Summer 2016 : Green Child Magazine by Green Child Magazine

Summer 2016

A health & family focused digital publication & community.

Sharing Food

as an Act of Love A Real Food Approach to Feeding Your Baby

Healthy Recipes to Nourish Your Family

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Contents 6 Making Meals and Sharing Food as an Act of Love

How meal time brings us together as a family

10 The How & Why of Seasoning Cast Iron Simple steps to make your cast iron cookware last a lifetime

12 Deliciously Nutritious

Quinoa crust pizza, chickpea salad sandwiches, roasted potato salad, and banana date oatmeal bars

20 Sweet Treats

Healthy smoothies - pb&j and maple almond banana

22 Healthy Foods, Fast

Nut-free chocolate granola bars and blueberry oat breakfast smoothie

26 Look Listen Read

Our editorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; top picks in books, apps & more

28 Baby Led Weaning: A Real Food Approach to Feeding Your Baby Everything you need to know about baby led weaning

32 8 Simple, Flavorful Recipes for Baby

Try these simple BLW-inspired first foods for baby 3

Publisher & Editor Amity Hook-Sopko

Creative Director Amanda Hearn

Advertising Director Susie Lyons

Copy Editor

Megan McCoy Dellecese

Media & Other Inquiries

media@greenchildmagazine.com

Contributors

Megan McCoy Dellecese Susie Lyons Dr. Melanie Everett, ND Krystal Barschig Kylah Dobson Green Child is owned and published electronically by Fresh Green Media, LLC. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.

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family nourishment

Making Meals and Sharing Food as an Act of Love |by Dr. Melanie Everett, ND

When we sit down to eat together in a family setting, we are opening ourselves to more than just a moment of balanced nutrition and a healthy serving of food groups. We come together and dine to receive nourishment; to fill our cup with community, energy, relationship, shared experience and connection, as well as fuel in the form of food. Learning how to offer this experience and reverence for eating well to our children is fundamental for their establishment of a lifelong healthy relationship with food. Creating community and engagement around healthy eating and meal making takes practice, though. If you are not familiar with how to shop for, eat and prepare food that nourishes your whole family, it can feel like an overwhelming task. Often, the expectation of greatness can be enough to forfeit the work put into homemade meals and as a result, we may choose convenience over homemade options. With the high prevalence of preventable diseases increasing in this country and the decreased time allotted for physical activity in public schools, couple with the heavy reliance on screen use and cars for transportation, there is now even more of an incentive to educate our children about health and nutrition. We parents need to model healthy food options in the home to help set our children up

for a future as healthy adults who choose well at the market, in the kitchen and on the plate. As a Naturopathic Physician, I am always eager to expose my kids to a whole-foods, nutrient-rich diet, particularly emphasizing anti-inflammatory food choices and lots of fresh plant foods. As a mom of 3 young children, however, I often feel that I fall short of what I would hope to provide for my children in the form of healthy, home made meals. I experience my personal balance to be a blend of the two; a reconciling of the ideal and reality, if you will. I think every mom can strike her relative balance that incorporates both her aspirations to provide healthy meal options and her need to juggle a home and family life. In our family, we try to emphasize inclusion and participation as much as possible, so that the endless task of daily meal making and providing food feels less like a task, and more like a ritual. The following tips are a few suggestions on how to do just that, particularly with little children:

â&#x20AC;˘ Get the kids involved: From meal

planning, to writing a grocery list, to shopping, to meal making; there are small jobs that children can claim for themselves to feel that they are a part of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s need to cook and eat together. The more that they can be in charge of something, be it

family nourishment

Making Meals and Sharing Food as an Act of Love

hunting down good-looking apples in the produce aisle or stirring the soup with a ladle at the stove top, then the more they can develop confidence and self-sufficiency in the kitchen.

• Let them serve themselves: Allow each individual family member to scoop their own dishes and desired amounts onto their plates. This way they can feel they assert what they like and that they are in charge of how they nourish themselves. For the little ones, this is great work for dexterity and hand-eye coordination, as well. Mind the spills. We all make them. Keep a stack of cloth napkins or washcloths near and they can tend to their own messes, too.

• Share conversation: Ask each person

about their friends, the weekend plans, or the funniest moment of their day. Demonstrate that meal time is a time of connection by inquiring about their lives. Show them that eating can be a calm and enjoyable experience. Put your utensil down between bites. Make eye contact. Breathe. Laugh. Just be!

• Discuss tastes, colors and flavors:

Everybody has favorite foods and flavors. Discussing ingredients (especially if the kids are already familiar with them from having helped cook the dish!) helps children to understand the diversity of food options, healthy combinations and the distinction of taste with each food, herb and spice in their meal. They will then be able to practice effective communication for what they like or prefer to have less of. Again, this builds confidence and assuredness when it comes to self-nourishment.

• Converse about the origins of meal ingredients: Discussing where food comes from can be a natural transition into more elaborate topics of community, economy, plant life cycles, nature’s rhythms, seasons and how we are all a part of a greater whole.

• Express gratitude: Share explicit ap-

preciation for the meals that we are able to gather, prepare, cook and enjoy together to link the act of eating to a heart centered place within. When we experience a positive feeling during shared meal time, we nurture a healthy relationship with food. In doing so, we hold our nourishment with high esteem and find importance and value in the small tasks that add up to home made meals shared with those we love. When love is at the core of our need to nourish our families, then quick options and store bought substitutes become second-rate to the delicious and slow-cooked meals we can create out of love and with our own two hands.

• Above all, be flexible!: At the end of

the day, I am more concerned with how my children experienced eating than the specific food items that were on their plate. Yes, homemade meals are essential for health. Still, if I need to adapt for a night or even a busy week, then allowing myself permission to let go, be easy and focus on how to nurture the relationship rather than stress over the details is key. Trust you will bounce back and realign again to emphasize family nourishment as an act of love. In this way, health and fulfillment are a natural by-product of the work, energy and heart we put into feeding our families.

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The How and Why

of Seasoning Cast Iron |by Susie Lyons

One of the staples of kitchens everywhere for centuries, cast iron skillets have been around a long time… and for good reason. They’re durable, easy to use, easy to clean, and, let’s face it, there is something special about the taste of food prepared in a cast iron skillet. Seasoning is the process of treating the cast iron with oil and heat to keep it from rusting and corroding. After all, it is made of iron and iron is more porous than it appears. When you season a cast iron skillet, the oil sinks into the pores and oxidizes when heated – providing protection from moisture. It’s a little more work than the run of the mill stainless steel but it’s definitely worth it for a skillet that will provide so many delicious meals and could very well be passed down through generations. Seasoning is easy. Here’s what you’ll need: • • • • 10

Cast iron skillet Aluminum foil Mild dish soap Stiff brush or a scrubbing sponge (NOT STEEL WOOL)

• Clean dry cloth (preferably cotton) or paper towels • Canola oil or vegetable oil • Oven First, place a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below the center rack of your oven and preheat to 325° F. Next, wash your cast iron skillet with warm, soapy water and your sponge or brush. This will be probably be the last time you use soap on your cast iron skillet unless something really gets baked on that won’t come off with just hot water and scrubbing. After washing and rinsing well, dry your skillet completely. Now, use your paper towels or cloth to apply a thin coat of canola oil or melted vegetable oil to both the inside and the outside of your skillet. Place the skillet upside down on the center rack in your oven and bake for one hour. The foil will catch any oil that drips off your skillet. That’s it. Now your skillet is seasoned. You will need to keep it seasoned after every time you have to wash it with soap if something bakes on — or at three or four times a year.

Deliciously Nutritious Quinoa Crust Pizza

|by Krystal Barschig

Author of My Botanical Baby

This plant-based pizza recipe is equal parts nutritious and delicious! It is vegan, flourless, glutenfree, and high in protein and fiber.

Quinoa Crust • • • •

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa 1/4 cup water 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt

Basil-Hemp Seed Pesto • • • • •

4 garlic cloves 1 cup basil leaves 2 tablespoons hemp seeds 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Toppings • • • • • •

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved 2 tablespoons olive oil 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 6 cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/2 yellow onion, sliced

Instructions 1. Soak quinoa in water for 8 hours. Drain and rinse. 2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

3. Place quinoa in food processor along with remaining crust ingredients. 4. Pulse for two minutes until a paste-like substance forms. (It will still be a little grainy.) 5. Line pie tin with parchment paper, and pour the quinoa mixture into the tin. 6. Smooth with a spatula and bake for 15 minutes. 7. Sauté mushrooms in 1 tbs olive oil with half of the minced garlic. Caramelize the onions in a pan by constantly stirring over low heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. When they begin to become translucent, add the remaining garlic, and cook for another couple of minutes. 8. Take the crust out of the oven. Carefully remove both the crust and the parchment paper from the tin. 9. Flip the crust, place it back into the tin, and bake for 10 minutes. 10. Add pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulsing until combined. 11. Remove crust from the oven. 12. Cover with pesto and toppings, and bake for 10 minute. 13. Remove the pizza from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing it from the tin. 14. Slice and serve! 13

Deliciously Nutritious

|by Krystal

Barschig

Author of My Botanical Baby

Chickpea Salad Sandwich This quick and easy recipe is perfect for picnics and packed with plant-based protein!

Ingredients

Instructions

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 bunch scallions, chopped • 1 whole dill pickle, minced • 1 carrot, shredded • 2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 2 teaspoons yellow mustard pinch of salt • cracked black pepper to taste • 4 Tablespoons Cucumber Yogurt Sauce • Cucumber Yogurt Sauce: • 1 garlic clove, peeled • 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced 3 Tablespoons greek yogurt • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice • 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork. 2. Mix in the remaining ingredients. 3. Next, make the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce. Pulse the garlic clove in a food processor until minced. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. 4. Stir the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce into the chickpea salad mixture. 5. Serve the Chickpea Salad in a pita pocket with a few crisp romaine lettuce leaves and sliced tomato, or on your favorite crackers, or eat it straight out of the bowl with a fork! I’ve done ‘em all and enjoyed it in every form!

Deliciously Nutritious

|by Krystal Barschig

Author of My Botanical Baby

Roasted Petite Potato Salad

with Haricot Verts and Walnut Basil Pesto

This hearty, plant-based, summertime side dish is loaded with healthy omega-3s. Serve it alongside grilled veggie burgers at your next BBQ!

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • •

4 cups petite potatoes 4 cups haricot verts 1.5 cups raw walnuts, chopped 4 garlic cloves 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves 6 Tablespoons olive oil 3 Tablespoons flaxseed oil 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus a little extra 1 Tablespoon lemon juice handful of chives, chopped

Instructions Potatoes & Haricot Verts 1. Preheat the oven to 450. 2. Rinse the potatoes. 1 inch in diameter is great. If you may want to half a larger variety. 3. Place the potatoes in a pot of water over high heat, and boil for 5 minutes. 4. Carefully (they’re hot!) remove the potatoes from the water. Toss with olive oil and sprinkling of salt, and then spread them out onto a baking sheet (or two). 5. Place them in the oven, and bake 20-25

minutes or until slightly browned and the skin is a bit crispy. Shuffle them around once or twice while they’re baking so that they cook evenly. 6. In the meantime, trim the haricot vets and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces. 7. Place them in a steam basket over a pot of boiling water (or whatever you use for steaming veggies), and cook until they’re tender but still have a little snap. 8. Place the walnuts in a pan, and toss over medium heat until they’re lightly toasted.

Pesto 1. Peel the garlic cloves and pulse in a food processor until finely minced. 2. Next, add 3/4 cup of the toasted walnuts, basil, oils, salt, and lemon juice. Process until smooth and blended.

Put It All Together In a large serving bowl, toss the potatoes and haricot verts with the pesto. Mix in the remaining walnuts and chives. Maybe finish with a squeeze of lemon and dash of salt. Enjoy! 17

Deliciously Nutritious

|by Krystal

Barschig

Author of My Botanical Baby

Banana Date Oatmeal Bars These vegan, sugar-free Banana Date Oatmeal Bars are the perfect grab-n-go snack for mommy, baby, and big kid alike! They’re sweet, chewy, and packed full of good for you real-food ingredients!

Ingredients • 6 dates, pitted • 3 tbs water reserved from soaking dates • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Rolled Oats • 1/2 cup oat flour • 1 tbs ground flaxseeds

• • • • •

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 very ripe bananas, mashed 1/3 cup almond butter* 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbs coconut oil, melted

Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Place dates in the water, and turn off the heat. Soak the dates for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 3. In a small mixing bowl, mix oats, oat flour, ground flaxseeds, and cinnamon. 4. In a separate larger mixing bowl, combine the bananas, almond butter, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. 5. Remove the softened dates from the hot water, and puree in a food processor with 3 tbs of water from the pot. Add the date puree to the banana mixture. 6. Add the dry oat mixture to the wet banana mixture, and stir to combine. 7. Line an 8×8-inch baking tin with parchment 18

paper, and pour the banana-oat mixture into the pan. Smooth with a spatula. 8. Bake for 25-30 minutes. 9. Remove baked oats from the pan, along with the parchment paper. Allow to cool on a cooling rack, and then cut evenly into 16 mini Banana Date Oatmeal Bars.

Please Note

If your baby is less than a year old and you’re trying to avoid added salt in his diet, choose almond butter that doesn’t have any added salt. It’s a good habit to check the ingredient list on your nut butters anyway because lots of them add sugar and/or partially hydrogenated oils. The ingredients should just read: “Almonds” or “Dry Roasted Peanuts,” for example.

Sweet Treats PB&J Smoothie

{Yield: 1 large or 2 small smoothies}

Ingredients • 1 ½ cups almond milk • 2 cups strawberries • ½ banana, frozen • 2 tablespoons Justin’s® Peanut Butter • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

Instructions Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Sip, sip hooray! Before we get too far, let me just say that you have complete freedom to swap the nut butters listed in these recipes for your favorite flavor. Like this classic Peanut Butter and jelly smoothie? There’s no reason it can’t be an AB&J (Almond Butter & jelly) or CHB&J (Chocolate Hazelnut Butter & jelly) smoothie. Gotta mix it up sometimes. 20

As seen in Justin My Kitchen: Simple, Delicious Recipes in a Nutshell

Maple Almond Banana Smoothie {Yield: 1 large or 2 small smoothies}

Ingredients • 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk • 2 bananas, frozen • 4 dates, pitted • 3 tablespoons • Justin’s® Maple Almond Butter • ½ cup old-fashioned oats • ½ cup ice (optional)

Instructions Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This is what I call heaven in a glass. If it were fine wine, we could say it has a distinct nuttiness with notes of sweet maple and date with an underlying oatiness that provides a wonderfully thick texture and mouth-feel. It’s quite the sophisticated smoothie. 21

healthy foods, fast

|by Kylah Dobson

Certified Nutrition Therapy Practitioner (CNTP) Author of Seasonally Nourished

Nut-Free Chocolate Granola Bars These granola bars are the perfect salty sweet snack for a child’s school lunch. They are completely nut, dairy and gluten free and only take 15 minutes to make. The recipe makes 14 healthy, whole foods granola bars and lasts in the fridge for two weeks. A perfect alternative to the store bought variety!

Ingredients • • • •

2 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut 1 1⁄2 cups unsweetened puffed quinoa (rice, millet, quinoa etc.) • 1⁄2 cup dried fruit (raisins, dates, figs, prunes, cranberries, goji berries), roughly

• • • • • •

chopped 1⁄4 tsp. sea salt 1 1⁄2 Tbsp. cacao powder 1/2 cup brown rice syrup or honey 3 Tbsp. maple syrup 1⁄2 cup tahini or nut butter 2 Tbsp. coconut oil 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C. Combine oats, sunflower seeds and shredded coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the oats are golden and have a nutty aroma. 2. In a small saucepan combine the honey, maple syrup, tahini, coconut oil, vanilla. Whisk to combine. Do not overheat. 3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled oats, sunflower seeds and shredded coconut with the chopped dried fruit, puffed quinoa, 22

salt, and cacao powder. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir quickly to mix. 4. Pour the mix into a brownie pan (9x12) lined with parchment baking paper. Press the mixture firmly, especially into the corners. Place in the freezer for twenty minutes or the fridge for a couple hours to firm up, then remove from fridge and slice into bars. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up two weeks.

Blueberry Oat Breakfast Smoothie It’s easy to get stuck in a rut at breakfast, one of the busiest times of day in most households, especially with young ones running under foot. Smoothies are our go-to and even then we tend to put the same old things in it day in and day out. Even smoothies deserve a makeover! This one is sweet enough for children to gobble up and yet contains a great balance of unrefined carbohydrates, healthy fats and good protein to actually keep you feeling totally satisfied long after breakfast is over. And, of course, it’s super easy to take on the run!

Ingredients • 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen • 1 frozen banana • 1 Tbsp. tahini, almond butter, or other nut butter • 1/2 cup rolled oats • 1 handful of greens (spinach and kale are good choices) water or milk of choice to thin, as needed

Instructions 1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Enjoy immediately.

looklistenread

Our editors’ top picks in books, apps & more for you and the ones you love.

Eating Clean by Amie Valpone

Author and Celebrity Chef Amie Valpone shares her personal struggles with food and inflammatory-related illness. With more than 200 delicious recipes that are vegetarian and free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and refined sugar, a healthier way of eating will never be boring! Amie also offers guidance on how to fight inflammation and reset your body, including a 21-Day Elimination Diet, instructions for food reintroduction, a 2-week meal plan, and an extensive pantry list.

$14 at TheHealthyApple.com

Allrecipes Dinner Spinner When you find yourself at a loss for meal ideas (which is quite often for some of us)… Dinner Spinner to the rescue! You can search by ingredients you have on hand, cooking time, specialties like vegetarian or gluten-free, or even give your device a shake for a surprise recipe. Found a recipe you love? Easily share it socially right from the app!

Free in the App Store 26

Kid Chef: The Foodie Kids Cookbook by Melina Hammer

A refreshing approach to cooking with kids! This book empowers young chefs with basic kitchen skills like stocking the pantry, creating grocery lists, prepping ingredients, and safely using knives and the stove. Packed with full-color photography and cooking tips, you and your little one will enjoy spending time together in the kitchen… and preparing healthy meals and snacks together.

$10.50 at Amazon

I Really Like Slop! by Mo Willems

Trying to reason with picky eaters? Even if author Mo Willems can’t get them to eat their broccoli, at least you’re guaranteed some giggles. In this charming installment, Piggie invites Gerald to try her favorite food . . . slop. But Gerald is not so sure he’s going to like it. Reminiscent of Green Eggs and Ham, this is one of our favorite new classics.

$8.50 at Amazon

Baby Led Weaning

A Real Food Approach to Feeding Your Baby |by Megan McCoy Dellecese

With a new baby, every new phase can be exciting but also pretty stressful. Learning new cues, figuring out a feeding schedule...it’s a bit daunting. Then, once you finally get your feeding routine under control, what happens? Time for “solids.” The idea of starting baby off at the age of four months with purees is one way to go, and quite possibly the way you yourself were raised. But, today several health organizations are actually advising that parents wait until baby’s system is more mature, closer to 6 months. And when it’s time to introduce new options into baby’s diet, why not try baby-led weaning?

What’s baby-led weaning, you ask? The name is a little misleading; it doesn’t mean that it’s a way to get baby to quit nursing or taking formula. Rather, it’s the term first coined by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett in their book Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods, referring to a supplement to breast (or bottle) that offers baby soft pieces of food to consume by “self feeding.” This method allows babies to develop age appropriate oral motor control and gives them a

positive, interactive early food experience. Rather than offering spoonfuls of pureed fruits, veggies, and cereals, you can pick from a wide range of foods to offer your little one, oftentimes in conjunction with what the rest of the family is eating. Baby will freely learn how much food to eat and how quickly, and is given the chance to decide when she wants to transition to less milk/formula and more solids (usually later in her first year). So, why would you want to give baby-led weaning a go? Many find the experience much less stressful (for parents and child) and even easier since parents are able to sit and enjoy a meal rather than taking breaks to spoon feed the baby. This method also offers a wide range of flavors and textures to allow baby to discover an appreciation for many types of foods early on. What about choking? Since it is a new method for many parents, the first concerns are often with regards to choking. It’s totally a legitimate fear, but as long as you offer properly-sized, soft pieces of food (and avoid the foods on the “don’t try” list), you may be surprised at how well your child takes to the process. Of course, it’s always advised to watch baby while they eat and be sure to make a sweep of her mouth if

Baby Led Weaning you see any signs of choking. It’s also good to recognize the difference between a natural gag reflex (which is designed to naturally bring a too-large piece of food from the throat and back of the mouth forward to avoid choking) and real choking.

When should you start baby-led weaning? Your child may start showing signs that it’s time to try around 6 months of age. Katja Leccisi, nutritionist behind the website leccisi.com and the soon-to-be-published book “Questions and Answers About Your Baby’s First Foods”, suggests that your baby is developmentally ready to start eating foods when she has fairly good head control, can more or less sit up and lean forward by herself, and can reach for things and bring them to her mouth. “He may also show an interest in what is on your plate,” she explains. “For most babies, this will be when she is close to 6 months old, but some may be ready earlier.” Leccisi also says that it helps to let your baby try and feed herself. “Even if you are offering your baby foods by spoon feeding him, give him the opportunity to learn to feed himself. If your baby is six months old when you start introducing foods to him, he will probably be very happy to have some food on the tray in front of him to pick up and eventually eat. First foods are all about discovery, so give him plenty of opportunities to explore foods.”

Are there any tips to make babyled weaning more successful? 30

Of course! Here are some pointers to make baby-led weaning work for your family:

Start small, but not with the food.

Pick one food at a time and try it for a few days to keep an eye out for any allergy symptoms and get baby used to the new flavor. Only offer one piece at a time and place it right on their tray so that they focus on one thing at a time. While some advise giving baby smaller pieces, it’s actually easier for them to grasp at soft-cooked pieces of food that are about the length of your thumb.

Solid doesn’t mean HARD.

If a food is able to be smushed between two of your fingers, it’s most likely okay for your child to try eating. While some advise offering solid apples for baby to suck on, if you’re wary to try it, cook it down a bit and allow to cool before offering.

Expect a mess.

This is an area that parents often grow frustrated with regards to spoon-feeding. Yes, this method WILL be messy. Food will most likely end up in baby’s hair, on clothes, and on the floor. If this sort of thing gets you upset, try stripping baby down to her diaper and making sure that the highchair is on a smooth surface (or throw a big tablecloth or shower curtain on the floor to make clean-up a bit easier). Or, just embrace it and grab the camera!

Don’t be afraid of flavor.

We often offer super bland foods to babies. Why?? As your child gets the hang of eating, sprinkle a little cinnamon on that apple chunk or some cumin in with their ground meat. Adventurous eating starts early, and the addition

Don’t be afraid of flavor.

A happy baby is better at discovery.

We’ve all experienced the symptoms of being hangry, right? Well, so do babies. Don’t wait for your child to be super hungry to offer solids. Waiting until partway between feedings will set them up for a much more relaxed, fun food experience.

Don’t hope for perfection. As with all milestones, it takes some children longer to get the hang of a new skill than others. If your child is having a hard time with her pincer grasp, cut the food a little longer for easier grabbing. If she only likes to pick up the food and play with it or apprehensively lick at it, that’s okay. As long as she’s still getting enough milk in her system, solids aren’t a big deal. This often begins as more of a tactile learning experience for children than a culinary one; they’ll get the hang of it when they’re ready.

First Foods • Cooked carrot, sweet potato, potato, butternut squash, pumpkin, zucchini, apple, broccoli, green beans (with skins removed)

• Slices/chunks of raw, ripe banana, avocado, peach, pear, melon, strawberries • Cooked meat or poultry • Egg yolk • Whole wheat bread, cooked pasta, brown rice (although you may want to wait until molars come in before introducing grains; wheat is also not recommended until later in the first year)

What to Avoid (Generally Common-Sense Items) • Processed meats • Raw meats • Raw eggs • Raw fish • Honey • Unpasteurized milk and milk products • Unpasteurized juices • Stimulants (like sugar and chocolate) • Allergic foods (particularly if there’s a family history) like gluten, egg whites, seafood, citrus • Added sugar or table salt • Any foods that could pose as a choking hazard, including but not limited to: hard candies, chewing gum, popcorn, marshmallows, nuts/seeds, fish with bones, hotdogs/sausages, grapes (unless cut lengthwise)

Photography by Baby Foode 32

8 Simple, Flavorful Recipes for Baby With baby-led weaning, you’ll skip cereals or packaged baby foods and start with the nutrientrich foods your family already enjoys at mealtime. In this way, baby can experience the full range of textures and flavors of fresh food from the start. As always, keep a watchful eye on your little one as she explores new foods. Many parents ease into real foods by allowing baby to self-feed from soft mashes and purees. Foods keep for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Use organic ingredients when possible.

Avocado Fries

Butternut Squash, Cherries & Flax Seeds Recipe by Baby Foode

Ingredients

• 1/2 butternut squash • 1 cup cherries, fresh or frozen • 1 tsp flax seeds

Instructions

1. Peel, seed and chop butternut squash. 2. Place butternut squash in steamer basket over boiling water, cover, for 15 minutes. 3. Add cherries and steam for an additional 5 minutes. 4. Let cool slightly. 5. Add butternut squash, cherries and flax seeds to blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Ingredients • • • •

2 avocados (thick sliced) 1 egg (beaten) flour bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F 2. Dip avocado slices in flour, then egg, and finally in the bread crumbs. 3. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1520 minutes or until crisp.

Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Ingredients • • • •

1 cup cauliflower florets 1 small-med sweet potato 1/4 tsp fresh basil (minced) 1 tbs olive oil

Instructions

1. Steam ingredients until easly pierced. 2. Toss with fresh basil & olive oil. 33

8 Simple, Flavorful Recipes for Baby

Raspberries & Oats

Blueberry & Beets

Ingredients

• • • •

1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup almond flour 1/2 cup raspberries 1 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

• 1/2 cup blueberries • 2 beets • water, breastmilk, or formula (as needed)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients well. 2. Mold into squares or roll into balls.

1. Wash beets well, peel, and chop. 2. Steam 8-10 minutes or until beets are easily pierced. 3. Mix, blend, or mash to desired consistency.

Gingered Pear

Banana & Avocado

Ingredients

Instructions

• 2 pears • 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (finely minced) • water, breastmilk, or formula (as needed) 1. Steam pears 8-10 minutes or until easily pierced. 2. Add ginger. 3. Mix, blend, or mash to desired consistency.

• 1 ripe avocado • 1 ripe banana • 1 tbs hemp hearts 1. 2. 3. 4.

Pit, peel, & dice avocado. Slice banana. Add hemp hearts. Mix, blend, or mash to desired consistency.

Mango & Spinach Ingredients

• 1 mango • 1/2 cup fresh spinach (pressed full) • yogurt (if desired

Instructions

1. Wash produce well. 2. Peel & cube mango. 3. Blend or mash to desired consistency. 34

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