Exploring Vegetables

We're in a stage right now in which Tye can chew many foods with her 12 teeth (including 4 molars), but some vegetables remain challenging.  For example, raw carrots, which she bites chunks out of and then can't chew the chunks well enough and so they're spit out onto the table; or greens and lettuces, which require a great deal of oral dexterity to manipulate once they're soft and soggy on the tongue.  I don't want to hide these vegetables- say, pureed in other foods- because I want Tye to experience the flavors and textures of the vegetables.  But now I'm constantly searching for ways to prepare vegetables in a size and shape Tye can handle.  


One success we've had is soup, which allows me to cook the vegetables in any size I want.  A few favorites recently include:

• Cauliflower and Stilton Soup:  Though this sounds like a stinky flavor combo, the cauliflower and blue cheese paired beautifully for a buttery, super-rich flavor.  Tye ate several helpings, as did Tyler and I! (Unlike the recipe, I skipped pureeing the soup and left it chunky) 
• Spicy Chard Soup:  I used a scissors to chop the chard in Tye's portion into small enough pieces for her to handle, and she loved the broth (I subbed vegetable broth).  My favorite part of this soup is being able to add toppings-including hard boiled eggs, lemon Greek yogurt, and pita chips- to each diner's desires, making a unique bowl each time.
• Farmshare Soup:  Last summer, the evening before our farm share delivery, I would dice up all the remaining vegetables in our crisper bin, then sautee them and add a box of creamy tomato soup.  Everything is good in this, from greens to sweet corn to root vegetables.  Since tomato soup is Tye's favorite, this always results in a full belly.

Now that warmer weather is arriving, I'm looking to find other recipes for vegetable exploration (even if I'm okay with eating soup year-round, sometimes others prefer a cooler dish).  So far this season, we've been experimenting with:

• Cinnamon-spiced Chard Pancakes: A new family favorite, these are a great last-minute meal and a fun finger food (you can substitute bread crumbs, saltine cracker crumbs, panko, or almond flour for the matzoh meal)
• Vegetable Quiches, like this Broccoli Garlic Quiche, or most often, a combination of recipes since I like to use a variety of vegetables
• Fried Rice: I sautee onion, garlic, and ginger in coconut oil, then add whatever diced vegetables I have; add a couple eggs scrambled separately.  For as many vegetables as you have, add about an even amount of brown rice cooked in broth.  Season with soy sauce.  Last night's veggie fried rice included grated carrots, red cabbage, broccoli, beet greens, green onion, and halved grape tomatoes.  Tye ate everything but the tomatoes, but she even tasted those several times.  

We don't cook a separate meal for Tye, so she has been exposed to a variety of flavors and aromas in our kitchen.  She loves some strange foods- like olives, blue cheese, and seaweed- but considering I was eating all of those during my pregnancy and while nursing, perhaps it's not that strange.  Tye can also handle spicy foods already, even hotter than either her grandmas, which amazes us.  When we're out at a restaurant, Tye's mature palate is helpful because we can feed her from our plates rather than order her a kiddie menu item  (I've yet to find a restaurant where this method doesn't work).  In a family where eating is an important social event, tasting the same foods as us also allows Tye to participate in the meal.    After all, an appreciation for good food doesn't have to wait for a full set of teeth.  

Mmmmm!

Mama just discovered my new favorite meal- tomato soup with cheese bunny crackers.  Mmmm, I could eat these all day!   Good to the last drop, if I do say so.

Friday Favorite- Lentil Soup

I made this super-easy lentil soup this week for lunch, and Tye loved it so much I thought I'd share the recipe.  With each mouthful, she made her "MMMMmmmmm!" sound of pleasure before she eagerly signed for more.  The fresh ginger alongside the carrot gave the soup a subtle sweetness that Tye loves in food, and the lentils are a great source of protein, fiber, and iron (more easily absorbed with the vitamin C in the salsa).  Plus, this is a super affordable lunch or dinner, even with all organic ingredients.  This recipe will be a new staple in our kitchen.

Brown Lentils

Tye's Favorite Lentil Soup


40 ounces broth* (I used 1 32 oz box No-Chicken flavored broth plus 1 cup water)
1 cup water
1 cup salsa (I used Trader Jose's Organic Tomatillo salsa)
2 Tbsp butter (optional)
2 cups dry lentils, rinsed (I used brown lentils, but orange would be beautiful)
1 large carrot
1 square inch fresh ginger
4-6 cloves garlic


Combine broth, water, salsa, butter, and lentils over medium-high heat in a pot with lid tilted.  While waiting for the liquid to boil, combine carrot, ginger, and garlic in food processor and pulse until pieces are about the same size as lentils.  Add this to the soup.  When soup reaches a boil, reduce heat to simmer and keep lid tilted.  Cook until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes (keep cooking until they're mushy for younger eaters).


*Have I shared yet my favorite way to make homemade vegetable broth? Whenever I trim vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, peppers, leeks, etc., I combine the trimmings (onion skins, carrot tops, celery leaves, etc) in a 6-8 cup freezer-proof container.  When I have a full container, I plop the contents into the crock pot, add some herbs like Thyme and Sage, then cover with water.  I cook this on low all day or high for 3-4 hours.  After it cooks a bit, I strain it and add salt and pepper. Then I can divide it into quart jars to freeze, or use it in soup that evening.  Super easy, super frugal, super healthy, super soup!

Friday Favorite- Travel Baby Food

When traveling with an infant or toddler, so many concerns need to be taken into account that any opportunity to simplify must be utilized for sanity's sake.  This is where we've been fortunate- we've always had a safe, healthy supply of God's perfect food right on my chest, no heating or refrigeration needed.  Nothing travels better than your own breasts!  As Tye grew older, we were also fortunate to have found some food options that travel almost as easily.  Here are our three favorite items for travel-friendly baby food.

Not long after Tye started eating solid foods, we discovered Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Foods.  The packages fit my criteria for non-homemade food for her: organic food, BPA-free packaging, and no fillers or sweeteners- only vegetables and/or fruit.   Unlike other favorite brands, like Sprout Baby Food (which we also love), the Ella's Organics come in a squeeze package with a spout opening.  This allows Tye to suck the food out of the package using the same oral motor muscles as nursing.  While Tye loves this method because it provides easy access to the food she wants, I love it because it skips the spoon step.  From the carseat to the airplane to the middle of a store, Tye has eaten these just about everywhere with little to no spilling or mess.  

Another reason to love Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Food is the food combinations, which provide vegetables in addition to fruits in blends like broccoli, pears & peas, sweet potato, pumpkin, apples & blueberries, and carrots, apples & parsnips.  Even when Tye was going through her picky "I only eat things that are white" stage, she would happily down some colorful vegetables out of one of these packages.  Another travel bonus: they don't need refrigeration, making packing them super simple (we've loaded up suitcases with pouches before).  The only downside I've found is that they've become difficult to find; while I used to pick these up at Target or BabiesRUs, the vegetable blends seem to be sold out most places.  Hopefully they'll be back on shelves soon!

ProBugs

Another squeezable food package we've come to love more recently is the Lifeway ProBugs kefir pouches.  They feature organic whole-milk kefir in enticing, kid-friendly packaging and flavors.  While I wish they offered a plain flavor, their packaging is even better than Ella's- it has a no-spill flap that prevents drips when inverted (not when squeezed, of course, but any little bit helps, right?).  These kefir packs came with us for the flights to and from Seattle last weekend and were a huge hit with Tye.  One package even replaced Tye's need to nurse during takeoff because "nursing" the kefir pouch cleared her ears effectively.  While these need to be refrigerated, they are an excellent option for short-term and/or infrequent travel.

By far our favorite travel food is Trader Joe's Freeze-Dried Banana Slices.  These were Tye's first travel finger food because they are all-natural (the only ingredient is banana!), relatively clean, and their almost melt-in-your-mouth texture was easy for a relatively toothless little one to eat.  When Tye was ready for finger foods but still wasn't eating grains, these were a perfect travel option in place of cereal or baby puffs (which all have added sugars, too).  These are such a staple that at any given moment, there is a full package in my diaper bag, and I always feel good about giving Tye several chips.

While these foods make eating on the go easier, it's still something we try not to do often.  It's important to me we teach Tye good eating habits in addition to good manners.  Eating is something I'd like to teach her to do seated at a table, with few distractions other than good company.  At home, Tye and I eat all our meals together seated next to each other at the kitchen table.  When we're out and about, I think it's worthwhile to either come home for a meal or sit down somewhere to eat, whether it's at a restaurant, a cafe, or a picnic.  When that isn't possible- because, really, life doesn't always provide those opportunities- at least we have some great travel food options.

What other travel foods do your kiddos enjoy?  I'd love to hear more ideas!

Baby Food

I won't be needing this for a few months, but check out this Beaba Babycook I came across at Williams Sonoma.

It steams, blends, and warms foods all in one appliance. I watched the instructional video at Williams Sonoma, which was well done. Even though the Babycook doesn't do anything that can't be done easily stovetop, it looks like a nice kitchen tool for anyone making a good amount of baby food. I could see it being an easy way to prepare the same vegetables I'm stir frying, adding to soups, or otherwise cooking for Tyler and myself- always with a good dose of seasoning.