Creamy Swiss Chard & Green Garlic Pasta

Despite how obviously creamy and delicious this dish is, it's also healthy.

The recipe is slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen, she seriously can't go wrong, and the creamed chard is made with mostly whole milk with a little bit of butter and flour as a thickener.

You can certainly have the creamed chard by itself or you can mix in pasta like I did.

I had planned on using orecchiette which I swore I had at home and if you are shopping for this dish I would suggest regular chard as opposed to the colorful variety.

Given the horrible light when the dish was ready I had planned on taking pretty pictures the next morning.

I set some of the creamed chard aside to mix with some orecchiete I would purchase and cook the next day.  Luckily I snapped a few shots of the pasta dish before we ate it because in the morning when I glanced into the fridge I noticed that my chard concoction had turned completely pink.

Like bright, pepto bismol pink with green chunks.  It wasn't pretty but it still tasted darn good.

This is why I suggest buying the regular swiss chard. 

What started all this was the gorgeous chard and green garlic we received in our CSA box.

Green garlic is actually just young garlic (aka spring garlic) and you can see the garlic forming on the bottom.  Although it definitely has a garlic flavor, it's much milder than the traditional version.

If you don't have green garlic, which you mightn't, feel free to use spring onions, regular onions, green onions, leeks or a little of your regular garlic.  All of these options would be fantastic.

Creamy Swiss Chard & Green Garlic Pasta

1 lbs Swiss Chard, thick stems removed and leaves sliced, then chopped

3 stalks of green garlic, sliced thinly (from bottom to tender part of the greens)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (wheat or white)

1 3/4 cup whole milk

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 lb pasta of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste

Make sure your chard is chopped up well to avoid any long stringy bits that your little one can choke on.
Rinse the chard and place it, still wet, in a large pot over high heat.
Cover it and cook until just wilted, stirring occasionally.
Pour chard in a colander and allow it to cool.

Start cooking pasta of your choice.
I always reserve a little pasta water just in case I want to thin out the finished dish.

In a small bowl heat the milk over low-medium until warm throughout, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, wipe out your pot, place it back over medium heat and sauté the garlic in the butter until soft.
Add the flour, whisking constantly until thickened.  Make sure there are no lumps.
Add the milk in a steady stream, while whisking constantly until incorporated and the sauce has thickened.  Add the parmesan and mix until melted.
Squeeze any remaining water from the chard and mix it in to the sauce.
Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Combine the pasta and chard mixture and serve!

~This can certainly be placed in a food processor and blended to make a very tasty puree!

*Variations
-Use any kind of pasta or mediterranean couscous
-Try this with greens like spinach or collard greens
-Add fresh herbs at the very end
-Use onions, garlic or leeks interchangeably

*Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

*Benefits
Chard is an excellent source of calcium,  vitamin C, E, B6 & K, fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, protein, zinc and folic acid.  So good for you.

Milk contains calcium, protein, potassium, phosphorus, vitamins D, B12 & A as well as riboflavin and niacin.

Turkey & Veggie Meatballs

Ages ago a friend of mine asked me about making meat dishes for her little one.
His name is Costner and he's on the I'm a Dandy Baby page, so go look at how adorable he is.

I had these meatballs in mind and I've finally just documented the making of these.
He's probably moved on to Prime Rib by now but these are for him regardless.



The veggies in these make the meatballs very moist and tender which makes them perfect for beginning finger foods.  It's also a fantastic way to sneak in vegetables for kids reluctant to eat them.

I used the grating blade in my food processor for these but if you really need to hide the vegetables from unsuspecting kids (or husbands and wives) then go one step further and grind them up with a regular blade as well.



Turkey & Veggie Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 large zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
1 large carrot, grated (about 2 cups)
2 large mushrooms, grated (about 2 cups)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used italian seasoned)
1 beaten egg
2 + 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
pinch of salt and pepper (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium to high heat.
Sauté the onions for a few minutes and then add your carrots and garlic.
Stirring occasionally, cook until they start to soften.
Add in your zucchini and mushroom, give it a good stir and sauté until all the ingredients have softened.
Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add your turkey, cheeses, bread crumbs, egg, s&p and cooled vegetables.
Mix it all up with your hands.

Clean out your large pan and get it nice and hot again.

I used a cookie scoop for my meatballs but you could use a spoon.
Brown your meatballs in 2 teaspoons of evoo.
You might have to do this in batches depending on your pan/meatball size.

At this point you can cook them all the way through or you could simmer in some sauce (which I did).

After browning your meatballs, add them all back to the pan and pour in 1 jar of pasta sauce
or if you feel it's just too much flavor for your little you could add a can of plain tomato sauce as well.

Simmer for about 20 minutes until your meatballs are cooked through.

Serve by themselves or with pasta.



Peanut immediately goes through and eats all of his meatballs.
He devours these meatballs.
I devour these meatballs.
B devours these meatballs.

Did anyone notice that I'm letting Peanut eat rotini and meatballs with pasta sauce....
in a white t-shirt.
What was I thinking?



*Variations
-Use any meat or combination of meats such as chicken or beef
-Use this to make turkey burgers, swedish meatballs or meatloaf
-Add fresh herbs

*Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
I immediately froze half the batch after making.

*Benefits
Turkey is a great source of protein as well as niacin, vitamin, B6 and tryptothan which is an amino acid.

Carrots have lots of carotenioids that work as antioxidants, convert to vitamin A, boost the immune system and protect and enhance your eyes and sight.

Zucchini is high in potassium, vitamin, A, beta-carotene, lutein and magazine.

Mushrooms are a rich source of potassium, riboflavin, niacin and selenium.

Cheese is a great source of calcium, magnesium, zinc, folate, selenium and vitamins A, E, K and D.

Spinach & Red Quinoa Fritatta

This is one of those easy dishes that we all love.

It's delicious, packed with good things for you and it requires minimal dishwashing.

That's an all around win.

Mine came out a tad overcooked because the timer went off while Peanut was in the bath.  The timer was going off while I just sat there watching Peanut splash and thinking of my frittata getting darker and darker.  It's ok though because it wasn't too far gone and we still loved it.  

So don't cook yours until it looks like mine!

I forgot to take a picture the night I made it and got to it just in time.

By the next afternoon, between the three of us there was this one slice left.

Peanut followed me around saying please until I gave it to him and he ate the whole slice immediately.

You can see his little fingers grabbing at it in the last picture.

 

Spinach and Red Quinoa Frittata

4 cups spinach, rinsed and chopped

1 cup cooked red quinoa

1/2 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

8 eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cup grated jarlsberg

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Pinch salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Heat your olive oil in a large oven proof skillet.

If you don't have an oven proof skillet don't worry.

Saute the onions until translucent, add your spinach and garlic and stir until wilted.

Add the cooked quinoa and mix.

In a large bowl beat the eggs and milk.

Stir in the cheese, salt and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture over the spinach mixture and stir gently.

Place the pan in the oven.

If your pan is not oven-proof then transfer the mixture to a sprayed casserole dish.

Bake for about 15 minutes until the frittata is puffy and golden.

Keep an eye out, cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pan/dish.

If you are unsure a tester placed in the center should come out clean.

Enjoy!

 

*Variations

-You could easily make this in muffin tins for your little

-Change out the quinoa for a different grain

-Try this with cheddar instead of gruyere

-Use different vegetables, just remember to cook them first

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

*Benefits

Eggs are a fantastic source of protein and contain all 9 essential amino acids as well as choline, lutein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, selenium and lots of other vitamins and minerals.

Spinach has lots of calcium, selenium, magnesium, folic acid, iron and vitamins A, C, D and K (which helps your body absorb calcium).

Quinoa is not actually a grain but a seed and is packed with protein and essential amino acids.

It's far more nutritious than rice and has more calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese, fiber and zinc than many other grains.

Cheese is a great source of calcium, magnesium, zinc, folate, selenium and vitamins A, E, K and D.

Apple & Parsnip with Cinnamon

Up until the last couple of weeks Peanut has always chosen vegetables over fruit.

Really.

He would rather have green beans than bananas or pears.

All of a sudden a few weeks ago he no longer wanted to eat straight veggies.  

Veggies in things is no problem.  Even if its a dish of 99% veggies its fine.

It got me thinking about how every parent seems to go through phases of sneaking veggies into their kids food.  If I think I can get away with it, I add vegetables.

Parsnips look like white carrots, are sweeter in flavor and have a unique spiced flavor.

I always think cinnamon and cardamom when I taste them.

All of this makes them perfect to pair with apples.

Apple & Parsnip with Cinnamon

6 small apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges

4 small parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In your steamer place the parsnips on bottom and apples on top and steam until fork tender,

about 8 minutes depending on their size.

Remove from the steamer reserving cooking liquid.

Mash or puree to the desired consistency adding liquid if needed.

Mix in the cinnamon and Enjoy!

*Variations

-Bake the apples and parsnips instead, intensifying their sweetness.  

Be sure to cover the dish to retain moisture.

-Add a bit of orange juice to brighten it up

-Mash with potato

-Mix into oatmeal or other grains

-For adults:  serve as is or leave out the cinnamon and turn this into a soup by adding chicken stock, a few tbs of butter and a dash of cream

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

*Benefits

Parsnips are rich in vitamins A, C & E, fiber, folate, manganese, copper, potassium and magnesium.

Apples have lots of fiber, vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, thiamin, potassium, phosphorus and calcium.

Apple Cider Carrots with Rosemary

Hi!  Remember me?

Anyone?  

Well, it has been a month.  I know, it's awful.

The thing is, the holidays came and then I got busy, and then I got busier, and then life happened and now here we are.  In January.

It seems that now that the Peanut can eat just about anything... he's actually eating less new things than ever before.  Why is that?  I think that toddler foods are somehow less planned, less of a decision and so maybe I've gotten lazy on trying new things.

Maybe I'm intimidated when it comes to making more grown-up foods.

Maybe it's just me.

Either way, I've just reminded myself that I need to pay more attention to diversifying Peanuts foods.

Especially now that he is more conscious of what he is eating. 

We had lots of gorgeous carrots in our CSA box this past week, along with a bunch of rosemary and I have a gallon of apple cider sitting in the fridge.

Throw it all together and you have a great side for the whole family!

Apple Cider Carrots with Rosemary

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into slices that are roughly the same size

1/4 cup apple cider

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (maybe about 2 teaspoons)

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place your carrots in a medium baking dish and toss with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper (if you are using them).

Pour apple cider into the dish and cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes and then remove and discard the foil, 

give them a stir and bake for another 25 minutes or until fork tender.

Enjoy!

*Variations

-Instead of rosemary, use thyme, oregano, savory or even nutmeg

-Add sliced of apples when you roast

-Add other root veggies like parsnips

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

*Benefits

Carrots have lots of carotenoids that work as antioxidants, convert to vitamin A, boost the immune system and protect and enhance your eyes and sight.

Celeriac Mash

Celeriac, you know that weird looking root that you may have eyed at the store...

it makes an awesome mash.

This dish is for the whole family to enjoy and it's a nice change from regular mashed potatoes,

although it's not like anyone could ever have too much mashed potatoes.

Celeriac or celery root is not really starchy like other roots, is a member of the parsley family

and it has a celery-ish flavor.

Don't be too judgmental, it may be ugly but it is delicious.

To peel them just cut off the knobs and skin with a knife.

Celeriac Mash

1 celeriac, peeled and cut into cubes

1 large potato or several small (equal to the amount of celeriac), peeled and cubed

milk or cooking liquid to thin puree

Place your celeriac in a pot and cover with water.  Boil for about 10 minutes.

Add in your potato and boil until both are fork tender.

Drain, reserving liquid if you are going to use it.

Mash or whip the same way you like your potatoes, 

adding cooking liquid or milk to get to the desired consistency.

If you are serving the entire family I suggest taking some of the puree out

and then adding a pat of butter and a salt and pepper to taste, to the rest of the mash.

*Variations

-Add a few whole cloves of garlic, boil and mash with the celeriac

-Add a bit of sour cream, cream cheese or any kind of cheese really

-Fold in some broccoli or your other favorite veggie, chopped into small bits

-Use it to top other dishes like shepherds pie

*Storage 

Refrigerate for up to 3 days

*Benefits

Celeriac is a good source of fiber, potassium, iron, vitamins C, K & B6, as well as folate, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese.

Potatoes are rich in potassium, vitamins C & B6, fiber, iron, folate, phosphorus and thiamin.

Have you had celeriac before?

'Snips 'n Sprouts

I was at a birthday a while back when a friend told me her husband makes baby food for their little one.

Already impressed he told me to try this combination (parsnips and brussels sprouts)
 and completely won me over.

Actually, I believe he said that it might not smell that great but that their little girl loves it.

Brussels sprouts, like broccoli, can smell a little odd while cooking.

The flavor is fantastic and I love the way you can vary the texture so much.

I'm a huge fan of parsnips, so if you haven't tried them go for it!

'Snips 'n' Sprouts
1 large parsnip (or several small), peeled and sliced into coins (about 2 cups)
2 cups brussels sprouts, stem removed (along with any outer leaves that might fall off) and cut in half for small ones or quartered for large one

Steam them all together, over an inch of water, until they are fork tender.
Place the parsnips and brussels sprouts in a food processor, reserving liquid.

Pulse for a chunky texture or add some of the cooking liquid and puree until completely smooth
or just mix the two together.

Enjoy!



*Variations
-Add a bit of coriander, cardamom, white or black pepper or nutmeg
-Include carrots, potato, artichoke hearts, winter or summer squash or turnips
-Try this with apple, pear or persimmon

*Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

*Benefits
Parsnips are rich in vitamins A, C & E, fiber, folate, manganese, copper, potassium and magnesium.

Brussels Sprouts are packed with antioxidants, vitamins K, C and A, folate, manganese,
fiber and potassium.

How do you eat your brussels sprouts?

Roasted Beet & Carrot

Besides being gorgeous, 

this combination is yummy and nutritious.

The best part of this recipe is the easy tip on roasting and peeling the skin from the beets.

Forget the days of peeling beforehand and ending up with stained fingers.

Our CSA box had these gorgeous specimens in it.

Have I mentioned how much I love fall produce?!

Don't ignore the greens either.  

We wilted the beet greens with spinach for a warm spinach salad.

They are sweeter than spinach and I look forward to getting them again so 

I can make some baby food from them.

We also use the carrot greens along with parsley and a bit of basil

along with walnuts, garlic, evoo, parmesan and a splash of lemon for a pesto.

Don't waste those greens, they are packed with nutritious deliciousness!

One last tip on greens, remove them as soon as possible as they suck

up the sugars and water from the veggie.

The longer you keep the greens on the less moist and sweet your veggies will be.

So take those greens off and use them asap.

Beet juice does stain so strip that baby down before feeding them beets.

I also rubbed a little vaseline on my hands and ran them around Peanut's mouth because

I wanted to take pictures later and he is the messiest eater ever.

Maybe I'm just paranoid :)

Also, and this is very important....

take a good look at the color of that puree 

and remember it when you are changing your little's diaper later.

I mean, it all depends on how much they eat but

I don't want you to go rushing that child into the ER for internal hemorrhaging 

when really they just had a lot of beets for lunch :)

Hey- it had to be said!

Roasted Beets & Carrots

2 medium beets, washed with the tops and tails cut off

(I just roast off all of my beets so they are ready when I want to use them)

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in half

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Place your beets in the middle of a sheet of foil and then fold the foil

over the top, folding and folding until it is secured down.

Fold the ends up until they meet the middle as well.

The goal here is to make sure it's airtight so the veggies steam in their packets.

Roast them for 45 minutes.

Allow your packets to cool a bit and open them carefully.

The carrots are ready to be mashed or pureed.

Now is the fun part with the beets:

Cover your hand in a plastic sandwich bag, gloves or saran wrap (pictured)

and simply peel the skin right off those beets.

It will come right off!  Cool, huh?

Add them to the carrots and mash or puree, 

adding water (or apple juice) to get it to the desired consistency.

Enjoy!

*Variations

-Add a fruit like apple or pear

-I think this would be great with a little fennel

-Add a dollop of yogurt or cottage cheese

-Cut the pieces and eat it yourself, add a little salt and pepper 

and a bit of goat cheese and it's heaven.

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

*Benefits

Beets are a great source of iron, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium and a bit of vitamin C.

The leaves are packed with all the above and even more calcium and vitamins A & C.

Carrots have lots of carotenoids that work as antioxidants, convert to vitamin A, boost the immune system and protect and enhance your eyes and sight.

Are you a fan of beets?

Baby's First Pie- Sweet Potato & Pumpkin

Thanksgiving just wouldn't be complete without pie

and although your little one might not be ready for the pumpkin pie you're eating,

they can definitely have this one.

There is no added sugar as the sweetness comes from the sweet potato and roasted bananas.

The crust itself is made from ground teething cookies.

The filling is a simple puree.

Roasting the banana gives them this fantastic caramel flavor.

Put them all together and you have a fantastic puree that is then smoothed into your shell.

I used mini tart pans for this but I suspect this would also be great in silicone cupcake molds

or any other individual mold like small soufflé dish or large ramekin.

There are a million different teething cookies out there and any of them would work.

I used a combination of several kinds.

Other options for the crust are arrowroot cookies, 

baby graham crackers (or regular grahams)

or basically any biscuit/cookie you can find in the baby section.

This is held together by butter but don't feel guilty about it.

The fat in the butter actually helps your baby's body absorb the 

beta-carotene in the pumpkin and sweet potato.

Baby's First Pie- Sweet Potato & Pumpkin

1 small sweet potato (yam)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree*

2 bananas, peeled and cut lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3/4 cup ground teething cookies

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Place your sweet potato on a baking sheet and 

poke a few holes in it with a knife or fork.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the skin just starts to pucker.

Pull out your baking sheet and add the bananas.

Roast for another 15 minutes or so.

The bananas should be bubbly with golden spots

and the sweet potato should have nice soft flesh (check by poking it with your fork or knife).

When they are done pull them out and drop your oven temp to 350°.

Meanwhile, put your cookies or crackers into the food processor and 

grinduntil you have 3/4 of a cup.

How many you use will depend on the type of teething cookies.

Place in a bowl and mix the melted butter in with a fork.

Add a few tablespoons of crust mix into your mini tart pan and 

press up the sides and down the center.

I used a small measuring cup to do this.

Mine yielded 5 tarts.

Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until your crust is a nice golden brown.

Peel the skin off the sweet potato and put the flesh in the food processor.

Add your roasted banana, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.

Puree until smooth, adding water or apple juice if needed.

Add the puree to your crusts, smoothing them very gently.

Allow them to cool to room temperature and serve to baby.

Enjoy!

*Variations

-Instead of the crust you could sprinkle crumbled cookies over the top of the puree.

-Try this with different fillings like Baked Apple & Carrot or 

Cranberry, Apple & Pumpkin

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days

*Benefits

Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, antioxidants, potassium,

lots of fiber and a bit of calcium.

Bananas have loads of potassium and fiber, are great for the digestive system 

and helps your body absorb calcium.

Pumpkin is packed with potassium (3 times a banana),

beta-carotene, riboflavin, thiamin, phosphorus and calcium.

Turkey with Yams & Cranberries- Stovetop Version

Although I posted a Roasted Turkey with Yams & Cranberries yesterday

I realize that you don't always have turkey breast available

and may not feel like going thru the process of roasting a breast just for baby food.

In this case we are going to do a stovetop version using ground turkey 

that you can find at any supermarket.

I used too much water  so if yours doesn't look soupy on mine 

you are on the right track.

If yours does end up with too much water, don't worry about it much.

When pureeing, only use the amount of liquid that you need for the desired consistency.

Turkey with Yams & Cranberries

1 large yam, peeled and cut into chunks

3/4 cup cranberries

1/2 cup lean ground turkey

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)

Place your yam chunks into a saucepan with just barely enough water to cover.

Add your cranberries and boil until the cranberries have popped and the yams are fork tender.

Add in your ground turkey and continue cooking until the meat is cooked.

Place yams, cranberries and meat into the food processor,

reserving liquid.

Pulse in the food processor for a chunkier consistency or puree to a smooth consistency

using as much liquid as necessary.

*Variations

-Add a clove of garlic to the liquid before cooking

-Substitute chicken 

-Use apple or pear instead of cranberry

-Try adding a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

*Benefits

Turkey is a great source of protein as well as niacin, vitamin B6 and tryptothan which is an amino acid.

Yams are high in fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamin A, calcium and beta-carotene.

A little bit of fat helps the body absorb the beta-carotene so that olive oil might come in handy.

Cranberries are packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C and manganese.

Roasted Turkey with Yams & Cranberries

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only a few days away?!

I can't either.

Well don't leave your little one out of the festivities!



Today I'll be showing you a roasted version of this dish,
if you so happen to have a breast (or in my case a 1/2 breast)
but tomorrow I'll show you a stovetop version with ground turkey.

As you can see in the first photo,
this is perfect served sliced, in chunks or as a completely smooth puree.
My only advice is that if you make sure the cranberries are mashed or blended
thoroughly into the sweet potato.

Otherwise they'll knock your little's socks right off.
This is in the 8-10 month old section because of the cranberries,
substitute apples or pears and serve this to your 6-8 month old.


Note:  I got sidetracked and forgot to add the cranberries and apple juice to the turkey which is why my pictures are different- oops!

Roasted Turkey with Yam & Cranberries

1/2 turkey breast, mine was a small 1 1/2 lbs
4 large fresh sage leaves, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp olive oil (optional)
3/4 cup cranberries
1/3 cup apple juice
1 large yam or 2 small yams, about 1 1/2 lbs

Preheat your oven to 325°.

Wash your yam and prick it several times with a fork.

Place it on a cookie sheet and stick it in the oven until it's easily pierced with a fork

or the skin begins to look loose.

If your yam isn't done when your turkey is, just remove the turkey 

and turn your oven up to 425° then continue baking until done.

Place your turkey breast in a small baking dish or pan.
I used a 8 x 8 inch pyrex.
Gently loosen the skin from the meat but do not remove.
Mix the garlic, sage and olive oil and smear it on the breast under the skin.
Place in the oven with a piece of foil sitting on top (but not sealed around the edges).
About 30 minutes into your roasting, add your cranberries and apple juice.
Roast until a thermometer, inserted into the thickest part reads 165°.
The time will differ depending on the size.
I'd do a check at about 1 hour 15 minutes and then keep an eye on it.
If for some reason your cranberries start to look dry then add more apple juice.

When the turkey, cranberries and yams are done let them cool a bit.

Slice your turkey and mash your cranberries and yams together for an older child.
or
Dice your turkey and mix it in with the mashed cran-yam.
or
Puree your turkey and crane and mix with fork-mashed yams.
or
Puree all of them together, adding apple juice if needed to reach the desired consistency.




*Variations
-If you have fresh rosemary and/or thyme, that would be perfect
-Onion powder or minced onion would also be good
-You could also do this with chicken breast
-For a sweeter variation (or for younger kids) use apple or pear instead of cranberry

*Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

*Benefits
Turkey is a great source of protein as well as niacin, vitamin B6 and tryptothan which is an amino acid.

Yams are high in fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamin A, calcium and beta-carotene.
A little bit of fat helps the body absorb the beta-carotene so that olive oil might come in handy.

Cranberries are packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C and manganese.

Cheese and Veggie Mini "Quiche"

I use the word quiche very loosely here because I feel deep down in my soul that 

quiche requires a crust.

I need a food dictionary.

I'm even willing to say that using bread on the bottom would suffice but without crust

isn't it just baked eggs in a tin.

I thought that Cheese and Veggie Mini Baked Eggs In a Tin was pushing it for a title.

Anyway, I'm really lazy in the mornings.

I'm a night owl.  

I'd say it's residual nighttime wakefulness from years of working until past most peoples bedtimes

but my mom will confirm that I have always been a nighttime person.

Growing up my mom and I could get up in the morning and get ready for school and work

without speaking a word to each other.

So mornings are not the time for me to cook.  Ever.

And we don't even get up until around 8 am.

B's earliest shift starts at 9 and Peanut and I have no reason to do an earlier bedtime/earlier wake time.

I still lag in the morning.

I want to make things ahead that I can heat for Peanut.

He's not big on carbs so anything like pancakes or heavy starches isn't a hit at this point.

Whose child is he anyway?

I called it a very generic Cheese and Veggie Mini Baked Eggs in a Muffin Tin,

instead of cheddar and failed ratatouille (which is what I used- the sauté was a flop 

and I detest wasting food) because you can use absolutely any veggie and cheese combination.

Well that and the fact that failed ratatouille doesn't make a great title either.

It wasn't that the ratatouille was bad, it just wasn't that great.

Uneventful and Peanut wasn't really buying it.

My ratatouille consisted of onion, garlic, eggplant, zucchini, a little bell pepper,

stewed tomato, thyme and basil.

I marked this recipe for toddlers+ because of the eggs.

It really depends on when you want to introduce eggs.  

Peanut started eating them (as scrambles) around 10 months.

I know people who started their little ones on it far earlier with no problems.

If your little one is not on whole milk yet, fear not, according to the APA

cooking with it is not a problem.

Oh and by the way, add a little salt and pepper and these are perfect for grown-ups,

as you can see by the missing spaces in the picture.

B really liked them.

Cheese and Veggie Mini Quiche

4 large eggs

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta (you could also substitute with cottage cheese)

1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup shredded cheese (i.e. cheddar, swiss, gruyere, gouda, jack, mozzarella, etc.)

1 cup diced cooked veggies* 

(i.e. spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, asparagus, etc.)

1 tablespoon minced herbs (i.e. basil, thyme, parsley, dill, chives, etc.)

Preheat your oven to 325° F.

*Sauté or steam your veggies.

I like them sautéed in a smudge of extra virgin olive oil until they are tender.

Some veggies like broccoli or asparagus are better steamed.

Put it all in a blender and pulse until everything is in small pieces.

Normally I wouldn't do this but I want all the tiny quiche to have a bit of everything in them.

Spray your mini muffin tin lightly with olive oil and fill each cup.

I used a measuring cup to better control the pouring and make sure I had an even amount of filling.

Bake for about 25 minutes until they are golden.

Allow to cool and dig in!

Judging by the way Peanut was trying to shove them in his mouth-

I'd say these are winners.

The size was perfect for a finger food.

*Variations

Didn't I give you enough already?!

Alright.

-Add meats like chicken, pork or turkey but balance it by adding more flavor in the form of 

onions, garlic or herbs.

-Try adding curry, cumin or white pepper

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Simply defrost and reheat.

You can put a few in the fridge before bed the night before and

 zap in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until warm.

Or you can throw them in the oven to warm through (you could do this frozen as well).

*Benefits

Eggs are a fantastic source of protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids as well as choline, 

lutein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, selenium and lots of other vitamins and minerals.

Milk is packed with calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and protein.

Cheese is a great source of calcium, magnesium, zinc, folate, selenium and vitamins A, E, K and D.

Cranberry, Apple & Pumpkin

As a special request from my friend Adrija, I'm spending some time this week working with cranberries!

I love requests, so if you have them, send them on over!

Cranberries are not in the same family as strawberries and are not common as an allergy.
They are full of healthy goodness and lots of pectin which makes a great puree.

The catch is the tartness, I mean, wowza.

This puree still has a hint of tartness but the apple and pumpkin balance it out.
I felt like the apple alone just wasn't enough.

Besides, doesn't this cran-applekin puree just scream fall?

This recipe is easily halved as I do cook in large batches.

I forgot to take pictures of me baking the pumpkin so you'll have to visualize.

Homemade pumpkin puree:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the stem from your pumpkin and cut it in half.
I recently read something that said you don't need to scrape the seeds before hand,
so I left them in.
Place the pumpkins face down and roast until easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.
Allow to cool, scrape the seeds and stringy part out with a spoon.
This is so easy once it's cooked.
You can keep your seeds for roasting or toss them out.
Puree the soft flesh.

 

Cranberry, Apple & Pumpkin

2 cup pumpkin puree or about 1 roasted pie pumpkin

6 oz or 1 1/2 cup cranberries

4 sweet apples*, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

1/2 cup + 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

*Sweet apples as opposed to tart apples include Red or Golden Delicious,

Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp & Ambrosia

Place your cranberries and 1/2 cup apple juice in a medium saucepan over high heat.

Once it comes to a boil reduce to a simmer.

Continue to cook until all the cranberries burst.

As this happens the mixture will begin to thicken,

make sure to stir occasionally to avoid burning the bottom.

Place your cranberries in the food processor to cool.

Rinse your saucepan and add your apples and the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice.

Simmer with the lid on, stirring occasionally until the apples are fork tender.

Add the apples, pumpkin puree and cinnamon and blend to desired consistency.

If you need to, add apple juice to thin your puree.

If you want a chunkier consistency I suggest blending the cranberries and 

mashing the apple and or pumpkin.

Enjoy!

*Variations

-Substitue pears or add them to the puree

-Try this with butternut squash, acorn squash or other winter squash

-Add chicken, pork or turkey

-Use pumpkin pie spice, ginger or curry

-Mince fresh herbs like mint or rosemary

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months

*Benefits

Cranberries are an incredible source of antioxidants as well as fiber, vitamin C, manganese and are great for the urinary tract as it prevent bacteria from sticking to lining.

Apples have lots of fiber, vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin,

thiamin, potassium, phosphorus and calcium.

Pumpkin is packed with potassium (3 times a banana), beta-carotene, riboflavin, thiamin,

potassium, phosphorus & calcium.