Lentil Stew

This is a meal for the whole family as all 3 of us had it for dinner.

It's thick enough to stay on a spoon for easy feeding

and perfect for a cold day.

I made a double batch and it was divided with some put in the freezer for later.

I love this dish because it's such a healthy filling food, I feel great about each bite that Peanut takes.

On days that your little one is just too busy to bother with eating,
this is the kind of dish you want them to eat.

A small amount packs a lot of punch.

This is one of those soups (or stew...because it's so thick?) 

that is perfect for cleaning out your refrigerator because you can pretty much throw any veggie in.

I used onions and carrots and it I had celery I would have started with a proper mirepoix.

We had zucchini that needed to be used up so that went in as well.

Add diced tomato (or a can of), winter squash, chopped cauliflower or whatever you have.

Adjust the ingredients to suit your child.

Add any meat of your choice when you are sautéing you veggies.

Lentil Stew

1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked*

4 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock to make this vegetarian or water)

1/2 onion, chopped finely
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped finely
1 large zucchini, peeled and chopped finely
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt (optional)
cilantro garnish

*Picking over lentils as with any bean just means looking them over for any small pebbles that have found their way in.  I haven't come across any but we might as well look!

Add your olive oil to a large out over medium heat.
When the oil is hot add your onion and carrot and cook until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, give it a stir and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are very tender.

Adding salt is optional, I added about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the pot.
You could also just add a dash of soy sauce to your bowl when eating individually.

I like this served with just a bit cilantro.

Keep as if or puree to desired consistency.

Enjoy!

*Variations
-Add a dollop of plain whole yogurt or sour cream
-Add curry, ground coriander or ginger
-Use other vegetables like eggplant, winter squash, sweet potato or parsnips
-Add chicken, turkey, beef, lamb or extra firm tofu

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

*Benefits
Lentils are loaded with protein, tons of fiber and iron, folate,
tryptophan, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin B.
Oh and unlike beans lentils lack sulfur which means no gas.

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

Onions have antioxidants and good sulfur compounds that help fight cancer and build strong bones and connective tissue.

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

Garlic can practically be called medicinal.  It's an antioxidant, lowers cholesterol, reduces plaque, an anticoagulant, has been known to help the common cold, lowers blood pressure and so much more.

Cumin helps lower allergies and is a good source of iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium.

 Extra Virgin Olive Oil is not something to be afraid of including in baby's diet.  Yes it's a fat but it's also extremely healthy.  EVOO contains phenols that are antioxidants and is mostly a monounsaturated fat which lowers bad cholesterol and raises the good stuff.
It has been proven to lower risk of certain cancers and lower blood pressure.
The first pressing of the olives is the extra virgin, so it retains the most health benefits.

Sweet Carrots

This is one of those super easy recipes that seems almost silly to blog

but it makes a great snack, finger food and puree.

It's basically apple-glazed carrots but I felt that the word glaze makes them sound

sticky, as if there was a, well glaze, which there really isn't.

The liquid in this is thinner, without any extra sugar.

I make a batch, stick it in my refrigerator and use it during the week.

It's good cold or warm and Peanut likes to pick them up himself to munch on.

We both end up snacking on these during the day.

Sweet Carrots

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch coins

1 1/2 cups apple juice

1 1/2 cups water

Put them all in a medium pot or saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until tender.

In hindsight I would have liked to add a pat of butter as it helps baby's body absorb the beta-carotene...

and it tastes so darn good.

In that case, you could just melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in the saucepan 

before adding your liquids.

*Variations

-Spiced sweet carrots: add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice 

or any mix of spices like nutmeg or clove

-Gingered sweet carrot:  add a peeled and crushed piece of fresh ginger into the liquid

then discard afar cooking

-Puree:  puree to desired consistency add juice if needed

-Real apple glazed carrots: Saute your carrots in 1 tbs butter, Omit the water, use 1 cup apple juice, add 1 teaspoon honey (or 1 tbs brown sugar) to liquid and cook as directed.

-Add apples to the mix at the end of the cooking process

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to a 5 days

*Benefits

Carrots are packed with different kinds of carotenoids which work as antioxidants, convert to vitamin A,

boost the immune system and protect and enhance your eyes.

Pumpkin, Pear & Apple

Well, the blogging's been slow around here but fall has come and 

is bringing it's bounty.

I adore fall foods and I'm excited to dive into some new dishes for our littles.

I have more posts coming up and some small giveaways as well.

Today I'm showing a puree of some of the best of fall... pumpkins, pears and apples.

Although I know you can get pears and apples year-round in grocery stores...

these are in season now so stop by your local farmer's market and let yourself be

amazed at how flavorful and delicious they are.

This is my first attempt at cooking pumpkin and it was soooo easy.

It makes me wonder if it's worth it making pumpkin pie from scratch.

It wouldn't actually be very hard.

Thoughts?

Oh and if you have canned pumpkin that would be fine...

but only the plain stuff, not the pumpkin pie mix.

Pumpkin, Pear and Apple

1 baking or pie pumpkin, cut in half and gutted :)

2 pears, skinned, cored and cut into chunks

2 apples, skinned, cored and cut into chunks

pat of unsalted butter optional

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

As for the gutting of the pumpkin- just take out all the seeds (bake these for an adult snack)

and all the stringy stuff by scraping it with a spoon.

Place your pumpkin face down on a baking sheet.

Place your apple and pear in a small dish (I used a loaf pan).

Put the pumpkin, pears and apples in the oven.

Bake for about 20 minutes and then cover the apples and pears with a piece of foil.

Make sure you seal it around the top, using a pot holder of course, 

so that we create some steam and get some juices going.

We don't want it to get dry and want to use that liquid for the puree.

Bake for another 10 minutes or so.

At this point your fruit will be ready and you can check your pumpkin.

If the skin is easily pierced with a fork then it's done (as mine was).

If not then leave it in until ready.

Put it all in a food processor and puree, 

thinning with water or unsweetened apple juice until the desired consistency.

Otherwise you could also mash for a chunkier texture.

The fat in butter helps the body absorb the beta-carotene.  

Enjoy!

*Variations

-I added 1/4 tsp of cinnamon

-Try adding curry, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cardamom or ginger

-Puree with chicken, turkey or pork

-Add herbs like mint or cilantro

-You could also steam the ingredients instead of roasting

*Storage

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

*Benefits

Pumpkin is packed with potassium (3 times a banana) and is packed with beta-carotene, lutein (for your eyes), fiber, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus.

Pears are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, E, K and B2, copper as well as potassium.

Apples are loaded with fiber, vitamins C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, thiamin, potassium,

phosphorus and calcium. 

Big & Little: Cauliflower Mac 'n Cheese

When I think of comfort food, I think of mac 'n cheese.

There are a million different variations of it.

I love every single one.

Really.  You can't go wrong with mac 'm cheese.

Big and Little are my versions of Adult and Baby recipes.

I added cauliflower for this one.

Actually I added roasted cauliflower because I roasted it before I knew what I was going to make.

I love roasted veggies.  Love! These were great in the dish.

However, for the sake of ease (I doubt most moms are going to want to take the time to roast veggies)
so the recipe varies to eliminate the roasting step.

Feel free to roast as I did.

If your family is cauliflower resistant then use less cauliflower (to make the flavor less apparent)
and boil instead of roast (out of sight, out of mind).

You could also puree it and it will blend into the cheese sauce.

*I use milk in this recipe, it is cooked and therefor widely believed to be safe for baby around 8 months

The beginning of both recipes starts as one big batch and then splits off to create
different variations for big and little.

Big & Little: Cauliflower Mac 'n Cheese
1 box elbow macaroni, I used Barilla Plus 14.5 ounces
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets the size of the elbows or smaller
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour (I used whole wheat)
16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (I came up a little short and added gruyere), shredded
8 oz cream cheese, room temp, cut into chunks
2 1/2 cups whole milk
a few grates of nutmeg
smidge of pepper

For the Big version
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
salt, pepper
dash of hot sauce



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil your pasta in a large pot until soft enough for baby.
I usually go about 3 minutes over the directed cooking time.
In those last 3 minutes add your cauliflower to the boiling water.
Make sure both the macaroni and the cauliflower are mouth-mashable.
Drain macaroni and cauliflower and set aside.

In the same pot melt 2 tbs of butter over medium heat.
Add 2 tbs of flour and whisk vigorously
until the mixture thins and you can smell the yummy nutty scent.
This mixture of flour and fat is a roux.

Add about 1/4 cup milk and whisk it into the roux.
Steadily add the rest of your milk as you whisk away until it is all incorporated.
Continue to whisk over medium heat until the mixture thickens and starts to simmer.
Add your cheeses in and mix until melted.
Remove from heat.

Give your pasta and cauliflower a mix and add 2/3 to the melted cheese mixture.
Grate of bit of nutmeg, add a pinch of white pepper and mix.

This is where we split off to the different dishes.





For the Little Version:
Add the remaining 1/3 of the pasta/cauliflower mix and you are done.
This yields a yummy but not too saucy/ too cheesy meal.
You can puree or pulse in a food processor to desired consistency.

For the Big Version:
 Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper (we used both black and white),
perhaps more nutmeg
as well as a few dashes of hot sauce, all to taste.

Mix the parmesan and bread crumbs together.

Pour the mac 'n cheese into a casserole dish and top with bread crumb mixture.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden and the mixture is bubbly.

Enjoy!



*Variations for Little Version
-use different veggies like broccoli, asparagus, squash or carrots
-add fresh herbs or spices like parsley, sage or pepper
-top with fresh soft bread crumbs (simply place bread in food processor)
-add meat like chicken, turkey, pork or beef
-use a different size or shape pasta like orecchiette or even orzo



*Variations for Big Version
-use different veggies like...well anything really
-get creative with your cheeses, try gruyere, roquefort, smoked gouda or chunks of brie
-add caramelized onions or sautéed garlic
-try different fresh herbs & spices like thyme, parsley and sage
-add proteins like bacon, ham (yum!), lobster (oh fancy!) or sausage

*Storage
Of course you can refrigerate and and reheat mac and cheese but can you freeze it?
Yes, you can.
You can freeze directly in silicone muffin (or mini loaf) cups
or refrigerate in regular muffin tins until solid,
transfer to a freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use.

*Benefits
Use noodles with whole grains for added benefits!

Cheese contains calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, folate and vitamins A, E, K and D.

Cauliflower is known to have cancer fighting properties as well as fiber, vitamin C, potassium and folate.

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

Cheesy Broccoli Bites

So far Peanut still loves his green veggies

and he has a new found obsession with cheese.

I can hardly eat it without him giving me those eyes,

wondering why I'm not sharing.

I'm sure that if your little doesn't like their greens, 

then this would be a great way to get them to eat them.

When I came across this recipe here on Pinterest I knew I had to try it.

I slightly adjusted the time and temperature to yield a softer nugget

but it would be great with a crispy outside if your little can handle that.

Just a bit of tweaking of the recipe and Peanut and I both sat down for this meal.

Cheesy Broccoli Bites

1 lb broccoli, 

1 1/2 cup cheddar, grated

3 large eggs

heaping 3/4 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350.

Steam broccoli over 1 inch of water, about 6 minutes.

Once broccoli is steamed chop it into pieces. 

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil (or use parchment paper) 

Scoop mixture with a cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon and then flatten into a patty onto the sheet.

Bake your bites for about 15 minutes or until just turning golden on the bottom.

Let them cool and serve them to your little.

Try not to eat them all yourself.

*Variation

-You could use a variety of different veggies like cauliflower, kale, spinach, or asparagus

-Add chicken, turkey, pork or beef

-Use a different cheese like gouda, swiss or mozzarella

-Add different herbs and spices

-Use homemade bread crumbs with your own seasonings

-Serve with ranch, hummus or soup to dip in

*Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

I haven't tried them frozen and thawed yet but I will report back.

*Benefits

Broccoli is known as having cancer fighting properties, lots and lots of cancer fighting properties

as well as protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamins C & A, folate,

magnesium, phosphorus and beta-carotene.

Eggs are a fantastic source of protein with all 9 essential amino acids.

They contain choline, vitamins B2, B12 and D, phosphorus and selenium.

Cheese contains calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, folate and vitamins A, E, K and D.

Spiced Sweet Potato

Friday marks the official start of fall and this dish is the perfect way to celebrate.

It's the baby food equivalent of Thanksgiving dessert.

In fact, so much so that we were thinking of putting this in a tart shell, 

with a dollop of fresh whipped cream 

and eating it as our own dessert.

Some of us couldn't wait to dig in.

I must make a mental note to keep both my eyes open when looking thru the viewfinder.

This recipe also has roasted bananas but these are done uncovered and 

roasted until the sugars start to caramelize.

The flavor that ends up coming thru is much more caramel then banana.

After making this I started searching other recipes with banana and sweet potato
in them and was surprised to find added sugar in them.
I honestly don't think you need it, even for adults.

We add a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg and fall just comes alive.

Is there anything better than the smell of freshly grated nutmeg?

It's like giving your baby his first taste of the holidays.

Can you see it Peanut?  Can you taste the autumn comfort?!

Spiced Sweet Potato

1 large (or 2 small) sweet potatoes (yams)
2 medium bananas, peeled and cut lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch freshly grated nutmed

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Place your sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and
poke a few holes in them 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 banana should be bubbly with little golden spots and
the potatoes should have skin that is puckered and soft flesh.

You can scoop this all into a food processor and puree or
mash by hand
or do both and mix them together (which is what I did).
Add the cinnamon & nutmeg and mix.

Taste and add more spices if you like.

Enjoy!

~This is really sweet so serve in a small portion as you would dessert

*Variations
-This would be great served as a dip with graham crackers
-Try other spices like cardamom, cloves, ginger or pumpkin pie spice
-Mix this in with oatmeal or other grains
-Add some unsweetened coconut flakes
-If your child is old enough, this would be great with toasted nuts like pecans

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

*Benefits
Bananas are packed with potassium and fiber, are great for the digestive system and helps your body absorb calcium.

Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, antioxidants, potassium, lots of fiber and a bit of calcium.

Cinnamon has been said to lower blood sugar, improve blood flow, fight bacteria,
relieve gas and reduce inflammation.

Nutmeg has strong antibacterial qualities like cloves do, has been said to improve memory, reduce gas, aid in digestion, decrease nausea and help increase in appetite.

Zucchini Quinoa

This recipe is simple, nutritious and full of great texture.

Peanut loves it.

It's incredibly easy and a fantastic base for tons of combinations.

I used zucchini but you could easily substitute any summer squash.

Typically I roast summer squash, as steaming it makes the puree very liquid-y but 

we need that extra liquid in this recipe.

I overcooked my zucchini slightly because I was too busy using Pinterest
 but it still worked out perfectly. 

:)

Zucchini Quinoa

3 medium zucchini, ends removed, cut into chunks
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water (or unsalted broth)

Rinse and drain your quinoa in a small saucepan and then add 1 cup water.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
Let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Place your cut zucchini in a steamer over 1 inch of water.
Steam until tender, about 7 minutes.
Place zucchini in a food processor, reserving liquid and puree.

Once both have cooled combine, adding reserved cooking liquid if needed.

Enjoy!

*Variations

Can you see all the possibilities?

-Add just about any vegetable, cut into small chunks or hand mashed.  

Try carrots, parsnips, winter squash, sweet potato, peas, green beans, tomato, etc.

-Combine with cooked and pureed or diced chicken, turkey, pork, beef or fish

-Stir in herbs like cilantro (Peanut loves this), basil, mint, chives, or even dill

*Storage

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

*Benefits

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

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

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

Simple Peas

Have you ever noticed that 90% of baby foods are all in the orange color range?

Sometimes they are orange or yellow or beige or brown

but there really isn't that much green (or grayish/brownish green in stores).

Did you know that when you eat to much orange food your skin (think nose, palms, soles of feet) can take on an orange tinge?

It's not really a big deal but it does help to offer your baby a rainbow of colors when it comes to food.

Peas were one of those recipes that sounded super easy but I was a little confused about.

I read a bunch of recipes that just said to cook 'em and blend 'em but

as a first food I was a little concerned about the skins being a choking hazard.

I ended up straining it, which yields a lot less but makes me feel good about introducing peas early on.

I think peas were the third food we gave Peanut and to this day are one of his favorite.

Simple Peas

2 cups frozen (or fresh) peas

Place your frozen peas in the steamer basket while you get your water going.

Bring about 1 inch of water to boil.

Meanwhile, rinse your peas with cool water to help rid of any ice.

Steam your peas until bright green and easily mashed, about 5-7 minutes.

When you remove your steamed peas, reserve the cooking liquid and

run the peas under cold water to stop the cooking.

Puree the peas with enough cooking liquid to make a nice smooth puree.

At this point you could serve this to a baby.

If you are introducing this as a very first food I suggest placing the mixture in a fine mesh sieve

and pressing it thru with a spoon or spatula.

What you press thru will be perfect for a baby just learning to eat solids.

Enjoy!

*Variations

-mix with pear or apple or puree with pear, apple or white grape juice

-add some rice or other grain

-fantastic with sweet potato

*Storage

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

*Benefits

Bright green means they have retained the healthy chlorophyll and other nutrients haven't been destroyed during the cooking process. 

Peas are a great source of fiber, vitamin A and protein.

Oh and vitamin K which will help your baby absorb the calcium in his/her diet.

Creamy Coconut Kabocha

Have you thought about introducing your baby to coconut?

Well, if you haven't, you should.

We're not talking about chunks of hard coconut or strong imitation coconut flavoring, 

or even coconut flakes loaded with sugar.

We talking about simple coconut milk.

It has a natural sweetness and mixed with the kabocha will give a mild coconut-y flavor.

It's also nutritious and there are loads of ways to use it.

Although I love kabocha squash, you could easily something like acorn squash.

As you see in the pictures I used acorn squash because I had an extra.

This blend is so good that B and I started brainstorming dishes for us around the combination.

This in itself is easily served to happy adults.

Creamy Coconut Kabocha

1 kabocha squash, cut in half with seeds & pulp removed

coconut milk 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Place your kabocha squash, with the cut sides down on a baking sheet.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the skin is fork tender.

Shake your can of coconut milk before you use it.

Scoop the flesh into a food processor and blend with coconut milk to a nice creamy consistency.

The amount of coconut milk you use will depend on how much squash you are blending.

Enjoy!

*Variations

-This is really fantastic with cinnamon

-Add in nutmeg, ginger, curry or even herbs like cilantro

-Mix with chicken, turkey or pork

-Instead of kabocha you could try this with sweet potato or yam

-Use that leftover coconut milk in dishes for yourself.

It's popular in curry but 

I can't wait for it to chill down so I can whip it like this or

make this pie.

*Storage

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

*Benefits

Kabocha squash is a great source of beta-carotene which becomes vitamin A.

It also has iron, vitamins B & C as well as fiber.

Coconut milk is incredibly undervalued.  

Although it does have fat, the type of fat included easily breaks down in the body and is more easily used as energy providing instead of storing... and really, our babies do need some fat.

The healthier the fat, the better.

It's known to increase the immune system as well as providing vitamins A & E, 

potassium, calcium and chloride.

Peach Chicken with Basil

The other day while I was searching the internet for peach recipes 

(our csa box has been packed with them)

I kept coming across peach and chicken.

Dishes called Polynesian chicken and Luau chicken over and over again, 

although I'm not sure peaches make me think of the islands.

Then I came across this one and I knew it would be perfect for baby food.

This recipe has become one of my absolute favorites.

I doubled it because the boys are eating a ton and I'm just trying to keep up!

This dish smells incredible and it's worth making a grown up version of... 

you know with salt and some crusty browning of the chicken.

Peach Chicken with Basil

1 chicken breast, cut into chunks (about 6 ounces)

2 peaches, skinned and cut into chunks (to skin, see this post)

1/4 cup diced onion

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3 or 4 carrots, about 1/2 lb, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup brown rice, ground to desired consistency

1 cup water

1 tbs fresh minced basil

Place your carrots in a steamer until finger mashable.... about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, sauté your onion in the evoo until translucent.

Add your peaches and chicken with the heat on medium and cover for about 5 minutes.

As the peaches cook they will release their juice, creating a nice simmering liquid for the chicken.

Stir occasionally until your chicken is cooked all the way thru.

Doesn't it smell amazing?

Puree your mixture to desired consistency. 

I pureed it smooth and used the carrots to add texture. 

Bring 1 cup water to a boil.

Sprinkle brown rice powder into the boiling water, whisking constantly.

Turn the heat down to simmer the mixture,

whisking until the liquid is absorbed and the grains cooked.

Mine took about 8 minutes.

Stir rice into the peach/ chicken mixture.

Now we're going to add the carrots and this is where you can really control your chunks.

You can make this completely smooth.

You can add your carrots and pulse to gently chop.

You can even mash the carrots and mix them in with a spoon.

When you are finished adding your carrots,

stir in the basil.

Enjoy!

*Variations

-Using just the peaches and chicken, this is a great way to introduce meat

-Try this with cilantro or mint

-Substitute turkey, pork or tofu

-Use mango, pear or other stone fruit instead of peaches

*Storage

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

Make sure you warm thoroughly before serving.

*Benefits

Chicken is a great source of lean protein in addition to potassium, phosphorus, niacin,

calcium, iron, selenium and zinc.

Peaches have lots of vitamin C and K as well as potassium, calcium and fiber.

Carrots have loads of different kinds of carotenoids which work as antioxidants, convert to vitamin A,

boost the immune system and protect and enhance your eyes.

Brown rice still has it's bran layer which allows it to retain more fiber (4x more then white rice)

as well as nutrients like niacin vitamin B6, magnesium and manganese.

Onions are known as cancer-fighting foods as well as helping build strong bones and connective tissue because of both the sulfur compounds (that make them smelly) and the antioxidants.

Basil has been known to have anti-inflammatory effects, is a good source of vitamin A, magnesium, iron, calcium & potassium.

I marked this as 8-10 months simply because of the onion, but as with everything else, when to introduce this is for you to decide.

Carrot & Broccoli Orzo

This dish actually includes chicken so it's a complete meal for your baby.

A little salt and I'm happy eating this myself.

Now don't rule out this dish just because the texture looks really chunky. 

First off, all of those chunks are really soft, allowing your little to mash it in their mouth.

Also remember that you can always puree your dishes to a consistency that works for your baby.

Left to right in the picture you see:

The original recipe,

After it's been pulsed a few times in a food processor

and blended to a smooth puree.

You can always make these recipes work for your little.

My apologies for the lack of preparation photos... I got caught up and didn't take them.

Oops!

Carrot & Broccoli Orzo (with chicken)

1/2 cup orzo

1 lb carrots, about 5 medium, peeled and sliced into rounds

2 cups broccoli florets

4 oz chicken breast, or 1/2 cup cooked diced chicken

Place your broccoli in the steamer with about an inch of water in the bottom of the pot.

Steam the broccoli until the stems are fork tender, this took me about 15 minutes.

They should be tender enough to mash with your fingers.

Remove the steamer basket but keep the water.

Run the hot broccoli under cold water (or submerge in ice bath) to stop the cooking.

Cut the broccoli to remove the florets like this, keeping the stems.  

Place the florets in a medium bowl and the stems in the food processor.

Place your carrots in the steamer, 

using the same water you used to steam the broccoli, adding more water if needed.

Steam until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on the size.

Meanwhile, boil 1/2 cup of orzo until it's soft.

Remember that you don't want al dente for your baby, you want it mouth-mashable.

I cooked mine for about 15 minutes.

Drain when done and set aside.

When the carrots are done and cooled slightly

 you can add them to the broccoli stems in the food processor, 

keeping the water to cook your chicken in.

Add your chicken to the boiling water.

When the chicken is cooked all the way thru, add it to the food processor and puree.

You'll need to add some of the cooking liquid as you want the puree to be thinner than usual.

This is going to make your "sauce".

Pour the cooled puree into the medium bowl with your florets and stir in your orzo.

Enjoy!

Peanut eating "little trees" as a snack

*Variations

-Try this with a number of different veggies like cauliflower, asparagus, squash, or green beans

-Leave the chicken out or use another meat like turkey, beef or pork

-Substitute the orzo with another pasta, Mediterranean couscous or a grain

-Add fresh herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro or even dill

*Storage

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

When reheating make sure to heat all the way thru and allow to cool for your little.

*Benefits

Carrots have loads of different kinds of carotenoids which work as antioxidants, convert to vitamin A,

boost the immune system and protect and enhance your eyes.

Broccoli is known as having cancer fighting properties, lots and lots of cancer fighting properties
as well as protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamins C & A, folate,
magnesium, phosphorus and beta-carotene.
So good for you.

Chicken is a great source of lean protein.
It also provides potassium, phosphorus, niacin, calcium, iron, selenium and zinc.

Orzo may not be a nutrient powerhouse but it does provide your baby with some needed carbs, fiber, protein and iron.  There is nutrient-enriched orzo as well.

Last day to enter the giveaway HERE.