201 Organic Baby Purees (16 page)

CHAPTER 7

Fun and Fingerlicious Food (Twelve Months and Beyond)

Transitional Meals for Toddlers

Your baby has gone from a little explorer to an expert adventurer! From twelve months old, your toddler can have a wide array of foods, and, as a parent, you have full reign over what you can offer. The recipes in this chapter allow for self-feeding and provide your child ample practice with using eating utensils. Whole-fat cow's milk and soy milk are new additions, and the limitations on honey and citrus fruits have been lifted! Continue to make and freeze meals in advance in BPA-free containers to keep healthy meals within reach.

This chapter introduces new foods such as teething biscuits and biscotti (which can be enjoyed as early as eight months), risotto, fruit smoothies, and pizza—which all encourage self-feeding. Whole milk is an important part of your child's diet, so make sure she is getting around 16 fluid ounces per day for calcium and vitamin D. But be careful not to overdo it on the milk. Giving your child too much milk may prevent him from wanting to eat his meals. Other dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, ice cream, or milk-based smoothies will also satisfy the milk requirement.

You may continue serving all of the meals in previous chapters by dicing them instead of puréeing. If you still have frozen purées left in the freezer, use them in muffin recipes, as dips, or combine them with full-fat vanilla or plain yogurt.

Your baby has climbed all the way to the top of the developmental ladder of feeding. That little butterball is now a rambunctious toddler! Your child has now been introduced to all the food groups and should have a well-rounded palate. At this point, the golden rule for feeding toddlers is that you should incorporate five servings of fruit or vegetables into your child's diet. Your child is at a stage where she may prefer one food over another and may even express that! Therefore, in order to give your child all the nutrients his growing body needs, you may have to disguise fruit and vegetables by incorporating them into milkshakes, smoothies, pasta sauce, or baked treats. Continue to offer foods that are refused, and don't be afraid to spruce them up by adding oil, sauces, or condiments such as ketchup or mustard to them for added flavor.

The following list includes some new flavors and textures to add to your baby's diet:

•  Whole cow's milk or soy milk

•  Fruit smoothies and milkshakes

•  Tortilla chips

•  Fruit muffins (blueberry, cranberry, etc.)

•  Fruity freezer pops

Keep the tooth fairy happy by limiting the amount of sugary foods your child eats. Common childhood sweets including cookies and ice cream can be made organically and healthier by adding whole, unprocessed ingredients. Keep sugary drinks at bay and only offer up to 4 ounces of 100 percent fruit juice per day to keep tooth decay away!

 
Sweet Potato Fries

SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Panko bread crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs that are more coarse than traditional store-bought crumbs. Look for it in the Asian section of your grocery or near bread crumbs and seasonings.

8 SERVINGS

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into matchsticks

Large bowl of ice water

2 egg whites

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teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup panko Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

1.   Preheat oven to 450ºF.

2.   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place potatoes in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into bowl of ice water. Dry the potatoes well.

3.   Combine egg whites and garlic powder.

4.   Toss potatoes with egg white mixture, and then dip potatoes in panko bread crumbs.

5.   Line baking sheet with parchment paper, place the fries on it, and bake for approximately 14 minutes.

6.   Turn once, about 7 minutes into cooking.

 
Mounds of Joy Cookies

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookies? The nice thing about this recipe is that you can sneak in the healthy nutrition of superfoods by adding ground oats and cinnamon. The coconut makes for a chewy cookie when baked to perfection. Stand mixers are great for making cookie dough. If you have one, use it!

2 DOZEN COOKIES OR 24 SERVINGS

½ cup shortening

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cup white sugar

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cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

¾ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup ground oats

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup chocolate chips

3 tablespoons flaked coconut, sweetened

1.   Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2.   In a medium bowl, cream the shortening and sugars together. Mix with a fork until large crumbles are formed, or use an electric mixer.

3.   Add the egg and mix well. Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda, continuing to stir until a dough is formed.

4.   Add oatmeal, cinnamon, coconut, and chocolate chips. Stir well; then drop small spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 6–8 minutes.

5.   Let cool on the baking sheet for 1–2 minutes; then remove and finish cooling on wire racks.

 
Moist Yogurt Pancakes

SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Serve these pancakes with fresh bananas or raspberries on top. Or, if you have any leftover frozen fruit purée, try topping these delights with it!

20 SERVINGS

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup oat flour

2½ teaspoons baking powder, divided

2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup applesauce

½ cup apple juice concentrate

2 cups plain yogurt (dairy or soy)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or trans-fat-free margarine, melted

Canola oil for pan

1.   In a medium bowl, combine flours, 2 teaspoons baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2.   In a large bowl, combine applesauce with ½ teaspoon baking powder.

3.   Add apple juice concentrate, yogurt, vanilla, and melted unsalted butter or trans-fat-free margarine to the applesauce mixture.

4.   Slowly stir dry ingredients into wet, stirring just to combine.

5.   Brush skillet or griddle with oil and heat over medium-high heat.

6.   When a drop of water dances on the surface of the pan, drop batter onto surface.

7.   When edges are golden and a couple of bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, flip it and continue cooking on the other side.

8.   Pancakes are ready when they are cooked through and golden on both sides.

 
Raspberry Strawberry Muffins

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Muffins are a great way to sneak in superfoods for your baby to eat. Adding the strawberries and raspberries gives the muffin a sweet flavor. Baby won't even notice all the other healthy ingredients inside!

12 SERVINGS

2 cups white whole-wheat flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder, divided

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup applesauce

½ cup flaxseed meal

¼ cup canola oil

½ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup maple syrup

¼ cup plain yogurt (dairy or soy)

¼ cup organic milk (dairy or soy)

¾ cup raspberries

¾ cup chopped strawberries

1.   Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2.   In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and salt.

3.   In a large bowl, combine applesauce with ½ teaspoon baking powder.

4.   Add flaxseed meal, oil, vanilla, syrup, yogurt, and organic milk to the applesauce mixture. Combine well.

5.   Slowly add dry ingredients to wet. Add raspberries and strawberries.

6.   Spoon batter into lightly oiled muffin pan.

7.   Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

 
Oat-Cran Cookies

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

This recipe adds a touch of cranberries, a powerhouse food filled with antioxidants, to these chewy cookies. If you're really ambitious, you can add a zest of orange to add a hint of citrus flavor.

5 SERVINGS

½ cup shortening

¼ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup flour

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teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1½ cups rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned)

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cup dried cranberries

1.   Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2.   In a medium bowl, cream the shortening and white and brown sugar together (mix with a fork until large crumbles are formed, or use an electric mixer).

3.   Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well. Add in the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda, continuing to stir until a dough is formed.

4.   Add in the oatmeal and cranberries. Stir well; then drop spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake for 9–11 minutes.

5.   Let cool on the baking sheet for 1–2 minutes; then remove and finish cooling on wire racks.

 
Mika's Rainbow Corn Medley

FREEZER/PARENTS

Every member of your family will thoroughly enjoy this recipe because it's colorful and packed with lots of sweet and savory flavors.

8 SERVINGS

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups frozen corn kernels

¼ cup red pepper, diced

¼ cup orange pepper, diced

¼ cup yellow pepper, diced

¼ cup green pepper, diced

Dab of unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons organic flour

½ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.   Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.

2.   Add corn and peppers. Sauté for about 10 minutes or until corn is heated through.

3.   Add a dab of butter, garlic salt to taste, flour, and parsley. Sauté for 5 minutes more.

4.   Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

 
Broccoli and Cheese Balls

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Skip the drive-through and serve up this healthy meat-free alternative to fast-food chicken nuggets. Save time by making these in advance using fresh broccoli and freezing them for later.

3 SERVINGS

¾ cup frozen broccoli

2 cups water

½ cup mozzarella cheese

1 large egg

¼ cup plain bread crumbs

2 tablespoons canola oil

1.   Wash the broccoli and dice into small pieces. Cover with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Drain and let cool; then either purée in a food processor or fork-mash.

2.   Grate the mozzarella, and mix it with the cooked mashed broccoli. Pour in a beaten egg and mix thoroughly to combine.

3.   Tightly mold a small ball of broccoli and cheese with your hands. Roll it in bread crumbs to cover on all sides, and place on a plate. Repeat until all the balls are made.

4.   Heat the oil in a frying pan. When hot, carefully place the broccoli cheese balls into the pan. Fry for 1–2 minutes; turn over with a spatula. Let fry for another 1–2 minutes; turn over again. Nuggets are cooked when all sides are lightly browned.

5.   Drain onto paper towels. Serve as finger food once cooled.

 
Cheesy Corn Nuggets

SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

When made with buttermilk and cornmeal, these fried babies are also called hushpuppies in Southern states.

4 SERVINGS

1 cup canned corn or 3 ears cooked fresh corn

1 egg

2 tablespoons flour

½ tablespoon melted unsalted butter

¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons canola oil

1.   Shave the corn off the sides of ears of cooked corn, yielding 1 cup of corn kernels. Mash it well with a fork or run it through the food processor.

2.   Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Add the flour, melted butter, shredded cheese, and corn, mixing thoroughly to combine.