of this dish is so smooth, its perfect for babies with or without teeth.
I love cooking with sweet potatoes because they’re in season right now, packed with antioxidant vitamin and phytonutrients, and almost every baby I’ve ever known loves them. When I first took a bite, I couldn’t believe how much it tasted just like the filling of sweet potato pie. You may want to double this recipe because it goes perfect for a baby’s dinner or dessert!

Sweet Potato Pudding (Makes 3 Baby Servings or 2 Toddler Serving)

1 Sweet Potato
1 Egg Yolk
1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Rice or Almond Milk
Hot Water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bake sweet potato for 1 hour or until fork tender.
3. When potato is cool, remove the flesh and cool (I like to eat the high fiber potato skin as a snack).
4. Whisk the egg with the cinnamon, rice milk and cooled potato until smooth.
5. Pour into a ramekin (or other small baking dish).
6. Place the ramekin in a larger baking pan.
7. Place the ramekin and baking pan in the oven and pour hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the ramekin (otherwise known as a water bath).
8. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Cool and serve.

I’m always shocked to find out how many people know of and adore noodle 
kugel. I only tried it for the first time recently, but when I shared 
my feelings about how much I loved it with friends, I got some pretty darn 
passionate responses about what a recipe for noodle kugel MUST include. The variations made my head spin. Some people said nuts were a must. Others cited raisins, cinnamon and all kinds of other additions.
When I was originally doing research on kugels and their history, I 
was shocked to find that most recipes called for a cup or more sugar. That much 
sugar would send me into outer-space, so I can only imagine what it 
would do to our kids.
My version is a much healthier toddler-and-family-friendly recipe that 
you could eat as a side dish or even for dessert! After it comes out of the 
oven, cut it into squares and take a bite of the soft, tender, creamy 
noodles perfumed with cinnamon — you’re in heaven. Of 
course Kenya tried to shove the entire square I gave him into his little mouth in 
one bite which he quickly figured out wasn’t such a good idea! As for my friends with very strong opinions on what is and isn’t kugel, most of them gave this their stamp of approval.

Noodle Kugel (makes 20-25 squares)

2 Cup Eggs Noodles
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Raisins

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes. You want them to be tender, but firm.
2. Strain the water off the noodles and place them in a large bowl.
3. Add the butter and toss the noodles so they’re evenly coated.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Place the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, agave and cinnamon in a food processor or blender and pulse to combine throughly.
6. Pour the liquid mixture over the noodles and stir to coat.
7. Pour the noodle mixture into a 9 x 9 greased baking dish.
8. Bake for 25 minutes.
9. Cool and cut into square pieces.
10. Serve.