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Archive for the ‘Lunch’ Category

Homemade Babyfood Fish Puree – Cod, Carrots, Potatoes and Cheese

19 Oct

I made this puree tonight for my 9 month old. It is one I made for my older son but I don’t remember it being so creamy and smooth. Also, I was reminded as to how ridiculously easy this puree is to make. Hardly takes any time at all!

Perfect For: lunch or dinner, an infant who has been on solids for about a month with no issues and who wants MORE

Time Required: 25 minutes – 8 minutes food prepping, 15 minutes steaming, 2 minute pureeing

 

Servings: 4 approximately

Tools:

  • Small cutting knife
  • Cutting board
  • Peeler
  • Beaba Babycook (or separate steamer and pureer)
  • Microwavable safe bowl
  • Plastic wrap
  • Ramekin for serving

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Food:

  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1/4 pound cod
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • A little bit of pepper to taste

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Method:

  • Wash, peel and chop carrot and potatoes
  • Add 3/4 cup water to the steamer (fill up to line 3 if you are using the Beaba) and steam for 15 minutes (automatic on the Beaba)
  • While vegetables are steaming, place fish in microwavable safe dish, cover with cheese and add butter
  • Cover dish with plastic wrap, make a slit in the plastic wrap for an air vent
  • Microwave fish for 2-3 minutes (you can also cook the fish in an oven, covered in foil but it will take you much longer
  • Check the fish by flaking it. Make sure there are no bones.
  • Add vegetables and fish together and puree (quick to get a nice smooth puree) with reserve water
  • Add water or broth for a creamier, smoother puree (I added water)

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Annabel Karmel adds orange juice in with the fish, which is quite nice. I made it without the OJ and it worked very well for us.

Same drill, store what you are going to use within the next 3 days in the fridge. Any remainder should go in the freezer. See GEAR section of this site for product recommendations.

Goodness Factor: Beta Carotene, Calcium, Vitamin B

Happy Eating!

Marnie

 
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Posted in 7 months +, 9-12 Months, Dinner, Fish, Food, Lunch, Recipes

 

Pumpkin Puree – A Great One for Getting Started

02 Dec

My latest obsession? Baking with real pumpkin. I swear it is easy and it makes whatever you are cooking more moist, and, thus in my opinion, better.  You can steam pumpkin but I prefer to roast because it enhances the wonderful pumpkin flavor. It takes more time to roast but not more effort. In fact, less effort in my view!

As I have mentioned previously, pumpkin is an amazing fruit (yes, fruit) packed full of good stuff like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and iron for your family.

Perfect for: Beginners! 6 months +

Time: 5 minutes prep, 1.5 hours baking, 10 minutes pureeing, serving and storing

Serving: Generally a 2 pound pumpkin will yield 2 cups, 3 pounds = 3 cups, etc. So 1 cup = 8 ounces = 2 servings for those babies just starting solids or 1 for older babies

Gear:

  • Beaba babycook or steamer and pureer
  • Cutting board
  • Cutting knife
  • Peeler

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Food:

  • 1 sugar pumpkin (these pumpkins are smaller, generally 2-4 pounds, and sweeter. Your grocery store should carry them during the fall season.)

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Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • Wash, half or quarter the pumpkin, remove stringy fibers and seeds (keep the seeds and bake for a snack for yourself!) with a spoon
  • Place face down in a roasting pan or cookie sheet, cover with foil. Pop into oven and baked for 1.5 hours.
  • The pumpkin should be nice and soft. So scoop out the pumpkin and puree in a blender.
  • Mix in cinnamon and/or nutmeg for some extra “yumminess” but honestly the puree is wonderful without any extra spice
  • Serve and store!

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As always store what you are going to use within the next 3 days in the fridge. Any remainder should go in the freezer.

Enjoy!
Marnie

 
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Posted in 6-9 Months, Basic Puree, Dinner, Getting Started, Lunch, Recipes

 

Apple, Cheddar Honey Quesadilla – So Good It Should Be Bad For You

12 Nov

I test drive a lot of baby and toddler recipes floating out there in cyber space. Some of them are hits. Some of them are not. I recently tried the combination of Apple, Cheddar Cheese and Honey in a quesadilla, inspired by Catherine McCord of Weelicious. She publishes some fabulous recipes and school lunches, all very healthy and quite creative, sure to make your child very happy. This Apple, Cheddar Cheese, Honey is so good that I not only made a second one for myself alone but it should be bad for us. The good news? It is a healthy meal.

Quesadillas are a great “staple” with your toddlers and “big” kids, perfect for a snack and a heartier dinner. We have them every other day AT LEAST so finding a new combination is always welcome. We typically make savory quesadillas that provide a kick of protein and iron so this sweet version was a treat.

So here it is. Super simple.

Gear:

  • Frying pan or griddle
  • Spatula
  • Shredder
  • Peeler
  • Small cutting knife

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Food:

  • Tortilla – whole wheat is the healthier choice but we’re suckers for your standard flour tortillas
  • 1 ounce of cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 small apple – we used sweet, delicious fuji apples, peeled and sliced finely
  • 1 Tablespoon or whatever amount you desire of honey – I love getting honey from the local farmers but your standard off the shelf stuff is good too!
  • I always splurge with a little butter spread on the tortilla, too. A little of the good fat is all right for the little ones.

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Method:

  • Butter the tortilla (or use two tortillas to make a sandwich, whichever you prefer), place in warmed frying pan on medium heat
  • Place shredded cheese and sliced apples on tortilla
  • Once melted, pour honey onto the ingredients
  • Fold the tortilla, cut into triangles or small bites
  • Let cool a bit and serve!

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Goodness Factor: Fiber, Vitamin C, Protein, Calcium, Phosphorus

Enjoy!
Marnie

 
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Posted in 12 months +, Finger Food, Lunch, Recipes, Toddler, Vegetarian

 

Want a way to get your child more iron? Try this Tyler Florence stew!

04 Nov
As I watch my 16 month old finish up the last morsels of Tyler Florence’s Hunter’s Minestrone, I long for another batch. My husband made this stew a week and a half ago for us adults but he had an idea…”let’s give some to the little guy.” Why had that not occurred to me? It is the perfect food for him at this point. A stew is thicker than a soup so not too much liquid to go array and this stew is loaded with protein, iron, fiber and many other necessary nutrients good for all our bodies. With my difficulties in getting our son to eat meat and pasta (go figure), I thought this suggestion was brilliant, especially when it worked. Our little man gobbled (no seasonal pun intended) it up.

The stew is perfect fall flavors made with wonderful herbs and spices, a bit of pasta, pork and cannelloni beans.

Here is a link to the recipe but I also pasted it below. Beyond the stew simply being delicious as presented here, there are ways to up the ante of the health component.

Here are three ways I suggest you make this recipe even better for you:

  1. Use ground pork or turkey instead of sausage
  2. Use whole wheat rigatoni
  3. Use homemade chicken stock

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Source: FoodNetwork.com

Hunter’s Minestrone

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 40 min
  • Level: Easy
  • Serves: 6 servings

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Ingredients

  • 2 quarts chicken stock
  • 1 head garlic, halved
  • 1/2 pound small rigatoni
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 3/4 pound loose sweet Italian pork sausage
  • 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed plum tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 bunch fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
  • Coarsely ground black pepper
  • 12 slices baguette
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

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Directions

  • Combine the stock and halved garlic head in a big saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes to give the stock a nice, garlicky taste; strain out the garlic. Keep warm.
  • Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the rigatoni.
  • Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the sage, rosemary and thyme and warm the oil over medium heat to infuse it with the flavor of the herbs, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with the side of a big spoon until well browned. Chop the carrots, celery, and onion in a food processor. Add to the saucepan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
  • To the pan with the sausage stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, cannelloni beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water for 6 minutes; it should be slightly underdone. Drain and stir into the simmering soup. Add the parsley, and salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste. Discard the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
  • To serve, preheat the broiler. Put the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and float a couple of the baguette slices on top.
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Enjoy!
Marnie
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Posted in 12 months +, Dinner, Family Meals, Lunch, Meat, Recipes, Toddler

 
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